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Are You Smarter Than. . .?

For those of us (this blogger included) who are mathematically challenged, consider this simple equation: 0.8 – 0.4 = Debt.  In September 2011, consumer spending rose 0.8% while personal income climbed 0.4%.  How will American families bridge the gap between the two...

From Whence Does My Help Come?

In a bygone era, the federal government enacted Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, the Federal Housing Administration, and other programs designed to give ordinary Americans financial assistance.  Even today, some people (most notably President Obama) still share...

Addicted to Debt

For those of us who may have been living in a cave, here is the latest financial news: the United States government has a debt problem.  In fact, one prominent bond manager says that the United States is addicted to debt.  “The U.S., in fact, is a serial offender, an...

Addition and Subtraction

Bank of America recently announced that it would be forgiving the second mortgages of some 150,000 “pre-qualified” homeowners.  Of course, this is fantastic news if you are one of the bank’s hand-picked distressed borrowers.  But what if you were not lucky enough to...

Big Brother is Watching…

…but not necessarily watching out for you.  For macroeconomic reasons that this blogger frankly has problems understanding, the government wants higher prices on items like food and energy.  And with wage growth expected to be moderate or unchanged, it doesn’t take a...