finance
Money talks; reviewing the global economy, government spending, taxes, and economic policy that affect our social and political future.
Our National Debt
Like most of you, I was a bit confused and wanted elaboration on the subject of the National Debt. To me, this is one of the most important topics, regardless of who runs the country. So I started searching the web for explanation, but it seems that the articles online fall short of clarity. Most of these websites explain as if you are familiar with financial concepts. To add to the complexity, they reference other governmental websites that explain detail and components of the national debt.
By Alonzo Echavarria-Garza6 years ago in The Swamp
Cuba's Economy Is Gradually Getting into the Picture
Cuba has an unsolved problem with Fidel Castro on the nationalization of American real estate, but she recently agreed to hold a referendum to turn it into an economy conducive to investment. Unfortunately, for the northern Caribbean country, they are not ranked in the global ease of doing business. This, of course, means that investors will not be interested in the land for business. With only 11,490,125 people, one would've thought that it will find it cost effective. Unfortunately, this cannot be said about the republic. Many obstacles in Cuba are slowing economic progress.
By Osei Agyemang7 years ago in The Swamp
Universal Credit
Recently, the contract for my temporary employment at a certain call centre came to an end. I can't say that I miss it. There's something about being routinely told that I'm a worthless idiot by faceless strangers that just doesn't appeal to me, and besides, the voices in my head pretty much have that base covered. So, with nothing else lined up, I had to schedule an appointment go to the Job Centre, but this was only the beginning of the nightmare.
By C. Raymond Martin7 years ago in The Swamp
How Beneficial Is Bank Consolidation?—Spotlight on Kenya, Africa
Years ago I did not understand why good standing and independent banks eventually joined other financial institutions or banks. After a series of interviews with swayful financial advisors for the reasons, I was convinced. At the moment, the largest African bank, in terms of customer base, is in the news. The bank will be available to the public in the third quarter of 2019. It will soon be forthcoming because two Kenyan banks recently joined. The Kenya NIC Bank Plc (together with the parent company NIC Bank Group) and the African Commercial Bank are now consolidating. Regional supervisory authorities approved the merger. Kenya Central Bank and the Bank of Tanzania announced this on 30 May 2019.
By Osei Agyemang7 years ago in The Swamp
The Banking Industry
It was deja vu in a truly high stakes, high drama meeting. It was reminiscent of a depression era Reconstruction Finance Corporation meeting of seventy-five years ago. On that day, nine large bank CEOs were told by US Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke, and FDIC Chairman, Sheila Bair that it was in their own best interest to agree to the partial nationalization of their banks by the US Treasury Department. When the meeting was over, the CEOs had agreed to a $125 billion stake by the US government in their firms. They had no choice and history was made again.
By Matthew Evans7 years ago in The Swamp
Economics 101 in Action
You want to see how the free market works? You want to see economic principles come to life? You want to see the "invisible hand" of capitalism in action? Well, a recent story out of Pennsylvania illustrates why the laws of supply and demand work—not in mysterious ways, but in very, highly predictable ways—and in ways that would make the authors of Freakonomics oh so very proud!
By David Wyld7 years ago in The Swamp
Striving for More
There are levels to this thing called life. Structures and strictures determine what people think, how they act, and what they wish to do with what reality presents them. In America, the freest, most noblest country in human history, we possess the rights and the luxuries and privileges that allow us to break down into classes what people have and don’t have. Or better put, what people produce and don’t produce and then consume. The lowest rungs of the ladder, the poor, are still far richer than billions of other people the world over. People with median household incomes of twenty thousand dollars or less may have running water, toilets, electricity, functioning refrigerators, washers and dryers, and even smartphones among the ability, of course, to rise from their a destitute position. Few places on Earth allow for such meager beginnings to flourish into greater wealth.
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in The Swamp
Amazon HQ2
With Black Friday just passing and onward to Cyber Monday which will continue on to a holiday increased shopping period through the remainder of the year, Amazon is on a lot of people’s electronic screens and taking in their hard-earned dollars…. Dollars that were taxedon earnings. Unlike Amazon, who avoids paying federal taxes using a variety of tax credits and tax exemptions that are legal and built into the U.S. federal tax code. A big one for this past year was the ability to deduct stock-based compensation of executives.
By BJ Tyrrell7 years ago in The Swamp
The Future of the British Furniture Industry Post-Brexit
Following on from Theresa May’s recent declaration that the UK had agreed to a withdrawal agreement with the European Union, there have been positive murmurings emerging from a range of different industries within the business community. While the agreement has not been positively received across the whole of the public and political spectra, there is the possibility that MPs will eventually push the agreement through parliament to avert an unprecedented political crisis developing in the UK.
By Jeff Nevil7 years ago in The Swamp
Here Is Why Many Minority Communities Are in Financially Troubling Situations. Top Story - November 2018.
Let’s begin by asking, why do minority communities lack the financial training and understanding that many other communities seem to possess? Where is the disconnect? Over my lifetime, I have seen many minority people grow up in poverty and remained there.
By Chris Ricks7 years ago in The Swamp
Trump's Tariff War
The last week of September marked a troubling trend in American politics. First, we have the Kavanaugh hearings where several women now accuse him of misconduct. And all the news seems to focus around whether what he says or she says are the actual facts. Meanwhile, with the President speaking at the United Nations, one has to wonder about the mentality of this President when he went on a boastful tirade on what he and he alone has accomplished as President. What was he thinking? The General Assembly is not the place where one goes on a self embellishment speaking tour. It is pretty apparent that this President, when it comes to interacting with other foreign dignitaries, has not one ounce of decorum befitting respect from world leaders. Yet he continues to antagonize heads of state with his go-it-alone approach in foreign affairs. All this was very obvious in his remarks at the UN recently. In his usual undiplomatic approach in dealing with other leaders of the world, he has made America look like a Banana Republic. The Trump Administration has indeed made a mockery of the Office of the President.
By Dr. Williams7 years ago in The Swamp
