U.S. Farm Subsidies Increase World Hunger
April 13, 2008
Updated 4/15/08
Of all the reports I’ve heard on food prices and world hunger, last week’s Bill Moyers Journal has been the most informative.
While our leaders scream about the cost of entitlement programs, they continue to support farm policies that leave more and more people, in this country and around the world, without anything to eat.
Sphere: Related ContentFannie Mae, Freddie Mac Changes Sidestep Real Problem
March 21, 2008
By now you’ve probably heard that the government on Wednesday reduced requirements for the cash cushion at government-sponsored lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by one-third. The move is part of a plan to provide an additional $200 billion of financing for home loans, allow the companies to refinance shaky subprime mortgages into mortgages with more favorable rates, and back them with guarantees from the government. Proponents believe this will stabilize the housing market.
Some government officials are concerned that changing mortgage terms for troubled lenders, who created this mess in the first place, will make mortgage rates higher for everyone. Rates are rising anyway, in spite of drastic rate cuts by the Fed.
Sphere: Related ContentHeroic Fed Action is Temporary Fix
March 19, 2008
In a move not see since the Great Depression, the Federal Reserve helped investment bank J.P. Morgan Chase save one of its largest competitors, Bearn Sterns, from total collapse this weekend. Opponents have attacked the Fed for the “moral hazard” of insulating an institution that was largely responsible for the current housing crisis from the consequences of its actions. I disagree.
Sphere: Related ContentFocus Not Size of Government is the Issue
March 12, 2008
One constant fight between “conservatives” and “liberals” is over the role and size of government in our society. Though I often wonder about the size of our government, I also wonder if lack of focus is the true problem. Maybe those who oppose government intervention in education and health care should take another look at how the Constitution relates to the world in which we now live.
Sphere: Related ContentRedefining the Expert
February 22, 2008
People sometimes dismiss my views because I lack “proper” credentials. I’m not an expert, they say, because I don’t have enough degrees. I think our society has become too focused on experts who lack common sense. The evidence is all around us.
Sphere: Related ContentEconomics 102
January 23, 2008
Most “experts” in this country scratched their heads as stock markets around the world went into a free fall on Monday, and continued to fall Tuesday and Wednesday. The cause–worries about the weakening American economy.
The week before, a spokesman for Intel wondered aloud why the company’s stock fell 15 percent as investors responded to the company missing it’s sales target for the last quarter. An economic slowdown in the U.S. is no big deal, the spokesman said, because the U.S. represents only 25 percent of the computer market worldwide.
Sphere: Related ContentFinancial News Lacks Common Sense
January 8, 2008
It’s official. The economy is in trouble. After weeks of rosy forecasts about the strength of the global economy, the mainstream media found it’s first real cause for alarm in November. Sales dropped at Starbucks, and the company had to advertise for the first time in its history. Oh horrors! What will we do now?
Sphere: Related ContentEconomics 101
August 19, 2007
I’ve never been accused of being a whiz at economics, but indiscriminate outsourcing and corporate greed seem to be destroying American businesses and the American dream. The following are just a few examples that support my theory. Read more
Sphere: Related ContentSave Money, Time in Search for Good Health Care (Part Two)
July 25, 2007
By Jacqueline L. Jones
Last week we covered how to save time finding a medical professional to treat your chronic illness. This week we’ll cover how to pay for the services.
If you have health insurance, you will, of course, prefer someone covered by your plan. If the provider you prefer is not in your insurance company’s network, look into these options. The best one for you is that the medical professional agree to join your insurance company’s network. Barring that, for a problem that requires multiple visits, such as physical therapy, an out-of-network provider may agree to charge you only your regular co-pay amount and file the insurance claims so they go toward your deductible.
Another option is alternative payment plans, such as paying in installments. Maybe you could even barter services.
Keep in mind that insurance companies are covering a broader range of services than they have in the past. Check with your insurance company to see if some of these other services, such as those of Certified Nutritionists, are covered, which will reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.
And look into other ways to save money on health care. You may be able to deduct some of your medical expenses on your income taxes. If you qualify, consider opening a flexible spending account or medical savings account.
When this series continues next week, we’ll cover how to safely and legally use the services of an alternative provider.
Fatima Hyder edited this post.
Sphere: Related Content
