Category: Economy

The election certainly surprised many with Democrats retaining control of the Senate, while Republicans squeaked over the line to take control of the House with a small majority. Per my earlier update below, this does change the calculus of what may happen in the next two years as both parties…

This article looks at the current and past debt ceiling debacles and potential impacts to everyday Americans Basically if the debt ceiling (currently $31.4 trillion) is not raised, the government would not be able to borrow more money to pay its bills, which could lead to a default on its…

[October Pre Election Update] Millions of Americans are desperately asking, "when will the next stimulus check payment arrive?" However due to the ongoing Congressional stalemate around compromising on a comprehensive stimulus package, the payment of another stimulus check in 2020 continues to be delayed. There have however been some promising…

The national unemployment rate was 4.2% in June 2026, and the economy added just 57,000 jobs that month — well below expectations, with leisure and hospitality actually losing jobs while healthcare and professional services kept growing. It's a mixed, uneven labor market, and it makes the question of where the…

What a whirlwind the United States Presidential Election was! It sparked record interest in the Presidential Debates and polls predicted the highest turnout rate of voters in the history of our Presidential Elections.   Trump was the third Presidential candidate in US history to win the election after losing the…

According to an analysis conducted by two former census bureau officials median income for the average American is still around 6 percent lower (after adjusting for inflation) than when the recession began. So if you feel poorer today than you did a few years ago you are not alone. The…

[Latest Update]  As many had predicted, the debt Super Committee has failed to come up with a deficit reduction plan. Basically the not-so-super members failed to get past party line bickering and will now face the prospect of justifying to an angry public why they could not compromise. Further, the…

R.I.P Herman Cain There has been a lot of news lately on Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain's 999 plan. As the new darling and front runner for the parties presidential nomination, Cain's tax plan has gone from a joke (e.g. the price of a pizza) to getting some serious, albeit…

[2013 Update] As I was updating this article, originally written in mid-2011 following the first debt ceiling deal, I got a major sense of deja-vu. After 18 months we are back in the same place with a dysfunctional Congress who barely passed legislation to avert the fiscal cliff.  But it's…

Is $68,000 considered a good income that you and your family can comfortably live on? Probably not in most places, but this is roughly the median income of the average American household in 2019 (before the pandemic!). Or stated another way - 50% of households make less than this amount, while…

The US Bureau of Economic Analysis has released the 2010 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures which showed a 2.6% average increase across the nation. As the graphic below shows 48 states and Washington DC experienced real GDP growth, led by the eastern seaboard states. Texas, North Dakota and Oregon were…

[Update - No New Taxes with Tax Extensions Approved] President Obama has now signed into law a bill that covers a temporary extension of all the bush-era tax cuts. The new bill also contains extensions to some of the 2008 stimulus tax breaks, and even has some new tax cuts. With…

This is a guest post by Tony Parker, an outspoken business owner and investor, looking at the intersection of politics and money. While I don’t agree with all his views (see my rebuttal in the comments section) I do think he makes some valid points worth discussing. Please share your…