Archive for April 12th, 2009

China Spending Money To Buy Influence

It’s quite possible that China’s suggestion for a new world currency may have been only an opening gambit in an economic offensive. MatketWatch is reporting that the Chinese have announced a regional aid package to help neighboring Asian countries ride out the economic crisis. In an apparent move to extend its influence, China will create […]

Deflation Spreading In Japan

It would be nice if these reports would quit popping up. Japanese wholesale prices fell at their fastest rate since 2002, March figures showed on Monday, as weakening domestic demand on top of falling commodity prices led to worries about deflation. With interest rates already nearly zero, analysts say the Bank of Japan has limited weapons to fight […]

Are Older Workers Unwanted?

I’ve run into more than a few stories lately about older workers having a more difficult time finding jobs in the current environment. It appears as if what I originally took to be fluff “human Interest” fillers may be more than just that. From the NYT: But unemployed baby boomers, many of whom believed they […]

Treasury Department Directs GM To Get Ready For BK

The NYT is reporting that Treasury Department officials have directed GM to begin laying the groundwork for a bankruptcy proceeding by June 1. According to the Times, they want to be prepared to go through a “surgical” bankruptcy. One plan under consideration would create a new company that would buy the “good” assets of G.M. […]

Who Should We Tax?

As painful at it might be, there’s little doubt that the U.S. is going to have to ramp up the amount of money it takes from its citizens in the near future. Tax receipts from existing tax regimes alone are not going to be sufficient to pay for the fiscal stimulus plan and the financial […]