Economy

Election 2016 Round Table Discussion: With the economy and jobs being two of the hottest interrelated issues of the 2016 campaign, what will be the solutions to bolstering a stagnant economy and returning Americans to work?

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Prescott Valley, AZ Correspondent-The solutions to bolstering a stagnant economy and returning Americans to work lie in the reestablishment of a number of institutions and policy approaches that will strengthen the economy and return Americans to work.

With the number of businesses, companies, corporations and organizations leaving America in record numbers and corporate tax rates remaining at high levels, the demand for lower waged workers, and lower priced products and services have driven significant numbers of companies and jobs overseas. In addition, jobs have disappeared or have been significantly diminished to the point that entire industrialized sectors of the American economy have been driven out of existence. Continue reading →

Donald Trump has proposed a tariff on goods imported from China. Would this ultimately hurt or help the American economy?

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Myrtle Beach, SC, Orlando, FL January 22, 2016

Owatonna, MN Correspondent-On the surface, the United States government imposing a tariff on a country that doesn’t play fair when it comes to trade, like China, sounds like a good thing to do. We stand up to a cheater, exert our sovereign rights, and possibly add tax revenue to the balance sheet. A tariff would prevent China from artificially cutting their prices on their exports, thereby gaining market share at the expense of US producers or producers from other countries. Continue reading →

Symposium 2011: What reforms, if any, would you suggest be made to the Federal Reserve? Should the Fed’s dual mandate to achieve maximum employment and price stability be repealed or should there be specific targets for each?

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RMC:  Well, I think the Federal Reserve has a useful purpose but it has been responsible for the biggest economic disasters in the past fifteen years.  Low interest rates fueled the internet bubble back in the late 1990s.  That didn’t turn out too well for the economy or stock market.  And accommodative policy helped fuel the real estate bubble and we’re still trying to recover from that.  Continue reading →

Economic Outlook 2011

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Gross Domestic Product
Following zero growth in 2008 and a 2.6% contraction in 2009, real gross domestic product (GDP) increased by roughly 2.8% (an an annual basis) according to advance estimatesi released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The economy remained modestly expansionary in 2010 with first and second quarter changes in real GDP of 3.7% and 1.7%. These figures follow an increase in real GDP of 5% in the fourth quarter 2009. Third and fourth quarter real GDP increased by 2.6% and 3.2%, respectively, showing a slight upward trend in economic activity. While the trend in 2009 was clearly marked by recession followed by a modest upturn in activity, economic activity in 2010 could be characterized as modest. However, in 2010, housing markets remained weak with continued declines in prices and increases in foreclosures, credit markets remained tight, inflationary pressures increased and unemployment remained high. Continue reading →

Symposium 2010: Is more economic stimulus needed and what form must it take to get the economy back on track?

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We’ve seen that the economic stimulus that has cost taxpayers trillions of dollars has had little to no effect on getting the economy back on track. We need to wake up to a few realities before we start talking about stimulus. First, a lot of jobs that have been lost over the last few years aren’t coming back. A lot of corporations had gotten top heavy in terms of labor.  Continue reading →

Symposium 2010: What is your assessment of the economy and general business conditions?

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The economic outlook is pretty bleak at this point. Unemployment isn’t going to go down, because businesses aren’t hiring. Why? There’s not enough demand because a lot of people are out of work and others are fearing they too may be in the unemployment line. Businesses aren’t going to hire if they have this massive liability known as Obamacare thrust upon them. Continue reading →

Economic Outlook 2011

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Gross Domestic Product
Following zero growth in 2008 and a 2.6% contraction in 2009, real gross domestic product (GDP) increased by roughly 2.8% (an an annual basis) according to advance estimatesi released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The economy remained modestly expansionary in 2010 with first and second quarter changes in real GDP of 3.7% and 1.7%. These figures follow an increase in real GDP of 5% in the fourth quarter 2009. Third and fourth quarter real GDP increased by 2.6% and 3.2%, respectively, showing a slight upward trend in economic activity. While the trend in 2009 was clearly marked by recession followed by a modest upturn in activity, economic activity in 2010 could be characterized as modest. However, in 2010, housing markets remained weak with continued declines in prices and increases in foreclosures, credit markets remained tight, inflationary pressures increased and unemployment remained high. Continue reading →

Economic Outlook 2011

~ thinkingoutsidetheboxe ~ Leave a comment

Gross Domestic Product
Following zero growth in 2008 and a 2.6% contraction in 2009, real gross domestic product (GDP) increased by roughly 2.8% (an an annual basis) according to advance estimatesi released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The economy remained modestly expansionary in 2010 with first and second quarter changes in real GDP of 3.7% and 1.7%. These figures follow an increase in real GDP of 5% in the fourth quarter 2009. Third and fourth quarter real GDP increased by 2.6% and 3.2%, respectively, showing a slight upward trend in economic activity. While the trend in 2009 was clearly marked by recession followed by a modest upturn in activity, economic activity in 2010 could be characterized as modest. However, in 2010, housing markets remained weak with continued declines in prices and increases in foreclosures, credit markets remained tight, inflationary pressures increased and unemployment remained high. Continue reading →