Economy and Business
How Would Francis Invest?
When Pope Francis unveiled his letter to the world about how we must stop trashing the planet, he nearly broke the Internet. The pithy document included hundreds of zingers, including this line: “Whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless before the...
Paying the Pink Tax
You probably think you know about all the taxes you pay. Income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes — it seems like the list is endless. But there’s one tax I’ve been paying for most of my life that you might not know about. If you’re a woman, chances are you’re paying...
Nabbing Financial Felons
Big news from that razzle-dazzle place I call "El Casino Grande" — otherwise known as Wall Street. Four massive financial conglomerates — JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Barclays, and the Royal Bank of Scotland — have been busted for engaging in a criminal conspiracy to...
Tightening Whose Belt?
Listening to so-called fiscal conservatives like Representatives Kevin Brady and Mike Kelly, you’d think we were in a desperate fight for survival, with the national debt threatening our future. "I cannot in good conscience support adding more debt to the backs of our...
Not-So-Special Delivery
When a big-name retailer finds its sales in a slow downward spiral, the geniuses in the executive suite often try to keep their profits up by cheapening their product and delivering less to customers. To see how well this strategy works, look no further than the...
No Taxpayer Dollars for the ‘Bank of Boeing’
Have you heard of the Export-Import Bank? It’s little-known yet high on the list of special-interest priorities these days. Created in 1934, this government agency loans money to foreign buyers of American products and gives U.S. exporters loan guarantees. It also...
What’s the Matter with Saying ‘Middle Class’?
Presidential candidates are getting creative when it comes to describing the middle class, The New York Times reports. Why? Because the middle class in America is shrinking. As a result, the term no longer connotes aspirational, feel-good emotions. Long associated...
The New Face of Noplace, USA
As everyone who travels a lot soon learns, it's easy to forget where you are. Those big chains uniformly offer all the charm of Noplace, USA. This disorienting sameness has become more dizzying in recent years as the chains have merged and conglomerated. Weary...
Shocking Schumer
Senator Chuck Schumer, a leader of the corporate wing of congressional Democrats and heir apparent to outgoing Minority Leader Harry Reid, never met a global trade deal too ugly to hug. So when he says, "This is really troubling," you know his eyes have been singed by...
The Cutting Edge of Waste
Lots of folks in America today really need more money. Our kids, for starters. We ought to be investing in their futures, not stuffing them in overcrowded classrooms or forcing them to graduate from college with tens of thousands of dollars in debt. And plenty of...
