Search Results
Newsletter
U.S. farm subsidies
Why should the average American care about the 2008 Farm Bill and farm subsidies? Farm subsidies can affect the price of food and can influence the amount of taxes we pay. This month's Liber8 newsletter explains why farm subsidies were originally used, spotlights the debate about their continued use, and points out some changes to the 2008 Farm Bill.
Newsletter
Retraining displaced U.S. workers
When the current U.S. recession ends and recovery begins, many pre-recession jobs, such as some in financial services and the automobile industry, will not return. So what are the options if jobs in your chosen industry no longer exist? The September 2009 Newsletter focuses on job retraining programs and lists some areas of projected job growth for the near future.
Newsletter
Deflation: who let the air out?
Inflation, deflation, disinflation. They affect the prices of everything we buy. To find out how and what?s happening in today?s economy, see the February 2011 newsletter, ?Deflation: Who Let the Air Out??
Newsletter
U.S. health care insurance and the uninsured
With continuing increases in both health care spending and the number of Americans who are uninsured, everyone seems to have an opinion on how to rein in costs and provide better coverage. This month's Newsletter offers an overview of why costs are so high and what can be done to improve the situation.
Newsletter
Natural disasters: from destruction to recovery
Natural disasters often cause extensive loss and damage, yet post-disaster reconstruction may create opportunities that bring long-term economic benefits. Read the October 2011 Newsletter "Natural Disasters: From Destruction to Recovery" for details.
Newsletter
State pension plans in peril: the need for reform
State and local government employees have long enjoyed the perk of a guaranteed pension in retirement, but that may no longer be the case ? because of the recent recession, state budgets are in trouble. Many states have under-funded their pension plans to pay current expenses, and many pension plans have also incurred huge investment losses due to the financial crisis. How can states remedy this problem? The September 2010 Newsletter, "State Pension Plans in Peril: The Need for Reform," offers possible solutions.
Newsletter
Baby boomer retirement
Over the course of the next two decades, an average of 10,000 baby boomers per day will reach retirement age. Their retirement will cause a surge in federal spending. This month's Newsletter shows how the retirement of the baby boomers will affect government programs such as Social Security and Medicare and the federal budget.
Newsletter
Big-box retail and its impact on local communities
What is the local impact of big-box retail? Some states have begun to reconsider whether the benefits of such development are worth the costs to local communities.
Newsletter
Financial crises, reform, and central banking: establishing the federal reserve
Financial crises and recessions have often led to significant financial reform. Perhaps the most noteworthy financial reform of the past century was the formation of the Federal Reserve System in 1913. This month's newsletter provides historical details of events leading up to the founding of the Federal Reserve.
Newsletter
The economic impact of an influenza pandemic on the United States
They have been known to be deadly, disorderly, and expensive. Influenza pandemics occur 3 to 4 times every century, and many health experts believe another U.S. pandemic is unavoidable. How would a modern-day influenza pandemic affect the U.S. economy? Predictions include $700 billion in economic losses and a 5.5 % drop in GDP the year a severe pandemic occurs.