Americans Are Spending Again

Staff / Truthdig Feb 1, 2011 Is it good news that U.S. consumer spending revved up to a three-year high in 2010? It could make for some improvement, especially if employment picks up to bolster Americans' consumption habits in coming months, according to the BBC. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Economic Mood Swing

Jeff Parker, Cagle Cartoons, Florida Today Oct 2, 2010 Dig deeper

It’s the Mortgages, Stupid

Robert Scheer / Truthdig Sep 8, 2010 This week’s proposals by the Obama administration to deal with the persistent economic crisis will be, as with previous plans that involved trillions of taxpayer dollars, little more than salt in the wounds.Once again the Obama administration's strategy is to stimulate the economy by funding projects and tax cuts while ignoring the root cause of the problem. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Don’t Count on Us

Staff / Truthdig Jun 5, 2010 In the face of the stereotypical image of Americans as free-spending consumers, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has told his international finance colleagues that G20 countries should not rely on American buyers for their products as they travel the road to economy recovery. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

What Can the FCC Do for You?

Staff / Truthdig Dec 7, 2009 The Federal Communications Commission has a long and disappointing history of generally failing to regulate ever-larger media and telecommunications companies, except, during fits of prudishness, in the area of so-called indecency. But the latest incarnation of the FCC is proving to be more of a consumer advocate than its predecessors. (continued) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Fed Restricts Overdraft Fees

Staff / Truthdig Nov 12, 2009 Thank the regulatory heavens. The Federal Reserve is moving to prohibit banks from charging overdraft fees on ATM and debit card transactions unless the customer has opted into a program agreeing to pay the extra charges. Banks raked in $37 billion in fees last year, largely through unexplained programs and extraordinarily high levies. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Frank Hails ‘Major Breakthrough’ in Financial Regulation

Staff / Truthdig Oct 23, 2009 On Thursday, the House Financial Services Committee voted in favor of a bill aimed at creating the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Agency, a watchdog organization designed in response to President Barack Obama's call for greater oversight and regulation of banks and other financial companies in light of the past year's economic implosion. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Recession Chic: Just Another Passing Fad?

Staff / Truthdig Mar 10, 2009 As the national economy continues to wreak havoc on many Americans' lives, even those who remain relatively unscathed by the recession are feeling the need, whether for appearances' sake or otherwise, to reconsider their spending habits -- but will it last? Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

How Can These Fundamentals Be Called Strong?

Staff / Truthdig Oct 3, 2008 A government report released Friday morning leaves little room for any defense of the failed policies of the Bush administration or any belief in the economic wisdom of John McCain, whose erroneous assertion that the "fundamentals of the economy are strong" failed to mention a 6.1 percent unemployment rate, up nearly two percentage points since 2007. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Greenspan Talks Recession as Oil Prices Soar

Staff / Truthdig Jun 25, 2008 Seems like everything is a crisis these days, what with the subprime mortgage crisis, the oil crisis and, perhaps most troubling of all, the climate change crisis. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan acknowledged the complexity and interconnectedness of these unsettling trends Tuesday, stopping short of declaring that a major recession is on the way but without ruling out a recession of lesser magnitude. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Paging Ralph Nader

Staff / Truthdig Aug 15, 2007 With the news that Nokia is recalling millions of batteries, on top of the ongoing exploding laptop problem, and Chinese-made products ranging from toothpaste to Barbies sounding alarm bells, we can't help but feel the absence of America's greatest consumer advocate. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Molly Ivins: The Daily Drip of Special Favors for Special Interests

Molly Ivins / Truthdig Apr 11, 2006 "While the top Bushies lunge about test-driving new warsCongress just keeps right on cranking out those corporate goodies". Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )