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Tag: Depression
The Decline: The Geography of a Recession
This is the Problem – Exhibit 2
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Finding a Good Financial Bill in 2,300 Pages | NYTimes.com
I did something I doubt few people have dared. I took the liberty of a 13-hour flight back from Asia earlier this week to read all 2,300-plus pages of the bill. Yes, all of them.
My law professor verdict: There are many things to applaud in this bill and much in there that will substantially enhance the government’s power to regulate the financial industry. On the whole, if you think that the financial industry needs more supervision and financial regulators more tools, you should be relatively happy. If you are an advocate of big world changing ideas like breaking up the banks, you will be less so.
This is the Problem – Exhibit 1
Please forward to as many people as you can.
Spoiler Alert: The government does not care about you.
This isn’t a Democrat or Republican problem. This is good old fashion thievery.
How Goldman gambled on starvation | Johann Hari – The Independent
Goldman Sachs must die:
At the end of 2006, food prices across the world started to rise, suddenly and stratospherically. Within a year, the price of wheat had shot up by 80 per cent, maize by 90 per cent, rice by 320 per cent. In a global jolt of hunger, 200 million people – mostly children – couldn’t afford to get food any more, and sank into malnutrition or starvation. There were riots in more than 30 countries, and at least one government was violently overthrown. Then, in spring 2008, prices just as mysteriously fell back to their previous level. Jean Ziegler, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, calls it “a silent mass murder”, entirely due to “man-made actions.”
Congress fails to pass SBA Recovery Act – Old Rules Apply
On a vote of 57-41, the U.S. Senate defeated legislation that would have keep the increased guarantees and fee waivers in place for another year. While lending to small business has been difficult at best, the return to the old rules will mean even fewer deals get done, since the banks will have more risk.
For working capital (7a) loans less than $150,000, banks will receive an 85% guarantee and will charge a 2% fee on the guaranteed portion. From $150,001 to $700,000 the guarantee is 75% and the fee is 3%. Loans above that amount will be 75% guaranteed with a 3.5% fee.
For SBA Express loans, the cap is$350,000 with a 50% guarantee and a 2% fee.
Most banks will allow rolling these additional fees into the loan.
The truth behind the AIG bailout | GDS Publishing
Until now, when making a case for the AIG bailout, the US government has always maintained that had the financial services giant been left to fail, its credit default swap (CDS) obligations would have caused huge losses to its counterparties, resulting in all-out financial collapse.
California’s Contracting with Small Business and Disabled Vets Exceeds State Goals
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California state agencies in two of the last three years exceeded goals for contracting with small businesses and set a record for contracts with firms owned by disabled veterans, the Department of General Services announced today, releasing reports for the 2007/08 and 2008/09 fiscal years .
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Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation for Green Tech Manufacturing Equipment Sales Tax Exemption to Create Jobs
For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Contact: Aaron McLear/Kira Heinrichs
916-445-4571
Building on his commitment to clean technology growth in California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed SB 71 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) to create a sales tax exemption for the purchase of green tech manufacturing equipment in California. This tax exemption is a part of the Governor’s California Jobs Initiative, a legislative package that will create or retain at least 100,000 jobs.
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Dispatches From The Front 