Category Archives: Jobs

Will Another $50 Billion Stimulus Kick-Start Our Economy?

By Gerard Francis Lameiro | Published: September 6, 2010
Jobs.  Jobs.  Jobs.  It’s at the top of all the headlines this week.  It’s the number one story and it’s being debated coast-to-coast.  President Obama is proposing another $50 Billion stimulus package for roads, runways, and railways to boost our economy - in other words – to create jobs by building our transportation infrastructure.  The president [...]
Also posted in America's Future, Double-Dip Recession, Economic Growth, Economy, Taxes, Unemployment | Comments closed

Why Is Unemployment So High This Labor Day?

By Gerard Francis Lameiro | Published: August 30, 2010
Unemployment is in the news again.  In a detailed op-ed piece in The Wall Street Journal this week, Robert Barro shows why he believes unemployment would be significantly lower if unemployment benefits had not been extended from the standard 26 weeks to 99 weeks.  His calculations indicate that unemployment might be under 7% right now if [...]
Also posted in Economy, Unemployment | Comments closed

High Unemployment, Empty Storefronts, For Sale Signs – When Will We Recover?

By Gerard Francis Lameiro | Published: August 9, 2010
Driving around town the signs are obvious.  “For Sale” signs that sit for months on poorly kept lawns.  Empty storefronts with empty parking lots that painfully remind us of a few years ago when times seemed better.  Plus, we hear about high unemployment all the time – 9.5% nationally, 14.2% in Nevada, 13.2% in Michigan, and 12.3% in California [...]
Also posted in America's Future, Double-Dip Recession, Economic Growth, Economy, Financial Sector Regulation, Health Care System, Taxes, Uncategorized, Unemployment | Comments closed

Why Do Higher Tax Rates Often Lead to Lower Tax Revenues?

By Gerard Francis Lameiro | Published: August 2, 2010
It’s really counter-intuitive.  But, raising tax rates, leads to lower tax revenues for the government and lower economic growth for the economy.  Well-known economist Arthur Laffer reminds readers of this fact in an article in The Wall Street Journal this week.  The article includes lots of data for the skeptics too.  If you get a [...]
Also posted in Double-Dip Recession, Economic Growth, Economy, Taxes, Unemployment | Comments closed

Are Teenagers Helped or Hurt by Minimum Wage Laws?

By Gerard Francis Lameiro | Published: July 26, 2010
A recent Wall Street Journal article cites a new study that deals with teenage unemployment and the minimum wage.  About a year ago, the Federal minimum wage was raised over 40% to $7.25 per hour.  One year later, what’s the impact of that minimum wage rate increase?  Did it help or hurt teenagers seeking work?  [...]
Also posted in Unemployment | Comments closed

Should Jobless Benefits Be Extended for the Eighth Time?

By Gerard Francis Lameiro | Published: July 19, 2010
An editorial in The Wall Street Journal this week discusses the proposal to extend jobless benefits for the eighth time since the recession started.  This extension would mean the unemployed can collect benefits for up to 99 weeks, nearly two years.  Is this a good idea from an economics point of view?  Is this compassion?  Or, are [...]
Also posted in America's Future, Depression, Double-Dip Recession, Economic Growth, Economy, Taxes | Comments closed

Economic Optimism Down – 17 Month Low – Why?

By Gerard Francis Lameiro | Published: July 13, 2010
SPECIAL BLOG POSTING Investor’s Business Daily reported this week that economic optimism is down to a 17 month low, according to the IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index.  Separately, small business confidence is also declining with a lower sales outlook, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.  Why has economic optimism declined?  Are these results unexpected?  Let’s [...]
Also posted in America's Future, Double-Dip Recession, Economy, Taxes, Unemployment | Comments closed

Is Wealth Redistribution the Best Way to Get Excellent Health Care?

By Gerard Francis Lameiro | Published: July 12, 2010
Dr. Berwick, the new interim apppointment to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), is in the news a lot lately over his remark about “… any health-care funding plan that is just, equitable, civilized and humane must – must – redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and less [...]
Also posted in America's Future, Economic Growth, Health Care System, Socialism | Comments closed

Are We Entering a Depression?

By Gerard Francis Lameiro | Published: June 28, 2010
Economist Paul Krugman in an op-ed column in The New York Times online edition indicates that he is fearful that we are now in the early stages of a depression, possibly the third depression in our history.  Krugman also appears to believe that the cause will be government policy mistakes.  Specifically, he sees the need for [...]
Also posted in America's Future, Depression, Economy, Taxes | Comments closed

Fox News Channel Interview – Great People, Enjoyed Doing the Interview

By Gerard Francis Lameiro | Published: April 29, 2010
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Fox News.  It was a great experience and the Fox News Channel staff were terrific people.  If you’re interested in learning more about the interview, please read on. The live interview took place last Tuesday and went about 15 minutes from roughly 1:45 pm – 2:00 pm EDT.  [...]
Also posted in Economy, Fox News, Taxes | Comments closed