2014
Student Loans Reduce Home Sales
22/09/14 15:14
Tim Logan reports at latimes.com that 83 Billion in real estate sales are failing to be made on account of student loan debt held by those from age 20 to 40.
Quoting a report from John Burns Consulting these points are also reported:
- a monthly student loan payment of $250 reduces the home price one may buy by $44,000
- Most households paying $750+ per month in student loans are priced out of the housing market
- Households in the under 40 age group paying over $250 each month in student loans number 5.9 Million, up from 2.2 Million in 2005
Quoting a report from John Burns Consulting these points are also reported:
- a monthly student loan payment of $250 reduces the home price one may buy by $44,000
- Most households paying $750+ per month in student loans are priced out of the housing market
- Households in the under 40 age group paying over $250 each month in student loans number 5.9 Million, up from 2.2 Million in 2005
American CEO - Hard at Work
14/05/14 16:39
Citing a New York Time's article on March 20, 2014, Jim Hightower reports this astounding story:
Mr Robert Marcus started as CEO of Time Warner Cable on the 1st of January 2014.
Only six weeks later Mr. Marcus had succeeded in initiating, in negotiating, and in closing the deal to sell Time Warner Cable to Comcast.
Included in Mr. Marcus' employment contract with Time Warner Cable was a change of control clause that guaranteed a golden parachute payment to Mr. Marcus in the event that Time Warner Cable was sold.
Mr. Marcus' take for six weeks of work: $80 million.
"Nice work if you can get it" . . .
For more of Mr Jim Hightower's insights check out: jimhightower.com.
Mr Robert Marcus started as CEO of Time Warner Cable on the 1st of January 2014.
Only six weeks later Mr. Marcus had succeeded in initiating, in negotiating, and in closing the deal to sell Time Warner Cable to Comcast.
Included in Mr. Marcus' employment contract with Time Warner Cable was a change of control clause that guaranteed a golden parachute payment to Mr. Marcus in the event that Time Warner Cable was sold.
Mr. Marcus' take for six weeks of work: $80 million.
"Nice work if you can get it" . . .
For more of Mr Jim Hightower's insights check out: jimhightower.com.
DEMOCRACY IS SOCIALISM
22/04/14 11:28
Recently reported by BuzzFeed Politics at buzzfeed.com and at dailykos.com:
Dr. Greg Brannon is a Republican candidate for Senate in North Carolina. Here is his quoted remark regarding democracy and majority rule:
"Senator Hagen says we got to have a nice debate and discussion (about gun control) about what to do. See that's called democracy which is actually socialism which is called majority rule."
This implies that political decisions in the United States ought to be made by a process other than "majority rule" which may come as a surprise to those who thought that they were living in a democracy where "majority rule" is the method of decision making.
Dr. Greg Brannon is a Republican candidate for Senate in North Carolina. Here is his quoted remark regarding democracy and majority rule:
"Senator Hagen says we got to have a nice debate and discussion (about gun control) about what to do. See that's called democracy which is actually socialism which is called majority rule."
This implies that political decisions in the United States ought to be made by a process other than "majority rule" which may come as a surprise to those who thought that they were living in a democracy where "majority rule" is the method of decision making.
YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REP
21/03/14 12:59
In January from the Center for Responsive Politics we have this comment:
"Of 534 current members of Congress, at least 268 had an average net worth of $1 million or more in 2012, according to disclosures filed last year by all members of Congress and candidates. . ."
For more from their website go to: opensecrets.org
There is no doubt that these congressional representatives make no decisions that would materially affect their personal interests in a bad way.
Question is:
Why do we keep failing to elect people to congress who will represent the interests and desires of the rest of us?
"Of 534 current members of Congress, at least 268 had an average net worth of $1 million or more in 2012, according to disclosures filed last year by all members of Congress and candidates. . ."
For more from their website go to: opensecrets.org
There is no doubt that these congressional representatives make no decisions that would materially affect their personal interests in a bad way.
Question is:
Why do we keep failing to elect people to congress who will represent the interests and desires of the rest of us?
HIGHER PAY - MORE JOBS
05/03/14 07:43
On March 4, 2014, in the Personal Finance section of bloomberg.com, reporters Victoria Stilwell, Peter Robinson and William Selway have an article titled “Highest Minimum-Wage State Washington Beats U.S. in Job Creation”. They point out that the minimum wage there was raised in 1998 and linked to increases in the cost of living in future years.
They also report that these have been the results since then:
Looks like paying the lowest paid more has positive results.
Maybe we should try it elsewhere.
They also report that these have been the results since then:
- Minimum wage has climbed to $9.32 per hour;
- Job growth has continued at a 0.8% rate which is 0.3% higher than the U.S. national rate; and,
- payrolls at restaurants and bars have expanded by 21 percent
Looks like paying the lowest paid more has positive results.
Maybe we should try it elsewhere.