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Let’s Get Real About the Healthcare Industry	The price of every healthcare service and product in this entire industry is ridiculously high.  We need to deflate these costs.  The industry needs to shrink, not expand, which is what will happen if the proposed health care bill passes.

For Our Members

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A Call To Action For All Californians	California budget issues are everyone's problems.  It's just been a few weeks since the last headline in the Los Angeles Times regarding pending budget problems in the New Year.
The California Legislators Have Run Amuck	This time it is not only SSI disbursement but what is allowed under Medi Cal.  They are talking about taking out our trips to the eye doctor and the dentist.  This is a very big part of life for those who will go without if this is removed.
Should We Have Had Bailouts?	There are many citizens greatly worried about the debt the government created because of the bailouts.  The worry is citizens will be taxed unfairly in the future to pay down the debt.  Keep in mind, however, taxes aren't the only way the government raises money.
How Does the Government Mess With the Economy?	We have all heard that our credit problems are because of the government.  Prior to the depression, the government’s attitude towards the economy (aggregate market), was to leave it alone.  We all know the results.  Now we have a government that uses fiscal policy (public spending) to adjust the economy.
Baby Boomers and the Economy	A boomer is anyone born from 1946 to 1964.  There are 75 million of us and we make up 25 percent of the U.S. population.  It has also gotten to the point that there are more of us retiring than there are new workers entering the workforce.  Social Security is telling under 40's to not expect benefits.
Will We Ever Know What Happened to the Bailout Money?	Right now it appears as if that is doubtful.  I did some research on it and discovered that there were many bailouts: different investment banks, at least 21 banks and then there is the auto industry.  The total is hovering around $1 trillion.
Everyone Wants Answers To The Crisis	Not a day goes by that there isn’t another headline about what’s happening with the credit crunch and the world's financial crisis.  Lately, it has been the Fed lowering the interest rate that’s a record-breaking low.  Credit card companies are getting hit with new rules and we still don’t know what’s going to happen with the auto industry.
Cheap Isn't Always Cheap	Some people are just born with the bargain gene.  You know the kind.  They clip coupons and run across town trying to get in on a sale.  They never stop to consider that extra gas may cost more than the savings.
Let's Get Real About the Bailouts	We need to change our way of thinking for the bailouts to work.  Folks are hoping they will find a way to get a personal bailout.  Don’t hold your breath.  The only way you have a shot at that happening is reinvent how you and your family deals with finances.
Credit Crunch	Many average folks think when the economy goes bad, it's ok to lay the problem at the feet of those in Washington.  The government didn't cause this mess.  We did.  We, meaning consumers who bought into the no-money down mortgage scheme.  And, that’s what it was, a scheme.
The Economy, Yet Another Problem	While we can all agree that there is a mess now, the headlines haven't directed their attention to a major contributing factor.  If you check around, it appears during the early part of the 70s decade, the price of a gallon of gas was $.36.  It's hard to wrap one's mind around that.  This is where this economic mess began.
Taking Jobs For Less Than Your Rate	Times are tough and it is even tougher trying to find jobs if you are a self-employed consultant, no matter what the field.  Wages and fees for projects just keep going down.
Keep An Eye On Prices	We are all seeking the best price on everything these days.  We are clutching those dollars so tight the images might jump off.  Retailers have become sneakier than ever in an attempt to get our dollars.
The Economy is Trashed	One of the main reasons is America’s addiction to debt.  I posted this theory on Linkedin.com and got so many responses I could barely get through them.  Truly, this is a subject on everyone's mind.
Inflationary Woes, a Slightly Different Twist	Can we reasonably answer the question, just how bad is it?  It's easier than the analysts would have your think.  Contrary to popular beliefs, the true definition of inflation is, "a state of constant rising prices."  You got it.  We have it.  It’s bad!  We have TROUBLE!
Americans Are Stubborn	Americans Are Stubborn When it Comes to Their Transportation Habits.  This should be obvious by the gas prices going through the ceiling.  Has everyone forgotten that there is a simple premise controlling this, despite the politics involved?
We Better Learn to Live With Less	The fact that we are living in hard times has been the discussion on a mystery writers' list I belong to.  Writing, publishing and how to publish is their usual conversation.  Hard times issues have crept into people's lives so much that they are chatting about it everywhere.
It Isn't The Economy, Stupid	...it’s each and every one of us.  We hear that all the changes and problems are to be blamed on this universal omnipresent entity better known as the economy.  Individuals and small business owners live in denial, telling themselves none that effects them.  Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Times; They Are Confusing	Prices are rising, credit is crunching and unemployment is rising.  The Fed is dumping money into the system more vigorously than previous.  We see nonstop headlines about rates cut and worries over cheap money.  What’s it all mean?  What's it going to mean; and most important how is everyone going to cope?
Inflation May Be a Worry	Currently it seems the economy has its 'undies' in a bunch.  Two problems are yanking its chains concurrently: inflation and the threat of a recession.  "U.S. consumer prices increased 0.4% in January and 4.3% from a year earlier, a worrisome sign for Federal Reserve officials who are trying to buck up the economy without fueling inflation."
Campaign Promises and Political Dilemmas	Wake up people!  It’s time to get answers we can put our teeth into.  Am I the only one who wonders about the how-to of their promises?  Both Hilary and Obama are talking big time about the need to fix health care and bringing the troops home.  I have failed to hear any logistics about remedying these situations.
The Economics of Health Care	We all know this country's health care industry is a mess.  We also know that Hilary tried fixing it with her husband during his administration and got no where.  Well, the discussion got somewhere, but we don’t have a fix.  Most of the lobbying and pushing has been for universal health care.  Drew Carey made a comment on it recently, "Do you really want the folks that give us FEMA to give us health care?"
We Need to Get Out of Iraq, The Economic View	The economics are killing us... Let’s look at the numbers and try to be realistic.  Let’s not think about the emotions to begin with.  The numbers say that we can never pay for this war.  Oh yes, I know we had to do something after 9/11.  We had to stand up and take a stand and draw a line in the sand.  Many will tell you that one of the reasons for going there is to protect the oil.
More on Rising Prices	I had been doing a lot of thinking about rising prices lately.  I realized that low-end cars in today’s market cost as much as my first house.  I took this dilemma to one of the social networking groups.  I was dismayed at the answers I received.
Escalating Food Prices	The latest "Economist" issue has details of unheard of before prices. "In early September the world price of wheat rose to $400 a ton, the largest ever recorded." In May, it was only $200. "The Economist's food-price index is the highest since it began in 1845, having risen by a third in the past year."
Year-End Thoughts	don’t put too much credence in the annual pontifications for the future.  Despite the models they quote, numbers never tell the whole story.  The usual will include changes in the GDP (gross domestic product), the CPI (consumer price index), changes in unemployment, and the ups and downs of the housing industry along with the problems in the credit market.
More on the Fed’s Actions	It appears folks are worried about the latest Fed's actions.  Lowering the discount rate is one of the three ways the Fed has to increase the money supply.  The others include buying outstanding T-bills from consumers and lowering the percent banks have to keep on deposit, thus allowing them to lend more.
Auto Union Contracts Are In The News	The only positive side of a ratified contract is the absence of a strike.  That would put hundreds of thousands out of work at the year-end and slow a good portion of the economy down when it doesn't need it.  The New York Times discussed the ins and outs of it with several workers.
What is the Real Color of Money?	For those who live in the US, it has seemingly always been green. There are those of us who can remember the use of Silver dollars and other coins. For now, the color for us is green. There are those who worry about what happens if we go bankrupt and no one wants our dollars any more.
What the Fed Does	There are two major concerns in the US economy at the minute. These are the slow creeping inflation and the pending disaster in the housing market. Prices on consumer goods are moving up and there is a decrease in selling prices of homes along with rising mortgage rates.
Economics 101, Yet Again	Most people cringe when their hear economics mentioned.  The problem is that a basic understanding is necessary if you want a shot in this race we call the world of business.  I thought I was going to die from stress from the first class I took.
Pesky Inflation	There are two major concerns in the US economy at the minute. These are the slow creeping inflation and the pending disaster in the housing market. Prices on consumer goods are moving up and there is a decrease in selling prices of homes along with rising mortgage rates.
OPEC and High Gas prices	OPEC and prices at the gas pump are hitting the headlines again. This should not surprise savvy news readers. Prices at the pump start bouncing around every year, just about the time Americans start making vacation plans.
Other Issues To Consider	Despite all the huffing and puffing about huge financial institutions, the community banks are not disappearing off the consumer's landscape.  Out of curiosity the other day, I decided to do an Alta Vista search on community banks. The result was over 1,000 hits.
What's Going on in Retailing?	In brief, the answer is change, change and more of the same. Crown Books, a discount chain out of Landover, MD, recently announced it is talking with vendors and lenders. Slumping sales and running low on cash are factors which may push this book seller to seek protection in bankruptcy court.
OPEC, ET AL	The pressure is on worldwide for individual oil producers to decrease their production. The idea is to bring down the available supply and thus force upward pressure on the downward slope of recent oil prices. Saudi Arabia and non-OPEC members Norway and Mexico agreed to cutback. (Please keep in mind that the actions and reported actions of oil producing nations are as steadfast as the Dow Jones.)
The Law Eventually Gets You!	The laws of economics are just as sure as the laws of gravity and inertia.  The only difference is the amount of time it takes to catch up with you.