finance

Money talks; reviewing the global economy, government spending, taxes, and economic policy that affect our social and political future.

The Future of the British Furniture Industry Post-Brexit
Following on from Theresa May’s recent declaration that the UK had agreed to a withdrawal agreement with the European Union, there have been positive murmurings emerging from a range of different industries within the business community. While the agreement has not been positively received across the whole of the public and political spectra, there is the possibility that MPs will eventually push the agreement through parliament to avert an unprecedented political crisis developing in the UK.
By Jeff Nevil7 years ago in The Swamp
Here Is Why Many Minority Communities Are in Financially Troubling Situations. Top Story - November 2018.
Let’s begin by asking, why do minority communities lack the financial training and understanding that many other communities seem to possess? Where is the disconnect? Over my lifetime, I have seen many minority people grow up in poverty and remained there.
By Chris Ricks7 years ago in The Swamp
Trump's Tariff War
The last week of September marked a troubling trend in American politics. First, we have the Kavanaugh hearings where several women now accuse him of misconduct. And all the news seems to focus around whether what he says or she says are the actual facts. Meanwhile, with the President speaking at the United Nations, one has to wonder about the mentality of this President when he went on a boastful tirade on what he and he alone has accomplished as President. What was he thinking? The General Assembly is not the place where one goes on a self embellishment speaking tour. It is pretty apparent that this President, when it comes to interacting with other foreign dignitaries, has not one ounce of decorum befitting respect from world leaders. Yet he continues to antagonize heads of state with his go-it-alone approach in foreign affairs. All this was very obvious in his remarks at the UN recently. In his usual undiplomatic approach in dealing with other leaders of the world, he has made America look like a Banana Republic. The Trump Administration has indeed made a mockery of the Office of the President.
By Dr. Williams7 years ago in The Swamp
The Controversial UK Minimum Wage for Under-25's
Age discrimination is what it is. In the UK, the minimum wage is meant to be a sense of security, a right; a sum which workers are entitled to be paid hourly by their employers, and that is a great thing to have. However, in my country it is also acceptable for me—aged 17 years of age—to be married, have children, leave the family home, drop out of school, join the army, AND get a job… but, of course, not with the entitlement of earning the same as people a year older than me (even for the same work).
By Jee P7 years ago in The Swamp
Why Are You Ranking: Best Ways to Avoid the Tax Man (or Woman) Listed from Gimme Some Money to Get Up, Stand Up
As of this writing, taxes, or payments for governmental services, are strictly enforced at the local, state, and federal levels. Taxes constitute for the majority of the goods and services used or purchased in this semi-free market system. To not pay them is tantamount to theft. The irony is that taxes, in this context, are theft. When an employee works 40 hours a week for eight hours a day, they expect to get every cent of the money that they worked smart for in that time frame. Instead, they see that their smart earned dollars have been siphoned into a Social Security fund that will never be the amount that is taken in the first place. It goes into the pockets of some bureaucrats, lazy folks who wish never to hold a position of employment, or to a whole host of alphabet soup organizations (DEA, OSHA, EPA, the IRS) that mean nothing and stand for nothing. This gulf between whether to pay taxes or not is one which requires the most amount of scrutiny. To not pay your taxes, you go to jail. To pay your taxes, you are an upstanding citizen who holds a grudge quietly knowing that what you are doing is harming yourself. Come time on or around April 15, you discover that you’ve been paying into system that is corrupt in its very nature. Governments are only good for protecting individual rights. That’s it. So, in order to satisfy the need for police officers, warriors, and judges, all that a constitutional republic needs is for these three agencies to fulfill that one task of safeguarding rights. So, get your tablet calculators and digital tax preparation sheets for Why Are You Ranking: Best Ways to Avoid the Tax Man (or Woman) Listed from Gimme Some Money to Get Up, Stand Up.
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in The Swamp
Do You Actually Understand Social Security?
Social Security is one of the biggest programs in American history, and for many seniors, it is the only way that they can survive in the current economy. Everyone has been impacted by it, even if you've never been privy to its benefits.
By Cato Conroy8 years ago in The Swamp
Pennies, Memories, or Wastes of Space?
Controversially, governments around the world are slowly eliminating their lower-value coins. Examples of such countries that are in the process of disposing of their coins, or have already done so, include Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Finland, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, And Great Britain. A country that will perhaps be placed onto this list will be the United States of America eliminating production of their pennies and other virtually worthless coins.
By Benjamin Pla8 years ago in The Swamp
Exposed
Are these the best of times, or are they the worst of times? Depending on one's individual circumstance, it just could very well be the worst of times. And for far too many, it actually is. For the poor, the indigent, the feeble, and the deprived, the world they live in is a far cry from where their hopes and dreams lie. Just to survive another day is a testament to their ability to adapt to conditions that actually mirror third world countries.
By Dr. Williams8 years ago in The Swamp
Perpetual Poverty
Perpetual poverty is a person or family not being able to leave a life of poverty no matter what they do. You may think this is not possible or maybe you are in the same situation. I have lived in this state most my adult life, I have had many jobs with different pay and lived in a few different locations to try and fix it though it never works. Don't get me wrong there are always going to be those few times a year where you feel you have escaped it just to be slammed back to the mud a month or two later.
By Kristopher Kristianson8 years ago in The Swamp
What Do We Want? Livable Wages! When Do We Want ’Em? In Our Lifetime!. Top Story - February 2018.
As more and more provinces, states, and municipalities set out to increase the minimum wage to $15/hr, there is growing concern over increases in minimum wages resulting in fewer jobs and increased prices of goods and services.
By Zacc Lavigne8 years ago in The Swamp
Government Economic Forecasting, Mythology, or Science?
As a retired estimating and costing engineer, I see so much reliance based on estimates that cannot possibly have a shred of accuracy; by accuracy I mean the engineering estimators allowance of + or – 2%. One quote I saw today is, unfortunately, true: the economic forecasting from British bureaucrats makes astrology look a science.
By Peter Rose8 years ago in The Swamp
'Why Aren't Millennials Buying Diamonds?'
Recently, I read an article (well, truthfully more of a paragraph) published by the magazine The Economist, which asked the hard hitting question: "Why aren't Millennials buying diamonds?"
By Jim Varga8 years ago in The Swamp