Senators McCain and Clinton both think the Federal government should cancel the gas tax for the duration of the summer. I think this is a bad idea and is being promoted for simple political reasons. Senator Barack Obama rejects the idea of a summer gas tax holiday as a political gimick and a bad idea. First, the reason we have taxes on gas is to fund the transportation fund for new roads, bridges, and research. This is a good idea because it allows the people who use the roads to be responsible… Continue

From a Paul Krugman article in the New York Times: "Americans are more pessimistic about their situation than they have been for more than a quarter century. Meanwhile, a recent Pew report found that the percentage of Americans saying that they’re better off than they were five years ago is at its lowest level in 44 years of polling. What’s striking about this bleak mood is that by the usual measures the economy isn’t doing that badly — at least not yet. In particular, the official unemploymen… Continue

I heard President Bush say that even though we are spending a lot of money on our current wars, it is a relatively small amount compared to historical expenditures. He said that we spent over 10% of GDP on the military in past decades compared to only about 4% of GDP now. I think this is fuzzy math. First, if I tell people that I only spend 4% of my income on trips to the casino, people might think that seems reasonable. However, what if people find out that I spend 150% of my income on other… Continue

I was thinking the other day about how I rarely depend on cable news outlets for my information needs. I have had poor experiences with the type of programs and the lack of real news available on the cable news programs. Heck, before the War in Iraq started, 67% of Americans mistakenly thought Saddam Hussein was responsible for the attacks on 9/11. That type of track record should make us all realize that cable news is not a good source of information. I'm starting to think the same way about c… Continue

Here are some basic questions to ask when hiring a financial planner: 1. Experience - Is this something they just started doing? 2. Qualifications - Are they a certified financial planner? Do they have degrees in finance related subjects? Do they have references? 3. Knowledge - How do they stay current with financial informtion? Cable news, newsletters, educational courses, certification renewals? 4. Staff - Who will you be working with? One person or a team of financial planners? 5. Approa… Continue

I'm a big fan of the market. It allows trade and advancement based on mathematical calculations that resist corruption, racism, sexism, etc... I support an open market regulated by democracy as the referee. The condition of the referee has been changing. Our governments have become more accountable and more representative (more democratic) over time. I don't want a dictator or a king to be the referee. While getting more democratic over time, I also understand how someone might see government… Continue

What role should democracy play in the market? I think this question has two parts: 1.) What type of rules can a democratic government set? 2.) Should a democratic government be involved in providing goods and/or services? So the first question is what type of rules our democratic government should be able to set. Most people seem to agree that a democratic government should have the ability to set laws against burning down competitor restaurants and dumping hazardous waste. In order for th… Continue

If I were to engage in a debate between capitalism and democracy, I would primarily be thinking about the concepts on a larger society level. It would basically be an institutional analysis between governments and companies and how each use different processes to make decisions with comments about the outcomes. I also realize that we can approach this subject on a personal level. We all make decisions each day. On the society level: - I see democracy as a process where decisions get made in a… Continue

Fox Business News will be launching soon to take on CNBC as cable's top financial and investment news source. It really is a sad day when we only have two poor choices to choose from. At least the competition might drive each channel to provide better information and programs. However, it also could lead to a ratings race that will reduce the quality of programming as each channel figures out that financial gameshows and bikini clad investment advisors lead to the highest ratings. My advice to… Continue

I just went through the process of refinancing my mortgage. I wanted to let everyone know that mortgage companies are more than willing to negotiate their rate quotes. I think a lot of people will make the mistake of just asking for the current rate and accepting the offered terms for a new mortgage. I was working with numerous mortgage companies. When told about the current rates, I told them I had a better offer and just like that thousands of dollars were taken off my quotes. I allowed the m… Continue