T/S Network Activity

As I hinted in a semi-final post at True/Slant, this forum has found a new home, under a new name and with a new mission, at Forbes. The assignment has changed, appropriate to the developing realities of the politics and economics of carbon. I'll be pursuing green technology, its pioneers and [...]

How health reform de-funding will cost you By John F. Wasik, Author, The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome Although corporate and conservative interests have done a stellar job of demonizing “Obama Care,” it makes no economic sense whatsoever to de-fund this landmark legislation. In a major concession triggered by pending state lawsuits challenging [...]

Save the badgers! When unions go bust, middle class follows By John F. Wasik (Reuters) Author, The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome We are all Wisconsin badgers now. If collective bargaining goes, forget about personal economic progress for middle class Americans. The huge demonstrations in Madison, Wisconsin, over the union-busting proposal of Gov. Scott [...]

Kill the mortgage deduction and give it to entrepreneurs By John F. Wasik (Reuters) This is a subject I discussed in my book The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome, which is now in paperback and ebook. Somehow I don’t think President Obama had the home-mortgage interest deduction in mind when he mentioned the U.S. tax code [...]

There has been more than just a bit of attention to the gross increase in economic inequality in the United States over the past forty some years. Notwithstanding a debate about the causes --- from an increasingly regressive tax policy, the dimunition of American educational quality at even the [...]

Egypt: Mummy’s curse or economic boom? By John F. Wasik Author, The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome Did the Egyptian rebellion open up a gold mine for civil reforms or a mummy’s tomb of economic perils? I choose to think there are some robust opportunities presenting themselves as Egypt and other countries press their demands for [...]

When debt collectors call, hang up By John F. Wasik (Reuters) Author, The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome My father was recently disturbed by some calls he was getting regarding debt collection. Why are they calling me, he wondered? At first, he was worried because he was unsure if he had forgotten to pay a [...]

Can your financial adviser, unless they are a fiduciary By John F. Wasik (reuters) Author, The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome If you have a conventional stock broker or agent acting as a financial adviser working on commission, fire them. Now that the SEC has endorsed a “uniform fiduciary standard of conduct” for brokers and investment [...]

What mortgage brokers don’t tell you: Hidden penalties abound By John F. Wasik (Reuters) Author, The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome There’s a host of information a mortgage broker or banker won’t tell you up front that may increase the cost of your financing. You could pay much more on a mortgage than your initial quote rate [...]

The Prairie State pestilence: Pensions, budget woes spread By John F. Wasik (Reuters) Author, The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome The fiscal malady that plagues Illinois — and its painful treatment — may be coming to a state, county or municipality near you. What will cure this spreading pox on the populace? Higher taxes, lower spending and [...]