Obama Health Care

State shouldn’t wait

to get kids enrolled

in insurance programs

The story “Nixon pledge to insure every child loses punch” (Nov. 24) was about the Missouri Department of Social Services’ failure to adopt new measures to enroll eligible uninsured children in the Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Jack Cardetti, a spokesman for Gov. Jay Nixon, said that the governor’s office “wants to see what Congress does with the health care issue” before adopting new measures to help the state cover eligible uninsured children.

Missouri’s most vulnerable children should not be in limbo until comprehensive health care reform legislation is passed. Indeed, they do not have to wait. Congress gave Missouri new tools and additional funding to increase children’s enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP when it passed the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act this year. That legislation has refueled efforts to enroll eligible low-income uninsured children. Many states are taking advantage of new opportunities to streamline their programs to help kids enroll and stay enrolled without wasteful bureaucracy. Missouri should do the same.

Moreover, while the article focuses on a new strategy called “express lane eligibility,” there are other simple and effective measures that would help Missouri cover eligible low-income children. The state should adopt measures that protect its investment in the children already enrolled to ensure that they do not fall off the program because of unnecessary red tape. Such measures would help ensure that kids being treated for medical problems do not experience a gap in care, reduce serious illnesses among children and save the state money in the long term. CHIPRA can help the governor make good on his promise to the state’s children and families.

In grim economic times, families face serious financial struggles and need the help more than ever.Joel Ferber — St. Louis

Director of Advocacy, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri

Change needed at Metro

The editorial “Unity: In transit” (Nov. 27), favoring another tax hike for the Metro transit agency, misrepresented the situation. Metro doesn’t have a revenue problem as much as a management problem. It also has a problem with local officials — notably St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley.

Mr. Dooley and the St. Louis County Council cut $8.5 million from the Metro budget last year to scare voters into approving a tax hike. This is to be followed by $10 million in annual cuts, part of a campaign to get voters to approve a tax hike. The county has the money but diverts it.

Metro provides multi-million dollar transit subsidies to Washington University. This includes a shuttle service that had been operated by a private contractor. Washington University is one of the wealthiest universities in the nation, and charges nearly $50,000 a year for tuition and board.

Metro provides free parking at its nearly 12,000 parking spots. Even a modest charge would bring in millions of dollars annually. Installing turnstiles at MetroLink stations could increase revenue by a considerable amount. Studies in other cities have found that 5 percent of riders don’t pay with an open system.

If St. Louis County would restore the funding that rightfully should go to Metro, and the transit agency would initiate some needed changes in how it operates, there would be no need for a third transportation sales tax.

Tom Sullivan — Clayton

Public Transit Accountability Project

Strong beer, irony

“Brew packs wallop: 27 pct. alcohol” (Dec. 1), a story about Utopias beer, brewed by Samuel Adams, prompts two observations.

First, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewery is mistaken. Boston Beer Co. does not have “the clear title of having the strongest beer.” That distinction belongs to the Scottish brewery BrewDog, whose Tactical Nuclear Penguin brew has an alcohol content of 32 percent, which is significantly greater than the 27 percent level of Utopias.

Second, Utopias gets its name from the fictional land of Utopia (“no place”) made famous by Sir Thomas More and François Rabelais. In Rabelais’s account, Utopia’s existence was threatened by an invasion of the Dipsodes (“thirsty ones”). There’s an irony in naming a strong beer after a mythical land whose inhabitants were mortal enemies of drinkers.

Tom Schlafly — St. Louis

President, The Saint Louis Brewery Inc.

Burdens of war

Republicans are howling opposition to a proposed “war tax” to support the apparently endless conflict in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Evidently they would rather continue to increase the deficit begun by the last administration to finance the war, though they howl equally against the possibility of a deficit increase that might possibly be occasioned by instituting health care reforms. How do they imagine the bills for war, health care or any other national program are to be paid? By our children and their children?

When George W. Bush began this ill-advised war with his cowboy diplomacy, his advice to Americans was to “go shopping.” Indeed they did, and the early 2000s saw financial profligacy not witnessed for decades before, in places high and low. Perhaps it is time for us to grow up and take responsibility for our country’s actions, whether we agree with them or not.

If we are to continue this war, however unjustified, we need to accept its burdens.

George and Virginia Benson — St. Louis

Rules of engagement

Three and a half months of mindless dithering ends with the most inane plan in the history of our military and geopolitics: President Barack Obama actually telling the enemy how many troops he’s sending to Afghanistan, when they’re coming and, incredibly, when they’re leaving. He expects our military to miraculously have Afghans trained and able to protect and safeguard their own country in just a year, despite the fact that only 14 percent of the Afghan population can even read.

Add in the relatively new rules of engagement for our troops — remain passive, do not call in air support for fear of collateral damage — our military, not Mr. Obama, is being set up for failure.

This foolish “plan” tells the Taliban to wait until the Americans leave. The Afghans have to side with the Taliban because the Taliban will be there after we leave. Our friends will not support us knowing that we don’t have the resolve to win.

Our troops are being used for political purposes.

Al Dorn — O’Fallon, Ill.

Metastasizing madness

Afghanistan is a land of metastasizing madness. Three things are produced here: heroin, berserkers and hatred. Ask Alexander the Great, the British in the 19th century, the Russians in the late 20th century and, now, our most brave soldiers in those unforgiving, God-forsaken mountains.

The real objective of the Islamic fundamentalists from Afghanistan is to push into Pakistan and become privy to the nuclear weapons that nation contains in its armory. We are trying to help Pakistan on the border with Afghanistan. I support this with gusto, for if these fundamentalists succeed in radicalizing Pakistan, then India, with its 2 billion people, armed with its own nuclear weapons and a history of border engagements with Pakistan, could be the Taliban’s “Jewel in the Crown.” We dare not let the world’s largest democracy go down. There will be no Ghandi to stop the madness this time.

Rudyard Kipling, in the 19th century, said it best about Afghanistan in this refrain: “When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains, And the women come out to cut up what remains, Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains, An’ go to your Gawd like a soldier.”

Again, our grand plan should be to help Pakistan remain a sane nation that eschews Jihad. God bless our troops in that region for they face madness every day.

john willow

The fastest method of economic recovery lies in the creation of commercial construction jobs. The fact being, that when you build a structure it creates an immediate demand on both the skilled labor and manufacturing sectors to produce.

Obviously, residential construction is not what is being advocated due to the high inventory of unsold homes already on the market, but rather the thousands of private commercial capital improvement projects which are on hold resulting from the lack of credit needed to finance their projects.

Even after receiving the first $700 billion from the Bush administration, banks are not willing to lend money to institutions who can demonstrate that the proposed improvements will create cash flow in repaying the debt.

There are aspects to the Obama stimulus package that will create jobs in the “long term”, however the package lacks any near term benefits. When you look at some of the larger elements of the package they break out as follows:

Energy: $60 billion; Tax cuts: $275 billion; Education: $140 billion; Infrastructure: $90 billion; Financial Aid: $102 billion; Healthcare: $110 billion

With the exception of infrastructure, tax cuts, and about half of what is allocated for energy, the rest is strictly financial aid and cannot be considered stimulus. Tax cuts, on the other hand, will spur some level of spending, but in this economic climate will most likely go to basic necessities as opposed to the purchase of non-necessities.

Construction activity creates manufacturing demand and when combined together, construction and manufacturing represent the largest pool of workers in the country.

During post WWII and early 50’s an infrastructure boom occurred with the Interstate Highway System project, which rolled back unemployment lines to the lowest levels ever.

The intent of the Obama infrastructure stimulus is the same, however falls short when you consider the years of planning required before breaking ground as well as the level of technological advances that have occurred since post WWII in reducing labor man hours for road work projects. Over the last 50 years, construction technology and equipment in terms of road and highway construction has improved to the point where they are now considered “Material heavy” and “Labor light”.

Additionally, seeing as how most of our infrastructure already exists, these projects would be relegated to improvements rather than full scale construction projects – the lackluster notion being, “building a house is more labor intensive than painting a house.”

Although maintaining roadway infrastructure is important, the economic benefit of aiding private commercial projects would be realized immediately.

Commercial building projects are labor intensive involving the entire spectrum of work trades ranging from carpentry to electrical to mechanical disciplines. In addition, the components required for the structure are manufactured and engineered which compliments the broader manufacturing industry as a whole.

The opportunities exist in the Healthcare, Institutional, and Research sectors and come in the form of building additions and large interior renovations for existing facilities.

The demand for these projects is created by the need to keep up with the technological innovations of capital equipment. Additionally advancements have been made in building science; most notably in the areas of operating efficiency and environmentally friendly construction solutions.

If banks will not lend money for commercial building projects the unemployment lines will continue to swell.

Commercial construction is and has always been the catalyst to economic prosperity and will undoubtedly create an instant demand in our manufacturing sectors. Government stimulus in the form of financing will put people back to work almost immediately as most of these projects are already designed and considered to be “shovel ready”. 

Even though Obama may not care for Joe the Plumber from Ohio for his tough questions, he has the ability to win the respect of Joe the Plumber by putting him back to work and getting our economy back on track.

Eric Kaad
http://www.articlesbase.com/economics-articles/obama-economic-stimulus-package-lacks-stimulus-for-the-average-joe-738326.html

Before making a decision to pursue a career, you will take into account your interests, strengths and weaknesses. More importantly, you will also assess whether or not the job has great prospect for this will ensure a plethora of opportunities at your disposal after you graduate from your study. In the event that working in the health care industry is your passion, here are some reasons why you should really consider becoming a physician assistant.

Much has been said in the media about the bright prospect of the job of PA. In fact, such profession has been predicted by the US Department of Labor as one of the fastest growing jobs in the health care field. It is expected to grow by 27% in 2014. Moreover, this profession is listed as one of the best 30 careers for 2009 by US News. Under Obama administration, healthcare reform will be a priority. Collectively, these facts translate into fabulous job prospect.

Another reason to pursue a career as a PA is due to this particular emerging trend – that of the aging baby boomers. This will cause a greater demand on jobs in the health care industry. Consequently, physicians will require assistance from qualified professionals in rendering medical services. Physician assistants can aptly fill these demands.

The third reason to consider pursuing this career is that the earning capacity is considerably high. The average annual salary for a new PA is $40,000. Nevertheless, you can expect this amount to increase till $100,000 if you have amassed enough experience and qualifications.   

The fourth reason is that the training period for this job is shorter. It lasts approximately two years. This is much shorter as trainings for aspiring physicians takes four years or more. Considering that a PA performs at the same setting and carry out most tasks that a physician does, this can be an advantage for those who long to serve patients but do not wish to undergo a longer period of training.

Jasper Conan
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/four-reasons-why-you-need-to-become-a-physicians-assistant-1111292.html

By William Patalon III
Executive Editor
Money Morning/The Money Map Report

If it’s good enough for Wal-Mart…

Looks like the discounting model pioneered by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailing giant, will make its way to some rather unlikely high-end retailers: Barney’s New York Inc. and Neiman Marcus Inc. have announced significant price reductions (up to 75%) over the next few days to avoid a disastrous holiday shopping season.

For optimists, the message here is that all hope for holiday retail sales is not yet lost. A National Retail Federation survey showed that only 47% of consumers have finished their holiday shopping and another 19% have not even started. As a dismal 2008 comes to a close, the last die-hard eternal optimists are calling for a year-end Santa Claus Rally, as the government bailouts and U.S. Federal Reserve actions give investors some hope for 2009 and beyond.

But such blind optimism too often ignores a key point or two. The Dallas-based Neiman Marcus, for instance, just announced that its third-quarter earnings plunged 84% because of its aggressive discounting, the Dallas Morning News reported. And since the discounting will continue, so will the decline in profits, the high-end retailer conceded.

With even luxury retailers discounting to try and salvage something from the holiday shopping season, the outlook for lackluster sales and even-more-lackluster earnings feeds into an already dour outlook for the U.S. economy.

And if that doesn’t squelch the optimists’ ardor, then a looming revision in the third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) – last reported as minus 0.5% – will almost certainly bring them back to the realities of the sluggish economy.

It may even force those optimistic economists to finally say: “Bah Humbug.”

That GDP report is due out tomorrow (Tuesday).

Market Matters

Though perhaps it’s wishful thinking, there are some analysts who point out that one or more of any number catalysts could jump-start the economy and the financial markets in the New Year, putting the past few miserable months in the rearview mirror. They argue that the trillions of dollars in bailout money pumped into the financial system should finally start to provide badly needed liquidity; the Fed seems intent to do “whatever it takes” to reverse, or at least blunt, the current downturn (even if runaway inflation may be a repercussion down the road); an “Obamanomics” stimulus plan could create new jobs, while enhancing the country’s aging infrastructure; risk-free Treasury yields at 0.00% should start to look less and less attractive, prompting investors to look into stocks and non-government bonds again. Just a few last minute items to add to the holiday investment-shopping wish list.

Sadly, Bernie Madoff saw to it that his investors will have a holiday season to forget as the list of prominent victims grew each day: Real estate mogul Mort Zuckerman, U.S. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, D-N.J., Hollywood movie mogul Steven Spielberg, Spanish bank Banco Santander SA (ADR: STD), France’s BNP Paribas SA, Nomura Holdings Inc. (ADR: NMR), and many charitable foundations and non-profit organization were among the people and institutions victimized.

Plenty of finger-pointing has been directed at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for failing to uncover some rather obvious signs of wrongdoing through the years. As Money Morning reported even before the official announcement was made, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama tapped FINRA Chief Executive Officer Mary L. Schapiro to head the SEC during this time of turmoil. Congrats on the appointment, I guess?

The Detroit Big Three automakers received early holiday cheer as the U.S. Treasury Department will release $17.4 billion of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) money in return for potential equity stakes and other concessions from management and unions. General Motors Corp. (GM) and Chrysler LLC will be the recipients, while Ford Motor Co. (F) pursues – for now – the go-it-alone strategy. Meanwhile, Chrysler will be shutting down all of its North American production plants for at least a month and also will begin charging dealers large fees on unsold cars that remain on their lots after prolonged periods. In perhaps a sign of things to come, a consortium of 14 companies – including 3M Co. (MMM) and Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) – have asked for $1 billion in government funding to begin manufacturing state-of-the-art batteries for electric cars. The move is reminiscent of action taken by computer chip firms decades ago that helped make the industry more competitive domestically. (Johnson Controls also announced last week that it would invest $90 million to open a lead-acid-battery-production plant in China’s green-power energy industrial center in Changxing Economic Development Zone of Zhejiang province, Alibaba.com reported).

Energy traders disregarded the decision by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut production by a record 2.2 million barrels a day, fearing lack of compliance by its members. Instead, traders chose to focus on the shrinking demand in the sluggish economy as oil prices briefly fell below $35a barrel to levels not seen since 2004.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) reported its first-ever quarterly loss and Morgan Stanley (MS) followed with a shortfall of its own.

FedEx Corp. (FDX) posted a higher profit, but gave a dire outlook and announced major compensation cuts for senior management (and benefits cuts for the rank and file). Stocks were relatively flat as investors digested the latest on Madoff, the auto bailout, and significant Fed actions.

Economically Speaking

“The Federal Reserve will employ all available tools to promote the resumption of sustainable economic growth and to preserve price stability.”

Too bad Fed Chief Ben S. Bernanke couldn’t punctuate that last statement with a hearty “Ho, ho, ho – happy holidays.”

After setting the target for the Federal Funds rate at 0.00% to 0.25%, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) policymakers revealed they are studying other measures and may purchase U.S. Treasuries at some point in an effort to stimulate the financial markets.

There are already some signs that the central bank’s action already are working. Mortgage rates have dropped dramatically and borrowers are taking advantage of refinancing opportunities to save on future interest payments. Investors are finding value in corporate and municipal securities, as certain high-quality issues are yielding more than 6% more than comparable Treasuries. Meanwhile, Japan’s central bank followed suit with a rate cut (to 0.1%) of its own.

More details of the Obama stimulus plan emerged during the week and his economic team pegs the total package at about $800 billion (or more than $1 trillion by the time Congress adds its required “pork.”). Tax cuts of up to $100 billion will serve as the most immediate stimuli, with construction (infrastructure), energy and healthcare among the industries that will benefit the most over time.

The data of the week revealed that his package can not arrive soon enough. Housing starts fell by 18.9%, to a record low, and declining building permits did not offer much promise for future construction. Another forecasting release, leading economic indicators, fell for the second consecutive month; in fact, over the past six months, the index has experienced its worst decline since 1991.

The inflation picture remains favorable, though naysayers find pessimistic views in that data as well. The November consumer price index (CPI) fell 1.7%, the largest decline on record (since 1947), as gasoline prices plummeted by 29.5%. While the deflation-mongers claim that falling prices will force consumers to delay purchases (for when they become even cheaper), others point out that gas purchases can not be delayed, as people have to get to work (and few are choosing to ride their bikes or shift into mass transportation). In reality, plunging gasoline serves as a stimulus package without any government interaction (though OPEC is getting involved).

To read more Click here

Investment news

Money Morning
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-opportunities-articles/if-holiday-retail-stats-dont-have-economists-saying-humbug-tuesdays-gdp-report-certainly-will-694561.html

(HealthDay News) — A new report card gives the U.S. government consistently failing grades for not protecting Americans from illnesses caused by tobacco.

According to the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2008, the federal government as well as most states failed to enact critical policy measures, such as higher taxes on cigarettes and to adequately regulate tobacco products.

“Effective tobacco control saves both lives and money,” Charles D. Connor, president and chief executive officer of the lung association, said during a Monday afternoon teleconference. “Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death in America.”

Tobacco-related diseases such as lung cancer and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) kill more than 392,000 Americans each year, and another 50,000 die from exposure to secondhand smoke, Connor said.

“All the while, tobacco companies continue to find new ways to keep smokers hooked,” he said. “Each day, the tobacco industry lures 1,100 kids into becoming regular daily smokers. Also each day, 1,000 people die from tobacco-related diseases. It’s easy to see from this arithmetic that the tobacco industry is motivated to attract new young replacement smokers.”

This year’s report card for the federal government was “abysmal,” Paul Billings, the association’s vice president for national policy and advocacy, said during the teleconference.

Specifically, the federal government got:

• An “F” for FDA regulation of tobacco products — the bill authorizing FDA regulation of tobacco products passed overwhelmingly in the U.S. House of Representatives but was not considered by the U.S. Senate before it adjourned for 2008.
• An “F” for a cigarette tax — the federal government’s cigarette tax is 39 cents per pack, well below the “F” standard of anything just less than 60 cents a pack.
• A “D” for failing to ratify the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a treaty designed to limit smoking’s health risks worldwide. The Bush Administration again “neglected to submit the treaty to the Senate for ratification,” the report card said.

The report card also faulted the federal government for not doing more to increase access to smoking-cessation programs, Billings said. “While the Medicare drug program covers smoking-cessation drugs, the federal government does not require state Medicaid programs to cover cessation treatments and services for Medicaid recipients,” he said. This, despite the fact that people receiving Medicaid smoke at almost a 60 percent higher rate than the national average, he added.

On the state level, no state earned a straight A. “Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island received the best grades,” Billings said.

But even these states fell short in at least one grading categories, including smoke-free air laws, amount of state cigarette tax, funding for tobacco-cessation programs, and covering tobacco-cessation treatments for Medicaid recipients and state employees, Billings said.

The states with the worst grades — all Fs — were Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, according to the report.

Twenty-three states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have enacted comprehensive smoke-free air laws that protect almost all workers from exposure to secondhand smoke, Billings said. Fourteen states got an “F” in this category, he said.

In 2008, only Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and the District of Columbia raised cigarette taxes. The average state tax is $1.19 per pack, Billings said. New York state has the highest tax at $2.75 a pack; South Carolina has the lowest at 7 cents a pack.

Billings said that only Alaska and Delaware funded tobacco-cessation programs to the level recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Tragically, 42 states received “Fs” in this category,” he said.

The CDC estimates that smoking costs the U.S. economy more than $193 billion each year, including $96 billion in health-care costs and $97 billion in lost productivity, Connor said.

The way to stem this loss of lives and money is through strong tobacco control laws, Connor said. But not enough is being done, he said, adding that he hopes the new Obama administration will be more active in supporting tobacco control.

“Firstly, the Congress must give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority over tobacco products,” Connor said. “State governments must step up and fully fund tobacco-cessation programs, increase cigarette taxes, and pass comprehensive smoke-free air laws.”

Reaction to the report was strong.

Dr. James Rohack, president-elect of the American Medical Association, said in a prepared statement, “This new report confirms that weak government tobacco policies fail to support smokers’ efforts to quit, and fail to discourage teens from smoking.”

He added, “The AMA encourages federal and state lawmakers to pass legislation that invests in tobacco prevention programs and will help Americans quit using tobacco and protect them from exposure to second-hand smoke.”

Vince Willmore, vice president for communications at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said: “This report underscores that we know how to win the fight against tobacco use in the United States, but need strong political leadership to implement proven solutions at all levels of government.”

“This report lays out a roadmap for the federal and state governments to follow, beginning with Congressional enactment of FDA regulation of tobacco products,” he added.

David Sutton, a spokesman for Altria Group Inc., the parent company of the tobacco giant Philip Morris, said: “We sell our products only to adult consumers. We are looking for folks who choose to smoke who are of legal age to do so. We are going to compete for their business, but we are not looking to recruit new smokers and we certainly don’t want anyone under age using tobacco products of any kind.”

Sutton said Philip Morris is “opposed to excise taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products because they unfairly burden adult tobacco consumers.” The company supports the efforts of smokers who want to quit and endorses having the FDA regulate tobacco products, he said.

More information: http://104Smoking.com

104Inc.com
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/8-states-are-tobacco-flunkees-us-flunks-on-tobacco-control-report-card-722275.html

The fastest method of economic recovery lies in the creation of commercial construction jobs. The fact being, that when you build a structure it creates an immediate demand on both the skilled labor and manufacturing sectors to produce.

Obviously, residential construction is not what is being advocated due to the high inventory of unsold homes already on the market, but rather the thousands of private commercial capital improvement projects which are on hold resulting from the lack of credit needed to finance their projects.

Even after receiving the first $700 billion from the Bush administration, banks are not willing to lend money to institutions who can demonstrate that the proposed improvements will create cash flow in repaying the debt.

There are aspects to the Obama stimulus package that will create jobs in the “long term”, however the package lacks any near term benefits. When you look at some of the larger elements of the package they break out as follows:

Energy: $60 billion; Tax cuts: $275 billion; Education: $140 billion; Infrastructure: $90 billion; Financial Aid: $102 billion; Healthcare: $110 billion

With the exception of infrastructure, tax cuts, and about half of what is allocated for energy, the rest is strictly financial aid and cannot be considered stimulus. Tax cuts, on the other hand, will spur some level of spending, but in this economic climate will most likely go to basic necessities as opposed to the purchase of non-necessities.

Construction activity creates manufacturing demand and when combined together, construction and manufacturing represent the largest pool of workers in the country.

During post WWII and early 50’s an infrastructure boom occurred with the Interstate Highway System project, which rolled back unemployment lines to the lowest levels ever.

The intent of the Obama infrastructure stimulus is the same, however falls short when you consider the years of planning required before breaking ground as well as the level of technological advances that have occurred since post WWII in reducing labor man hours for road work projects. Over the last 50 years, construction technology and equipment in terms of road and highway construction has improved to the point where they are now considered “Material heavy” and “Labor light”.

Additionally, seeing as how most of our infrastructure already exists, these projects would be relegated to improvements rather than full scale construction projects – the lackluster notion being, “building a house is more labor intensive than painting a house.”

Although maintaining roadway infrastructure is important, the economic benefit of aiding private commercial projects would be realized immediately.

Commercial building projects are labor intensive involving the entire spectrum of work trades ranging from carpentry to electrical to mechanical disciplines. In addition, the components required for the structure are manufactured and engineered which compliments the broader manufacturing industry as a whole.

The opportunities exist in the Healthcare, Institutional, and Research sectors and come in the form of building additions and large interior renovations for existing facilities.

The demand for these projects is created by the need to keep up with the technological innovations of capital equipment. Additionally advancements have been made in building science; most notably in the areas of operating efficiency and environmentally friendly construction solutions.

If banks will not lend money for commercial building projects the unemployment lines will continue to swell.

Commercial construction is and has always been the catalyst to economic prosperity and will undoubtedly create an instant demand in our manufacturing sectors. Government stimulus in the form of financing will put people back to work almost immediately as most of these projects are already designed and considered to be “shovel ready”. 

Even though Obama may not care for Joe the Plumber from Ohio for his tough questions, he has the ability to win the respect of Joe the Plumber by putting him back to work and getting our economy back on track.

Eric Kaad
http://www.articlesbase.com/economics-articles/obama-economic-stimulus-package-lacks-stimulus-for-the-average-joe-738326.html

The fastest method of economic recovery lies in the creation of commercial construction jobs. The fact being, that when you build a structure it creates an immediate demand on both the skilled labor and manufacturing sectors to produce.

Obviously, residential construction is not what is being advocated due to the high inventory of unsold homes already on the market, but rather the thousands of private commercial capital improvement projects which are on hold resulting from the lack of credit needed to finance their projects.

Even after receiving the first $700 billion from the Bush administration, banks are not willing to lend money to institutions who can demonstrate that the proposed improvements will create cash flow in repaying the debt.

There are aspects to the Obama stimulus package that will create jobs in the “long term”, however the package lacks any near term benefits. When you look at some of the larger elements of the package they break out as follows:

Energy: $60 billion; Tax cuts: $275 billion; Education: $140 billion; Infrastructure: $90 billion; Financial Aid: $102 billion; Healthcare: $110 billion

With the exception of infrastructure, tax cuts, and about half of what is allocated for energy, the rest is strictly financial aid and cannot be considered stimulus. Tax cuts, on the other hand, will spur some level of spending, but in this economic climate will most likely go to basic necessities as opposed to the purchase of non-necessities.

Construction activity creates manufacturing demand and when combined together, construction and manufacturing represent the largest pool of workers in the country.

During post WWII and early 50’s an infrastructure boom occurred with the Interstate Highway System project, which rolled back unemployment lines to the lowest levels ever.

The intent of the Obama infrastructure stimulus is the same, however falls short when you consider the years of planning required before breaking ground as well as the level of technological advances that have occurred since post WWII in reducing labor man hours for road work projects. Over the last 50 years, construction technology and equipment in terms of road and highway construction has improved to the point where they are now considered “Material heavy” and “Labor light”.

Additionally, seeing as how most of our infrastructure already exists, these projects would be relegated to improvements rather than full scale construction projects – the lackluster notion being, “building a house is more labor intensive than painting a house.”

Although maintaining roadway infrastructure is important, the economic benefit of aiding private commercial projects would be realized immediately.

Commercial building projects are labor intensive involving the entire spectrum of work trades ranging from carpentry to electrical to mechanical disciplines. In addition, the components required for the structure are manufactured and engineered which compliments the broader manufacturing industry as a whole.

The opportunities exist in the Healthcare, Institutional, and Research sectors and come in the form of building additions and large interior renovations for existing facilities.

The demand for these projects is created by the need to keep up with the technological innovations of capital equipment. Additionally advancements have been made in building science; most notably in the areas of operating efficiency and environmentally friendly construction solutions.

If banks will not lend money for commercial building projects the unemployment lines will continue to swell.

Commercial construction is and has always been the catalyst to economic prosperity and will undoubtedly create an instant demand in our manufacturing sectors. Government stimulus in the form of financing will put people back to work almost immediately as most of these projects are already designed and considered to be “shovel ready”. 

Even though Obama may not care for Joe the Plumber from Ohio for his tough questions, he has the ability to win the respect of Joe the Plumber by putting him back to work and getting our economy back on track.

Eric Kaad
http://www.articlesbase.com/economics-articles/obama-economic-stimulus-package-lacks-stimulus-for-the-average-joe-738326.html

Amid gloom and then rebounding on financial markets, the worries about banks and the optimism about the new Obama Administration in the US, the first of this year’s surveys of big global investor sentiment by Merrill Lynch, has shown some relative optimism.

The December survey saw a hint of this change when it reported that investor sentiment had stepped back from the brink of despair, but more than a third of investors wanted to see greater fiscal stimulus, according to Merrill Lynch’s Survey of Fund Managers for December.

“While 88 percent of the panel believes that the world economy is in recession, December’s survey contains evidence that the rate of deterioration is slowing.

“The net balance of investors who expect the global economy to worsen in the coming year has fallen to 36 percent, down from 60 percent in October.

“More than a quarter of respondents believe the economy will strengthen in 2009. Cash levels average 5.5 percent, up from 5.1 percent in November, the highest level since 2001. Furthermore, a widespread perception exists that stocks are cheap, both in absolute terms and relative to bonds.”

They seem to have got their wishes with the German government upping its support for the faltering economy to some 50 billion euros, the US pushing its stimulus package to some $US825 billion and more rate cuts by central banks, especially the European Central Bank at the start of January and more to start this week in New Zealand.

But there have been more bank bailouts in the US, UK, Ireland, Denmark, France and Germany, while we in Australia are in the processing of filling a gap in funding caused by the flight of foreign banks, such as Bank of America, HBOS and Royal Bank of Scotland.

“Now for January ML reports that global investor gloom has started to lift, with hopes of improving growth and inflation rather than deflation.”

“There is a lot of hope in China’s bounce back as well.

“Broad economic sentiment has improved sharply from the lows of late 2008.

“The Merrill Lynch Fund Manager Composite Indicator for Growth Expectations has climbed to 30 this month from 25 in December and a low of 17 in October. The proportion of fund managers who predict lower inflation has fallen to a net 64 percent from a net 82 percent in December.

“Accordingly, there is a growing conviction that interest rates will rise, with 35 percent of respondents who forecast long term rates to increase in the next 12 months, up from 10 percent in December. At the same time the average cash balance remains high at 5.3 percent, only marginally lower than December’s level of 5.5 percent.

“Investors are talking a more positive story, especially with regards to the U.S., but the fear factor remains,” said Gary Baker, Banc of America Securities-Merrill Lynch head of EMEA equity strategy.

“They have firepower to act, but are unconvinced by the modest recent equity rally, suggesting it is a bear market rally in both sentiment and markets. Global sector allocations remain resolutely defensive.”

ML said that cash positions in Europe are at their highest level since 2001, reflecting the high level of caution within the region. A total of 42% of regional respondents are overweight cash compared with 29% in December.

“The numbers reflect how, while global economic sentiment is lightening, European expectations remain under a cloud with investors embedded in defensive positions.

“Every respondent to the regional survey expects a European recession, up from 91 percent in December. Investors are worried that corporate profits will continue to disappoint.

“This distrust means the percentage of investors who believe that European equities are cheap has almost halved, falling to 22 percent in January from 40 percent in December.

“European investors are still dancing the two-step and are reluctant to try out any more adventurous moves,” said Karen Olney, Banc of America Securities-Merrill Lynch lead European equity strategist.

“Investors continue to rotate between expensive defensive sectors and beaten, but not broken, industrial cyclicals that hope to piggyback on any indication of infrastructure-related spending by governments reigniting economies.”

ML said investors are flocking to Food & Beverage and Pharmaceuticals.

It said two survey records have been broken. Food & Beverage has hit its highest overweight in the history of the survey (net 11% of fund managers overweight).

The gulf in sentiment between Banks and Healthcare sectors is also at a record high. A net 57% of European investors are underweight Banks while a net 46% are overweight Healthcare. “Pharmaceuticals are largely immune to the credit crunch and economic slowdown that has hit banks,” said Olney.

Sterling is viewed as undervalued for the first time in seven years.

In October, a net 58% of respondents viewed sterling as overvalued but this month a net 7% believe it is undervalued. Increasing numbers view both the euro and the yen as overvalued.

US equities have become less in favour with global investors. The net percentage of asset allocators overweight the US equity market fell from 25% in December to 7% in January.

“There has been a notable dip in the U.S. equity market’s popularity and emerging market equities have been the new-year beneficiary of rotation away from the U.S.,” said Michael Hartnett, Bank of America Securities-Merrill Lynch chief emerging markets equity strategist.

The number of investors underweight in global emerging markets has fallen to 7% in January, from 17% in December.

In spite of flows into emerging markets, investors retain caution over China.

The percentage of regional investors who expect the Chinese economy to improve has risen from 6%, but is still low at 10%. The proportion of respondents who expect Chinese growth to slow in the next 12 months has fallen to 70% from 79% in December.

“China remains the big global growth wildcard in 2009. Despite the announcement of huge fiscal stimulus packages in recent months, investors remain very sceptical about Chinese and Asian growth,” said Hartnett.

“Indeed, Japanese investors notably reduced their expectations for Japan’s growth to close to a record low.”

A total of 205 fund managers, managing a total of U.S. $597 billion, participated in the global survey from January 9 to January 15. A total of 167 managers, managing $US359 billion, participated in the regional surveys.

The survey was conducted by Bank of America Securities-Merrill Lynch Research with the help of market research company Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS).

IMPORTANT: AIR reports about financial markets and investment products in the widest sense possible. The AIR website and all its contents is prepared for general information only, and as such, the specific needs, investment objectives or financial situation of any particular user have not been taken into consideration. Individuals should therefore talk with their financial planner or advisor before making any investment decisions.

Australasian Investment Review
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/big-global-investors-seem-to-be-a-bit-more-confident-740969.html

A lot of people have expressed that there is too much buzz on the upcoming 2008 presidential race. They are saying that since the election is more than a year away, there is no need to be excited. However, it is clear that more and more people are starting to become involved in the election away because of the advances in modern technology.

Modern technology and the World-Wide-Web are changing the way presidential campaigns raise money, organize their networks of volunteers and engage in public debate. For instance, the candidates can now spread their campaign message and reach out to voters through their personal campaign websites. The candidates also have more opportunity to bypass the mass media and forge a deeper, more personal relationship through e-mail, Web video, online chats and podcasts. The wide-open forum of the Internet and related technologies create the potential for a more wide-ranging political dialogue.

More than 3,000 groups have formed on Barack Obama’s site a week after he announced his presidential campaign and the launching of his website. These groups ranged from the Iowa Union Members for Obama and New Hampshire Firefighters for Barack to the Hip Hop for Obama. More than 4,000 people have also started blogs on the site and more than 3,000 have set up personal fundraising web pages.

Of course, Obama’s site is just one of the brazen attempts to use the power of Web-based social networking to channel a surge of enthusiasm and a flood of money into a broad-based political movement. For instance, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton signaled the start of the new campaign era by announcing the launching of her presidential exploratory committees through a web video.

Clinton’s campaign staff then followed it up with a series of highly publicized video Web chats. She also used non-political Internet forums such as Yahoo! Answers to reach reached out to potential supporters. In fact, a question that solicited ideas to improve the health-care system has already has drawn more than 38,000 responses.

However, the Internet did always offer something positive for the candidates. Attacks on the candidates can come from many more directions because the mass media no longer an arbiter. For instance, the release of the Hillary 1984 video caused quite an uproar just a few weeks ago. The video has been viewed by more than three million people, illustrating the potential of using the Internet for political purposes.

However, many political professionals say Internet communications still have not shown much power to sway undecided voters. For example, the result of the recent election 2008 polls show that the Hillary 1984 video did make much of an impact. Nevertheless, the Web already has proven itself as a fundraising force and that capacity has only increased with the expansion of broadband access. For instance, Obama was able to raise $25 million largely through online contributions. The Internet also provides a powerful means to strengthen support once someone has taken an interest in a candidate.

Joem Hughes
http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/the-web-and-the-2008-presidential-race-129245.html

Dr. Obama, with his Right to Medical Care, is coming to our rescue again.  To begin with, the Right To Medical Care” is a pseudo right.  It simply doesn’t exist: nor should it.  However, to champion a cause, that isn’t a cause, has never stopped our “Giver of Change.      

While maintaining platform issues, a 4.7 million dollar contribution places some restraint on his attacking what he would typically refer to as a greedy, profiteering industry. He approaches the matter diplomatically.

“Another, more controversial area we need to look at,” Obama stated, “is how much of our health-care spending is going toward the record-breaking profits earned by the drug and health-care industry. It’s perfectly understandable for a corporation to try and make a profit, but when those profits are soaring higher and higher each year while millions lose their coverage and premiums skyrocket, we have a responsibility to ask why. . .”

To answer his question let’s stroll back to 1997 when federal regulators under the Clinton administration announced they would pay 400 million tax dollars (about 530 + million in today’s currency) to more than 40 hospitals “not to train or educate new doctors”.   Even Forrest Gump knew the “lack of competition” would result in higher prices for his shrimp.  Bottom line, government intervention artificially increased the cost of health care.  It’s not a mystery as to where the record breaking profits came from: government manipulation of the market. 

According to Obama, “the problem can be fixed, at least in large part, by new internet technology and by laying off thousands of health-care office workers”.  So, to pump up the economy our president is suggesting the liquidation of thousands of jobs in the medical industry.

Here is the crux of the matter.  Rights to Medical Care has nothing to do with “rights” and everything to do with control over our lives.  It’s a given, government control over our lives and property increases as unemployment lines increase.   

President Obama has tipped his hand: the goal is not to create jobs or protect the “Rights to Medical Care”, but rather to create government dependency.   Unfortunately, in the eyes of his supporters, this concept is as American as obesity.   Millions of his supporters are actually waiting for him to pay their mortgage, cell phone bills, food costs and entertainment bills.   

The President’s stimulus package is a fraud being served by nothing more than an eloquant speaker.  In his speech he states: “On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises”  but it negates personal responsibility and ushers in an era of serfdom and the ideology of government handouts.

Dr. Obama, I am a contractor by trade.  My business collapsed 16 months ago.   Sans a few daily jobs of pulling weeds, mending a fence or cleaning trash from around a dumpster pad my income has dropped considerably.  On January 19th, my wife had been diagnosed with cancer.  There is need, but I don’t need my neighbor’s tax dollar: give it to your supporters. 

We have been down a few rough roads before without assistance.  Admittedly, it’s an invidious lifestyle.  Thanks, but no thanks.  Besides, rumor has it, I’ll make it to Monday.

Brian Pacatte
http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/rumor-has-it-ill-make-it-to-monday-751393.html