Where is the Money Going?
Majority of Non-Profits Have Trouble Collecting from Government Contracts
The Great Recession was tough enough on many nonprofit organizations, as donations declined due to Americans having less money to donate. But adding to the misery of groups like Goodwill, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the American Red Cross... read more
As Health Care Costs Rise, U.S. Survival Rates Fall Behind Other Countries
Spending more on health care has not produced a longer-living population for the United States, research shows.
When compared to survival rates in a dozen other countries, Americans aged 45 and 65 fared worse, suggesting that the value of he... read more
Local Government Jobs Disappear at Highest Rate in Almost 30 Years
While the private sector created a modest number of new jobs in September, governments at all levels continued to downsize, especially schools and city and county agencies.
About 64,000 new jobs were offered by private employers last month. ... read more
Big Business Starting to Spend Hoarded Cash…to Buy Back Own Stock, Not Create Jobs
Interested more in pleasing Wall Street than helping Main Street, some of the biggest American corporations are spending hundreds of billions of dollars to buy back their own stocks, rather than invest in new products or services that would mean... read more
Regulations Harder on Small Businesses than on Large Corporations
Small businesses are responsible for creating the vast majority of jobs in the United States, but they incur a far greater burden than larger companies when it comes to federal regulations and laws.
Two researchers at Lafayette College examine... read more
Contractors with Labor Law Violations Won $6 Billion in Contracts Last Year
At least twenty federal contractors have been caught violating labor, environmental and other federal regulations without losing any business with Uncle Sam.
An audit by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) uncovered 15 companies—which... read more
While Small Businesses Struggle to Find Loans, Big Corporations Borrow Big and Hoard
Big business is currently sitting atop more than $1 trillion in cash, thanks to near zero interest rates provided by the Federal Reserve that has made it easy for corporations to borrow huge sums. But instead of investing this money into new bus... read more
Blackwater, Changing Name Again, Wins Contract from State Department
Blackwater, the notorious private security firm that already tried to rebrand itself as Xe, has won a portion of a $10 billion contract with the State Department. But most people wouldn’t know this because it’s using a third name to avoid drawin... read more
20 Candidates Most Dependent on Out-of-State Financial Support
Whether struggling Americans are short on cash for campaign contributions to hometown candidates or big-moneyed interests are determined to gain influence across the country, many candidates for the U.S. Senate and House are relying heavily on d... read more
Extending Bush Tax Cuts Would Cost U.S. $767 Million a Day for 10 Years
If President Barack Obama acceded to Republican and conservative Democrats demands to permanently extend the Bush tax cuts that are set to expire at the end of this year, the decision would cost the federal government $2.8 trillion in revenue ov... read more
Obama Treasury Dept. Wants Banks, for First Time, to Report All Foreign Money Transfers
The Department of the Treasury is proposing a significant expansion of reporting requirements for banks involving money transfers to and from the United States, all in the name of thwarting future terrorist attacks.
Administration officials ... read more
Being Obese is Expensive: The Numbers
America’s struggle with obesity is costing the nation and individuals considerable money.
Nationally, about 10% of all medical expenses, or $147 billion, are produced by people who are overweight. That rate could climb to 18% by 2030, accord... read more
Banks Put the Squeeze on Small Businesses
Small businesses throughout the United States aren’t expanding their payrolls, in large part because banks continue to subject them to tighter lending standards than those imposed on big business.
A congressional report stated that hiring by s... read more
Citizens Still Paying for Stadiums that have been Demolished
The days of publicly-financed sports stadiums are largely over for most American communities, and it’s just as well. For today, decades after many such venues were built to accommodate professional football and/or baseball teams, local residents... read more
Missouri Tells Judges the Cost of Each Prison Term before Sentencing
To the delight of defense attorneys, and the contempt of prosecutors, Missouri has decided to inform its judges, before they hand down sentences, how much it will cost to imprison convicted criminals versus the expense of putting them on probati... read more
Meg Whitman Breaks All Election Self-Funding Records
Whether she wins or not, Meg Whitman already has accomplished something in her quest to become California’s next governor. With six weeks still left in the campaign, Whitman has spent more of her own money than any other individual running for o... read more