Tag Archives: health care

The Way Forward is Looking Better

By Andrew Busch | Published: September 8, 2010

Fact one, small to medium sized firms are the drivers of job growth in the United States. Fact two, the government needs to engage in policies to assist these firms that create conditions that encourage risk taking and reward that comes from that risk taking. Fact three, the government needs to reduce burdens on these firms that discourage investment or increase their costs of doing business. To create employment, we hold the above to be self-evident and to be true.

If we review the last two years, we see variations of assistance provided by the government that not only miss … …READ MORE

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It's the Small Business, Stupid

By Andrew Busch | Published: August 19, 2010

The optics on the US jobless claims data are terrible and will generate a renewed negative newsflow leading up to the US employment data on September 3rd. It is clear new jobs are not being created. It is clear that whatever economic prescription policy makers have attempted is past its “Sell By” date. It is clear that the policy direction forward for the US economy must focus on the creating the best conditions for small to medium sized firms. Remember, companies that are 5 years and younger generated over 90% of new hires between 1997 and 2007. These firms are … …READ MORE

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Financial Regulatory Reform: Confusion and Delay

By Andrew Busch | Published: March 1, 2010

This NYT article by Gretchen Morgenson entitled, “It’s Time for Swaps to Lose Their Swagger” provides a glimpse into what’s going on with financial regulatory reform. Note how the article uses the term “swaps” for three different types of swaps: debt, credit default, and interest rate. All are extremely different in their function and to what exposure they cover. Yet, they are all lumped together as the cause of numerous problems within the financial sector.

Given the current trouble Congress is experiencing getting a financial regulatory bill out of the Senate, this underscores some of the confusion about arcane financial … …READ MORE

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Xmas and Health Care

By Andrew Busch | Published: December 21, 2009

If you have had the misfortune to follow this debate as it grinds through the Senate, several thoughts come to mind.

1. I’m glad a snowstorm hit the area.

2. I’m stunned that all the Senators can actually stand up to voice vote.

3. Politicians have now made a new inalienable right that the framers of the US constitution forgot: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and government subsidized health care.

3. The extent of pandering to garner the last and critical 60th vote was a new low.

Hey rest of the 49 states, did you know that you will … …READ MORE

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Droppin' the Option

By Andrew Busch | Published: December 9, 2009

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said that they are close to getting “broad agreement” for health care reform. Reid says they have a plan to replace the “Public Option” component with a new national insurance plan offered by private insurers, and a chance for older Americans to “buy in” to Medicare according to Politico. The CBO still needs to score the changes to see if this new overall structure delivers what the Democrats want for reform, inclusion, and cost savings.

Remember, the reason why the United States is engaged in health care reform was to change the trajectory of the … …READ MORE

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Currencies and Exit Strategies

By Andrew Busch | Published: October 21, 2009

Here’s a quick back of the envelope list of countries and whether the currency’s strength will be a problem to engage in reducing monetary stimulus.

1. Australia: no problem
2. New Zealand: no problem
3. Canada: a problem
4. Brazil: a problem
5. China: no problem
6. UK: no problem
7. EZ: no problem
8. US: no problem……but no exit.

Brazil and Canada are clearly the poster children for currency strength duress as both those nations made it clear they are not happy with the situation yesterday. After the government denied on Friday then announced on Monday a tax on … …READ MORE

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Global Thirst for Cash

By Andrew Busch | Published: September 29, 2009

In the global quest for revenue and funding, three new entrants are making a splash. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has appealed for a 50% capital increase to mitigate the impact of the global economic crisis on central and eastern Europe according to the FT. They are asking for an extra E10bn ($14.5bn) to allow it to expand its lending and compensate for a sharp decline in private capital flows into the former communist countries. The EBRD is controlled by 60 countries.

BNP Paribas joins the long list of global banks attempting to buy their way out … …READ MORE

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Obama Approval Rating At New Lows….

By Andrew Busch | Published: September 1, 2009

Rasmussen daily tracking polls show that President Obama’s presidential approval ratings hit -11. The peak was at +30 on the 2nd day he took office and has been declining ever since.  As the NYT David Brooks writes, “All presidents fall from their honeymoon highs, but in the history of polling, no newly elected American president has fallen this far this fast.”

This further perils his ability to get a health care bill passed in the fall and certainly means his fixation on public option will be in jeopardy. If he can’t compromise on the public option, he runs the risk … …READ MORE

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