Got Insurance?

Consider yourself lucky. There are a couple of shining examples of just how bad things are for a lot of folks today.

14,000: Number of Americans losing health coverage each day.

Since spring 2007, 3.5 million Americans have lost their health benefits and are now uninsured. And while the stimulus begins to address the skyrocketing health costs and lack of access to coverage, the ranks of the uninsured will only grow as the recession persists. In fact, according to a forthcoming analysis by The Wonk Room’s [...]

For Uninsured Young Adults, Do-It-Yourself Health Care

People in their 20s who lack insurance may try everything from self-diagnoses to borrowing [...]

Full Moon

Image by Valerie Everett via Flickr

There is, in case you hadn't noticed, a Full Moon shining down on us. The news of the day is all about the congressional battle over a stimulus package. The prez hits Indiana for a townhall meeting, then heads back to DC for tonight's news conference. Somewhere along the way there's a vote on the stimulus. At the core of the discussion is the question of just how much of the stimulus will really reach those who need it the most. Meanwhile, America's financial infrastructure continues to crumble.

Unemployment benefits safety net is fraying

The government safety net designed to protect laid-off workers from financial catastrophe is falling short, leaving nearly half the 11.6 million jobless Americans without unemployment benefits. The shortcomings are fueling the recession as an increasing number of [...]

Related articles by Zemanta

• About Full Moons (fatdoctor.blogspot.com)

Crazy Day

Oh, what a day this Thursday is starting to be.  The stock market is bouncing around like a rubber ball, confused by the economic bailout program. Sarah Palin held a news conference unlike any I've ever seen - just three or four questions.  What's up with that? 
Meanwhile, the House and Senate both hold oversight meetings to try to figure out what the heck is going on. Paulson is taking a real beating and rightfully so.

No oversight of $700 billion bailout: "it's a mess."

This shouldn't be a surprise. The Bush administration provided no oversight of Iraq. No oversight of the economy. No oversight of the country. So, this shouldn't be a surprise: [...]

Technorati Tags: Economy, Paulson

Powered by ScribeFire.

Your Investments

Hey, New York Times, some of us who aren't quite to retirement age are a tad bit worried, too.

Retirees Cope With Dwindling Portfolios

With the economy in free fall and stocks down, legions of middle- and upper-middle-class retirees are suddenly worried about having enough to carry them [...]

Technorati Tags: Economy, Retirement

Powered by ScribeFire.

Haines Goes For The Jugular

This takes my "quote of the day" honors, hands down. There's video on the link and it's going to become a classic.

CNBC's Mark Haines Thinks Treasury Treats US Like Mushrooms: Kept In Dark, Fed BS

CNBC's Squawk On The Street anchor Mark Haines had a unique analogy for the way he thinks the Treasury Department has been handling the economic rescue plan. He's pretty steamed about a perceived lack of transparency and consistency in Treasury's communications.When discussing the economy with CNBC's Steve Liesman and co-anchor Erin Burnett, Haines said he said he no longer wanted to be treated like a "mushroom." [...]

Technorati Tags: Mark Haines, CNBC, Erin Burnett

Powered by ScribeFire.

All The Way To The Top

The economy is hitting EVERYBODY now. Truly EVERYBODY.
Ski Town For The Ultra-Rich Files For Bankruptcy

The Yellowstone Club, an exclusive mountain retreat for the ultra-rich, said it filed for bankruptcy Monday after failing to secure new financing -- underscoring that even the elite can't escape the country's current economic troubles. Spokesman Bill Keegan said the club filed[...]

Technorati Tags: Economy, Bankruptcy

Powered by ScribeFire.

Quotes: Back To Haunt Them

Oh, will they ever learn?  And, please, don't let the next administration think statements can never come back to haunt them!

White House: We Never ‘Cheerlead’ On The Economy, Admitting It Is In A ‘Recession’ Is ‘Irrelevant’

In yesterday’s White House Press conference, spokesperson Tony Fratto responded to a question about whether or not the economy is currently in recession by saying, “We don’t make determinations or predictions on…the bottom of the business cycle.” Noting the obvious euphemism, one reporter observed, “I may be wrong, but I’ve never heard anyone ever say [...]

Technorati Tags: Recession, Bush Administration, Tony Fratto

Powered by ScribeFire.

No Kidding!

I guess it's just tough for some people to finally come around and admit the obvious. Those of us who are struggling to keep food on the table and pay the bills have been feeling this for a while now.

Chamber of Commerce: We’re in a recession.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a traditionally pro-industry institution, today admitted that the country is in a recession. “We are currently in — or the National Bureau of Economic Research will shortly determine we’re in — a recession,” said the Chamber’s Bruce Josten. He said the recession “will not be a shallow recession” and that [...]

Technorati Tags: Economy, Recession, Chamber of Commerce

Powered by ScribeFire.