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Cheer the Olympians—But Tax Them, Too
Tweet Share on Facebook August 2, 2012 CommentWe all get a little light-headed watching the Olympics, as we feel awed by the athletes' amazing feats, inspired to get off the couch, and moved, even, by NBC's sappy profiles.
Then, most of us regain our senses.
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More Bad News for Obama: A Slump at GM
Tweet Share on Facebook August 2, 2012 CommentMitt Romney may have gotten it wrong.
He's been running ads bashing President Obama for car dealerships that were forced to close after the General Motors bailout and bankruptcy restructuring in 2009. But GM's bigger problem may be a stock price that's in retreat, prolonging the day on which U.S. taxpayers will get back their remaining $26.5 billion investment in the company.
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Why Silicon Valley is Mobilizing Its Forces in Washington
Tweet Share on Facebook August 2, 2012 CommentSilicon Valley has kept a careful distance from Washington, D.C., lest the gridlock rub off. Or the pettiness. Or the dismal action-to-talk ratio. But some of the nation's most influential technology firms, including Google, Amazon, Facebook, and eBay, are finally joining the political fray inside the Beltway.
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If Congress Can't Fix the Postal Service, It Can't Fix Anything
Tweet Share on Facebook August 1, 2012 CommentMost Americans know that the U.S. Postal Service is a mess. What they also ought to know is that Congress is largely responsible for this once-competent institution's bad rap.
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More Evidence That It's Time to Dump Ethanol
Tweet Share on Facebook July 31, 2012 CommentLike many bad ideas, it seemed like a good one at first. Unfortunately, Congress went way overboard.
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More Bad News For Obama: Slowing Profits
Tweet Share on Facebook July 31, 2012 CommentFor all of his supposed hostility toward business, President Obama's tenure in the White House has coincided with a remarkable string of profitability for corporate America.
Until now.
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How Washington is Wrecking the Economy, Part 3
Tweet Share on Facebook July 30, 2012 CommentAt the end of the year, tax rates might go up for most Americans, or they might stay the same. Congressional discord might cause a recession, or a last-minute compromise might avert one. Businesses might start laying people off again, or they might hire more.
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The Home Becomes a Piggy Bank Once Again
Tweet Share on Facebook July 30, 2012 CommentIf a fancy new car appears in your neighbors' driveway and you wonder how in the world they can afford it, consult the consumption playbook circa 2006.
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Mark Zuckerberg Will Be a Great CEO (Some Day)
Tweet Share on Facebook July 27, 2012 CommentFacebook is taking a beating.
Its growth has fallen from the stratospheric levels once expected, making early comparisons to Google or Apple seem silly. Its first earnings report as a public company was mediocre at best, barely meeting Wall Street expectations. Its stock price has plunged to an embarrassing $23 or so, nearly 40 percent below the opening price of $38 when the company went public in May.
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Facebook Is Now Just Another Company
Tweet Share on Facebook July 26, 2012 CommentRevenue grew, but not by surprising margins. Earnings met Wall Street expectations. The overall business climate is murky, and the future is hard to predict.
Yawn. This is the standard story for many companies as they trot out second quarter earnings. But Facebook was supposed to be different.
