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Family Finds $10,000 in Organic Crackers Box

LibertySugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:20:14 -0800

Family Finds $10,000 in Organic Crackers Box Holding onto money is everyone's goal these days, yet one honest California family was eager to give back the envelope filled with $100 bills found in a box of crackers. Whole Foods is notorious for costly groceries that eat up our paychecks, but the Rogoff family unknowingly left the store $10,000 richer.

Most Shocking Headline: Graduates Flee US to Escape Student Loans

LibertySugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:15:07 -0800

Most Shocking Headline: Graduates Flee US to Escape Student Loans Graduating with debt isn't the best way to start out in the real world, but it's a reality that many college graduates face. Most grads set up a plan to pay off their student loans within a certain time period, but some of the educated and in-debt have become too overwhelmed by their loans to repay them. Instead of facing debt collectors, some students with massive debt are choosing to flee the country after they've defaulted on their loans.

The Presidential Inauguration Is Brought to You by . . .

LibertySugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:30:21 -0800

In 2005, President Bush used $42.8 million from corporate sponsors to fund his inauguration. With only $9.74 million of public money at his disposal, and rules against using money left over from the general election for transition, President-elect Obama must renew fundraising efforts for his January 20th move-in date.

Obama is having a tough time avoiding corporate money, according to CNN. Since many of Obama's everyday American supporters struggle to get by, it's hard to ask them to donate to the transition cause now that their candidate already won. In contrast, wealthy corporations looking to get in good with the new President eagerly offer contributions. Ultimately, Obama may accept corporate cash, but with new and tighter restrictions.

Would you give to the Obama inauguration effort if you knew it would diminish corporate influence, or should the new President stay within the relatively meager public budget (if that's even possible)?

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Women Giving More Money to Campaigns — Did You Donate?

LibertySugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:45:00 -0700

Women are putting their money where their vote is at an increased rate this election. While female Americans still lag behind their male counterparts, giving only 36 percent of total campaign donations, so far this year they have tripled the total amount given by ladies in 2000. Women have donated $109 million to Barack Obama or John McCain.Obama has received more money from women than John McCain. Seventy-five million dollars and 47 percent of donations over $200 have come from women to Barack Obama. As for John McCain, $34 million and 29 percent of his donations over $200 are from women.So what about you ladies — have you opened your wallet for the man you want to become the next president?Source

Women Giving More Money to Campaigns — Did You Donate?

I gave to Barack Obama.

I gave to John McCain.

My family gave, but under my husband/significant other's name.

I haven't given, but plan to before Nov. 4.

I'm not donating to either campaign.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Iraq Has $79 Billion Surplus — What's the US Deficit Again?

LibertySugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:15:00 -0700

Thanks to rising oil prices, Iraq will enjoy a $79 billion surplus by the end of the year, according to a report requested by a bipartisan group of senators. While the US has spent $48 billion in American taxpayer money on Iraq's reconstruction since 2005, Iraq has spent only a fraction of its oil revenue on reconstruction projects. And, Iraq spent only 1 percent of its 2005-2007 budget to maintain existing projects already funded by Americans or Iraqis. Thus, preinvasion promises that Iraqi oil money would finance the rebuilding of Iraq have gone unfulfilled.

The Central Bank of Iraq cites a lack of expertise in Iraqi ministries along with security problems as reasons for the lack of spending. There seems to be a vicious cycle: Iraq can't use its money to increase security because there's not enough security.

Congressional Democrats have already called for Iraq to spend its own money on reconstruction. Since the US just predicted a record $489 billion deficit for 2009, hopefully Iraq's windfall surplus will be put to use soon. Should Americans struggling with rising oil prices be frustrated that Iraq is sitting on oil profits while America pays for the reconstruction?

Source

Congress Won't Pay For New Orleans' Levees Until State Pays

LibertySugar — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 07:00:21 -0700

Congress will withhold $5.8 billion in New Orleans flood-defense funding because Louisiana has not offered the $1.8 billion match necessary to trigger federal funds. The Army Corps of Engineers will not go through with levee and other construction projects necessary to prevent another Hurricane Katrina.

Louisiana, one of the poorest states in the nation, wants the feds to give the state 30 years to pay their share. Right now Congress wants the money by 2010. Louisiana officials want President Bush to extend the spending limits putting pressure on Congress. The state's US Senator Mary Landrieu says the restrictions "flies in the face" of Bush's promise to rebuild New Orleans. Others say that the state's $600 million budget surplus means Louisiana could pay its way if it needed to.

Should a squabble over money delay crucial projects like the planned $695 million storm surge barrier? Up until now, all Americans have been helping pay for New Orleans' flood preparation. Is it time for the local government to chip in?

Source

Do You Think the Economy Is More Important Than Terrorism?

LibertySugar — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 07:00:15 -0700

More Americans care about a presidential candidate's ability to address the economy than the candidate's ability to confront terrorism. A new Gallup poll asked respondents whether they would be more likely to choose a candidate whose greatest strength is fixing the economy or a candidate whose greatest strength is protecting the country from terrorism.Fifty-six percent chose the economically-strong candidate, compared to 39 percent who chose the candidate who is best at protecting America from terrorism. Despite these numbers, McCain's senior adviser Charlie Black thinks McCain's perceived strength on national security could help him win — he said a terrorist attack on US soil would be be a "big advantage" for his candidate. Perhaps Black thinks Americans would quickly move fighting terrorism to the top of their priority list, but it's still unclear how a nightmare like an attack would play out politically, something I don't want to hypothesize.Right now, what do you want to be a candidate's top strength: improving the economy, or fighting terrorism? Source

Do You Think the Economy Is More Important Than Terrorism?

Economy. A financial crisis is not just a threat, it's now a reality.

Terrorism. We can't afford to take our eye off the ball.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

New York City Plans to Gain $55 Million on Waterfall Art

LibertySugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 03:00:25 -0700

I'm sure I don't "get" most esteemed works of art, but I'm still undecided about whether my reaction to New York City's waterfall art project is "wow" or "huh?" Four waterfalls designed by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson will show around NYC until October. Three cascade into the East River and New York Harbor from scaffolding towers, while the fourth falls from the Brooklyn Bridge.

Money-wiz Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the art will create $55 million in economic activity for his city (it cost $15.5 million). In a truly American fashion, companies will offer $10 boat tours of the falls, as well as a $50,000 Waterfall Package dripping with luxuries like a private boat tour, champaign, diamonds, dinner for two, and a luxury hotel stay.

Do you find public art to be an eyesore, or a beautiful economic ~~waterfall~~ windfall for cities?

Family Battles Poor Children of Panama for Man's Fortune

LibertySugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:30:43 -0700

An undercover child benefactor originally from Pennsylvania, has sparked an international legal battle from the grave. Wilson C. Lucom left a small amount of his fortune to his family, while leaving the rest of his tens of millions of dollars to a foundation he secretly created for the poor children of Panama.

Those who knew Lucom probably never saw this coming. While alive he funded anti-communist causes, and authored political commentaries, which often advocated solving the world's problems by dropping nuclear bombs.

Now, Lucom's widow, who was granted $20,000 a month in the will, wants the last testament of her mysteriously child friendly husband thrown out. The case is currently in front of Panama's Supreme Court, and the legal battle (which includes 20 law firms!), will decide the fate of Panama's largest charitable donation in history. Who do you want to win?

Source

Western Oil Companies Back in Iraq With Unusual Contracts

LibertySugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:02:44 -0700

Thirty-six years after Saddam Hussein nationalized oil and kicked out Western companies, Iraq's Oil Ministry has awarded Exxon Mobil, Shell, Total, and BP contracts set to bring the oil giants back.

Despite the fact that high oil prices put these contracts in high demand, Iraq granted very unusual no-bid contracts, meaning the companies did not have to compete with their counterparts in China, Russia, and India. Today's New York Times explains:

There was suspicion among many in the Arab world and among parts of the American public that the United States had gone to war in Iraq precisely to secure the oil wealth these contracts seek to extract. The Bush administration has said that the war was necessary to combat terrorism. It is not clear what role the United States played in awarding the contracts; there are still American advisers to Iraq’s Oil Ministry.

The oil companies assure that they intend to help Iraq rebuild its neglected oil infrastructure. To see how,

Europeans Going on American Company Shopping Spree

LibertySugar — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:00:31 -0700

The Europeans are coming to the United States in huge waves, but not just for the Levis, electronics, hamburgers, or Pamela Anderson. They are coming to purchase another quintessential American product: business.

European investors want to take advantage of the weak dollar, which has put lucrative companies on sale. But Europeans aren't the only ones using their purchasing power. The United Arab Emirates invested $7.1 billion in Citigroup; China put $3 billion into the financial company Blackstone Group.

Foreign Policy makes it sound like Europeans considered America some sort of third-world country. To see why,

Same-Size Bucks Discriminate Against the Seeing-Impaired

LibertySugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:45:49 -0700

United States currency discriminates against the blind, according to a federal appeals court ruling handed down today. Because the dollar amounts of same-size skrilla are not distinguishable by touch, the visually impaired suffer unreasonably.

The Treasury Department fell short of demonstrating why it would be too burdensome to design distinguishable dollars. The legal opinion stated that the cost of the redesign is not out of line with other design decisions made by the Treasury. The United States is the only country that prints paper currency with an identical size and feel, no matter the denomination. Canada's dollar, for example, has Braille on it.

So how much discriminatory currency is it going to take to right this wrong? To find out how much,

Open the Vault! Switzerland Pushed to End Bank Secrecy

LibertySugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 03:02:20 -0700

Got a couple of million bucks lying around you'd like to stash on the hush-hush? Before visions of a Swiss bank account dance in your head, consider this: countries are fed up with Switzerland's refusal to help them catch tax evaders.

Hiding behind Swiss secrecy laws, suspected savvy criminals have used Switzerland as a financial loophole, illegally siphoning money away from government coffers. The Swiss government does nothing to assist foreign authorities locate the squirreled loot. By remaining neutral, Switzerland effectively takes the side of the criminals.

The Swiss people liken confidentiality between bankers and customers to that enjoyed by doctors and patients. The population overwhelmingly approves of the tradition, which attracts as much as $2 trillion in foreign money.

Other countries are ready to play hardball in order to get the secrecy laws changed. By withholding passport free travel, or other perks enjoyed by allies, the neighbors most impacted hope Switzerland will be pressured to change.

This controversy reveals an interesting gray area of national sovereignty. Should Switzerland be able to impose banking rules as it pleases, or should all the other countries be free to collect tax money that is rightfully theirs?

Source

Bush on Economy: Tough Times, No Recession

LibertySugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:00:55 -0700

President Bush spoke to the Economic Club of New York, during what he called an "interesting moment." Today the stock market has been extra volatile on news that the Federal Reserve Bank and JP Morgan bailed out investment bank Bear Stearns with emergency cash. . . . How interesting.

While somber and serious, George told the group that he is an "optimistic fella" and pronounced his faith in America's "resilient economy." Bush recounted recent woes, including low growth, lost jobs, rising prices, and the housing crisis, but said that the problems had been recognized early. He congratulated congressional Democrats for working with him to pass a stimulus package, and said he believes the US economy will come out of the tough times "better and stronger than ever."

Speaking of tough times, the dollar has now dropped below the Swiss Franc for the first time ever. Gold hit a historic peak above $1,000. Gas prices also reached another all-time high today. Do you feel as optimistic as our presidential fella?

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