Many critics of President Obama’s health care reform bill started yelling, “government takeover exclamation.”  But Republicans only focused on the main event and not on another part of the legislation that more precisely fits their sentiment.  The president may have secured a victory on health care, but the House bill actually took him closer to delivering the promised reform the college student-loan system.

If a final piece of legislation before the Senate is approved, millions of students will get their federal loans directly from the Department of Education. In other words, the federal government would sweep aside private competitors in the biggest change to the federal student-loan program since its creation in 1965. It’s a legitimate government takeover.

So where’s all that outrage now? The thing is, the government already runs much of the student-loan industry. For decades under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program, the government has handed out subsidies to large banks and companies like Sallie Mae that lend money to student borrowers and collect it from them. In addition, the federal government has been obligated to cover up to 97% of any defaulted loan, effectively eliminating risk for lenders. Figuring that money could be saved by cutting out the middleman, Congress created the Direct Loan program–in which money goes from the Education Department to students–in 1993. The programs have been in competition with each other since then.

Until now. Gone will be the subsidies, and gone will be the FFEL program. As of July 1, all new student loans will go through the Direct Loan program. The savings–an estimated $61 billion over 10 years–will be used to shore up and increase the need-based Pell Grant program by $36 billion and invest in community colleges. While the Administration has reason enough to crow about the proposed measures, it has had to scale back some of its bigger plans. An earlier version of the bill would have invested an additional $20 billion and offered even more substantial financial-aid increases. As it stands, $13.5 billion will be used to stem Pell Grant shortfalls resulting from the increased number of students forced back to college by the ailing economy. And a plan to raise the maximum Pell amount to almost $7,000 per year by 2020 has been replaced with one that maxes out at about $6,000.

With his first major piece of education legislation out of the way, Obama will likely move on to K-12 matters later this year as he attempts to rework the unpopular No Child Left Behind law. But before then, members of Congress (and America’s students) are going on spring break.

“Education. Health care. Two of the most important pillars of a strong America grew stronger this week.  These achievements don’t represent the end of our challenges; nor do they signify the end of the work that faces our country.  But what they do represent is real and major reform,” Obama said.

The student lending overhaul ends the current program that subsidizes banks and other financial institutions, allowing students instead to borrow directly from the federal government. The bill, which first passed the House in September, also would greatly expand the Pell grant program for low-income students. The reforms also aim to revitalize community colleges and increase support for minority-serving institutions and historically-black colleges.

“Year after year, we’ve seen billions of taxpayer dollars handed out as subsidies to the bankers and middlemen who handle federal student loans when that money should have gone to advancing the dreams of our students and working families,” Obama said. “But this time, we said, would be different.  We said we’d stand up to the special interests, and stand up for the interests of students and families.   That’s what happened this week.  And I commend all the senators and representatives who did the right thing.”

The legislation would save an estimated $61 billion over 10 years. Universities that participate in federal lending have just a few months, until July 1, to switch their financial aid systems to the new “direct lending” program. Starting in 2014, the legislation will also cap a graduates’ annual student loan repayment at 10% of their income.

Republican opponents of the legislation have denounced it as yet another “government takeover,” and the banks, not surprisingly, have lobbied hard against this switch.

A community college in Northern Virginia had the privilege of being chosen by the President as a place he will sign the fixed reconciliation bill into law that will highlight the education reforms

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My Take: I am always a day late and a dollar short.  It always seems that I always miss the good stuff in life.  I would’ve loved only had to pay 10% of my income on my student loans!  Well, at least the younger crowd will get a better education.  They might actually be able to afford childcare as they go to school.  So many young ladies going to college find it difficult to find licensed daycare that is affordable.

At least the extra money may help schools purchase dry erase boards and desks.  I understand that many colleges now use display cases in their classrooms that help educate students.  They might also be able to inspire more sponsors to purchase column padding for the schools to advertise on.  One thing I know many community colleges need is bleacher enclosures to protect them.  It’s not fun when you get a splinter in your rear end.

Seriously, it is a good thing that more young people will get an education they deserve and not be financially strapped when they finally graduate.  Most parents today, cannot afford to help their kids with tuition, especially with the economic crisis in full bloom.

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Getting Ready for BYU Volleyball

The last time Brigham Young University won a national volleyball championship was in 2004 and the team has been doing very well in the preseason and has been ranked number one in the nation for their efforts so far. Obtaining a new volleyball set for practice recently, it has been decided by the team coaches that a preview video will be released to get people excited for this year’s upcoming volleyball events. There are a lot of expectations of the new coach this year who will be helping the BYU team go up against some very difficult California teams this year.

Bad Credit for Good Vehicles

It’s extremely common for people these days to have bad credit coming out of the recession and this has meant that people have had to walk into places selling Virginia military used cars with bad credit where they might not actually be eligible for the vehicle that they want to buy. There are a few things that can be done in order to encourage the loan to be given to a person who might not otherwise have the best credit and it usually involves having a cosigner or putting down a significant amount of money as the down payment for the vehicle.

Facilities Offered by Private School

There are many people who are looking for the sort of boarding school or private schooling establishment that’s going to offer the children additional facilities and options beyond what they might experience in a traditional school and this will often mean that a Panama private school will be a place where a child will obtain more efficient classroom settings and will get to enjoy additional classroom offerings such as extra technology and even personalized machinery that might not have been available in a public school setting such as tablet computers or other computerized devices to help with school work.

Secondary Wood Should be Up

There are a lot of indications that the lumber industry is due to have a nice level of recovery throughout 2012 and this will likely mean that various lumber suppliers of standard woods and black walnut slabs both will need to supply the secondary wood products industry with more wood than has been requested in the past. The secondary wood products manufacturers have offered up quite a few indications that they believe that there will be a lot more purchasing coming from the general public in 2012 and have already started to increase manufacturing levels across the board.

Methods for Enhancing Economic Recovery

In the past few years it has seemingly felt to some people that the economic recovery would simply never happen and this has been reinforced by a lot of unemployment woes being experienced across the nation. According to economic analysts and people who study the health of the economy, one of the best ways to figure out whether any particular hiring service should consider the economy recovered is the overall number of jobs added. More jobs means that there is more household spending and this aspect of the economy is one of the most important as far as making sure that joblessness goes down further.

In March, US consumer confidence rebounded as home prices rose in January for the eighth straight month according to a closely watched housing index.  This has bolstered the hopes of many for sustainable economic recovery

Housing Market

The consumer data also showed a slight increase in optimism about the labor market. It comes ahead of a key government nonfarm payrolls report due on Friday that is expected to show the economy added jobs in March.

The Conference Board, an industry group, said on March 30 its index of consumer attitudes rose to a reading of 52.5 in March from an upwardly revised 46.4 in February.

The median of forecasts from analysts polled by Reuters was for a March reading of 50.0.

The expectations index rose to 70.2, from a revised 62.9. The present situation index rose to 26.0, the most since May 2009, up from a revised 21.7 in February.

This consumer report will “add credence to the economic recovery school of thought,” said Jim Awad, managing director at Zephyr Management in New York.

“It’s logical that with the economy improving and stocks going up consumer confidence would improve,” he said. “The real question is what happens next year after the stimulus is removed, but in the short-term this is good news.”

On Wall Street, stocks .DJI .SPX initially rose on the news, but later turned negative as shares of financial and energy companies slipped. U.S. Treasury prices erased initial losses as stocks fell, although they remained under pressure as investors prepared for a fresh supply announcement.

The dollar extended gains against the yen, rising briefly above 93 yen for the first time in nearly three months as the strong consumer data bolstered views that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates ahead of its European or Japanese counterparts.

For those people who already own their homes and are doing long form taxes . . . One New York tax preparer service encompasses nearly every aspect of financial life.  They are experienced in all matters of accounting and taxation, IRS problem resolution, estates and trusts, business formation, financial planning and investment, real estate and business sales as well as income tax.  Today’s tax laws are so complicated that filing a relatively simple return can be confusing. It is just too easy to overlook deductions and credits to which you are entitled. Even if you use a computer software program there’s no substitute for the assistance of experienced New York income tax accountants.

Consumers assessment of the labor market improved, according to the Conference Board. The “jobs hard to get” index declined to 45.8% from 47.3%, while the “jobs plentiful” index increased to 4.4% from 1.0%.

The U.S. Labor Department will release its monthly employment report on Friday. A Reuters survey of economists forecast that employers added 190,000 jobs in March, largely driven by hiring for the 2010 census, after cutting 36,000 positions in February.

That would mark only the second time payrolls have increased since the recession started in December 2007. The health of the labor market will be a key determinant of when the Fed will start raising benchmark interest rates, currently near zero.

“The confidence number should boost expectations for Friday’s jobs number because historically the labor differential, which is the difference between jobs plentiful and jobs hard to get, has a strong correlation with the unemployment rate,” said Kathy Lien, director of currency research at GFT in New York.

Lien cautioned, however, that the forecasts for payrolls are “very high and I believe that there is strong risk of a disappointment.”

Separately, the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price indexes released on Tuesday showed prices of U.S. single-family homes rose in January. And the annual rate had its best reading in almost three years, although the year-over-year reading still showed a small decline in prices.

The S&P composite index of 20 metropolitan areas unexpectedly rose by 0.3% in January, seasonally adjusted, matching the December increase.

On an unadjusted basis, prices declined 0.4% in January. S&P has said that foreclosures can skew the seasonal adjustments.

The median forecasts from Reuters surveys were for a 0.3% drop for the adjusted index and a 0.2% decline for the unadjusted index.

According to David Sloan, economist for 4CAST Ltd in New York, “It looks like there is an underlying recovery in house prices going on. The numbers are in line with market expectations and a bit stronger than my expectations and I would say, broadly speaking, this is quite encouraging for the housing market.” said David Sloan, economist with.

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My Take: My question is, will it continue?  If it does that means that more Upper Nyack NY homes will sell and more homes for rent will be rented.  Maybe people will even start working on their Denver basement remodeling that they have been dreaming about.

I know that Nyack NY real estate is absolutely gorgeous and I would love to be able to afford to purchase some.  However, I live in Arizona and I cannot see moving way across the country just because a home I would love to own is available.  Most my family and friends are on this side of the country.

I recently told a friend in Minnesota that they should contact one of the property management companies to see if they could get a house.  Property management companies can help people when they are looking for a home.  You might even find one at a lower rate that needs Littleton CO basement finishing.

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Related Resources

On March 26, the Obama administration announced a plan to reduce the amount some troubled borrowers owe on their home loans.  This comes after months of criticism that it has not done enough to prevent foreclosures.

The multifaceted effort will allow people who owe more on their mortgages than their properties are worth to get new loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, a government agency that insures home loans against default.

That would be funded by $14 billion from the administration’s existing $75 billion foreclosure-prevention program. It could spark criticism that the government is shouldering too much risk by taking on bad loans made during the housing boom.

The plan would also enable the borrowers’ existing mortgage companies to receive incentives to lower their principal balances.

To be eligible for the FHA refinancing program, borrowers who owe more than the value of their homes, known as being “under water,” must not have fallen behind on their existing mortgage payments.

Separately, the program also would reduce monthly payments for unemployed homeowners for up to six months.

The administration cautioned that the plan isn’t intended to stop all foreclosures or assist all troubled homeowners.

“There’s no intention here of tackling what may be 10 to 12 million foreclosures over the course of the next three years,” said Diana Farrell, a White House economic adviser.

Meet original target

Instead, officials said, the goal is to make it more likely the administration will meet its original target, announced last year, of assisting 3 million to 4 million struggling homeowners.

That would be “enough to provide help to those for whom help is worthwhile … and to provide some kind of stability in the market.”

The plan won’t assist investors and speculators or “Americans living in million dollar homes or defaulters on vacation homes,” an administration fact sheet said.

Some homeowners will not be able to afford to stay in their homes because they bought more than they could afford, officials said.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, estimated the plan could help an additional 1 million and 1.5 million homeowners avoid foreclosure. That compares with about 4.5 million already in foreclosure proceedings or 90 days delinquent on their mortgages, he said.

But preventing even a fraction of potential foreclosures could help stem the slide in home prices. That would encourage those who are under water to keep paying their mortgages as prices stabilize.

“The changes are wide-ranging and significant and have the real potential for bringing the foreclosure crisis to a much quicker end,” Zandi said.

It is the latest effort by the Obama administration to tackle the foreclosure crisis which has continued to grow. Home foreclosures have soared despite the administration’s effort to prevent foreclosures, a complex and problem-plagued endeavor involving more than 100 mortgage companies. Only 170,000 homeowners have completed that process out of 1.1 million who began it over the past year.

Dubious

“We remain dubious about government mortgage modification efforts,” wrote Jaret Seiberg, an analyst with Concept Capital’s Washington Research Group. “So far none have lived up to expectations and we see little reason to believe the latest effort will turn out any different.”

The plan announced Friday will also require the mortgage companies participating in the administration’s existing foreclosure prevention program to consider slashing the amount borrowers owe. They will get incentive payments if they do so.

It also includes three to six months of temporary aid for borrowers who have lost their jobs. And there will be additional payments designed to give banks an incentive to reduce payments or eliminate second mortgages such as home equity loans — a problem that has blocked many loan modifications.

The plan will also allow lenders to refinance mortgages that are under water with a new loan backed by the FHA. Lenders will have to reduce the first mortgage by at least 10 percent. And the combined total of second mortgages and other liens cannot be more than 115 percent of the current value of the home.

Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co. and JPMorgan Chase & Co., the four big holders of second mortgages, will participate in the government’s program to modify second mortgages after they were pressured by the Treasury Department.  After being delayed for months, the program is ready to go now that the major players are on board.

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My Take: Of course, those banks did not want to be part of this program!  The program means they could lose money on any Louisville KY mortgage or commercial mortgage loans.  And that is something that no bank wants to do, lose money.  As it is, they have set interest rates on credit cards sky-high.

I just realized that commercial mortgages may not be involved in this program.  I think it only involves private home ownership.  I could be wrong!  But I do know that there are a lot of people that are looking for debt settlement services in an effort to keep their home.  I read somewhere that more people are trying to get into a debt settlement program just to reduce their credit card in an effort to save their home.  Credit cards will get you in trouble every time!  I know!

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Training Your Dog

Your dog can now join an Ivy League educational institution that focuses on dog training needs from the very basic, to the very advanced and specialized training.  They have a host of very specialized, as well as regular Oklahoma dog training programs to choose from.   They have 7 instructors on board that will ensure that your training needs are fulfilled.  They had have successfully trained more dogs than any other trainer or organization in Oklahoma.  They also offer a wide range of canine personal protection options for your business, you and your family.  They even guarantee their executive protection dogs.

Long Island Exterior Painting

In many cases, with careful planning before painting the exterior of a house, your best bet is to hire well-trained professionals, like the Long Island painting services, who paint homes and plans these jobs, every day.  It will also help to make sure that the job is done correctly and performed to your expectations.  It will take the headache and hassle out of home improvement so that you can focus on other things. This may be especially helpful if performing a complete remodel. With the painting handled, you can focus on other areas of the project.

Most people shop 2-3 times a month, others bargain shop every week and then there is the couponers who bargain shop.  Then you have the extreme couponer who is a breed of 70 shopper that goes beyond just clipping the coupons.

Meet the masters of extreme coupon shopping.

“People that just sort of haphazardly clip their coupons and stroll through the aisle, they’re going to save a little, but they’re not going to make a huge difference at their bottom line on their grocery budget,” said Nathan Engels, who has earned the nickname “Mr. Coupon” for his strategic use of coupons to save.

Engels runs a Web site, “We Use Coupons,” that sees the kind of traffic most grocery stores can only covet.

The site got its name from the response Engels and his wife would give when people asked them how they saved so much money at the store.

The 28-year-old from Villa Hills, Ky., spends almost no money on groceries — and sometimes walks out with a credit. His garage is filled with astonishing quantities of Jell-O, freezers full of veggies, and shelves of shampoo and toiler paper — all booty from his extreme couponing trips.

“The last time I purchased toilet paper at the store was in 2007,” he said, boasting that a three-year supply cost him $30.

To learn the secrets of the couponing world, “Nightline” visited Engels and Jill Cataldo, also known as “The Coupon Queen,” who teaches classes in Chicago and writes a nationally syndicated column about coupons.

“Our weekly grocery bills right now for our family of five are between $40 and $60,” she said. “And that’s everything, pets, child and diapers, everything.”

The Internet has made this new breed of couponing possible. Engels and Cataldo share information on deals on their Web Sites, connecting thrifty shoppers in a nationwide network of supermarket intelligence.

The success of their Web sites has made Cataldo and Engels celebrities of sorts in their communities.

“I can’t really go to the grocery store too often without being recognized here in Chicago anymore,” Cataldo said.

“Nightline” challenged Cataldo and Engels to put their couponing skills to the test to see who could make $50 go further towards their weekly grocery bill.

For those who would rather watch a movie then go shopping . . . Have you seen “How to Train Your Dragon 3-D” or “Clash of the Titans 3-D” or even “Avatar“?  Well, you can now download them!  You can now download new movies right to your own computer!  You will find thousands of full-length DVD quality movie download  options, where, in addition to your favorite new titles and classic movie downloads, you will also find movies download easily to your own DVD for your own use in the future.

How to Save at the Grocery Store

Cataldo headed to her favorite store, Jewel-Osco and Engels didn’t waste any time hitting up Kroger.

Weaving through the supermarket aisles, the experts shared their tips and tricks on how to save big.

Tip #1: Get Paid to Shop

By clipping coupons and looking for special promotions, Engels actually gets manufacturers to pay him to buy their product.

“It’s called an overage. It’ll be right off my bill at the end,” he said, explaining what happens when the coupon’s value exceeds the actual price of the product.

The store was also running a special promotion — buy eight cans of tuna, get $4 off — so Engels actually turned a profit.

“We don’t care about the tuna in this instance because we’re getting it for free and then actually we’re going to make a little money,” he said while loading tuna into his cart.

Cataldo’s first stop was the customer service desk. Always on top of a deal, she heard about a sale on diapers, so she called the store in advance to have them save her a box.

“This is the size my little guy wears, so I said, ‘Hey, if you have one left, can you hold it for me,’ and they’re usually great about that,” she said.

With the sale and a coupon, the price was about 7.5 cents a diaper.

Heading over to the produce aisle, Cataldo shared her first tip: don’t fall for the myth that coupons are only for junk food.

Tip #2: Use Coupons for Organic Food

Cataldo brought a coupon for organic broccoli, which was on sale for less than $1.50.

Tip #3: Get a Rain Check

If a store is all out of something you have a coupon for, shoppers can get a rain check.

“Let’s say this was on sale,” he said, pointing to a box of cereal, “And there was none left and someone had wiped it out. What we do is go to the service check and get a rain check. What the rain check does is it extends the sale price of the item for 30 days. So you can still go to the store and …get as many as you want.”

Tip #4: Don’t Throw Catalina Coupons Away

Another way Cataldo saves is with Catalina coupons — the kind that print out of a special machine at the register. They’re just like cash, she said.

“If it seems like I’m buying a lot, it’s because I am,” she said. “While it is on sale for $1.50 a box, there’s another Catalina deal on this when you buy five you’re going to get $4 back and another one you’re going to get $2 back, so that’s six back with coupons, it’s going to cost me less than six. So I’m actually going to get paid to take this home today. And why wouldn’t you take home free cereal that you like?”

By the end of the challenge, our shoppers’ distinct styles were clear. Although Cataldo said she will always take something home if it’s free, she said she tries to only buy what her family will use.

She seemed to have a different philosophy than Engels, who was willing to take home as much stuff as humanly possible…as long as he paid little or nothing for it. He purchased what looked like a lifetime supply of air freshener.

Cataldo shops so she’s stocked for just three months.

“I’m going to buy 12 weeks’ worth because I know about three months from now, prices are going to dip again,” she said. “And we’re going to go in and do it again. And of course we use coupons and cut it even more.”

Engels buys enough stuff to last a year. “The strategic way of doing this is that I don’t have to buy [frozen veggies] every week like most people do,” he said.

While it may seem like a crazy game of clipping and saving, coupons helped Engels get out of debt. Now, they’re almost completely debt free.

“When my wife and I got married in 2007 we started to look at our finances and we realized we had $17,000 in credit card debt alone. We said, ‘We need to do something different. We need to start saving, we need to pick up more hours at work.’ So what we did is we started to do everything. We worked harder and we started to look at coupons,” Engels said.

Both carts were full when they reached the finish line. The results?

Pre-coupons, Jill Cataldo rang in at $118.84. After all her coupons were scanned, her groceries came to a grand total of $50.61.

Plus, she scored $20 worth of Catalina coupons to use on her next shopping trip.

Nathan Engels had $19 left over with his clever combination of coupons spending only $30 on groceries that retail for approximately $500.

Nathan Engels’ Shopping List:

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My Take: I have heard about people who can do this coupon thing.  The problem is, people who are on a low income cannot afford to buy strictly with coupons because many coupons require you to buy a certain amount of the product.  However, sometimes you will find that a product on sale for 2-for-1 and the coupon only requires the purchase of 1 product.  That is cost-effective, especially when the product costs more than $10!

I also think it is more than just income defense people from doing it.  They would rather purchase things they really don’t need like personalized water bottles or custom golf shirts.  I can understand the purchase of imprinted pens for business or personalized kids gifts for children, but water bottles are something you can buy they don’t have to be personalized.  I suppose you could even get coupons for this kind of stuff if you really look for them.

Then you have those that are more interested in outdoing the Joneses next door by putting down a new garage floor to make it look nice.  They will go out and buy interlocking tile to put down in their garage just to make it look better than the neighbors.

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Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is trying to solve a mystery that has him puzzled.  What is the puzzle?  The US economy seems to be growing rapidly, yet it is not creating jobs.  He can’t seem to answer the question, “Why are no jobs being created?”

It’s a mystery that has puzzled even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke: if the U.S. economy is growing rapidly, why isn’t it creating jobs?

March 26’s hotly anticipated employment report may muddle matters even more. Economists polled by Reuters had widely divergent views, with one looking for an increase of 400,000 jobs — which would be the strongest in a decade — while others thought it may show another small net decline.

The consensus expects a gain of 190,000 jobs, which would mark only the second month of job growth since the recession started in December 2007, and the largest increase since March of that year.

Government jobs are expected to account for the bulk of the growth, thanks to the once-a-decade Census, which requires taking on hundreds of thousands of temporary workers. While the jobs pay well ($22.00 an hour in San Francisco; $11.75 in Ames, Iowa,) they last only a few months.

Bernanke and his central bank colleagues are well aware that Census hiring will skew readings, and have cautioned that unemployment will likely remain near 10% all year.

The Fed and private economists are trying to answer the bigger question of why the labor market shed 8.4 million jobs during this recession. Although the downturn was the deepest since the Great Depression, the job losses were even more severe than most forecasters had predicted based on models that compare economic growth and employment.

Bernanke offered two possible explanations.

“One is that maybe the recession was deeper than we thought,” he said in response to a question from a member of Congress last week. “The other is that the productivity gains were greater than we thought they would be when firms were able to cut their work forces and still maintain output.”

CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM

The first theory gained support when one of Bernanke’s staff economists wrote a research paper suggesting that the most commonly used measure of U.S. economic growth, gross domestic product, had understated the depth of the recession and overstated the recent recovery.

The economist, Jeremy Nalewaik, argued that a lesser known measure called gross domestic income may give a more accurate assessment of the business cycle. GDP looks at spending to measure the size of the economy, while GDI focuses on income.

Based on GDI, the economy began contracting in 2007, not 2008 as GDP data indicates. It also shows growth did not resume until the final quarter of 2009, while GDP showed the economy had expanded in the third quarter as well.

If GDI is indeed a more accurate gauge, there is reason to think employment will soon rise. Data released last March 26 showed GDI jumped at a 6.2% annual rate in the fourth quarter, even faster than GDP’s 5.6% pace.

That would also help explain why payrolls were still contracting eight months after GDP indicated economic growth resumed. Employment gains normally lags economic growth by a few months, so if the cycle turn came in October rather than June, it would make more sense to see job growth now.

If the U.S. economy does indeed show large job gains for March, it would pull ahead of the euro zone, which is expected to report on Wednesday that the jobless rate ticked up to 10 percent in February from 9.9 percent the prior month.

The U.S. unemployment rate is at 9.7%, and the consensus view is that it will hold there in March. What happens after that is open for debate.

Some economists think it will inch up again later this year, for a somewhat counter-intuitive reason. As the labor market improves, discouraged workers may decide to start looking for work again. Those who give up the search are not officially counted in the unemployment rate, but when they jump back into the labor pool they are.

“I would be looking for a second-half growth relapse that sees the unemployment rate climb back to a new cycle high once the Census hiring effect subsides,” Rosenberg said.

One cheap economist, David Rosenberg of Gluskin Sheff, in Toronto was more concerned that the economy may weaken as the end of the Census and those jobs arrives.  The Fed may be cutting back on its extraordinary economic support as Government stimulus spending begins to fade later this year.

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My Take: Sometimes I think the government relies too much on numbers.  Unfortunately, that is all they had to go on because they are above the rest of the country.  Government officials do not have to worry about the money in their pocket like the average citizen or business owner does.  Their jobs are guaranteed for a specific period of time.  You do not hear about a senator or congressman being unemployed because of a reduction in force.  You do not hear about a senator or congressman collecting unemployment.

You do hear about the senator or congressman getting San Diego CA wedding services for their daughter.  You will hear about them getting Alpine CA wedding flowers for their daughter as well.  The reason being, they have a steady income and can afford it.  You might also hear about a senator or congressman’s model train hobby and the beautiful model locomotives that he has.  He might even hire DJ Michelangelo for the reception.  It must be nice not to have to worry about where your next paycheck is coming from.

I understand the DJ Michelangelo is pretty good and he was at the winter music conference recently.  At least somebody other than politicians are making money regularly.

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Car being scrapped for cash!  Many countries already have this type of a program.  However, the program in the US ended on July 30, only a week after it began because the money was gone.  A week before, the government gave details of its clunkers scheme that was aimed at getting people to trade in their “gas guzzlers” in exchange for greener vehicles.  Now the program may have an additional $2 billion to continue according to government.  Congress is set to vote the first week of August.

The $1bn program, which was to run until 1 November, offered vouchers worth up to $4,500 for people scrapping vehicles that do fewer than 18 miles per gallon.  They needed to buy a new car with a rating of at least 22 mpg or a light truck that manages at least 18 mpg.  Similar schemes in Europe have helped ailing firms sell more cars.

The car-making industry has suffered worldwide from the economic downturn, which has pushed two of the big three US auto firms into bankruptcy protection.

For those who may have been involved in an accident . . . A tragic injury can change your life and your family’s life.  A New York City car accidents lawyer should be dedicated to helping you recover the money you deserve to compensate you for your loss.  An attorney should have the knowledge and know-how to fight the insurance company on your behalf.  They should know how to navigate through the road block insurance companies create to avoid paying you the money you deserve.  If you have had a car accident recently you need NYC auto accident attorney, call one today!

Approved dealers

In order to qualify for the vouchers, car owners needed to visit the official Car Allowance Rebate System website (www.cars.gov) to find a list of approved dealers.  Vehicles to be traded in needed to be drivable, less than 25 years old and have been insured and registered to their owners for at least a year.

The replacement vehicle must be brand-new and should have a retail price of no more than $45,000.  Neither the old car nor the new one has to be US-made. The scheme covers domestic and foreign-made vehicles alike.  As the website makes clear, the stated purpose of the scheme is to promote fuel efficiency.

“Oil is a non-renewable resource and we cannot sustain our current rate of use indefinitely. Using it wisely now allows us time to find alternative technologies and fuels that will be more sustainable,” it says.

However, similar schemes in other countries, notably the UK and Germany, have acted as a stimulus to the economy by boosting car sales and production.  In fact, one dealership in Phoenix Arizona, Bill Luke Chrysler has stated that they doubled sales during the week.

The measure was introduced by US Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Charles Schumer (D-NY) in January and was to establish a national voucher program to encourage drivers to trade in older, less fuel efficient cars, trucks or SUVs for a more fuel-efficient vehicles or to use mass transit. Companion legislation was also introduced in the House by Representatives Steve Israel (D-NY), Jay Inslee (D-WA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Dennis Moore (D-KS).

The Accelerated Retirement of Inefficient Vehicles Retirement Act of 2009 (ARIVA), also called the “Cash for Clunkers” program, would reimburse drivers with a credit of up to $4,500 for scrapping vehicles with a when-new fuel economy rating of less than 18 mpg US as reported by the original manufacturer for purposes of CAFE compliance. (CAFE compliance figures are lower than the adjusted EPA fuel economy ratings for consumers.)

Eligible drivers would receive a reimbursement voucher for the purchase of a new or used vehicle with a fuel economy rating that exceeds the CAFE target for that class of vehicle by at least 25%. The bill also requires that the voucher be used towards the purchase of a vehicle that has an MSRP of less than $45,000, is model year 2004 or later, and meets or exceeds federal emissions standards. Drivers who apply for the program must ensure that their vehicles are in driveable condition and are currently registered in the US.

Vouchers could also be redeemed for transit fares for participating local public transportation agencies. The program would operate for four years, from 2000-2012, and is expected to encourage the early retirement of up to one million vehicles per year.

The bill specifies that during the first year of the program, vouchers will be issued for the following amounts:

In each subsequent year (2010, 2011, and 2012), the model years would be advanced by one year. Vouchers would be eligible for redemption for up to two years after the date of issuance, and no individual would be eligible to obtain more than one voucher in any three-year period. Dealers, dismantlers and scrap recycling facilities would also be eligible for a payment of $50 per vehicle, or an alternative amount to be specified by the Department of Energy.

Once implemented, the program would, as estimated by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE):

Save between 40,000 to 80,000 barrels per day of motor fuel by the end of the fourth year, (based on an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 vouchers issued per year).

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions between 6.6 million metric tons to 7.6 million metric tons, or the equivalent of removing 1.1 million to 2.2 million vehicles from the road in one year, (based on an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 vouchers issued per year).

Reduce NOx by 3,043 short tons (2,761 metric tons) by 2013, (based on an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 vouchers issued per year).

While participation in the voluntary program was hard to gauge, ACEEE said, its preliminary estimates are that 575,000 vehicles would be retired annually, and that fuel savings would reach 46,000 barrels per day by 2013.  However, on July 30 the government stopped the program.  Many car dealerships are in a frenzy trying to make sure that they get their money from the program.

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My Take: It seems that somebody messed up somewhere!  This program was supposed to go on for several years until all the gas-guzzlers were off the road.  I guess the gas-guzzlers are here to stay.  Many people cannot afford to buy “green” vehicles because they cost too much.  That was another reason for the program, to help people purchase the vehicles.  After a couple a days, the government announces that it has another $2 billion program.

I guess all those new drivers will be looking for an academy driving school in NY.  That also means that the DMV in NY will still be passing out less license plates for gas-guzzlers.  Of course, that does not mean that anybody was learning to drive should not take driving safety courses.  Of course, now new and old drivers can take a defensive driving class online instead of actually going to a classroom.

I still think the government needs to get their sh-t together!  Maybe if some of these senators and congressmen took a cut in pay they could afford more programs like this.  You know, they might even be able to help the budget.  It seems like everybody else in the country is taking a pay cut why not them as well.  Even if people would just take the bus, metro rail or even the subway to work would help.

However, people like their independence too much.  People enjoy the ability to get out and go where they want when they want.  Even if that drive is to work and home again, many people enjoy it.  Although, in some cities I would never get into the traffic jams because too many people get angry and cause more problems.  This is one problem that will take longer to solve.

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Other Resources

Canadian Traffic Tickets

If you want Ontario, Ottawa or Toronto traffic ticket defense you have to contest your ticket, you need to follow the instructions on the rear of the ticket, which usually involves bringing it into the local court office where the offence is alleged to have occurred.  Some locations allow you to mail it in, although many do not. If you pay the ticket, or if you fail to respond to the ticket within a set period, you will be found guilty and sentenced to the fine on your ticket, you may also have some additional minor court costs.  A Canada careless driving ticket can cost you more than you think if you ignore it.

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You can get buyers for all real estate, cars, jewelry and consumer electronics you have to sell. Buyers pay cash for cars or anything, buying directly from you, the owner. Buyers have experience with the products they are purchasing and understand the market for these items.  This program removes everything that is long and cumbersome about the traditional means of selling almost everything of value.  And if you need a quick cash loan, they can help you with that as well.