Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:00:00 -0500

Houseboat Company Floats Back To Business

One employer just starting to come back from the brink is Majestic Yachts Incorporated, a houseboat manufacturer in Kentucky. Guest host David Greene checks back in with the CEO, Jim Hadley. He last spoke to Hadley in February 2009 as part of NPR's First 100 Days Project about the impact of the recession.

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:13:00 -0500

Job Market Could Help Obama's Election Stock

All kinds of companies were hiring last month. U.S. employers added 243,000 jobs in January, and the unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent. Experts are cautiously optimistic, but the boost in hiring may give the president extra momentum going into November.

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:08:00 -0500

'Buffett Rule' Becomes A Bill, And Congress Bickers

President Obama wants Congress to end certain tax breaks for the very wealthy. In response, Senate Democrats introduced legislation that would require those earning $1 million annually to pay no less than 30 percent in taxes. The bill faces Republican opposition, and is likely to be an election year issue.

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:00 -0500

Jobs Numbers May Boost Obama Re-election Effort

Friday's lower unemployment figures are good news for the Obama administration early in an election year.

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:00 -0500

Improved Job Figures Surprise Economists

The Labor Department released its monthly report Friday, which shows unemployment down to 8.3 percent. Is the dip strong enough to push the rate down further in the coming months?

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:53:00 -0500

Have Economists Got It Wrong About The U.S.?

Five years ago, Federal Reserve head Ben Bernanke said the housing sector wasn't a major economic concern. In fact, most experts failed to see the looming subprime mortgage crisis that sank the U.S. economy. If they were so wrong about the Great Recession, it's possible they could also be blind to a "Great Recovery."

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:36:00 -0500

U.S. Unemployment Rate Falls To 8.3 Percent

The Labor Department says employers added 243,000 net jobs in January, the most in nine months. Hiring was widespread across many high-paying industries.

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:32:00 -0500

Unemployment Rate Edges Down To 8.3 Percent

Private employers added 257,000 jobs to their payrolls, the Bureau of Labor Statistics also says. A slight drop in employment at government agencies brought the overall gain in jobs down to 243,000.

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:14:00 -0500

No Doubt: U.S. Remains 'Tremendously Influential'

Some believe America is in decline. But author Robert Kagan disagrees. He talks to Steve Inskeep about his new book The World America Made." President Obama recently discussed an article Kagan wrote for The New Republic called "The Myth of American Decline."

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:25:00 -0500

Jobless Rate Fell To 8.3 Percent In January

The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent, its lowest rate in nearly three years, the Labor Department reported Friday. Nearly a quarter of a million jobs were added to payrolls in January — almost double what the market was expecting.

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:16:00 -0500

Why IMF Loans Always Get Repaid

Greece is trying to make a deal to slash the amount of money it owes bondholders. Hedge funds will take significant losses. But the International Monetary Fund also loaned Greece a lot of money, and it will be paid back in full. If the IMF isn't paid back, most countries will not lend Greece any more money.

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:14:00 -0500

Regulator: Freddie Investments 'Nothing Unusual'

Senators on Capitol Hill have criticized Edward DeMarco for the investment practices of Freddie Mac. DeMarco heads the federal agency that controls Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. NPR and ProPublica reported that certain trades at Freddie Mac amounted to bets against homeowners being able to refinance their mortgages. DeMarco tells Morning Edition's Steve Inskeep that the trades were not particularly risky, and would not have prevented homeowners from refinancing their loans.

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:09:00 -0500

Senate Passes Ban On Insider Trading

The bill would explicitly prohibit members of Congress, top aides and senior administration officials from using nonpublic information to trade. Passed 96-3, the act now goes to the House.

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:00:00 -0500

FAA Funding Bill Reaches Finish Line

After four years of wrangling and one shutdown, the beleaguered Federal Aviation Administration will soon get a bill of its own. The bill would give it long-term funding for airport construction, expansion and NextGen — or modernization of the air traffic control system from one based on radar to one based on GPS satellites. Congress has resolved long-simmering issues about unionization, not to mention landing slots and rural subsidies.

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:00 -0500

The Future Of America's Manufacturing Jobs

More and more factory work in the United States is being done by machines, and the industry increasingly relies on highly skilled workers. NPR's Adam Davidson explores the shifts in the manufacturing industry, and Tim Aeppel of the Wall Street Journal discusses the implications for the U.S. economy.

United Way 211

United Way's 211/First Call For Help is a free and confidential information service ready to direct you to the health and human services you need in Cuyahoga, Geauga and Medina Counties.

Just dial 2-1-1. Professional staff are available to help you 24 hours a day, every day.

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Save the Dream

The American dream of home ownership is disappearing during these times of crisis. In Ohio, rising unemployment, loss of business, and a bleak economic outlook also threaten that dream.

Help is available. Save the Dream provides information and highlights programs that Ohioians can use to help save the dream of owning a home.

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