EconomyWatch.com

150 newly-registered lobbyists worked in exec branch financial agencies, SEC lawyers 2 Fed Reserve bankers. Dozens of former govt lawyers NOT registered as lobbyists scour newly passed financial regulations for corporate clients. Why do you think ?

Coal is 2nd-most important energy source worldwide after oil Billions depend on it for electricity It's cheap, abundant, found on every continent Coal is also the worst climate killer in the history of humanity: THE ecological problem of 21st Century

We have consistently argued political leadership of US & EU have been following Japan down path of deflation & Lost Decade/S Now James Bullard, president of Fed Reserve Bank St. Louis: US risks becoming “enmeshed in a Japanese-style deflation" soon

With exception of Cheney / Bush regime, Obama has consistently been one of most pro-BIG business Presidents in modern US history. Yet all he seems to get for it is shocking lack of respect - a disturbing marker of deterioration of US public discourse

The scale of new markets in China & India unleashed by pace & scale of urbanization is staggering But businesses need to be able to serve these markets in practical terms. How cities are run—& productivity that results—is key factor for companies

Ex Fed Chair Paul Volcker: Perfect example of how keeping quiet when you know something's wrong leads to disaster for your country & deep well of inner regret But now he’s finally willing to admit publicly he consistently made huge policy mistakes

Countries, even whole regions, a few years ago dismissed as perilous for body and bourse have now come into stock market vogue. Big investment houses have mutual & exchange-traded funds that put all or a big chunk of their money in frontier regions.

Young Chinese factory workers, raised w rapidly rising expectations, are less willing to toil for long hours for low wages. New cohort of itinerant workers is better educated, Internet-savvy & covets urban niceties they discovered after leaving farm

As private sector workers are badly squeezed by stagnant wages, soaring health care premiums and shrinking 401(k)’s, resentment has grown even among private sector union members toward public employee unions. Ex union political leaders have noticed

With Build America Bonds, federal govt pays 35% of interest costs, huge potential saving for states, municipalities, counties etc But Wall Street banks charge larger commissions than for normal municipal bonds & badmouth them in own research reports!