At a time when most Americans believe there is more poverty in the United States, many question the effectiveness of government anti-poverty programs and believe they cause more of the problem they're supposed to lessen.
Despite the billions of dollars spent on government anti-poverty programs, a majority of Americans nationwide still believe there are more poor people in the country today than there were 10 years ago.
April 18 is only two weeks away. So you would think I would do a column at some point about last-minute things you can do to save money on your taxes.
Americans are used to being taxed for good and services they purchase in person, but they remain opposed to carrying that over to the online world.
"I started an online business last year. We've had an amazing run so far, with more than 10,000 unique hits every day on our website and a 30 percent gross profit margin on sales of more than $250,000 in our first year. Our site has been written up in some major magazines, and we are getting attention from industry bloggers who have rated our site very favorably.
"Maybe we have been getting too much attention...
The number of Americans who think the U.S. economy will spiral into a depression similar to the 1930’s is at its highest level in two years.
Americans are now showing less optimism for long-term economic recovery than ever before.
"I lost my job as a financial executive last year, and have been looking for work in corporate America since then, mostly in the northeastern United States, where I live. I have come to the conclusion that there are few if any corporate jobs available for someone my age (I am in my mid-50s), experience level (I have been working in finance for almost 30 years) and salary range (I was making about $150,000 per year in my last position). Most large corporations want younger people who won't demand the salary and benefits I need to pay my mortgage and keep two kids in college. A number of people have suggested I look for work in a smaller, more entrepreneurial company. The idea is an attractive one, but I'm not at all sure how to go about it. Do you have any suggestions?"
The Obama administration has acted on the belief that increased government spending is good for the economy, and a solid plurality of voters recognize that this view is not widely shared by the American people.
"Social media" is the buzzword of the moment in online commerce, thanks largely to the success of "The Social Network," a movie about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
"My wife and I are looking to buy a small business. We were looking for a very specific type of business, but we're a little nervous because there's a good chance the business model will be affected by the new federal health care law.
The number of adults nationwide who expect interest rates to go up over the next year has risen again this month to a new high.
With gas prices rising by the minute, American Adults are as concerned as ever about inflation.
Though most Americans are not worried their money will be lost due to a bank failure, their confidence in the banking system remains low.
Thirty-seven percent (37%) of American adults think labor unions have “too much influence on American life and politics today,” according to a recently released CBS News/New York Times poll. Only half as many (19%) believe that unions have too little influence.
"My spouse and I have been looking to buy a business for some time. We've found a good local business with a great location and lots of existing customers.
Voters may question how President Obama is handling the economy and think his new budget doesn't cut deeply enough, but most still blame his predecessor for the problems he's trying to deal with.?
"My partner and I bought a small business five years ago from the person who originally started it. We assumed his existing lease for a terrific retail space, and personally guaranteed the lease. As we are both getting ready to retire, we decided to sell the business. We found a great buyer, who is willing to pay us an above-market price because of the business location.
Does confidence in the direction of personal finances drive sentiment on economic growth, or is it the other way around?
Voters clearly don’t have much confidence in their elected leaders to make the spending cuts necessary to reduce the nation’s historic-level budget deficit.
