Thinking Like Owners…
Posted in Government Policy on May 11th, 2012
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that the Federal Reserve has given its stamp of approval for three Chinese, state-run banks to open operations in the U.S. For years, Chinese banks have made attempts to expand in the U.S. and up until now, have been unsuccessful. One of the approved banks has already [...]
Posted in Economic Outlook, Government Policy on May 11th, 2012
In the first quarter of 2012, the U.S. economy grew at a sluggish annual rate of 2.2 percent, even less than the 2.6 percent forecast and well below the 2011 fourth quarter rate of 3 percent. A column in the latest issue of Forbes magazine by Rich Karlgaard highlights the importance of faster growth for [...]
Posted in Capital Formation, Economic Outlook, Government Policy, Lower-Middle Market, Small Business on Apr 5th, 2012
Scott Shane, Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Case Western Reserve University published a recent commentary on Bloomberg Businessweek that will likely echo thoughts of many lenders, borrowers and advisors. Professor Shane likens the Federal Reserve’s efforts to manage small business credit to the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Bernanke and his Fed team, supplanting [...]
Posted in Government Policy on Mar 6th, 2012
In a recent Wall Street Journal column by Lawrence Lindsey, the former Federal Reserve Governor takes issue with a statement made by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. Last week, Geithner said that the “most fortunate Americans” should have to shell-out more in taxes for the “privilege of being an American.” Lindsey notes three distinct problems with [...]
Posted in Economic Outlook, Government Policy on Feb 3rd, 2012
A recent article in Foreign Policy highlights four things that have the potential to wreck the economy and four things that could drive it toward success. In today’s global economy, something like the collapse of the European system could have severe implications for the U.S. and economies worldwide. On the list of things that could [...]
Posted in Government Policy on Feb 3rd, 2012
Finally, congress will be forced to play by the same rules as everyone else. On Thursday, the Senate passed the Stop Trading On Congressional Knowledge Act, which prohibits lawmakers from trading stocks based on information they acquire on Capitol Hill. Passing in the Senate by a large, 96-3 margin, the bill now moves to the [...]
Posted in Government Policy on Jan 5th, 2012
Would you support a flat income tax? What if it meant doing away with all deductions? In a column in the December 2011 issue of ColoradoBiz, economist Tucker Hart Adams makes this very suggestion. While a flat tax could certainly be a welcome change, Adams’s suggestion of removing all deductions should be viewed with caution. [...]
Posted in Government Policy on Oct 31st, 2011
J.P. Morgan’s latest edition of Eye on the Market takes a look at Warren Buffet’s now well-known and controversial assertion that millionaires pay lower tax rates than their receptionists. A quick look at a recent study, published by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), puts a major question mark over Buffet’s claim. The chart below shows [...]
Posted in Economic Outlook, Government Policy, Small Business, State of the Market, Strategic Planning on Oct 21st, 2011
Thanks again to those that participated in the survey and contributed to the production of meaningful results. Blame Game Internally, our office was split as to how the poll results would fall. In reality, the poll results leave little question as to the sentiment of our clients. Nearly 77% of the respondents believe that regulatory [...]
Posted in Government Policy on Sep 30th, 2011
In a recent New York Times op-ed by columnist Thomas Friedman, the author suggests that if Americans, and its politicians in particular, don’t shape up and get serious about finding real solutions, our nation might simply limp on into the future. According to Friedman, members of both parties in Washington have some reforming to do. [...]