The effects of the recession may be seen on the BBQ grill this Fourth of July. Sales of hot dogs have been going up in recent months while register rings for more expensive bratwurst and knockwurst have been declining, according to new research from The Nielsen Company. This is a reversal of sales trends the past several years.
via Fourth of July Hot Dogs: The Latest Economic Indicator? | Nielsen Wire.
According to early documents and consistent reports, the health reform plan that the Senate Finance Committee is considering won’t have a public option at all. Rather, it’ll have some variant of Kent Conrad’s co-op compromise. The House plan, meanwhile, has a strong public option that can use Medicare’s bargaining power to negotiate low rates and a large provider networks. And Ted Kennedy’s HELP Committee, we learned today, will endorse the “level-playing field” public option, wherein the government’s insurer has no advantages over the private market.
via Ezra Klein – Economic and Domestic Policy, and Lots of It.
By Catherine Rampell
A recent New York Times/CBS News poll found that many Americans believe the country’s health care system is due for major changes. Sixty-one percent of respondents believe the rising cost of health care is a serious threat to the nation’s economy. Eighty-five percent say the country’s health system needs fundamental changes, or should be completely rebuilt. Seventy-three percent think the fact that many Americans do not have health insurance is a “very serious” problem.
via A Sea Change in Public Opinion on Health Care Reform? – Economix Blog – NYTimes.com.
Hotel owners are facing the same problems as homeowners, being upside down on their properties with no good escape.
Personal incomes are rising reflecting tax cuts and consumer spending is up as well, notably car sales. However, consumers are still struggling to fix their personal balance sheets, currently overloaded in debt.
Aaaargh-onomics – Economix Blog – NYTimes.com
June 30, 2009
By Edward L. Glaeser
