Government Grants for All

HEALTH-SOUTH AFRICA: HIV-Related Deaths Slow Economy

If there was no HIV/AIDS, South Africa would have 4.4 million more people than
today, the size of a major city. This significant slow-down in population growth
is causing a slow down in economic growth and resulting in social ills,
researchers warn.

Southern Africa – INTER PRESS SERVICE

Tags: Africa, Deaths, Economy, HEALTHSOUTH, HIVRelated, Slow

“Federal Government and the Clean Energy Economy – Carpe diem”

You could have heard a pin drop as Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-21) made his presentation, “Federal government and the clean energy economy – Carpe diem” to a special luncheon presentation of our New York Clean Energy Forum this past Monday.  In spite of the fact that, as we all know, Congress will act proactively for any energy legislation, the Congressman made a compelling case for Congress to act swiftly and decisively to craft an energy plan. 

An engineer, Congressman Tonko is well suited in his role as a member of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the House Science and Technology Committee.  The Science and Technology Committee play a pivotal role in energy issues due to their appropriating role with regard to energy research and development.  Many an energy innovation got its start with R&D funding that came through the House Science and Technology Committee. 

Tonko made a proactive case for more distributed generation throughout our country.  He pointed out the attributes of off-grid energy both in terms of saving the consumer money but also in terms of long term energy efficiency.  Smart Grid/Smart Energy projects should continue to be funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, Tonko stated, as they will ultimately engage the consumer with their energy use and resulting energy efficiency. He made a case for the Infrastructure Bank Bill, legislation that would use $ 10 billion to leverage $ 100 billion for communication upgrade and smart energy.

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Tags: “Federal, Carpe, Clean, diem”, Economy, Energy, Government

AFRICA: “Ideal for the Development of a Real Economy”

Foreign direct investment in Africa over the last decade has contributed to
marked economic growth for the continent but it has not translated into
development for its people, say pan-African leaders.

Southern Africa – INTER PRESS SERVICE

Tags: Africa, Development, Economy, Ideal, Real

Grading Obama and the GOP Hopefuls on their Plans for Jobs and the Economy

Last week’s GOP debate at the Reagan Library, followed the next night by the President’s address to Congress, throw into stark relief the strengths and weaknesses of each side’s understanding of job creation and the economy. The Republican hopefuls get a gentleman’s C on the impact of regulation on economic activity. But their approaches to the overall economy and job creation ranged from silly to dangerous, and earn them all F’s. The President has to produce results, and his ideas aren’t constrained by primary challengers. This may help explain why his approaches are broader and more thoughtful, earning him a solid B on the overall economy and an A-minus on job creation.

All of the Republican hopefuls — the two leaders Rick Perry and Mitt Romney, the so-serious minded Jon Huntsman and Ron Paul, and the media-infatuated Michelle Bachmann and the rest — agree on one economic prescription: Apply deep and immediate budget cuts to an economy generating little growth and no jobs. This common position not only defies the basic dynamics of supply and demand in a slow economy. It also rejects the policies of the last five GOP presidents. After all, it was true-blue conservatives Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush who justified big spending increases for defense and big tax cuts to boost the flagging economies of their own times.   

Nor are the Republican wanna-be’s chastened by the current examples of Germany, France and Britain, which all embarked on austerity programs this year while the European Central Bank (ECB) raised EU interest rates. The results have been even more anemic growth than our own. In fact, the two GOP frontrunners along with the inimitable Mr. Paul not only demanded deep spending cuts, but also sided with the ECB by denouncing Fed chairman Ben Bernanke as an inflationist. The markets they all claim to worship don’t see it that way, since our long-term interest rates remain near record lows. For their determined contempt of elementary macroeconomics, all of the GOP putative presidents flunk.

The current President at least appreciates that this economy needs a boost, not more headwinds. His package adds $ 450 billion over 12 months, in theory adding new demand equal to 3 percentage points of GDP.  In practice, it would work out to be less than that, since people will save some of the money they gain from lower payroll taxes, and some of the tax cuts for businesses won’t be taken up.  The administration also gets credit for recognizing that the sick housing market is a critical piece of the puzzle behind the slow economy. Their answer, however, missed a basic point: Mr. Obama called for expediting Fannie Mae refinancings to put more money in the pockets of some homeowners. That’s all for the good, but it won’t affect the more economically consequential, high foreclosure rates that have been pushing down housing values, and so dampening people’s willingness to spend.  On balance, give the President’s economic team a solid B on the overall economy.

Both sides also call for tax cuts to spur job creation. All of the GOP candidates, however, focus on cutting corporate taxes. Now, most economists agree that the corporate tax cries out for reforms, especially a lower marginal rate tied to ending distorting tax breaks for favored industries.  But no reputable economist who doesn’t aspire to a top position in the next GOP administration has found that those reforms would have noticeable effects on jobs in any short or medium-term. And with large U.S. businesses already holding some $ 1 trillion in banked profits, by what other economic logic would additional tax cuts move them to create jobs?

The only route from this GOP position to new jobs depends on lower corporate taxes translating into higher dividends, mainly for the very affluent, which they would then spend and so boost demand. Even so, much of those additional dividends probably would be saved, which wouldn’t create any jobs under today’s conditions. Moreover, the GOP hopefuls also insist on spending cuts to offset lower corporate tax revenues — and that would mean job losses. For their resolute ignorance of labor economics and public finance, these hopefuls score another F.

President Obama’s tax plan is both more detailed and better targeted to creating jobs. First, he would reduce the cost to businesses of creating new jobs and maintaining their current workers. To do this, he would temporarily suspend the employer side of the payroll tax for new hires by firms with about 1,000 employees or less, and temporarily cut by half all employer-side payroll taxes for firms with about 100 workers or less. This strategy is eminently sensible — and downright brilliant compared to the broad corporate tax cut championed by the Republican hopefuls. Full disclosure: I’ve urged the administration to propose cutting the employer side of the payroll tax for new hires since October 2009, including a dozen times in these blog essays.

The administration’s decision to limit these new tax incentives to small and medium-size companies is less than ideal, since big businesses employ nearly half of all U.S. workers. On the other hand, big businesses are sitting on hundreds of billions of dollars in banked profits, so they clearly have the means to hire more workers. On balance, these proposals deserve an A-minus.

The same score goes to the President’s call for more job-related, direct federal spending. This includes new funds for the states to prevent more layoffs of teachers, police and firefighters; new support for school construction; and additional investments in infrastructure (through a National Infrastructure Bank).  The jobs benefits from other parts of the plan may be more problematic, including the President’s otherwise sensible support for expanded access to high-speed wireless and public-private partnerships to rehab homes and businesses. There’s also little direct jobs benefit in the administration’s laudable plans to reform the unemployment insurance system and bar employers from discriminating in hiring against long-term jobless people. All told, another A-minus.

The Republican hopefuls still have time to develop better strategies for growth and jobs, especially compared to their current dismal positions. They’ll have to play catch-up, however, because President Obama has proposed a sound new jobs agenda. And if congressional Republicans refuse to work with him on it, the President can ensure that the public will know whom to blame.

NDN blogs

Tags: Economy, Grading, hopefuls, Jobs, Obama, plans, their

Crime and the Economy Conference Call Series

The COPS Office will be holding an upcoming series of three conference calls on crime issues affected by the nation’s current economy. The topics, dates, and times of these calls are listed below.
U.S. Government News

Tags: Call, Conference, Crime, Economy, Series

Franchoice Offers Franchise Financing Tips for a Tough Economy

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – (November 11, 2008) Despite what you hear on the news about money being tight there are still plenty of ways to finance a franchise purchase, said Jeff Elgin, CEO of FranChoice, Inc., a national consultant company that helps individuals find their ideal fit in a franchise business. “Financing will always be a crucial part of the process of becoming a franchisee and what you can afford – or borrow – will determine which businesses you focus your research on,” said Elgin. “The more you know about the various sources for finance help, the better decision you will make when it comes time to buy your business.”

The current economic situation has impacted the franchise financing process in a number of ways. “One change we are seeing,” said Elgin, “is that it can take longer to process your financing. For that reason, we recommend to our franchisee candidates that they being the process even before they start looking at individual business to buy.” Another change is that lenders, once they approve you for a loan, want you to move on it more quickly. “Lenders are not going to leave credit commitments out there for weeks or longer. If you don’t take the money, they will lend it to someone else,” said Elgin.

Elgin suggests these tips for navigating the turbulent financial waters of the current economy:

Home equity financing, which was once a popular source of franchise lending, is more difficult to obtain these days. With home values falling, your lending institution may not be willing to loan you the money you need. It’s still worth checking, particularly if you have a good relationship with your bank. Also, check out The Small Business Association (SBA) which guarantees loans for qualified individuals. One of their terms is that you must have some of your own money to invest.

You may also consider investing some of your retirement savings. An IRA or 401K account can often be used without incurring penalties. If you consider this as an investment in yourself, one you have control over, and compare it to what your retirement account is currently earning, this may be a good option.

If you are an honorably discharged military veteran, there are programs that may help you financially. VetFran is a program started by the International Franchise Association as a way to give back to those who have served in the military. More than 300 franchise companies participate and will offer substantial discounts on fees and expenses to those who served our country. Also, there’s a government-established program called the Patriot Express Pilot Loan Initiative, whose purpose is to guarantee up to 85 percent of a loan made by a lending institution to a veteran or someone currently in the military and close to retirement. (Check the SBA website for eligibility requirements.)

MinorityFran offers incentives such as fee reductions to assist members interested in increasing the number of minorities in franchising. Check out the IFA website for more information at www.franchise.org.

Another financing option is to work with a company that specializes in facilitating franchise financing, such as Guidant  and FranFund . They can help you decide between a number of options or combine them into one loan package.

Keep in mind that your credit score is likely to be scrutinized even more carefully in the current economic environment. You’ll probably need a credit score above 700 so if that’s not the case, try to improve your score before trying to finance your business.

No matter which type of loan you use to finance your business, you’ll be required to pay a part of the costs in cash. This can come from savings or perhaps severance pay from a corporate job.

The best advice for planning for your franchise financing, according to Elgin, is to be very organized and prepared before you begin the process. Lenders will want to see your loan proposal including how and what the loan will be used for and why it is needed. You will need to provide information about yourself and information about your company’s products and the market you will serve. The more research you have done, the better prepared you will be to find financing for your new franchise opportunity.

About FranChoice

FranChoice is a national network of consultants dedicated to helping consumers find their ideal match in a franchise business. Since 2000, FranChoice consultants have helped over 40,000 people identify and investigate the perfect franchise for them through their free service. For more information, go to www.franchoice.com.

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Tags: Economy, Financing, Franchise, Franchoice, Offers, Tips, Tough

Women Small Business Start-Ups Are Thriving in Today’s Economy

There are people who look down on women in business, especially women who work their way into high leadership roles. This is troubling because according to the experts, there have been more women small business start-ups in the past few years than ones created by men. If you are a woman, this probably doesn’t surprise you, especially since we bring to the table a variety of skills men tend to lack.

However, it should make sense. Look at today’s society. Women are the ones either influencing or actually making over eighty-five percent of all purchases in the United States. Plus, women own 10.6 million businesses or companies and employ at least 19.1 million people and generate over .5 trillion in sales. It is obvious women are doing their best to jumpstart the economy and return the country to financial prosperity.

Obviously, not all women are cut out for a leadership role. This is the same for men in business. However, there are reasons why there have been more women small business start-ups than men. One of the motivating factors is there are more opportunities for women to thrive in business. Certain people of both genders, higher learning institutions, and even the government has noticed the roles women play in the world, while many times also managing a family. This is why there have been more scholarships, grants, and loans especially created to help women achieve their dreams.

This means if you want to be a CEO of a Fortune 500 company or would prefer to own a women’s retail clothing store, you have the opportunity. Go online and find the appropriate women small business grants available for you to further your dreams. Make sure you take your time, as the process shouldn’t be hurried. Most of all, never stop believing.

Tags: Business, Economy, Small, Startups, Thriving, Today's, Women

As The Economy Recovers, The Republicans Fight for Less Growth, Fewer Jobs, More Debt

Released the following statement to the media this morning:

“The new, encouraging jobs report will force a new round of conversations in the coming weeks about where the American economy is today, and what the right national policy should be this year. 

As we prepare for this discussion, it is important to note that that plans the Republicans are currently promoting – hundreds  of billions of cuts to domestic discretionary spending, repeal of current health care law, permanent extensions of the Bush tax cuts and current estate tax rates – would lead to less growth, fewer jobs and more debt.

I think the country wants the opposite of this approach – more growth, more jobs, less debt.  The President’s new budget proposed such a plan, and Congress should work with him to enact it in the months ahead.”

NDN blogs

Tags: Debt, Economy, Fewer, Fight, Growth, Jobs, Less, More, Recovers, Republicans

Bad Credit Small Business Loans: Small Business Can Grow Faster With Effective Economy

Being a bad credit businessman it is not that much easy to avail the cash easily. It is not easy to set a business and get a business loan. Lenders will not consider people as borrowers who not have stable income and it is possible that they are poor credit holders. Most of the business people do not have stable surge of income and runs on profit. Most of the banks and the financial institutions are afraid to lend a loan to a person who is having bad credit score and therefore lenders are concerned about their repayment capability.

Borrower can avail the mortgage through the online process as well. Online procedure is much better because it is hassle free and less time consuming. To get the finance borrower has to provide some of the necessary details like name, age, contact number, address proof, e-mail address, account number, etc. for the fast approval and in addition for the verification purpose. Lenders after approval of the cash deposit the cash directly into applicant’s account.

There are some clusters of lenders who are providing the bad credit small business loans to the poor credit holders. There are many reasons why an individual acquire finance. The reasons are as under:

•    Expansion of the business;
•    Want to meet the new revenues;
•    Purchasing the new tools;
•    Paying wages to the employees;
•    Buying of the new raw materials,;
•    Purchasing of some equipments for the technology, etc.

Bad credit implies credit report of a person. In most of the cases the business owners are projected to put their assets as collateral against the borrowed amount. Here the interest rates for the bad credit small business loans are slightly higher than others. Borrower can take the loan for some larger desires as well such as for the acquisition of the land, buildings, developing of the finances and some other major fixed assets.  

Applicant can search through the poles apart websites for the different rates and quotes and compare them to get the best deal.

Tags: Business, Credit, Economy, Effective, Faster, Grow, Loans, Small

Canada Post is hurting the Canadian economy, small businesses, and don’t care

I’ve ranted about this before. I know I’m not alone in my sentiments. Wish there was something we could do Complain! * Minister: Baird, John Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Parliamentary Secretary: Jean, Brian Critic: Chow, Olivia (New Democratic Party) Go to the gov’s website and search down your MLA www2.parl.gc.ca Apologizing in advance for the profanity.

Tags: Businesses, Canada, Canadian, Care, Don't, Economy, hurting, Post, Small