Financial Rescue Plan

Hypothetical... A salesman for Company X - which makes widgets - has a quota of $1 million in sales per year.   His compensation is $50,000 per year base salary plus 10% of everything he makes over quota.   The salesman busts his rear all year, working the phones and hopping on airplanes.   He does well, bringing in $2 million in sales, doubling his quota.   His compensation is ... read more

Change is upon us.   Now the work begins. America starts its real new year Wednesday with a curious cocktail blend of hope and anxiety, chased with long-term optimism.   The beautiful festivities in Washington provided a brief cover from a fit of negative economic news, but the tarp comes off Wednesday.   Lost in the confetti Tuesday was massive declines by many large cap banks.    ... read more

Despite being widely hated, ridiculed and otherwise smacked down by the public, the $700 billion dollar TARP program may turn out to be the best investment the taxpayer made all year. The folks over at Bianco Research (run by Jim Bianco, one of the smartest and most respected bond analysts in America) published a note today called "Tracking the Trust Cost of the TARP."  This is their ... read more