12/08/08
A biblical lesson for today's bankers
Just as Joseph stored food ahead of a drought, banks should build capital for lean times.

11/17/08
Can more spending revive the American dream?
Why any new stimulus plan should boost spending on infrastructure and education.

10/27/08
How Obama's tax plan would 'spread the wealth around'
Expect income and estate taxes to be raised on the most wealthy, not "Joe the Plumber."

10/20/08
Financial crisis fallout: from your stocks to America's global role
Some economists see some rays of light amid the economic gloom.

10/06/08
Financial crisis: the latest blow to free-market 'dogma'
Economic woes give plenty of ammunition to economists and lawmakers calling for new regulations and taxes.

09/29/08
The U.S. mortgage game: How should it change?
As Washington works to bail out firms laden with bad debts, discussions begin on preventing a recurrence.

09/22/08
Why some firms are bailed out and others ignored
Those sinking in the wake of the real estate plunge get different treatment. For the overall economy, it makes sense.

09/15/08
Economic slump: Ethics loom large
Compared with previous recessions, the last two downturns can be pinned more on greed.

09/08/08
U.S. financial crisis spreads toward your wallet
Banking woes, rising debt levels, and unemployment will put consumers in greater trouble, economists say.

09/01/08
Will pocketbooks pick the president?
Big edge for Obama if the economy - statistically sour - motivates voters, say modelers.

08/25/08
How long will politicians look the other way on CEO pay?
Inequity between top executives and average workers remains at jaw-dropping levels.

08/11/08
Social Security: a controversial call to raise age of eligibility
Change would amount to a 14 percent reduction in benefits, on average.

08/04/08
As women progress in developing nations, so do those countries' economies
New studies show that it's just 'good economics' to promote the welfare of girls.

07/21/08
Efforts to regulate 'Wild West' markets are long overdue
Moves by the Fed and the Treasury to prop up mortgage giants are a welcome sign.

07/14/08
'Birth dearth' worries pale in comparison to overpopulation
Water and food shortages present larger challenges than economic woes linked to a declining population, says author.

06/30/08
Expect U.S. economic woes to linger into 2009
Some economists predict a long recession, say problem stems from greed, dishonesty.

06/23/08
Immigration crackdown may boost US job prospects
More than 9,000 illegal immigrants were prosecuted in March, a big hike from a year ago.

06/09/08
Tax havens in U.S. cross hairs
With $345 billion in lost revenue, tolerance for off-shore avoidance fades.

06/02/08
U.S. dollar faces threats to its reign
War spending, trade deficits, and devaluation against foreign currencies weigh on the greenback.

05/12/08
Why the presidential candidates won't talk about Israel
Analysts say politicians hold their tongues on giving additional US aid to Israel for fear of being labeled as anti-Semitic.

05/05/08
Gasoline tax reprieve: an idea running on empty
Minimal cost savings, increased dependence on foreign oil, and high administrative costs are among reasons why this idea ran out of gas.

04/28/08
'Tax Rebate' checks yield short-term benefits, long-term troubles
Economists foresee renewed economic growth over the next few months, but increased inflation and declining wealth will take a bigger toll.

04/21/08
Can the earth provide enough food for 9 billion people?
That's how many are expected to inhabit the world by 2050. Experts worry over looming food shortages.

04/14/08
Rich getting richer: campaign issue?
Studies show that the rich are getting a lot richer, the poor a little poorer. The middle class is slipping.

04/07/08
Social Security sounder than you might think
Economic Scene: The latest report from the trustees of the system show improvement in its finances, despite some grim coverage.

03/31/08
Might the Fed profit from the financial crisis?
Its intervention at Bear Stearns shows a change in attitude toward investment banks.

03/24/08
Recession is a given. Can we avoid depression?
Economists wonder if the Bush administration is ideologically inclined to do what's needed to rescue economy.

03/17/08
Sleepily eyeing a peak in world oil output
Some analysts cite a lack of preparation for a looming economic event.

03/10/08
Iraq war cost estimates run into the trillions
New book says war will cost at least $3 trillion before it's over.

03/03/08
Arguments mount for a national healthcare system
Some reformers say a government-run system has become an 'economic necessity.'

02/25/08
Subprime fallout: Who's stuck with $400 billion in losses?
How asset-backed securities tied to risky mortgages and US consumer debt are affecting investors around the world.

02/11/08
Election-year politics: Why immigration reform will have to wait
Despite the public's cry for reforms, election-year politics will keep politicians from plain talk and solutions.

02/04/08
The economic stimulus package: How does spending help?
A reader wonders why government is attempting to spend its way out of an apparent recession.

01/14/08
Why a new president may slow population growth
A Democrat in the White House would free up funding for legalized abortions abroad

12/31/07
Economists cover everything from fertility to football in 2007
The National Bureau of Economic Research published more than 700 reports this year. Here are some of the more interesting ones.

12/24/07
Housing slump tarnishes a Fed leader's legacy
Critics say Alan Greenspan could have wielded his regulatory muscle to curb shady tactics by greedy lenders.

12/17/07
The one-word answer to sky-high oil prices
Iraq has the third-largest oil reserves in the world � if its government could agree on how to share oil revenues.

12/10/07
U.S. defense outlays keep growing and growing
How much is enough? And could the money be better spent on domestic programs?

12/03/07
Social Security in crisis? Hardly.
Despite doomsayers' predictions, the program is solvent, effective, and highly likely to continue that way.

11/26/07
Will Sovereign Wealth Funds rule the world?
These enormous government-owned funds may turn their economic clout into political gain.

11/05/07
U.S. falls to No. 15 on income scale
An OECD study downgrades per-capita American income. But there are other factors to consider.

10/29/07
The mystery of the missing $2.9 trillion
Economists scour the US to find out why we're more in debt than the Department of Commerce says we are.

10/22/07
Some thoughts on the Nobel Prize in economics
Columnist David R. Francis talks with former Nobel laureates.

10/15/07
Why a falling dollar spells trouble for U.S.
Weaker currency hurts nation's ability to 'call the shots' on international economic issues.

10/01/07
Supply-siders take some lumps
Bush and others who believe that tax cuts pay for themselves are skewered by critics.

09/10/07
Government regulation stages a comeback
Subprime mortgage troubles and other shady business practices have helped to revive interest in restraining aspects of capitalism.

08/06/07
Why 'peak oil' may soon pique your interest
World oil production peaked in 2005, says one expert, and that presents serious problems in the future.

07/30/07
Yawning rich-poor gap could hobble economy
Income equality may lead to protectionism and slow down trade, among other things.

07/23/07
New insights on the Soviet Union's collapse
A former Russian official blames the threat of famine, not Gorbachev's reform policies.

07/16/07
Wall Street wakes up to more risk
Big investors looking for higher returns may have exposed themselves to more risk than they thought.

07/02/07
The vanishing American computer programmer
Move to increase number of foreign worker visas fails in Senate, but that has not stopped what critics call a push for cheaper labor.

06/25/07
Still waiting for the tax-cut boost
The US economy has nearly stalled four years after several major tax breaks took effect.

06/18/07
Michael Moore refocuses healthcare debate
His latest film, 'Sicko,' may boost efforts for a national healthcare system, an idea that still faces stiff resistance in Washington.

06/11/07
Time to rein in the alternative minimum tax
US lawmakers have differing ideas on how to reduce the effect this tax has on millions of Americans.

Monitor archives
You can find more of David R. Francis' articles in the Monitor archive.