BUSINESS

03/02/2010

U.S. could have earned much more from visitors, study says; officials plan promos
WASHINGTON – A Richardson semiconductor gets shipped to a Chinese customer. That's an export.

02/23/2010

U.S. should learn from other nations' experience in shoring up federal budgets
WASHINGTON – Everyone agrees we can't stay on a path of borrowing from the rest of the world and handing on the bill to our children and future generations. But Americans willing to wrangle with the sacred cows of the federal budget are not easily found.

02/16/2010

U.S. is no Greece, but debt could stunt our growth
WASHINGTON – Greece wobbles with debt. U.S. stock markets swoon. European commenters mutter about another dip into the Great Recession.

02/09/2010

U.S. export promoters want smaller firms to go global on a larger scale
WASHINGTON – From President Barack Obama on down, government export promoters are shouting, "Everyone in the pool!"

02/02/2010

Congress or no Congress, change is ahead for health care
WASHINGTON – It's now apparent that an overhaul of the medical care establishment won't emerge from Congress any time soon.

01/26/2010

Betting can turn speculation into manipulation
Oil demand is sluggish. Oil producers have plenty of spare capacity. Yet prices are up, and the futures market is bullish on the long-term outlook for oil.

01/19/2010

Banks aren't to blame for economic crisis, consumers are, report says
We are in a global debt crisis. In some parts of the world and in some parts of the U.S. economy, the extent of the damage isn't even apparent yet.

01/12/2010

Kirk finds trade's benefits are a tough sell in recession-hit U.S.
WASHINGTON – U.S. trade representatives jet around the world so much that annual travel miles can easily reach six figures.

12/29/2009

Banks, hospitals, government get bigger slices of littler economy
WASHINGTON – Economically, most Americans did not have a good decade. But some benefited greatly, based on how the economic pie was sliced.

12/15/2009

Buying American helps all of us
If you want to help your country, then buy American. You also will be helping yourself.

12/08/2009

Take heed if Medicare panel gains muscle
WASHINGTON – Texas doctors and hospitals, be nervous.

12/01/2009

Defenders against diabetes need a leader to emerge in Dallas
Diabetes is marching through the Dallas area. One in 10 adults over age 30 already has it. One in three born this year will get it. For Hispanics and African-Americans, it's one in two.

11/28/2009

Dubai fantasy slams into hard reality of debt
Highfliers sometimes fall fast and far. Dubai, a city-state in the Persian Gulf ruled by a tribal dynasty, spun an economic fantasy worthy of Scheherazade over the last decade to lure foreign investors.

11/24/2009

Two firms say they can use Chinese gear to make U.S. jobs in wind energy
The nation needs jobs. Two Dallas entrepreneurs argue that they deliver them by bringing Chinese capital and Chinese equipment into the U.S. wind-energy market.

11/17/2009

Wind turbine jobs blow in China's direction
WASHINGTON – The rush to America of foreign wind-turbine manufacturers shows that the Obama administration's plan for stimulating the creation of green-energy jobs is going in an odd direction.

11/10/2009

Our old habits of buying, borrowing may be gone for good
WASHINGTON – While stocks climb and retailers dream of a green Christmas, the U.S. economy that is slowly emerging from recession looks quite different from the one that fell over a cliff.

11/03/2009

With BNSF purchase, Buffett bets on growth in container traffic
Warren Buffett says his railroad buy is an investment in America, but it's also a bet on a recovery in global trade.

10/27/2009

Health bill won't insure us from mounting deficit
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's top economic adviser said Monday that health care reform is essential to gaining control of the nation's deficit. But Christina Romer was only able to applaud congressional attempts to keep from adding still more to the nation's overspending.

10/20/2009

China not choosy in its dealings for oil
China is jabbing its elbows into the Texas oil patch.

10/13/2009

Texas has best, worst symptoms of U.S. health care
A lot of Texans are quite proud of the Lone Star State's medical establishment and were annoyed at last week's report that Texas ranks 46th among the states in providing health care to all of its citizens.

10/06/2009

Trade centers in Dallas-Fort Worth can help export taste of Texas
WASHINGTON – What's a Waxahachie corn dog machine maker to do when it wants to sell overseas?

09/29/2009

With hospital's real costs, insurers, individuals can negotiate prices
Hospital bills are baffling. Each hospital has a schedule of charges – what you might call list prices – for thousands of procedures. But hardly anyone pays these. People who don't have health insurance are the ones most likely to get hit with them.

09/27/2009

No country has perfect system, but there are lessons to learn
Tackling the high cost of health care is politically bruising and difficult work around the world. Among developed countries, only the Norwegians rival our level of spending. The French wrestle with rising costs every year. The Canadians are searching for a better model, and have had their eyes on France. But for all their troubles, the French and the Canadians – two bogeymen in the American reform debate – spend much less and live longer than we Americans.

No country has perfect system, but there are lessons to learn
Tackling the high cost of health care is politically bruising and difficult work around the world. Among developed countries, only the Norwegians rival our level of spending. The French wrestle with rising costs every year. The Canadians are searching for a better model, and have had their eyes on France. But for all their troubles, the French and the Canadians – two bogeymen in the American reform debate – spend much less and live longer than we Americans.

09/22/2009

Two Dallas-area clinics offer good, cost-effective health care
What does better, cost-effective health care look like?

09/15/2009

Employers are the customers in health care
Most of us have health insurance as an employee benefit. Your company shops around, tailors a package to suit what's needed, offers it to the workforce and bears most of the cost.

09/08/2009

In health care reform debate, all sides agree high costs must be curbed
WASHINGTON – Wednesday night, President Barack Obama is scheduled to try one more time to persuade Congress and the country to change health care.

09/01/2009

Texas should take lead in refocusing U.S. economy on exports
WASHINGTON – Japan's decision to throw out the old economic guard in Sunday's election is one more hint that the United States needs to come out of this recession with an economy led by exports – which means led by Texas.

08/25/2009

Local debates may shape the direction of health care
WASHINGTON – In Dallas, in Roanoke, Va., and in communities from California to Maine, health care debates are under way that might improve things without waiting for the federal government.

08/18/2009

Health care picks up where financial crisis left off
WASHINGTON – The angry town hall meeting will be remembered as a hallmark of the health care overhaul effort. But just a few months ago, the folks filling town hall meetings were pretty upset with Congress about bailing out the banking system.

08/11/2009

U.S. companies seizing sales opportunities in China
WASHINGTON – Growth spurred by tax money poured over the gears of the economy may not be the most immediate or enduring lubricant for putting people back to work. But when it's China that's doing the spending, U.S. companies have a here-and-now sales opportunity.

08/04/2009

Health habits should weigh heavier in debate
Doctors and insurance agents are in the front lines of the health care battles spilling from Washington across the nation this month. With politicians blaming them for the fix we're in, they've hunkered down, nursing their grievances and looking to fight back.

07/28/2009

Yes, models for cost-efficient health care do exist
WASHINGTON – Pencils are snapping as Congress struggles to curb health care costs that this year will consume $2.5 trillion, or one-sixth of the economy. Just a few blocks away, though, a meeting took place last week showing it can be done.

07/21/2009

Health care system can ill afford to continue with fee-for-service
There's plenty of controversy about extending health insurance and paying for it with new taxes. The bigger obstacle, however, is the inability of Congress and the Obama administration to find a way to rein in spending.

07/14/2009

Curbing speculative oil trading is a good move
WASHINGTON – Curbing speculation in oil prices is now a priority with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

07/07/2009

As health data becomes available, patients can demand better care
WASHINGTON – Light is starting to peek into the dark confusion of health care quality and costs.

06/30/2009

Is McAllen's health care problem the doctors or the patients?
WASHINGTON – Thanks to a June 1 New Yorker article cited by President Barack Obama and others, McAllen is now notorious for wasteful spending on health care.

06/23/2009

Jim Landers: North Texas' inland ports hurt by recession
This recession has seen the volume of international cargo containers moving through U.S. ports drop for 22 straight months.

06/09/2009

Mexico edges in on China's manufacturing turf
Should your manufacturing platform be in China or Mexico?

Mexico edges in on China's manufacturing turf
Should your manufacturing platform be in China or Mexico? Hands down, China used to win the sourcing game. Now Mexico is making a play for this work, with custom-made products and overnight delivery – a timeframe that China can't touch.

06/02/2009

Baylor hospital, feds agree on curbing health costs, but how?
Baylor Health Care System knows change is coming. The federal government is trying to find a way to provide nearly everyone with access to affordable medical care while curbing its extraordinary cost.

Baylor hospital, feds agree on curbing health costs, but how?
Baylor Health Care System knows change is coming. The federal government is trying to find a way to provide nearly everyone with access to affordable medical care while curbing its extraordinary cost.

05/26/2009

Insuring immigrants could cut cost of care for all
Immigration and health care are political Everests. There's widespread agreement that our current approach to both is broken and that we can't sustain the path we're on. To fix either one requires a daunting, exhausting climb through the clouds in search of consensus.

Insuring immigrants could cut cost of care for all
Immigration and health care are political Everests. There's widespread agreement that our current approach to both is broken and that we can't sustain the path we're on. To fix either one requires a daunting, exhausting climb through the clouds in search of consensus.

05/19/2009

Reducing retirees' health care costs may be up to you
WASHINGTON – Want a retirement savings strategy?

Reducing retirees' health care costs may be up to you
Want a retirement savings strategy? Quit smoking. Eat healthy. Lose weight. Exercise 30 minutes a day.

05/12/2009

Giant cargo airports key to Dallas' advancement, economist says
Long ago, I traveled with Dallas civic leaders to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and to the global headquarters of Japanese trading giants in Tokyo. The foreign big shots listened politely to the Dallas boosters. Then they tried to sell DART cars or something else to the city.

Giant cargo airports key to Dallas' advancement, economist says
Long ago, I traveled with Dallas civic leaders to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and to the global headquarters of Japanese trading giants in Tokyo. The foreign big shots listened politely to the Dallas boosters. Then they tried to sell DART cars or something else to the city.

05/05/2009

Green shoots in Texas and Mexico still easily trampled
WASHINGTON – For a global recession and a global flu scare, green shoots are poking above the gloom. Stock markets are rising. Mexico announced Monday that nonessential businesses, cafes, restaurants and museums will be allowed to reopen later this week.

Green shoots in Texas and Mexico still easily trampled
For a global recession and a global flu scare, green shoots are poking above the gloom. Stock markets are rising. Mexico announced Monday that nonessential businesses, cafes, restaurants and museums will be allowed to reopen later this week.

04/28/2009

Swine flu outpaces intent of officials to stop its spread
Once again, a virus is traveling much faster than the political will to stop it.

04/21/2009

Malpractice damage caps not a cure for high health care costs
Capping malpractice damages is a health care reform idea that has swirled around Washington for years. But would it make health care less expensive?

04/14/2009

Dying in hospital unpopular, costly in U.S., France
PARIS – It's easy to believe the French are masters at the art of life when it's April in Paris.

04/07/2009

Comparing French, U.S. health systems, their changes and their challenges
PARIS – Anna Marie Mattson grew up in Dallas but has lived in France since 1990. Her doctor offers a choice of traditional medical care, homeopathy or acupuncture. All are covered by national health insurance. If she wants, Mattson can also go to a spa and bill her heath insurance.

03/31/2009

Taxpayers want to know where money's going
WASHINGTON – In these grim times, readers want to know whether their tax dollars are being spent to help the ailing economy or are being wasted on schemes that don't make sense.

03/24/2009

U.S. inflation threat worries Chinese, too
WASHINGTON – Yes, we are sinners who lived beyond our means and borrowed until the house of cards fell down. On the other side of the world, however, China was sending its savings here in a flood of temptation. The Chinese didn't want to put all that money to work. We did. We just weren't very wise about it.

03/17/2009

It's the oversight, not size, on too-big-to-fail
WASHINGTON – Is "too big to fail" too big?

03/10/2009

Health care reform could really add up

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