Stories Economy & Trade from September, 2008

Global: Let the financial sector eat cake?

  September 29, 2008

In Japan, people have seen the election of four Prime Ministers in the past two years. The process has been described as “remarkably well-governed” because the professionalism of the so-called professional class, the bureaucrats who actually run the country. What would people say about the United States? Have the regulators, these so-called professional bureaucrats who work above the political fray handled the economy better than the political class?

McCain: Out of Control or Dirty Politics at its Best?

  September 26, 2008

With a little over two hours to go before the two US presidential candidates flex their muscles at their first televised debate, bloggers from around the world are busy registering their impressions on the candidates. Here's a reflection on Republican nominee John McCain. Is McCain totally 'out of control' or is he portraying 'cynical, dirty and politics at its best'?

To Bailout or not to Bailout?

  September 26, 2008

It’s been 19 days since the Federal Housing Finance Agency became conservators of GSE’s Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; Eleven days since Bank of America purchased Merrill Lynch for the “bargain” price of $50 million dollars and holding company Lehman Brothers had to file for bankruptcy; Ten days since the Federal Reserve spent $85 billion to rescue insurance corporation American International Group; Less than 24 hours since the FDIC seized bank Washington Mutual Inc., and sold its assets to JPMorgan Chase for $1.9bn; and nine days since the U.S. administration first proposed a Wall Street bailout of nearly $700bn. Following are some blog reactions from around the world.

Global: Scenes from a bailout

  September 22, 2008

In what U.S. Treasury Secretary admitted was a “humbling, humbling time” for the country, Congressional members of America’s two major political parties spent the weekend hammering out a rescue package for the nation’s financial beleaguered system. The plan, if ratified as expected by Congress, calls on the U.S. government to spend up to $700 billion purchasing “troubled mortgage assets of crippled financial firms.”

A Global Review of the U.S. Election

  September 15, 2008

The death of a postmodern novelist. Teetering Wall Street Banks. A hurricane wreaking havoc in Texas. Yet, the Jewish blogger PatriotMissive points out that the top five stories E-mailed from the New York Times this weekend are either accounts about Sarah Palin (who earns the top spots) or her running mate, John McCain. Is America — and the rest of the world — going election mad? Inquiring minds want know.

Global Journalists Blog Reactions to Sarah Palin

  September 12, 2008

The Washington Post‘s PostGlobal is an effort to bring global issues to the mainstream. Calling itself an “experiment in global, collaborative journalism” the site, moderated by David Ignatius and Fareed Zakaria, offers global perspectives on current issues. Twice a week, foreign independent journalists answer a question put forth by PostGlobal‘s...

Peru: Internet and Religion in the U.S. Election

  September 11, 2008

Ernesto Cardenas, a Peruvian blogger who resides in Spain wrote a post [es] with some reflections on internet and religion and their role in the U.S. elections. He also makes a comparison of how this issue of religion was also present in recent Peruvian elections and concludes by saying that separation between church and state is maybe not as clear as we are used to in the U.S. Juan Arellano translates.