The US economy is languishing, weak and struggling to recover. What is needed is economic growth. The Sequester is a bunch of spending cuts that will have a negative impact on the economy. It is not an enormous disaster. What it should be is a reallocation of spending to programs that will stimulate the economy.

Scottsdale, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/25/2013 -- At the present time our economy is weak to the point of almost a depression. Politicians in Washington and the news anchors on TV talk about the out of balance budget and the national debt as if they are critical problems. They are not and cannot be fixed by spending cuts. The answer is that they can not be corrected without economic growth. The first tool to achieve economic growth is by Government spending programs that will create jobs, increase middle class income and increase middle class spending. The second tool to achieve growth is to dramatically increase the marginal tax on the highest income earners. An increased marginal tax rate is not just a revenue generator. It will change the way people think about their tax planning and force them to put their money into active and productive investments. Investments that expand business and create jobs.

We have been trying to use monetary policy to correct the ills of our economy. The FED has created enormous liquidity and has held down interest costs. Unfortunately this has stopped working as it is supposed to because our economy is in a "liquidity trap". This also took place in the 1930s. Monetary policy alone cannot fix the economy. The excess liquidity has been flowing into the stock market because it has few other places to go. That does not create jobs and help the economy.

We can expect that the sequester will happen. Then there will be some adjustment to both spending allocations and to taxes. What will not happen is a substantial change that will have a real and positive impact on economic growth. It will be another kick the can down the road. The next stop on the parade of government by crisis will be the debt ceiling. While this is going on nominal unemployment continues in the high 7% range. The FED has told us that they will continue a policy of high liquidity and low-interest rates until unemployment falls to 6.5%. That will take a long time without any real change in government programs and tax policy to stimulate economic growth.

Take advantage of the low-interest rate world of today. Refinance any properties that you can. There will be a change in the future, either at the ballot box, as the Europeans are learning, or by the politicians realizing that they are out of touch with the people and the real world of the economy.

About Victor Weintraub
Victor Weintraub, a noted economist and author, is president of First Charter Financial Corporation a leading independent mortgage company. First Charter Financial conducts business on a nation wide basis and arranges financing for commercial properties throughout the US. The projects that are handled include office, retail, multifamily, hospitality and specialty properties. Loans amounts range from a minimum of one million dollars up to as large as 100 million dollars. First Charter Financial maintains relationships with large and small insurance companies, retirement and investment funds, regional, national and multinational banks and is very active with capital markets funding sources. Contact First Charter Financial with all of your commercial mortgage needs. Email info@fcfcorporation.com Telephone(480)970 0990

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The United States has been in a recession for five years. We are dealing with something very different from the usual style recession. Nominal unemployment is still in the high 7% area. With over 4 million of cronicly unemployed, more than one year, real unemployment is much higher. The economy has recovered some but is not where it should be five years after the start of a recession. We are in a Depression. The cure is a large jobs creating government spending program.

Scottsdale, AZ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/01/2013 -- Conventional wisdom says that when there is a recession the FED should lower the cost of money and increase liquidity in the monetary markets. Since the start of the current recession and the financial markets collapse in 2008 and 9, that is what the FED has done. Rates were lowered continuously to the point that short-term rates are effectively 0 today. The markets are awash with liquidity. There has not been the recovery that you would expect.

The economic rules have stopped working. Some economists have named this situation a "Liquidity Trap", when increasing liquidity massively, along with reducing the cost of money, does not stimulate the economy much. This has happened only two times in well documented economic history. The first time was the great depression of the 1930s. The second was the economy of Japan in the 1990s. We are not in a recession. We are in a depression. Yes, it is not as bad as the 1930s. The small recovery that we have had is just too anemic. Not enough to give the economy the boost that it needs to bring the rate of unemployment down and to stimulate economic growth.

The depression of the 1930s was cured by a massive government jobs program. You know it as World War II. Not only was the depression cured within a year with full employment, but that government spending laid the foundation for the strongest growth period in our history. I am not suggesting anything on the scale of the WWII spending. What I am suggesting are programs that put people to work immediately. Programs concentrating on infrastructure, education and everything that can put people back to work. We can not depend on FED monetary policy alone. It can not do the job alone. What we need is a one shot program of $500 billion now. Then we can look at the result and if it does the job that is what we need. If it doesn't, then we need to follow with a repeat until the economy is back on a growth path.

There are a lot of people and politicians who will cry out about the federal deficit and the national debt. The reality is that without the program that I am suggesting, the deficit will grow worse and the debt will increase anyway. A program of austerity, cutting spending, will only make the situation worse and we will never end the current depression.

What I am suggesting is to spend to stimulate the economy. Only a growing economy can generate sufficient revenue to bring the budget eventually into balance. To do the opposite will not work. There is not enough spending to cut to create a balance. As spending is cut the economy will worsen and the deficit will increase.

It is a very simple set of alternatives. We can spend to create jobs and to stimulate the economy. Grow our way out of the depression. Or, we can cut spending and slow the economy. That will deepen the depression. It will linger on a long time. The problem facing the United States is economic. It is not political. It can only be solved by economic means.

There has been some criticism of FED policy. We should all recognize that if the Fed had not acted as it did, the chances are that we would be in a depression more closely resembling the 1930s. That is not a pretty picture.

About Victor Weintraub
Victor Weintraub is a noted economist and author. He is also an entrepreneur. He is the President of First Charter Financial Corporation, a commercial mortgage finance and investment company conducting business on a national scale. He writes an economic a financing news letter for First Charter. It is widely distributed to clients and news media and services. He is also the Publisher of First Capitol Books, an independent publisher of E books and print books distributed throughout the English-speaking world. He writes on economic and political topics and is also the author of the Robert Hazard spy action thriller series.

Victor Weintraub holds a Bachelor's Degree in engineering from New York University. He received his MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business. An advocate for progressive political and social programs, he is the author of Occupy We The People Decision Time For America. This book deals with the social and economic history of the United States from the 1930s to today. It discusses economic problems facing the country and makes suggestions for change.

Victor Weintraub is available for media interviews, discussions and speaking engagements. He may be reached by Email victor@victorweintraub.com

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The idea that when the Bush tax cuts expire at the end of this year and at the same time there are large cuts in defense spending it will have a devastating impact on our economy. This is a totally untrue and ridiculous.statement.

Scottsdale, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/19/2012 -- The expiring tax cuts will increase taxes primarily on the wealthiest 20% of taxpayers. There will also be smaller tax increases on the upper middle level of tax payers. The marginal tax rate will go from 35% to 39.6%. That is not devastating. It will not have much, if any, impact on consumption spending. There are other tax increase items that will occur such a change in capital gains tax rates. These increases also will not hurt consumption. These tax increases take place over the course of a year and will not be felt until the following year for the most part.

So far as defense spending, here again the cuts will take place over a few years. It is not going over a cliff. Defense spending will go down a hill.for several years.

What has not been taken into account is that an increase in the marginal tax rate is stimulative to the economy. The last time that the marginal tax rate was increased to 39.6%, unemployment went down to 4.0% from 7.7%. That was during the Clinton administration. It is my opinion that the marginal rate should be increased to 75% for the highest income earners. That would change the way people think about their business and result in a lot of reinvestment and job creation.

The other factor that has not been taken into account is that as money is not spent on defense it can be spent on programs that stimulate the economy such as infrastructure programs.

In summary we are not looking at a fiscal cliff. We are looking at a tax change that will stimulate the economy and a shift of spending that will also be beneficial.

The topics of taxes and the budget are covered in my book Occupy We The People Decision Time For America. Many other important issues are also discussed. I feel strongly that this is the most important book published in years. Every American should read this book before they vote. The E Book is only $2.99 on special promotion and there are links on my Victor Weintraub website.

Victor Weintraub is a noted author, economist and entrepreneur. He is the Publisher of First Capitol Books, an independent publisher of E Books and print books distributed world-wide. He is the President of First Charter Financial Corporation. He holds a degree in engineering from New York University and an MBA from Columbia Graduate School of Business. Victor Weintraub is an advocate for progressive political and social programs. He is a lifetime Republican. "I am saddened by what has happened to the Republican Party."

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Money in politics is our greatest notional problem and national shame. It is an enormous waste of our national resources, our national strength, and our national wealth It is the biggest source of the corruption of our government. and the destruction of the American way of life and the destruction of our middle class.. You pay your money and you get your law. You pay your money and you get rid of regulation. You pay your money and the American people can go to hell. Money and special interests rule. Fairness does not matter. Profit rules.

Scottsdale, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/16/2012 -- The 2008 presidential and congressional campaign spent $3.2 billion. This year I expect that the number will top $4 billion. The money goes to political advertising to misinform you. It goes to attack ads to make some candida look like the son of satin.

In the new book Occupy We The People Decision Time For America, Victor Weintraub exposes the exploitation and corruption that money in politics buys. Your representative in Washington does not represent and work for you and for your best interest. He is in the pocket of whoever contributed the money for his election campaign. The largest political contributors are the financial institutions. The big banks, the investment banking companies, the insurance companies and the privet capital companies. Names like Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Bain Capital (familiar name) Paulson and Company. The list is long. Realtors., lawyers pharmaceutical companies, energy companies. Pay your money and get your law, regulation, favored treatment.

The other way that money corrupts government is by lobbying. Lobbyists are hired by businesses to influence legislation and the administration of laws. In 2010 $3.5 billion was spent on lobbying. There are 12,929 registered lobbyists. It is because of lobbyists that laws are written with 2,000 pages and are so complex that they can not be understood and administered.

You are probably thinking that there should be a law to stop this. There have been several. The problem is that the Supreme Court has ruled that giving money is the same as speech and is a protected right under the first amendment to the constitution. Lobbying is also protected. The only way to stop this situation is with a constitutional amendment. Several have been suggested. There is one in my book Occupy We The People. Passing a constitutional amendment is going to be difficult. I think that it will require a grass-roots movement. A ground swell of protest.

The topic money in politics covered in my book Occupy We The People Decision Time For America. Many other important issues are also discussed. I feel strongly that this is the most important book published in years. Every American should read this book before they vote. The E Book is only $2.99 on special promotion and there are links on my Victor Weintraub website.

Victor Weintraub is a noted author, economist and entrepreneur. He is the Publisher of First Capitol Books, an independent publisher of E Books and print books distributed world-wide. He is the President of First Charter Financial Corporation. He holds a degree in engineering from New York University and an MBA from Columbia Graduate School of Business. Victor Weintraub is an advocate for progressive political and social programs. He is a lifetime Republican. "I am saddened by what has happened to the Republican Party."

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The insurance companies are spending millions lobbying to repeal Obamacare. They know that it will put them out of business. You and I love Obamacare. It has done a lot to extend medical coverage. The Insurance Companies hate it. They want you to hate it.

Scottsdale, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/11/2012 -- There are two provisions in the Affordable Health Care Act that the insurance companies do not want you to know about. These provisions are going to make the health insurance business an unprofitable business. They will be out of business in a very short time. The cost of health care will go down.

First, health insurance companies must now have a medical cost ratio of 80% for individuals and 85% for groups. That means that they must spend that percentage of their revenue for payments to providers. It does not include overhead, marketing and other non-direct medical costs. Total administrative costs have been 31% and the overhead for insurance companies is 11.7%. The administrative costs for medicare are 3.6%. Any revenue over the 80% or 85% must be refunded. Health insurance will become an unprofitable business.

Second, section 1334 of the act provides that The Office Of Personnel Management, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services can sponsor at least two plans for sale in the insurance exchanges in each state. These government plans can be subsidized. Even if they are not subsidized the administrative costs will be approximately the same as medicare, 3.6%. The OPM plans will be at least 15% less expensive than other plans. The exchanges are by state so I would expect that the OPM plans will be administered for each state.

The US is the only nation where a for profit insurance structure exists between the health care provider and the patient. It is my belief that health care is a right and not a privilege. It is also my belief that making a profit from the poor health of another person is immoral. Canada has a single payer health care system that has been operating for over forty years. It is administered by the provinces and paid for by the federal government. They are healthier as a whole than we are. Their costs are lower. Our government is already spending over 60% of the total cost of health care. Add to that what employers and workers pay for health insurance and it is clear that a universal single payer system is cheaper. We can have it and have lower expenses for business and for people with a far better outcome.

The topic of health care is covered in my book Occupy We The People Decision Time For America. Many other important issues are also discussed. I feel strongly that this is the most important book published in years. Every American should read this book before they vote. The E Book is only $2.99 on special promotion and there are links on my Victor Weintraub website.

Victor Weintraub is a noted author, economist and entrepreneur. He is the Publisher of First Capitol Books, an independent publisher of E Books and print books distributed world-wide. He is the President of First Charter Financial Corporation. He holds a degree in engineering from New York University and an MBA from Columbia Graduate School of Business. Victor Weintraub is an advocate for progressive political and social programs. He is a lifetime Republican. "I am saddened by what has happened to the Republican Party."

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

There is a strong correlation between high unemployment and too low a marginal tax rate. The Romney tax plan for a 25% rate will destroy the economy. The last time that we had a 25% marginal tax was in 1928. We all know what happened in 1929.

Scottsdale, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/06/2012 -- We cannot continue believing the misinformation that low taxes are good. Low taxes are a destroyer of the economy and of the middle class. We are headed in the same direction as Greece where the wealthy just ignore taxes. The difference is that we have made it legal for the wealthy to not pay their fair share of taxes.

The last time we had a budget surplus was in 2000. That was after Bill Clinton raised the marginal tax rate to 39.6% from 28%. When taxes went up unemployment went down to 4.0%. Unemployment had been 7.7% in 1992.

The marginal tax rate started to decline when Reagan became president. It went from 70% down to a low of 28% in 1988. It is now at 35%. When we average the unemployment rate for the 30 years before 1981 it was 5.2%. For the 30 years after 1981 it was 6.6%. You can do the arithmetic. The unemployment rate went up by 27% and that is including the improvement during the eight years of the Clinton administration. Without that improvement the difference would be higher.

In my book Occupy We The People Decision Time For America I document this and I discuss other problems that face us today. Problems that the candidates do not talk about. This is the most important book published in recent years. I want every American to read it before the elections.

Victor Weintraub is a noted economist, author and entrepreneur. He is the Publisher of First Capitol Books, an independent publisher of E Books and print books distributed world-wide. He is an advocate for progressive political and social programs and has been a lifetime Republican "I am saddened by what has happened to the Republican Party."

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The General Assembly of Occupy Phoenix has reached consensus that the big banks should be broken up. The controls of the Glass Steagall act should be reinstated.

Scottsdale, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/05/2012 -- The big banks continue to act badly. This week the scandal is rigging the LIBOR rate. A few weeks ago it was the multiple Billions of dollars loss by J P Morgan Chase. Victor Weintraub, the noted economist and author says. "It is only a matter of time until something happens to put the entire banking system in jeopardy again. Another bailout is out of the question. The American people will not tolerate that."

Victor Weintraub has been a member of Occupy Phoenix from the start. He made this proposal to the General Assembly. He is the author of Occupy We The People Decision Time For America, published by First Capitol Books. In this book he discusses the problems of the big banks. He concludes that they are too big to manage, too diverse. They are in too many businesses and too many locations. Failure is in their future and unavoidable. The time to start to break them up is now. We must not wait for another crisis.

The banks are just one of the problems that we are facing. Every American should read Occupy We The People Decision Time For America. It will open your eyes to problems that we face and to their origin. It will change your thinking. Occupy We The People Decision Time for America is the most important book published in years. A must read before you vote.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm