Author Archives: Laura Hertzfeld

Cash-strapped California

With an economy larger than most countries in the world, how can the state of California be in so much financial trouble? NPR is taking an in-depth look at how the Golden State went broke, and what’s being done to dig out with a series called California in Crisis.

San Francisco’s KQED has a collection of economic coverage that tracks the California situation, including reports on how small businesses are coping and whether the downturn is actually creating opportunity for the state’s tech hubs in Silicon Valley.

And NewsHour talked to Patchwork Nation’s Dante Chinni about the foreclosures in monied burbs — a key community in struggling California.

Listen to the interview here: Foreclosures in Monied Burbs? and read the full report.

Where the jobs are (and aren't)

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Looking for work is a daunting task, regardless of the economic climate, but how do you muster sympathy for those at the top and bottom of the chain when so many in the middle are struggling?

NewsHour’s Paul Solman reports on executives and ex-convicts who are in an oddly similar position. Former execs with extensive networks report job hunting for over 30 hours a week.
For the ex-cons, the tables are turned, but the circumstances still leave them jobless.

“I’ve tried several times. I mean, I’ve gone, I’ve filled out applications thinking that I’m going to get the job, but they won’t hire me,” ex-convict Larry Wohlgemuth told Solman.

How is the average person faring? Is the stimulus money creating solid, full time opportunities? ProPublica.org’s ShovelWatch finds that “States are using the money for short-term projects, filling budget gaps rather than paying for long-term improvements.”

Those fed up with the search have started turning to independent consulting. But can a newly minted consultant make a go of it in the current environment? On the Media talks to Nick Corcoldilos, a headhunter who highlights some of the advantages and disadvantages of going solo.

To put it all in perspective, consider that 2.5 billion people live on $2 per day. Today’s Planet Money podcast looks at communities around the world that are surviving on very little, but still make room for traditions and ceremonies of cultural importance.

Making sense of the jargon

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All these financial terms being tossed around in the news can be confusing to anyone — young or old — who doesn’t have a background in stock market jargon. Youth Radio’s Lauren Silverman didn’t get frustrated when even reading the paper became a chore, instead she got obsessed.

Listen to: Stock Market Obsessed

To form a more open government

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This week, experts from across the political world came together to talk about open government – the idea that the web can help information flow through agencies to the media and everyday citizens who want to participate and have a say in making policy.

Last year at this time, everyone at the annual Personal Democracy Forum had one thing in mind – the 2008 presidential election. But did we miss the bigger picture? Was all the attention focused on the race causing policymakers to overlook looming problems in the markets? Would pushing the government to share more information online have made a difference in how we’re coping with the current economic crisis?

Recent projects inside the administration are making a start at helping people understand the dimensions of the economic recovery. The new White House IT Dashboard allows you to follow the impact of investments being made by various government agencies like the Department of Energy and the Department of Homeland Security.

But reports like this Capitol News Connection report about the large donations that finance executives have given to lawmakers highlight the closed-door status that special interests – and the finance industry in particular – continue to enjoy.

The public’s role in public media is also being leveraged in creative ways. Perhaps one of the best examples occurred last week when NPR asked their website visitors and Twitter followers to identify the lobbyists in the photo below, from a Senate hearing on health care.

The result? A post on NPR’s Dollar Politics blog and a clearer sense of who’s paying attention in Washington.

What is EconomyStory.org?

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When we were setting out to create a site to cover the economy, it was difficult to figure out where to begin. There’s a lot of great material already out there, but how can we as public media tell a different story that allows readers, listeners, and viewers to figure out what’s really important and get a sense of how things are interconnected?
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