What sorts of changes would you like to see in the way this nation conducts business?

[Skidmore]

First, I'm not an expert in any of the financial fields. I'm a citizen who operates by what does't pass the smell test sometimes when the legal and financial jargon become overwhelming. I tend to pay attention to what I know about human interactions and what I seems to me to be fair and honest so my personal finances are not complicated. Cash in, bills paid, some saved. Only buy new when adequate cash on hand or, if credit is needed, payments can be handled in my budget. If something is purchased with credit (say a car), we make double payments and pay off early. Live thriftily--grow part of our own food, buy local, recycle all sorts of goods (little in my home was purchased new). This summary is not the intent of this thread but to give you an idea of my approach.

So, here goes.

I'll start with a couple of really basic things I'd like to see change.

1. Eliminate practice of predatory lending.
2. Increase interest rates on savings accounts to give incentives to save rather than gamble on stocks. Not everyone should invest in the stock market.
3. Establish a ratio of CEO compensation to profit margins and enforce it.
4. Establish a standard for the dollar again because trust is not enough.

[Wednesdays]

1. A complete overhaul of priorities

A major shift away from the Pentagon budget, for starters.

[Skidmore]

2. Good one. AND an

corresponding investments in education, health care, and new energy sources.

Plus beefing up regulatory agencies and make certain wrongdoers are punished.

AND rebuiild the infrastructure--it is an investment.

[PVnRT]

3. Restore regulation to the market

Simply restoring the regulation torn apart in the past 25 years is a good start.

We need to switch to green energy quickly; while energy is never counted in inflation, it hurts everyone. Green alternatives will stabilize that.

If you increase savings account rates, you increase loan rates even more. That will not help. Attacking usurious lending and shady credit card company doings will do more to get people to save/invest.

Offer massive tax breaks to companies that move production from overseas back to this country. I don't like it either, but if it gets jobs back and gets more goods made here (rather than services and paper wealth), it will be a net gain.