Send Me Your Questions!

Can someone explain why the gov't hates the idea of a gold standard for money.

I have stock options which I can now execute and yes, they're above water. The options are with a major CPG company which continues to meet market expectations. My question is: should I exercise the options and if so, where's the best place(s) to invest the proceeds or should I hold on to them and just wait? The proceeds, today, would be in the 6 figure range.

Why doesn't the government give every household in the U.S. One Million dollars and let them spend the money instead of giving it to companies? This would allow people to pay for there homes and all other bills and get money into circulation. Seems to me a better use of our money. Dr. Ralph Borchers

What happens to the USA when our creditors decide to "cutoff" our line of credit?

Hi Cheryl,This is a question about the auto companys,In all the news that I have taken in, there are two issues that we out here in the main street don't here anything about. It is the cost of Viagra that the big three buys every year for the auto workers as part of there health package,GM alone is 17 to 20 million a year!!Also what about those job banks? paying auto workers not to work and draw up to 100% of there pay?this has cost the auto companys billions!All these cost are added on to the price of a new car and the sad part is most people don't have a clue this is going on!Just do a search on Google, there is more info then a person can stand.

I have one question,no perhaps it should be rephrased as a request.The next time you host a show with a "panel of experts" could you have them all wear straight jackets and little beanie caps with propellers attached.The audience would then view the dialogue in the right context.

Why would we bail out Chrysler ? Aren't they a privately held LLC ? Wouldn't any recovery profits go into the pockets of the speculators that took it private with the intention of making billions flipping it with an IPO ? If the company fails won't the taxpayers be the only losers ?

ON THE ISSUE OF THE AUTO INDUSTRY BAILOUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS DONE THEIR HOMEWORK AND LOOKED AT THE MANY THINGS THE BIG THREE HAVE DONE. EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT HAPPENED TWENTY YEARS AGO. THEY NOW HAVE NEW UNION CONTRACTS WHICH MANY ISSUES GOES IN EFFECT IN 2009 AND 2010. MANY ISSUES WHICH WAGES GO DOWN AND THE UNIONS TAKE OVER HEALTHCARE (WHICH BY THE WAY IS NOT THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY) THE COMPANIES HAVE DOWNSIZED AND REORGANIZED. THEY ALSO ARE MANY OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE TO LONG TO WRITE IN THIS FORM. I JUST WISH SOMEONE WOULD GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT WHEN THEY REPORT THINGS THAT EFFECT THE LIVES OF OTHERS. WE NEVER HEAR ANYTHING MENTIONED ABOUT THE FACT OF OTHER NEW CAR COMPANIES MOVING INTO A CITY, COUNTY AND STATE GETTING A HUGE TAX BREAK AND THE REST OF US PAYING THEIR TAX BILL. IT SEEMS THE REPORTING IS ALL ONE WAY WHEN IT SHOULD BE FAIR AND BALANCED. NOT TO MENTION THAT MANY COMPANIES FROM OVERSEAS ARE JUST SELLING THEIR CARS HERE AT COST JUST TO KEEP THEIR PEOPLE WORKING.(CALLED DUMPING) REPORTERS,PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND REPORT THE FACTS.

To all, I consider myself an average American that receives a weekly paycheck who pays their fair amount of taxes. However, it disturbs me that after congress passed the bail out bill, we Americans are not being shown were the money is going. Just like in the movie, "Show me the money!!" should be everybody's battle cry at this moment in history. Weather or not "we the people " agree with the decision making is irrelevant. It should be accounted for on the front page of every news paper and media page for us to see.

I keep getting conflicting input from the media on the economy. Tell the people STRAIGHT, are we likely, most likely, less likely, or remotely likely to go into a depression. When I mean depression, I don't necessarily mean a "great depression" I mean a depression. How can people take care of their family if we don't have correct data to make decisions to protect their loved ones. It seems to me that allot of media are too scared to use the "D" word than they are to tell it like it is. What is most scarey is the feeling one gets that the unknown is so TERRIBLE we the people can not be told. I for one want to know the score!!!

I live in northwest Florida and the company I was employed for 2yrs just fired me. Now just listening to all these big corporations wanting millions and their CEO's getting millions makes me sick !!! I have applied for unemployment and will be getting $275.00 a week ?Now when I turn on the news I hear about how our goverment is bailing out these multi million dollar companies. Wheres my bailout ? It seems to me that if the gov wants to get the economy going lets put the money where it is needed, in the hands of the people that needs it.Its the taxpayers money give it to the low income and the people that make not $200,000 or less but how about people that make $50,000 or less. Right now I would love to have 1 or 2 thousand just to get me and my family though Christmas.

Miss Casone, Why do you keep bashing GM? GM has won many "JD Power" Awards and many "Motor Trend Car and Truck" of the Year Awards in the last 10 to 15 years. What kind of auto do you drive? Have you compared us to them? GM has been good to America! Have some one from GM,FORD and CHRYSLER to come on FOX Bus. News to here our side of the story- remember FAIR and BALLANCED ! Mr.David E. Morris Dayton, Ohio

Why aren't GMs overseas sales and profits being reported on? Why isn't Chris Dodd and Barney Frank and their committees getting more attention to their failure to do their job? When is congress going to get hammered over lack of spending cuts? Budget cuts should start with NASA, our national security doesn't depend on mosquito larvae experiments in space. The government could prevent paying a stimulus package to the people just by; 1. cutting everyone's income tax in half for the next two years. 2. permanent tax credits for users and providers of public transportation. 3. eliminate capital gains for at least two years. 4. lower corporate tax to 12% for two years.

why do people on welfare collect more money than most hard working people?

Dear MZ. Cassone; I am wondering why more people aren't investing in "algae" farming? The more I read the more excited I am. fastest growing plant on earth, uses a small area, uses co2 to grow, little water needed and we can do it here and do it now without drilling expensive holes in the ground. One guy said that if he had an area one tenth the size of New Mexico, he could furnish all the bio diesel and jet fuel that we are importing and we use now. GREAT STUFF! Why we, the American people talking more about the "fairtax" that Niel Boortz wrote about in a book? I would gladly pay 23% tax on all I consume, if I didn't have to pay capital gain and death duties plus, other little "zingers." All these taxes take away my enthusiasm to work; I just as well go on welfare like the rest of them. Thank you for time.

Derivatives and credit swaps are extremely complicated computer generated math equations that allows the spread of high risk loans. Fine. Problem is moving these became THE investment - not the assets they represent or even the loans that were high risk. They were done over and over and over. In the world you and I live in that is called FRAUD. Losses are estimated at between 30 and 70 TRILLION dollars. There was NO expectation by "investors" of making a profit on these pieces of paper equal to the GNP of the entire planet!! Are the politicians stupid, bought and paid for or actively complicit with this FRAUD. These losses are ON PAPER ONLY. Why can't they just be declared what they are and removed from the books. The way things are going the banks are claiming these are losses and STEALING (defrauding) the citizens of the world by forcing the governments (us) to pay off these illegitimate, fraudulent losses. We need to bring back the GUILLOTINE!!

If the government was to give every person thair share of the 700 bil bailout with strings attached that you pay off your morgage and credit cards and what ever is left you spend, you would see our economy turn around real quick, banks would have money from everyone paying off thair homes, and people would be spending like crazy, buisness would start to call back people laid off, people would start buying new cars, investing again, buying homes this is the bail out our economy needs, since we are the one's footing the bill, but it seems that no one in our goverment is concerned with us the people, what sense does it make to bail out finance corps, banks, and the Big 3 when every one is losing thair jobs and can not afford to borrow money from a bank.

Why!! Can't we get the news out about how bad Barney & Chris screwed the public while supposedly overlooking Freddie & Fannie?? And are going to do a worse job now that there is less opposition?? Please contact some of us that are trying to be Honest Appraisers that can tell the story!!

With so many Americans citizens losing their jobs, will the country still allow illegal aliens to continue working in the 10 million or so jobs they now hold? Believe it or not, many hard-working Americans who just lost their jobs would rather work digging ditches, flipping burgers or cleaning hotel rooms than collecting unemployment. It's high time that ALL jobs in this country be given to citizens!

The media does have to share in the blame of the current frenzy of the stock market and other financial conditions happening at this time.THE MEDIA is all channels presenting info and a lot of the broadcasts aired are commentators not news casters. Fox is FAIR and BALANCED

We have been so busy trying to FIX every other country that qwe have allowed this country to become so broken that it may not be able to be fixed

where is my bailout?? Why is the government not holding hearing for saving the 50,000 plus jobs at Citi just like trying to save the auto industry?? Oops, I forgot--Citi does not reflect union votes for the demos. NO BAILOUT FOR ANYONE, and put Mark Cuban in prison, and not the nice one.

Obama is showing exactly what he is, a puppet. The left bends over backward for unions and the mass block vote that they seem to control now WE have to pay for those unholy alliances. They (the left) wants to bail out car companies that have no business being in washington with their hands out. Economic crisis aside, they were failing without any help from wall street. Let them declare bankruptcy like every other mfg company would in the same position. But look a little closer at why they are failing. The so called management of these companies sat accross a table from the UAW leadership at contract time and allowed them to write their own checks and now they want us (the tax payers) to pay for their poor negotiating decisions. No one in Washington wants to do that because they are in bed with UAW and are to scared of losing the backing votes they are providing. We would all be better served in letting these companies fail and using the proposed money to educate these out of work union members to find new sustainable jobs. How about using the money as tuition credits for those employees at the same time as extending unemployeement benefits till graduation. So in the end Obama and the left make promises in October and now the chickens are coming home to roost.

Why is no one talking about the elephant in the room with respect to the auto bail-out? I am refering to the workers and their hefty wages and benefits. The auto workers are the working counter part to those fat cat CEOs. If sacrifices are to be made by other groups of workers, why not the auto workers? We seem to speak of them as if they are making minimum wages when in fact they (or most) earn 6 digit wages. It follows, the bridge money the auto industry is requesting will be used to pay already INFLATED wage and benefits to auto workers. I do not want to have my taxes subsidise the auto worker when I must face sacrifices. Santuria

Unfortunately, I have yet to receive my Bail Out Check. I am retired and trying to live on Social Security, however, in the last 90 Days I have seen my Nest Eggs decrease in value to a 30% Loss. This is not my Financial Advisors fault, it is a mutual decision we made, and that was to continue in the Market. Now we see many of these Companies that Trade on the New York Stock Exchange affecting the results of all of our Investments. What do we do? Bail out everyone? Now to the serious question. Do we Bail out the Auto Industry. No doubt there will be real problems World Wide if we do not do so. However, bring the Heads of the remaining three automakers together with the Union Heads, and require them to negotiate non-stop until they can agree on a solution that they have all contributed to for the last 40 Years. The ramifications of their failure could go very deep, the existing Automakers make more than just the Car that you and I drive. The contribution to our National Security goes so deep that we cannot ignore their plight. Sincerely, Ronald L. Lewman

Apparently, I am missing something. Why do the Automakers care where the 25 billion comes from? The White House is willing to provide it from the "small car" funding bill, but the Automakers want it to come from the 700 billion TARP fund. Could it be that this is the first of several 25 billion requests and that TARP is the only fund big enough to support multiple 25 billion requests without additional Congressional approval? This is especially confusing since President Elect Obama would surely replenish the "small car" fund, if it is depleted, once the Democrats are in office. Could it be that the Democrats would like to set precedent by using TARP funds for the Automaker, so that TARP funds could be used for other failing industries?

To the comment ending in the auto makers ties to national security: I have two questions. Are the auto makers now supplying tanks etc. to the military:? If so, will their going under comromise this undertaking?: Also, other than seeing tanks roll off the assembly line in old WWII documentaries, can Detroit retool their plans to make more military equipment? Given we are now in two wars, no complaint has been offered about our inability to provide the military with equipment. Santuria

Twenty five billion to keep the auto companies going sounds like a lot until you remember AIG got 150 billion and we lose 25 billion over in Iraq every two months. How much unemployment will it cost for the tens of thousands of laid off workers if they go under? We bailed out Chrysler about 20 years or so ago and it turned out better than expected at the time.

Louis, the people fighting over where the money comes from are the republicans and the democrats, not the automakers.

Hi Cheryl, Regarding the current and future auto bailout beneficiares, were any of these slugs required to submit a loan application to the U.S. taxpayers as lenders? How about the beneficiaries FICO score, pledged collateral, ability to repay, loan to debt rstio, compliance with Freddie and Fannie loan guides if they have any? Need I say more. Who can we trust? It sure as hell is not Congress and it's "den mother" Nancy and "den father Harry. Thank you for your time.

The Automaker bailout will only succeed IF people start buying new cars again and credit is not yet resupplied to allow anyone but the top tier credit scores to get approved. Seems a waste of capital if we can't buy the big 3 vehicles. My question is,. Is anyone doing anything about a revamp of credit lending policies? A year ago I could have purchased any new car or home I wanted at virtually no down, reasonable payments and longer term. With high 600's FICO, I can't anything anywhere near that now, and I won't go outside of my budget and capabilities just to own a new car or home. I'll wait it out, but no money should go to automakers unless credit is lossed up.

Concerning the housing crisis:Several months ago several "knowledgable people" said that if they would "mark to market" that it would do much to aleviate the housing crisis. Just what is meant by that and has it been done. If not, why not? Thanks for providing this way get answers.

Do you have insurance on those legs??

any suggestion where i can invest beside the US.

I was laid off on January 1, 2008, just when thing were starting to go south. Each month that passes, the situation has just gotten worse. My 401K plan has been depleated, my unemployment bebefits have run out, my credit card companies are raising my rates and I have been through my savings just to survive. Where is our bailout? The senate has a bill before them to extend unemployment benefits passed by the house already. Instead, we are spending time on committee announcements and the big three automakers. where do people such as myself go? Unfortunately I have 9 years until retirement. The job market is so overloaded with applicants that recruiters don't even get back to you.

What will the hourly rates be for the next three years? In listening to the Big Three CEO's they said they will be competitive once the new union contracts go into effect. I was glad to see the current costs, but I am even more interested in their future rates. It will also be interesting to see how much truth there is in the CEO's words regarding this subject.

My Father and husband worked for the steel industry years ago. Both of which were out of work for a long period of time and ended up moving on. The steel industry was never bailed out and that industry ended up being just a fraction of what they were. No one stepped in to make sure my husband and father kept their jobs. How is the big 3 bailout different?

I wonder why you did not challenge Senator Shelby on his comment that he was not knowledgeable in the auto making business, yet he said all the US auto maker managers should be fired. If he is not knowledgeable, how does he know that? Actually, what I think is he see's big benefits for his state if the Big 3 fail in Detroit.

. Please tell the truth, Bill Clinton signed free trade with China in 1999 and the Big Three send all the US jobs over seas. That’s what started this whole mess, our Economy is gone now. Please check for yourself and you will see between Bill C, Barry Frank (Bad Mortgages) and the Big Three they have brought our Country to its knees. When I listen to the Congress and the reporters talk about how many jobs are connected to the automotive Industry and they get it wrong, that scares the hell out of me. These are the people we have in charge of our Country??????? They don’t understand what would happened if one of the Car companies fail. Can you say Depression? Its not that they where not making cars we didn’t like, it’s not because of oil prices!!!! Please check the facts, I read the comments and see the same thing over and over. Before you can fix a problem you must understand what the problem is. We where sold out and it needs to be fixed now.

One word will describe the problem! UNIONS!!!! Otto.

One word will describe the Big 3's problems!! Unions! Otto

Two words will describe the problems of the big bankers and insurance companies!! Incompetence and greed!! Why do we cheerfully give not one, but two or three bailouts to the white-collar crowd for their total mismanagement, while making so much fuss about helping out the automobile companies and their suppliers, which would throw many more people out of jobs. We should go after the executives who wrecked their companies while collecting huge salaries and bonus pay, instead of trashing the people who were actually working in the auto industries. One wonders if this is just another example of crony payoffs, which has become common in recent years.

I agree that the biggest reason the US automakers are a mess is because of the unions. The only people that are for the unions are the people in the unions. Everyone else thinks their day has come - and gone. However, the entire problem is not because of the unions. For one thing, nobody could foresee gas prices going up to over $4 per gallon (however; GM makes more cars that get 30mpg than Toyota and Honda combined). Before gas prices spiked, a Hummer dealership, just outside Flint, Michigan was selling between 120 -140 Hummers a month. In FLINT. They are the #1 dealership in the world... in FLINT! This past week, a couple was in that same dealership (which now is a Hummer and Cadillac dealership) and got turned down for credit. Their credit scores were 819 and 827. Their debt to income was low. The reason for the turn down? They had always paid cash for cars and didn't have a history of making car payments. The couple still got the car - they paid cash... in FLINT! The banks and home lenders are the biggest culprits - they got us into this mess and now they're getting bailed out. The automakers are suffering for many reasons but one of the reasons is because of the banks. We need to help the US automakers but a condition should be to get rid of the union. If we don't help them our economy will take decades to recover. The people in this country who are in trouble are those that overextended themselves. Let's face it, if you make $60,000/year you shouldn't be buying a $400,000 house. You shouldn't need a bank to tell you you can't afford it.