NJ Topics Consumer Spending And Behavior

National Journal Coverage
Heart Monitor

Are Recessions Good for Your Health?

Niraj Chokshi | May 17, 2013
With the recovery underway, things are starting to look up. Consumer confidence rose to a six-year high on Friday, the housing sector is improving, the economic gears are turning. But there may also be a less-welcome rebound: fatalities could rise.
Job seekers

Sequester Slashes Help for Long-Term Unemployed

Nancy Cook | March 31, 2013
The across-the-board cuts are about to reduce the payout of federal emergency unemployment checks by as much as 10.7 percent.
Dow

The Stock Market Is Back! The American People...Not So Much.

Matt Phillips and Quartz | March 5, 2013
Since the bleakest hours of early 2009, the stock market has clawed, scampered and inched higher—with some notable slips. Now that venerable equity market metric—the Dow Jones Industrial Average—has summited 14,164.53, its all-time highest close last seen way back on Oct. 9, 2007. 
Money Roll

Sequester's Economic Impact Will Build Slowly

Nancy Cook | February 28, 2013
The inopportune moment of sequestration — hitting just as the economy shows bright spots — will create a drag on the economy in a slow-motion manner.

Economy Could Take Big Hit From Lapse of Payroll-Tax Cut

Niraj Chokshi | February 4, 2013
The recent payroll-tax hike could play a major role in slowing down consumer spending this quarter.
Kerry and Netanyahu

Could John Kerry Broker a Mideast Peace Deal? Probably Not

Matt Vasilogambros | January 28, 2013
John Kerry says he’s hopeful that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be resolved during his tenure as secretary of State. But that hope, shared by President Obama, might be a pipe dream.
White House

America's Greatest Economic Weakness in 2012 Was Its Government

David Rohde for The Atlantic | December 31, 2012
Barack Obama said it himself in his first post-election press conference. Speaking at the White House on November 14, Obama said conversations with families, workers and small business owners along the campaign trail had left him convinced that average Americans deserved more from Washington.

What Obama is Going to Say on Meet The Press

Chris Frates | December 30, 2012
On a decisive day in the fiscal cliff talk, President Obama used his appearance on NBC's Meet the Press to remind Republicans that he'll use all the pulpits at his disposal to bully them into accepting a deal and, failing that, blame them for sending the nation over the cliff. 
White House

Cliff Diving Would Pose Dangers For Obama's 2nd-Term Agenda

Caren Bohan | December 27, 2012
If Washington plunges off the fiscal cliff on New Year’s Day, President Obama will have a strong hand to play in the fight over expiring tax cuts and automatic spending reductions set to hit the economy, but a drawn-out standoff could also wreak havoc on his ability to tackle big second-term agenda items such as tax reform, immigration and gun control.
Kids playing in open fire hydrant

Weather or Not

Catherine Hollander | July 12, 2012
An extremely hot summer, like this one, isn’t as disruptive to the economy as a very cold winter.
See More National Journal Coverage of Consumer spending and behavior
Follow National Journal