Monday Musings

Monday already? Okay, then. Only 3 1/2 weeks until the big move, with a ton of stuff to get done.

Picking up where we left off, markets brace for today's opening. Our Standard and Poor's credit rating took a hit for not doing enough to stimulate the economy. The Treasury tried to convince S & P not to downgrade us, but they just didn't believe the deal we made is stable enough, nor do they believe there will be another deal. And they warn of further downgrade. There's another week before the super-committee will be named and get to work. If we have another recession, it's likely to be worse than the first. And the experts think we'll never get back to the prosperity we saw before the last recession. Geez -- reading the NY Times today makes me want to go hide under the covers back in bed!

But it's not just here. European leaders also try to calm their markets as Asian markets drop on opening on the first day after the US debt downgrade. Here are 5 ways the US downgrade affects you. How did a GOP minority take control of the public policy agenda? Even worse, how did we end up with all this debt when only 10 years ago, we were in great shape?

Is it really the credit rating causing the problem, or do we just have an ailing economy? Secretary Tim Geithner says S & P got it wrong. Lots of finger-pointing over the week-end won't change what happens today, as we see how the markets react. One thing's for sure -- it's going to be harder to find money to support a jobs agenda in this deficit-reduction climate.

Health care jobs are one of the strongest growing job sectors. A lot of this is due to health reform. Think about that before you urge repeal.

Will health reform lower premium prices? To a large extent, it depends on what states do with their ratesetting powers.

Medicare costs for hospice care increase 70%.

How to fight a hospital bill.

States that eliminate respite care struggle to find other ways for elderly and those with disabilities to spend their time.

How do we care for cancer patients once the disease is in remission?

Incivility is a growing problem at work. Or so say psychologists.

And that's our start to the week. Have a great day! Jennifer