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FOXNEWS.COM HOME > POLITICS
Report: Federal Credit Crisis Tab at $5 Trillion and Climbing
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
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The latest proposal by Democratic lawmakers to aid ailing automakers includes $25 billion in emergency loans, but that practically amounts to spare change compared to the federal government's total tab for the continuing credit crisis, Forbes reports.
The magazine, citing the research firm CreditSights, said the federal liability so far is at $5 trillion — and it's still rising.
The total is the cumulative price tag of the various government bailouts, loans and assistance packages intended to shore up the financial industry and revive the flagging economy. It includes efforts spearheaded by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair.
The report lays most of the cost at the feet of the Federal Reserve for lending $1 trillion in short-term loans to primary lenders since March and issuing an additional $1.8 trillion in short-term loans since January through another initiative. Some of the money already has been paid back, Forbes reports.
The emerging crisis prompted the federal government this fall to secure bailout packages for several major financial companies — including Bear Stearns and AIG — to prevent them from failing.
Note: AIG and Bear Stearns are well known in the Insurance Industry.
Congress, meanwhile, approved a $700 billion bailout package aimed at providing relief to financial institutions, though Paulson said Wednesday that the administration had decided against using the money to purchase distressed mortgage assess from Wall Street firms. Instead, the government intends to provide money directly to struggling financial firms.
Click here for more on the story from Forbes.
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Paulson shifts course, won't buy troubled assets
U.S. to use proceeds of $700 billion plan to bolster banking system directly
Image:Henry Paulson
Susan Walsh / AP
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson calls on a reporter during a news conference at the Treasury Department. "This market, which is vital for lending and growth, has for all practical purposes ground to a halt," Paulson said.
View related photos
Video
U.S. shifts course on bailout
Nov. 12: A CNBC panel reacts to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's revelation that the government will not buy bad mortgage-related assets and will instead work to stabilize banks and credit markets.
CNBC
Bailout lacks oversight
Amid slump, need for government aid soaring
Paulson: Troubled assets won't be purchased
Paulson's about-face is just the beginning
Washington is on the hook for $5 trillion
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updated 4:51 p.m. ET Nov. 12, 2008
WASHINGTON - In a stunning turnabout, the Bush administration Wednesday abandoned the original centerpiece of its $700 billion effort to rescue the financial system and said it will not use the money to purchase troubled bank assets.
"Our assessment at this time is that this (the purchase of toxic assets) is not the most effective way to use funds," Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told a news conference.
Note: Paulson is a well respected personality in the U.S.
Paulson said the administration will continue to use $250 billion of the program to purchase stock in banks as a way to bolster their balance sheets and encourage them to resume more normal lending.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here
But he was noncommittal about direct support for the auto industry, saying it was a "critical industry" but that the bailout plan was not designed for them.
Asked about a Democratic congressional leadership plan to rush financial aid to the industry, Paulson cautioned that "any solution has got to be leading to long-term viability" for the automakers.
Stocks, already reeling, ended trading sharply lower, partly because Paulson's comments at a news briefing underscored the extent of the problems in the financial system. The Dow lost more than 400 points.
Investors also were concerned that the Treasury will be investing more taxpayer dollars into the banking sector, which will dilute the value of existing shareholders, said Rudy Narvas, senior analyst at 4Cast Ltd. in New York.
Aides to President-elect Barack Obama have been playing down reports of tension with the Bush administration over help for the stricken auto industry.
Struggling General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are seeking $25 billion in additional assistance on top of $25 billion in federal loans approved in September to help them develop more fuel-efficient cars. GM reported last week that it lost $2.5 billion in the latest quarter and does not have enough cash to make it through 2009, raising the prospect of a potential bankruptcy filing. Company executives say they are determined to avoid bankruptcy.
Democratic Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, announced Wednesday he would introduce legislation that would appropriate $25 billion of the $700 billion bailout as loans to automakers in exchange for a government stake.
Paulson on Wednesday said that non-financial firms as well as banks may need additional cash infusions but that he saw "implementation difficulties" aiding companies that were not federally regulated.
Paulson said the administration was looking at a major expansion of the program into the markets that provide support for credit card debt, auto loans and student loans. He said 40 percent of U.S. consumer credit is provided through selling securities that are backed by pools of these loans.
"This market, which is vital for lending and growth, has for all practical purposes ground to a halt," Paulson said.
Paulson said the massive bailout effort, the largest in U.S. history, was showing results but that more efforts were needed given the most severe downturn being faced in housing.
"Our financial system remains fragile in the face of an economic downturn here and abroad," Paulson said. "Market turmoil will not abate until the biggest part of the housing correction is behind us. Our primary focus must be recovery and repair."
CONTINUED : 'Potential damage to the economy'
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Paulson shifts course, won't buy troubled assets
U.S. to use proceeds of $700 billion plan to bolster banking system directly
Image:Henry Paulson
Susan Walsh / AP
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson calls on a reporter during a news conference at the Treasury Department. "This market, which is vital for lending and growth, has for all practical purposes ground to a halt," Paulson said.
View related photos
Video
U.S. shifts course on bailout
Nov. 12: A CNBC panel reacts to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's revelation that the government will not buy bad mortgage-related assets and will instead work to stabilize banks and credit markets.
CNBC
Bailout lacks oversight
Amid slump, need for government aid soaring
Paulson: Troubled assets won't be purchased
Paulson's about-face is just the beginning
Washington is on the hook for $5 trillion
Newsvine: Discuss the crisis
Dems step up push for auto industry bailout
Stocks dive for 3rd day, Dow ends off 400-plus
Market update
Index
Last
Change
% change
• DJIA 8282.66 -411.30 -4.73%
• NASDAQ 1499.21 -81.69 -5.17%
• S&P 500 852.30 -46.65 -5.19%
Enter company symbol • Look up symbol
Sponsored by Scottrade: Switch and get up to $100!
Data: MSN Money and ComStock
Video: Economy in turmoil
Dow falls more than 400 points
Nov. 12: CNBC's Steve Liesman offers economic analysis on Wednesday's downturn on Wall Street.
Bracing for a lean holiday season
Feeling the chill from high heating bills
Bad economy keeping couples married
Poor earnings, bailout shift, lead markets lower
Timeline
Economy in turmoil
A look at the events leading up to the mess on Wall Street.
msnbc.com news services
updated 4:51 p.m. ET Nov. 12, 2008
WASHINGTON - In a stunning turnabout, the Bush administration Wednesday abandoned the original centerpiece of its $700 billion effort to rescue the financial system and said it will not use the money to purchase troubled bank assets.
"Our assessment at this time is that this (the purchase of toxic assets) is not the most effective way to use funds," Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told a news conference.
Note: Paulson is a well respected personality in the U.S.
Paulson said the administration will continue to use $250 billion of the program to purchase stock in banks as a way to bolster their balance sheets and encourage them to resume more normal lending.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here
But he was noncommittal about direct support for the auto industry, saying it was a "critical industry" but that the bailout plan was not designed for them.
Asked about a Democratic congressional leadership plan to rush financial aid to the industry, Paulson cautioned that "any solution has got to be leading to long-term viability" for the automakers.
Stocks, already reeling, ended trading sharply lower, partly because Paulson's comments at a news briefing underscored the extent of the problems in the financial system. The Dow lost more than 400 points.
Investors also were concerned that the Treasury will be investing more taxpayer dollars into the banking sector, which will dilute the value of existing shareholders, said Rudy Narvas, senior analyst at 4Cast Ltd. in New York.
Aides to President-elect Barack Obama have been playing down reports of tension with the Bush administration over help for the stricken auto industry.
Struggling General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are seeking $25 billion in additional assistance on top of $25 billion in federal loans approved in September to help them develop more fuel-efficient cars. GM reported last week that it lost $2.5 billion in the latest quarter and does not have enough cash to make it through 2009, raising the prospect of a potential bankruptcy filing. Company executives say they are determined to avoid bankruptcy.
Democratic Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, announced Wednesday he would introduce legislation that would appropriate $25 billion of the $700 billion bailout as loans to automakers in exchange for a government stake.
Paulson on Wednesday said that non-financial firms as well as banks may need additional cash infusions but that he saw "implementation difficulties" aiding companies that were not federally regulated.
Paulson said the administration was looking at a major expansion of the program into the markets that provide support for credit card debt, auto loans and student loans. He said 40 percent of U.S. consumer credit is provided through selling securities that are backed by pools of these loans.
"This market, which is vital for lending and growth, has for all practical purposes ground to a halt," Paulson said.
Paulson said the massive bailout effort, the largest in U.S. history, was showing results but that more efforts were needed given the most severe downturn being faced in housing.
"Our financial system remains fragile in the face of an economic downturn here and abroad," Paulson said. "Market turmoil will not abate until the biggest part of the housing correction is behind us. Our primary focus must be recovery and repair."
CONTINUED : 'Potential damage to the economy'
1 | 2 | Next >
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3.5 after 1027 ratings
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MORE FROM ECONOMY IN TURMOIL
Paulson's about-face is just the beginning
Bailout lacks oversight
Amid slump, need for government aid soaring
Paulson: Troubled assets won't be purchased
Paulson's about-face is just the beginning
Washington is on the hook for $5 trillion
Newsvine: Discuss the crisis
Dems step up push for auto industry bailout
Stocks dive for 3rd day, Dow ends off 400-plus
Best Buy, Macy's riddled by slow spending
Obama taps bipartisan economic summit team
Economy in Turmoil Section Front
Add Economy in Turmoil headlines to your news reader:
Add to MyMSNAdd to My Yahoo!Subscribe with Bloglines
• More RSS feeds from MSNBC.com
Top msnbc.com stories
Bailout lacks oversight
Dems step up push for auto bailout
Gay couples start marry in Conn.
Little help for stuck air passengers
Treasury switches gears on bailout
NBC News highlights
Gun sales skyrocketing
Bracing for a lean holiday season
11 things he wants from you
Where are the 'Top Chefs' now?
Video: Pres. Bush's most memorable gaffes
SPONSORED LINKS Get listed here
Resource guide
Friday, November 14, 2008
Obama's Promises, Vision to Collide with Reality
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FOXNEWS.COM HOME > POLITICS
Obama's promises, vision to collide with reality
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
By JIM DRINKARD, Associated Press Writer
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WASHINGTON — Over a two-year campaign, Barack Obama laid out a vision for the nation's future in soaring speeches that enthralled his audiences. With his victory in the presidential election on Tuesday, those goals will collide with daunting realities.
Note: Obama is the newly elected U.S. President.
President Obama will inherit a budget deficit that many analysts say could hit a trillion dollars for the first time in history, severely crimping any promises for tax cuts or spending on new programs. He faces a diving economy that has traumatized Americans trying to buy a home, pay for college or plan for retirement. And he'll confront the complexities of trying to extricate U.S. forces from Iraq, and a resurgent conflict in Afghanistan. A look at Obama's campaign promises and the challenges that stand in their way:
THE ECONOMY, TAXES AND DEFICITS
The promise: Retain President Bush's tax cuts for families making less than $250,000 a year and provide more relief to the squeezed middle class by creating new tax breaks for lower-income families; protect middle-class taxpayers from the Alternative Minimum Tax; exempt seniors making less than $50,000 a year from paying income taxes, expand the tax credit for college and provide incentives to encourage savings, and help pay for child care and mortgage expenses.
For the shorter term, Obama supported the $700 billion financial bailout plan passed in October and backs a second stimulus plan that would provide up to about $150 billion on top of the $168 billion package of tax rebates passed earlier in the year. It could provide tax rebates or credits, extend jobless benefits and spending on infrastructure projects like roads and bridges, as well as sending food aid to the poor and money to states to pay their Medicaid bills. Separately, Obama also proposed a $1,000 emergency energy rebate to families and penalty-free withdrawals of up to $10,000 from 401(k)s and IRA's. He also proposes a $3,000-per-employee tax credit to companies for each new job they create.
The problem: Obama's spending plans and middle-class tax relief will confront exploding budget deficits _ $438 billion this year, and growing as the down economy reduces tax revenues and increases spending on bailouts and anti-recessionary programs. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates Obama's proposals would reduce projected tax revenue by $2.95 trillion over the next decade, compared to what would happen if Bush's tax cuts were to expire as scheduled at the end of 2010.
ENERGY
The promise: A crash program to begin to wean the country off of its dependence on oil. The goal is to reduce U.S. petroleum demand by an amount equal to the 3.5 million barrels a day now imported from unfriendly Venezuela and the volatile Persian Gulf. Obama also would invest $15 billion a year over the next 10 years to spur commercial development of alternative energy _ wind, biomass and solar _ and more energy-efficient buildings and automobiles. And he wants a short-term rebate of $1,000 per couple to help with rising energy costs.
The problem: Here, too, the economic crisis throws new spending into doubt _ including Obama's alternative energy plans. The $150 billion program also is tied to Congess tackling global warming by putting a price on greenhouse gases, a prospect that faces many obstacles. The call for an energy rebate also may lose its urgency as gasoline prices have dropped by more than a third and heating oil by almost half from their peaks last summer.
HEALTH CARE
The promise: Increase the number of people with health insurance by having the government subsidize the cost of coverage for low- and middle-income families. To help pay for that expense, increase taxes for those families earning more than $250,000. Obama also would require employers not offering health coverage to pay a percentage of their payroll toward a national health plan. Small businesses would be exempt. He would also mandate that children have health insurance, and he would expand who can participate in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
Obama's plan would let people choose a public, Medicare-like plan or browse a shopping center of sorts for private insurance plans. The National Health Insurance Exchange would create rules and standards for participating private plans, and insurers would have to issue every applicant a policy regardless of pre-existing health conditions.
The problem: While the plan would help millions of people obtain health insurance, health analysts say it falls short of universal coverage. The Tax Policy Center says the Obama plan would reduce the number of uninsured by 18 million in the first full year of operation, from the current figure of 45 million. That still would leave millions of uninsured adults. Meanwhile, the penalty on employers that don't offer health insurance could increase the cost of operating a business. Also, the plan will cost an estimated $1.6 trillion over 10 years, according to the Tax Policy Center.
FOREIGN POLICY
The promise: Obama says he would engage both allies and adversaries to repair the U.S. image abroad and regain leverage and leadership that he says Bush squandered with the Iraq war. He says he will marshal international pressure against Iran, boost U.S. efforts against extremists along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and get a faster and firmer start on Middle East peacemaking. He vowed to "renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression."
FOREIGN POLICY
The promise: Obama says he would engage both allies and adversaries to repair the U.S. image abroad and regain leverage and leadership that he says Bush squandered with the Iraq war. He says he will marshal international pressure against Iran, boost U.S. efforts against extremists along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and get a faster and firmer start on Middle East peacemaking. He vowed to "renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression."
The problem: The Bush administration has already reversed many of its policies that other nations saw as isolationist or bullying _ for example, by joining international diplomatic efforts with "axis of evil" nations Iran and North Korea. But even those haven't produced great results and neither has yet to achieve its desired goal. Obama has suggested he would continue such efforts, but there is no guarantee they will yield greater success. The Bush administration has also in recent weeks engaged in unilateral strikes against extremists inside both Pakistan and Syria, prompting furious responses from those countries. Obama says he, too, will go after terrorists this way but any president wanting to step up such activities will face strong resistance from local authorities and probably pay the price for violating other nations' sovereignty by seeing cooperation cut back.
DEFENSE
The promise: Pull all U.S. combat forces out of Iraq within 16 months, send more combat troops to Afghanistan and provide better care for wounded troops and veterans.
Note: U.S. Troops were sent by the past U.S. President Bush.
The problem: A troop pullout by mid-2010 is feasible, although some argue that it risks shifting full responsibility to Iraq's security forces before they are ready. The Bush administration, which originally opposed setting any pullout date, has targeted departure by the end of 2011, although the Iraqis have yet to agree.
Until U.S. forces are pulled from Iraq, there are none to bolster the force in Afghanistan. Balancing needs in those two countries will be an immediate challenge for Obama. There is broad consensus on the need for more troops to combat an emboldened insurgency in Afghanistan and to train government troops there, but the trick is to accomplish that without giving up gains against the insurgency in Iraq and without robbing combat-weary soldiers and Marines of the rest periods they need.
Caring for veterans and the wounded entails enormous costs, and the scope of the health care requirements for returning troops is not yet fully known.
EDUCATION
The promise: An $18 billion plan that would encourage, but not mandate, universal pre-kindergarten; teacher pay raises tied to, although not based solely on, test scores; an overhaul of President Bush's No Child Left Behind law to better measure student progress, make room for subjects like music and art and be less punitive toward failing schools, and a tax credit to pay up to $4,000 of college costs for students who perform 100 hours of community service a year. Obama would pay for part of his plan by ending corporate tax deductions for CEO pay. He has backed away from his proposal to save money by delaying NASA's moon and Mars missions.
The problem: With the budget stretched thin, a huge infusion of cash for early childhood education or college costs seems unlikely. Federal spending on education has already been rising for more than a decade. Congress and the White House will be in no hurry to tackle No Child Left Behind, which was due for a rewrite in 2007; the economy, the war and health care are stickier and more pressing concerns.
___
Associated Press writers Tom Raum, Kevin Freking, Robert Burns, H. Josef Hebert, Matthew Lee and Libby Quaid contributed to this story.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Obama's promises, vision to collide with reality
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
By JIM DRINKARD, Associated Press Writer
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WASHINGTON — Over a two-year campaign, Barack Obama laid out a vision for the nation's future in soaring speeches that enthralled his audiences. With his victory in the presidential election on Tuesday, those goals will collide with daunting realities.
Note: Obama is the newly elected U.S. President.
President Obama will inherit a budget deficit that many analysts say could hit a trillion dollars for the first time in history, severely crimping any promises for tax cuts or spending on new programs. He faces a diving economy that has traumatized Americans trying to buy a home, pay for college or plan for retirement. And he'll confront the complexities of trying to extricate U.S. forces from Iraq, and a resurgent conflict in Afghanistan. A look at Obama's campaign promises and the challenges that stand in their way:
THE ECONOMY, TAXES AND DEFICITS
The promise: Retain President Bush's tax cuts for families making less than $250,000 a year and provide more relief to the squeezed middle class by creating new tax breaks for lower-income families; protect middle-class taxpayers from the Alternative Minimum Tax; exempt seniors making less than $50,000 a year from paying income taxes, expand the tax credit for college and provide incentives to encourage savings, and help pay for child care and mortgage expenses.
For the shorter term, Obama supported the $700 billion financial bailout plan passed in October and backs a second stimulus plan that would provide up to about $150 billion on top of the $168 billion package of tax rebates passed earlier in the year. It could provide tax rebates or credits, extend jobless benefits and spending on infrastructure projects like roads and bridges, as well as sending food aid to the poor and money to states to pay their Medicaid bills. Separately, Obama also proposed a $1,000 emergency energy rebate to families and penalty-free withdrawals of up to $10,000 from 401(k)s and IRA's. He also proposes a $3,000-per-employee tax credit to companies for each new job they create.
The problem: Obama's spending plans and middle-class tax relief will confront exploding budget deficits _ $438 billion this year, and growing as the down economy reduces tax revenues and increases spending on bailouts and anti-recessionary programs. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates Obama's proposals would reduce projected tax revenue by $2.95 trillion over the next decade, compared to what would happen if Bush's tax cuts were to expire as scheduled at the end of 2010.
ENERGY
The promise: A crash program to begin to wean the country off of its dependence on oil. The goal is to reduce U.S. petroleum demand by an amount equal to the 3.5 million barrels a day now imported from unfriendly Venezuela and the volatile Persian Gulf. Obama also would invest $15 billion a year over the next 10 years to spur commercial development of alternative energy _ wind, biomass and solar _ and more energy-efficient buildings and automobiles. And he wants a short-term rebate of $1,000 per couple to help with rising energy costs.
The problem: Here, too, the economic crisis throws new spending into doubt _ including Obama's alternative energy plans. The $150 billion program also is tied to Congess tackling global warming by putting a price on greenhouse gases, a prospect that faces many obstacles. The call for an energy rebate also may lose its urgency as gasoline prices have dropped by more than a third and heating oil by almost half from their peaks last summer.
HEALTH CARE
The promise: Increase the number of people with health insurance by having the government subsidize the cost of coverage for low- and middle-income families. To help pay for that expense, increase taxes for those families earning more than $250,000. Obama also would require employers not offering health coverage to pay a percentage of their payroll toward a national health plan. Small businesses would be exempt. He would also mandate that children have health insurance, and he would expand who can participate in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
Obama's plan would let people choose a public, Medicare-like plan or browse a shopping center of sorts for private insurance plans. The National Health Insurance Exchange would create rules and standards for participating private plans, and insurers would have to issue every applicant a policy regardless of pre-existing health conditions.
The problem: While the plan would help millions of people obtain health insurance, health analysts say it falls short of universal coverage. The Tax Policy Center says the Obama plan would reduce the number of uninsured by 18 million in the first full year of operation, from the current figure of 45 million. That still would leave millions of uninsured adults. Meanwhile, the penalty on employers that don't offer health insurance could increase the cost of operating a business. Also, the plan will cost an estimated $1.6 trillion over 10 years, according to the Tax Policy Center.
FOREIGN POLICY
The promise: Obama says he would engage both allies and adversaries to repair the U.S. image abroad and regain leverage and leadership that he says Bush squandered with the Iraq war. He says he will marshal international pressure against Iran, boost U.S. efforts against extremists along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and get a faster and firmer start on Middle East peacemaking. He vowed to "renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression."
FOREIGN POLICY
The promise: Obama says he would engage both allies and adversaries to repair the U.S. image abroad and regain leverage and leadership that he says Bush squandered with the Iraq war. He says he will marshal international pressure against Iran, boost U.S. efforts against extremists along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and get a faster and firmer start on Middle East peacemaking. He vowed to "renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression."
The problem: The Bush administration has already reversed many of its policies that other nations saw as isolationist or bullying _ for example, by joining international diplomatic efforts with "axis of evil" nations Iran and North Korea. But even those haven't produced great results and neither has yet to achieve its desired goal. Obama has suggested he would continue such efforts, but there is no guarantee they will yield greater success. The Bush administration has also in recent weeks engaged in unilateral strikes against extremists inside both Pakistan and Syria, prompting furious responses from those countries. Obama says he, too, will go after terrorists this way but any president wanting to step up such activities will face strong resistance from local authorities and probably pay the price for violating other nations' sovereignty by seeing cooperation cut back.
DEFENSE
The promise: Pull all U.S. combat forces out of Iraq within 16 months, send more combat troops to Afghanistan and provide better care for wounded troops and veterans.
Note: U.S. Troops were sent by the past U.S. President Bush.
The problem: A troop pullout by mid-2010 is feasible, although some argue that it risks shifting full responsibility to Iraq's security forces before they are ready. The Bush administration, which originally opposed setting any pullout date, has targeted departure by the end of 2011, although the Iraqis have yet to agree.
Until U.S. forces are pulled from Iraq, there are none to bolster the force in Afghanistan. Balancing needs in those two countries will be an immediate challenge for Obama. There is broad consensus on the need for more troops to combat an emboldened insurgency in Afghanistan and to train government troops there, but the trick is to accomplish that without giving up gains against the insurgency in Iraq and without robbing combat-weary soldiers and Marines of the rest periods they need.
Caring for veterans and the wounded entails enormous costs, and the scope of the health care requirements for returning troops is not yet fully known.
EDUCATION
The promise: An $18 billion plan that would encourage, but not mandate, universal pre-kindergarten; teacher pay raises tied to, although not based solely on, test scores; an overhaul of President Bush's No Child Left Behind law to better measure student progress, make room for subjects like music and art and be less punitive toward failing schools, and a tax credit to pay up to $4,000 of college costs for students who perform 100 hours of community service a year. Obama would pay for part of his plan by ending corporate tax deductions for CEO pay. He has backed away from his proposal to save money by delaying NASA's moon and Mars missions.
The problem: With the budget stretched thin, a huge infusion of cash for early childhood education or college costs seems unlikely. Federal spending on education has already been rising for more than a decade. Congress and the White House will be in no hurry to tackle No Child Left Behind, which was due for a rewrite in 2007; the economy, the war and health care are stickier and more pressing concerns.
___
Associated Press writers Tom Raum, Kevin Freking, Robert Burns, H. Josef Hebert, Matthew Lee and Libby Quaid contributed to this story.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Thursday, November 13, 2008
Personal Bankruptcy: What you should know
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Personal bankruptcy: What you should know
October filings of 880,000 have eclipsed filings for entire year of 2007
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updated 5:00 p.m. ET Nov. 12, 2008
NEW YORK - If mounting credit card bills are threatening to pull you under, you may be considering bankruptcy as a way to hit the restart button.
The American Bankruptcy Institute expects worsening economic conditions to drive up the number of consumer filings this year to their highest level since stricter bankruptcy terms went into effect in 2005.
Note: American BAnkruptcy Institute is a well known institute in America.
The more than 880,000 filings through October have already eclipsed the 823,000 filings for all of 2007. It's no wonder, with government figures showing Americans are lumbering under some $900 billion in credit card debt.
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Bankruptcy comes with serious consequences for your credit profile, however. So if you're considering bankruptcy as a way out, here are six questions to ask yourself.
1. What type of bankruptcies are there?
There are two bankruptcy options for individuals.
Most people file for chapter 7 bankruptcy, which wipes clean unsecured debt such as credit card or medical bills. What won't disappear are fixed debts including mortgages, student loans, taxes and child support.
Under the second option, chapter 13 bankruptcy, filers agree to repay creditors over three to five years. Chapter 13 is typically for people who think they will be able to repay lenders and hold onto their home and other belongings.
There is no debt limit to file for chapter 7. For chapter 13, however, people can only have about $1 million in secured debt and some $350,000 in unsecured debt. This is to prevent businesses or wealthy individuals with business debts from applying.
2. Who can apply?
Eligibility for chapter 7 is determined by a formula known as the means test, which weighs your income against your ability to pay creditors. Your attorney calculates the test and it is vetted by a trustee.
A family earning $100,000 or less generally won't have problems filing for chapter 7 because the means test factors in living expenses. People who received a chapter 7 discharge in the past eight years are not eligible.
A similar means test is used to determine eligibility for chapter 13. People who got a chapter 7 discharge in the past four years or a chapter 13 discharge in the past two years are not eligible.
3. How do I get started and what are the costs?
Depending on the complexity of a chapter 7 case, you'll need to pay a lawyer an upfront fee of about $1,000 to $2,000, said Henry Sommer, president of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. Chapter 13 cases usually cost about $2,000 to $3,000 since they require developing a payment plan over several years.
In both cases, there is a court filing fee of about $300. You'll also need to pay roughly $100 for a mandatory credit counseling session and budgeting class.
Both sessions typically last about 45 minutes and may be in person, via phone or online.
If these costs seem out of reach, there are nonprofit groups that provide pro bono legal services. Court fees may also be waived for those who can't afford them.
4. What can I keep?
Pensions and 401(k) retirement accounts are usually safe under bankruptcy proceedings.
Depending on where you live, you may also be allowed to keep a limited amount of property under chapter 7.
In Massachusetts, for instance, people can keep up to $500,000 in home equity as long as there are no liens on the house, said Jack Williams, resident scholar of the American Bankruptcy Institute and a professor of bankruptcy law at Georgia State University.
By comparison, Maryland doesn't let people hold onto any home equity while Texas puts no cap on how much home equity people can keep. Some states also have capped exemptions for motor vehicles.
"Wild card" exemptions in several states let people keep as much as $20,000 in cash or other assets. The court typically won't go after property worth less than $1,000, because it might take more to administer the liquidation than it's worth.
You may also claim exemptions under chapter 13, but filers often hold onto their belongings by repaying creditors.
5. How does the process work?
Once you file for bankruptcy, an automatic stay immediately requires creditors to stop collection efforts. That means no more phone calls, letters or lawsuits.
Under chapter 7, you still need to pay mortgages and other secured debt.
Within 20 to 40 days after you file for bankruptcy, a trustee will schedule a meeting with you to go over your financial records. Creditors then have up to 60 days to object to the findings, after which your debts may be discharged.
Only the debts you list when you file for bankruptcy are erased. Any debt you incur or money you earn after filing for chapter 7 is not subject to proceedings. The process should take about four months from filing to approval.
For chapter 13 bankruptcy, filers start making payments immediately after the court approves the repayment plan.
Interest rates on mortgages, credit cards and other debts will likely drop substantially and the principal may also be reduced. During the repayment process, applications for new loans need to be approved by the trustee.
6. What are the repercussions?
Filing for bankruptcy comes with serious consequences.
To start, a chapter 7 bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years while a chapter 13 sticks around for seven years.
Those with decent to good credit can also expect to see their scores drop by at least 100 points, said Barry Paperno, a spokesman for Fair Isaac Corp. Someone who doesn't have many credit card bills but suddenly incurs major medical expenses may fall into this category.
The exact impact on your score depends on how much debt was discharged and how many different accounts were involved. For instance, bankruptcy may have very little impact on someone who already has bad credit — which is often the case for filers. This might apply to people with scores of 500 or lower.
Of course a bankruptcy filing will hamper your ability to get credit going forward, so if you're in habit of living above your means that's an issue bankruptcy can't address.
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Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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October filings of 880,000 have eclipsed filings for entire year of 2007
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updated 5:00 p.m. ET Nov. 12, 2008
NEW YORK - If mounting credit card bills are threatening to pull you under, you may be considering bankruptcy as a way to hit the restart button.
The American Bankruptcy Institute expects worsening economic conditions to drive up the number of consumer filings this year to their highest level since stricter bankruptcy terms went into effect in 2005.
Note: American BAnkruptcy Institute is a well known institute in America.
The more than 880,000 filings through October have already eclipsed the 823,000 filings for all of 2007. It's no wonder, with government figures showing Americans are lumbering under some $900 billion in credit card debt.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here
Bankruptcy comes with serious consequences for your credit profile, however. So if you're considering bankruptcy as a way out, here are six questions to ask yourself.
1. What type of bankruptcies are there?
There are two bankruptcy options for individuals.
Most people file for chapter 7 bankruptcy, which wipes clean unsecured debt such as credit card or medical bills. What won't disappear are fixed debts including mortgages, student loans, taxes and child support.
Under the second option, chapter 13 bankruptcy, filers agree to repay creditors over three to five years. Chapter 13 is typically for people who think they will be able to repay lenders and hold onto their home and other belongings.
There is no debt limit to file for chapter 7. For chapter 13, however, people can only have about $1 million in secured debt and some $350,000 in unsecured debt. This is to prevent businesses or wealthy individuals with business debts from applying.
2. Who can apply?
Eligibility for chapter 7 is determined by a formula known as the means test, which weighs your income against your ability to pay creditors. Your attorney calculates the test and it is vetted by a trustee.
A family earning $100,000 or less generally won't have problems filing for chapter 7 because the means test factors in living expenses. People who received a chapter 7 discharge in the past eight years are not eligible.
A similar means test is used to determine eligibility for chapter 13. People who got a chapter 7 discharge in the past four years or a chapter 13 discharge in the past two years are not eligible.
3. How do I get started and what are the costs?
Depending on the complexity of a chapter 7 case, you'll need to pay a lawyer an upfront fee of about $1,000 to $2,000, said Henry Sommer, president of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. Chapter 13 cases usually cost about $2,000 to $3,000 since they require developing a payment plan over several years.
In both cases, there is a court filing fee of about $300. You'll also need to pay roughly $100 for a mandatory credit counseling session and budgeting class.
Both sessions typically last about 45 minutes and may be in person, via phone or online.
If these costs seem out of reach, there are nonprofit groups that provide pro bono legal services. Court fees may also be waived for those who can't afford them.
4. What can I keep?
Pensions and 401(k) retirement accounts are usually safe under bankruptcy proceedings.
Depending on where you live, you may also be allowed to keep a limited amount of property under chapter 7.
In Massachusetts, for instance, people can keep up to $500,000 in home equity as long as there are no liens on the house, said Jack Williams, resident scholar of the American Bankruptcy Institute and a professor of bankruptcy law at Georgia State University.
By comparison, Maryland doesn't let people hold onto any home equity while Texas puts no cap on how much home equity people can keep. Some states also have capped exemptions for motor vehicles.
"Wild card" exemptions in several states let people keep as much as $20,000 in cash or other assets. The court typically won't go after property worth less than $1,000, because it might take more to administer the liquidation than it's worth.
You may also claim exemptions under chapter 13, but filers often hold onto their belongings by repaying creditors.
5. How does the process work?
Once you file for bankruptcy, an automatic stay immediately requires creditors to stop collection efforts. That means no more phone calls, letters or lawsuits.
Under chapter 7, you still need to pay mortgages and other secured debt.
Within 20 to 40 days after you file for bankruptcy, a trustee will schedule a meeting with you to go over your financial records. Creditors then have up to 60 days to object to the findings, after which your debts may be discharged.
Only the debts you list when you file for bankruptcy are erased. Any debt you incur or money you earn after filing for chapter 7 is not subject to proceedings. The process should take about four months from filing to approval.
For chapter 13 bankruptcy, filers start making payments immediately after the court approves the repayment plan.
Interest rates on mortgages, credit cards and other debts will likely drop substantially and the principal may also be reduced. During the repayment process, applications for new loans need to be approved by the trustee.
6. What are the repercussions?
Filing for bankruptcy comes with serious consequences.
To start, a chapter 7 bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years while a chapter 13 sticks around for seven years.
Those with decent to good credit can also expect to see their scores drop by at least 100 points, said Barry Paperno, a spokesman for Fair Isaac Corp. Someone who doesn't have many credit card bills but suddenly incurs major medical expenses may fall into this category.
The exact impact on your score depends on how much debt was discharged and how many different accounts were involved. For instance, bankruptcy may have very little impact on someone who already has bad credit — which is often the case for filers. This might apply to people with scores of 500 or lower.
Of course a bankruptcy filing will hamper your ability to get credit going forward, so if you're in habit of living above your means that's an issue bankruptcy can't address.
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Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Having a Credit Card Problem? Here's Help
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Note: Credit Card is commonly used in the Urban Areas.
The bank just lowered my credit limit. Can they do that?
Yes. And they don't even need a good reason. All they have to do is give you 15 days written notice. That lower credit limit can have a dramatic impact on your credit score because it changes your debt-to-credit limit ratio. "It looks like you're using more of your available credit," notes Greg McBride, senior financial analyst at bankrate.com, "even though you didn't put an extra dime on that card." If this happens, contact the credit card company and try to get the limit raised.
Is there any downside to running up charges that come close to my credit limit, as long as I don't go over it?
Yes. It could hurt your credit score, which could result in a higher interest rate. The lower you can keep your balances, the more it helps your credit score. Experts say you are asking for trouble if your balance exceeds 30% of your credit limit.
What is the best way to pay off the balances on multiple cards?
Make at least the minimum payments on all of your cards. Then pay whatever extra you can afford on the cards with the highest interest rates. Don't assume you know the annual percentage rate on each card. Check your latest monthly statements. For various reasons, the interest rate could be higher than when you first got the card.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here
Should I cancel old credit cards that I no longer use?
No. It seems like the logical thing to do, but if you close old accounts you may lower your credit score. Two of the factors used to calculate that score are history (how long you've had credit) and debt-to-limit ratio (how much of your available credit is being used).
Closing an old account can shorten your credit history and increase your debt-to-limit ratio. Both will hurt your credit score.
"Leave them alone unless there is a compelling reason, like an annual fee, or a child who is a co-signer and might go on a spending spree," says Gerri Detweiler, credit advisor for credit.com.
Here's an important tip: use every card at least once a year to keep the account open. Banks don't want inactive accounts and they are aggressively closing them.
Do I need to sign my credit card?
Yes. That card is not valid unless signed. Visa and MasterCard require a clerk who is handed an unsigned card to ask for picture ID and have the customer sign the card on the spot. Otherwise, the transaction should be refused.
A lot of people think they can reduce the risk of fraud by writing "See ID" or "Ask for ID" on the back of the card rather than signing it. This does not negate your responsibility to sign the card and it does not obligate the clerk to request ID.
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Note: Credit Card is commonly used in the Urban Areas.
The bank just lowered my credit limit. Can they do that?
Yes. And they don't even need a good reason. All they have to do is give you 15 days written notice. That lower credit limit can have a dramatic impact on your credit score because it changes your debt-to-credit limit ratio. "It looks like you're using more of your available credit," notes Greg McBride, senior financial analyst at bankrate.com, "even though you didn't put an extra dime on that card." If this happens, contact the credit card company and try to get the limit raised.
Is there any downside to running up charges that come close to my credit limit, as long as I don't go over it?
Yes. It could hurt your credit score, which could result in a higher interest rate. The lower you can keep your balances, the more it helps your credit score. Experts say you are asking for trouble if your balance exceeds 30% of your credit limit.
What is the best way to pay off the balances on multiple cards?
Make at least the minimum payments on all of your cards. Then pay whatever extra you can afford on the cards with the highest interest rates. Don't assume you know the annual percentage rate on each card. Check your latest monthly statements. For various reasons, the interest rate could be higher than when you first got the card.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here
Should I cancel old credit cards that I no longer use?
No. It seems like the logical thing to do, but if you close old accounts you may lower your credit score. Two of the factors used to calculate that score are history (how long you've had credit) and debt-to-limit ratio (how much of your available credit is being used).
Closing an old account can shorten your credit history and increase your debt-to-limit ratio. Both will hurt your credit score.
"Leave them alone unless there is a compelling reason, like an annual fee, or a child who is a co-signer and might go on a spending spree," says Gerri Detweiler, credit advisor for credit.com.
Here's an important tip: use every card at least once a year to keep the account open. Banks don't want inactive accounts and they are aggressively closing them.
Do I need to sign my credit card?
Yes. That card is not valid unless signed. Visa and MasterCard require a clerk who is handed an unsigned card to ask for picture ID and have the customer sign the card on the spot. Otherwise, the transaction should be refused.
A lot of people think they can reduce the risk of fraud by writing "See ID" or "Ask for ID" on the back of the card rather than signing it. This does not negate your responsibility to sign the card and it does not obligate the clerk to request ID.
Also in msnbc.com business
ConsumerMan: Credit card 101
Ads of the Weird: In the woods with HSBC
Your Career: Getting a job from Obama
Answer Desk: Big oil's big tax breaks
Video: Bracing for the financial week ahead
© 2008 msnbc.com
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Bailout lacks oversight
Dems step up push for auto bailout
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Thursday, November 6, 2008
IS THE CREDIT CRISIS ABOUT TO SEND AFRICA INTO YET ANOTHER DOWNWARD SPIRAL?
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E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Can Africa gain in the credit crisis?
A huge gem from Lesotho
By Martin Plaut
BBC News
Is the credit crisis about to send Africa into yet another downward spiral?
Perhaps not. In fact it is possible that the continent could fare better than the rest of the world.
This is at least in part because most African economies have been so marginal to the international economic system that they have been less affected than other regions of the globe.
Many countries have regulations which prevented them from investing in the so-called 'toxic' financial products
Davinder Sikand
Aureos Africa Fund
Davinder Sikand, managing partner for the Aureos Africa Fund, which has $400m (£236m) invested in the continent, says that Africa's banks have been so conservatively managed that they have almost no exposure to the sub-prime market that has caused such havoc elsewhere in the world.
NOTE: SIKAND IS A WELL RESPECTED PERSONALITY IN AUREOS AFRICA FUND.
"Most of our financial institutions are not directly impacted," he says.
"Many countries have regulations which prevented them from investing in the so-called 'toxic' financial products."
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) takes a similar view and says there is no systemic risk to any African country in terms of banking.
But if most African states have been relatively insulated from the credit crunch, the same cannot be said of the most developed economy on the continent - South Africa.
South Africa is affected in at least two ways:
* The rand has been severely hit, experiencing record falls as international investors claw back their money to meet more urgent needs at home. South Africa has run a sizeable balance of payments deficit in recent years, financed by foreign investment and this has been flowing out of the country
* Unlike many other African countries, South Africa has relied on raising large sums on international markets. The state's electricity supply company, Eskom, needs to raise more than $30bn (£17bn) over the next five years, but had to delay issuing bonds in the current market conditions.
But the rest of Africa does not get off scot free.
Growth rates
If the world goes into a slump, demand for Africa's commodities will fall, taking export earnings with them.
A power plant in China
China has an insatiable appetite for Africa's resources
Oil prices have halved from $147 (£87) a barrel to $70 (£41).
Although this will hit countries like Angola, Chad, Nigeria, and Sudan, most based their budgets on conservative oil prices and will not be too severely affected.
Nigeria's budget - for example - is based on a benchmark price of $62.50 (£37) a barrel.
Copper has also fallen, which will have a substantial effect on Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
But these are likely to be short-term effects, as China has an almost insatiable appetite for minerals.
It is likely to dent growth rates, which have averaged around 5% a year over the last 10 years.
Before this autumn's financial meltdown, the IMF was predicting growth of 6.6% this year; now it is predicting a 3% growth.
Mr Sikand agrees.
"There is likely to be a slowdown in African economies, but instead of talking about a 6% or 7% growth rate, you are talking about 3%, 4% or 5% growth."
'Hopeless continent'?
Economists believe Africa's growth is more solidly based than it has been in previous years.
If you are a direct investor... then political risk affects your every waking hour
Farouk Soussa
Standard and Poor's
And it is not just the obvious oil-producing countries that have been benefitting.
Countries like Botswana, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia have all done well in recent years.
So what has really improved Africa's economic prospects?
Major injections of foreign aid have helped, as have the billions sent back in remittances.
But probably the most important factor has been the improvement in economic management.
Razia Khan heads Standard Chartered Bank's African research effort.
"In recent year's we've seen improved macro-economic management; bringing budget deficits down, not having high rates of inflation, bringing interest rates down," says Ms Khan.
"This has helped change the prospects in Africa."
But if the future looks brighter in some countries, the same cannot be said right across the continent.
Voters in Angola
Democracy reduces risk, say investors
Africa still has its fair share of instability.
There is Sudan's western region of Darfur, Somalia and eastern DR Congo for a start - and that is before anyone mentions Zimbabwe.
Farouk Soussa deals with Africa for the international credit rating agency, Standard and Poor's.
For someone like him - advising international investors on whether to put their cash into African projects - risk is a constant headache.
"If you are a direct investor, and you are going to buy up a company, then political risk affects your every waking hour - from corruption, to changes in rules, to violence and crime," he says.
"But with the push for democratisation, there has been a reduction in risk."
Once the dust settles from the current credit crisis, the prospects for African growth look distinctly promising.
It may just be that it can - at last - shrug off its label once given it by the Economist magazine as "the hopeless continent".
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GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS
KEY STORIES
US treasury to sell bail-out bonds
South Korea in $11bn rescue plan
Recession fears grip US consumers
Bank of Japan makes rare rate cut
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World credit loss '£1.8 trillion'
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Man walks past share board in Japan World in turmoil
A look at what is happening in markets most affected by the credit crunch
African investment could be hit
China 'can be engine of growth'
Are my savings safe?
Have bail-outs worked?
CRISIS OVERVIEW
How market moves affect you
Timeline: Global credit crunch
Credit crunch jargon explained
Crisis in graphics
Smashed piggy bank Audio slideshow
Robert Peston's guide to the causes of the financial turmoil
HAVE YOUR SAY
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E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Can Africa gain in the credit crisis?
A huge gem from Lesotho
By Martin Plaut
BBC News
Is the credit crisis about to send Africa into yet another downward spiral?
Perhaps not. In fact it is possible that the continent could fare better than the rest of the world.
This is at least in part because most African economies have been so marginal to the international economic system that they have been less affected than other regions of the globe.
Many countries have regulations which prevented them from investing in the so-called 'toxic' financial products
Davinder Sikand
Aureos Africa Fund
Davinder Sikand, managing partner for the Aureos Africa Fund, which has $400m (£236m) invested in the continent, says that Africa's banks have been so conservatively managed that they have almost no exposure to the sub-prime market that has caused such havoc elsewhere in the world.
NOTE: SIKAND IS A WELL RESPECTED PERSONALITY IN AUREOS AFRICA FUND.
"Most of our financial institutions are not directly impacted," he says.
"Many countries have regulations which prevented them from investing in the so-called 'toxic' financial products."
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) takes a similar view and says there is no systemic risk to any African country in terms of banking.
But if most African states have been relatively insulated from the credit crunch, the same cannot be said of the most developed economy on the continent - South Africa.
South Africa is affected in at least two ways:
* The rand has been severely hit, experiencing record falls as international investors claw back their money to meet more urgent needs at home. South Africa has run a sizeable balance of payments deficit in recent years, financed by foreign investment and this has been flowing out of the country
* Unlike many other African countries, South Africa has relied on raising large sums on international markets. The state's electricity supply company, Eskom, needs to raise more than $30bn (£17bn) over the next five years, but had to delay issuing bonds in the current market conditions.
But the rest of Africa does not get off scot free.
Growth rates
If the world goes into a slump, demand for Africa's commodities will fall, taking export earnings with them.
A power plant in China
China has an insatiable appetite for Africa's resources
Oil prices have halved from $147 (£87) a barrel to $70 (£41).
Although this will hit countries like Angola, Chad, Nigeria, and Sudan, most based their budgets on conservative oil prices and will not be too severely affected.
Nigeria's budget - for example - is based on a benchmark price of $62.50 (£37) a barrel.
Copper has also fallen, which will have a substantial effect on Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
But these are likely to be short-term effects, as China has an almost insatiable appetite for minerals.
It is likely to dent growth rates, which have averaged around 5% a year over the last 10 years.
Before this autumn's financial meltdown, the IMF was predicting growth of 6.6% this year; now it is predicting a 3% growth.
Mr Sikand agrees.
"There is likely to be a slowdown in African economies, but instead of talking about a 6% or 7% growth rate, you are talking about 3%, 4% or 5% growth."
'Hopeless continent'?
Economists believe Africa's growth is more solidly based than it has been in previous years.
If you are a direct investor... then political risk affects your every waking hour
Farouk Soussa
Standard and Poor's
And it is not just the obvious oil-producing countries that have been benefitting.
Countries like Botswana, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia have all done well in recent years.
So what has really improved Africa's economic prospects?
Major injections of foreign aid have helped, as have the billions sent back in remittances.
But probably the most important factor has been the improvement in economic management.
Razia Khan heads Standard Chartered Bank's African research effort.
"In recent year's we've seen improved macro-economic management; bringing budget deficits down, not having high rates of inflation, bringing interest rates down," says Ms Khan.
"This has helped change the prospects in Africa."
But if the future looks brighter in some countries, the same cannot be said right across the continent.
Voters in Angola
Democracy reduces risk, say investors
Africa still has its fair share of instability.
There is Sudan's western region of Darfur, Somalia and eastern DR Congo for a start - and that is before anyone mentions Zimbabwe.
Farouk Soussa deals with Africa for the international credit rating agency, Standard and Poor's.
For someone like him - advising international investors on whether to put their cash into African projects - risk is a constant headache.
"If you are a direct investor, and you are going to buy up a company, then political risk affects your every waking hour - from corruption, to changes in rules, to violence and crime," he says.
"But with the push for democratisation, there has been a reduction in risk."
Once the dust settles from the current credit crisis, the prospects for African growth look distinctly promising.
It may just be that it can - at last - shrug off its label once given it by the Economist magazine as "the hopeless continent".
E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Bookmark with:
* Delicious
* Digg
* StumbleUpon
What are these?
Advertisement
GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS
KEY STORIES
US treasury to sell bail-out bonds
South Korea in $11bn rescue plan
Recession fears grip US consumers
Bank of Japan makes rare rate cut
Hungary to get $25bn rescue deal
World credit loss '£1.8 trillion'
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Man walks past share board in Japan World in turmoil
A look at what is happening in markets most affected by the credit crunch
African investment could be hit
China 'can be engine of growth'
Are my savings safe?
Have bail-outs worked?
CRISIS OVERVIEW
How market moves affect you
Timeline: Global credit crunch
Credit crunch jargon explained
Crisis in graphics
Smashed piggy bank Audio slideshow
Robert Peston's guide to the causes of the financial turmoil
HAVE YOUR SAY
Can world leaders end the crisis?
Is the crisis affecting you?
Global money gloom: Your stories
VIDEO REPORTS
Steve Forbes Steve Forbes: 'The worst is over'
watch
Christine Wah Crisis time: The impact on daily lives
watch
Teddy Weisberg Wall Street trader's NYSE tour
Traders (file picture) Rotten roots and what happened next
watch
RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Standard and Poor's
Aureos
Standard Chartered Bank
IMF
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
TOP AFRICA STORIES
Thousands flee DR Congo clashes
Kenya declares holiday for Obama
'Hostage killed' in Cameroon raid
News feeds| News feeds
MOST POPULAR STORIES NOW
* E-MAILED
* READ
* WATCHED/LISTENED
* Lavish coronation for Bhutan king
* Golf secret not all in the wrists
* Attacked jogger takes fox for run
* Safety fears over nanocosmetics
* Probiotics 'may stop pneumonia'
Most popular now, in detail
* E-MAILED
* READ
* WATCHED/LISTENED
* Obama builds up White House team
* Why John McCain lost
* Lavish coronation for Bhutan king
* Attacked jogger takes fox for run
* US election results map
Most popular now, in detail
* E-MAILED
* READ
* WATCHED/LISTENED
* videoWorld reacts to Obama win
* videoStory of Obama supporter aged 106
* videoCelebrity reaction to Obama win
* videoObama's victory speech in full
* videoObama: 'This is our moment'
Most popular now, in detail
FEATURES, VIEWS, ANALYSIS
Juan Camilo Mourino, file image Strongman dies
Mexico's interior minister killed in a plane crash
John McCain Republican woes
What next for the party beaten at the polls?
Michael Crichton Thriller master
The late Michael Crichton's stories wowed the world
Skip to top
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
* E-mail news
* Mobiles
* Alerts
* News feeds
* Podcasts
Advertisement
Explore the BBC
Home
Popular links
* Merlin
* Credit crunch
* The Real Hustle
BBC links A to F
1. BBC iPlayer
2. CBBC
3. CBeebies
4. Food
BBC links H to L
1. Health
2. History
3. Learning
4. Local & Nations
BBC links M to Sc
1. Music
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4. Science & Nature
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BBC © MMVIII
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
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