Who Am I? What Am I Doing Here?

2 comments and a question:
Comment 1--thanks for helping us make sense of the economy and all the crazy things that are happening!
Question: When I hear McCain say, "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" what does that mean--and is it true? It seems to me, companies are going under, the dollar is weak, the housing market is a mess, individuals spend more than they make and aren't saving--how can this show strength?
Comment 2: Problem with the links--when you click on Laura and Alex's photos it brings you to Adam's profile instead of theirs.

Sent by Christine | 12:15 PM ET | 09-15-2008

@Christine,

I'm wanting to know the same thing -- what McCain means when he says the "fundamentals" of the economy are strong. A first guess would be that he's talking about the overall robustness of the American economy rather than any particular indicator. Even the gloomiest economists see the U.S. as the dominant player.

Will try to find out.

P.S. I fixed those links. Thank you!

Sent by Laura Conaway, Planet Money | 12:45 PM ET | 09-15-2008

I love the Planet Money podcast and site. It would be great if you could do a show on the U.S. trade deficit - whether it is sustainable or particularly detrimental to the economy. It was touched on in a recent podcast about China, but a more complete discussion about the debate would be helpful.

Sent by Caroline Brown | 5:21 PM ET | 09-17-2008

Glad to see this, listening avidly. Laura, welcome to your new job as editor. Re. the 9/17 cast, two things:

Sensical is not a word.

The word naked is pronounced more or less the way it is spelled. It is not spelled nekkid.

Sent by Your 7th Grade English Teacher | 7:27 PM ET | 09-18-2008

Here are the revisions for a couple of typos in the comment I just sent you.

Like many Americans I am angry. I am angry at the greed of bankers, lenders, developers, investment firms and politicians that caused the housing bubble. I am angry that for the second time in 30 years, the banking industry has caused financial distress to the US economy. Let???s not forget the S&L crisis back in the ???80s that cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Now greedy bankers who made salaries most of us will never see will cost taxpayers hundreds of billion of dollars. Where were the politicians during all this? Enjoying the fiscal support of the banking industry while making sure regulations did not interfere with Wall Street profits.

Now Talk of the Nation and other media outlets have the utter gall to tell me I am partly responsible for this fiasco. Let???s take an inventory and see if that is true. Did I buy the expensive-but-because-the-bank-offered-me-the-necessary-mortgage-attainable three-bedroom condo with garage parking and an in-unit washer and dryer that I wanted or did I buy the one-bedroom condo with outside parking and a laundry room on the first floor in a cheaper suburb with not-so-great schools because I could afford it? Did I remodel the kitchen and bathroom with money I had saved or did I finance the entire job? Did I buy $2500 designer suits and $300 Jimmy Choos or in other ways waste my money? Being a practical person with a modicum of common sense, I bought the one-bedroom condo I could afford while lamenting that I really wanted two or three bedrooms and would know that I ???had made it??? when I finally lived some place with my own washer and dryer. I saved my money until I could afford to remodel the 1972 kitchen and bathroom and I would never pay the outrageous sums designers require???and obtain???from people who make significantly more than my annual salary of $43,000.

Explain to me why taxpayers are allowing these gross mis-managers of money to keep their ill-gotten gains! Why did the CEO of AIG get $7,000,000? Why didn???t he have to give back all of his investments, his retirement fund, his house, and anything else of value to make restitution for his gross misconduct and irresponsibility? Why don???t the rest of the greedy swine have to pay back their bonuses and other monies for risking???and losing???the health of the US economy?

How dare you tell me I am responsible for this mess! Rather, why don???t you reward me and the millions of Americans who act responsibly and don???t overextend ourselves? Why should we have to pay higher taxes to finance the higher debt this bailout is going to cost us? Why don???t we get $7,000 interest-free mortgage loans for 15 years?

Think about how much worse off the US economy would be if it weren???t for the millions of Americans who didn???t run up hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. I dare you to do a piece on those people and then have the gall to tell them they are responsible for the financial mess the US is in!

Sent by Lisa | 2:53 PM ET | 09-23-2008

Search Zeitgeist in google and see that.

Sent by Luis | 7:16 AM ET | 09-25-2008

Dear Planet Money,
Keep up the good work! I've been devouring the information you've been putting out. I haven't found a better place to understand this economic mess. I think Planet Money is one of the best and most important things NPR has done.
Cheers!

Sent by Tracy Ellig | 12:24 AM ET | 09-26-2008

Thanks for being the voice of women throughout this financial crisis. Your insight is compelling and honest.

I would love to hear from more women: executives, world leaders, business owners... to help break the 3 to 1 ratio of men over women in broadcasting.

Sent by Mary A. DuQuaine | 8:57 AM ET | 09-27-2008