Business

72% Say $5-A-Gallon Gas Likely By July 1

The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has nearly hit the $4 mark, but most Americans don’t think it’s going to stop there.

Opposition to Ryan Budget Plan Grows

A plurality of voters still have no opinion about Republican Congressman Paul Ryan’s long-term budget-cutting plan, but opposition has increased over the past several weeks. By a near two-to-one margin, they don’t like his proposal for tackling spiraling Medicare costs.

A Politically Correct Guide to the Broadway Musical 'How to Succeed in Business' By Cliff Ennico

TO: O. Leo Leahy, Drama Teacher

FROM: Political Correctness Committee, Nunzio Saccamano High School

This memo concerns your field trip to take students in our Dramatics Club to see the Broadway musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." We understand the students are very excited to see Daniel Radcliffe (who played Harry Potter in all those movies) in the starring role, although some were disappointed that he isn't running around naked as he did in "Equus" a couple of years ago.

19% of Workers Report Their Firm is Hiring, 25% Laying Off

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, regained five points in April after falling to a recent low in March.

19% of Workers Report Their Firm is Hiring, 25% Laying Off

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, regained five points in April after falling to a recent low in March.

In 2003, Capture of Saddam Hussein Boosted Consumer, Investor Confidence

More than seven years ago, U.S. troops captured Saddam Hussein at a time when Iraq was the central front in the War on Terror, and Hussein was public enemy number one. That capture led to an immediate increase in consumer and investor confidence.

Most Voters Still Feel Tax Cuts, Less Spending Will Help Economy

Voters continue to believe tax cuts and decreases in government spending will benefit the nation’s economy.  But most also still think government spending will go up under the Obama administration.

44% Say Fed Press Conferences Good for Economy

Ben Bernanke held the first-ever press conference by a chairman of the Federal Reserve Board on Wednesday and plans even more. Many voters think this increased transparency by the nation's chief banker will be beneficial to the economy, although they still have mixed feelings about Bernanke himself.

The Final Frontiers of Employee Discrimination By Cliff Ennico

I hope you were as amused as I was to read about the recent discrimination lawsuit against Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J.

Just 23% Realize Deficit Largely Due to Commitments Made in 1960s and ‘70s

Even though the last session of Congress was one of the biggest spending in history, very few voters are aware that most of today’s federal budget deficit is actually the product of congressional decisions made decades ago.

50% Recognize Official Debt Ceiling Figures Understate the Problem

Voters aren’t sure about the short-term implications of the debt ceiling debate, but they recognize that the official figures understate the magnitude of the problem.

Only 51% See Buying A Home As Family’s Best Investment

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 51% now believe buying a home is a family’s best investment. That’s down from 55% in March and from 73% in February 2009.

SUCCEEDING IN YOUR BUSINESS: Five Ways You Know You're Dealing With a Problem Client By Cliff Ennico

"I've been running a small service business for a while now, and it seems like I have problems with every client these days. Most don't pay on time -- I have to remind them every month to pay their invoices, and a couple have stopped returning my phone calls altogether.

Just 50% Believe Their Home is Worth More Than Mortgage

Just one-out-of-two Americans now say their home is worth more than what they still owe on their mortgage.

17% Haven’t Filed Their Income Taxes Yet

Today is Tax Day, and although the deadline was pushed back three days, 17% of Americans still have not filed their income taxes.

Only 39% Now Expect Improved Home Values in Five Years

Both short and long-term confidence in the U.S. housing market continue to fall, with homeowners now expressing the highest level of pessimism in two years.

Just 9% Say A Balanced Budget Is Very Likely In Their Lifetimes

President Obama’s new deficit-reduction plan doesn’t even try to project a time when the federal budget will be balanced. Congressman Paul Ryan’s Republican alternative puts a balanced budget at least 25 years away. No wonder most voters don’t foresee a day in their own lifetimes when the budget will be balanced again.

45% Fear Government Will Do Too Much To Help Economy

Even as President Obama prepares to explain his long-term plans for cutting the federal budget deficit to the nation, a sizable number of voters still worry the government will try to do too much in response to the country’s continuing bad economy.

65% Say Significant Long-Term Spending Cuts Unlikely Before 2012 Elections

President Obama is expected to lay out his long-term deficit-cutting plan in a speech to the nation tonight, but most voters feel the president and Republicans in Congress are unlikely to agree on major spending cuts before next year’s elections. They also aren't confident either side will come up with a serious plan to begin with.

SUCCEEDING IN YOUR BUSINESS: Converting a Corporation into a Limited Liability Company By Cliff Ennico

"My two brothers and I have run a successful service business for more than 20 years, which we run as a 'C' corporation.