Who are the dominant owners of U.S. public debt? Is it widely held, or concentrated in the hands of a few? Does ownership of public debt give these bondholders power over our government? What do we make of the fact that foreign-owned debt has ballooned to nearly 50 percent today? Until now, we have not had any satisfactory answers to these questions. Public Debt, Inequality, and Power is the first comprehensive historical analysis of public debt ownership in the United States. It reveals that ownership of federal bonds has been increasingly concentrated in the hands of the 1 percent over the last three decades. Based on extensive and original research, Public Debt, Inequality, and Power will shock and enlighten.
 
At publication date, a free ebook version of this title will be available through Luminos, University of California Press’s open access publishing program for monographs. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more.

If you are one of the millions of individuals that have outstanding debt, and would like to know what your rights are, this book is for you. In this book, you will get a basic understanding of what your rights are when debt collectors contact you. You will know if that letter you received in the mail is in compliance of with the law. As you read you will learn what your rights are while dealing with the collectors of this debt. When you are finished you will have the knowledge to defend yourself against any unscrupulous collectors. Should all else fail and the debt is overwhelming, you will gain the knowledge and understanding of your rights under the bankruptcy laws. You will gain insight into the applicable chapters of bankruptcy, which chapter is best for your situation. More importantly, you will learn how to navigate through the process without employing a costly attorney.

“You have a debt to pay. You owe me your life.” 

Anwen, bastard of Brynmor, has fought hard to find her place in the world. But she’s forced to rethink everything when she’s saved from death by her enemy Teague, Lord of Gwalchdu. Instead of releasing her, he holds her captive… 

Teague trusts no one. So, with ominous messages threatening his life, he must keep Anwen under his watch, no matter how much her presence drives him wild. And when passionate arguments turn to passionate encounters, Teague must believe that the strength of their bond will conquer all!

The book reflects the experienced methods that the author used to get herself out of debt, improve her credit reports and increase credit score. It has detailed steps to follow along with actual letters that can be revised to fit your needs. Information on credit agencies, consumer rights and those that governs what a creditor/collection can or cannot do is included. It guides you on ways to handle your creditors and helps take the fear out of dealing with them. Those that are experiencing a lot of debt will find this book very helpful. It will guide you through removing your debt and ways to manage your finances. There is a section on bankruptcy as a last resort. Pick up a copy it is well worth the cost. Each section deals with a specific problem people have when they are in debt. One deals with the credit reporting agency; another with the documents you will need to begin your project. A short summary is given at the end of each section as a reminder of what you read. This book is small in size but full of valuable information that can be used over and over. It can be shared with other family members or friends. If you are having a problem with debt, wanting to know how to improve your credit report, ways to increase your credit score or ideas on managing your finances this is the book for you. It will help you to get out of debt and be well on your way to a debt-free life. What you will save in paying bills will more than pay the cost for this valuable book 10X over. You will want to have this book handy for years to come. You want to be debt-free, have a high credit score and able to purchase the things you want? Then get yourself a copy of “Your Self Help Guide to Debt & Credit Management.” It is now available to help others free themselves of those over bearing debts.

Thomas Jefferson famously wrote that the earth belongs to the living. His letter to James Madison is often quoted for the proposition that we should not be bound to the ‘dead hand of the past’, suggesting that the Constitution should instead be interpreted as a living, breathing document. Less well-known is Madison’s response, in which he said the improvements made by the dead – including the US Constitution – form a debt against the living, who benefit from them. In this illuminating book, Ilan Wurman introduces Madison’s concept of originalism to a new generation and shows how it has shaped the US Supreme Court in ways that are expected to continue following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, one of the theory’s leading proponents. It should be read by anyone seeking a better understanding of originalism and its ongoing influence on the constitutional jurisprudence of the Supreme Court.

Longlisted for the 2012 Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award

For the past forty years western economies have splurged on debt. Now, the reality dawns that many debts cannot be repaid. But the oncoming defaults have a time-worn place in our economic history. As with crises in the 1930s and 1970s, governments will fall, currencies will lose their value, and new systems will emerge. Just as Britain set the terms of the international system in the nineteenth century, and America in the twentieth century, a new system will be set by today’s creditors in China and the Middle East. In the process, rich will be pitted against poor, young against old, public sector workers against taxpayers, and one country against another. To understand the origins of this mess and how it will affect the new global economy, Coggan shows us how our attitudes toward debt have changed throughout history?and how they may be about to change again.

It’s been almost seven years since I wrote Debt and Delusion. So naturally, readers have a right to ask, “Why produce an updated version at this time?” There are at least three reasons, the cheapest of which is that the author is surprised and flattered to find that it is in demand and there has long ceased to be any supply.

More than that, like an abandoned mine, the book stands as a monument to what was already known about the global credit expansion and the strains in the financial system before the halving of equity market prices from the early 2000 peaks. Most importantly, and sad to say, this equity market trauma foreshadows even more disastrous results of the financial folly that has reached proportions unimaginable in the summer of 1998. And so, the primary function of the book — “as a timely warning of the perils that lie ahead” — remains valid.

Debt and Delusion exposes serious flaws in the development of the global financial system starting in the early 1990s, singling out the world’s largest central banks for special criticism. Their negligent oversight has permitted an explosion of corporate and household credit that has fueled a succession of false markets in stocks, bonds, and property. Alarmed by the monster so created, the U.S. Federal Reserve has spent much of the past five years staving off the evil day when foolish lending turns into bad debt.

Far from being the architects of economic stability and low inflation, the world’s central bankers have ushered in a new era of financial fragility and latent instability. Innovations in the use of derivatives, structured products, and other complex financial instruments have been applauded by the central banks on narrow technical criteria. But these supposed bastions of conservatism have failed to comprehend the wider implications for financial stability.

From poorly documented home loans to sub-prime auto loans to subordinated corporate debt and junk bonds, permanently easy access to credit has compromised economic management in the U.S., U.K., and other English-speaking nations and has fostered an illusion of prosperity and well being.

Lamentably, this staggering collective flight from reason has been endorsed by the economics establishment.

The failure of many of the finest economic minds to engage with the rapid evolution of our financial structures and institutions has led to a superficial assessment of this unprecedented credit experiment. Only now, as various credit markets face the inevitable tests of higher interest rates and the realistic pricing of credit risks, is the threat of a pandemic of debt-related distress beginning to be taken seriously. Government budgets, already strained by the weight of social support, have limited scope to respond.

In short, tougher economic times lie ahead, when personal debts will hang more onerously than for 75 years. Debt and Delusion recommends a hasty! reappraisal of the debt requirements of corporations and households alike.

Peter Warburton
September 2005

Upcycle Your Life

Get ready to trade in headaches and hassles for life skills, exchange clutter for money, transform eyesores into beautiful focal points in your home, and say goodbye to over-consumption and hello to genuine experiences.

Cristin Frank, the original Reduction Rebel, shows you the freedom and fulfillment you can have when you simplify your life. You’ll learn how to use your talents, time, and space to combat stress, become more efficient, relieve money woes, open up opportunities, and provide unbelievable self-fulfillment.

Inside you’ll find:Simple techniques that eliminate clutter and keep it from returningA personalized plan to help you reclaim your timePractical (and profitable) ways to sell unused items in your homeTips to eliminate debt and curb consumptionStep-by-step upcycling projects that transform old, unwanted furniture into beautiful, customized organizing systemsDozens of exercises that help you identify and honor your talents, values, and goals As Cristin says, “success is getting what we want.” Let this book show you how to let go of what’s holding you back so you can put your energy into your dreams and interests and build your success.

If you’re afraid to open your bills, if you’ve never added up how much you owe, if you can’t even imagine being debt-free, it’s time to join the thousands of people Gail Vaz-Oxlade has helped. Her straightforward approach to money management is based on self-control, hard work, and prioritizing what’s really important. Debt-Free Forever is Gail’s step-by-step guide, and she’ll show you how to:

figure out how much you’ve actually been spending
• calculate how much you owe—and what it’s costing you
• build a budget that works
• maximize your debt repayments so you can be free of consumer debt in 3 years or less
• prepare for a rainy day so it doesn’t mean a major setback
• set goals for your new, debt-free life.

Make no mistake: Getting out of debt isn’t easy. But in Debt-Free Forever, Gail gives you a clear strategy and the steps needed to implement it. So if you’re finished with excuses, overdue notices, and maxed-out credit cards, pick up this book, follow Gail’s plan, and start becoming debt-free forever.

The Great American Recession resulted in the loss of eight million jobs between 2007 and 2009. More than four million homes were lost to foreclosures. Is it a coincidence that the United States witnessed a dramatic rise in household debt in the years before the recession?that the total amount of debt for American households doubled between 2000 and 2007 to $14 trillion? Definitely not. Armed with clear and powerful evidence, Atif Mian and Amir Sufi reveal in House of Debt how the Great Recession and Great Depression, as well as the current economic malaise in Europe, were caused by a large run-up in household debt followed by a significantly large drop in household spending.

Though the banking crisis captured the public’s attention, Mian and Sufi argue strongly with actual data that current policy is too heavily biased toward protecting banks and creditors. Increasing the flow of credit, they show, is disastrously counterproductive when the fundamental problem is too much debt. As their research shows, excessive household debt leads to foreclosures, causing individuals to spend less and save more. Less spending means less demand for goods, followed by declines in production and huge job losses. How do we end such a cycle? With a direct attack on debt, say Mian and Sufi.  More aggressive debt forgiveness after the crash helps, but as they illustrate, we can be rid of painful bubble-and-bust episodes only if the financial system moves away from its reliance on inflexible debt contracts. As an example, they propose new mortgage contracts that are built on the principle of risk-sharing, a concept that would have prevented the housing bubble from emerging in the first place.

Thoroughly grounded in compelling economic evidence, House of Debt offers convincing answers to some of the most important questions facing the modern economy today: Why do severe recessions happen? Could we have prevented the Great Recession and its consequences? And what actions are needed to prevent such crises going forward?