Threats to U.S. Coast

Iran threatened today to invade the U.S. Coast with their naval vessels. The President's office said they were not concerned as Iran lacks this capability. See link below for information on naval capabilities of Iran, from the Senate Armed Services Committee.

http://armed-services.senate.gov/statemnt/2010/04%20April/Burgess%2004-14-10.pdf

Budget Cuts Impact U.S. Census

Congressional budget cuts have eliminated the Cffice of the Census which collates data for the U.S. Statistical Abstract, the most important reference tool for accessing government statistical information since 1887. The Cffice has just published the final, 2012 compendium: see it here: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/

Remembering 9/11

The Department of Homeland Security website features events nationwide remembering 9/11 ten years ago.

It also features September as National Preparedness Month via the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

U.S. Postal Service to be Insolvent Next Month

The U.S. Postal Service is facing financial insolvency. Read about their potential solutions to the problem and possible reduction in mail service in the near future at: http://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2011/pr11_lstatement.htm

Campaign Finance

Are your favorite candidates obeying campaign finance laws? The Federal Election Commission is charged with administering and enforcing federal campaign finance laws. See the clickable maps on their site for the Presidential and House and Senate Elections.

Labor Day

As Labor Day celebrates the contributions of workers to the U.S. economy, the stockmarket is reacting violently to the announcement that there are no new jobs available and unemployment remained high for August, signalling a probable extension to the recession.

Just why does is the stock market so volatile to announcements such as these? For a history of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and how it attempts to regulate the stock market and provide for a steady economy, see http://www.sec.gov/about/whatwedo.shtml. The site also discusses how the agency and the investment industry are regulated.