Last week, ABC’s investigative reporter Brian Ross broke the story on Nightline that the city attorney of Santa Monica, Ca., in conjunction with the Los Angeles District Attorney's office, are conducting a joint investigation into the business practices of Goldline International. The Santa Monica based Goldline is the subject of more than 100 complaints, according to public reports. The story garnered substantial attention since broadcasters Glenn Beck, Mike Huckabee, Fred Thompson and other high profile conservatives are paid endorsers of the firm. If the California investigation was not enough, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) plans to conduct his own investigation as... Read more →

CNN Money posted an interesting article this week with the headline, Debt Collectors Get Nasty. The article outlines the growing problem of debt collector harassment, which even includes physical threats. I have shared these stories over the years on radio and TV and I am certain that most of the hosts interviewing me thought that I was engaging in hyperbole. Some debt collectors are simply evil and will do virtually anything to collect money. The theory is that the squeakiest wheel will get the grease. They may know that you do not have the money to pay them, but figure... Read more →

If you are like me, you probably hear the news on a regular basis about the federal government being broke, trillions of dollars in debt, and hopelessly spending more money that it is taking in. In recent years, many states have begun to find themselves in a similar predicament. There is one big difference; states can not print money like the federal government. The ability to print money will keep Uncle Sam going for a few years even though he is officially broke. Estimates suggest that the federal government may have a total debt of near $20 trillion within the... Read more →