The extension and expansion of the payroll tax holidays for workers would be number one on my list and key to avoiding recession.

Predicting recessions is indeed a dark art, but I think we are several years away from the next one.

Lenders look at potential borrowers from many angles before extending credit: How much of its income will a household need to put into debt repayment? How large is the down payment? Does the borrower have a job with a stable income? What is the borrower's credit score?

Buying a home wouldn't make much sense if house prices were likely to decline further; no one wants to catch a falling knife.

In a normal time, I don't think economic policy makes a large difference one way or another. But in times of crisis it makes all the difference in the world.

I'm a registered Democrat.

The Tea Party was born out of the disgust many Americans felt early in the financial crisis upon learning that the federal government was even contemplating reducing the principal on some troubled mortgages.