President Barack Obama will call on Congress to pass new tax breaks that would allow businesses to write off 100 percent of their new capital investments through 2011, the latest in a series of proposals the White House is rolling out in hopes of showing action on the economy ahead of the November elections.

An administration official said the tax breaks would save businesses $200 billion over two years, allowing companies to have more cash on hand. The president will outline the proposal during a speech on the economy in Cleveland Wednesday.

Amid an uptick in unemployment to 9.6 percent, and polls showing that the November election could be dismal for Democrats, Obama has promised to propose new steps to stimulate the economy. In addition to the business investment tax breaks, he will also call for a $50 billion infrastructure investment and a permanent expansion of research and development tax credits for companies.

The proposals would requires congressional approval, which is highly uncertain given Washington's partisan atmosphere.

"The White House is missing the big picture. None of its plans address the two big problems that are hurting our economy: excessive government spending, and the uncertainty that their policies....are creating for small businesses," House Minority Leader John Boehner said.

Concerns over adding to the mounting federal deficit could also keep some Democratic lawmakers from approving new spending so close to the midterm elections. And even if legislators could pass some of the proposals in the short window between their return to Capitol Hill in mid-September and the elections, it's unlikely the efforts would significantly stimulate the economy by November.

Stimulus measures enacted in 2008 and 2009 allowed businesses to depreciate 50 percent of their capital investments. A separate small business bill the White House is urging the Senate to pass would extend that tax break through the end of this year.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has seen a surge in tip-offs concerning alleged corporate fraud as the Financial Reforms Act offers millions of dollars in bounty payments to whistleblowers, the Wall Street Journal said.

Whistleblowers who provide "original information" about large frauds could net as much as 30 percent of the penalties and recovered funds collected by the SEC under the Dodd-Frank financial reforms act.

"We have gotten some very high-quality tips," SEC official Stephen Cohen told the Journal.

The whistleblower program aims to get timely information from insiders close to a fraud and based on which the agency would pursue cases against the offenders, the Journal said.

"The goal is not just to get more tips; we want to get more high-quality tips," Cohen told the paper.

SEC could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters outside regular U.S. business hours.

A vast wave of kids are headed for college right about now -- and a vast backwash of parents are trying to figure out how to pay for it. Is it worth it?

My instinct: no. I think college is the latest of the great bubbles. (Full disclosure: I've been saying the same about China for years. See Sept. 1, 2005, column.)

I just think people are going to get sick of the appalling cost, the questionable returns (how many Class of 2010 graduates have jobs?) and the increasingly bizarre admissions decisions. (Princeton economists Thomas Espenshade and Alexandria Radford recently showed that elite schools actually discriminate against ROTC and 4-H club members.)

So naturally, on the general theory that capitalism is more efficient that socialism, I've always been interested in Apollo Group Inc. /quotes/comstock/15*!apol/quotes/nls/apol (APOL 45.06, -0.32, -0.71%) , owner of the for-profit University of Phoenix.

Maybe that's also why Apollo has been under such fierce attack during the Obama administration. But, according to the Hulbert Financial Digest, the stock has two advisory supporters, both of which have respectable records.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/will-phoenix-rise-from-college-bubble-2010-09-06?reflink=MW_news_stmp

In these difficult economic times, many people who had always been financially sound are finding themselves in a surprisingly dire financial situation. If you feel you need protection from creditors through bankruptcy, whether it be a Chapter 7 (liquidation) or Chapter 13 (personal reorganization), a Las Vegas bankruptcy attorney at Bryan A Lowe & Associates can help guide you through the best course of action for you to take in your particular circumstances.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Chapter 7 bankruptcy was created with the goal of eliminating many unsecured debts like credit cards, payday loans, parking tickets , medical bills, and some types of personal loans. If you have significant debt related to credit cards, payday loans, or medical bills, talk to a Las Vegas bankruptcy attorney today about how filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy may retire your debt. Bankruptcy is designed to work quickly, and may be able to clear your debt in only a few months, giving you a fresh financial start.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
Chapter 13 bankruptcy is the reorganization of debts, and was created to help property owners keep their homes, cars and other valuable assets while achieving firmer control of their debt. Through filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you may be able to stop foreclosure, repossession, wage garnishment and debt lawsuits, and significantly reduce or eliminate credit card debt. Ask a Las Vegas bankruptcy lawyer today if Chapter 13 is the right choice for you.

With over twenty years of experience in bankruptcy law, and offering a free consultation and reasonable, competitive rates, our knowledgeable Las Vegas bankruptcy attorneys and staff can help you back onto the road of financial recovery.

Las Vegas chapter 7 http://bryanalowe.com/las_vegas_bankruptcy_attorney.html
Las Vegas chapter 13 http://bryanalowe.com/las_vegas_bankruptcy_attorney.html
Las Vegas estate planning http://bryanalowe.com/las_vegas_estate_planning_attorney.html

Barclays PLC announced on Tuesday that executive Robert E. Diamond Jr. will replace John Varley as chief executive officer next year. The shake-up will take place on March 31, 2011.

However, a few changes will occur before next year, with Diamond serving as president and deputy group chief executive on Oct. 1, 2010.

During the transition, Varley will serve as senior advisor on regulatory issues to Diamond and the board, until September, 2011. He has been CEO of the company since September, 2004.

Diamond is currently the head of corporate and investment banking at Barclays, and also oversees the bank's Wealth division. He has been a member of the board since 2005, and has been working at the company since 1996.

As of Jan. 1, 2011, Diamond's salary will increase to $2.07 million and his annual bonus could be up to 250% of that amount.