Bankrupting America : A project of Public Notice

Watch our fifth installment in our Story of Business series. It centers on Rob Latham in South Carolina. His story is a case study in why we need a regulatory system that's fair, accountable and allows our economy to grow again.

In our fifth video in our Story of Business series, we hear from Rob Latham, the owner of the List Company Inc., where we learn that regulations should be effective and not excessive. In 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nearly caused his small business in South Carolina to cease operations. The culprit? The labels on the product.

As families struggle to improve their finances, what about the American Dream? Will the next generation be better off? Are families able to make ends meet? In our latest infographic we look at how families view the American Dream and whether or not the dream is still alive today. Take a look!

Growing up dreaming of being a doctor, buying your first home, sending your kids to college – whatever your American Dream may be, you have one. No, money can’t buy you love or happiness, but it’s a means to an end. So do wishes still come true in a time of economic uncertainty? Take a look at what Americans are saying.

According to The New York Times, California, which is projected to run a $16 billion deficit in 2012, has joined more than a dozen states in using money awarded for foreclosure prevention, investigations of financial fraud, and blunting the effects of the housing crisis to fill budget gaps instead.