Paul Brewbaker, chief economist and senior vice president for Bank of Hawaii, was on The Hot Seat today. Brewbaker is often tapped by the media for his insight into our economy.

Perhaps the biggest national story right now is the ailing economy. Fueled by the subprime mortgage fiasco, the housing market has taken a serious hit. Homeowners are watching their homes fall into foreclosure, and businesses tied to the industry are in deep trouble, leaving the federal government scrambling for solutions.

Drops in the interest rates, government-issued checks for taxpayers designed to boost consumer spending and confidence have yet to turn the economic tide.

You can catch excerpts from today's Hot Seat session in Sunday's Focus section.

Or go to The Hot Seat to read comments from today's chat.