President Obama and the Federal Aviation Administration blamed recent flight delays on sequestration. Now the Federal Reserve Board’s Open Market Committee is blaming sequestration for the poor performance of the…
90,000,000 Americans Have Stopped Working
When the unemployment rate declines, even by a little bit, it should be good news. But when it declines because people are leaving the workforce in record numbers, it’s not.…
Ben, the Great and Powerful
“Bernanke said, in essence, that he wasn’t a magician.” …
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
“In your life expect some trouble But when you worry You make it double Don’t worry, be happy…” …
Follow The Fed At Your Own Risk
If you think Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has a firm grasp of the economy, you may change your mind after listening to Bain Capital co-founder Coleman Andrews quoting Chairman Bernanke…
The End of QE?
The Fed’s quantitative easing program has been like that endless tub of popcorn or vat of soda that those with large appetites buy at the theater. It goes on and…
Going For Broke
So The Fed is “all in.” QE3, the third round of quantitative easting, will continue until the unemployment rate drops to an acceptable level. The implication is that buying bonds…
Consumers Might Spend – If They Had Any Money
Bond buying will pump money into the economy and reduce long-term interest rates, which are already at historic lows. Theoretically, this will give consumers a greater incentive to spend their…
The Other QE
It’s not QE3, the Fed’s highly anticipated and much discussed quantitative easing program, but the European Central Bank’s (ECB) bond buying program is having a similar impact. Stock markets worldwide…
Bernanke’s “On the Other Hand” Speech
To the disappointment of many on Wall Street, and to the relief of many in the real world, the Federal Reserve Board did not announce a third quantitative easing program…