Falling behind on the latest central planning nonsense?
We think it's pretty clear that the central planning #Belief system is breaking down (see chart below... since the BOJ announced negative interest rates (1/29), the Yen is up +10.8% and the Nikkei is down -10.1%)
However, the links below are must-reads to stay up on the latest central planning shenanigans around the world. Whether you agree or disagree with the authors, insights abound, from Ben Bernanke's defense of "helicopter money" to German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble comparing easy-money policies to drug addiction.
Enjoy!
- Ben Bernanke's Brookings blog: What tools does the Fed have left? Part 3: Helicopter money -- Helicopter money gets the Bernanke stamp of approval and how it would work... "Money-financed fiscal programs (MFFPs), known colloquially as helicopter drops, are very unlikely to be needed in the United States in the foreseeable future... However, under certain extreme circumstances—sharply deficient aggregate demand, exhausted monetary policy, and unwillingness of the legislature to use debt-financed fiscal policies—such programs may be the best available alternative. It would be premature to rule them out."
- IMF: The Broader View: The Positive Effects of Negative Nominal Interest Rates -- Insight on the IMF's latest thinking about negative interest rates... "Although the experience with negative nominal interest rates is limited, we tentatively conclude that overall, they help deliver additional monetary stimulus and easier financial conditions, which support demand and price stability. Still, there are limits on how far and for how long negative policy rates can go."
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WSJ: Germany’s Schäuble: Time Is Near to End Central Banks’ Easy-Money Policies -- Refreshing sanity from ECB critic German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble... "There is a growing understanding that excessive liquidity has become more a cause than a solution to the problem,” Mr. Schäuble said, comparing the move away from easy-money policies to ending a drug addiction."
- Bloomberg: Former Yellen Adviser Proposes Sweeping Reform of Fed System -- Good ideas... "Dartmouth College professor Andrew Levin targeted four areas of change for the Federal Reserve system: make the Fed a fully public institution; ensure the process of picking regional Fed presidents is transparent; set seven-year term limits for regional presidents and Board governors; and make the entire Fed subject to external review."
