柏南克任期屆滿,                    

正在努力想要連任時,

1.聯準會想要獲得更多的權利

2.歐巴瑪想要對憤怒的民眾有所交代

3.雙方達成共識:「維持現狀,有條件公布資訊」

他們都獲得了勝利,

但是苦了全球跟美元有關的百姓。

美國國會仍然沈醉在

聯準會的酒水之中


Congress Is the Drunk at the Fed’s Punch Bowl: Roger Lowenstein

Commentary by Roger Lowenstein

 

Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Congress wants to ride herd over the Federal Reserve. It wants the power to scrutinize the Fed’s interest-rate decisions. It wants to look into how the Fed decides to lend to individual banks.

Like a lot of their constituents, legislators are angry at the Fed’s handling of the financial crisis. They want to know why the Fed permitted such a huge financial bubble to develop -- and why, when it burst, it bailed out so many banks.

Many of the criticisms of the Fed are valid. Former Fed chief Alan Greenspan, who oversaw the economy during the boom years, has admitted he placed too much faith in the ability of bankers to monitor their risks. Ben Bernanke, the current chairman, has been overhauling regulatory policy in the hope of preventing a repeat.

But here’s the thing. The changes that Congress is urging would make things worse. If anything, the Fed has been too sensitive to public opinion. And in the recent past, it was too eager to satisfy the public with an easy-interest-rate and easy- mortgage policy.

Last week, when Bernanke testified before the Senate Banking Committee, which is deliberating whether to confirm him for a second term, senators let him have it. Jim Bunning of Kentucky, more famous for throwing a perfect game in his baseball career than for his central banking expertise, called Bernanke “the definition of a moral hazard.” Bernard Sanders of Vermont, a state with fewer bankers than cows, is vowing to block Bernanke’s reconfirmation.

Serious Threat

Bernanke will surely be approved. But the threat to rein in the Fed’s power is serious. The Fed was created as an independent agency precisely so it could make politically unpopular decisions. A Bernie Sanders is unlikely to push for higher interest rates when they are needed. And history shows that political meddling in the Fed has led to serious problems for the nation’s economy.

 

原文連結:http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=asvyl3kHiJpQ

 


美國和花旗銀行協調抒困時

放棄徵收花旗百億美元的稅收

由於花旗銀行今年因為抒困案而「免稅」

所以當花旗銀行宣稱今年虧損$380億美元

因此將來可以隱瞞並坐收$380億美元的利潤

U.S. gave up billions in tax money in deal for Citigroup's bailout repayment

Deal made to recover bailout Firms exempted from rule when U.S. sells its stake

Citigroup says it has built up $38 billion in losses. With the tax exemption, it will be able to shelter up to $38 billion in future profits. (Richard Drew/associated Press)

By Binyamin AppelbaumWashington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The federal government quietly agreed to forgo billions of dollars in potential tax payments from Citigroup as part of the deal announced this week to wean the company from the massive taxpayer bailout that helped it survive the financial crisis.

This Story

The Internal Revenue Service on Friday issued an exception to long-standing tax rules for the benefit of Citigroup and a few other companies partially owned by the government. As a result, Citigroup will be allowed to retain billions of dollars worth of tax breaks that otherwise would decline in value when the government sells its stake to private investors.

While the Obama administration has said taxpayers are likely to profit from the sale of the Citigroup shares, accounting experts said the lost tax revenue could easily outstrip those profits.

原文(全)連結:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/15/AR2009121504534.html?hpid=topnews


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