September 2012	October 2012	Comments
Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in August suggests that economic activity has continued to expand at a moderate pace in recent months.	Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in September suggests that economic activity has continued to expand at a moderate pace in recent months.	No change.
Growth in employment has been slow, and the unemployment rate remains elevated.	Growth in employment has been slow, and the unemployment rate remains elevated.	No change.
Household spending has continued to advance, but growth in business fixed investment appears to have slowed.? The housing sector has shown some further signs of improvement, albeit from a depressed level.	Household spending has advanced a bit more quickly, but growth in business fixed investment has slowed.? The housing sector has shown some further signs of improvement, albeit from a depressed level.	Shades up household spending.? Shades down business investment.
Inflation has been subdued, although the prices of some key commodities have increased recently. Longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable.	Inflation recently picked up somewhat, reflecting higher energy prices.? Longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable.	Shades up their view of inflation, blaming energy prices. TIPS are showing rising inflation expectations since the last meeting. (5y forward 5y inflation implied from TIPS.)
Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability.	Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability.	No change. Any time they mention the ?statutory mandate,? it is to excuse bad policy.
The Committee is concerned that, without further policy accommodation, economic growth might not be strong enough to generate sustained improvement in labor market conditions.	The Committee remains concerned that, without sufficient policy accommodation, economic growth might not be strong enough to generate sustained improvement in labor market conditions.	Emphasizes that the FOMC will keep doing the same thing and expect a different result than before. Monetary policy is omnipotent on the asset side.
Furthermore, strains in global financial markets continue to pose significant downside risks to the economic outlook.	Furthermore, strains in global financial markets continue to pose significant downside risks to the economic outlook.	No change.
The Committee also anticipates that inflation over the medium term likely would run at or below its 2 percent objective.	The Committee also anticipates that inflation over the medium term likely would run at or below its 2 percent objective.	No change. CPI is at 2.0% now, yoy, so that is quite a statement.
To support a stronger economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at the rate most consistent with its dual mandate, the Committee agreed today to increase policy accommodation by purchasing additional agency mortgage-backed securities at a pace of $40 billion per month.? The Committee also will continue through the end of the year its program to extend the average maturity of its holdings of securities as announced in June, and it is maintaining its existing policy of reinvesting principal payments from its holdings of agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities in agency mortgage-backed securities.? These actions, which together will increase the Committee?s holdings of longer-term securities by about $85 billion each month through the end of the year, should put downward pressure on longer-term interest rates, support mortgage markets, and help to make broader financial conditions more accommodative.	To support a stronger economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at the rate most consistent with its dual mandate, the Committee will continue purchasing additional agency mortgage-backed securities at a pace of $40 billion per month.? The Committee also will continue through the end of the year its program to extend the average maturity of its holdings of Treasury securities, and it is maintaining its existing policy of reinvesting principal payments from its holdings of agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities in agency mortgage-backed securities.? These actions, which together will increase the Committee?s holdings of longer-term securities by about $85 billion each month through the end of the year, should put downward pressure on longer-term interest rates, support mortgage markets, and help to make broader financial conditions more accommodative.	No real change. Does not mention how the twist will affect those that have to fund long-dated liabilities. Wonder how long it will take them to saturate agency RMBS market?
The Committee will closely monitor incoming information on economic and financial developments in coming months.	The Committee will closely monitor incoming information on economic and financial developments in coming months.	No change. Useless comment.
If the outlook for the labor market does not improve substantially, the Committee will continue its purchases of agency mortgage-backed securities, undertake additional asset purchases, and employ its other policy tools as appropriate until such improvement is achieved in a context of price stability.	If the outlook for the labor market does not improve substantially, the Committee will continue its purchases of agency mortgage-backed securities, undertake additional asset purchases, and employ its other policy tools as appropriate until such improvement is achieved in a context of price stability.	No change.
In determining the size, pace, and composition of its asset purchases, the Committee will, as always, take appropriate account of the likely efficacy and costs of such purchases.	In determining the size, pace, and composition of its asset purchases, the Committee will, as always, take appropriate account of the likely efficacy and costs of such purchases.	The FOMC promises what it cannot know or deliver.
To support continued progress toward maximum employment and price stability, the Committee expects that a highly accommodative stance of monetary policy will remain appropriate for a considerable time after the economic recovery strengthens.	To support continued progress toward maximum employment and price stability, the Committee expects that a highly accommodative stance of monetary policy will remain appropriate for a considerable time after the economic recovery strengthens.	No change. Promises that they won?t change until the economy strengthens.? Good luck with that.
In particular, the Committee also decided today to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and currently anticipates that exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate are likely to be warranted at least through mid-2015.	In particular, the Committee also decided today to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and currently anticipates that exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate are likely to be warranted at least through mid-2015.	No change
Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; William C. Dudley, Vice Chairman; Elizabeth A. Duke; Dennis P. Lockhart; Sandra Pianalto; Jerome H. Powell; Sarah Bloom Raskin; Jeremy C. Stein; Daniel K. Tarullo; John C. Williams; and Janet L. Yellen.	Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; William C. Dudley, Vice Chairman; Elizabeth A. Duke; Dennis P. Lockhart; Sandra Pianalto; Jerome H. Powell; Sarah Bloom Raskin; Jeremy C. Stein; Daniel K. Tarullo; John C. Williams; and Janet L. Yellen.	No change
Voting against the action was Jeffrey M. Lacker, who opposed additional asset purchases and preferred to omit the description of the time period over which exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate are likely to be warranted.	Voting against the action was Jeffrey M. Lacker, who opposed additional asset purchases and disagreed with the description of the time period over which a highly accommodative stance of monetary policy will remain appropriate and exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate are likely to be warranted.	Lacker sharpens his hopeless dissent against a flock of doves.

?

Comments

• No big changes.? The FOMC?s views on household spending and inflation have risen.? Note that the CPI is at their 2.0% line in the sand.
• In my opinion, I don?t think holding down longer-term rates on the highest-quality debt will have any impact on lower quality debts, which is where most of the economy finances itself. When this policy doesn?t work, what will they do?
• Also, the investment in Agency MBS should have limited impact because so many owners are inverted, or ineligible for financing backed by the GSEs, and implicitly the government, even with the recently announced refinancing changes.
• The key variables on Fed Policy are capacity utilization, unemployment, inflation trends, and inflation expectations.? As a result, the FOMC ain?t moving rates up, absent increases in employment, or a US Dollar crisis.? Labor employment is the key metric.
• GDP growth is not improving much if at all, and the unemployment rate improvement comes more from discouraged workers.

A Statement to Dr. Bernanke:

More debt will not get us out of this crisis.? The Great Depression ended when enough debts were compromised, paid off, or cancelled, which from my study is 1941, before World War two started.

Your policies further aid the growth of the budget deficit, and encourage malinvestment in housing and banking, two things in a high degree of oversupply.? The investments in MBS only help solvent borrowers on the low end of housing, who don?t really need the help.? Holding down longer-term rates on the highest-quality debt does not have any impact on lower quality debts, which is where most of the economy finances itself.

The problems with unemployment are structural, not cyclical.? Labor force participation rates continue to decline.? There is greater labor competition around the world, forcing down wages on the low end.? There is nothing that monetary policy can do to change this.? You can create stagflation through your policies, but not prosperity.

When inflation does arrive, the FOMC is going to find it very hard to raise Fed Funds or shrink its balance sheet.? The banks will not react well as you try to shrink, and the long rates that you have held down will react violently.

You haven?t thought through all of the ?second order? effects of your policy.? Even the ?first order? effects, which favor the rich over the poor, seem to elude you.? Assets rise, helping the rich.? Interest rates fall, helping the rich who can borrow.? Commodity prices rise, harming the poor.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result.? When will you realize that the policies of the Fed aren?t helping, and need to be abandoned?