Monetary Policy

March 16, 2015
Everyday economics and sovereign debt
Published by Elaine Schwartz at March 16, 2015
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The Problem With Hitting the Debt Ceiling Again

With the U.S. hitting a debt ceiling that is equal to the GDP, concern over U.S. spending is growing as the Congress again decides how to avoid a default.

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February 13, 2015
richest billionaires
Published by Elaine Schwartz at February 13, 2015
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Pondering the Bunker Hill Theory of Inflation

As the source of monetary policy, the Federal Reserve has to decide if interest rates should rise when inflation is low but a jobs recovery has begun.

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January 20, 2015
everyday economics, behavioral economics and saving less
Published by Elaine Schwartz at January 20, 2015
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How Chocolate Chip Cookies Explain Why We Save Less

Explained by behavioral economics, we save relatively little for retirement because of intertemporal selfishness and seeing our future selves as strangers.

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January 9, 2015
Weekly economic news roundup and marriage
Published by Elaine Schwartz at January 9, 2015
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How Men Act When They Outnumber Women

How gender ratios in the U.S. and China affect men's financial behavior can be explained with supply and demand and behavioral economics from Gary Becker.

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December 26, 2014
A part of the money supply, currency wears out, is shredded and then recycled or destroyed.
Published by Elaine Schwartz at December 26, 2014
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How the Fed Solves the Old Money Problem

Part of keeping the money supply at the right level involves the Fed monitoring the paper money that enters circulation and recycling cash that leaves it.

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December 9, 2014
Everyday economics: Looking at the CPI and beyond, there are many ways to calculate the inflation rate.
Published by Elaine Schwartz at December 9, 2014
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Expanding How We Measure Inflation

Our CPI measure of the inflation rate has been debated because it could be calculated using a chained CPU, could be real time, and excludes some seniors.

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November 12, 2014
Everyday Economics of Dodd-Frank
Published by Elaine Schwartz at November 12, 2014
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Dodd-Frank: When Is A Law Too Long To Obey?

With debated impact, a little more than half of the thousands of rules necessary for implementing the financial regulation in Dodd-Frank have been written.

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November 4, 2014
financial regulation
Published by Elaine Schwartz at November 4, 2014
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The Benefits of Perpetual Federal Debt

Very long term federal debt that has no date for redemption like UK First World War bonds and U.S. Revolutionary War debt depend on good public credit.

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May 15, 2014
Experience of a babysitting co-op with scrip provides a monetary policy lesson and a debate
Published by Elaine Schwartz at May 15, 2014
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The Monetary Policy Mistakes of a Babysitting Co-op

There once was a French economist whose name was Say. Proclaiming that “Supply Creates Its Own Demand,” Jean-Baptiste Say (1767-1832) entered economic history with Say’s Law. All he meant was that workers […]

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April 27, 2014
In Russia now, and 35 years ago in the US, stagflation is a tough problem.
Published by Elaine Schwartz at April 27, 2014
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When Did We Get “Tough Love” From the Federal Reserve?

Demonstrating Russia’s current plight, this graph so perfectly illustrates stagflation: When GDP sinks and inflation increases, the stagflation that results is tough to cure. If monetary […]

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April 13, 2014
Published by Elaine Schwartz at April 13, 2014
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One Reason That Quitting is Good

I have read that Fed Chair Janet Yellen is particularly interested in JOLTS. Representing Job Openings and Labor market Turnover Survey, JOLTS data tell an interesting […]

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March 11, 2014
Weekly Economic News Roundup and driving behavior
Published by Elaine Schwartz at March 11, 2014
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Venezuela Has Cheap Gas But No Cars

At the official exchange rate, Venezuelans pay 5 cents a gallon for premium gasoline while the real price is closer to one half penny a gallon. The […]

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