The Punchline In His Own Words: Bernanke Advocates Blowing Asset Bubbles As The Antidote To Depression [Zerohedge]
September 14, 2012 Leave a comment
If there was one absolutely must see moment exposing everything that is broken with the Fed’s brand new policy of QE-nfinity, it was this exchange between Reuters’ Pedro da Costa and the Chairman. It explains, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the only goal the Fed now has is to reflate the stock market bubble to previously unseen levels, to focus on generating jobs although not for everyone but only for Wall Street, consequences be damned, because by the time the consequences arrive, and they will (just recall that subprime is contained) they will be some other Fed chairman’s problem. Bernake’s term mercifully runs out in January 2014.
From the official transcript:
[...]
Stock prices – many people own stocks directly or indirectly. The issue here is whether or not improving asset prices generally will make people more willing to spend.
One of the main concerns that firms have is there’s not enough demand. There are not enough people coming and demanding their products. And if people feel that their financial situation is better because their 401(k) looks better or for whatever reason — their house is worth more — they’re more willing to go out and spend, and that’s going to provide the demand that firms need in order to be willing to hire and to invest.
