World News Insights
1-3 Minute Gist

All Topics Article

Kansas City Fed President Defies Conventional Wisdom

New York Times Original article ›

Keywords:

LyrArc Article Gist
Thomas Hoenig was Governor of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank for 20 years. Here he talks about the dangers of "too big to fail" with Gretchen Morgenson of the New York Times. He is due to retire at the age of 65 in 2011. Hoeinig has stood for conservative safe financial practices for U.S. financial institutions throughout his 20 year old career, and cautioned against extending the government safety net for banks that engage in risky financial activities including derivatives trading. And essential element of safe financial practice and part of necessary market discipline, he has pointed consistently, is the fear that taking on risky activities or acting recklessly has a price- creditors can take out their funds if they see a banks as unsafe, and the financial institution may have to be broken up or closed. He joins Alan Meltzer in his criticism of Federal Reserve policies under first Greenspan and then Bernanke that take on the job of stimulating the economy and creating jobs through a very loose monetary policy after the collapse of a bubble. Hoenig sees the role of the Fed in such situations as a neutral player. The reason say Meltzer and Hoenig is that the Fed has not given enough thought and attention to the long term consequences of its policies. What were the consequences of the low rate policies in 2003 asks Hoenig? It promoted another bubble and the mortgage meltdown of 2008. What were the consequences of QE II asks Meltzer in an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal on August 11, 2011, "The Folly of Economic Short-Termism?" It has failed to revive the economy or reduce unemployment. Hoenig also points to questions of fairness and equity that arise when banks are treated differently and farmers, seniors and other groups are asked to make sacrifices.

Thomas Hoenig and other experts on the "too big to fail" banking crisis that hovers over the U.S. economy

09/23/2010

Former Fed Governor of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank for 20 years, Thomas Hoenig, has followed Fed policy over a long period. He has maintained throughout that government backing takes away an essential element in the safe and conservative practices of financial institutions by encouraging the taking of excessive risks. The only way to ensure their safety is for creditors to know they bear serious risks and for the systemically important financial insitutions to know that not following safe financial practices can put these institutions and management out of business.

Grouped Articles

GE Capital, AIG to Get More Government Oversight

Wall Street Journal 07/09/2013

We’re All Still Hostages to the Big Banks

New York Times 08/25/2013

Soothing Words on 'Too Big to Fail' But With Little Meaning

New York Times 12/11/2013

Thomas Hoenig Is Fed Up

BusinessWeek 09/23/2010

Banks Feel Heat on Capital

Wall Street Journal 05/01/2013

Banks Ordered to Add Capital to Limit Risks

New York Times 04/08/2014

Allan Meltzer's action plan for the economy includes reversing the excessive monetary easing starting now in October 2009 so that it can be done gradually and not hurt the economy through sudden contraction later on.

10/01/2009

Allan Melzer was co-founder an co-chairman of the Shadow Open Market Committee for over two decades, advisor to Presidents Kennedy and Reagan, and one of the foremost experts on the Federal Reserve System. He calls for the U.S. Federal Reserve to adopt an early exit strategy from loose monetary policies.

Grouped Articles

Once Again, the Fed Shies Away From the Exit Door

Wall Street Journal 07/11/2013

Bhidé and Phelps: Central Banking Needs Rethinking

Wall Street Journal 07/16/2013

Preventing the Next Financial Crisis

Wall Street Journal 10/23/2009

Is the U.S. Economy Turning Japanese?

Wall Street Journal 10/27/2009

Banking on the banks

Economist 10/15/2009

Jobs Now, Deficit Reduction Later

BusinessWeek 10/29/2009

Criticism of Bernanke's role at the Federal Reserve

01/02/2009

The difficult renomination and the subsequent 70-30 vote with 30 Senators opposed including Boxer, Feingold, Sanders and others. This follows Ron Paul's criticisms in Congress of the Fed's role- see that link group.

Grouped Articles

Martin Feldstein: The Federal Reserve's Policy Dead End

Wall Street Journal 05/09/2013

Bhidé and Phelps: Central Banking Needs Rethinking

Wall Street Journal 07/16/2013

Fed Chairman’s Departure Casts a New Light on the Bush Legacy

New York Times 07/26/2013

Wanted: A Boring Leader for the Fed

New York Times 08/20/2013

The Fall of Summers

Wall Street Journal 09/15/2013

What's Needed in the Next Fed Chief

New York Times 09/15/2013


Support LyrArc

We took a different way to help millions around the world build educated informed mindsets that affects and shapes their lives. For a future that is open, global and digital, with everyone having access to high quality information. We believe in the renewal of America, renewal of Europe, the renewal of India, the rest of Asia, Latin America and Africa. The renewal of our supply chains, health, education, infrastructure, as we rebuild our countries after the pandemic. Literacy and knowledge we believe cannot thrive and grow in a world of web bots, web crawlers, or AI. This requires human curiosity, human learning, and human imagination. We take as inspiration the saying- “One has to be free, and as broad as sky. One has to have a mind that is crystal clear, only then can truth shine in it.” Every contribution whether big or small is precious- in this crisis and ahead.

Support Lyrarc from as small as $1


Copyright © 2006 - 2026 Intelilinks LLC
Terms and Conditions | Copyright Policy | Privacy Policy | Contact Us