If the “The Root Cause Of Our Economic Problems Is The Housing Foreclosure Crisis” as Senator Dodd States, then all the bad mortgages and the $700 Billion Bailout is not necessary.

Or maybe he is ass backwards and it was Wall Street with their aggressive mortgages and the Federal Reserve who encouraged folks to go out and get adjustable rate mortgages and did not do their jobs anyway regardless of Wall Street.

Remember it is the Federal Reserve that monitors and controls the financial markets in the United States!

Maybe Greenspan should not have raised the target rate 17 consecutive sessions after he went out and told everyone to go out an get adjustable rate mortgages.

Look that one up.

Seems like the Federal Reserve failed to do their job, again!

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided today to lower its target for the federal funds rate 50 basis points to 1 percent.

The pace of economic activity appears to have slowed markedly, owing importantly to a decline in consumer expenditures. Business equipment spending and industrial production have weakened in recent months, and slowing economic activity in many foreign economies is damping the prospects for U.S. exports. Moreover, the intensification of financial market turmoil is likely to exert additional restraint on spending, partly by further reducing the ability of households and businesses to obtain credit.

In light of the declines in the prices of energy and other commodities and the weaker prospects for economic activity, the Committee expects inflation to moderate in coming quarters to levels consistent with price stability.

Recent policy actions, including today’s rate reduction, coordinated interest rate cuts by central banks, extraordinary liquidity measures, and official steps to strengthen financial systems, should help over time to improve credit conditions and promote a return to moderate economic growth. Nevertheless, downside risks to growth remain. The Committee will monitor economic and financial developments carefully and will act as needed to promote sustainable economic growth and price stability.

Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action was: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; Timothy F. Geithner, Vice Chairman; Elizabeth A. Duke; Richard W. Fisher; Donald L. Kohn; Randall S. Kroszner; Sandra Pianalto; Charles I. Plosser; Gary H. Stern; and Kevin M. Warsh.

In a related action, the Board of Governors unanimously approved a 50-basis-point decrease in the discount rate to 1-1/4 percent. In taking this action, the Board approved the requests submitted by the Boards of Directors of the Federal Reserve  Banks of Boston, New York, Cleveland, and San Francisco.

The Federal Reserve yields enormous power over the health of the nation’s economy AP Personal Finance Editor Trevor Delaney explains how setting interest rates is one of its most powerful tools.

A simple guide explaining how the Federal Reserve, the central bank of the United States that is responsible for regulating the supply of money in the US economy, has created the recession the US economy is experiencing.

From our friends at http://www.kidmercuryblog.com

Part 2

The Federal Reserve Board on Tuesday, with the full support of the Treasury Department, authorized the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to lend up to $85 billion to the American International Group (AIG) under section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act. The secured loan has terms and conditions designed to protect the interests of the U.S. government and taxpayers.

The Board determined that, in current circumstances, a disorderly failure of AIG could add to already significant levels of financial market fragility and lead to substantially higher borrowing costs, reduced household wealth, and materially weaker economic performance.

I thought I heard Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson say that there would be no more support from the government, (meaning you and I) yesterday??? By the way how much will this cost me?

The purpose of this liquidity facility is to assist AIG in meeting its obligations as they come due. This loan will facilitate a process under which AIG will sell certain of its businesses in an orderly manner, with the least possible disruption to the overall economy.

The AIG facility has a 24-month term. Interest will accrue on the outstanding balance at a rate of three-month Libor plus 850 basis points. AIG will be permitted to draw up to $85 billion under the facility.

The interests of taxpayers are protected by key terms of the loan (So where are they getting the money from?). The loan is collateralized by all the assets of AIG, and of its primary non-regulated subsidiaries. These assets include the stock of substantially all of the regulated subsidiaries. The loan is expected to be repaid from the proceeds of the sale of the firm’s assets. The U.S. government will receive a 79.9 percent equity interest in AIG and has the right to veto the payment of dividends to common and preferred shareholders.

We the American Public will be paying, the middle class.  Without regulation what is to say they will not do it again. Our company buys defaulted second mortgages that usually the first mortgage was done at the same time. The loans that were approved at 100% just amazes me. $1,000,000 loans that the buyer works at a car wash. Yes a car wash. Not manager or general manager an employee. A customer that is not an American citizen and has never had a job buys an $800,000 property, a vegetable picker buys a $300,000 property , a cashier at grocery store 400,000 property. Keep in mind the sale price is the loan amount. We present a case on each loan that is foreclosed by the first to get approval to zero it out. I always input the place of employment because it just blows my mind. You know that these people cannot possibly afford the loans and most default on the first payment. When they agree to insure the loans is it based on “trust” they just take the lenders word??? If that is the case shame on them for being so stupid.
I could go on forever with the things that I have seen. I have very little sympathy for these companies.

Thanks

Barbra Orr

Did you know the Federal Reserve is a privately held company?

Look it up in your local phone book. You will NOT find them in the Government section as one might think, however, you will find them in the business section. In fact, the Federal Reserve is as much a government entity as is Federal Express.

So where does our money come from? Where does it go? Who makes it? The money magician’s secrets are unveiled. Here is a close look at their mirrors and smoke machines, the pulleys, cogs, and wheels that create the grand illusion called money and the Federal Reserve.

A boring subject? Just wait. You’ll be hooked in five minutes. It sounds like a detective story, which it really is, but it’s all true. Based on Mr. Griffin’s book of the same title, this address will shatter your old ideas about money and change the way you view the world.

This week will be interesting for the bond market and mortgage rates. There are five remaining economic reports scheduled for release, but only one of them is considered to be of high importance to the markets. With data being posted all but one day of the week, we may see some noticeable fluctuations from day to day in mortgage pricing.  Generally speaking, despite the lack of a data-packed calendar, I would still maintain constant contact with your mortgage professional.

Interest rates remained volatile last week as worries about inflation continued to influence the mortgage market.   Comments from the Federal Reserve indicated that the current rate of inflation is above desired levels.  When the Fed is concerned about inflation, they tend to raise interest rates.  We recommend locking now before they go up.

Inflation data continues to hammer headlines and our wallets. News this week demonstrated what we have all been feeling; prices are higher at the pump, the grocery store and anywhere else you use your debit card. Interest rates trade off of bond prices and bonds HATE inflation. Coupled with this is concern about a declining economy which could hold rates back a bit, but the overall trend is higher for those seeking a mortgage in coming months.

Volatility being what it is these days, mortgage rates bounce around a lot. Upward pressure for rates one day gives way to downward pressure the next, only to succumb to upward pressure again.

The see saw between concerns about growth and fears about inflation tilted toward the inflation side again this week, after Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke addressed Congress in the semi-annual report on monetary policy. While detailing the challenges facing the economy, Bernanke noted that inflation was above desired levels and that upside risks for higher prices have “intensified” lately. A Fed seeing higher inflation usually can be expected to react with an upward move to the Fed Funds and Discount Rates at some point in the not-too-distant future. In fact, the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee explicitly noted at its last meeting that “with increased upside risks to inflation and inflation expectations, members believed that the next change in the stance of policy could well be an increase in the funds rate.”

The federal banking and thrift agencies today issued final guidance outlining the supervisory review process for banking organizations implementing the new advanced capital adequacy framework known as Basel II.  The final guidance relating to supervisory review is aimed at helping banking organizations meet certain qualification requirements in the advanced approaches rule, which took effect April 1.

The advanced approaches rule consists of three pillars:  minimum risk-based capital requirements (Pillar 1); supervisory review of capital adequacy (Pillar 2); and market discipline through enhanced public disclosures (Pillar 3).  The final Pillar 2 guidance details the agencies’ standards for ensuring that each institution subject to the advanced approaches rule has a rigorous process for assessing its overall capital adequacy in relation to its risk profile and a comprehensive strategy for maintaining appropriate capital levels.

Although the guidance does not differ significantly from the proposed Pillar 2 guidance issued in February 2007, the agencies made some enhancements based on comments received and in consideration of key lessons from the events of the past year.  The Pillar 2 guidance is being issued by the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Office of Thrift Supervision.  The effective date of the Pillar 2 guidance is 30 days following its publication in the Federal Register, which is expected shortly.  The final Pillar 2 guidance is attached.

2008 Banking and Consumer Regulatory Policy