The article was about the national debt. If the treasury auctions the us treasury bonds and nobody bites, then the interest rates must go up to entice them. OR the fed can buy the bonds at the lower rate and bingo. New cash is flooded into the market and the current debt holders are paid back with cheaper dollars.
There are only two ways we get out of this debt mess. Pay it off, or inflate our way out of it.
Paying it off will require a tax increase or an expansion in productivity and gdp. Productivity gains were what kept interest rates lower in the 90's.
Inflation is the other way, but it comes at a price. It steals the widow's ability to buy from her fixed income. It is only good for governments.
Letting the debt spiral out of control is not sustainable. Thats why you see china buying oil, steel and gold with their dollars now before the dollar gets inflated. It would be tough to be in their shoes right now. The are playing the globalization game and the us has a gun to their head.
If the fed buys us treasuries like they did in march, then the interest rates will remain low. Our debt holders like china, japan, and europe will be forced to buy our debt to keep the exchange rates favorable. A weak dollar means their current holdings are worth less and they have less ability to export goods and services. Us debt of these proportions is a gun to the head of the US debt holders. interest rates will remain low...like it or not.
There are only two ways we get out of this debt mess. Pay it off, or inflate our way out of it.
Paying it off will require a tax increase or an expansion in productivity and gdp. Productivity gains were what kept interest rates lower in the 90's.
Inflation is the other way, but it comes at a price. It steals the widow's ability to buy from her fixed income. It is only good for governments.
Letting the debt spiral out of control is not sustainable. Thats why you see china buying oil, steel and gold with their dollars now before the dollar gets inflated. It would be tough to be in their shoes right now. The are playing the globalization game and the us has a gun to their head.