Posted on 01/12/2011 6:04:17 AM PST by SeekAndFind
(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve's journey to the outer limits of monetary policy is raising concerns about how hard it will be to withdraw trillions of dollars in stimulus from the banking system when the time is right.
While that day seems distant now, some economists and market analysts have even begun pondering the unthinkable: could the vaunted Fed, the world's most powerful central bank, become insolvent?
Almost by definition, the answer is no.
As the monetary authority, the central bank is the master of the printing press. It can literally conjure up money at will, and arguably did exactly that when it bought about $2 trillion of mortgage-backed securities and U.S. Treasuries to push down borrowing costs and boost the economy.
The Fed's unorthodox steps helped it generate record profits in 2010, allowing it to send $78.4 billion to the U.S. Treasury Department. But its swollen balance sheet leaves the central bank unusually exposed to possible credit losses that could create a major headache at a time of increasing political encroachment on the Fed's independence.
Asked about the issue of potential losses during congressional testimony on Friday, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested the risks were minimal. If liabilities on the Fed's balance sheet were to exceed its assets, it would only be so because of rising interest rates in the context of a thriving economy, he suggested.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
The Fed is the source of much of our problems. It needs to die. Andrew Jackson killed the Second Bank -- who will kill the Fed?
Anyone with any foresight has moved their estate OFF SHORE.
It already is.
RE: Anyone with any foresight has moved their estate OFF SHORE.
We need to be reminded that the IRS has power to go after any money deposited in offshore accounts.
UBS is a prime example of the US government FORCING and BULLYING them to disclose thousands of account holders in Switzerland.
And guess what ? The once brave and independent Swiss Parliament CAVED.
Don’t put your money in Switzerland. It isn’t a secret account any longer.
Bingo. A friend of mine and I are about to buy a fairly sizable business in Brazil. This business has an international scope and we would prefer to headquarter here, but we have absolutely no intention of bringing operations to the USA in the current business and tort climate, despite the USA being our biggest market. There has been ZERO discussion amongst the partners and investors about bringing the business here. In fact, everyone agrees that we have to stay out of the USA if the business is to survive.
Keynesian policy removes wealth from the vast majority of Americans (and Europeans, Asians, etc.), and places it in the hands of the wired-in DC/NY players.
Belize is working right now to become the next Switzerland or Cayman Islands.
Yes, you are correct, but not wiyhout a courtaction in the foreignjurisdiction, They cannot seize anything without a court oprocedure and posting security for cost of the court action in a foreign jurisdiction. Here at home they do not have to prove their right of seizure , the burden is on YOU to prove it after the seizure occurs, a very expensive proposition.If you pay your taxes on the incomoe from abroad, the foreign jurisdiction court will prevent the seizure. Very simple.And the feds will have to pay the costs of the court proceeding. Thats the real reason theat Obama wants to cow Americans from placing money off shore.We have a perfect right to do so as long as taxes are paid.SO when Obama wants to seize assets under unconstitutional law or executive order ( as is likely), he will not be able to do so abroad.
Exactly. I know a dozen freepers who have done the same. We stay in touch and know how to make it work.
RE: We have a perfect right to do so as long as taxes are paid.SO when Obama wants to seize assets under unconstitutional law or executive order ( as is likely), he will not be able to do so abroad.
Well I guess that’s the point of their action against Switzerland. Many millionaires have money deposited in Switzerland EARNING INTEREST, IN VARIOUS CURRENCIES, and these interest earned are NOT DECLARED as income.
So, the question is this — does the US government have CLAIM on that money?
But more than that, there are numerous IMMIGRANTS who come from various part of the world ( e.g. Japan, China, Asia, and other countries ), who come here to study, earn degrees, and eventually apply for and become US citizens.
They might have left money back home in terms of bank accounts, stock, etc (money that never entered the USA in the first place ). DOES THE US HAVE ANY LEGAL CLAIM TO MONEY THAT NEVER ENTERED THE USA from a now, US Citizen?
Also, what if the naturalized Citizen had a JOINT ACCOUNT with his parents or family in an overseas bank before he came to the USA ?
What if his parents, who are not US citizens and don’t live here, GAVE HIM MONEY in say, China as an INHERITANCE?
DOES THE USA HAVE LEGAL CLAIM ON ANY OF THESE MONEY ?
It seems that the Obama, via the IRS says YES and wants to spend resources going after them.
It’s a few more hoops to jump through, but we’ll most definitely be keeping our new venture off shore. One of the major partner/investors is an international attorney and has done this sort of thing several times before. We’re looking at Belize, the Bahamas, and several countries in eastern Europe as potential places to base. We need to move the operation out of Brazil as quickly as possible, too. They just elected a President whose first official act was to phone Hugo Chavez.....
If it went broke would we know about it?
Correct me if I am wrong, but the opening sentence is incorrect. The Federal Reserve is not U.S. regulated or owned. The U.S. borrows money from the Fed Reserve (a private entity) and has to pay said money back, with interest.
That is one of the most misunderstood, but most important statements regarding our federal monetary policy. The fact so few people seem to understand it is our potential downfall.
What happens when Russia becomes a player in that area, you think Putin is going to let the IRS tell him what to do?
OK, you're wrong, so now you're corrected. Or not.
I'm imagining that you've made up your mind here once and for all, but please prove me wrong and let me know if there could possibly any link/reference to any law or website that you'd ever be willing accept as proof the Fed as a US governmental agency.
The irony ... their 100 year plan to strip America of its wealth backfires in the end as they try to extend the game beyond the limits of possibility. Instead of holding all of America's wealth, they will hold all the debt.
Game, set, match
We would know it by the multitude of MSM stories about how sound and dependable its finance are. So sound in fact the very thought of an audit is ridiculous and posting its financials is no longer necessary.
So you’re saying it’s already bankrupt. Maybe.
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