[AndyJackson]

Lots of people are running around throwing brickbats at the Fed.

Even some sitting governors of the Federal Reserve Board, as well as former chairman Paul Volker are throwing brickbats at Bernanke, so we slanderers are in good company.

PS. You cannot slander a public institution, which the FED most definitely is.

[JasonC]

Volker has thrown no brickbats at Bernanke. He noted that the latter's actions have pushed past Fed precedent and such legal lines as there are around its authority, while also saying he considers the specific actions necessary. It was a call to legislators to examine the Fed's legal authority in the light of new, real, financial conditions, not one on Bernanke to deliberately allow another great depression.