[VRWC_minion]

Did the fed wait until after the election to spur the economy to make it harder for Bush ?

[justlurking]

Did the fed wait until after the election to spur the economy to make it harder for Bush ?

No, the Fed did the right thing by waiting until after the election.

If they had lowered rates just before an election while Clinton was in office, Republicans would rightly be screaming bloody murder.

[jiggyboy]

These Fed meetings are scheduled for Tue/Wed every six weeks, for what that's worth. I defer to the other posts in regard to action not taken at the last meeting six weeks ago.

[lasereye]

Did the fed wait until after the election to spur the economy to make it harder for Bush ?

Lots of knowledgeable people like Lawrence Kudlow were saying at the last couple of meetings that they should have cut rates. There sure as heck is no sign of inflation, and the recovery has been faltering what with the ISM and Purchasing Managers indexes going into reverse.

Greenspan basically is responsible for Clinton becoming President because he delayed cutting rates for too long in 1990. I don't think it was deliberate, I just think he tends to see a stronger economy and more inflation out there than everyone else is seeing. His image as some kind of economic mastermind is completely undeserved, and as long as he's in there he's a threat to Bush's reelection.

[Orion]

Did the fed wait until after the election to spur the economy to make it harder for Bush ?

YGBSM!!!! The FED telegraphed this move weeks ago and the last 4 weeks have been nothing short of the money interests pumping stocks to give the illusion the economy is in recovery.

The Semiconductor Index is up 68% in the last month on declining earnings and the bleakest business climate in a generation.