Money Woes & the Fed’s Overbearing Role
Early this year, I found myself chatting with a prominent libertarian economist about the latest in fiscal and monetary policy. I couldn’t help but spotlight what I see as the real linchpin in the whole mess: the Federal Reserve’s relentless hold over our nation’s money supply and the financial system at large.
Why the Fed’s Hand Matters
- The High Stakes – Every paycheck, loan rate, and savings account feels the ripples of Fed decisions.
- The Tight Control – From printing currency to steering banks, it’s all in their hands.
- All In for the Big Picture – Controlling money means steering the entire economy.
Our Takeaway
Think of the Fed as a massive, invisible puppet master pulling the strings of our financial reality. That dominance keeps the whole system in a delicate dance, and maybe what we need is a new choreography to play it right.
Why My Speech About the Fed Went Overboard
I told the other libertarian economist that the only way to erase inflation, avoid crappy “malinvestments,” and keep savers from losing their buying power was to tear the Federal Reserve to pieces.
He just shrugged and said “Impossible.” That one word stuck with me like a stubborn stain on a shirt you never quite get clean.
What Impossible Actually Means
If a word is truly impossible, there’s no point arguing over it. For example:
- Three angles of a triangle can’t add up to anything other than 180°.
- Dropping a heavy rock from a straight line won’t make it levitate.
- Humans don’t usually give birth to trees.
These are rules of logic—a fact, not a philosophy.
But Human Affairs Aren’t Written in Stone
Governments rise, fall, change hands. The Federal Reserve was created by Congress and could equally be dismantled by it. Political systems are fluid, not mathematically sealed. 2 + 2 will always be 4, but the Soviet Union existed only until 1991. These are not immutable truths; they’re narratives.
Why “Impossible” Gets Misused
On the American right, too many pundits wave a hand and label policies as “impossible.”
That fatalistic outlook wipes out good ideas before they get a chance to sprout.
It’s not the same as saying “This is just hard.” The latter is a challenge; the former is a surrender.
Stats Are Not a Substitute for Action
Sure, the odds that an average American becomes a billionaire are 1 in 380,000. That doesn’t mean you can’t craft a breakthrough idea or start a company in a less regulated market. Numbers give us a snapshot, but they aren’t a script.
Precise Thinking = Better Politics
Being honest about what we know and what we don’t is a super‑power. Pessimism isn’t wisdom—despair is a sin. The real world moves. If we’re skeptical, at least we’re open to finding paths forward.
Excuse Yourself from the “Fed” Myth
Eliminating the Fed is an ambitious dream—whether it’s the top priority for conservatives now is another question. What does matter is that no one can gloss over the fact that a central bank infiltrates almost every corner of the U.S. economy.
The Call to Action
- Oppose tyranny. Whether it’s an overreaching bank or a state of mind, speak up.
- Be honest. With yourself and with the people you’ll serve.
- Fight. Make every day count—much like Virgil’s urging: “Don’t give in to evil. Stand boldly against it!”
So next time you hear someone say something’s impossible, ask yourself: is it really a logical dead‑end, or just a stubborn hurdle we haven’t yet nailed down? Then get out there and knock it down.