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The Sound Money Project was founded in January 2009 to conduct research and promote awareness about monetary stability and financial privacy. The project is comprised of leading academics and practitioners in money, banking, and macroeconomics. It offers regular commentary and in-depth analysis on monetary policy, alternative monetary systems, financial markets regulation, cryptocurrencies, and the history of monetary and macroeconomic thought. For the latest on sound money issues, subscribe to our working paper series and follow along on Twitter or Facebook.
Advisory Board: Steve H. Hanke, Jerry L. Jordan, Lawrence H. White
Director: William J. Luther
Senior Fellows: Nicolás Cachanosky, Gerald P. Dwyer, Joshua R. Hendrickson, Thomas L. Hogan, Gerald P. O’Driscoll, Jr., Alexander W. Salter
Fellows: J.P. Koning
“A better policy would be to bring greater clarity to the structure and effects of the Fed’s policy framework so as to improve the quality of investor expectations. So long as investors feel that they might as well be reading tea leaves to predict Fed policy, the Fed will struggle to anchor investor expectations of nominal and real income growth.” ~ James L. Caton
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“Biden’s only other play would be to lean on historical norms. Fed Chairs rarely stick around to serve out their terms as mere Governors when they are not reappointed to the top spot. Janet Yellen resigned in 2018, when Trump replaced her as Chair with Powell, despite having nearly six years left on her term as Governor. Biden might hope Powell will follow suit.” ~ William J. Luther
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“Relief spending would be a much-needed blessing for many Americans. But paying people not to work does not stimulate the economy.” ~ Thomas L. Hogan
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“The whole point of a central bank is competently administering monetary policy. Right now, the Fed is failing at this basic task.” ~ Alexander W. Salter
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“It could very well be that the benefits of reducing the threshold from $3,000 to $250 exceed the costs, defined as the sum of the administrative expenses, lost privacy, and increased financial exclusion. But all of these costs must be included in the final calculation. Not just some of them. As it is, FinCEN and the Fed have not done a sound accounting for their proposal.” ~ J.P. Koning
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“Until the Fed acts to build trust and credibility with the public, its policy of Average Inflation Targeting will have little effect on inflation or economic activity.” ~ Thomas L. Hogan
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“It is possible that these prepaid card providers aren’t competing very hard, and thus unbanked households face abnormally high fees. If so, the unbanked population could benefit by having the USPS enter the market. On the other hand, if the market for prepaid cards is already competitive, a USPS card may have problems gaining a foothold, in which case it may not even be worth the effort.” ~ J.P. Koning
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“Regardless of what we think of these traditions and practices, we cannot comprehend the history and development of American institutions without reference to them. To understand money, we must understand the entire institutional chain: from money to banking and finance, to law and politics, to the ultimate sources of social authority. The story of money in America is itself a chapter in the story of ordered liberty in America.” ~ Alexander W. Salter
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“Perhaps the Fed’s move to average inflation targeting won’t make much of a difference. But it nonetheless risks further politicizing the Fed. To the extent that it means the Fed will engage in even more credit allocation and Congress will take a more active role in guiding those credit allocation discussions, there is cause for concern.” ~ Nicolás Cachanosky
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“As cities and states ease their lockdowns and restrictions, the Fed should continue to support the recovery with accommodative monetary policy. As Powell described, ‘A full economic recovery is unlikely until people are confident that it is safe to reengage in a broad range of activities.'” ~ Thomas L. Hogan
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“It is sad to see an excited gambler sell their house to go all-in on a longshot, whether that be on lottery tickets or on cryptocurrencies. It is shameful to encourage such behaviors. Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are a game. Play responsibly.” ~ J.P. Koning
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“Provided there is widespread social respect and protection for the institution of private property, we can have both markets and money, and the material bounties they create. But if we fiddle with markets and money, for example by conducting misguided political experiments, we jeopardize the very roots of our economic well-being.” ~ Alexander W. Salter
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