Pertinent Category: Sound Money Project

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

Central Banking, Currency, Monetary Policy

What Can Be Done to Remedy the Coin Shortage?

J.P. Koning

– July 8, 2020

“The US Mint could focus all of its resources on producing dimes and quarters, not silly pennies. This would put an end to the US’s coin shortage, almost immediately.” ~ J.P. Koning

Central Banking, Crisis, Fiscal Policy, Monetary Policy

The Reluctant Fed

Thomas L. Hogan

– June 26, 2020

“Fed officials should follow the example set by Ben Bernanke. They should be ‘extremely reluctant’ to engage in facilities like the MSLP, SMCCF, and PMCCF. Such programs are ‘outside the range of [the Fed’s] responsibilities.’ They are fiscal policies that ‘are best resolved by Congress’ since they require ‘balancing political and social priorities.'” ~ Thomas L. Hogan

Currency, Monetary Policy, Regulation

Should Those Passing Counterfeits be Treated like Counterfeiters?

J.P. Koning

– June 24, 2020

“It seems odd that the crime of uttering currency is considered to be so grave an offense in this day and age. Reducing the punishment might cause law enforcement officers to approach cases of uttering as they do other less serious, non-violent offenses.” ~ J.P. Koning

Central Banking, Crisis, Government, Monetary Policy

COVID-19 Made the Federal Reserve Sick

Alexander William Salter

– June 24, 2020

“The change in the Fed’s mandate is not something we can afford to ignore. Its new policies come with significant economic and political costs. If we do not come to grips with them, the Fed might not be able to help much when the next crisis hits.” ~ Alexander W. Salter

Central Banking, Policy, Sound Banking

The Fed Is Not Independent, But It Should Be

Thomas L. Hogan

– June 19, 2020

“To be an effective central bank, the Fed must strive to remain independent of short-term political influence. A strict separation of monetary and fiscal policies helps bolster central bank independence.” ~ Thomas L. Hogan

Capitalism, Central Banking, Economic Education, Monetary Policy

How the Federal Reserve Literally Makes Money

William J. Luther

– June 11, 2020

“The Fed is spending up to US$2.3 trillion to help save the U.S. economy from the coronavirus recession. But where does all that money come from?” ~ William J. Luther

Capitalism, Central Banking, Economic Education

Keep the Fed Out of Municipal Finance

Thomas L. Hogan

– June 11, 2020

“Chairman Powell should follow the advice of his predecessors. With the program still in its infancy and economic recovery already underway, now is the time to end the MLF in order to preserve the Fed’s independence, maintain the separation between fiscal and monetary policy, and deter additional calls for municipal bailouts in the future.” ~ Thomas Hogan

Central Banking, Economic Education, Government

Negative Interest Rates Explained

William J. Luther

James L. Caton

Peter C. Earle

– June 9, 2020

“If policy does not moderate and if investors are unable to innovate means to protect their positions from these policies, as they often have in the past, the current fiscal and monetary regime places the globe at risk of, at worst, financial catastrophe and, at best, stagnation.”~James L. Caton, Peter C. Earle, William J. Luther

Capitalism, Central Banking, Crisis, Currency

It’s Time to End the Fed’s Dual Mandate

Alexander William Salter

– June 7, 2020

“The choice before us is simple: a central bank that is highly restricted, and therefore effective and independent, or one that is dominated by short-run political concerns, and therefore incompetent and subservient.” ~ Alexander Salter

Capitalism, Crisis, Economic Trends

The Recovery Has Begun, Ahead of Schedule

William J. Luther

– June 5, 2020

“Taken together, the most recent jobs report suggests we could see output recover to 90% or more by the end of August. That’s great news. But a complete recovery might take much longer than that.” ~ William J. Luther

Free Banking, Free Markets, International

With Argentina in Default, Economists Call for Good Faith Negotiations

Nicolás Cachanosky

– June 5, 2020

“Argentina’s economic troubles are self-imposed. They are not the fault of its creditors, who just want to be repaid as promised. Any good-faith solution to Argentina’s problems must start by recognizing the real problem: large fiscal deficits.” ~ Nicholas Cachanosky

Central Banking, Crisis, Currency

It’s Time for a Taxpayer Debit Card

J.P. Koning

– June 4, 2020

“Distributing EIP cards instead of checks should reduce the government’s costs of paying relief, speed up the payments pipeline, and provide Americans with a cheaper way of accessing funds than going to check cashing outlets.” ~ J.P. Konig