Topic: Greenspan

David Brooks and Jonathan Capehart discussed the independence of the Federal Reserve on PBS NewsHour, with Brooks calling the system one of the "crown jewels" of the country. The hosts critique Brooks for referring to bankers as "civil servants" and questioning the Fed's status as a government entity. The discussion also touches on Senator Tom Tillis's "courage" in standing up to the Trump administration regarding the Warsh nomination.

Following the cancellation of his daytime talk show, the hosts predict Anderson Cooper will leave CNN to become a major nighttime anchor for CBS or NBC. They also briefly discuss Andrea Mitchell's marriage to former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan.

Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan appeared on CNBC to discuss the potential for negative interest rates in the United States. Greenspan attributed the global trend toward negative rates to aging populations saving for longer lifespans, which drives up the price of gold and lowers Treasury yields. He warned that as interest rates approach zero, market liquidity drops significantly, making it difficult for consumers to obtain home loans or refinances.

Statistician John Williams of ShadowStats explains how the U.S. government altered the Consumer Price Index (CPI) calculation in the 1980s to lower reported inflation. He details how Alan Greenspan introduced "substitution," assuming that if steak becomes too expensive, consumers will buy chicken, thus maintaining their standard of living. The hosts argue this manipulation allows the government to reduce Social Security cost-of-living adjustments while ignoring the actual rise in expenses.

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan warns that abnormally low interest rates are unsustainable and that a rapid correction is inevitable. He compares the current economic climate to the market crashes of 1857 and 1937. The hosts predict a significant market downturn before 2018, potentially leading to widespread social unrest and "riots in the street."

Andrea Mitchell's coverage of the Mike Pence rollout was criticized as being overtly biased in favor of Hillary Clinton. The hosts questioned why a corporation like Comcast would allow such one-sided reporting, suggesting it could invite federal scrutiny or shareholder backlash. The segment explored the "virus of the mind" that affects media professionals working in partisan environments.

Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan discusses the economic implications of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The concept of the "Gas Euro" is introduced as a potential threat to the US petrodollar system. Speculation arises that the conflict may be used to disrupt Russian-German energy cycles to benefit US manufacturing.

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan stated that Bitcoin is a bubble because it lacks intrinsic value or the backing of a sovereign issuer. Greenspan suggested that a valid currency could be issued by a high-net-worth individual with a great reputation, rather than a government. Meanwhile, the Bitcoin market is seeing a proliferation of alternative "altcoins" like Litecoin and Peercoin.

NBC's Andrea Mitchell is criticized for her emotional delivery while reading David Petraeus's resignation letter. The hosts discuss her marriage to former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan and speculate on the reasons for her visible distress during the broadcast.

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano discussed "increased chatter" regarding the 10th anniversary of 9-11 during an interview with Andrea Mitchell. The hosts criticize the use of the word "chatter," noting that the dictionary defines it as trivial talk, and question why the government uses such a term to justify security expenditures.

The National Zoo reported that animals like apes and lemurs exhibited strange behavior just before the Virginia earthquake. In economic news, Alan Greenspan warned that the Euro is breaking down. In response to the debt crisis, French elites are reportedly asking to be taxed more as a show of "solidarity," though the hosts view this as a potential scam.

White House economist Austan Goolsbee proposes reforms to the patent system, including expedited processing for higher fees. During a National Association of Business Economics meeting, a speaker tells a story about Alan Greenspan's videotaped calls for better economic data being destroyed in the September 11 attacks. The hosts find the audience's laughter at the anecdote suspicious.

Professor Bill Black testifies that the Federal Reserve, under both Alan Greenspan and Ben Bernanke, refused to use its authority to regulate subprime lending despite FBI warnings of an "epidemic of mortgage fraud" in 2004. Black asserts that the Fed ignored internal warnings about the developing housing bubble and failed to send in examiners. The segment suggests this negligence was intentional and designed to benefit the banking industry.

Senator Jim Bunning delivered a 13-minute critique of Ben Bernanke during a confirmation hearing, accusing him of failing to spot the housing bubble and turning the Fed into an arm of the Treasury. The hosts note that mainstream media outlets ignored the substance of the speech, focusing only on Bunning's accidental reference to Bernanke as "Greenspan."

A poorly produced commercial from "Defeat the Debt" featuring children pledging allegiance to the national debt prompts a discussion on the economy. The hosts argue that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is following a blueprint that will lead to further devaluation of the dollar, rising oil prices, and a shift toward gold.

The CNBC documentary "House of Cards" traces the economic collapse back to the aftermath of September 11, 2001. It argues that Alan Greenspan's lowering of interest rates and the government's push for citizens to "continue shopping" created a culture of mass mind control centered on debt-fueled consumption.

During a C-SPAN investigative committee hearing on the financial crisis, Representative Tom Davis questioned Alan Greenspan, Christopher Cox, and John Snow regarding campaign contributions. The hearing revealed that Barack Obama received the most donations from subprime mortgage lenders and Wall Street firms over the last 20 years. Curry expresses disappointment that the American public does not see the connection between these donations and the current economic turmoil.

The hosts criticize the Federal Reserve for manipulating the money supply, which they argue creates the boom-bust cycle rather than preventing it. Curry cites a Ron Paul video from the 1980s that frames currency dilution as a moral issue, comparing it to a government diluting milk. This leads to a discussion on Monsanto's bovine growth hormone (BST), which increases milk production but, according to Dvorak, results in a tasteless, lower-quality product.