Greenspan Appears Before FCIC

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission called former chairman of the Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan to testify before it this week.

Greenspan had earlier asked for his report to the Brookings Institute to be included in the findings of the inquiry. In this report, Greenspan admits that under his leadership, the housing sector was not monitored adequately and neither was the banking expansion analyzed with regard to its long term effects on the economy. [Read more…]

Greenspan Acknowledges Beginning of Turnaround

As everyone cheers the news of the biggest jobs creation in three years, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve has acknowledged and acceded that the economy is indeed on the mend, as indicated by these improvements. The 9.7% unemployment rate has been the cause of concern in the recent months even as the activity in most sectors showed signs of revival. [Read more…]

Social Security System to Pay More than Its Revenue

The social security system has reached an important threshold that it was not likely to cross until 2016. The system would pay more than it would earn this year because of the poor economy.

The social security system has suffered in the last 2 years – like every other part of the economy – and the effect will be reflected in its latest accounts, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The revenues have fallen because the major source for revenue is tax on payrolls. With people losing their jobs, payrolls have dropped significantly, and so have the revenues. On the other hand, expenses have increased. The people who have lost their jobs are now claiming benefits through social security and this has put a huge strain on the system. [Read more…]

Greenspan Defends His “The Crisis” Policies

Alan Greenspan has come out with a 48-page report, named “The Crisis”, in which he has defended the low interest policies of the Fed when he was at its helm. Greenspan, who was speaking at the Brookings Institution conference in Washington, said that it was not the policies of the Fed but a failure to assess systemic risk and predict the huge financial crisis that caused the economic tsunami of 2008. [Read more…]