Meltzer Rips The Fed

Alan Meltzer,professor of economics at Carnegie Mellon University, visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and author of "A History of the Federal Reserve", writes in today's WSJ:

Only in the weird world of Washington are mistakes rewarded with major new responsibilities. After mismanaging both housing loans and the dot-com mess, the Federal Reserve may now become responsible for supervising investment banks...

In its 95-year history, the Fed has never made a clear statement of its policy for dealing with failures. Sometimes it offered assistance to keep the bank or investment bank afloat. Other times it closed the institution. Troubled institutions have no way to know in advance whether they will be saved or strangled. The absence of a clear policy statement increases uncertainty and encourages problem institutions to demand loans and assistance. Large banks ask Congress to pressure the regulators. Taxpayers pay for the mistakes.

So what can taxpayers expect from an increase in the Fed's discretionary authority over investment banks? The likely answer is rescues, delays and lax supervision – followed by taxpayer-financed bailouts. Throughout its postwar history, the Fed has responded to the interests of large banks and Congress, not the public.