Fed may hesitate to further ease after critics question the mandate of Employment

The Federal Reserve faces fierce political assault on their powers in three decades in its fight to help revive the U.S. economy.

The Fed's plan to expand their purchases of Treasuries has drawn criticism from Republicans, some economists wrote an open letter to the Federal Reserve to protest the move, and finance officials from Germany, China and Brazil.

While central bank officials are pushing ahead with the program of $ 600 000 000 000 gift vouchers announced this month, analysts said the criticism may dissent from supporters inside the Federal Reserve's policy of quantitative easing. This may limit the ability of its chairman, Ben S. Bernanke 's to take further action if the economy remains weak.

"Economists Republicans are reflecting a widespread feeling within the Republican Party, and do not think the Fed wants to get into a major confrontation with one of the two parties in Congress," said Vin Weber, managing partner at the lobbying firm Clark and Weinstock and a former Republican congressman from Minnesota. "It will not kill the QE 2, but will limit further expansion."

Democrats say that the adverse reaction that is not political, monetary policy. Alan Blinder, former Fed vice chairman who once led President Bill Clinton's Council of Economic Advisers, dismissed allegations that the central bank's step was a "radical change", which he described as "garden-variety policy monetary. "

Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts and chairman of the Financial Services Committee, said he was "appalled" by Republican attacks. Blaming the reports of a "very rigid ideology," Republicans accused the tail with China and Germany in opposing the Fed's easy credit.

Strengthened opposition

In his statement of 03 November, the Fed said it intended to buy the securities at the end of June, however, that "tweak" the program if circumstances change. Some analysts said the storm on the quantitative easing - so named because it focuses on changes in the amount of money the Fed created through purchases of bonds rather than changes in interest rates - could cause the Fed reach $ 600 billion.

"This will only strengthen the internal opposition," said Vincent Reinhart, who led the Fed's Monetary Affairs Division from 2001 to 2007, Bernanke. "He will have more difficulties in the future."

Some Republican lawmakers are talking about rewriting the central bank's description of work. The Fed on the sidelines of the law may further restrict the ability of government to counteract the effects of the worst recession since the Great Depression, because legislators are likely to oppose a new stimulus.

Change Mandate

Sen. Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican who serves on the Banking Committee, said yesterday he was in favor of limiting the Fed's mandate to promote price stability, although he said he is not opposed to the purchase of bank bonds central.

Corker became at least the third Republican in Congress to support the responsibilities of the Fed cuts to eliminate the task of promoting full employment. Other lawmakers include Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, who heads the Budget Committee of the House in January, and Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, chairman of the House Republican Conference.

Corker, who also suggested that Congress consider setting targets for inflation from the Fed, rejected the idea that move risked politicizing the central bank.

"We were given the mandate of the Fed, first, that could easily change that," he said. "That's not politicize, to clarify further what the role of the Fed."

"The worst kind of message '

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, said in an interview that strip the Fed of its mandate to use "would be the worst kind of message." He also said that "it is beyond the jurisdiction" of Congress to set targets for inflation.

The unemployment rate is 9.6 percent and consumer price index for all items rose 1.1 percent during the 12 months ended in September, the Labor Department said last month.

The decision by the Fed also sought to increase inflation. Expectations of future inflation, as measured by government bonds of all types are increasing. The difference in yields between Treasury bonds maturing in the short and long has been extended to the most since June. The prices of bonds that protect against rising consumer prices show investors are preparing for an increase.

Open Letter

A group of 23 economists, money managers and former government officials issued an open letter to Bernanke on November 15 saying the central bank bond purchases planned "currency debasement and inflation risk" and not boost employment . That capped a series barrage of attacks from conservatives, including Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck.

In a November 10 after Facebook, Palin, former governor of Alaska, accused the Fed to carry out "dangerous experiments with our money."

Hostility toward the Federal Reserve is strong among Republican voters and especially the followers of the tea party, a large group of activists who want to curb the power of government. Forty-one percent of Republicans and 55 percent of Tea Party supporters believe that the Fed should be abolished or radically changed, according to a Bloomberg survey conducted National October 7 to 10.

The attacks recalled earlier times when the Fed policy led the political opposition as in the 1980's when then-Fed Chairman Paul Volcker battle against inflation led to the unemployment rate to a postwar peak of 10, 8 percent. Volcker stood firm and helped usher in an unprecedented era of price stability and growth.

'Out of History "

In the early episodes of the popular criticism of the Fed typically requires easier monetary policy. This time, the political right wants a more restrictive policy. That represents an "out of history," said Jeffrey Frankel, a professor at Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.

The Fed said yesterday that he was comfortable with the status quo. "The Federal Reserve is looking for a change in its legal mandate," said Fed spokeswoman Michelle Smith. "The dual mandate is appropriate."

Eric Rosengren, president of the Federal Reserve of Boston, said that moving to a single term would not have much immediate effect on Federal Reserve policy.

"Right now, there is no conflict," he said in an interview. "The unemployment rate is very high and the inflation rate is lower than we expected in the long term."

"Less optimistic

However, Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh, who voted for purchases of Treasury, said he is not sure that quantitative easing will be completed as planned.

"I am less optimistic than some additional purchases of assets will have significant benefits, lasting for the real economy," Warsh said in a speech of 08 November in New York. "I think the Fed action as necessarily limited, circumscribed, and subject to periodic review."

The attack on the quantitative easing won the support of the presumed speaker of the House, John Boehner, whose spokesman Michael Steel said the Republican leader "has serious concerns about recent actions by the Federal Reserve."

However, with the White House and the Senate in Democratic hands, the ability of critics of the Fed to put pressure on the central bank can not go beyond an oversight.

Republicans "have been trying to politicize the Fed during the time I can remember," said Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska. "This seems to be a greater effort."