Thursday, October 9, 2008

Market Ticker: Congress Needs to Wake Up

The Market Ticker crucifies Bernacke's recent attempts to solve the crisis. The interest rate cuts will not work. Japan tried the same policy in the 1990's with little effect. Right now the markets and Americans are completely spooked. Lowering interest rates is a useless strategy if everyone is too scared to borrow money. Rarely does lowering interest rates increase the demand side of the equation although raising them too much can hurt demand. One must wonder if the Fed Chairman is capable of dealing with this earthquake. The Market Ticker writes:
"Academia, including most particularly Bernanke, posits that one must "increase liquidity" into a seizure in the markets such as we have now, lest we have a Depression.
The failure of this so-called economic "theory" is that it fails to recognize the root cause of the problem
......

The commercial paper market for non-financial, non-asset-backed entities has not frozen. Nor will it. Those firms have not abused the market and thus have nothing to fear.
It is in fact those firms that have abused this market that have problems, just as occurred with municipalities with "auction-rate" securities.
Borrowing short-term (to lower the coupon required) for long-term requirements is fundamentally unsound. When you do so you place the very life of the entity that does so at risk......

The credit markets, along with consumers and banks, are literally choking on all the liquidity being shoved down their throats. It has done exactly nothing to address the problem and won't because:
Banks and other financial institutions have been repeatedly proven liars in terms of their financial strength and balance sheets. Pick a financial institution and you will find that almost without exception they have claimed "exposure" to bad debt that is a tiny fraction of what is later shown to be accurate. Nobody can fairly evaluate a firm's financial strength so long as this continues; ergo, nobody can have a reasonable degree of trust to lend to such an institution. In addition even settled black-letter law in some regards has been shown to be wantonly (and perhaps feloniously) ignored; Lehman, as an example, is alleged to have transferred segregated customer funds and securities to a Cayman Islands subsidiary shortly before it went under, effectively locking up funds and securities that are supposed to be safe from a bankruptcy proceeding.......
It is not possible to reflate the credit bubble. We must deal with the reality that the bad debt in the economy - no matter who holds it - must be defaulted.
There is no "liquidity trap" into which to fall; we are already in the hole as there is no more capacity to borrow; we have exceeded the maximum safe amount of lending that can be accommodated in the economy. When one is in a hole, the first rule is to stop digging.
Remember, we were told repeatedly that Bernanke's Fed and Treasury's actions would prevent a recession. We were told that the TAF would free up bank lending. We were told that the TSLF and PDCF would prevent more blowups in investment banks after Bear Stearns yet Lehman blew up and the two remaining IBs (after the essentially-forced merger of Merrill) were forced to reorganize as commercial banks to prevent their own implosion
....."
http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/601-CONgress-Wake-Up-NOW.html

1 comment:

Kingfish said...

By the way, his site has a forum that is pretty interesting.


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Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
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