Re:RIP Good Times (2008)
by nostrademons on Friday May 20, 2022 @02:51AM
(#31444156)
The Fed needs to raise rates to about 13% to get inflation under control, assuming current inflation of 8%, a 2% inflation target, and that we're already at full output.
Problem is that it's very likely that the Fed can't raise rates to 13% without very serious negative consequences like the government defaulting and the people revolting. My prediction is that they get to 3-4%, the economy breaks, and then they flinch and drop to 0 again. Meanwhile, inflation will continue to accelerate, as real interest rates remain negative.
When the currency has depreciated by a factor of 5 or so, total debt levels will become manageable again, and then we might see the Fed persistently raise rates to 20-25% and choke off the inflation. At 20% inflation, it'll take about 9 years to get there, at 8% more than 20 years. If inflation gets to 20% it's very likely to get past 20%, though.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_rule
Problem is that it's very likely that the Fed can't raise rates to 13% without very serious negative consequences like the government defaulting and the people revolting. My prediction is that they get to 3-4%, the economy breaks, and then they flinch and drop to 0 again. Meanwhile, inflation will continue to accelerate, as real interest rates remain negative.
When the currency has depreciated by a factor of 5 or so, total debt levels will become manageable again, and then we might see the Fed persistently raise rates to 20-25% and choke off the inflation. At 20% inflation, it'll take about 9 years to get there, at 8% more than 20 years. If inflation gets to 20% it's very likely to get past 20%, though.