473 of 526 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
not a Ron Paul fan, September 15, 2009
This review is from: End the Fed (Hardcover)
I am certainly not an avid Ron Paul supporter by any means, and in fact I disagree with him on numerous points. But, I have respect for him because he is one of the only politicians who seems to actually, truly believe what he says. I really respect that, it's refreshing. He seems to be unswayed by lobbies, outside influences etc, and he has a fully-formed belief system.
So I read this book. I find his argument somewhat extreme at times and I do not agree with every point he makes (though I do agree with a lot). BUT in any case, the book made me think. A lot. And I think that is what's important about it. Reading it added a whole new perspective to looking at the federal govt (and specifically the federal reserve) that I had never really considered before. I still don't agree with everything he says, but I applaud him for being in Congress and having the courage to say it. I'm very glad I read End The Fed, if only to make me think long and hard about beliefs I had. Even if you are not a fan of his or disagree with him, it's really worth the time just to get you thinking in some new ways.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
360 of 412 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Deals With Difficult Political Problems and Enlarges the Debate About Monetary Policy, August 30, 2009
This review is from: End the Fed (Hardcover)
In its first response to the global financial crisis, the Fed disbursed trillions in secrecy. This was during the critical period when so many were financially squeezed. Cash went to Goldman Sachs and others. Some beneficiaries used these funds to short the markets. Some was used for executive bonus commitments. We still don't know where it all went.
The Federal Reserve Act delegates money power to a private banking monopoly. Ron Paul introduced H.R. 833 to abolish the Federal Reserve System. He wrote this book to outline reasons to end the Fed. This doesn't mean he wants politicians to operate the money supply. While it doesn't appear likely the status of the Fed will be changed soon, it's possible that Congress will act to require full disclosure on Fed distributions with regard to the Global Financial Crisis.
The main counter argument is that it would be a terrible mistake to trust Fed oversight to politicians. The late Milton Friedman offered an alternative to the current system which might satisfy a broader constituency. The U.S. in theory could have its own currency called U.S. Notes (instead of Federal Reserve Notes). Friedman thought this could work if physical money were created only to match population increase or else align increases of money supply to a price index. The system that Friedman talked about would leave physical money creation independent of political control. Currently, physical money is created through Treasury debt. Nevertheless, Friedman acknowledged that it may not be politically possible to take money power away from the Fed.
Under President Abraham Lincoln, money power was vested in the Treasury Department. If money power were returned to the Treasury, perhaps under Friedman's plan, the federal deficit could be completely paid off with debt-free U.S. Notes. Ron Paul does not seem radical if the idea of issuing our own currency, using U.S. Notes instead of Federal Reserve Notes, is not radical.
End the Fed explains harmful consequences of our monetary policy and fractional reserve banking. In this system, money comes into existence only through debt and is then used to create more debt. There is an overreliance on debt and too much debt can be harmful to most citizens.
Why does the Fed resist telling us where the money went that it disbursed in the early stage of the global financial crisis - when a little liquidity allowed beneficiaries to buy any assets at fire sale prices? This is the question I return to most often.
The Fed makes funds available for government spending far in excess of what could sustainably be raised through direct taxation. Paul posits that our military engagements would not have played out as they did if government had to pay at least in part by raising taxes. Seen this way, the Fed influences political policy far more than people are generally aware.
Recall also earlier concerns of whether Fed-led credit creation was creating a housing bubble. Then Fed Chairman Greenspan would only allow that in isolated parts things were "frothy." He denied the bubble and encouraged mortgage equity withdrawals by homeowners. This turned out to be a trap for trusting citizens as documented in Dr. Paul's book.
Paul wrote about conflicts of interests between the powers behind the Federal Reserve and the American people. This is not a partisan issue. Even Chairman Ben Bernanke blames the severity and duration of the Great Depression on the Federal Reserve.
Like Paul, I got interested in coins since they seem to have intrinsic value. I like to collect nickels. Some from the 1920s are circulating. They last because they're 75% copper and 25% nickel - very durable.
It's not difficult to accumulate literally hundreds of pounds of nickels. Anybody can get $100 boxes of nickels at a cooperative bank without having to pay a service fee. These boxes arrive off the armored truck in neatly packed rolls. One box weighs 22 pounds so make sure to use a dolly to wheel and not carry them. Like Paul, I believe the U.S. Mint will eventually make steel coins and maybe these nickels are not a bad thing to have.
I think those nickels should be kept safe in a relatively inexpensive site box such as this one:
Jobox 48" Long Heavy-Duty Steel Chest With Site-Vault(tm) Security System 1-654990.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
516 of 595 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ron Paul Hits a Homerun, August 30, 2009
This review is from: End the Fed (Hardcover)
Andrew Jackson ended his Fed in 1836. Ron Paul can do the same for us, if we make it possible. Read this book and work to end the central economic and political evil in America, the central bank that fuels recessions and depressions, the warfare state, the redistributionist state, and the police state. End the Fed!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
![[Start the discussion]](http://web.archive.org./web/20111211044439im_/http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
