Nicolas Cachanosky

"Inflation can be a serious problem, especially if it becomes persistent. Yet, the willingness of politicians to blame supply disturbances and corporations rather than acknowledging that loose monetary policy is largely responsible for today’s inflation is even more worrisome." ~ Nicolás Cachanosky

"Blaming big corporations for inflation no doubt serves the political interests of Sens. Warren and Sanders. But it is inconsistent with the available data. That is not surprising: It is inconsistent with standard monetary economics as well." ~ Nicolás Cachanosky

"We can learn by looking at countries that have employed these strategies before. Inflation in the U.S. has been modest by Argentine standards. To keep it that way, the US must avoid repeating Argentina’s mistakes." ~ Nicolás Cachanosky

"Once we move from the realm of small price level movements to a more permanent and higher inflation rate scenario, it is more likely that the source of the rise in the price level is on the monetary side—even if the government doesn’t want to admit it." ~ Nicolás Cachanosky

"Perhaps the cryptocurrency market would benefit from regulatory oversight. But the regulators are certainly wrong to base their case on the historical experience of the US. The lesson they should learn from history is that regulation can be detrimental." ~ Nicolás Cachanosky & William J. Luther

"Inflation is not a high price level; it is a persistent increase in the price level. Whether inflation persists depends on what Fed officials do next." ~ Nicolás Cachanosky

"Bond markets are currently pricing in a little more than two percent inflation on average over the next ten years, which suggests inflation will pick up. So far, Fed officials seem willing to permit inflation to run a bit high over the next decade. Whether they will remain so permissive when the inflation numbers start rolling in––or, ratchet up IOR to bring inflation down to two percent––remains to be seen." ~ Nicolás Cachanosky

"Politicians are quick to ignore the costs of government spending in proposing legislation and obscure those costs by issuing debt rather than raising revenues. It is politically popular to issue debt and send checks to everyone. The benefits of the policy are clear: people get checks. The costs, which ripple out through financial markets as interest rates are bid up, are difficult to tie to the policy." ~ Nicolás Cachanosky

"The rise of MMT on the political left will no doubt continue. It is politically expedient. It provides a justification for spending. Political expediency does not imply theoretical soundness, however. And defenses along the lines offered by Galbraith do little to assuage very real concerns." ~ Nicolás Cachanosky

"Like many others, I am concerned about the sovereign debt market in the wake of Covid-19. But providing more funds to governments committed to maintaining an unsustainable course is not a solution. These countries need serious institutional reforms." ~ Nicolás Cachanosky