recession

Published:

By TERENCE HUNT
WASHINGTON (AP) - Jolted by global recession fears, the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates Tuesday, and President Bush and leaders of Congress joined in a rare show of cooperation in promising urgent action to pump up the economy with upwards of $150 billion in tax cuts and government spending.
Market meltdowns overnight around the globe and growing anxiety at home stirred lawmakers and the administration toward swift action, possibly within a few weeks. Wall Street plummeted as the day began, following Asian stocks, then warily eased its sell-off after the Fed ordered the biggest cut on record in a key interest rate. The Dow Jones industrials, down 465 points at one point, closed the day off 128.
The Fed, announcing its action after an emergency video conference Monday night, indicated further rate reductions were likely, aimed at encouraging people and companies to start spending again.
"The urgency that we feel at home is now even more urgent as we see the impact of our markets on others," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said after both Democratic and Republican lawmakers met with Bush at the White House.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the goal was to get a deal through Congress and on Bush's desk within roughly three weeks - lightning speed compared with the usual snail's pace on Capitol Hill. His Republican counterpart, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, agreed the aim was action in the next few weeks and said, "That, by the standards in Congress, is pretty fast."
Bush expressed confidence that he and the Democratic-led Congress could put aside bitter differences that have marked his presidency.
"I believe we can find common ground to get something done that's big enough, effective enough so that an economy that is inherently strong gets a boost - to make sure that this uncertainty doesn't translate into more economic woes for our workers and small business people," Bush said in the Cabinet Room.
Later, announcing the creation of a panel to educate people about their finances, Bush said he thought there would be an agreement "in relatively short order."
The White House meeting was intended to show the world that Bush and his Democratic adversaries recognize the gravity of the economic slowdown and are serious about protecting consumers and investors who have watched their holdings shrink. Wall Street and global markets fear the stimulus package outlined by Bush is not enough to avert a recession. The Dow Jones industrial average is down nearly 10 percent since the beginning of the year - its worst first 14 trading days ever.
Official Washington was accentuating the positive.
"I really feel good that we have an opportunity to do something together," Reid said, standing in the White House driveway with Pelosi after talking with Bush. Reid said the size of a deal suggested by Bush was "a good number."
Administration officials are focusing on rebates of $800 to $1,600 for individuals and couples and so-called bonus depreciation to allow companies to deduct 50 percent of business investments made this year. Democrats say the package also should include boosts in unemployment benefits, food stamp payments and the Medicaid health care program for the poor and disabled. Talks between Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, have focused on smaller tax rebates of perhaps $500 for individuals.
Like Bush, lawmakers would not discuss what a compromise plan would look like, stressing cooperation rather than potential differences over details.
"This is about one thing in this package: Is it a stimulus?" Pelosi said "So whatever it is that we are considering, it must meet that one criterion: Does it stimulate the economy? Does it put money into the hands of those who will spend it?"
When the Democratic leaders were asked if they agreed with Bush's statement that the economy is inherently strong, Pelosi said, "I certainly hope so."
Reid said the House would pass a package first and send it to the Senate. Pelosi, Boehner and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson planned to talk over breakfast Wednesday.
Paulson went to Capitol Hill for talks on the ingredients of the economic package. "Time is of the essence and the president stands ready to work on a bipartisan basis to enact economic growth legislation as soon as possible," he said earlier in a speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Many analysts say the United States already has tumbled into a recession - a notion rejected by the White House. "We are not forecasting a recession," spokeswoman Dana Perino said. "Clearly there is a slowdown."
Leaving open the possibility of a bigger stimulus package, she said, "I'm not going to close the door but I'm not suggesting that anyone believes it has to be bigger" than the roughly $150 billion figure already discussed. Later, she said the White House has not "seen higher numbers floated by members of Congress" and that Bush believes the package he has outlined is "the right amount."
The Fed's rate cut caught Washington by surprise. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues approved the cut Monday night after global markets were slammed by rising concerns that weakness in the world's largest economy was spreading worldwide.
"The world's stock markets are in meltdown, so the Fed came in with an inter-meeting move to try to stop the panic," said Christopher Rupkey, senior economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi.
The reduction in the federal funds rate from 4.25 percent to 3.5 percent marked the biggest reduction in this target rate for overnight loans on records going back to 1990. It marked the first time the Fed has changed rates between meetings since 2001, when the central bank was battling the combined impacts of a recession and the terrorist attacks.
Commercial banks responded by announcing similar cuts of three-quarter of a percent in their prime lending rate, the benchmark for millions of business and consumer loans. The action will mean the prime lending rate will drop from 7.25 percent down to 6.50 percent.
Analysts said the fact that the Fed did not wait until its meeting next week to cut rates underscored the seriousness of the situation. The Fed was expected to cut rates further, possibly as soon as their next meeting on Jan. 29-30, if there are continued signs that the economy is weakening.
"This move by the Fed was essential," said Lyle Gramley, a former Fed governor who is now a senior analyst with the Stanford Financial Group in Washington. "Bernanke promised in a speech earlier this month to take substantive action in a timely and decisive manner."
---
Associated Press writers Martin Crutsinger, Andrew Taylor, Deb Riechmann and Ben Feller contributed to this report.

Entry #1,289

Comments

Avatar Rick G -
#1
It is surprising it took the Federal Reserve that long to lower the rates. They should have been doing it steadily for months.
Avatar justxploring -
#2
Rick, I agree to a point, but I guess it depends on your personal situation. I understand that lowering rates helps the economy, but it's all a big game anyway. It helps many people and hurts many others. If someone is looking for a home, the lower mortgage rate is better and also the people with adjustable rate mortgages won't face foreclosure - maybe - if they don't have jobs, they'll still have trouble paying bills, and the unemployment rate is increasing everywhere, over 7% in MI, which is the worst. (This doesn't include the "underemployed" - those people who work a full-time job but still can't make it.) Buying a car might be easier with lower rates too. However, for retired people who own their homes, cars, etc., and are relying on savings, a point can hurt, which is why when rates are up it's best to get a long-term investment. So IMHO I agree completely that lower rates might help mortgage holders whose variable rate mortgages are about to adjust. But rates on CDs and also bonds have fallen steadily for months. This might not be a popular opinion, but the responsible depositors are again subsidizing people who took out risky loans or mortgages they couldn't afford in the first place. I tried to explain to a couple a few years ago how 1 or 2% can impact a $200,000 loan. Nobody wanted to heard. Gimme, gimme, gimme. I want it now! So many look at 5% going to 7% as a 2% increase instead of using common sense (it's 40%) Losing a job or becoming disabled is different. Nobody can see that coming.

Anyway, try looking at it this way. The people who saved and saved and saved are the ones who are being hurt so everyone living on credit can enjoy lower rates.
Avatar spy153 -
#3
I'm for the good of the country. I have so many things going on right now, I'm not sure how this tax cut or interest rate drop will affect me. But, I can remember the last recession. I don't want another. If it helps stave off a recession, I'm all for it.
Avatar justxploring -
#4
Spy, the word recession is a scare tactic. I hate to say this, since I am a Democrat. Global warming, recession and the rest..all real, all possible, all bad for us. But politicians have a game they play to stir up the public. Everyone knows that I am not a Bush supporter, but wouldn't it be grand for liberal Democrats if he ended his presidency with a recession and they brought us back from the damned? Yes, the economy stinks, the war in Iraq was a big mistake, and our money has lost its value. However, I lived through the 70s and my life wasn't much different before, during or after the recession.   A recession just means that we are experiencing negative growth, and that's nothing new. We are already in a recession as far as I'm concerned. There is an old saying "A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose your job."   Recession, depression...it's all bad. We need to turn this country around fast.

Post a Comment

Please Log In

To use this feature you must be logged into your Lottery Post account.

Not a member yet?

If you don't yet have a Lottery Post account, it's simple and free to create one! Just tap the Register button and after a quick process you'll be part of our lottery community.

Register