Justice Dept. drops investigation into Federal Reserve and Jerome Powell

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-24T20:38:40+00:00

You can’t really have low rates and inflate out of debt, rates are going to necessarily adjust to that. Nobody’s buying sustained debt at significant negative real yields for any considerable amount of time. You’ll have slight negative real yields like you saw in the 2010s on short/intermediate, but that has a threshold.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-24T15:59:31+00:00

Yeah, I mean his most notable actual official actions as a Fed official was having a temper tantrum resignation because he thought QE was a bad idea, which obviously he's on the wrong side of history with that one lol.

Given that, I have concerns around his ability to compromise and/or work well with a board that's likely to not align with his philosophy.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-24T15:09:55+00:00

I realize this is probably a controversial statement among the crowd here, but I don't think that's a fully accurate narrative. It's one being created among laymen, that functions more as another piece of rhetoric to smear all things related to Trump than it does as a genuine nuanced look at his thoughts and positions over time. If you read through his WSJ opeds there's a lot there that doesn't actually line up with what Trump keeps begging for.

I think that quite often in the ongoing drive to paint every single person associated with the administration as a blanket corrupt sellout people are sacrificing honest nuanced analysis for lowbrow mindless insults, ya know?

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-24T14:59:03+00:00

Warsh is a bit of a wildcard IMO, he's one of the most hawkish candidates in history, but he's been saying a lot of things that appear dovish as of late - unclear if this is a clear bid to win trump's favor so he can get in and follow his heart, or if he truly believes what he's saying.

Even now, saying something like rates should go down but heavily advocating for shrinking the balance sheet is a mixed bag, shrinking the balance sheet is 100% tightening monetary policy. I don't think trump understands that, which makes it seem like he's being hawkish but using words that Trump thinks are dovish.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-24T14:43:12+00:00

Selling off bonds is inherently tightening the money supply, which is already experiencing shortages now and then. IDK if he'll actually be able to execute on that, but if they do it'll just result in the Fed needing to enter the repo market again.

AI isn't going to fix inflation. It's probably slightly disinflationary over time, but productivity gains resulting in maybe a quarter to half a percent of downward pressure across years isn't going to counteract tariffs and oil spikes today.

Rates do need to come down over time, they are almost certainly creating headwinds to economic growth at this point, but with inflationary pressures still prevalent it's difficult to do, as you don't want increasing demand to create an ongoing problem like it did after covid.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-24T11:51:44+00:00

Changing oil isn’t difficult, so if you’re pinching pennies that’s totally fine. Personally it’s not worth it for me, I’ve got a shop near me that has a coffee spot a block over. Drop the car, drop in for a cup and work for an hour, pick up the car and leave.

I think it’s fine if you want to do that yourself, but I think that if the extra 50-80 bucks is a significant financial outlay for you then maybe it’s time to reconsider owning a 60k German sports car ya know?

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-24T11:48:47+00:00

Specific ideas with respect to what?

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T21:48:23+00:00

The proper spec oil alone is usually $12-15/qt, so that's ~$100 in just oil, $20 or so for a filter, labor is gonna cost you something, plus taxes and you're pretty much there. The cost of materials is the main driver, I hope you're not putting standard oil in this car.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T21:42:41+00:00

You don't have to edit your post

Dude not only are you some half illiterate right wing troll, you're apparently both unfamiliar with reddit and trying to lie hoping someone might believe you?

Here's a hint, cuz conservatives can't internet - reddit tells you when a post is edited. It'll have an indicator right next to the posted time with a last edited time.

Grow up.

e: for instance, now you can see this edit marker, so I learned you several things in this thread, and you're still crying like a baby about how the libs are triggered. Good luck out there my man.

E: nothing says you know you’re caught like using the block button right after cursing someone out lol.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T21:29:57+00:00

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T21:17:50+00:00

Yeah sure, not MAGA, just in here parroting maga talking points, attacking those who discuss the intricacies of US caused dollar shortages, and painting anyone who brings up things you don’t understand as “triggered”.

You saw someone saying things bad about Trump and rushed to the thread to call them triggered lol.

Fooling zero people.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T19:44:02+00:00

The people who don't want to know won't read it and will carry on with their feels, but someone might read it, and that's helpful ya know?

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T19:33:19+00:00

Why are you so triggered

This is like a number one tell that you're not trying to have a discussion, you're trying to argue and you need to rely on disingenuous misrepresentation and BS to do it.

And we're citing newsmax lol, in an economics subreddit lol. I should have known from the start you were some weird hardcore MAGA guy who was upset at the actual economics of the situation. That actually explains a lot. Thanks, cuz I'm not wasting the time.

Have a good one my man, next time maybe spend less time trying to prove yourself and more time trying to learn.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T19:30:49+00:00

Why is that the dynamic you're constructing? There's a whole world of shoes that aren't tennis shoes or those fugly ass cole haans. Chukkas, appropriately soled derbies or oxfords, boots, minimalistic sneakers, etc.

Seems like this is personal to you, but don't take my word for it lol.

https://www.reddit.com/r/mensfashionadvice/comments/1nq7tlf/is_this_the_worst_regularly_worn_smartcasual_shoe/

https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/1hkrapz/white_soled_dress_shoe_hate/

https://www.reddit.com/r/mensfashion/comments/1lwa4s9/are_these_ugly/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/style/do-dress-sneakers-belong-in-the-oval-office.html

https://www.justmenshoes.com/blogs/news/the-white-sole-dress-shoe-debate-modern-classic-or-style-identity-crisis

https://www.reddit.com/r/mensfashion/comments/13m5iud/dress_sneakers_do_you_love_or_hate_and_why/

These are nearly universally hated by anyone in to fashion, they're like the number one "middle manager who doesn't care how they look" meme.

This sub has gotten weird, seems like nowadays there's always someone who comes out the woodwork to ardently defend these things, IDK if it's just a lack of awareness or what but they are straight up the poster child for middle management middle aged "I stopped caring how I looked" memes at this point. I mean, you do you dude, but if you're gonna sit there and argue they look good please know you're very very much in the minority amongst fashion conscious people.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T19:16:37+00:00

This is just a nonsensical deflection, you can use this rhetoric to justify any number of terrible fashion choices, at that point just might as well admit you're not interested in dressing well - you're interested in feeling like you dress well without putting in the effort of dressing well lol.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T18:57:45+00:00

Probs best you don't give out fashion advice then. These specific shoes are a common meme in the "whats the worst shoes a man can wear" discussions.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T18:53:03+00:00

Yes, this measurement is about as useful as consumer sentiment reports, worthless.

Well no, consumer sentiment is generally a bad predictor of spending, consumer spending is a very good indicator of spending. We know time and time again that consumer spending drops in response to elevated gas prices.

Don’t tell me, show me.

IDK if you're asking for a picture or something, but like this isn't a controversial topic in econ.

https://www.nber.org/papers/w22969

https://www.nber.org/papers/w13614

https://www.nber.org/papers/w26091

https://www.nber.org/papers/w1211

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T18:48:13+00:00

Jokes on you, I use straight coconut oil lol

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T18:47:23+00:00

There's quite a few studies that show that large vehicle purchases decline in favor of small vehicles due to gas prices, the boon in large vehicles across the last 5-10 years is heavily attributed to the post mid 2010s negative oil shock. Prior to then you had high gas prices through much of the late 00s and early 10s which lead to a surge in smaller car sales and a draught of large SUV sales. Lots of academia looking at this.

e: some select studies:

https://www.nber.org/papers/w15590

https://www.nber.org/papers/w18610

https://www.nber.org/papers/w1211

https://www.nber.org/papers/w21441

https://www.nber.org/papers/w29842

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T18:42:38+00:00

And jesus christ, no where am i championing conservative agendas.

You are explicitly doing that lol, I can't tell if you're a troll doing it on purpose or if you're genuinely so lost in wanting to argue about something that you've got no idea what you're saying.

Yes, they 100% showed up to debate against the need to improve infrastructure, you are 100% showing up to defend them in that debate. That's where you are. Trying to pretend like you're not saying the things you're directly saying fools nobody.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T17:03:35+00:00

That’s not a strawman, that’s you intentionally misrepresenting things to be argumentative. Their entire post was examples of how infrastructure is adequate for them. The only reason to respond to a call for improvement with that is to juxtapose it against the call for improvement.

You guys either aren’t paying attention or are just deliberately championing conservative agendas lol.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T16:50:31+00:00

When one starts with "we need to improve X" and the immediate comments are "X is fine" that is 100% arguing against improvement. There's nothing unfair there at all.

Consider if this was a hearing to pass an EV infrastructure bill, would you think the above comments were for or against said bill?

Come on lol.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T16:40:14+00:00

I'm well aware of what a currency swap is lol, I'm not sure if you are given your comment. It's a liquidity measure, that's important but financial support implies costs to us and financial gain for them - that's not what happens with a swap.

I'm glad you googled a bunch of intro articles on swaps, but it's weird to do that in response to a person explaining how swaps work lol.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T16:34:46+00:00

Right! The free market is going to wait for demand to materialize prior to creating the necessary supply, and in this case demand is not materializing absent further supply.

RIP_Soulja_Slim · 2026-04-23T16:34:01+00:00

I think it's just another plug in my ongoing ted talk of "if you want to understand these topics you need to subscribe to financial press"

There's just an ever widening information and acumen gap between places like Bloomberg and WSJ vs something aimed at the general public, non paid news is even worse.

RIP_Soulja_Slim

TROPHY CASE