iPhone app iPad app Android phone app Android tablet app More

Featuring fresh takes and real-time analysis from HuffPost's signature lineup of contributors
Rep. Alan Grayson

Rep. Alan Grayson

Posted: May 3, 2010 11:42 AM

Who Got Our $1,000,000,000,000?

What's Your Reaction:

Last year, I asked the Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board who received $1 trillion in funds that the Fed handed out to domestic banks and financial institutions.He said, essentially, "I'm not going to tell you." More recently, I asked the Chairman of the Fed who received the half trillion dollars - that's $500,000,000,000 - that the Fed handed over to foreign central banks. He said he didn't know. Half a trillion dollars, and he doesn't know!

That kind of ignorance and arrogance must end. We need to audit the Fed. And now we're closer than ever.

The House passed our bill to conduct the first independent audit of the Fed in its 96-year history. Now it's time for the Senate to act.

A bipartisan group of Senators is pushing for an amendment to audit the Fed. This amendment is similar to the legislation that we passed in the House last year. It's called the Federal Reserve Accountability Amendment. It will ensure that the American people know to whom the Fed is lending our money.

The amendment is simple. If it passes, the Fed finally will be audited. Regarding all those billions that the Fed hands out like party favors, we will find out who, what, when, where and how. (We already know "why" - the answer to that question is "Wall Street Greed.") But if this amendment fails, the Fed can continue to make hand out our money to whomever it wants, without telling Congress or the American People.

We think we can pass the Senate Amendment, with your help. The amendment is already cosponsored by progressive heroes like Bernie Sanders, Pat Leahy and Russ Feingold. And joining us in this strange-bedfellows coalition are John McCain, Jim DeMint, David Vitter and Sam Brownback. (We hesitate to use the terms "bedfellows" and "David Vitter" in the same sentence, but that would be changing the subject.)

With such bipartisan support, you'd think that passing this legislation would be a slam dunk. Wrong. Wall Street bankers and their lobbyists are twisting arms and pouring millions into the campaign coffers of politicians on both sides of the political divide, to keep their sweetheart Fed loans under wraps. It's time to counter their influence-peddling by making the Senate listen to the united voice of the American People. (That would be you.)

A vote on the amendment is imminent. Time is of the essence. Visit UnmaskTheFed.com NOW to contact your Senators, and call on them to cosponsor and support the Federal Reserve Accountability Amendment.

 

Follow Rep. Alan Grayson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/alangrayson

Last year, I asked the Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board who received $1 trillion in funds that the Fed handed out to domestic banks and financial institutions.He said, essentially, "I'm not...
Last year, I asked the Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board who received $1 trillion in funds that the Fed handed out to domestic banks and financial institutions.He said, essentially, "I'm not...
 
 
  • Comments
  • 345
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Favorites
Bloggers
Recency  | 
Popularity
Page: 1 2 3 4 5  Next ›  Last »  (12 total)
10:51 PM on 05/06/2010
the people cannot leave such important business to their so call representative.
They represent their pocket book and the people who elected them be dammed
Violence is off the table, civility must rule the day , hence the citizens must come up with a method to force their reps to act in their constituencies’ behest. How will it be done ? Yet to be determined
08:17 PM on 05/06/2010
Keep fighting Mr. Grayson, they are watering it down as we speak, help the people.
HUFFPOST PUNDIT
1murillo
Can't be neutral on a moving train - Zinn
05:12 PM on 05/06/2010
"Auditing" the Fed isn't a great idea. Brownback, Vitter, McCain, DeMint, others aren't signing on because it's a good idea, they're signing on because they can score political points by seeming to be "reformers" against the big govt stereotype that many wing nuts enjoy to spread. Others, say Paul and Grayson, might have different reasons for pushing for an audit, but even if it passes it won't help restrict any payments to possibly unpopular institutions.
01:06 AM on 05/06/2010
How can this article not even MENTION Ron Paul??? He has called for auditing the Fed for years. He is well known for this. McCain is a Johnny-come-lately.
08:19 PM on 05/06/2010
HP can hide info like that but most are tuned in to RP, I saw a recent poll showing RP and Obama neck and neck if an election were held today. Ron Paul woke up a lot of people.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
lost souls rembrd
06:33 PM on 05/05/2010
I truly hope this isn't just 'political' posturing being done to us. I guess I'll believe it when the audit is done.

I really hate to be so negative but the reality is.............
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Wickenberg
01:31 AM on 05/05/2010
The fed does not really have the money to lend, it has no reserves, it just creates money out of nothing. Oh need a couple of trillion? Here you got! Don't spend it all in one place, now Barry.
09:01 PM on 05/04/2010
With an audit of the Federal Reserve, the general public will become aware of the considerations at the Fed, which are primarily based on their unique knowledge and understanding of the regulatory basis for the Private Sector's free enterprise Capitalist system, which is based on the economics of the bank regulatory mechanism.

The fact is that without the imposition of the regulatory change on November 9, 2007 the economy would have continued to boom with no crisis and short sellers would have failed. The smoking gun to the entire collapse in Private Sector capital formation and credit is in understanding the economic mechanism or, call it, the operating system, of “Private Sector” free enterprise Capitalism. These articles explain it.

Goldman Sachs Short Sales Based on Insider Information That The Banking Sector Would Collapse In November 2007
http://admc24-7city.com/files/V/goldman_sachs_short_sales_based_on_insider_information_that_the_banking_sector_would_collapse_in_november_2007.pdf
The real cause for the economic collapse: (56 page economic thesis)
http://www.admc24-7city.com/files/V/the_financial_crisis_-_the_real_causes_050409.pdf
Article re the economic and accounting mechanism of Capitalism:
http://admc24-7city.com/files/V/capitalisms_economic_mechanism_versus_socialisms_economic_mechanism_061209.pdf
The Secret of Capitalism - 1996:
http://www.admc24-7city.com/The_Secret_of_Capitalism/The_Secret_Of_Capitalism.pdf
Related Capitalism Diagrams:
http://admc24-7city.com/TheoryBankingEconomicsDiagrams

pietersa@loxinfo.co.th
+66898199980
08:28 PM on 05/04/2010
why have we turned into sheep, we need to stop this abuse of our country by big business and its leaders.
why after all this stiulus are we still screwed, Why is our housing market still doomed. In europe property prices are rising. We American need to travel, then and only then will we see that we the middle classes are ripped off. We pay almost as much tax as they do in Europe when you count our extortianate property taxes, income tax and all the other hidden taxes, but we get nothing for thoses taxes. No health care, bad roads, bad schools!
12:31 PM on 05/04/2010
Wall Street owns America
Includes our Government
Since 1980 Rape Of Middle Class

1000B debt add on By 3 Conserv Prez=9000B
600B Budget to 3600
Jobs--99,000 Per month to Carter Clinton 222.000
9 killing conflicts to one for Carter Clinton
1980--1% owned 20% Total Financial Wealth
1989=36% (RR policies of 60% Tax Cut=80% increase))

2008--
1%==43%
10%==70%
20%==93%
80%==7%==120,000,000 workers Jesus is cheering?

Two Tsunami Disasters-- Financial-- Housing

Wall Street 100 % culpable.

Their guys in Congress and White House.

Flush up trickle down

clarence swinney
12:17 PM on 05/04/2010
FEDERAL RESERVE NON POLITICAL HO HUM
Greenspan die hard Repub--by admission

Look at Fed Interest Rate chart,
almost even chart unil Big Bleep Upward in 1996 and 1999.

Why? Elections

Elect Repub?

Clinton got 7 significant Interest Rate hikes in 1996.
Money supply tightned.

Six significant Interest Rate hikes June 1999 to June 2000.Up to 6.5%
Tightened Money Supply.
Bush suddenly got 1%.Big Increase in Money Supply.

When I saw the Two up Blips it looked strange. Now I know.
I could not see any reason except
Elect a Repub.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
LawTalkingGuy
Rational human male.
06:38 PM on 05/04/2010
"When I saw the Two up Blips it looked strange. Now I know.
I could not see any reason except
Elect a Repub. "

Exactly. But now that Obama is in the White House, the Republicans are selling the "they're just as bad as us" line.
11:39 AM on 05/04/2010
and STILL NO JOBS?
11:39 AM on 05/04/2010
more than 1 trillion.
TARP 787 Billion
GM 50 Billion
Stimulus Act 799 Billion
AIG 180 Billion
2 Jobs Bills 100 Billion at least
PIPP unknown
TALF unknown

Maiden I,II, III unknown

Europe 500 BILLION

WAY more than just 1 trillion
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Devaron Namsaar
11:09 AM on 05/04/2010
It may be difficult to wrap your mind around but the root of our problems sits at the root structure of our government. Today we have a President... go back in history and you may discover that the office of the Presidency was an honorary position given to George Washington for his devotion and service to this nation. As an office it was never intended to succeed or remain. After all, what difference is there between a President and a King? the difference is only the title! Kings have advisors, and a staff that defines information and issues...
My question is, Why would the colonists who fought against King George and the dictatorship of him create another type of King? They would NOT and did not.
This nation was intended from the first to have a council not a king... and when this happens, when we actually do get a council not a kingship or President or dictator the rules of power and the playing fields of, by and for the people will change... so long as one man rules there will always be discord, disagreement and destruction.
I realize very few of you will accept this information without an argument...
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Devaron Namsaar
10:46 AM on 05/04/2010
The Federal Reserve is the most bogus organization on Earth. It pushed and shoved its way into the American government through nothing less then greed. 1913 was the year these bums found Philander P. Knox (the Secretary of State at that time)... paid him well to lie... and just like that we got the worst people and the worst corporation ever conceived by the evil mind of Man.
One can only imagine how different this world, and this nation would be without the likes of corporations and people like these folks are, "The Feds" (who are NOT federal at all). Imagine a world without Capitalism or the present form of religion or war... you can't, so don't even try.
Bottom line is, this nation has been and currently is being duped and enslaved by this corporation... If there is an Antichrist in this world, the Federal Reserve Bank is its name and the second head on this monster is the IRS.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Pyrum
11:03 AM on 05/04/2010
I agree with most of the this, but having a central bank is antithethical to capitalism. Karl Mark considered the central bank to be essential to a communist government. Our current economic system is corporatist, not capitalist.
09:51 AM on 05/04/2010
THE FEDERAL RESERVE IS THE SINGLE MOST POWERFUL BODY IN THE WORLD. IT CONTROLS THE LIFEBLOOD OF NOT ONLY THE U.S. ECONOMY BUT IT'S ACTIONS CAN PROFOUNDLY EFFECT THE ECONOMIES OF OUR TRADING PARTNERS. IF YOU THINK OF MONEY AS A COMMODITY LIKE OIL AND THEN YOU PLACE CONTROL OF THAT COMMODITY IN THE HANDS OF TWELVE INDIVIDUALS WHO OPERATE IN SECRET YOU HAVE A POTENTIAL MAJOR PROBLEM. MR GREENSPAN'S MANAGEMENT OF THE FED. FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS WAS A DISASTER IN THE MAKING. HE WAS UNQUESTIONED AND ALL POWERFUL AND THUS VERY DANGEROUS. HIS ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHY PROVED A DISASTEROUS FAILURE. DAVID DEEB
HUFFPOST PUNDIT
ThatsTheTheWayItIs
religion, ideology, partisanship are delusional
09:56 AM on 05/04/2010
Seriously? Even Goldman Sachs is more powerful than the Fed, not to mention United Technologies.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Pyrum
10:40 AM on 05/04/2010
How do you figure that?