The article argues that the Federal Reserve's recent rate hike decision, while justifiable on inflation grounds, highlights a critical lack of an underlying, transparent policy framework. The core problem is that the Fed's decisions appear discretionary, leading to market uncertainty because the committee's judgment, rather than clear data, dictates policy shifts. The author proposes that the Fed adopt a formal monetary policy rule—an algebraic formula linking the target rate to indicators like inflation and unemployment—to replace subjective guidance. Implementing such a rule would provide market predictability, enhance transparency, and shield the Fed from political attacks by making deviations from the standard easily quantifiable.
Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is Now in the Atlantic
English Summary
The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group has concluded a record-breaking 315-day deployment, marking the longest since the Cold War, and is returning to Naval Station Norfolk for extensive maintenance. The deployment involved operations across the Atlantic, Southern Command (Venezuela), and the Middle East (Iran), reflecting a dynamic and evolving strategic posture. This extended deployment highlights the ongoing demands on US naval assets and underscores the need for robust maintenance and potential force structure adjustments. The Acting Secretary of the Navy emphasized the importance of crew welfare following the demanding operational tempo.
中文摘要
「蓋瑞·福特」號航空母艦打擊群已完成創紀錄的315天部署，這是自冷戰以來最長的部署之一，目前正返回位於諾福克海軍基地的維修。此次部署涵蓋大西洋、南方司令部（委內瑞拉）及中東（伊朗）等地區，反映出美國的動態且不斷演變的戰略態勢。如此長期的部署凸顯了對美國海軍資產的持續需求，並強調了堅強的維護能力以及潛在的兵力結構調整的必要性。海軍代理部長強調了在緊湊的作戰節奏後，關注船員福祉的重要性。
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