Ben Bernanke Quotes

The job of the Central Bank is to worry.

I’ve always been a little nervous about the Fed. Quite frankly, I’m a little nervous about the degree of their independence.

Some people think that you can call they Federal Reserve and ask them what they are doing. I’ve been calling the Fed for 30 years and they have never told my anything.

Central banking often comes across as obscure and complicated, and we try to help the public understand what we do.

In the past, Federal Reserve chairmen have not generally gone directly to the public.

There is a European Central Bank, of course, established and it has the structure similar to the Federal Reserve system, not precisely the same but similar.

The Federal Reserve Act requires the Federal Reserve to report annually on its operations and to publish its balance sheet weekly.

The Fed's policy choices can always be debated, but the quality and commitment of the Federal Reserve as a public institution is second to none, and I am proud to lead it.

There's no other job in public life that is like chairman of the Fed.

In a mature economy like India's, which is becoming modern and a financially-oriented economy, an independent central bank, responsible central bank, is really central to success.

The principle that a central bank, charged with controlling inflation, should be independent from the government is unassailable. It may also be true that it's easier for the central bank to guard its independence from political pressure when it mainly holds government securities.

I don't have any influence over the Fed [Federal Reserve System], none at all. It's carefully isolated from any influence by the President or Congress.

To some extent the Federal Reserve considers itself government. Other times, when it serves, it considers itself not government.

My gracious, here I am the new chairman ... and I haven't the faintest idea of how you control the money supply. Yet everyone thinks I have it at my fingertips.

Return to specie payment … at the earliest period compatible with due regard to all interests concerned.

The Federal Reserve Board is indefensible in theory and indispensable in practice.

Monetary stability is a cornerstone of the social contract.

What is important for a central banker is that you have to convey that you know what you are doing.

I want to be completely clear that I strongly oppose 'Audit the Fed.'

The Obama administration's large and sustained increases in debt raise the specter of another financial crisis and large future tax increases, further chilling business investment and job creation.

The central bank needs to be able to make policy without short term political concerns.

Well, I think what we need to remember is that budget deficits can impede economic activity.

Central banks don't have divine wisdom. They try to do the best analysis they can and must be prepared to stand or fall by the quality of that analysis.

What I'm concerned about is endless borrowing, which is going to compromise our economy not only today but in the future. Because we know the decisions we make right now really dramatically impact us in the future, and the debt is literally getting out of our control.

Obviously, I haven't succeeded in defusing the political concerns about the Fed.