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22
21
Yes No
Debate Score:43
Arguments:31
Total Votes:44
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 Yes (15)
 
 No (16)

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KingOfPopForever(6910) pic



We Should To Get Rid Of The Federal Reserve

One of my friends  asked me this question and I want to know you guys opinions

Yes

Side Score: 22
VS.

No

Side Score: 21

The Federal Reserve has an infinite amount of power and authority over the money supply and interest rates; therefore, some would argue that the Federal Reserve has too much power over economic growth. If the free market was allowed to freely do the work of the invisible hand, interest rates would be set by the demand in money as well as the money supply where it is manipulated by the central bank. The Federal Reserve is the master and chief of everything that relates to money.

There is much debate over the constitutionality over the Federal Reserve.

The Federal Reserve System was created under the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. It was passed because of financial panic and runs on banks due to the Panic of 1907, and many argue that the Federal Reserve is to blame for the Great Depression in 1929.

Congress has no constitutional authority because those powers are not explicitly granted to Congress by the Constitution, which are inherently denied to Congress, thus the authority was never given to establish a central bank.

However, the constitutionality of the Federal Reserve may be vested in Article 1, Section 8, To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

However, The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution states The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

So, this says that if the powers of Congress are not explicitly stated in the Constitution, then Congress doesn't have the authority.

Side: yes
zproach(252) Disputed
2 points

No it means that powers not given to the federal government nor barred from the states inherently go to the states. The Constitution gives Congress the power to manage the economy... and that is what the federal reserve does... it regulates the value of our currency.

Also keep in mind there is the necessary and proper clause and the commerce clause which the power to create the Federal Reserve can be derived from.

Side: No
2 points

Strict constructionists interpret the necessary and proper clause to mean that Congress may make a law only if the inability to do so would cripple its ability to apply one of its enumerated powers and be limited to only those duties listed in the Constitution. Loose constructionists, on the other hand, feel that the Necessary and Proper Clause expands the authority of Congress to all areas tangentially related to one of its enumerated powers.

Thomas Jefferson, declared, "If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them, will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

Side: yes

The federal reserve is not a government branch. It was not part of the constitution. It has way too much power. Where are the checks and balances?

Side: yes
zproach(252) Disputed
2 points

It falls under the jurisdiction of Congress. It's Congress who chooses who funs the Federal Reserve and they can can anybody who happens to be abusive.

Side: No
wolfbite(432) Disputed
2 points

Kinda of. I think what Joe was getting at is the fact that they act in secrecy and when it comes to monetary policy they can basically do whatever without anyone ever knowing about it.

Side: yes

By the ENDING THE FED, it would

End the dollar depreciation

End funding to endless wars

Curb government attack on civil liberties

End debt accumulation

End the Capacity of financial trickery to expand without limit

Government live with its means

End the Business cycle and inflationary cycle

End Corporatism and Too Big to Fail

End Election Cycles and Bureaucratic power

Side: yes
2 points

The Federal Reserve plays a vital role in the economy; it stops the wild swings of a completely free market. A free market is very erratic and when it dips (while it will swing back) the lives of millions of people are put at risk; something that Congress cannot stand by without doing anything. The Federal Reserve puts a substantial portion of economic control in the hands of professionals instead of just leaving it in the hands of the consumers faith. Of course there are problems with the system but, that doesn't justify disbanding such a large institution; much smaller and effective reforms are available.

Side: No
lawnman(1106) Disputed
2 points

The Federal Reserve plays a vital role in the economy; it stops the wild swings of a completely free market.

We know of the “vital role” of the Federal Reserve. What is in question is whether or not the role of the Fed is necessary and beneficial. Your assertions indicate you think it is such. Yet, your post is absent any supporting evidence.

Furthermore, we would like to consider an argument that demonstrates, by evidence, the truth of your assertions. And perhaps after you have argued the supporting premises and/or evidences of your conclusions we can therefore reasonably accept or reject the truth or falsity of you position. And until you have presented a logical argument, in support of your view, the only fact we can identify is your position on this question.

So, please provide an argument.

Side: yes
zproach(252) Disputed
2 points

Okay, although to be fair no evidence besides history was provided by the other side

The primary motivation for creating the Federal Reserve System was to address banking panics. Other purposes are stated in the Federal Reserve Act, such as "to furnish an elastic currency, to afford means of rediscounting commercial paper, to establish a more effective supervision of banking in the United States, and for other purposes." Before the founding of the Federal Reserve, the United States underwent several financial crises. A particularly severe crisis in 1907 led Congress to enact the Federal Reserve Act in 1913. Today the Fed has broader responsibilities than only ensuring the stability of the financial system

The Federal Reserve serves to ensure that banks don't go overboard with their money.

Bank runs occur because banking institutions in the United States are only required to hold a fraction of their depositors' money in reserve. This practice is called fractional-reserve banking. As a result, most banks invest the majority of their depositors' money. On rare occasion, too many of the bank's customers will withdraw their savings and the bank will need help from another institution to continue operating. Bank runs can lead to a multitude of social and economic problems. The Federal Reserve was designed as an attempt to prevent or minimize the occurrence of bank runs, and possibly act as a lender of last resort if a bank run does occur.

Ah, that sounds pretty beneficial to creating a stable market and to prevent the abuse of bank customers... or at least minimize it.

The Federal Reserve has the authority to act as “lender of last resort” by extending credit to depository institutions or to other entities in unusual circumstances involving a national or regional emergency, where failure to obtain credit would have a severe adverse impact on the economy

This ensures that our banks won't run out money which would cause severe problems for the economy.

Through its discount and credit operations, Reserve Banks provide liquidity to banks to meet short-term needs stemming from seasonal fluctuations in deposits or unexpected withdrawals. Longer term liquidity may also be provided in exceptional circumstances. The rate the Fed charges banks for these loans is the discount rate (officially the primary credit rate). By making these loans, the Fed serves as a buffer against unexpected day-to-day fluctuations in reserve demand and supply. This contributes to the effective functioning of the banking system, alleviates pressure in the reserves market and reduces the extent of unexpected movements in the interest rates. For example, on September 16, 2008, the Federal Reserve Board authorized an $85 billion loan to stave off the bankruptcy of international insurance giant American International Group (AIG).

This lending policy prevents supply and demand variations from taking out lending institutions.

Federal funds are the reserve balances (also called federal reserve accounts) that private banks keep at their local Federal Reserve Bank. These balances are the namesake reserves of the Federal Reserve System. The purpose of keeping funds at a Federal Reserve Bank is to have a mechanism for private banks to lend funds to one another. This market for funds plays an important role in the Federal Reserve System as it is what inspired the name of the system and it is what is used as the basis for monetary policy. Monetary policy works by influencing how much money the private banks charge each other for the lending of these funds

This part of the federal reserve is vital because it allows banks to lend to other banks and gives them an organized way to do it. This also gives the ability to the Federal Reserve to move around interest points when they need to be moved around --aka monetary policy.

Supporting Evidence: All of the bolded text can be found here (en.wikipedia.org)
Side: No

Federal Reserve + Control Money Supply + Manipulate Interest Rates + INFLATION = TYRANNY

Side: No