Kaplan Cautions Fed Against Cutting Rates in September

Federal Reserve & Monetary Policy - The Fed's members must work without political considerations to make the best judgments [2] - The FOMC consists of governors and Fed presidents, requiring consensus-building rather than individual decisions [6][7] - The Fed is balancing sluggish job market and GDP growth with above-target inflation, primarily in services [9] - The debate within the Fed centers on whether to prioritize inflation or the labor market side of the dual mandate [11][12] - A strong August jobs number could reduce the likelihood of action at the September meeting [12] - The debate is about the risk of not meeting either side of the dual mandate [12] Inflation & Economic Data - Approximately 80 million workers in the US making $50,000 or less have lost over 25% of purchasing power in the last five years [14] - The Fed should aim for a 2% headline inflation rate, especially for low and moderate-income workers [14][15] - Consumers can substitute goods for services, with goods representing about 25% of the US economy and services 75% [17] - The Beige Book is a critical part of the Fed's process, providing valuable anecdotal insights from businesses across the country [20][21] - Over-reliance on any single data print should be avoided, focusing instead on three-to-six-month trends [23][24]