Bankers Don’t Need Politicians Meddling in Loans: John M. Berry Members of Congress are complaining that Federal Reserve and Treasury officials aren’t forcing banks getting money under the Troubled Asset Relief Program to increase lending.

Recession Forecast Blown Up by Subprime Meltdown: John M. Berry A year ago, I didn’t expect the U.S. economy to fall into a recession in 2008 because I was confident consumers would continue to do what they do so well: spend money. I had plenty of company, and ultimately we were all wrong.

Fed’s Words May Speak Louder Than Actions Now: John M. Berry This time the Federal Reserve’s words may say more than its actions.

Fed Takes a $3 Trillion Gamble to Spur Lending: John M. Berry Federal Reserve officials are throwing everything they have into the fight to stabilize financial markets and restore economic growth. In the process, the Fed balance sheet is ballooning to $3 trillion, if not more.

Summers, Geithner Have Baggage, Not Fatal Flaws: John M. Berry Lawrence Summers is a brilliant, sometimes arrogant economist who can be hard to work with. Timothy Geithner, whose sharp mind has been honed by five years of dealing with the heads of the world’s largest financial institutions, got his job as president of the New York Federal Reserve Bank partly because he is easy to work with.

Monster in Closet Is Recession, Not Deflation: John M. Berry Given all the real problems facing the U.S. economy, dragging out the remote danger of deflation is foolish. It's just short of fear-mongering.

Paulson's TARP Is Feeble Without Stimulus Plan: John M. Berry Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. is up to his ears trying to make the Troubled Asset Relief Program work. That's what he should be doing. He also ought to be pushing a really big economic stimulus plan.

AIG Rescue Avoids Repeat of the Lehman Debacle: John M. Berry Maybe the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department learned a lesson from letting Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. collapse.

Fed Makes Breathtaking Changes, Cuts Rates Too: John M. Berry Since the Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. bankruptcy in mid-September froze world credit markets, the Federal Reserve has made almost $900 billion available to encourage a thaw.

Foreclosures Help Housing Market Find a Bottom: John M. Berry Home sales are booming once again in Prince William County, Virginia, an area hit hard by the housing bust. Foreclosures are responsible.