How the GOP Assault on the Fed Could Backfire

I have a new column on the need for Federal Reserve independence:

How the GOP Assault on the Fed Could Backfire

I expect disagreement on this one. The emphasis is on the long-run, but I wish I would have had the space to talk more about the short-run, i.e. that the Fed could be more aggressive in the short-run and allow inflation to rise temporarily without abandoning its commitment to long-run price stability. That's implied by the statement that "I don’t think the voice of the unemployed is adequately represented in monetary policy decisions," but it may not be clear. I also wish I would have had the space to talk about why a return to the gold standard -- which is behind some of the attacks on the Fed -- is a bad idea.