“NO” on Confirmation of Lael Brainard

The Club for Growth opposes the confirmation of Lael Brainard to be Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, and urges all Senators to vote NO. A vote is likely to occur soon. The results of this vote will be included in the Club for Growth Foundation’s 2022 congressional scorecard.

The Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors is expected to be comprised of nonpartisan, highly qualified individuals that lead the central bank implementing America’s monetary policy. Yet at the time of historic levels of inflation, the Biden administration has nominated a partisan radical to be Vice Chairman. Brainard’s political activity surrounding the Presidential Campaign of Hillary Clinton is evidence she was angling for a quid pro quo and “pay to play” to receive a nomination to be the Chairman of the Federal Reserve as far back as 2016. Six years later, President Biden has rewarded her partisan loyalty with this nomination.

On policy, Brainard’s views and positions are alarming. Her inability to embrace capitalism or reject socialism shows she will not be a nonpartisan voice on the Board of Governors but will be a radical liberal. Club for Growth is highly concerned about new regulations from the Federal Reserve, and Brainard’s experience proves she will increase regulatory burdens that stifle economic growth. She’s also been an activist on global warming. The Fed should not have an environmental activist pushing Green New Deal policies, but should be focused firmly on monetary policies that create, sustain, and embrace economic freedom.

Brainard is wrong about U.S. inflation. The inflation America is currently experiencing is not “transitory” but is an economic reaction to Biden’s policies that are pushing America closer to an economic recession every day. Brainard’s refusal to take the inflation threat seriously jeopardizes the economic recovery necessary to stabilize the U.S. economy.

Finally, Brainard has pushed for the U.S. to create a cryptocurrency and digital dollar backed by the Central Bank. This is a terrible idea. Free markets are why innovative cryptocurrencies are awesome. The best way to compete with China’s digital currency would be to embrace free markets, not to involve government in creating a so-call competitor.

Club for Growth Foundation’s Congressional Scorecard for the 117th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to the public.