Content about Economic history of the United States

Orlando, Fla. -- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, addressing a crowd of home builders on the last day of the International Builders' Show here, did his best to explain how low mortgage rates -- his chief weapon to stimulate the housing market -- have fallen short of their goals. But Bernanke’s speech before a crowd of more than 200 attendees was not an apologie; on the contrary, Bernanke seemed a little frustrated about a lack of action in other government and business sectors and seemed worried about the overall effect of the housing crisis on the general economy.

On Washington, responsibility and the budget


“As the leader of the largest building materials and construction services company in the West, we operate one of the hardest-hit markets, and one that has yet to see the benefits of the ‘economic recovery.’ With the housing market still struggling, our industry has mirrored the larger problems facing the U.S.: threats from global competitors, underinvestment in technology, etc.