Why the U.S. economy—economic engine of the world—is stuck in neutral

Although our own recession ended three years ago, the U.S. economy has remained in neutral ever since, something Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher said recently at a World Affairs Council of San Antonio event. As any life insurance professional can attest, the Fed has done everything it can to keep interest rates at incredibly low rates in a bid to kickstart the economy. But unless Congress quits squabbling over budgets, which in turn is discouraging business leaders from investing the trillions in cash they have been holding on to, nothing is likely to get any better.