Good afternoon. Thank you. My comments today will be about the U.S. economy and current monetary policy challenges. I will also have some specific thoughts on the auto industry, which is so important to this area and the rest of the Chicago Fed District. But before I begin, I should note that my commentary reflects my own views and does not necessarily represent those of my colleagues on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) or within the Federal Reserve System. As a little background, at the end of each meeting the FOMC issues a statement that provides some context for its monetary policy decisions. In addition ... (full story)