The central bank typically goes off-line by targeting things they shouldn?t instead of the things they should. Rather than basing their monetary decisions on real-time market-price indicators -- like the value of the dollar and Treasury-market interest rates -- Greenspan & Co. too often target real economic variables such as jobs, unemployment, or non-existent Phillips-curve tradeoffs between economic growth and inflation.

This approach has frequently knocked out economic growth, as was the case in 2000 when massive monetary mistakes totally deflated the technology boom and the stock market.

Yet, while Fed rhetoric on policy targets hasn?t improved that much, the actual results of this year?s rate-hiking have so far been good. For example, while short rates have gone up, long rates have actually come down. This suggests that some small Fed rate-hikes at the short-end of the curve have actually reduced bond yields on the long-end.

The occurrence of rising short rates and falling long rates is known as the ?monetary paradox.? In theory, this suggests that the Fed?s removal of excess money with an increase in the base target rate from 1 to 1.75 percent has reduced inflation fears according to falling bond rates. Since domestic price stability should be the Fed?s number-one goal, it would appear that Greenspan & Co. is getting the job done.

One of the biggest surprises this year is that Wall Street bond bears have been completely wrong. Instead of spiking up, Treasury bond rates have actually fallen from nearly 5 percent to almost 4 percent. This has also bolstered housing, with a surprise drop in mortgage rates.

Meanwhile, the broad S&P 500 stock index has increased slightly this year by almost 1 percent after rising 26 percent last year. And though buffeted by rising energy prices, the core gross domestic product (excluding miscalculated trade deficits) has still grown at a 4.5 percent annual rate. While consumer spending has been pinched by a big jump in gas prices at the pump, business investment has more than taken up the slack.

Many observers argued that the central bank would not dare raise its target rate during an election year. But the idea that political pressures can unduly influence the independent central bank has again been proven wrong. The Fed was overly stimulative in 2003 and they are removing the excess money in 2004 -- election or not.

More evidence of Fed success can be seen in the rising value of the dollar. Relative to foreign currencies, gold, and broad commodity indexes, dollar value has appreciated by roughly 5 percent. On balance, over the course of this year, the Fed?s supply of bank reserves and currency in circulation has declined somewhat -- from nearly 6 percent annual growth to just more than 5 percent as measured by the adjusted monetary base. Continued...