PatientRenter: Pithy and accurate, yourself. And, trenchant as well.
I do agree with your observations about both Bernanke and his (our?) predicament. Akin to Greenspan and his “irrational exuberance” mien, Big Ben knows the stakes and the downside of pursuing a rational, even-handed monetary and credit policy. You are correct also in the assertion that the American people have rarely, if ever, enjoyed the pain that accompanies the hard truth of economic realities.