Joe Weisenthal

And professional roles.

And it's a really interesting time, of course, to be talking about monetary policy.

I mean, I would say it's an interesting time.

It's always an interesting time to be talking about monetary policy.

But I would say it's a particularly interesting time because I could list several reasons for that.

So obviously, we are still in the wake of the incredible inflation wave that we had post-COVID.

And at least in much of the world, inflation has not returned to target.

In fact, in some countries, the rate hike cycle has begun.

So there's still the live issue.

There is the

shifting political situation in many countries in which the very premise of like, well, how much independence should the central bank have to operate is being rediscussed.

That's right.

We're speaking during a week of local elections.

And then, of course, COVID, shock, maybe transitory, a one-off thing.

Governor Christopher Waller in the U.S., he had a good speech recently called One Transitory Shock After Another.

Of course, in this case, alluding to the war in Iran.

And so what does the price in oil and so forth mean for inflation?

There are so many interesting questions right now for anyone in the seat of a monetary policymaker.

We like talking to Americans who have served on the MPC.

Who've made it.