QE2 - The Bernanke Chronicles

``With the U.S. economy faltering last summer, Ben Bernanke decided to launch a desperate attempt to re-inflate the stock market bubble. The S&P 500 had peaked at 1,217 in April 2010 and had fallen 16% by July. This was unacceptable to Bernanke's chief clientele -- Wall Street and the richest 1% in the country. At Jackson Hole in August he gave a wink and nod to his peeps, letting them know he had their backs. It was safe to gamble again. He'd ante up the $600 billion needed to revive Wall Street. It worked wonders. By April 2011, the S&P 500 had risen to 1,361, a 33% increase. Mission accomplished on a Bush-like scale.''