Neither, evidently, can central bank governors, at least when they opine in areas outside their immediate responsibility. Greenspan was as enthusiastic for a policy that led to soaring deficits as any politician; but the fig leaf of being “above politics” gave credence to that policy, engendering support from some who otherwise would have questioned its economic wisdom.
传统的央行独立观点主张，货币政策和宏观经济政策不应该交给政客们实行。显而易见，同样不应当交给央行行长们，至少是当他们在对其直接责任之外的领域发表评论之时。格林斯潘对于导致赤字猛升的政策如同政客一般充满热情；但是，“超越政治之上”的遮羞布却给了那一政策可信度，使得那些在另外的情况下会质疑其经济智慧的人支持减税。