Such a move is said to be consistent with the FOMC’s September 21, 2010 announcement, which stated that it was “prepared to provide additional accommodation if needed to support the economic recovery and to return inflation, over time, to levels consistent with its mandate”.
Such easing, it is hoped, would bring inflation back up to something closer to 2 percent, a rate that many judge to be consistent with the Federal Reserve’s mandate. In addition, higher inflation would increase demand as consumers move purchases forward to avoid paying higher prices in the future. So, with these purported benefits, why would anyone disagree?