Jeffrey R. Schmid

The Fed's great division

Rotated off FOMC voting roster for 2026 after dissenting against rate cuts

The Federal Reserve held rates steady at 3.5-3.75% on January 28, 2026, in a 10-2 vote. Governors Stephen Miran and Christopher Waller both dissented for a 25-basis-point cut — the first time two sitting governors have dissented together in decades.

Updated May 18

Fed’s 2025 rate-cut run: three eases, one new playbook, and a president pushing hard

Rule Changes

Hawkish dissenter opposing the October and December cuts.

In a single year the Fed has gone from peak post‑Covid rates to a clear easing cycle. December's third 2025 rate cut pushes the federal funds range down to 3.5–3.75% and flips the switch on a new operating regime built around full‑allotment repos and steady Treasury bill buying.

Updated May 10

A weakening U.S. job market forces a Fed pivot under a data blackout

Money Moves

Voted against December 2025 rate cut, citing inflation concerns

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points on December 10, 2025, in a deeply divided 9–3 vote—the most dissents in six years, bringing the funds rate to 3.5–3.75%. Minutes released December 30 revealed the decision was 'finely balanced,' with officials split over whether weak hiring or inflation poses the greater risk.