<human>:  Can you tell me how the Federal Reserve uses economic stimulus programs to jump start the economy?
<bot>: Sure, the Federal Reserve is the bank that sets US interest rates, and keeps banks and credit markets operating. It also supervises and regulates the banking industry. During the financial crisis of 2008-2009, the Fed created about $16 trillion worth of new money, by lending money to the banks, and the banks then invested that money in the economy by buying assets like real estate and stocks. The Fed did this in part because the economy was in such bad shape, and if interest rates had been raised it would have been bad for the economy. With more money, the economy recovered faster than would have been the case if interest rates had been raised. All of this was