Dear John: For many years I purchased Series EE Savings Bonds with the intent to roll them into HH Bonds upon maturity within 30 years.

Now the time has come to cash out. But, alas, there are no longer HH Bonds in which to invest and defer payment of the interest accrued by the EEs.

Any chance that the US Treasury will bring them back? R.K.

Dear R.K.: Nope. The Treasury says it has no such plans — and believe me, I begged.

Dear John: Serious question: Do we need the Federal Reserve Bank? R.R.

Dear R.R.: We need the Fed to keep our politicians honest. Without the Fed, politicians would constantly keep the economy overstimulated for their own re-election purposes.

There would be no one to look at the threat of inflation or the health of our currency.

If you want to see what the US would look like without the Fed, just look south to Venezuela.