The problem of interest rates, which are artificially low does force investors, including individuals, institutional investors, and state and private pension funds, into risky investments.       Greenspan's irresponsible monetary policies continued by Bernanke will exceed several trillion US dollars if we add up the combined capital losses on homes, nongovernment bonds, and equities. Moreover, high interest rates provide investors with a cash flow, which can cushion downturns in asset values.

  Retirees and those on fixed incomes are forced to either spend their principle (which means they lose their wealth early and enter the poverty class becoming dependent on the govt), or they are forced into stocks.
Joining retirees are the institutional investors who need to show positive income, their only option is those income/blue chip stocks and funds. This is creating a bubble in those blue chip stocks.     People wanting security go to govt bonds and govt bond funds, why go to less secure bonds which dont pay much more than govt bonds, and bonds are generally returning less than inflation. Thats creating a bond bubble in govt bonds. If/when they burst, its going to be very bad particularly since the economy is already in trouble.

Throw in the artificially low inflation numbers and its even worse. Its in the govt's interest to calculate low inflation because it keeps COLA for social security and military retiree pay down. Those retirees are being hurt by the artificially low interst rates are also being hurt by the artificially low inflation calculation.

These policies are good for the govt but not for the people, rich and poor.     Throw the debt spiral we are in into the mix, and this isnt going to last much longer.