Why does Bernanke think interest rates are low? Compared to what?

Here is the ten year treasury rate. It has fallen consistently since 1980. Why would Bernanke think they are lower today than they will be tomorrow?

He gave a speech somewhere and said interest rates are low and now is the time for DC to spend.  But the ten year rate is what DC pays for money, why not let it drop a little more?


What percentage of the GDP should be devoted to interest payments in DC?

Reagan was willing to devote nearly 5% of GDP to interest payments, but he was a communist. Obama has it at 2.5%, just right I think.

Interest payments are a flow from taxpayers to bond holders.