Comparing today to the early 1980s makes today's situation look even weirder.

Today:

- short-term savings account rate is ~1%

- long-term mortgage rate is ~6%

- the ratio is 1:6

Early 1980s:

- short-term savings account rate was ~8%

- mortgage rate was ~16%

- the ratio was 1:2

What was different in the early '80s when mortgage rates were sky high, but savings account rates seemed to keep pace?