hi, ive completed introductory courses in macroeconomics, so i know
all the basics (basically what everything is)

Im looking for an intermediate/advanced level text book on monetary
policy.  What I want to know is what that major factors of monetary
policy are (exchange rates, interest rates, unemployment, economic
growth, inflation ect), how each one affects each other, and how the
government manipulates them in order to achieve their goals.

I'm looking to grasp a firm understanding of our current economic
state and try to be able to understand the moves the government is
making

Buddy80 --

I started to answer this question and three books popped to the top of the list:

"Money, Banking and Financial Markets," Addison-Wesley, Miller & Van Hoose, 2001

"The Economics of Money, Banking & Financial Markets," 7th ed.,
Frederic Mishking, Peason Education, 2003

"Economics: The Science of Common Sense," OpenMind Publishing Group,
Bowden & Bowden, 2001


But evaluating each is tough -- and the publishers' note for the last
book says: "Appropriate for the one-term survey or introductory
economics course for adult/continuing education programs, or for
company in-service programs."

So, we re-ran the search using the following Google strategy to see
what's popular in higher-level courses:
"monetary policy" + syllabus

Mishkin's book comes in at the top (you might try adding authors'
names to the above search to get exact counts).  A pair of MIT Press
books actually come in 2nd and 3rd:
"Central Banking in Theory and Practice," MIT Press, Alan S. Blinder, 1998
and
"Monetary Theory and Policy," MIT Press, Carl E. Walsh, 1998
 

ANOTHER RESOURCE
------------------

Monetary policy can be a complex and detailed issue -- which is why
you're seeking a good textbook.  Once you get a little familiar with
the territory, you may find the Federal Reserve Bank's "Monetary
Policy" pages to be very interesting.  They report significant actions
by the bank and the Open Market Committee real-time and with a
surprising amount of clarity:
Federal Reserve Bank
"Monetary Policy" (Jan. 14, 2004)
http://www.federalreserve.gov/policy.htm


AND YET MORE ON THE TOPIC
--------------------------

You may find this Google Answer useful in considering monetary issues
of the past 70 years.  There are some excellent references here to the
issues raised by the Great Depression and the debates between Keynes
and Friedrich Hayek:
Google Answers
"Hayek's View of the Cause of the Great Depression" (Omnivorous-GA, Mar. 20, 2004)
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=318354


Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

You mention...

"I'm looking to grasp a firm understanding of our current economic
state and try to be able to understand the moves the government is
making"...

I recommend the Federal Reserve's publications (well, their quarterly
bulletin) as listed above.  Also check you the Bank of England's
Inflation Report and Financial Stability Review (under publications on
www.bankofengland.co.uk) and the ECB's Monthly Bulletin (under
publications at www.ecb.int).  Although you may be in the US these
publications are particularly good as discussing issues of conjuncture
and geeting a feel for a situation and what policy makers look at when
making decisions.

I hope this helps.