Yes, Greenspan has always been an idiot and a flunkey of libertarian philosophy. Unlike his critic here, however, Greenspan has seen the fruits of his stupidity.

Homes were treated like stocks by the banks and wall street investors. Appraisers and municipalities were complicit. Homeowners ignored the obvious; that is, it is not logical for home prices to grow without improvements and they should actually go down over time because the house is used, just like a car. The homeowners were just as greedy as the wall streeters and lenders and the municipalities that wanted the increased tax revenue based on false home "values". People can not be saved from themselves when they are greedy and ignorant no matter how hard the government tries, nor should they be saved. This is what we are dealing with fundamentally in this country now, lack of humility, greed, and selective ignorance, and those problems can not be legislated away. We are not the first civilization to experience this and we won't be the last. Libraries worth of sage advice, and observations by the wise of the past go unheeded, and people find themselves in the same predicament as their historical equivalents. To put the rest of the country in jeopardy financially should shame them for their indidual actions and then the rest of us voters should be ashamed for the political culture we have "allowed" to grow and fester. We have created this mess, not one group or the other. Those of us that congratulate ourselves for "not being one of those stupid greedy people" should hang our heads for enabling that behavior in our effort "not to offend". It is time again to tell people that overextend themselves, that they are acting stupidly. It is time to tell people that live off the government dole that they are selfish and pathetic and should be ashamed. If we don't do it, the natural forces that correct our aberant behaviors for us will do it and do it painfully. Greenspan isn't stupid, he's arrogant like the rest of Washington to think that they can fix this. Just like the importance of fundamentals in sports, Americans are experiencing major issues with the fundamentals of how to behave and how to live and so our game is way off.

I guess Greenspan and his congressional cronies still haven't gotten the message, so I'll say it again, for the cheap seats: CUTTING TAXES IS /NOT/

THE SAME AS TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM THE GOVERNMENT!!!! IT'S NOT THEIR MONEY TO BEGIN WITH!!! As soon as the politicians realize that little factoid, maybe we can get this country back on track. TAX CUTS DO NOT /COST/ THE GOVERNMENT ANYTHING!!!!

to Jack Selvia:

If you had a clue to Greenspan's background you would know that he gave up any Libertarian thinking many decades ago; and that Mr. Stossel was once a Liberal/Progressive who saw the error of his thinking and is now a 'saved' Libertarian.

I expect that you are a Progressive who believes that Government is the solution to mankind's woes and care not a fig about individual liberty.

Article 1, Section 8, Clause 5 gives Congress the authority to regulate money. There is no section which allows Congress to give this power away to an unelected board which meets in secret. It is long past time to abolish the Creature from Keykl Island (AKA Federal Reserve Board). Also we need to return to the Gold Standard. Did anyone say Weimar Republic?

memo to John: 1984 has long since come and gone. We are now in a post 1984 Orwellian world. Anyone who doubts that is living in a parallel universe.

I don't remember exactly when it happened, but "tax cuts" and "tax credits" have been counted as "tax expenditures" in DC for a long time. You see, it's the government's money of which they are letting us keep a little.

I could weep.

The fundamental problem is that the government feels that our money is their right and they approach the table with the question "How can we acquire more of their money?" rather than the more appropriate question, "How can we operate within the amount of money we've already stolen?"

When you and I go to the grocery store, or a "toy" store, we think "What can I afford?" not "I would really like two of each of those, since I will break the first one; how can I force my neighbors to pay for all of them?" Why should the government, which doesn't EARN any money, not do the same? They should be made to operate within their budget and quit robbing us at gunpoint for their every whim.

Picture this: a robber standing in your living room, pointing a gun at you and demanding 40% of your valuables, while the entire body of law enforcement stands by to ensure that YOU don't resist. A week later the robber comes back, in unnecessary but attractive new sneakers and black track suit, and knocks on the door, asking for more money to pay for the new duds he didn't need, but already bought; those who don't open the door have it kicked in and lose the additional money anyway, also risking their safety and incarceration by the supportive police. Now tell me government and the IRS are any different.

Brian, Robert, Jim ---

All of us together see what is happening, and what we are up against, in the movement to return our 'center-right' country to the guiding principles in the Declaration and Constitution.

The comment/quote attributed to Ayn Rand, " ... the free market, ... the separation of state and economy" is something we should use in our own sloganeering, to push back against those misrepresenting the intent of our Founding Fathers.

I could not say it better than these: The Patriot Post is a highly acclaimed advocate of Essential Liberty, the restoration of constitutional limits on government and the judiciary, and the promotion of free enterprise, national defense and traditional American values. We believe, as did our Founders, that Essential Liberty must be defended at any cost. "They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." (Ben Franklin) · "A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." (John Adams) · "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." (Thomas Jefferson) · "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." (Thomas Paine) · "It does not take a majority to prevail...but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men. ... If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!" (Samuel Adams) · "Give me liberty or give me death!" (Patrick Henry) · "Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!" (George Washington)

Seriously, there *IS* no tax..... a tax can't be *cut* because it was levied in the first place. we really have to get out of this mendset that death and taxes are inescapable.... death is inescapable taxes are created.

Once we round our mind around that fact... THEN you ask... what are the taxes being used for.... if its national defense or welfare or unemployment or whatever .... you know then what you are spending the national money (or taxes as they are called) on.

then you figure out that a battleship or an aircract carrier costs X and X senators travel expenses cost X etc.... not a replublican or a Democrat event.... its just like running a household... when that changed is when tax became a idea instead of a word. it also changed when you can spend more than you make because the vast majority of us can't spend ..... more than we make.

You let me know when my govt. figures that out and i'll respect them again. Cause trust me... thier "courts" will make sure my bankruptcy rulings get made... i haven't had any yet... but they will make sure of it.

so while i like programs that benefit me and don't the one's that don't it makes no difference to me.... if it can't be paid for... then the program can't be paid for... period.... and last i checked "God" never wrote that we were owed something. Black/white/republican/democrat/or heck anything... programs exist because someone saw a need for them at the time and i would hope because it could be paid for. Its not a RIGHT.

Social Security is a HUGE killer of our fiscal security year in and out... and heck i'm not even of age and see how its a good program because well hell ... most of us honestly won't "make it" to financial independence. Still it can't be argued, i don't care how liberal you are... that its a HUGE expense but/and then we open up the healthcare debate. in 2000+ pages they made a bill that costs 100 million a year... but I can't tell you what the benefit is... how is that possible? Pundits are even puzzled and its thier job to make fun of what ever the opposite party to thier beliefs are.

lol

Gotta love "life" ... keeps sending ya zingers and well... ya live or die ... always moving till ya can't.