It is my view that what is important is cutting government spending, however spending is financed. A so-called deficit is a disguised and hidden form of taxation. The real burden on the public is what government spends (and mandates others to spend). As I have said repeatedly, I would rather have government spend one trillion dollars with a deficit of a half a trillion than have government spend two trillion dollars with no deficit.

In response to a suggestion that total free trade would end in cheaper foreign products flooding the market and causing unemployment.

We had much freer trade in the 19th century. We have much less globalization now than we did then.

You can only make money if you buy a product, whatever it is - maybe a currency, maybe wheat and maybe something else - at a relatively low price and sell it at a higher price than you buy it at. There's no other way to make money.

Only a crisis—actual or perceived—produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around.

Every person shall be free to do good ' at his own expense.

We don't have a desperate need to grow. We have a desperate desire to grow.