A Chat With Steve Forbes

I sat down with Forbes magazine publisher and perennial Republican presidential candidate, Steve Forbes, whose father, Malcolm, I knew from my journalism days in the seventies. He was there formally to promote his new book, Power Ambition Glory, but I couldn't help but sense his loftier goals.

He says that the crash was a failure of government. It was caused by the Fed, which pursued a weak dollar policy, kept interest rates too low for too long, and printed too much money. Our central bank should pursue a strong dollar policy which will bring a revival of the credit markets. We have the most hard left president and congress in history, and they are on the cusp of getting what they want. Lifting the rules on upticks and naked shorting threw gasoline on the fire.

The rating agencies are a cartel we should get rid of. Let the free markets work. The stock market recovery last year came with the modification of mark-to-market rules, which never should have been in force. George Bush betrayed the Republican party by abandoning its principles.

Steve has always championed the libertarian wing of his party, and has been the leading proponent of the flat income tax. Did I just hear the first campaign speech of the 2012 presidential election?

Courtesy: Mad Hedge Fund Trader