If you look at the history of the American capital market, there's probably no innovation more important than the idea of generally accepted accountancy principles.

But ultimately what I was impressed by during my years in government was how much the intellectual climate and the prevailing intellectual notions constrained and represented the universe within which the discourse took place.

Blaming speculators as a response to financial crisis goes back at least to the Greeks. It's almost always the wrong response.

I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to it.