I think the most important factor in getting out of the recession actually is just the regenerative capacity of American capitalism.
On economic forecasts
(On economic forecasts) Why spend time talking about something you don’t know anything about? People do it all the time, but why do it?
The game
There are some parts of the game that we don’t understand, so we don’t play with them.
Bubble
We will have another bubble, but usually you don’t get it the same way you got it before.
Government interest rates
So if the government rate rises, the prices of all other investments must adjust downward, to a level that brings their expected rates of return into line. Conversely, if government interest rates fall, the move pushes the prices of all other investments upward.
The luckiest person in history
Our system unleashes people’s potential. And we’ve got 312 million people that want to do better tomorrow than today. Over time, that works. This country goes forward, and it’ll continue to go forward. The luckiest person in history on a probability basis is the baby being born in the United States today.
The world everywhere will be doing better
Five years from now, ten years from now, the world everywhere will be doing better.
Self-cleansing
We have a wonderful system that eventually is self-cleansing and always moves forward.
Human potential is far from exhausted
Tomorrow is always uncertain. Don’t let that reality spook you. Throughout my lifetime, politicians and pundits have constantly moaned about terrifying problems facing America. Yet our citizens now live an astonishing six times better than when I was born. The prophets of doom have overlooked the all-important factor that is certain : human potential is far from exhausted, and the American system for unleashing that potential – a system that has worked wonders for over two centuries despite frequent interruptions for recessions and even a Civil War – remain alive and effective.
Cash
Today people who hold cash equivalents feel comfortable. They shouldn’t. They have opted for a terrible long-term asset, one that pays virtually nothing and is certain to depreciate in value.