Memo to Greenspan: Enough already.

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The unseemly, globetrotting, money-grabbing, legacy-spinning, responsibility-denying tour of Alan Greenspan continues, as relentless as a bad toothache. It brings to mind the words of the great Ring Lardner: ‘ ‘Shut up,’ he explained.’

I mean, Alan, please. Enough. How can we miss you if you won’t go away?

If you missed it (and that would make you lucky), Greenspan is out and about, bloviating with renewed fervor, explaining that he is not to blame, even in a small way, for the housing and credit crises.

Earlier this week, writing in the Financial Times, he blamed ‘the misjudgments of the investment community’ for the mortgage mess. A Wall Street Journal reporter emerged today from three interview sessions with Greenspan to report, ‘Mr. Greenspan says he doesn’t regret a single decision.’ Today in Tokyo, Greenspan gave one of his typical speeches that drive copy editors nuts trying to pull a headline out of his wooly headed thinking. I believe he said housing prices will stabilize ‘well before’ early 2009. Unless they don’t.

My foggy memory of American history from school is that public servants were supposed to serve for a while and then go home to their farm or their village. I don’t remember the chapter that says ex-presidents and ex-Fed chairmen join some sort of permanent government for millionaires, flying around the world in private jets, invariably accepting suitcases full of cash for trading on their memories of working for the taxpayers. (Yes, that was a shot at the $100-million man, Bill Clinton, who seems to work very hard every day to make me regret twice voting for him).

Cranky today? You bet I am. My DVR cut out with 10 seconds left in the Memphis-Kansas game. That’s my excuse. Your thoughts? Comments? E-mail story tips to peter.viles@latimes.com.
Photo Credit: Bloomberg News.