“our current problems come from … the fact that intellectuals and politicians regard the results of free association and voluntary exchange among individuals as “problems” to be solved. For example, the government deemed free-market mortgage rates and lending practices (which for decades led to down payments over 20% and responsible lending and borrowing) to provide insufficiently “affordable housing” for bad credit risks. So government intervened. The carnage speaks for itself. Freedom is not a problem, Mr. President. Coercive interference in a free society is the problem: it negates individuals’ judgment, punishes the productive, and rewards irrational behavior. Removing that interference as quickly as possible is the real problem that needs to be solved today.”