The consumer is not on a spending binge - consumer spending has moderated and I don't think there's a compelling case (to raise rates).

Consumer spending has been pulling the wagon for a while now. That won't be the case next year.

If the dollar were to threaten below 120 yen again, they'll intervene again. I think they've got to improve their export sector. They've got to export their way out of this.

I think Microsoft would like to wait until after the election, and maybe if George W. Bush wins, they could get treated better by a Bush Justice Department. I think they're delusional if they think that's going to get them out of their problem, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's in the backs of their minds.

I think Greenspan, last Thursday, really sent a signal that he wants 50 basis points (a half-percentage point). By saying that the GDP (gross domestic product) growth is close to zero, he certainly encouraged the belief that we get half a point.

I have argued with great futility that this entire argument is based on a flawed premise, ... If you use a more realistic GDP assumption, based on what we've seen over the past few decades, Social Security won't go bankrupt.