I.O.U.S.A. (30 page)

THE INTERVIEWS

We interviewed two former Fed chairmen, two former Treasury secretaries, one former commerce secretary, and two former presidential candidates.

We talked to the two ranking senators on the Senate Budget Committee and the fi rst director of the Congressional Budget Offi ce. We talked to the richest man in the world, several best - selling fi nancial authors, leading policy makers, bankers, and businessmen. We talked to journalists and editors of leading fi nancial publications.

We came to refer to the list of experts who agreed to sit for the movie interviews as the “ Mt. Rushmore Crowd ” for their contribution to American economics. Those who accepted, frankly, exceeded our expectations. Because they gave us a wide range of opinions far beyond the scope of the fi lm, we ’ ve published the complete transcripts of their interviews right here in this book.

Although this group of economic heavy hitters comes from a wide range of educational backgrounds, political persuasions, and economic training, something the illustri-ous cast of
I.O.U.S.A.
can see eye - to - eye on is this: The U.S.

economy cannot sustain its current path. And if we don ’ t do something now, our children and grandchildren are going to have to pay for our mistakes.

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98 The

Interviews

Featured Interviews

Alice Rivlin

William Bonner

Robert Rubin

Peter G. Peterson

Ron Paul

Paul A. Volcker

Dr. Alan Greenspan

Warren Buffett

James Areddy

Paul O ’ Neill

Bonus Interviews

Arthur Laffer

Steve Forbes

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