The horrifying economic meltdown with the stock market and banks losing trillions, and some individuals losing their life savings didn't happen overnight.  Lack of oversight and regulation taking place over decades.

Nobody contributed to this historic meltdown much more than none other than the highly revered former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Chairman Alan Greenspan.

Runner-up honors would have to go to former President Ronald Reagan, whose mantra was "Get the government off of people's backs".  This often used cliché translates to, "We don't want our banks and our businesses supervised by your government and that translates to de-regulation."

As we now know de-regulation and lack of oversight led to this tragic economic crisis, if we will only admit it, and change what brought us to this point.

What in God's name is Thomas L. Friedman doing writing a fantasy letter in the September 24 New York Times?

The letter is supposedly from George Bush to Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal Al-Maliki.  

Friedman's fantasy letter begins:

"Dear Sirs: