Alan Greenspan: The Maestro of Monetary Policy

Alan Greenspan, a libertarian and conservative nerd, had a keen interest in cars and beautiful women. His physical fitness, intelligence, and success attracted many high-class women into his life. Although he was married at one point, he eventually divorced in 1983 and remained an eligible bachelor until his marriage to Andrea Mitchell in 1997.

Despite being Jewish and born in Manhattan, Greenspan did not experience the horrors of Europe. However, he did encounter anti-Semitism in the U.S., which persisted well into the 1980s, even from figures like Nixon. While he believed in the gold standard, he also understood that fiat money was here to stay. Greenspan had many answers to economic issues but was bound by the limitations of government and its systems. Although he did not create these problems, he did his best to address them with the tools available to him.

Known as "the maestro," Greenspan was revered as a master of economic policy until the financial crisis of 2008, when the economy faltered. While the crisis was not his fault, he was nonetheless blamed for it. The economic landscape we see today was largely shaped in the 1970s, with much credit due to Greenspan's influence.

Though perceived as part of the government, Greenspan was critical of its tendency to print money to solve problems. His ability to speak out when others were afraid to challenge Nixon was a significant factor in his rise to the position of Fed chief.