Are the Greenspams America's Sweethearts?
See them holding hands as they walk up Pennsylvania Avenue. At15th Street and New York Avenue watch them turn left, across from old Riggs Bank, to approach the hallowed, ornate, black iron gates of our Nation’s most sacred place: the Treasury of the United States of America. The Washington Monument soars in the backdrop, a reminder of the Presidency. The White House is across the street to the West. Two guards with rouged cheeks wearing red, white and blue toy soldier uniforms, leftovers from the Nixon show, swing open the gates then stand at attention. Hand in hand, Andrea and Alan take big steps across the stone walk to the hammered bronze doors and on entering, fade into welcoming darkness.
Inside they wander to the sub-vaults of the Treasury where we find them embracing surrounded by romantic stacks of our money. Intrigue? Follow them far underground to the secret passage leading to the White House air raid shelter. There they meet with other Fed bankers to hammer out vague fiscal lingo shot with fiduciary Latin for presentation to bewildered congressmen. Cut to the next scene. The Economaster is telling our elected vassals that he might, (he’s a real actor,) or he might not, (what a devil,) raise or lower the interest rate. The film ends when Alan Greenspam receives a standing ovation. Triumphant, he walks with wide-eyed worshipping Andrea down the steps of the Capitol through the adoring crowd. They climb into a glistening black bulletproof limo. The proper chauffeur closes the door and as the sweet sounds of Ray Charles singing ‘America, the Beautiful’ seduce our souls. America’s Sweethearts wave one more time, roll up the tinted window and disappear up Pennsylvania Avenue to return to their love nest in the Treasury. What a movie! I’m shaking with emotion. Secret stuff!-- next week.