For Greenspan, Gold Once Glittered

The Federal Reserve's fiercest critic on Capitol Hill is again tapping into rising angst over inflation, loose monetary policy and the central bank's alleged role in pumping up the housing bubble.

Rep. Ron Paul's controversial views on the U.S. dollar have been largely dismissed as the populist rhetoric of a libertarian outsider during his 2008 presidential run, but his views actually match those once held by the man many blame for the expansion of the credit bubble: former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan.

In a new book to be released this week, Paul (R., Texas) again takes aim at the central bank -- a familiar target -- and in doing so accuses Greenspan of doublespeak on his views about the dollar. The accusation comes as Greenspan vigorously defends his low interest rate policy in the early years of the housing bubble, which many point to as a root cause of the credit crisis that is currently roiling financial markets. ...