Imagine this dialogue between a gambler and a free market freak

It was sunset and both men were downing some tasty drinks at the "Market Boys" bar, just around the corner from the "Global Banking Corporation." The gambler spoke first. The free market freak listened attentively, tasting his martini dry.

"I get really turned on putting wads on numbers nobody else would even dream of playing."

The free market freak scratched the tip of his nose while organizing this response.

"Yea, I know what you mean. It’s taking big risks that makes life worthwhile."

"Almost like taking a chick to bed."

"Slick talking her."

"But making a haul beats anything else."

"You said it!"

"I bet doing the mortgage thing beats anything you could do at a casino."

"Oh, come on!"

"It’s great! You give a poor sucker a loan, say, at 5% interest so he can buy a new home and he goes bananas, eats it up."

"So? Where does the dough come in?"

"Well, you start out at 5% interest but that's only a starter, 'cause then it slides upward, say to 6,7 or 10%"

"Now I’m following you. You get more and more and it's a long term agreement. And then..."

"And then there’s a crash!"

"Of course. It’s a high risk operation.  You naturally take that into consideration. That´s the challenge, that's the fun of it all."

"Hmm. So how do you keep from being burned?"

"You get daddy State to take over your debts and bad deals."

"Really? That sounds far out! So you don’t loose a penny, even when they say you do."

"That's what I'm getting at.It’s good solid business. When business is booming you take in the profits and invest them in high risk operations. When things go haywire, no sweat: the State will step in to stop a crash like in 1929. There’s no way to loose.  Of course your best bet is with a conservative government that lowers income taxes and relaxes financial controls. It beats any casino I have ever heard of."

"I´ve got a point there...By the way, do you think those $700 billion dollars the Bush guys are going to pump on the market to save the top players will work?"

"What do you mean?"

"Who will benefit?"

"We will, guys like us, creative risk takers, we´re the heart of the free enterprise system."

"I get it now: the government forks over the $700 billion to prevent a crash, or maybe more, who knows, and you save your neck and the taxpayers end up footing the bill."

"That’s right."

"You know what? I’m going to treat you to another drink...and I’m going to stop gambling. Business speculation beats the roulette by far!"