Second, the article has decided on a singular ideological definition of libertarian thought that would be reject by most self-described libertarians. Not all libertarians are anti-state nor are they anti-regulation at the basic level. I find it funny that the author chose to blame an abstract absolutist position which no one in the history of our elected govt has ever held enough power to enact. Moreover, very few libertarians subscribe solely to the Objectivist ideas of Ayn Rand. The overwhelming majority of libertarians don't envision a their policies solely in ideological terms or lacking in historical references. (Greenspan is a Republican, btw).

Third, de-regulation of financial markets did not create true free markets. Free markets depend on all players having access to good information. De-regulation actually helped obscure information.

Fourth, European banks are being battered by this crisis as well. Does anybody really think that European financial regulators are closet libertarians?

I could go on and on....but you get the point. The article is intellectually worthless.