MICHELE NORRIS, host: You can find a timeline of Alan Greenspan's career and see a snapshot of the economy during his tenure at the Fed at our website, NPR.org.</s>MELISSA BLOCK, host: Alan Greenspan's replacement Ben Bernanke is by all accounts a clear and direct communicator of economic ideas. That hasn't always been the case with Mr. Greenspan.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: And before we bid him farewell, we thought we'd share one last bit of Mr. Greenspan's wisdom, one that really captures his unique style. Here you go.</s>Mr. ALAN GREENSPAN (Chairman, Federal Reserve): Taking steps to increase our national savings through fiscal action to lower federal budget deficits would help diminish the risks that a further reduction in the rate of purchase of dollar asset by foreign investors, could severely crimp the business investment that is crucial for our long term growth.</s>MELISSA BLOCK, host: Okay Michele what do you think he's trying to say there?</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: I actually don't even think I'm gonna try to take a stab at that translation.</s>MELISSA BLOCK, host: Well our business desk folks upstairs helped us out and they say that a rough translation would be this, America needs to save more money.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: It took him quite a while to say that but it's good advice indeed.
The Fed chairman was famous for tough-to-follow remarks that nevertheless moved the financial markets. In this specific example, the message is: save more money.