I dont have a problem with what the author is saying about freedoms in the contexts used.

I am surprised that he has completely ommitted to mention a very serious attempt at limiting our freedoms of expression, being mounted by the UN Durban 2 Conference,and the OIC.

This eventually may result in us not being able to express a view about religions.

Liberty Schmiberty.

This article attempted but failed to marry the idea of 'freedom' as synonymous with laissez-faire economics or unfettered capitalism.

It is not a given that regulation leads to deprivation of liberty. Lack of regulation may in fact lead to the deprivation of liberty such as that seen under Work Choices.

Regulation in an economic context is not about strangling liberty but preventing, in many cases, exploitation. It is because of Australia's regulatory financial system that we will not suffer the extent of the recession in the same way as the Americans with their excesses of the "free" economic thinking.

Unfettered capitalism is much more depriving of liberty than the sorts of regulation we would experience within a social democracy.

I would be more worried about the loss of personal liberty under the guise of protection or war on terror, than the sort of loss of liberty described in this article.

Hear, hear, pelican.

Didn't read past the first line.

Repeat an untruth often enough and it is accepted as the truth. Bellman's Fallacy

The US recession / depression of the early 80s was deeper than the current one. Unemployment higher and interest rates much higher.

If you define freedom in the narrowest sense as what I believe this author is doing - economic freedom well yes we have had a decline in freedom or better put would be opportunities. Reduced money means reduce options to invest, travel, purchase, create assets and so your freedom is reduced. I am a sub prime victim ans was retrenched from a US bank late last year. I know my freedom/opportunities are reduced at the moment as I try to do all sorts of things to make some money. However even though this concerns me greatly I feel more threated by the actual loss of true freedoms - Internet Cenesorship, Anti Terrorist laws that mean I can be arrrested held and not told what offence I have committed and the propose laws in Queensland , although I do not live there it should concern all Australians as States these days try to coordinate/standardise everything , bad law in one stae will affect us all.

Pelican,

The article is not a defense of laissez-faire economics and unfettered capitalism. In many respects, it is this sort of capitalism that got us (primarily, the United States, and consequently the world) into this mess.

As outlined in the article, proper regulation of the markets is the medium term challenge for governments, with the key being to not overreact and throw the baby out with the bath water.