when a democrat was in a position to expand social welfare spending, greenspan's call for responsibility was meant to forestall it. right wing strategy, same as dole filibustering universal health care in '93-'94.

once bush was in office, he could be trusted not to waste money on the non-rich, so greenspan opened up the floodgates. same strategy, just different tactics in a differnt context.

and when a democrat gets back in power, the money will be gone, and so those social welfare programs will be impossible to fund. game, set match.