This most political of chancellors also used a speech which was long on economic analysis to make an argument about the past, an argument about the present and an argument about the future too.
However, all sides in the argument about the future of the European Union would profit from reading his book, which manages to summarise old arguments in a succinct and accessible way, while also introducing stimulating new ideas to the debate.
Let's leave that argument for the future.
Increasingly, one hears the argument that the future of space travel will be - should be - robotic.
His most thought-provoking argument about the future may actually be the past.
"The Moderates and their allies have gradually lost the argument about the future," said Eric Sundström, political editor of Dagens Arena website.
THE argument over the future of Social Security divides just about everybody involved into stark ideological camps.
A YEAR ago, the Labour government was convulsed in an argument over the future of the National Health Service.
We need the right leader supported by the right team to take the fight to the Tories and win the argument about the future.
And if I'm running against John McCain, I want to be making the argument for the future, not for the past.
