As much as we appreciate your "free markets = bashing in of head and Great Depressions" talking point, please be notified that they have about as much to do with each other as whale shit and cheerios.
Amusingly, there is no accepted cause of the Great Depression among economists. If you ask 20 of them, you will get 20 different answers. However, it is of note that the Federal Reserve is probably the reason that a recession just like any other turned into the Great Depression. Even the people at the Federal Reserve admit this. The Fed Chairman himself said so.
Our recession today is also in part caused by the Federal Reserve. However, they have moved to stop it from becoming a depression this time. They caused it by making the interest rates lower on mortgages. Our government also had a big hand in promoting home purchases. Combined, these two things caused a giant demand for housing. This caused the prices of houses to go higher. This created many jobs and businesses to cash in on this demand. Government stipulated that banks lend money to people who basically couldn't afford to pay it back, driving the prices/demand higher.
To understand the rates, just look at this link at freddiemac. This is from 71 to present.
http://www.freddiemac.com/pmms/pmms30.htm
As much as you would like to blame not having enough regulations for the Great Depression, and our current recession - you are wrong. Government activity is a HUGE part of causing them both ala Federal Reserve and promoting house buying by people who couldn't afford it.