Crisis is a terrible thing to waste

Yea, another bandwagon I'm on: using the phrase, "A crisis is a terrible thing to waste."

Who said it, or something similar, first? Maybe economist Paul Romer. A quick look shows the selection of those using the phrase, or something close includes

Thomas Friedman (New York Times, 18 April 2004)
Eliot Spitzer (January 2005)
Arthur Affleck (February 2006)
Geoff Davis (April 2007)
John Lee (July 2008)
Hazel Henderson (September 2008 - good article this one)
Tim Dollmeyer (October 2008)
Richard Heinberg (October 2008)
Max McKeown (October 2008)

So, what does it mean?

Nathan