Phil Gramm, a dirty ex-senator from Texas(is that redundant?) and an economic advisor to John McLame, stuck both feet in his mouth last week. He tried to tell the American people that they were whiners and the recession was all in their heads. "We have sort of become a nation of whiners," he said. "You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline."

Nice try, Mr. Gramm. That's quite a fantasy world you live in. Let me tell you something that Butt-Head once said to Beavis.

You can't polish a turd.