So is it the accent?  Nope, I know a lot better people with southern drawls.  Is it the suits, c'mon it's got to be the suits and his good looks!  Hell no, once gain, I know much better people who dress better than him, and frankly the man looks like he's eaten too many lemonheads at once; his face structure looks like the Slitheen from Doctor Who. Then it's gotta be his personality.  Heaven's no, the man seems like those pricks who didn't tip the high school caddies at the golf course.

Ok Venom, why in all that is good, do you like this bastard???

It's his policy view points. I can already here a collective "what?!" But here me out.  No, I haven't turned politically right, and embraced his dumb ideas.  But it is these ideas, which show just how out of touch with reality (even the Wall Street Journal has said this) he and his kind are, that he is spouting.  

If there ever was a piece of evidence on economic policy that so showed the difference between us and them, it's what Gramm said.  "Mental recession," you gotta love this, because the way he said it had such arrogance around it.  Now he felt safe to say it before a group of journalists. This wasn't an oops moment, he was comfortable with it because he simply uttered words his compatriots have said behind closed doors.

People like him live in this bubble or cloud.  Perhaps, when he was a young man growing up and failing and repeating several grades, that he was compassionate towards others.  Now I'm not saying he's a cold bastard who likes to run over dogs for sport.  Just that he's a cold bastard in regards to his fellow human beings who aren't as well off as he and his kind are.  

As I said, he was comfortable with what he said because people who live in that reality distortion field have echoed the same things. In a way, it seems this cloud can corrupt judgment of those who came to the circle either through connected wealth (example inheritence) or making it on their own.  Of course, the latter isn't always a denizen of this bubble, but many of a conservative leaning eventually grasp the same memes that Gramm has uttered with such confidence.

Earlier this month, I attended an 4th of July cookout with folks are in no way as wealthy as Gramm.  Indeed, perhaps these "well-to-do" conservatives were at best holding about $1-5 million max (and that is being liberal here), and I'm only talking about 2 or 3 folks out of 20 or so who where there.  But I noticed something, something I hadn't seen since high school, the wannabe millionaires tended to move towards what these wealthier conservatives said.  Its as if they mimicked them, they would become them.  Like I said, just like high school where you always had that clique and the kids who wanted to be "cool too" and copied them.  To me this was always bullshit, and I never liked the "cool kids."  The same goes here with this crowd.

But you take this crowd of wannabe plutocrats and multiply that in every county, and what you get is a good chunk of the GOP base.  And when it comes to originality, they are not prone to such a concept.  I'm sure you've heard these nuggets of conservative wisdom at some gathering (assuming you went):

"Welfare is for lazy people"

Or when that one black wannabe plutocrat leaves the room.

"Welfare is for lazy black people"

Then there are these

"What you gotta do is make these people pull themselves up by their bootstraps."

"America has the only fat people in poverty, if they are so poor why are they fat?"

"Raising taxes is punishing success, how about cutting spending like welfare or (insert some specific name) Midnight Basketball."

I could go on, and there are many more, but I'm sure you want to be able to drink your coffee or tea instead of vomiting.  Why always the 'bootstraps' and midnight basketball?  Many of times, there is a racist undercurrent in these memes.  

Many Phil Gramm clones or their lesser well off wannabes live in the same areas, many in what we call here the "boonies" or sticks, or exurbs and suburbia.  If they live in the city, its only in places they can brag about. I've noticed that many of the men in this cloud dress the same, khaki pants and a blue shirt, I think it's a uniform of some sort, but I'm not sure.  Oh...and a tie...there is always a tie!

They listen to the same talk radio shows, Limbaugh or Colmes in the afternoon, they purchased the same books, I've noticed a lot of Rich Dad Poor Dad books in their shelves.  It goes on and on, doesn't matter what part of the country.  Well I take that back, perhaps some wear cowboy boots and those hats.  Light country music and classic rock seems to be their favorite. Did I mention NASCAR and that fishing channel or PGA golf?

Anyways, like I said, I'm very pleased that Gramm finally said what they've all been saying.  I do hope, that he, or perhaps others who live in that reality distortion field come out and say other conservative words o' wisdom.  Please tell us how we should eliminate taxes, and privatize roads (things Gramm has said in the past).  Or that the problem with diabetes in this country is because we don't like to get off the couch.  Tell me that all I need to do is retrain and to do it fast (but not on their dime) before Habib in India takes that job.  Better yet, remind me how I should train Habib for my job!  Globalization we can't stop it and it isn't going away, isn't that what Gramm...wait...no no, McCain said?  

Yes, Phil, keep on talking, and encourage your friends to do the same! Remind us why we should not vote your kind back in!