On teabagging and tear-jerking

I'll admit I've been a bit too busy with my new temp job in the last few days to pay close attention to this "teabagging" nonsense, so I won't spend too much space complaining about it. I will, however, make two observations. First, concerning the idea that people are outraged about supposedly burdensome rates of taxation: um... for those who have not noticed, this country remains under the Bush tax cuts until at least 2011, and 95% of American workers have seen further tax cuts (reflected in reduced tax witholdings in their paychecks) in recent weeks as part of President Obama's economic stimulus package. And if these "teabaggers" are upset about current levels of government spending (gee, I wonder where they were when we started spending all those hundreds of billions on a completely unnecessary war), they obviously would rather see a full-blown depression by having the spender of last resort pinch pennies along with the rest of us. Note to the public: in a recession, people spend less, meaning businesses lose revenue, which means they in turn spend and invest less, which ultimately leads to reduced hours and layoffs, which means workers have lost income and will spend less, and the vicious cycle continues. Add to that a frozen credit market--courtesy of a broken banking system brought down by the housing bubble burst--and a Federal Funds rate already at zero, and you have literally no other option than to have the government step in with robust fiscal policy and spend the money that no one else is willing to, even if it means temporarily increasing the deficit and debt. If the government did nothing as some of these people supposedly want, our economy would certainly fall off the cliff and we'd find ourselves in a truly deep depression that would make the current deep recession look like peanuts. It's really quite simple logic for those who care to pay attention. But these sheep, who respond to mindless soundbites railing against "tax-and-spend liberals" would rather revel in their ignorant bliss and make fools of themselves in the streets, proud of the fact that they are being used by Fox Noise.

Second, "TEABAGGING?" What the HELL were these people and Fox thinking? I find it hard to believe that none of them have heard of the popular use of that term. Unless they all happen to share a particular sexual fetish, the use of this word to describe their "protests" only serves to underscore their ignorance of the facts.

Okay, so I lied about not complaining in excess. Sorry.

On a completely unrelated note, I'm sure by now many of you have heard of Susan Boyle, one of the most unlikely people to shoot to stardom on the television show Britain's Got Talent. Web video of her stunning performance last week instantly went viral.

I'm not ashamed to admit I teared up the first time I saw this... and then the second... and the third. At the risk of sounding a bit corny, this video touched me because it juxtaposed, in my opinion, the worst and the best of the human spirit: the worst being the dismissive laughter she initially received from the audience (note the girl rolling her eyes around 1:24) and the best being her bubbly--if a bit quirky--attitude toward life despite her supposed lack of qualities that usually define one as attractive. Add to all that the moving lyrics of the song and you have a recipe for a truly emotional reaction. Here's hoping this is far from the last we'll see and hear of her.