While you were sleeping a name change took place and the United States of America became the United States of Stupid. That might explain how the Teapublicans complain when the economy of this country improves and when an American hockey player makes the news by boycotting the White House to protest the growth of government. And just to keep things interesting, Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona wins the January 2012 Angry White Woman award. Go Jan!

Good News, Bad News

Earlier today it was announced that the Gross Domestic Product for the United States increased by 2.8% for the past quarter. While this does not match the growth rates of Brazil or China, it is significant positive news and an indication that the economy is continuing to improve during the administration of Barack Obama.

Predictably, the G.O.Tea Party zealots will argue that a) it is not enough of an increase in the GDP and b) in any event, the policies of Barack Obama didn’t have anything to do with it. Of course, if the economy were showing signs of decline, it would absolutely be the complete fault of President Obama.

If nothing else, the Teapublicans are predictable. And it appears that there is nothing else.

Hockey Puckhead

During this past week the Boston Bruins hockey team, the current Stanley Cup champions, visited the White House for a tradition salute by the president. This team has only two American members and one of them, Tim Thomas, boycotted the White House appearance claiming that he wanted to show his distaste for big government.

Given the unprecedented level of blatant disrespect that has been shown to President Obama during the past three years it should be no surprise that a hockey puckhead would want to join the party. But someone should remind Mr. Thomas that it is big government that pays for a builds many of the hockey arenas in which he makes a living.

Also, as a native of Flint, Michigan, he may want to ask some his former neighbors how they feel about big government after it bailed out the auto industry and save hundreds of thousands of jobs and millions of households in Michigan.

That would, of course require the use of logic. And it is obvious that what Tim Thomas was really protesting was the presence of Barack Obama in the White House.

Arizona Dreamin’

Speaking of disrespecting President Obama – I have been a serious observer of politics in the United States for 50 years. During that time I have seen presidents who were absolutely despised by their opposition – Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton come to mind. During that time I have never seen a senior public official personally confront a president in the incredibly rude and offensive manner of Governor Jan Brewer when she “greeted” President Obama at the airport in Arizona.

Yelling, finger pointing, with veins on her neck bulging while doing her version of the Angry White Woman; she appeared to really lose it in her confrontation with the president. This faded former cheerleader later stated that she thought that President Obama was “thin-skinned” and excused her behavior by hiding behind the tried and true defense that white women can use in confrontations with black men – she said that she felt “threatened”.

Of course back in the day, the merest hint that a white woman felt threatened by a black man would be enough to find that black man at the end of a rope. It is still enough to get a black man sanctioned or fired in the workplace. In the case of Governor Brewer, it is just another insult that President Obama has to ignore.

Have a great weekend!