The continuing economic contraction resonates through Chesterfield County government like tremors after a major quake. Unlike the feds, we can’t print money or charge it to the kids; we have to face the fact that there aren’t enough dollars to pay for everything we want. Over the years, we’ve become addicted to state subsidies, federal subsidies and ever-increasing revenues from bubbles inflated by the central planners. During the bubbles, instead of saving to make it through the lean years, we adopted the Washington model of trying to be all things to all people.

Every day, to the amazement and delight of more than 20 million people across the fruited plain, Rush Limbaugh performs his host duties flawlessly with half his brain tied behind his back. Anyone who has ever spent an objective hour listening to his program knows that Rush has a brain the size of a planet. The corporations once known as the mainstream media assure us we now have a president who is always the brightest guy in the room, instead of one who didn’t have enough brains to tie his shoes.

You can’t beat good political drama. The Nuremberg rallies with all those glistening uniforms and snappy torch light marches. The May Day parades with the Soviet gerontocracy standing on Lenin’s tomb, smiling at the grandchildren of the people they tortured riding on their shiny tanks and missile launchers. Even little North Korea stages some pretty impressive mass birthday parties for the Glorious Midget.

Lately the news reminds me of Monty Python. I keep waiting for President Obama to appoint a Czar of Silly Walks or Reverend Wright to resurface and declare piously, “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!” If the situation wasn’t so serious I couldn’t take it seriously.