Suck It Up, Whiners

There's no real recession; it's all in your head, so stop whining. That's according to Phil Gramm, John McCain's economic adviser.

"You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," he said, noting that growth has held up at about 1 percent despite all the publicity over losing jobs to India, China, illegal immigration, housing and credit problems and record oil prices. "We may have a recession; we haven't had one yet."

"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" despite a major export boom that is the primary reason that growth continues in the economy, he said.

So snap out of it, America.

Gee, thanks a lot, Phil. I feel so much better; that $4.19 a gallon I'm paying for gas is all in my head, and the people being laid off from their jobs and losing their homes to foreclosure can muddle through if they just, y'know, think positive!

And if I click my heels together three times, I can go home...

HT to TPM Election Central.