Writes P. Gauthier:

As always, thank you for your hard work in championing the cause of rational thinking.

A friend of mine who works at the Bank of Japan called me Friday afternoon. He wanted to get my take on the situation in America because the news reports about the "crisis," "bailout" and the carnival called the election are causing people to ask a serious question in whispered tones: "Has America gone nuts?"

I couldn't think of any way (or reason) to defend the nonsense of recent weeks, so my answer was a simple "Yes." The administration, the congress, the treasury, the fed and the press have accomplished something remarkable -- they have made America and Americans appear to be a country of buffoons.

It's embarrassing and I resent them for doing it.