SAPS ....

This week, sanity returned to the nation's capitol. Amid a sluggish economy, growing poverty, global warming, Iraq and important questions of energy consumption, Congress is finally turning itself to a question of real import: flag burning. While actual instances of flag desecration are as rare as a virgin on the congressional staff, the Senate will begin debate on a law making flag burning a federal crime. While many commentators view this as a cynical attempt to whip up the right wing base in front of the November elections, Republican Chairman Ken Mehlman stated otherwise: "Amid all the other challenges this country faces, you cannot lose the SAPS, or "Sentimentally Affected Patriots." These folks -- and they are an important demographic -- attach great importance to the symbols of this country. Their sense of history is wrapped up in a few heroic snapshots of this country's past, Iwoa Jima, Neil Armstrong, Normandy, etc. They are very interested in maintaining a symbolic America, but not very interested in the complexities of looking after an actual country with real people. For them, healthcare, the war, immigration, whatever, are just passing fancies. But the flag. The flag is forever. The flag will put a choke in their voice and a tear in their eye. These folks tend to be Republicans, tend to have yellow ribbons on their cars, and tend to vote. They also, for some reason tend to really like magazines with lots of pictures. "