The Return of Foreclosure Phil

Phil Gramm, booted from the McCain campaign for calling struggling Americans a "nation of whiners" in a "mental recession," is back in the mix.

Reportedly, Gramm was seated in the front row of a McCain speech at the Aspen Institute. Gramm told the press, "I am a supporter of John McCain. I am helping him with fundraising. We have a fundraiser today and I will be with him today and tomorrow."

And John McCain responded, "Phil Gramm and I and Wendy (Gramm) and Cindy and I go back many, many years, and I'm always grateful to see my friend, Phil Gramm. Thank you, Phil, for all your friendship and support."

I think it's safe to say everyone has kissed and made up. That's only possible because the media, the McCain campaign, and the American public believed the problem with Gramm was a few intemperate remarks. But that's not true. Gramm believes in a radical form of economics that bulldozes the concerns, needs, and rights of everyday people in favor of corporate profits. He is, in large part, responsible for the foreclosure crisis facing America.

He doesn't need to be taking a few weeks off from the campaign. He needs to be taking a few years off from public life altogether.