Senator McCain makes a joke; Democrats run with and turn it into policy

During the “Cash for Clunkers” debate, Senator McCain quipped on the Senate floor, as he spoke in opposition to the economically nonsensical idea, “Why not cash for refrigerators?” Employing a bit of  metaphor, hoping to make a serious economic argument against the program, what he didn’t realize is that serious Democratic policymakers, incapable, apparently, of grasping irony, were listening. Indeed, Senator McCain, they said, why not cash for refrigerators.

I don’t want to speak for other conservatives, and I’m not even sure I’m speaking for myself here; I’m just thinking aloud: But conservatives might be a little more open to the idea that the rich should pay a little more than others to, let’s say, help the poor afford health care or pay their rent or go through a job-training program if … and this is a huge if … they weren’t already being strangled for nonsense like this. The middle, upper-middle and upper classes work overtime every year for this, Democrats? To help people buy nicer fridges and stoves?