The American financial system is struggling, continuing unemployment claims have reached record highs and the effects of the subprime mortgage crisis are still being felt.

So, John McCain's top economic adviser — Swiss mister Phil Gramm — has one critical question to ask of his country: Why are you people such whiners?

"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.

God, it is so true. "They foreclosed on my house! Wahhh!" "Boo hoo! I can't pay for my family's health insurance!" "Sob! I got laid off again!" Yeah, yeah, yeah. Quitcherbitchin, already.

I'd cue the tiny violins, but they make those in Vienna, and I can't afford a damn thing in Euros.