While I have considerable respect for Condoleeza Rice as a woman of remarkable accomplishments, I am amazed that Romney’s camp is leaking discussion of her as a possible VP candidate.

Really?  Does the GOP want to run one of the architects of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan against the person who ended them?  To run a member of the team who fought for eight years against Al Qaeda and failed to bring bin Laden to justice against the man who found and killed him?   How could anyone imagine this would strengthen the Republican ticket?

Still, we live in a world where the elites are so out of touch with reality that I should not be surprised.  Another example of this is the brouhaha about US Olympic team uniforms (the ones worn in ceremonies, not the track and other sports gear) being manufactured in China.  Really?  The uniforms were designed and sold by Ralph Lauren, a quintessentially American designer who has brought the American brand label all over the world.  But politicians in Congress thought they could score points by manifesting outrage that the uniforms were manufactured abroad by Chinese workers in Chinese factories, and proposed the “Team USA Made in America Act of 2012″ (I am not kidding; that is it’s name) to require all Olympic athletes be wearing only materials made in the USA.

Interesting — and just for consistency, does that mean that no US athletes can be allowed to wear Nike or Adidas track or sport shoes (made in China or south Asia)?   How about passing a law to ensure that Congressmen give up their Swiss watches, are forbidden to drive foreign-made cars, and that none of their wives can appear in public wearing Hermes, Prada, Gucci, or toting a wallet or purse by Chanel or Louis Vuitton?  Shall we make sure no American athlete is allowed to take Bayer Aspirin because Bayer is a German corporation?   How about forbidding American athletes to drink coffee or tea (we don’t grow those in America, after all), and prohibiting the sale of Scotch whiskey, French cognac, and Japanese sake in Washington restaurants?  What about banning Apple I-pads and I-phones in the USA?   After all, just like the US Olympic team uniforms, they are designed and sold by an American company (Apple) but manufactured in China.

In short, it’s all nonsense; today’s reality is global supply chains and why would anyone think you can or should legislate against this?   If Congress really wanted to do something about the American economy and the welfare of American workers they should get back to work on the budget deal and address our deficit and growing inequality.  But that would require tackling reality — much easier to contemplate insanely unrealistic laws that they hope sound good on radio and TV.   God help us.