Tea Bagging (sic)

The latest daylight madness from the political world has reached my (junior) suite. In my more lucid moments, I am keenly interested in brand management strategies and naming is an important aspect of the application. Whether it is the naming of a collection of jewelry, an automobile or the latest derivative from Wall Street's best and brightest--I wonder if that is a registered trademark?--naming helps propel the product or offering into the consciousness of the marketplace.

Sometimes, naming is insultingly literal and obvious. Boneva purports to do something to bones. Operation Just Cause attempted to...oh, never mind. However, there are times when naming takes on an absurdity that defies any explanation and thus we come to the subject of today's dismay. The Republican leadership (sic) has formulated a plan to resuscitate a flat-lining body politic and have chosen tax protest as the strategy. So far, so good. Politicians of every stripe have gotten traction with this in the past. All that was needed was a name for the campaign. That should be simple--emphasis on should.

The Boston Tea Party provided a patriotic echo that would resonate the constituency and we are still on solid ground. Speed made good in sailing terms. But then someone, who shall remain nameless throughout, came up with a name for the campaign and its supporters: Tea Bagging and Tea Baggers. We're going to Tea Bag the White House!

How anyone let this get past the very first mention--let alone into the media as the definitive naming--is beyond me. It is tantamount to creating a campaign to encourage Whistle Blowers and naming it Blow Jobbing and Blow Jobbers. We're going to Blow Job government agencies!

Oh well, enough politics for one day.