The Brits are used to it.

The shouting, the nostril-flaring, the fist-pounding are all in a day's work in Parliament.

The South Koreans go one better. They throw chairs and get into slug fests.

Former President George W. Bush was quick enough to duck a shoe hurled from short range during his final visit to Iraq.

But it wasn't until last week that Jerry Springer-style theatrics reached the halls of Congress when Rep. Joe Wilson called President Obama out over health care for undocumented workers.

When the president of the United States gives a speech to the nation on health care, and a member of Congress calls him a liar on national television, well, let's say that reality (forget television for now) has sunk to a new low.

After some bullying from senior Republicans, Wilson apologized.

From the pinched look on his face, you can tell he relished the moment.

But he has since seized his 15-minutes Sarah Palin-style.

The four stages of Joe Wilson have gone from rage to apology to self-congratulation to indignation. His website has raked in $1 million from people who apparently approve of his crude remark. And his "no more apologies" statement is in constant rotation on cable news.

What happened to Congress? It's as if there is no leadership - there is just Washington the snake ball.

From looking at the crowds at town hall meetings and the gathering of Tea Partiers in Washington last weekend, one thing is apparent. These are largely angry white audiences fueled by misinformation and old-fashion populism.

There's a pinch of racism thrown in for good measure, too.

Think about it - where was all of this hand-wringing about the national debt when George W. was borrowing from China to pay for invading Iraq?

Where were the Tea Partiers then?

Considering the country is engaged in two wars, and our economy is clinging to a cliff, governance by hysteria and name-calling isn't helping.