And we couldn't get a Republican to stand up and say, we'll raise some revenue, or even to suggest that we won't give more tax cuts to people who don't need them.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Speaks at the Associated Press Luncheon

You could still find rubber tires here and there, but you couldn't get patch kits or the kinds of adhesives that would stand up to a repair job anymore, so we had no choice but to go back to wooden wheels with iron rims.

NPR: Excerpt: 'World Made By Hand'

To be sure, stand-up acts aren't the only ones getting paid big bucks to get laughs.

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