I don't imagine South Park is the most popular television program among RedCounty readers. But every now and again it comes up with some powerful insights about the state of our economy.

An episode from the show's 7th season has found a particularly emotionally gripping analogue in the battle for the New Jersey Governorship. The episode, titled "Christian Rock Hard", details the manipulative Eric Cartman's efforts to make millions of dollars by pretending to be the frontman for a contemporary Christian music band called Faith+1. The endeavour is in response to Kyle's dare that if Cartman's band doesn't sell a platinum album before his own garage band Moop sells a platinum album, Cartman owes Kyle $10.

Kyle's band (with Stan on guitar and Kenny on the drums) tries to download music online for free to get ideas for their band. But before their first Judas Priest track even finishes downloading, they are arrested and taken in by the FBI. Terrified in a darkened interrogation rom, they tell Agent Yates they had no idea that illegal downloads were so bad. "We didn't think it was a big deal!" Stan pleads.

"Not a big deal?!" Yates shoots back, clearly frustrated at the 9 year old boy's ignorance. "I'm gonna show you something...and I don't think you're gonna like it," he says.

In a style imitating Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Yates takes the boys to Hollywood to show them what their cruelty has forced upon celebrities everywhere. Lars Ullrich of Metallica has to wait a few extra months to get a solid gold bar installed by his pool. Britney Spears now has to fly in a Gulfstream 3 jet (which doesn't even have remote controls for its surround sound system) instead of a Gulfstream 4. And Master P won't be able to buy his son the private island in the Caribbean that he's been asking his daddy to buy him for his birthday.

"Still think downloading music for free is not a big deal?" Agent Yates asks the boys.

"We...we didn't know...." Kyle says feebly.

"That is the folly of man," Yates says softly.

Similarly in 2009, the economic downturn has not hit some as hard as others. While I certainly am not living like a king, I am doing alright. I live in a comfortable apartment with affordable rent, I eat well, and I have a job that I enjoy that gets the bills paid. I guess sometimes when I go out to eat I don't always think about just how much others are suffering in this political environment. I look at my state's Governor raising $4.3 million in just 50 days for his Senatorial campaign, and I guess I sometimes I think maybe this recession just isn't that big a deal.

Not a big deal, huh? Boy, did the New York Times ever set me straight today.

New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine is a former President of Goldman Sachs who has proven more than willing to invest his own considerable net worth in his political ventures. In his first run for elected office in 2000, Corzine spent an incredible $60 million of his own money to get elected to the United States Senate. In 2005, he put in $43 million in his campaign for Governor.

But after a nasty car accident, a bitter divorce settlement, and a precipitous drop in net worth, the days of him cutting himself checks all the way to victory are long gone. According the article, he's only going to be able to spend up to $25 million of his own money in his far from certain bid for re-election. The Grey Lady reports that he is having trouble making fundraising calls, describing their awkwardness in truly heart-wrenching detail. "Sorry to be asking you for this, but it’s important, for New Jersey and the country," goes a typical fundraising call from Corzine. The donor who tells Corzine he can't give right now is like that guy who tells a beggar he won't spare some change because 'you'll probably just spend it on booze'. Their heartlessness simply rends my soul.

But there is hope from angels for Governor Corzine. Bernard Schwartz, a prominent New Jersey fundraiser, recalls a personal visit from Corzine in a pitch for money. The clearly embarassed Governor was honest about his chances for re-election against Republican Chris Christie. Corzine told him "the race would be costly and he could not guarantee a victory as a return on Mr. Schwartz’s investment," according to the Times.

But ever the good Samaritan, Schwartz came through, cutting a $25,000 check for his campaign. Bless him.

So as you go about your day, don't just think about those who are truly suffering in this recession. Sometimes the people who are enjoying life slightly less than they did when times were good are the ones truly suffering a fate worse than death.