In their pursuit of the perfect republic, one where there are no tanning taxes and stripper clothing is not only accepted, but required for dealings with the government, Snooki, JWoww, JWoww’s breasts, Pauly D, Pauly D’s gel and the rest of the Jersey Shore crew is headed to old Italia!

As if Berlusconi wasn’t enough.

Cathy Horyn may not be a fan of Snooki’s inexplicable fame – in the snarky writeup heard ’round the web, Horyn describes the diminutive reality star as a “not conventionally attractive… like a turnip turned on its tip.”

Perhaps viewers just want something different from reality stars like Heidi Montag who achieve conventional prettiness by any means necessary, and self appointed style experts like Lauren Conrad. For whatever it says about pop culture and our entertainment choices as a society, the Jersey Shore has helped boost MTV’s year over year viewership, and parent company Viacom’s earnings outlook along with it.

A 10 percent tax on tanning bed services took effect July 1 to the dismay of orange-skinned indoor bronzing devotees. Salon owners and workers are also upset by the new tax, worrying their businesses will suffer and jobs may be lost. The potential for job losses is the only obvious downside to the new tanning services tax.