$4,300 would go a long ways for us potatoheads

It takes news days like yesterday to remind us mere mortals--especially those of us here in little ol' Idaho---what small potatoes we really are. When we learn that petite, attractive little prostitutes in New York from the Emperors' Club can earn $4,300 while spending a mere three hours with a naked Empire State Emperor, we say "Well, gollee gee!" and a bunch of other stuff.

Us potatoheads get to ciphering and figure out that little Miss Kristin and her pimp raked in $1,433.33 an hour. Leave the extra penny on the bedside table to tip the housekeeper.

Well, gollee gee, I know that even my little pea brain could make $4,300 last a lot longer than three hours! Hasn't that public official heard about the problems with the economy? Couldn't he act more fiscally responsible, like a governor of a big state is supposed to act? Couldn't he shop around for a better deal? Gosh, from what I read Sen. Larry Craig plunked down only $300 for one of his trysts. Potatoheads know how to operate on a shoestring.

Then, I hear that evil, snakey-looking Jim Carville boast on TV last week that his campaign is willing to fork over $15 million if Obama's campaign would match them with an additional $15 million so they could run that vote over in Florida so Hillary could win another state. Thirty million dollars to rerun an election that everyone agreed wasn't gonna count until Hillary needed it to count---that made me go "Well, Gollee Gee" once again.

I'm thinking to myself that if they can talk about throwing around millions of dollars for a rerun election in one breath and, in all those other campaign speech breaths, passionately point out that they are the very ones who care so deeply about helping out the poor, starving people in the United States who can't put food on the table----why not save the money on the rerun and offer to put it where that other breath was pointing!!

I don't understand the dollars and cents of this country. I also don't understand the common sense or lack thereof among public officials who are supposed to be guardians for the good of all. Their lives seem too complex and definitely too expensive.

I do understand, however, that life below the radar screen for us peons, who have to sit back and watch, is a lot simpler and doesn't cost as much as it does for our politicians to keep up with their personal needs and chosen lifestyles.

When I think of $4,300 expenditures here at the Lovestead, I think fences, chain saws, lawn mowers, horses, new-old motorhomes----all together, we wouldn't need much more than $4,300 to buy that stuff. Any one of those items would provide personal pleasure lasting a lot longer than three hours.

When I think about that offer to throw out $15 million for what seems to be a rather frivolous election rerun, I can't help but think of how far that $15 million would go to improve our local schools or county roads or even all those sidewalks they want to see running through all the Sandpoint neighborhoods.

When I think of how much it costs to elect a President in this country, populated by a lot of people who can't put food on the table, I don't even want to think anymore. It's too outrageous to even try to comprehend.

For me, it's a lot easier, cheaper and just as satisfying to go plant something and watch it grow. As far as I'm concerned, potatoheads have it a lot better than those who would be emperors or emporesses.