Fantasy Money

     Oh! What fun this is going to be!  I'm going to spend 100 million dollars!!!

     Let's see, what to spend on first?  Well, first I'm going to pay off all my debt.  That seems like a really smart thing to do. What a great feeling of security that will bring. 

     Next, I will help out our children.  I'll pay off all their debts, set some aside for their children's future and probably give them a big whopping wad of cash to spend on what ever they want. 

     Then I'm going to help out our extended family, shoot, there should be enough to clear their debts too.  After all, I can spend $270 thousand a day for a whole year, give or take a couple of bucks, before I run out of money.

     After all the family members are taken care of, I'll help out my friends.  Don't you think I'll have more friends than I can shake a stick at when they find out I'm divi-ing up $100 million?  Oh, I bet they'll be coming out of the woodwork!  Heck fire, I never thought about that before, I can buy myself some friends!  Not a bad idea.

     Now what?  I think I'll buy my husband a warehouse full of old muscle cars.  I'd never have to wonder where he was and he could wax on, wax off to his heart's content.  Then I think I will travel the world.  My husband might go with me or I might just send him a few "wish you were here" postcards so he would know my approximate location.  He'd probably be fine with that because he'd still be in wax mode.

     When I get back home, I'll just do what ever I feel like doing.  I mean, I'll be able to, right?  I'll never have any money worries again!

     Did I mention I really don't have $100 million to spend?  But that's no problem, I'm just going to spend it anyway.  That's what the great state of Illinois is going to do, why can't I?

     Yessirree, the powers that be (that be in Chicago), think it is a wonderful idea to come up with $100 million for a presidential library honoring our current president.  

     I don't have any qualms against another presidential library.  Gee wiz, we've already got one located in the state's capital city honoring good ole' Honest Abe.  It's a great place to see and I notice they are always seeking donations for its upkeep.  So what's wrong with having another?

     If maybe the state wasn't so broke, it might be a good idea.  If maybe the state's pension fund wasn't in the red by billions of dollars, with no real fix in sight,  it might be a good idea.  If maybe the state didn't have a backlog of unpaid bills, a few more, I imagine, than what is sitting on my desk, it might be a good idea.  If maybe the state's credit rating wasn't one of the worst in the nation, it might be a good idea.

     Chicago has forgotten they are part of a larger piece of dirt.  They seem to think they are an island just north of I-80 that resides somewhere in LaLa Land where the elusive Money Tree grows.  They really don't care what the south of I-80 populous thinks, because to them, we don't exist.

     Spending $100 million is a grand idea, if you've got a $100 million to spend.  When "We the People" spend money we don't have, we get into a whole heap o' trouble.

     The entire thing makes me want to throw up a little in the back of my throat.  That's a pretty gross analogy, but it paints a darn near perfect picture of the state's finances.