Blagojevich 2.0

Believe it or not, I think there's more to be said about the shenanigans of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. First of all, let's talk about the reaction of other political officials to Blagojevich's alleged desire to "sell" the Senate seat. They reminded me of Claude Raines in "Casablanca." As his Captain Renault was shutting down Rick's café, he cried out, "I'm shocked, shocked to find out that gambling is going on here." And then a croupier handed Renault the winnings that he made from gambling earlier. Of course, he wasn't really shocked. And I wonder just how shocked all of those Democrats and Republicans really were about Blagojevich when they expressed their outrage.

We regular citizens should have been shocked just as we are every time corruption rears its ugly head. But I think politicians are so used to being surrounded by it that they take it all in stride. Oh sure, maybe they were shocked by the boldness of Blagojevich. They are used to things being more subtle. People don't usually just come out and say they want a bribe. And I think it was this lack of subtlety rather than the idea of trading a Senate seat for favors that threw them for a loop.

But is the way Senate seats are usually given to people by governors really any more moral?

When a governor chooses someone to replace a Senator, nobody really expects him or her to pick the most qualified person for the job. If governors always did this, then very often Democrats would choose Republicans and vice versa. And how often does that happen? So, this system of governors choosing someone has always been flawed.

"Not as flawed as actually selling it for money," you say? Hold on a second. From the moment that Caroline Kennedy's name was mentioned as a possible replacement for Hillary Clinton, what one quality did all of the experts mention? Her experience at riding a pony? Her, uh, great oratory skill? No, it was her fund-raising ability. They all talked about how she would be able to raise millions and millions of dollars. That would include millions of dollars for the 2010 re-election campaign of Governor Paterson – the same man who has the ability to appoint her.

Yet I didn't hear one of the news experts or fellow politicians say that there was anything wrong with that. Nobody said they were "shocked." It was shocking that Blagojevich wanted six-figure jobs for him and his wife in exchange for a Senate seat, but it would be okay with everyone if Paterson appointed someone who would, in effect, give him millions of dollars.

Don't get me wrong. I've got nothing against Caroline Kennedy. I'm from the generation that, because of who she is and what she has gone through, would love to see her in the Senate. If she wants to be President, that would probably be okay with me, too. I just think it's weird that there is this double standard. What Blagojevich did is so shocking that Prosecutor Fitzgerald said it could make "Abraham Lincoln turn over in his grave." But the idea of Governor Paterson giving Caroline the Seat because of her zillion-dollar fund raising ability wouldn't even make Honest Abe blink?

There's yet another wrinkle in the Blagojevich thing. Immediately after Governor Blagojevich picked Roland Burris to be the new Senator, the self-righteous Senate said they couldn't seat him because he was "tainted" by Blago. However, soon after he was picked, the media reported that a possible compromise was being discussed. The Senators would let Burris be Senator for the rest of this term if he promised he wouldn't run for re-election in 2010. So he wasn't tainted enough to keep him from being Senator if it suited their political purposes. Some of the most respected members of the Senate were willing to make a deal involving a Senate seat. And nobody seemed outraged.

I'm shocked, shocked that such hypocrisy goes on in the Senate.

So what can be done to stop this kind of thing? Every state should stop allowing governors to appoint Senators and use a special election instead. That way, we would never have to worry if a governor were choosing a Senator for the wrong reasons. The right to make bad decisions like that should be left to us voters.

Bargains For Everyone?

With the economy being what it is and with retail sales being what they are, more and more people are bargaining – for everything. Consumers aren't just haggling over the price of a car; they are haggling over everything from cell phones to underwear. According to Stephen Hoch, a retailing expert at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, when it comes to any kind of shopping," You'd have to be a moron not to ask for a discount." Going with Hoch's definition, I'm a moron.

As I have indicated in previous columns, I hate to bargain, I can't stand coupons, and I avoid sales. For years, I preferred paying a couple of dollars more to standing in line for a bargain.

Bargaining has become huge lately. There are bound to be more and more books on the subject. I think we can expect everything from "Bargaining At The Grocery Store" to "How To Negotiate For Gum." There's already a website called howtohaggle.com. On the site, the potential bargainer is reminded that "it's all a game." That's been my problem with bargaining: it's a game that I don't enjoy playing. I'd rather buy something and then go play something that I like.

Those who love to haggle say, "You've got nothing to lose. All you have to do is ask." For those of us who feel weird about bargaining, asking is a big deal. We feel that somehow we'll perceived as gauche, as boors, as people who aren't even worthy to be in the store. But why should we care what a salesperson thinks of us? After all, salespeople will ask us if we want an extra pair of socks or a belt when we buy a shirt. Why shouldn't we ask them to knock a few bucks off that shirt? Or to throw in the socks and belt for free? But I've just never been able to do that.

However, the word "moron" kept echoing in my head. So armed with some basic instructions from articles and websites, I decided to do some shopping – with a new attitude.

I needed some cheap sunglasses since, for some reason, my old ones apparently were too flimsy for me to accidentally sit on. So I went to my local drugstore. I picked out a pair, and I tried to have them reduce the price – by twenty-five cents. They refused. I bought the sunglasses and left a bit humiliated.

Then I headed to "Best Buy." I suggested a proposal that I thought was sure-fire. I wanted a $40 gift card, but I was too wily of a shopper to tell them that. Instead, I told them that I wanted a $20 gift card, but I would be willing to buy two $20 gift cards for a total of $30. I thought it was the perfect deal: I'd save ten dollars, and the store would take in ten dollars more. They looked at me like I was crazy. Again, I made my purchase and slinked out of the store.

I was even less successful at a department store. There, I decided to make a low-ball proposal to get the negotiations going. I offered them $50 for an Armani suit. They didn't even bother to counter-offer. I don't understand why. It's not like I was talking about a suit with a vest.

That ended my bargaining career. It just wasn't me. Others will point out that nobody thinks they should pay sticker price for a car or asking price for a house. So, why shouldn't we expect to pay less for other things? Well, it just seems different to me. I can't ever imagine myself going to a restaurant for dinner, the waiter says the special costs $14.95, and then what am I supposed to say: "I'll give you $14.00 and you can keep the broccoli?" That's just not me. I'm not a bargainer, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I'm fine with that. Why should I care if some guy at a business school thinks I'm a moron? Does he care what I think of him for spending his time studying something called, "decision support systems and the psychology of forecasting?"

Obviously, there are two kinds of people in the world: those who enjoy bargaining and are good at it, and those who don't and aren't. I'm a "don't and aren't" guy. The "do and are" people love getting a good deal and are willing to go home with nothing if they can't get it. My main goal when I shop is to buy what I want and get out of the store as quickly as possible. And that's non-negotiable.