You Spent How Much?

When I was a teacher, I knew a person who spent $12,000 of his own money to win an election to the school board.  That's a lot of money, especially when you consider that school board members don't get paid.  I kept asking myself, why would someone spend so much money for a non-paying job.  The guy must be nuts.

Of course, it was his money and he was entitled to spend it anyway he wished.  But, what did he hope to gain. In a  word, power.  It seems people will do anything to get it and to keep it.  It turned out this guy was a football freak and wanted to be on the school board so he could control the hiring and firing of football coaches.  But, since he didn't have enough like minded colleagues, he was relatively harmless.

But on the national scene there seems to me no shortage of like minded individuals.  How else do you explain Meg Whitman spending 119 million (so far) of her own money in her race to become the next Governor of California.  I mean, think about it.  California is a completely bankrupt state.  Not even the Terminator could save the place. What could she possibly gain from such an expenditure?  Can you say Presidency?