A news story came out today that I find rather upsetting during these economic times throughout the world. CBS News reported that since Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin landed her name on the ticket in August, the Republican National Committee spent up to $150,000 on her wardrobe alone. The wardrobe that comes from high end department stores like Neiman Marcus.

What was spent on Palin’s jacket when she spoke at The Republican National Convention, could be spent to pay for a family’s medical insurance. A great number of college students are graduating over $30,000 in debt because they had to take out high-interest loans to pursue an education. Yet, when you find out about the money being spent in a short amount of time on clothes for someone who is vowing to improve our country’s problems, it is more than clear that there is a lot of money out there, enough money that students should not have to borrow so much from the government to attend school.

If $150,000 were given to a family with three children, the college education of all three could be financed and there would still be plenty left over for graduate school. Does that not seem like a much smarter way to spend a large sum of money? Does it really matter if Palin’s blazers come from Neiman Marcus or Macy’s?

The Republican committee is not alone in this disappointing use of American money. Earlier this year The Los Angeles Times reported that Clinton’s custom made pant suits cost approximately $6,350 a piece. That’s two semesters of tuition for an in-state college student at a public university.

John Edwards was in the news for his $400 haircuts. That would cover the cost of books for a semester. College students are the future of this country. Why not help them to make a future? I guess right now the brand of the clothing on the backs of those promising to help the average American is more important than that average American having a degree in his hands.