I had to check in the Novelty Inc. vender at the store yesterday. One of the products he was taking back was a container of “Election Pens.” As we counted them for credit, he said, in a rather surprised manner:

“More McCain pens sold than Obama pens. Are there more Republicans up here than Democrats?”

A customer who’d been looking on–a guy in his mid-forties who travels over two hours a day, round trip, to work in a mill several towns over–snorted and answered:

“Nope. But only the Republicans can afford to waste $4.99 on a fucking pen.”