$10k Lunch?!?!?

I was going to do a post today about the former AT&T Chairman and his insane amount of earnings, however, I found an article that I think is a bit more of an eye opener..

On Thursday, March 25, 2010, the Politico newspaper(a free paper in the Washington DC area) had an article about Sen. Bob Corker(R-Tenn) and his free time over the Easter recess.

Corker Pitch: $10k Meal, $5k Meeting
By Eamon Javers
Sen. Bob Corker's Reelection campaign offered donors a chance to have a meal with the Tennessee Republican for $10,000, or attend "small meetings" with him for $5,000, during his visits to New York and Chicago next month.
Full Article at politico.com

So let me get this straight, contributors who are giving this man hundreds of thousands of dollars so that he can again run for a seat on the US Senate have to pay yet more money if they actually want to meet the man, have a meal with him and/or attend a small meeting..not even have one of their own, but attend one?

Meanwhile, this man is earning approximately $174,000 a year(source: usgovinfo.about.com). Anyone want to have lunch with me for $100? I can hold a meeting for $50 per person. Perhaps it is just me, but I would think that is a bit more than excessive. I realize that it is not cheap to run for a government position of this magnitude, but if I've already shelled out hundreds of thousands of dollars to help someone "win" a position such as this, you better believe that I expect to have lunch or a meeting with said person.

Yes, I know, not everyone contributes so much to their chosen representatives, though the same people that can't afford to donate as much certainly won't be able to afford this lunch or meeting price. So figuring he has at least 10 people go to lunch with him between New York and Chicago, that's $100,000...again, can I get 10%? :-P

By all means, if you have anything to add to this, or wish to comment yourself, please post. If there is something you wish to see posted here, or something you would like to hear my views on, again, feel free to post the subject and I'll look into it and you may just see it here tomorrow.