Sarah Palin and Petty Larceny

According to the Washington Post, McCain's choice to become a single 72 year old heartbeat from the presidency billed the state of Alaska for days she spent at home:

ANCHORAGE, Sept. 8 -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.

The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife.

She also billed for various expenses for the first dude as well as her kids.

And though the expense claims may or may not be technically legal, this is an excellent example of the petty larceny typical of politics as usual.

I hope my fellow citizens will not give her an opportunity to commit greater thefts on a vastly grander scale.

That would indeed be more of the same.