Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the
White House in D.C.; One from Illinois one from Tennessee and a third from Kentucky. They all go with a White House official to examine the
fence.

The Tennessee contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring,
then works some figures with a pencil.
'Well', he says, 'I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials,
$400 for my crew and $100 profit for me.'

The Kentucky contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says, 'I
can do this job for ! ! $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100
profit for me.'

The Illinois contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the White
House official and whispers, '$2,700.'

The official, incredulous, whispers back, 'You didn't even measure like the
other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?'

The Illinois contractor whispers back, '$1000 for me, $1000 for you, and we hire
that guy from Kentucky to fix the fence.'

'Done!' replies the government official.

And that my friends, is how it all works ! ! !