• What, what, what are you doing checking that box?!

The Charlotte Observer is reporting that both the Democratic National Convention, which will be held in Charlotte next September, and the Republican National Convention, which will be held in Tampa, Fla., in August 2012, recently received $17.7 million — each — from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund.

What's that? It's the box on your federal tax forms that asks if you or your spouse — you can both do it! — want to donate $3, or $6 collectively, to the presidential election campaign.

To everyone who checks that box, I'm sure Second City's Sassy Gay Friend wants to know, "What, what, what are you doing?! (You stupid bitch!)"

Here's more from The Observer story:

In addition, the Charlotte convention committee will get $36.6 million in private money raised by the local host committee. Also, Charlotte and Tampa are expected to get $55 million each in federal money to pay for heightened security.

And then! Same day, same paper, different headline: DNC security funds in limbo. (That's the $55 million mentioned above.) Here's a snippet:

Gov. Bev Perdue, in Charlotte last week, said there is nothing more important than providing security for the 35,000 delegates and visitors who will converge on the city for next year's convention.

"This is not just an American event," she said. "None of us want any kind of worry or threat. And so ... the more security we can find, both here and for the Republican National Convention (in Tampa), the better off the country is."

With totally peaceful protestors, thus far, and plenty of other needs in our society for that money, pardon me if I have a difficult time feeling sorry for the DNC on maybe (probably not) losing out on tens of millions of dollars for security at "the people's convention."

Are we sure there's "nothing more important," Gubnah? You do realize we're talking about a giant party versus, oh, say, uplifting the poor in our state, right?