check this out

Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the
> White House in DC; one from Illinois , one from Tennessee ,
> and a third from Virginia . They all go with a White House
> official to examine the fence.
>
> The Virginia 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee to fix
>
> the fence.'
>
> 'Done!' replies the government official.
>
> And that my friends, is how it all works and that is how
> things have worked for so long......NOW YOU KNOW HOW WE GOT
> INTO THIS MESS WITH OUR ECONOMY!!!