Throw this one in the What the #$%*? file, it seems that Michigan House Democrats have passed an earmark that would provide every school aged child with an iPod:

Facing a budget deficit that has passed the $1 billion mark, House Democrats Thursday offered a spending plan that would buy a MP3 player or iPod for every school child in Michigan. No cost estimate was attached to their hare-brained idea to “invest” in education. Details, we are promised, will follow.

“Tell mommy and daddy to vote Democrat, Johnny. We bought you an iPod.”

NTU has more:

They want taxpayers to pay for an iPod for every school child in the state. Did you hear a record-scratching noise when you read that? Did your jaw drop to the floor? Did you explode with vulgar swear words? If you didn’t, let me repeat that one more time, this time I’ll yell it… THEY WANT TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR AN IPOD FOR EVERY SCHOOL CHILD IN THE STATE!!! Michigan, a state that already spends more than $10,000 per pupil to educate its children, wants to fund the extravagance of an iPod as well. Because, you know, it would improve their, uhh, education…or something. Knowing government inefficiency, they’d probably spend an average of $1,000 a piece and only half the kids would get them.