I was at the height of the campaign in August of last year, in Grove, Oklahoma. I represented the northeast corner of the great State of Oklahoma, and I was trying to address a group of younger Cub Scouts, known as Webelos. They were all seated in front of me, and I was trying to get their attention, and they had the same problem as many of my constituents on election day - a small concentration span. I thought I would get them in a dialogue about government in general. I said, “Let me ask you guys something. What is the difference between your Cub Scout troop and the United States Congress where I serve?” One of the little Webelos raises his hand and I called on him. He stood up and said, “Adult supervision. “

That is when I knew I was in trouble.

Two weeks right before the election, I was down at Hilldale Junior High School, which is just south of my hometown of Muskogee, Oklahoma. When I go to high schools and junior high schools I talk to the kids for about five minutes and then open the session up for questions. I finished my remarks* and I said, “Are there any questions?”

There were two little girls seated right up front. The first raised her hand and I called on her. She looked at me and she said, “ Congressman, how much money do you make, and do you think you are overpaid?”

So I danced around an answer by explaining that I had to have a home in Washington and a home back in Oklahoma, and finally, I got myself out from under that problem. I looked around and asked if there are any other questions, and the little girl right next to her …