A similar question pertaining to Kansas was asked recently by a native son who couldn’t understand how the people of his state voted against their best interests.

The problem is quite different in New York City. Many of the people who live here think that their interests are representative of those of the people in the rest of the country.

Take the housing costs, for example. The average rent for a studio apartment in the big apple is about $2000, depending on amenities such as an elevator, a doorman and many flights of stairs. It is mind boggling that a month’s rent here might shelter a family elsewhere in the country. But that figure is way at the bottom of the scale. Rentals of half a million are not unheard of and sales in the double digit millions are not infrequent. “Luxury properties,” I believe they are referred to and only to be seen by appointment, so I’ve never been privy to an actual tour.

If you can afford to live here, there are many other concerns, of course. Fressing or as many new Yorkers prefer to say, “dining out”. There is a special bible called Zagat and without a suitable rating, a restaurant might find itself hanging on by its teeth instead of yours. Above 20 is like a blessing from on high – the low teens- well that’s only for the times when you want more than just shelter and food.

The weekends; they can be problematic to those who live in the city. Who wants to hang around the apartment on a Saturday night when you’re not far from the magic of the theater? If you’re not averse to high altitudes or standing, you might squeeze in a most extremely occasional night. Forget the orchestra unless you have a very understanding landlord who allows you to forgo the full rent from time to time. Comes Friday afternoon, and you’re sure to be asked about your plans for the weekend, meaning do you have another abode somewhere - like a weekend retreat. In most parts of the country the weekend retreat is the Monday to Friday residence but that seems so gauche, no one ever wants to think about that; certainly, no self respecting New Yorker.

People who live in New York City are quite sanguine about the rising gas prices. What’s all the fuss about, anyway? No one in their right mind keeps a car in this city unless it’s for business, and the company is paying the freight for garage and parking and the inevitable tickets. Let your fingers do the walking and just signal for a taxi. Everyone does that – well except for some people, the ones you see standing on the bus lines every morning and evening – but that’s not the real New York.

What’s all the fuss about this country turning into a theocracy? There’s no dearth of houses of worship in this city and you either go there or you don’t. I haven’t seen any evangelicals walking around, proselytizing, although I did bump into a Jehovah’s Witness once.

As for shopping – well we don’t have any Walmarts here, but from what we hear, we’re not missing much. In addition to a bunch of Gaps, there are Barneys and Bloomies and some really edgy boutiques in Soho and Tribeca.

There was a book recently published about the working poor in America and in addition to finding it very depressing, when a bunch of New Yorkers discussed this book in their reading group their impulse was to say “what a bunch of whiners.” New Yorkers have to deal with terrorists, never ending traffic and a mayor who wants to expand this city in every possible way, so what is the matter with the people of New York City?