Most times, to me a Jamaican voodoo doctor rattling chicken bones makes as much sense as an economist, and I’d say there is a greater probability the voodoo doctor’s predictions will come true.

The fact is I simply do not understand economics. It’s as much a mystery as astrology. Or tarot cards. Or a scientist staring at a patch of mud in South America and declaring it proves (without a shadow of a doubt) a million years ago the Amazon River was in Africa, before the continents split apart.

But, every now and then, when it comes to G-8s, derivatives and economic multipliers (which I don’t understand anymore than voodoo) I get a flash of light that’s like bedrock under my feet.

It happened yesterday morning reading the newspaper. On page 3A. Second column. Third paragraph: We’re going to build swimming pools to get the economy out of the recession. That’s right. Swimming pools. Right there in Obama’s stimulus package.

Think about it: America may be the only nation in the entire recorded (and unrecorded) history of mankind to come up with swimming pools as a cure for its economic problems.

The president’s for it.

The Senate’s for it.

The Congress is for it.

And it’s hard not to wonder if we’ve gone plumb loco.

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