One wonders how Republicans, who hate wasteful spending, will react to this:

The Republican National Committee has spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.

The cash expenditures immediately raised questions among campaign finance experts about their legality under the Federal Election Commission's long-standing advisory opinions on using campaign cash to purchase items for personal use.

By the way, I'm no fashion expert, but it seems to me that Palin only has the one red business suit, and I'm pretty sure it didn't cost tens of thousands of dollars.  But maybe she bought, like, 30 of them.

But in truth, Sarah Palin wasn't a truck driver three months ago. She was a governor. Presumably, she had clothing already. The sort of clothing that was appropriate for giving political speeches and attending campaign meetings.

And $4,700 on hair and makeup in one month?  I know there are places in New York (aka "not real America") where you can pay $300 for a hair styling, and I assume makeup can be expensive, but come on…

Really?

And while America is facing a depression?

And can't she find regular good American clothes on the Wasilla's Main Street?  Seriously, it's a little unbecoming to suggest that America's metropolitan cities don't represent the "real America", and then spend — in one month — twice the average American's annual income on Fifth Avenue shopping sprees.

By the way, any of your remember this Sarah Palin from the convention, the one so keen about letting us know how fiscally responsible she was?

"I came to office promising major ethics reform, to end the culture of self-dealing. And today, that ethics reform is the law.

While I was at it, I got rid of a few things in the governor's office that I didn't believe our citizens should have to pay for.

That luxury jet was over the top. I put it on eBay.

I also drive myself to work.

And I thought we could muddle through without the governor's personal chef – although I've got to admit that sometimes my kids sure miss her."

Remember that?  Remember how her minions went wild over that?

Then there's this:

The entries also show a few purchases at Pacifier, a top notch baby store, and Steiniauf & Stroller Inc., suggesting $295 was spent to accommodate the littlest Palin to join the campaign trail.

Hey, I'm not saying that little Trig (or whatever its name is) shouldn't be allowed to travel with the campaign; I'm just saying that maybe the RNC shouldn't pay for the accessories which, presumably, Palin should already have.  [UPDATE: The Guardian is reporting the $295 was for a "pram" for Trig.  Presumably, Palin (who has 6 kids) never got around to owning a pram, and somehow the $50.00 ones at Target were just too "common" for Trig's babuy behind.)

Then again, she has a history of using money that's not hers to cart her kids around.  Nice perk if you can get, Mrs. Real America.

Fiscal responsibility – now available in petites and plus sizes.

I'm sure this is what was going through Sarah's head:

"I came from the people, they need to adore me
So Christian Dior me from my head to my toes
I need to be dazzling, I want to be Rainbow High
They must have excitement, and so must I"

— "Rainbow High" from Evita

UPDATE:  Odd thought from Josh Marshall:

If Sarah Palin’s $150,000 wardrobe had a life of its own, it would get a tax cut from a President Obama.