Jerry Brown and the Senior Citizen Discount

Despite all the talk about the 10 rides Jerry Brown took on a state turboprop, both Brown and his Republican gubernatorial rival, Meg Whitman, talk about their devotion to Southwest Airlines. The only difference? It'll be much cheaper for Brown to visit Southern California from Sacramento than it will Whitman.

How's that? Brown is 72 years old, old enough to be eligible for Southwest's senior discounts. For a walk-up ticket, Brown would pay, at today's rates, $119 plus tax for a one-way ticket from Sacramento to LAX, while Whitman would pay $151 plus tax. With as many times as governors are in the air, the difference adds up.

But Whitman could save more money than Brown -- or at least negate his cost advantage -- by making plans at least two weeks early and booking on the Internet. That advance fare, the cheapest Southwest offers for Sacramento to Southern California, is $79, no matter what your age.

Still, there may be advantages, fiscally, to having an elderly governor during times of fiscal and economic crisis. Brown also could save the state some money in restaurants and in state parks.

Look for Brown, if he's elected, to do a lot of eating out, since he'll be pumping up the economy and saving money too.

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