What has Tom Ridge done?

Digby is concerned about Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, who's talking about retiring after the election so that he can afford to send his kids to college:

July 30, 2004  |  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is considering stepping down after the November election, telling colleagues he is worn out from the massive reorganization of government and needs to earn money in the private sector to put his teenage children through college, officials said.

I think Ridge's kids should join the National Guard for the educational benefits. It's just a couple weekends a year. Digby has even more helpful suggestions to help the Ridges stretch Tom's $175,000 salary:

Maybe Mrs Ridge could get a job and clip some coupons or perhaps they could go on a budget. [...] Hey, maybe he should require them to, you know, take out a loan or something. Or they could do what the Governator says all those kids who can't afford the state university in California anymore should do --- do two years at community college to save money.

I'm sure it's exhausting being Secretary of Homeland Security, especially in a homeland as insecure as ours. But my tinfoil senses start crinkling when I hear Ridge talk that way. It sounds like he's edging towards those little words that mean so much: "spend"..."time"..."family"...