Thanks to whatever system assigns Social Security numbers, I’ve already got my economic stimulus check.

I’ll give credit to the hospital where I was born for making the last two digits of my number so small. Through the ease of direct deposit, there was a $600 gift sitting in my account Wednesday.

It’s great. It’s wonderful.

But does anybody feel strange about this? The economic stimulus package seems kind of like political hush money.

Legislators know the public is really, really mad about gas prices. We’re worried about escalating food costs. The stock market has taken more than it’s given in recent months. The collapse of the subprime housing market revealed shady dealings on the part of big-name financial houses. The war continues.

All in all, there’s a lot to make voters upset. Yet I don’t see our leaders doing much to address legitimate concerns.

It’s like that check arrived with a little note that said, “I’m sorry you’re upset. Here’s $600. Why don’t you go buy something to make yourself feel better? Then quit your whining and leave us alone so we can go back to throwing away your money and making a mess of things.”

When it comes time to vote this fall, will there be subtle reminders not to forget the one who gave you some spending money this summer? Usually attempts to buy votes come disguised as new highways, tax credits and housing grants. The stimulus package cuts through the pretense and just hands out cold, hard cash.

The stimulus may also be a sign Congress has given up on fixing the economy. Politicians couldn’t figure out a solution, so they’re giving each American a check and a mandate: “Here, you fix it.”

Despite these misgivings, I’ve decided to accept the money because I earned it. It was originally my money before the government confiscated it from my paycheck.

My stimulus has been spent a hundred different times in my mind as all the possibilities of what to do with $600 danced through my head. The final decision was to tuck it away for a writer’s conference this fall.

There must be a leak somewhere between the savings account and checking account, because only $500 made the transfer over to savings.

That phenomenon has been happening a lot lately. There’s enough money to pay the utility bills and buy gas, but after that, it simply vaporizes into thin air and nothing is left.

Many other people will probably experience that same thing as their check, which seemed like so much money at one time, will disappear without so much as a trace.

If Congress could figure out what is causing that problem, that would be even better than a stimulus payment.

Business editor Susan Mires writes a weekly

column. She can be reached

at susanm@npgco.com.