Nuclear fusion, explained for beginners

It's kinda of dumb to build super expensive fusion reactors that are nothing but glorified neon bulbs, when the biggest fusion reactor is in our sky and for free!!!!
Why not blanket the deserts of the world in solar panels, and have 10 times the electrical energy we need, at a fraction of the cost?
Then, when we can afford to dance around, we could perfect a portable fusion reactor with our MEMS technology.  
Your logic in in conflict with my pragmatic logic...