NEWT ? BARACK? MITT?

This is a photo of a newt, a kind of lizard. A mitt is something you put on your hand so you won't get burned when you pull something hot out of the oven. Barack, is the sound you make if you eat too many beans. This year, these words have taken on a whole new meaning. They are the names of men who are vying to remain or become the leader of the free world.

Unlike other places like North Korea for example where the election of the next president takes about an hour, we have a 4 year cycle. The minute a president takes office, he begins to run for his second term. In fact, all his decisions are geared to reelection rather than that foolish expectation we all have "doing the right thing." Even when he can't run again because of term limits, he is campaigning for his party and the taking over of the House, the Senate, or Governorships. In the last year of a President's term, he pulls out all the stops and goes on a one year road trip, not even making a pretense of governing the country. It's all about visiting the swing states, to campaign for re-election even though he has no competition in the primary.

Republicans this year are also spending 12 months running to become the chosen candidate for their party, and then eventually the Presidency. Santorum was a Senator. He is now a private citizen who does not get a government paycheck. Romney lives on his capital gains and also does not have a government job to do. Gingrich is self employed but used to be on the government payroll. Ron Paul's full time, $180,000 per year job is that of U.S. Congressman. And what a job it is. You can be on the road continuously campaigning for your next prospective job, and still get your paycheck. It's not as good a gig as that of the President who gets $400,000 and a really big travel budget. All he has to do is claim that he is "informing" the people in Chicago, for example, and then he can fly there with 2 Air Force Jets, a Helicopter, a fleet of Suburbans, with an army of Secret Service agents. No charge to the campaign...he was "working."

Looking on the bright side... this is such a complicated, protracted, expensive process that it "has to" help our economy. The Democrat war-chest is predicted to be about a BILLION dollars. All the TV coverage, the newspapers sold, the bill boards, robo-calls, pollsters, pundits, political books, hotels and restaurants to support "the traveling salvation show" the reporters who have jobs, the caterers, bus drivers... it is endless. In fact, the entire economy of Iowa and New Hampshire is dependent upon the every-4-year presidential race. I mean, what else do they sell in New Hampshire?

So when you buy a T-shirt that says "I Love Newt", with or without the photo of the lovely critter above, know that YOU are doing your part for our economy.