Billions down the drain

Several weeks ago I wrote a blog about all of the waste in the election process.  In that blog I mentioned the vast sums that were raised to get a person elected.  I commented that this was so sad because of the huge national debt that we are growing.  If only folks, like the Hollywood movie stars, would join and raise support to bring down this debt that has become an anchor around our necks.  But little did I realize how bad this election spending really is.  Then Reader's Digest came out with an article outlining what is spent based on the president's present and past election drives.  To me it was so startling that I feel that I need to share some of the results with you.   Based on Obama's record-setting 2008 expenditures, here are some of the expected 2012 expenditures just for him.  Travel - $61 million, including $3 million for rental cars and $45 million for commercial flights and $5 million for private planes.  About $65 million will be spent on staff.  Then there is the $435 million spent for advertising.  And much of this will probably be negative.  $54 million will be spent on operations, that is for offices, rent and utilities, computer equipment, etc.  Oh yes, $400,000 of that will be to keep staffers and volunteers fed and caffeinated, and, of course, $35,000 for pizza.  Then there will be $30 million spent on fund-raising, including telemarketing, direct-mail firms, postage, etc.  And this will be used to fill our mailboxes with unwanted requests for money, not to mention the many calls that will interrupt our daily lives.  And you can't forget polling for $28 million.  Phone calls and focus groups to let us know before we even vote who will win.  And finally, $34 million with be spent on events. A  5,000 person rally will cost about $75,000.  And don't forget the $2,000 for portable toilets, including flushable units for the candidate and major donors.  So once again, Obama will spend over one billion dollars to get himself reelected.  But so will the Republican candidate.  That means over two billion dollars will be spent to get a president elected this year.  Wouldn't it be nice if we had two billion dollars to put towards the national debt?   But dream on.   But I guess there is a bright side to all of this.  the candidates will be putting two billion dollars back into the economy.  Or would this just balance out what is being taken out?  We need an economist to answer that question.  And it may finally add some jobs throughout the nation.  Maybe this is what Obama meant when he promised to add jobs to the economy.  But as I've said before, remember that poly means many and ticks are bloodsuckers.  So would that make politics many bloodsuckers?