Winning the next election takes precedence over all other aspirations. Even the solemn word of the office-seeker is meaningless. All the rewards of health insurance, life-time retirement and pay raises that are guaranteed by a one-time party unity, no abstentions, both concur.

Since it is such a universal goal, we must assume that there are more perks than can be claimed by the taxpayer. Politics are non-stop from the end of one election to the start of the next. No national problem gets such high priority or swift resolution.

In the Bush years, the percentage of billionaires quadrupled. Forbes magazine would only print the facts. Less than 1 percent of the population has well over 90 percent of the nation's wealth. Most of it could qualify as being unearned or the qualifications are to be paid in stock for gross lack of accomplishment. Such accomplished C.E.O.s have been hard to replace, we are told. Must take great skill to steer a big plane to the best playground on the employees contribution.

You can only have so many lice on a chicken before she quits laying those highly advertised money-making eggs.