There is an economic theory that states if it takes less energy than is gained for a squirrel to gather and eat a nut, then the squirrel lives. The reverse is true; if a nut is no good, too high in the tree or deficient in some other manner, and the squirrel burns too much energy getting it, then the squirrel dies.

For the past few decades, America has attempted to survive on the bubble nut. The dot.com bubble and the housing bubble were manifestations of that tasty, yet unhealthy, diet. The squirrel grew fat and careless, susceptible to diseases such as corruption and foreign influence.

Before that, it was the war nut. That was very good for a while, but it tended to give the squirrel psychological problems, such as the military-industrial complex. After a while, the war nut degenerated into the bubble nut.

But where are we now? What nut are we chewing today? With unemployment at 10 percent, one would think the government would be cutting back, watching expenses; but no, it’s spend, spend, spend and spend some more. Frankly, the stimulus package tastes suspiciously like filet of bubble to me.

I always thought we lived in a capitalistic economic system, but I only got the first letter right. The system is feeding on itself — it’s gone cannibalistic.

To hell with nuts. The better squirrels are dining on something far more substantial from now on.

Andy Bennett, Buckfield