The Presidential Election Prosperity Game

Seriously, folks….

Some people reading this will just assume I am kidding, trying to make a satirical point about the current campaign. I suppose this is understandable, considering my background in writing many cartoon gags for major magazines, along with stand-up material, and my recently previewed one man show combining humor, inspiration, and revelation about my prison experience. But while I am smiling as I write this, and hope you find it amusing, I am also seriously suggesting you can positively affect your prosperity consciousness by playing the Presidential Election Moneylove Prosperity Game I unveil here for the first time.

Though it could easily be converted to a drinking game, as a non-drinker, I prefer to use it to add not only fun to the process of following the next nine months of political pregnancy, but a way to use the often frivolous campaign rhetoric to enrich ourselves. It’s very simple and can also be challenging, especially if you are resistant to using money in exchange for pleasure in difficult economic times.

Many prosperity teachers have adopted money games I have created for my Moneylove Seminars over the past thirty years, and all of these games are designed, as is this new one, to give those playing some new perspectives on prosperity, and new experiences in the actual handling of money. An additional benefit of this election campaign game is that it is a way to playfully look at what everyone is predicting will be one of the nastiest political battles in American history. We are already seeing that with the unprecedented attacks the Republican primary candidates are making on each other.

This game also fits in with my basic optimistic philosophy. “So, Jerry, we are looking at a really negative political skirmish in both the current primary season and the coming general election campaign, as well as facing some tremendously difficult challenges with both the U.S. and global economy–what do you suggest we do about all that?”  ”Well, folks, my suggestion is that since there is really little any one of us can do about it except let it play out and then vote to elect the  person we think will be best equipped to deal with the major issues–we should have as much fun and use this period in as positive a way as possible to enhance, enrich, and enlighten our daily lives.”

And it doesn’t matter if you are liberal or conservative, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, or Green Party member–or even, as I sometimes have been leaning toward, None Of The Above. So lets get to the game.

The Moneylove Election Prosperity Game

As I said, it’s very simple–as the best games often are. First, you need to find a place to pile up some cash over the next months; some specific drawer, container, receptacle that will hold potentially hundreds of single dollar bills. Next, you just have to pay attention to the campaign rhetoric. Whether  you read it online, in blogs or in magazines and newspapers, listen to it on radio or podcasts, or watch it on TV or your computer–or even attend live political speeches and events. Using the following formula, you simply deposit the appropriate amount of dollar bills in your chosen vessel.

1. Every time a candidate criticizes another candidate by name, deposit one dollar bill.

2. Every time a candidate exaggerates or tells a lie about himself or an opponent, deposit two dollars.

3. Every time a candidate says something really stupid or even crazy, deposit three dollar bills.

That’s it–I told you it was simple. By the end of October, you should have amassed a substantial collection of dollar bills. And you have all these months to decide how you will celebrate, no matter who wins the election. Perhaps you will have enough to take you and your significant other out to a fancy dinner, or perhaps even a luxury weekend trip. If you really are a political junkie and read and watch a lot of the campaign, you may even be able to spring for a cruise. As long as you exchange those dollar bills for something that brings  you pleasure, something that creates some extra fun in your life, and something that makes the election a lighthearted, positive event in your life, whether the result exhilarates or disappoints you.

Some Variations

Not being someone who embraces rigid rules, I suggest you feel free to come up with any variations to my game that feel right. You can vary the amounts, using higher denomination bills, especially if you feel that will challenge some of your negative beliefs about using money in playful ways. You can also widen the scope by also following Congressional races, or even local contests for mayor, governor, etc.

Happy Campaign Season!

Jerry