Please Stop. It's Not Even 2014 Yet.

This seriously needs to stop.  I'm seeing way, way too much speculation about possible candidates for a 2106 Presidential run for my liking, which just seems totally ludicrous to me.   After all, it's not even 2014 yet for one and for two, at this point, can anyone think of any name that has a chance of really doing anything substantially different or even useful with the job?

Right now, I can't.  I hope that person is out there- but really, I'd settle for competence with a dash of utilitarianism at this point.  There was a list of potential saviors floating around on Reddit (I can't find the link now- and I really can't be bothered to dig around for it) that seemed to include only Senators and mainly Democratic ones at that- with only Senator Mike Lee making the cut for the GOPers.

Sarah Palin is busy floating the idea of leaving the Republican Party for a possible third party run and GOPers are trying to paint Hillary Clinton as 'old news' for 2016- emphasis on the old.  (That latter point makes me laugh a little.  How old was Ronald Reagan?)

With all of that in mind, here is my ridiculously early formula for 2016.  And once you read this, you won't be reading anything about 2016 until 2015 at the earliest.  Sound like a deal to you, kids?  Good- so here goes:

1.  Until President Obama was elected, the last Senator to win the Presidency was LBJ.  He broke that streak but the odds of a Congressperson or Senator going the distance is still long.  Smart money remains on Governors.

2.  Leftys, take a cold shower:  there's no way in hell the country is going to vote for a Junior Senator with little to no experience from a very blue state.  (It's been working so well for us, after all)  Senator Warren, if she's serious about a shot at the big chair, should run for Governor or win re-election first.  If she's going to do it, 2020 might be the year.  2016 won't be.

3. The GOPers are wide open next time.  The Dems await Hillary Clinton's decision.  If Hillary opts out then things get insanely interesting.  (Some people think Biden would be a shoe-in but I'm less than convinced.)

4.  Don't discount random surprises or the above three points turning out to be completely wrong.

And with my two cents inserted, feel free to continue reading free of mindless speculation about the next Presidential election.