The phrase "You put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig" has been around for many years. It is slang for when someone tries to dress something up, but it is still that something. I wondered if this statement has ever really been tested.

Governor Sarah Palin joked in her RNC address that the difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom is . . . (wait for punch line) . . . lipstick. Now women attending her events across the country are holding up lipstick in a symbolic gesture of gender solidarity. I wonder if the veracity of this statement has been put to the test. If it is true then I wouldn't care to meet a hockey mom without lipstick. Then again I wouldn't like to try and put lipstick on a pit bull.

This whole lipstick thing may be a Republican tactic to help small business increase sales. Avon and Mary Kay reps are, reportedly receiving increased orders for lipstick. The latter offers 32 irresistible colors from Apple Berry to Nutmeg. Mocha Freeze might look good on a pit bull, but this is only my personal opinion. Avon has a wonderful '8 in 1' pallet from subtle to sultry and their lip balm might be useful on pigs, especially those who spend a lot of time with their lips in the feeding trough. This might apply to many congressmen. Revlon has a range of lip stain that supposedly "ripens lips." I've always wondered if my lips needed ripening. No doubt if I researched the 50 or so manufactured lipstick brands I could come up with something that would plump up my lips - thus avoiding the need for bo-tox injections.

Lipstick, like politics, is complicated. It has been the key evidence in countless accusations of infidelity. "Lipstick on his collar" is a euphemism for a man cheating on his partner. Senator John McCain once referred to First Lady Hilary Clinton's health care proposal as nothing more than "lipstick on a pig." It's been around for about 5,000 years. Cleopatra supposedly had her lipstick made from crushed carmine beetles.

There are many lip products these days, lip gloss, lip liner, lip plumper, etc. Senator O'Bama may have been better advised to coin a new phrase such as "put lip plumper on a pig, it's still a pig." That might have deflected accusations that he was calling Gov. Palin a pig.

As far as politics is concerned we should be focusing on pork barrels instead of pigs.

This just in! I didn't have a pig, so I tried it on a sheep. Can't say there's much improvement. See photo.