I hate to sound the least bit cynical,
but the talk of bringing troops home seems political.
Is it spring, summer or just before the fall election?
Do they have a plan, or is this obfuscation?
Democratic candidates have to chose a theme
that won’t collapse if things get better – or stay the same.
Republicans can promise blind support.
Liberals [...]

The Transportation Bill was signed today
after a long delay.
We’ll get roads, bridges, and bicycle paths.
A college will get a building.
A warehouse will be renovated.
Each project sprang from a congressperson’s
special effort and years’ of service,
or perhaps support for CAFTA
or the Energy Bill.
Someday we may get lucky, and they’ll vote
to build a moat around the capitol –
and [...]

Administration talking points say
strong markets for cars and houses
belie polls showing dissatisfaction
with Bush’s handling of the economy.
The Treasury Secretary admitted under
pressure everyone hasn’t benefited equally.
Since all the President’s friends did, Snow
is obviously wrong. He will be next to go.

We have an energy bill!
Bush signed it in New Mexico,
a tiny state to match the achievement.
It won’t reduce demand for oil
or the price of gasoline,
but energy company stocks should rise.
The public gets an extra month of daylight savings.
With Republicans in charge of everything,
the law took just four years to write and
cost only twice what Bush [...]

Ten hard-working citizens offered unanimous
recommendations for making the country safer.
Now they want to give Bush a “report card.�
The administration won’t supply documents
or submit to interviews because: “There is
ample public information available for them
to review about all of the actions we continue
to take to better protect the American people.”
Doesn’t he know what grade that [...]

Senators and Representatives traipse
through Guantánamo, led by generals,
sans leashes, along a well-marked trail.
They see labeled “tour cells,� hear interrogations,
watch prisoners in orange jumpsuits at a distance.
One lawmaker said, many “are happy to be there.”
Another suggested, this close scrutiny
is essential to the U.S. “winning the hearts
and minds of the modern Arab world.”
You can lead [...]

When Bush brags about the highway bill
being just $2 billion more that his limit
he neglects to mention that’s “after rebate.�
The bill authorizes $295 billion in spending,
not the $286.4 billion they talk about,
but says $8.5 billion must be returned – sure.
The repayment is due September 30, 2009,
but the Highway Robbery Bill doesn’t say
who fills out the [...]

Rumsfeld calls it a “struggle,�
but Bush insists it’s a “war.�
He knows what he wants to call it,
but not who we’re fighting:
“We’re at war with an enemy
that attacked us on September
the 11th, 2001,” he said again,
though Iraq was not involved.
The press noted the inconsistency
in language, but not in the facts.
Has he told this lie so often
The [...]

Bush calls evolution a theory,
lets stem cell research languish,
sets a record for vacations.
August is already august.

As reported here June 21st,
when Bolton left his old post
major progress was made
on projects he had blocked.
Now, as he assumes a new one,
we learn most of the reforms
he was supposed to implement
are already well underway.
Someone should tell the President
John is at his best when absent.

Aside from considering the UN worthless,
abusing employees, and lying to the Senate,
Bush says “He is the right man for the job.�
A disappointed Senator George Voinovich
will try to help by sending Bolton a book:
The Heart and Soul of Effective Management.
We all hope John reads it before he throws it.

Bush may send Bolton to the UN
while Congress takes its regular rest.
He will get what he wants, but so will we.
If he thumbs his nose at the world,
everyone will know the thumb does not
represent the Congress or the country.
Perhaps, as a bonus, the voting public
will get the message that this president
is incapable of recognizing a [...]