Obama failed to fix the economy
or stop the wars, but perhaps he taught
us something: even a smart individual
can’t run this country. He proved we
need the factions the founders feared.

A sizable group that shared common
objectives and worked together
might have delivered change, but
we elected a man with few political
ties to Democrats, and got compromise.

We can’t eliminate primaries, but voters
can start considering loyalty to a political
organization in selecting a candidate.
To make this work, however, liberals
have to get busy and organize a party.

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Republicans decided
they might win in 2012,
even without a decent candidate,
if they get one more recession.

So the deficits Reagan proved
“don’t matter” became a threat
that requires spending cuts,
prevents the stimulus we need.

Conservatives aren’t stupid. They
know deficits prop up an economy,
like long sticks keep wet sheets
from sagging on the clothesline.

So those smart guys try to tell us
sticks will damage the lawn. They’ll
take them away to protect the grass,
and sell us new soap next year.

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We had a budget surplus until Bush
cut taxes and started two wars. Now our
leaders say we must reduce all spending
and entitlements to eliminate the deficit.

It’s like a drunken guest deciding your
house needs more fresh air in January,
breaking windows and saying, “Cancel
your vacation, you need a bigger furnace.”

If our officials can’t do the obvious, we
should toss them like we would the drunk,
then elect some who will end the wars, and
restore taxes and expenditures to ‘99 levels.

When that’s done we can talk about other
steps, if any, that are needed to reduce the
national debt. We should also be careful
who we invite to our next party.

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Everyone Knows America Is Broke

Everyone knows is Republican jargon
for “maybe this lie will beat Obama.”
They’re desperate to regain control so
they can dismantle entitlements before
folks learn that’s not the problem.

The military-medical-financial cabal,
that gets most of the federal budget,
prefers the GOP because their voters
settle for meddling in private lives, while
Democrats want a share of the fiscal pie.

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The president’s budget is DOA.
Too bad. As a conservationist
he should’ve killed it before
printing, and saved some trees.

As usual, he’s entering negotiations
by meeting his opponent half way.
A true liberal would float massive
cuts in defense, more aid to states.

To deflect some GOP torpedoes,
he’d add a big stimulus to create
jobs, and repeal of all Bush tax cuts
to promote fiscal certainty.

It would take some fancy rhetoric
to bring that into sync with his
campaign promises, but that’s one
thing I’m confident he could do.

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Egypt’s youth deposed a dictator.
One could argue they succeeded
because they were unarmed.
300 died fighting hired thugs,
but without guns numbers prevailed.

The army could have won a shooting war.
Most protesters might be dead or jailed.
Instead, they’re writing a new constitution.
One would hope, theirs won’t have
our second amendment.

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It’s well past time the President
spoke to the Chamber of Commerce.
They do so much for his image.

The millions of dollars they spend
branding him a “socialist,” obscures
his cautious conservatism.

If he visits more often, and they look
at what he really does, maybe they’ll run
him in the Republican primary.

Obama would be better for business
than any likely Tea Party candidate.
Democrats could look for a liberal.

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Republicans are convinced
the deficit is our big problem.
Obama endorses their view
by offering a token freeze.

Now Democratic legislators,
and a new governor or two,
support spending cuts because,
they say, history says to.

In the meantime the ranks
of the unemployed continue
to grow, nourished by schools
that get worser and worser.

This scares me because it proves
the politician who seems to have
learned the most history is one who
says the founders ended slavery.

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The state of the union is bitter,
like shiver-inducing cold
or the lip-curdling snarl
of wine that has turned.

Obama may see hope,
and seek to lead the nation
toward centrist goals, but
going sideways is not progress.

If something looks like a parade
think twice about rushing
to become its leader – you might
be lunging after lemmings.

Fifteen percent turnover in congress
is no reason to change policies.
The president should think
about voters not corporations.

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Insist the constitution allows every
citizen to carry a concealed weapon.

Use firearm metaphors to urge
the defeat of political opponents.

Express outrage at any suggestion
a shooting could be caused by something
other than mental illness or instability.

Ignore the fact that these conditions
disproportionately afflict Americans.

Always wear a flag pin.

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Perhaps public opinion splits evenly
on issues because news outlets treat
each side of any argument equally.

Judges compare the weight of evidence.
Media, like tight rope walkers, shift
the center of gravity to stay balanced.

All talking heads get the same weight,
no matter how empty, but each source
tries to keep its speakers similar in heft.

Unfortunately, as political discussions
become more intellectual, fewer
Americans participate, or even listen.

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In his relentless pursuit of futility
Obama endorsed Republican’s phony
deficit concerns by freezing federal
wages, a token move, but perhaps
by accident they threw him a bone.

They voted against extending Bush
tax cuts. He should congratulate them
on real reform and propose reducing
payroll taxes to protect middle class
families and boost the economy.

He won’t. He’ll cave on the tax cuts,
do nothing to help end this recession,
but ensure that though he may lose
the support of progressives he’ll get
contributions from millionaires in 2012.

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The ill-informed viewers of Fox
beat the uninformed general public
and our grandchildren lost.

As Republicans try to dismantle
Obama’s supposed socialist surge,
they’ll find nothing much.

If Democrats ever learn what the
Tea Party wants to do, they probably
won’t find anything either.

Those who skipped voting
because they hated the negative
ads will learn they were all true.

Founding fathers who foresaw
the perils of political parties
should gain new respect.

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Politics fascinated me
like watching a child learn to skate
or ride a two-wheeler.

It was meaningful,
perhaps life-changing,
but no more.

Now it’s professional wrestling,
probably fixed, but who cares?
Nothing good happens.

I’ve turned my attention
to important things:
should I buy winter tires?

If the weather’s anything
like the last election,
I’ll need them.

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Billions were spent on this campaign parade
without a mention of Paul Krugman’s
proposed solution to our economic problem.
So the spectacle ended with a loud “plop”
like an animal dropping something.

Both parties ignored the Nobel winner’s
pleas for more robust stimulus and his
explanation that spending equals income,
so if everyone saves, everyone loses,
unless government makes up the difference.

Truth is, elephants don’t mind a recession.
The wealthy financiers aren’t hurt, their
helpers only care about social agendas,
and they’re all confident Obama won’t be
reelected if the economy doesn’t recover.

Donkeys think the public won’t stand
for bigger deficits because everyone knows
borrowing for infrastructure is morally
wrong — that’s the conventional wisdom
the political procession left on the road.

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Donkeys and elephants chased
‘round and ‘round for months,
but soon the calliope will stop and,
the ads assure us, we will elect
scoundrels, idiots or worse.

The pundits will sort the devious
from the dumb, as kids pick teams
during recess, but they must hurry.
It’s time for serious speculating
about the presidential primaries.

That’s good. If talking heads
are too busy to help, Obama and
congress might get something
done before they all climb back
on the campaign carousel.

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I regret leaving the unemployed,
the poor, the chronically ill,
to fend for themselves.

Workers with dangerous jobs,
consumers of imported and
processed food will suffer, I fear.

But we’ll all enjoy new freedom
to smoke anywhere, choose medical
services and use recreational drugs.

The Tea Party seems anxious and able
to honor its pledge to shrivel government,
so enjoy the slide — all the way down.

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As the Tea Party heads
for almost certain victory
conservatives pray,
comedians rejoice,
and liberals take solace
in the likelihood that
the right wing will be as
disappointed as they were.

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Obama disappointed Democrats.
Instead of reading his book
they listened to his speeches.

Republicans hate the things
they think he did. They don’t read
anything, they watch Fox TV.

The country continues downhill.
It’s the price we pay
for what we did to our schools.

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Sandy meows incessantly –
like a frozen wheel bearing
competing with worn brakes.

Dry food spills from her bowl,
her fountain flows filtered water,
fresh catnip adorns her post.

Her needs are met,
and she handles her wants
skillfully and willfully:

nudges me towards bed’s edge,
jumps on whatever I want to read,
yowling or whining all the while.

I hypothesize she’s saying,
“no, stop, it’s mine, mine,” because
she’s a Tea Party Republican.

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