The 113th Congress - Paycuts?

President Obama and his Cabinet are taking voluntary paycuts.  (Photo/Digitriad.com)

President Obama volunteered to cut his pay,

And Chuck Hagel also made that gesture yesterday...

Showing solidarity with people who've been hurt

Due to sequestration cuts.  Does Congress feel like dirt?

Doesn't seem to be the case...  Their pay has not been cut,

Whether they are working hard or sitting on their butt.

I think, as incentive, with the Congress so dead-locked

If they do not do their jobs, their paychecks should be docked.

They would have to prove they'd made one compromise that day;

Listened, open-minded, to what their opponents say.

They should have to do the work we sent them there to do.

I've signed the petition; click this link and you can too.

Across the Pond - Afghanistan: The Karzai Conspiracy Theory

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is pointing fingers. (Photo/Telegraph.Co.UK)

Karzai said the U.S. plays an underhanded role;

Working with the Taliban (behind the grassy knoll?)

Offering assistance to extremists 'cause our plan

Is to make them beg us to stay in Afghanistan.

Karzai thinks in areas (as much as 51?)

His men would already have the bad guys on the run

If it weren't for secret plans to make police look bad.

Recently he told the Afghans they were being had.

Maybe I am crazy but I don't believe a word.

It's the most ridiculous conspiracy I've heard.

They were, once, strategically important...  Times have changed.

Nowadays, 'most anywhere's more easily arranged.

Maybe if Chuck Hagel had been killed, the way they tried,

Karzai would believe that NATO leaders haven't lied.

Taliban is no-one's friend and, lest Karzai's forgot,

There's a lot of  U.S. forces out there getting shot.

The GOP and Chuck Hagel; Where's the Love?

Republicans filibuster Hagel's confirmation as Secretary of Defense

No love for Chuck Hagel in the Senate yesterday;

All of the Republicans decided to delay

Confirmation for their fellow party member 'cause

They oppose the President, no matter what he does.

Tried to send an olive branch; he tapped the GOP,

Asking a Republican to be his nominee.

Hagel, who is only controversial for good sense,

Should have had an easy confirmation for Defense...

But, instead, it's been a struggle from the very start.

2 sides didn't come together; they're farther apart.

They've gone into recess so, for now, Panetta's stuck.

Hope he didn't have vacation plans - He's out of luck.

The 113th Congress - Mind Your Own Business!

Former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) faces an uphill confirmation battle for Secretary of Defense

President Obama wants Chuck Hagel for Defense.

Vietnam, enlisted man - he makes a lot of sense.

Hagel's a Republican; a former Senator...

GOP opposes him; you want to know what for?

They thought him disloyal when he criticized Iraq,

Felt that he should fall in line and cover Bush's back.

Didn't like his comments that our strategy was wrong.

Wanted him to just shut up and meekly go along.

Other groups were lining up to fight his confirmation

Well before Obama even made the nomination.

Since when does the Congress block a Cabinet request

If a nominee can pass a simple ethics test?

Hagel is a man of honor - a refreshing voice -

And, just as importantly, he is Obama's choice.

Unlike Susan Rice however, he will fight for Chuck.

But I bet the President is thinking "What the ....  (ahem) heck?"