The Cruz Conspiracy

(I suspect Late-Night comics of funding the Cruz campaign.)

Like a late-night comic's gift from heaven comes Ted Cruz,

Saying he's put on his Presidential running shoes.

Cruz, who is Canadian, claims Texas as his home;

Land where the conservatives and long-horned cattle roam.

He's the guy who's so far right, the right thinks he's a nut;

Same guy who insisted that the government be shut.

He's the guy who filibustered; reading Dr. Seuss...

He's the guy who looks like he's got 2 or 3 screws loose.

Due to rules for secret Super PACs we'll never know

If Ted Cruz contributors include The Daily Show.

But, since there's no Sarah Palin (though there's always Trump)

Cruz provides the perfect target on which they can jump.

Serving the Social Welfare

(Photo/Courtesy of Mother Jones)

Is our social welfare served through funding dirty ads,

Spending money on elections?  (Not a little...  Scads!)

Or is that political in nature?  I'd say yes;

Putting me at odds with Rove at Crossroads GPS.

Donors to a social welfare group don't have to say

Who they are nor give a reason why they'll, gladly, pay

Limitless amounts of cash to get their guys elected.

Watch-dog groups did "sniff tests."  A foul odor was detected.

Issue driven campaign ads, though they're protected speech,

Urge you towards a candidate...  They're not designed to teach.

That sure sounds political - where speech is also free -

Guaranteed to them...  Without the anonymity.

If these secret Super PACs have got a point to make

I think we should know who funds positions that they take.

Social welfare isn't served by people talking trash,

Not unless we also know who's putting up the cash.

Conspiracy Theorists Vindicated?

I.R.S. apologized because the agency

Singled out some Super PACs for extra scrutiny

If their applications for a 501(c)(4)

(That's the tax-free status social-welfare groups are for)

Happened to contain key words like "Patriots" or "Tea",

Thereby compromising donors' anonymity. 

If the group's political they use a different code

(Which still won't result in any taxes being owed)

But, it's not anonymous and - if you want my guess -

Losing that is why they're angry at the I.R.S.

Social-welfare groups are not supposed to organize

With a single candidate; a party in disguise.

In the current atmosphere; bi-partisan mistrust

Where attempts at compromise meet Tea Party and bust,

I.R.S. has questioned if the social welfare's served.

Frankly, I don't think it is...  So, why am I unnerved?

SCOTUS and The ACA - Hurrah!... Maybe.

To the surprise of many, Chief Justice Roberts was the deciding vote in favor.

 

Mandate's constitutional. The A.C.A.* will stand.

There is great rejoicing throughout - at least half - the land.

(Here in Massachusetts we've got health care anyway...

Very much like what the Court approved of yesterday.)

Could have knocked me over with a single feather stroke

When the news that Roberts sided with the liberals broke.

Wouldn't call it Commerce; said he viewed it as a tax.

Still, now's not the time to let the Democrats relax.

GOP is fired up and ready for a war.

President Obama has more battles yet in store.

Romney's raising money; coming in hand over fist.

Meanwhile Super PACs were told to not cease and desist.

Wonder if the President now wishes that the Court

Hadn't gone ahead and given Health Care its support?

With donations lagging far behind the GOP

He'd have raised more money if he'd lost it 6 to 3.

* A.C.A. - Affordable Care Act

Dear Occupy Wall St.; WTF? (Want To Finance?)

(Photo credit: Sacha Lecca for RollingStone.com)

Heard about an old idea that's morphed to something new,

People helping other people - this is what they do;

Rather than a painful trip to beg some giant bank

For a loan, they're asking strangers.  Internet's to thank.

Someone with a good idea will post the thing on line

Looking for investors and - so far - it's going fine.

Catching on in Europe, where it's known as "Peer to Peer".

Wondering if Occupiers ought to try it here?

I believe the movement, if it wants to change a thing,

Has to now agree upon a single song to sing.

(Maybe it's not peer to peer but fixing our campaigns...

Super PACs are dangerous.) We have to use our brains.

I know smarter folks than I - more actively involved -

Must be trying very hard to get this problem solved.

Hope that they're more organized than first impressions seem;

That the Wall Street Occupiers don't run out of steam.

Pick a single issue.  Stay on message.  Talk it up.

Find a worthy Kool-Aid and then pour us all a cup.

...

(Want some proof we need to have a single message sent...?

Ask the poor Egyptians how their last election went.)

Race for the White House - Super PACs and Karl Rove (Again)

excerpted from
Article first published as Crossroads GPS? Meet Citizens for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, SHH on Technorati.

Photo credit: Qurmudjin

Citizens United and the Super PACs it's spawned

Make donations secret so that citizens get conned

Into thinking all the ads they're seeing on T.V.

Represent the mainstream views of folks like you and me.

They would be mistaken, though. That isn't how it works.

Behind non-disclosure's where the puppet master lurks.

Karl Rove's been on FOX News lately, arguing that he

Thinks that secret funding's good; but I do not agree.

Ads have an agenda; that is what an ad is for.

If we don't know whose agenda, how do we keep score?

Facts can be distorted when told from another's view.

I would like to know who's paying for it.  Wouldn't you?

IRS has started asking questions.  Rove's outraged.

Don't know why - for, even if this oversight's engaged -

Super PACs won't have to make disclosures; not until

After the elections will we know who paid the bill.