Congratulations Mr. Speaker

(Image and lyrics/Courtesy of Disney's Song of the South)

With Pope Francis' audience, and all his sins absolved,

Plus his resignation, Speaker Boehner's problem's solved.

Good for him...  I worried when his nerves began to fray.

Now, perhaps, he'll dry his eyes and wipe his tears away.

GOP is self-destructing. Who would want his job:

Trying to pass legislation with an angry mob,

Catering to bigots - because they're the ones who vote?

His relief caused Boehner to start singing, and I quote;

"Oh, zip a dee doo dah...  What a wonderful day."

Judging by his jaunty step, I think he'll be okay.

Now that it's the far right-wing who will control the Floor,

It's the rest of us whom I've begun to worry for.

All We Are Saying - The Iran Deal

(Courtesy of Steve Sack/www.cagle.com)

Watch for all the posturing that we are bound to see;

Congress members covering their butts politically

When a vote that's veto proof for dealing with Iran

Comes up, though not one of them has got a better plan.

They'll make lots of empty threats about what they would do

If they'd been negotiating, arguing, in lieu

Of agreement with the Russians, Chinese, Germans, Brits

They'd have made Iran comply or blown the place to bits.

I, for one, prefer that we should take a chance on peace

Hoping that, in 10 years time, Iran will choose to cease

Working towards a weapon but, until somebody tries,

We miss any chance to forge a lasting compromise.

Iran - Give Peace a Chance

(Cartoon/Courtesy of  award winning artist Jimmy Margulies)

As Obama tries to sell this new, 6 Nation Plan,

Dealing with the problem of a nuclear Iran,

Members of the GOP - who want Obama's job -

Say that they could snap their fingers and their uncle's Bob.

They could make Iran obey our wishes, if they please...

Never mind the Russians, French, Brits, Germans, and Chinese.

Not one of the candidates who thinks the treaty's bad

Has a better plan than Secretary Kerry had.

They'd let petty politicking sabotage this deal

Proving that they shouldn't wield our Presidential Seal.

Given time to build some trust, plus diplomatic tact,

We could better influence the way Iran will act.

Oppenheimer's horse has left the barn and won't be back.

If Iran's determined, nothing - short of an attack -

Could dissuade them from a bomb but, maybe, this deal will

Help us solve our problems using diplomatic skill.

Flying Pigs?

(Image/Courtesy of www.nickpeall.com)

If you're watching Congress then you've noticed something strange;

Senators and Members have been working (for a change.)

They confirmed Loretta Lynch and even passed a bill.

Maybe they've remembered why we sent them to the Hill.

Maybe easy votes will get the Congress on a roll,

Help them focus on their jobs and not on how they'll poll.

Could it be they're ready to give compromise a try?

Maybe Congress isn't broken...  Maybe pigs can fly.

An Open Letter to the Leaders of the GOP

47 Senators have written to Iran

In an effort bent on sabotaging any plan

We are still negotiating - don't yet have a deal -

Threatening that Congress won't give its approval seal.

Siding with the Ayatollahs (who want talks to fail)

Feels as if Republicans who signed this piece of mail

Undermined our own position with their little note

Just because they're angry that they do not get a vote.

Congress votes on treaties but the deal we'd like to make

Wouldn't be a treaty and, therefore, it wouldn't take

Anything from Congress which is, clearly, just as well...

If they ever backed Obama things would freeze in Hell.

Bibi's Bid To Congress

Bibi Netanyahu was invited to address

Congress by Republicans...  A diplomatic mess.

Many Democrats say they aren't planning to attend;

Partisan divides that may be difficult to mend.

President Obama isn't meeting with the man - 

Well aware of Netanyahu's feelings on Iran.

It's not some State secret that I'm telling out of school;

Saying the relationship between the 2 is cool.

Neither leader likes the other yet they have to work

With a guy that they're convinced is acting like a jerk.

This speech may help Bibi with elections in 2 weeks

But Israelis' cause gets damaged with each word he speaks.

Defunding DHS?

As the Friday deadline looms to de-fund DHS,

Is the Congress hard at work on compromising? Guess.

If you thought; 'Of course they are... They don't dare drop this ball,'

Sorry to inform you - that was not the proper call.

GOP Conservatives say funding's gonna halt

If they do not get their way, and it's Obama's fault.

All because the President set new priorities

For illegals we deport from our communities.

Focusing on criminals - not kids and moms and dads.

Won't spend shrinking budgets to deport new high-school grads.

That's enraged Republicans enough they say they will

Take a stand on it ('though not an Immigration bill.)

So much for their party's claim of strongest on Defense...

Put us all at risk to build a longer, border fence?

We face bigger threats to our Homeland's Security.

How dare they not pay the folks protecting you and me?

Taken Hostage By Republicans

Hostage threat's been issued and the terror level's high,

'though you'll be surprised at who the threat's been issued by.

Not the goons of ISIL... They just want to see us dead.

Isn't al-Shabab (though they've made malls a place to dread.)

Boko Haram's hostages are children, sold as slaves.

Threat's not from the people who'd love spitting on our graves.

We've been taken hostage from within.  The GOP

Say that they'll refuse to fund Homeland Security.

In a world where we confront new dangers every day

That's so irresponsible it takes my breath away.

Want to block Obama?  Fine. But pick another bone.

Leave the people working to protect us all alone.

The 114th Congress - Is There A Pill For That?

I can't seem to focus on domestic politics,

'though aware Republicans are up to their old tricks.

Once again, they voted to repeal Obama Care.

Still not working on the common goals both parties share.

GOP is passing bills the President won't sign,

Parroting their talking points - the Grand Old Party's line:

"This is all Obama's fault. Blame everything on him."

Prospects for a compromise on anything are grim.

So, I've been ignoring them in hopes they'll go away.

Winter blues are setting in; the sky's already gray.

If I paid attention to the antics on The Hill

First I'd need my doctor to prescribe a "happy pill."

I Need Chocolate

 

All the recent news I'm hearing's making me depressed;

Even my New England Patriots have left me stressed.

It's become an effort just to shower and get dressed;

I can't seem to focus on the many ways I'm blessed.

News about how badly poor Nigeria's been led;

Watching their Northeast collapse - with thousands lying dead...

Hard to get atrocities like that out of my head.

It all has me feeling like I should have stayed in bed.

Seeing Congress try to pass another pointless bill;

Posturing and pandering (as politicians will)

It's become a pain to watch their antics on the Hill...

All these woes of humankind have left me kinda ill.

Think I'll watch The Cooking Channel; it might help my mood.

Chocolate does wonders for a rotten attitude.

Since I cannot change it and it doesn't help to brood

I'll ignore the world and just start focusing on food.

Wallowing in Misery

(Artwork courtesy of/Dreamstime.com)

Holiday is over...  Seussilitis rhyming's back.

I'm a little rusty though so, please, cut me some slack.

Haven't written anything that rhymes in several weeks.

Kicked the gear inside my brain but I'm afraid it squeaks.

It's not like there isn't news for me to write about;

Overseas or here in Boston and, I have no doubt,

Congress will provide me fodder for a hundred rhymes

(Sadly, we are living in some interesting times.)

But I've got a nasty cough; I'm feverish and sick

So the part of me that cares about the news won't click.

Wallowing in misery; I'm going back to bed.

Hopefully, tomorrow, I will have a clearer head.

The Obama Report

Only 7 shows before the last Colbert Report...

Although I wish Stephen had agreed to do some more,

Last night President Obama did "The Word" so well,

'though he loves his current job I figure, what the hell...

Bill O'Reilly says that, as a pundit who's on FOX,

He has got more power climbing up on his soapbox

Than a politician like the President has got.

Maybe, then, Obama should give Stephen's job a shot.

I cannot imagine, now Republicans have won,

That Obama's last 2 years in office will be fun.

He could live the life o' Reilly; he would have it made

If he just convinces Larry Wilmore he should trade.