Flunking Economics

Neither of our sons will face a huge tuition bill;

They won't have to pay for college 'cause their father will.

I assume they're both aware how fortunate they are

And will quit complaining that we won't buy them a car.

They're in the minority...  Most students need a loan;

Going into debt before they're out and on their own.

Starting life with shiny new degrees and payments due.

'though Obama wants to help, there's not much he can do.

If he said that water's wet the Right would say he's wrong.

You can kiss the Warren bill for loan reform so long.

GOP calls it a stunt; her bill will never pass...

Were I teaching Economics, they would flunk my class.

If your future work-force faces huge amounts of debt,

Forcing them to take the first job offer they can get,

Spending shrinking wages paying off their student loans,

They won't have the income to be keeping up with Jones.

Who's Steering The Ship of State?

Income inequality, where few hold all the wealth,

Hasn't proven helpful to our economic health.

As we lose the middle class we lose the driving force

For a strong recovery because we've lost its source.

I hate to sound cynical because I'm, mostly, not.

I'm inclined to give something a fair and decent shot,

But I'm an idealist who doesn't understand

How the situation's gotten quite so out of hand.

I've begun to wonder, since we've given this a try

(and we've seen it doesn't work since poor people can't buy

Anything but food and Walmart clothing for their backs.

Unemployment's bad without degrees and worse for blacks...)

Why don't we try something else?  I think it's time we did.

Politicians work for those who've placed the highest bid.

We have got to change the law that lets those bidders hide.

How else will we know if we've been taken for a ride?