A Cautionary Tale

I am not the first to see a cautionary tale

In the recent British vote in which they chose to bail

On the European Union... Donald Trump does, too.

He hopes it's exactly what Americans will do.

Donald wants to close our borders; claims he'll build a wall,

Preying on the prejudice and fears that plague us all.

And, just like in England, he makes up whatever facts

Motivate the populace which, knee-jerk like, reacts.

Now that "Leave" has won, its leaders started walking back

Promises those politicians made for which they lack

Any hope of keeping.  Voters found out much too late.

Now they're learning anger's not what makes a country "Great." 

Let's hope that Americans will notice parallels;

Realize that what the Donald's full of's brown and smells.

Let the UK be a warning; do our research first...

Not after we've voted to let Donald do his worst.

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.

The Scottish Independence Vote

(Photo/Courtesy of theguardian.com)

Doesn't matter if you took the high road or the low;

Scots, in a secession referendum, voted No.

Meaning that they chose to stick with England and with Wales

And the Northern Irish...  From the Highlands to the dales

85% of those who registered took part.

Independence voters wound up trailing from the start.

Polls showed things much tighter in the race, but I would guess

Scotsmen didn't advertise if they were voting Yes.

Either that or England's last ditch effort at the Scots

(Letting Edinburgh  be the one to call the shots

On some local issues) may have paid off dividends.

As for this American; I'm glad the two stayed friends.

Glad the kingdom's still united; that it didn't split.

World is busy fracturing and I've grown sick of it.

Scotland's voters proved beyond the shadow of a doubt

People of good will can find a way to work things out.