"That's Just What Jesus Said"

I suppose it's fitting on Good Friday I'm near death:

Head is throbbing, throat is sore, I cannot catch my breath.

Hopefully, by Easter, I'll be up and on the mend,

But this really sucks...  Which is what Jesus said, my friend.

Massachusetts Senate Debates

R.D. Sahl moderated the 2 debates last night. He did a great job.  (Photo/Steve Senne/AP)

Massachusetts has itself an open Senate seat

Now that Kerry's left the Hill and moved up to C Street.

Last night all the candidates showed up for a debate.

Each side got an half an hour; finished up by 8.

R.D. Sahl was very good, although he sounded hoarse.

Started with the GOP - all moderates, of course.

(Socially conservative Republicans are rare

Here in Massachusetts.) They said DOMA was unfair.

Winslow, Gomez, Sullivan: don't like the A.C.A.

Said that Massachusetts doesn't need it anyway.

Gomez lacks experience and Sullivan's polite...

Thought Dan Winslow won in the debate I heard last night.

Next up were our Democrats from Congress; Lynch and Markey.

Ed was very statesman-like and Steve a little snarky.

I like Stephen Lynch a lot - he does a decent job -

And I know that Markey may appear to be a snob

But, with more than 30 years experience, it's he

Out of all the candidates on stage (it seemed to me)

Who was senatorial; the other men were not.

Up against Ed Markey, Winslow wouldn't stand a shot.

Prop 8 and DOMA and SCOTUS. Oh My!

(Photo/Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)

Proposition 8 and DOMA; in our highest Court.

Won't know until June which sides the Justices support.

Trying to predict it from the questions that they ask,

Trying to detect opinions they attempt to mask,

Keeps the pundits happy 'cause they get to talk about it.

Does it offer any clues on how they'll rule? I doubt it.

The Supremes  could keep it narrow; leave it to the States.

Let the voters get to choose how people pick their mates.

Could decide Prop 8's a case they shouldn't even hear;

That Defense of Marriage (which conservatives hold dear)

Doesn't meet the standards, thus avoiding sweeping change.

But, like Justice Kagan, I agree it's pretty strange;

How can you say marriages are just for making kids?

Or that same sex marriage means your marriage hits the skids?

Love is love and people are just people and no law

Should presume to dictate that you be a ma and pa.

Dear Secretary Kerry... Sincere Sympathies on Your Dream Job

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry...  Poor bastard.

Secretary Kerry has his work cut out for him;

Situation in the Middle East is pretty grim.

Civil war in Syria; the circumstances dire.

Innocent civilians getting caught in the crossfire.

Plus 2 million refugees have packed their things and fled.

Assad's neighbors have to try and keep those people fed.

War's been dragging on for 2 years now; no end in sight.

The United States stayed on the sidelines of the fight.

Now - so rumor has it - CIA is helping out;

Shipping arms to rebels so the battle's not a rout.

Trying hard to pick and choose who's gonna get the guns

In a region that's known warfare since Attila's Huns.

Egypt's on the brink of a collapse...  They're out of cash.

Thus, their fragile government may hit a wall and smash.

Even with intentions that are pure as driven snow,

Morsi's in a bind if the economy won't grow.

And, of course, there's Israel and Palestine, as well.

You call that the Holy Land?  It's more akin to Hell.

It's no wonder Hillary decided that she'd quit;

Let poor Secretary Kerry try to deal with it.

Across the Pond - Iraq: Lessons Learned

(Photo/Scott Nelson/Getty Images)

10 years after Shock and Awe and here is what we've learned,

Lessons that our military's lives and limbs have earned:

Don't invade until you've finished in Afghanistan.

If you do - don't throw away your post-invasion plan.

Be concerned when someone like Don Rumsfeld starts to smirk.

Don't disband their military; put those men to work.

Be aware that, sometimes, other people might have lied.

Don't install a government because they take your side.

Don't expect to change a culture that is not your own

Just because you get their brutal tyrant overthrown.

Don't suppose the war is over once that tyrant's caught.

Don't proclaim your mission is accomplished when it's not.

Lessons we have yet to learn are: how to walk away,

Where to find the billions that we're gonna have to pay,

Where those weapons of destruction were and where they went...

Seems to me those billions could have been more wisely spent.

Dear NRA... There's a New Sheriff in Town

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Gabby Giffords, and Mark Kelly are gambling that they can make a change.

Looks as if the Congress won't ban instruments of war,

Which is what a semi-automatic weapon's for.

Won't restrict the magazines to 15 rounds or less.

Even background checks have caused Conservatives distress.

Claim that it's a registry so we'll know where to start

When we come to pry their guns and cold, dead hands apart.

NRA is threatening to "throw the bastards out."

In the past it's been the only group that's wielded clout.

They should know, another sheriff just rode into to town

And he's got the cash to back the bets that he lays down.

Lately, he and other groups have said they plan to spend

Money on elections and the message that they'd send:

Is that the majority, according to the polls,

Want to see those 3 reforms, want help for tortured souls,

Don't want politicians' specious arguments on rights...

Want them to address concerns that keep us up at nights.

Across the Pond - Dear Israel...

(Photo/Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty)

President Obama is in Israel this week.

He and Netanyahu haven't had the chance to speak

Since their re-elections. Their relationship was tense;

Netanyahu thinks we haven't sprung to his defense.

President Obama is a man who keeps his word.

So - although I doubt that Netanyahu's reassured -

When he says he has your back then you can just relax...

Israel has allies if an enemy attacks.

Just because we want to give the sanctions time to work

Doesn't mean Iran's a situation that we'll shirk.

Just because we think Mahmoud Abbas has got a point

Netanyahu shouldn't get his nose all out of joint.

If some nation should attack, it's choosing suicide.

We gave you the Iron Dome and - mostly - take your side.

What else do Israelis want the President to say

That he didn't say to you, already, yesterday?