Parkland, FL - Just Another Massacre

Thoughts and prayers. (Photo courtesy of palmbeachpost.com)

I guess all our "thoughts and prayers" from last time weren't enough...

We don't like school shootings every 60 hours? Tough.

Can't infringe on rights the Constitution guarantees.

Think some more dead children come before that? Honey, please.

We've become like moving targets on a shooting range.

NRA has bought the Congress... Nothing's gonna change.

Maybe if we found some way to siphon off their wealth;

Taxed gun sales and used the cash for funding mental health...

But - of course - we won't do that...  Or anything at all.

Only tired "thoughts and prayers." The writing's on the wall;

This is our new normal and it's likely to persist.

Just another massacre. We'll add it to the list.

Too Soon?

 

Still too soon for talking about gun control, I guess...

Haven't finished cleaning - yet another - tragic mess.

Now is not the time to ask why 26 more died.

Maybe we're supposed to wait until the blood has dried.

At the rate that things are going though, there's one small hitch,

When we say we're too close to the situation - Which?

Were we still too close to Vegas?  When's the proper time

To discuss prevention of the next mass shooting crime?

There'll be lots of "thoughts and prayers" and silences observed

But, we future shooting victims would be better served

If, instead of waiting, in respect for all our dead,

We insist that Congress passes gun control, instead.

Universal background checks...  Is that too much to ask?

It gives us a fighting chance by helping to unmask

People who should not have guns...  Like guys who beat their wife;

If someone is dangerous they should be banned for life.

Dear Congress... Spare Us

 

Spare me the condolences and useless thoughts and prayers,

Lowered flags and silent moments...  No one really cares.

I'm so sick and tired of the empty gestures when

Nothing ever changes...  And it's happening again.

"Now is not the time to talk about it," Sanders said.

We should "come together" for the wounded and the dead.

Background checks and gun control would not have stopped this crime,

Therefore, we should just do nothing, like we did last time...

And the time before that and the all too many more

When they've offered thoughts and prayers in speeches from the floor.

Lowered flags?  I'm sure that - this time - that'll do the trick.

I think I might go and vomit now...  I'm feeling sick.

Amateur Hour in Washington

"Silencing" Liz Warren had the opposite effect;

Just another reason I'm beginning to suspect

That the folks in Washington who hold the reins of power

Run our government like some bad amateur hour.

I said I'd give Donald Trump's Administration time

And I've kept my promise... Not a single snarky rhyme.

Although we're just two weeks in - to me, it feels like years -

And, already, Donald Trump's the sum of my worst fears.

I have tried to understand...  I'm watching Fox and Friends,

Where they breathlessly report each tweet the Donald sends.

But I've started having trouble telling what is true.

Scary knowing it's where Trump gets Daily Briefings, too.

Unsolicited Advice for Senator Sanders

 

I like Sanders very much but do not "Feel the Bern."

I think that, like Hillary before him, it's his turn

To drop out and unify the Democrats behind

Hillary because Republicans have lost their mind.

Just like Trump - although not such a total horse's ass -

Bernie's making promises that Congress wouldn't pass.

We need someone with a chance of getting something done;

Out of all our choices, Hillary's the only one.

She's got the experience; she's been around the block.

Donald Trump... (forgive me, I'm still in a state of shock)

Calls her "crooked" - like the pot that called the kettle black -

Using Bernie Sanders' quotes as part of his attack.

Clinton's clinched the nomination. Bernie needs to quit;

Start supporting Hillary...  Stop acting like a twit.

Nothing matters more than making sure that Donald Trump

Loses in November...  Bernie, please get off the stump.

Trump Leads in ABC/WaPo Poll? Seriously?

(Courtesy of slantnews.com)

Donald Trump supporters, in their search for something new,

Want to find a person who will share their point of view.

Since The Donald changes his positions on a whim,

Voters can project their own opinions onto him.

But, with far more disaffected voters than I'd dreamed;

I, who thought that Trump was just a joke - that he'd get creamed

By someone responsible I'd trust to do the job,

Find this vulgar bully playing to an angry mob.

Can't believe they really plan to nominate this jerk...

I can understand some anger; Congress doesn't work.

That's why we need adults who will work across the aisle...

Seems to me, diplomacy is not The Donald's style.

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.

Take The Deal

The former Persian Empire. (Map/Courtesy of parsaworld.com)

Picture us a thousand years from now - if we're still here -

Former super power which the world regards with fear,

Being forced to let some other countries tell us how

We should act... That's how Iranians are feeling now. 

Judging by the shouting overheard when parties meet

What John Kerry got them to concede was quite a feat.

Now their Ayatollah and our Congress must agree,

Meaning that the deal is far from done, if you ask me.

I hope they don't blow it; it's the best we're gonna get.

If positions were reversed, I think it's safe to bet

In a thousand years from now, should we decline and fall,

Countries would be lucky if we made a deal at all.

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.

Keep Congress Out Of Iran

With the framework for a way of dealing with Iran

President Obama's busy talking up the plan,

Saying that the deal's the best one that we're gonna get...

He has not convinced U.S. Republicans quite yet.

He can keep on talking but it won't do any good.

They insist they want to vote but I don't think they should.

If Barack Obama were to say the sky is up

Would there be Republicans in disagreement? Yup.

I don't trust they won't be playing petty politics

And it's too important that this new agreement sticks.

If we don't give peace a chance - don't trust and verify -

We could watch a chance to re-engage Iran slip by.

47 Senators have made their feelings known;

Give them all a chance to vote and this deal will be blown.

Let Obama do his job and try diplomacy,

Speaking with one voice on Middle Eastern policy.

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.

Dear Members of the Media; I'm Begging You...

With elections 2 years off, the race is underway;

Candidates are lining up.  I wish they'd go away.

Please don't give them airtime now.  Why cover them at all?

Who cares what they have to say - at least until next Fall?

We've just held elections.  Work is waiting to get done.

It's not news that Donald Trump's deciding if he'll run.

That's not journalism; it is gossiping, at best.

Members of the media, please give the race a rest.

Aren't there more important things the country needs to know?

Don't waste time reporting on their dog and pony show.

If you can't find things at home, there's plenty overseas.

Wait another year before you talk elections, please.

Thumbs Up for the President

If only...  (Photo/compliancecampaign.wordpress.com)

If you were the Emperor of these United States

You could have opponents' heads served up to you on plates.

If you found the arguments they used against you dumb

You could silence critics with a downward twist of thumb.

You could make your Senators (or Congressmen) obey

If you really were the lord of all that you survey.

But, if you're a President who wants to fix a flaw

You must keep your actions in compliance with the law.

You may only act as other Presidents have done;

Setting your priorities so things are smoothly run.

Even though the lions say they'll fight you "tooth and nail"

Leaders do not let our immigration system fail.

Unsolicited Advice for Proponents of Keystone

(Photo/huffingtonpost.ca)

Keystone XL pipeline didn't get the needed votes.

Tar sand oil from Canada comes down, by train to boats

In the Gulf of Mexico, for shipment overseas

Which - they say - is dangerous...  The GOP agrees.

If, in fact, that is the case than we should fix the rails;

Update infrastructure now, before the system fails.

If we really want to slow our global climate change

Building something permanent for oil transport is strange.

It won't help when fossil fuel dependence's in our past.

Let's create some other kind of jobs; the kind that last:

High speed rail or better roads - a wind or solar farm.

Let's invest in jobs without environmental harm.

Sick AND Tired

(Cartoon/article.wn.com)

I'm so sick of Washington, D.C.; I'm not alone.

Congress is perceived as something corporations own.

Politicians advertise so voters know their name;

It takes lots of money for the "buy-in" to the game.

Those who have a stake in how a vote is gonna go

Know that politicians, for the right amount of dough,

Take the time to listen with a great amount of tact;

Granting them a say in laws that Congress will enact.

Lobbyists and politicians use revolving doors;

Picking which new bills get heard on House and Senate floors.

Leaving the majority, who cannot spare a buck,

Without any power and completely out of luck.

Rewarding Bad Behaviour

(Photo/sodahead.com)

Interesting strategy, and yet, it seems to work;

You can win elections by behaving like a jerk.

Throw yourself a tantrum and refuse to compromise;

Block all legislation and then blame the other guys.

Credit Mitch McConnell, for the strategy was his.

Wanted to be Leader of the Senate; now he is.

President Obama won't have Congress on his side.

(No big deal... They've never helped with anything he's tried.)

They'll set the agenda, though; the issues of the day.

First thing that they want to do? Repeal the A.C.A.

Congress can tell folks at EPA to take a hike.

They can block Obama's nominations if they'd like.

This mid-term election's left Republicans in charge.

Not since Harry Truman has their margin been so large.

And, 'though she was slow conceding, Martha Coakley's done...

Even here, in Massachusetts, GOP has won.