values

Bill Clinton sold his party to the Banks
abandoning the Workers to their plight
presuming Unions, in their file, and rank
would still embrace a party of the Right.
Ted Cruz can reminisce about a strike
that gave his father dignity, and work
but 99% bear his tax hike;
Americans are not sold on this jerk.
'Though party leadership is moribund,
the GreatSociety dream's not yet dead.
Free-thinkers whom the poobahs didn't fund
still understand what Europe means by "red".
The Labor unrest Teddy Roosevelt quelled
could yet consign the Clintons' clique to Hell.

RBG

Ruth Bader Ginsburg lives to change the world;
each incremental ruling builds the next.
At five foot naught, this fireball of a girl
established CivilRights pertain to sex.
To arbitrarily discriminate,
where one's biology is not germane
would give each Jack a leg up on his mate
that's not available to any Jane.
McConnell'd like to cut her tenure short
and tip the bench still further to the Right,
entrenching Federalists on the court
insensitive to Gays' and women's plight.
Three ribs, I'd give and not miss them myself
if I could buy Ruth five more years good health.

tantrum

The power to spend money on a wall
belongs to Congress; Trump need not apply.
Explicitly, it's Leglslators' call,
'though Trumpty-Dumpty stamp his foot and cry.
"Ambition must be made to counter-act..."
James Madison had long foreseen this threat.
Pelosi's backed up by the law, in fact
and isn't gonna let a soul forget.
Before a woman, Trump dares not retreat.
He hadn't thought this far, when it began.
Humiliation looms, and it's complete
as Madam Speaker's hailed the better man.
Our global leadership's a long-dead joke,
as--week by week--America goes broke.

bootlicks

Rod Rosenstein proposes to retire
as soon as Trump confirms a new AG.
The consequences could be frankly dire
if Barr reprises Bork's black infamy.
The Checks and Balances our Founders wrought
presume that Congress does the People's will.
There's scant recourse, now Mitch McConnell's bought.
All hope rests on the courts, if there's hope still.
Professor Tribe decries emoluments
from lobbyists, and foreign potentates
aspirants who would buy our government
pursued by the AGs from the sev'ral states.
Our Ship of State seems headed for the rocks
for want of the sure hand of Archie Cox.

unChecked and unBalanced

Trump's acting Secretaries never get
the scrutiny our Constitution meant;
there's no place in a White House cabinet
'til Senators advise, and give consent.
Tripartite government should be a "stool"
to balance Palace 'gainst the People's Halls.
But institutions can't make men of fools
and Mitch McConnell seems to not have balls.
A crisis brewing since our nation's youth,
when Solons promulgating righteous rules
presumed a president would serve the Truth
and not empower cronies, thieves, and fools.
A public henhouse guarded by the fox
prays vainly for a second Archie Cox.

infidelity

Trump wants our longtime allies to defray
the cost to billet troops on foreign soil.
His shoulder's cold if they won't pay to play;
The LongPeace is dissolving in turmoil.
Taipei may build a tower in his name,
and wink when he defaults on what he owes.
That he's corrupt, they're not the ones to blame
to buy a friend against their mainland foes.
But Xi perceived he's not a friend to trust;
he'll pick off border-states like so much fruit.
Let academics scream that it's unjust;
they bring no armaments to this dispute.
Like James Buchanan, many lives before;
Trump's legacy will be a world at war.