no deal

The coalition Netanyahu sought
would have to grant him vast impunity.
For lack of Liberman--who won't be bought--
the courts now try him for his felony.
A voter segment that won't pull its weight
can't hold a nation hostage--all the time.
Enjoying benefits within a State
without contributing should be a crime.
For want of constitution set in ink,
the High Court can't enforce a single thing.
A jurisprudence tested to the brink
came close to elevating Bibi king.
But now the voters get a second chance,
to vote for Rule of Law, and Benny Gantz.

stupid woman

Theresa May's state barque has run aground.
So Tories get to find a better man.
But now, they're flirting with that BoJo clown;
the party manifestly has no plan.
It's time insurgents cast off the Old Guard
and find a steady hand to helm this boat.
A second referendum's in the cards,
but still, it's Parliament that gets to vote.
Bob Mercer still aspires to pull the strings,
while using others to conceal his hand.
His dalliance with May's a sterile fling;
deliv'ring nothing got her flatly canned.
The European Project's not dead yet.
But nothing in its future's firmly set.

mis-reading history

At last! Pelosi will initiate
preliminary talks...about a talk...
about committees to investigate...
But Nancy--being Nancy--may yet balk.
She fears that voters punished Kenneth Starr;
next mid-term cost Republicans House seats.
But that analogy's been stretched too far.
Too scared to win, she's blinkered by defeat.
Soon, history must pass her by, by gosh;
the tide's not really under her control.
News cameras are flocking to Amash,
who flipped his party off to save his soul.
All scandals don't come in one standard size;
Trump's treason's not the same as Willie's lies.

Constitutional Crisis

Now Trump insists that Mazar must defy
subpoenas that the Court has ruled legit.
The world stands slack-jawed, baffled as to why
he shouldn't be the one chin-deep in shit.
He wants to lead our troops...but from behind;
his heel-spurs give no traction in the mud.
His leadership's a figment of his mind;
all rooted in  Pro Wrestling's ersatz blood.
Two Branches out of three seek to compel
cooperation to reveal what's true,
before Trump drag our nation down to Hell
as partisans draw daggers Red, and Blue.

The factions that so worried Madison
close ranks regardless what "their" felon's done.

phony war

The GoodCop/BadCop shtick against Iran
with Bolton as the mad dog on a chain,
was sold to Donald as a clever con
'cause foreign policy's hard to explain.
A scalpel's girlish; Trump prefers an ax
to solve what he's convinced must be a mess.
And Conway's feeding "alternative facts"
that Breitbart ballyhoos like they're real Press.
The deal Obama signed four years before's
anathema because it bore his name.
Trump brandishes the prospect of real war
to get a deal that's "new"--but just the same.
One mis-read telegram would unleash Hell.
So bid the ones you love a fond farewell.

Who'll speak for peace?

John Bolton's no less fervent than before
despite the lives we've squandered in Iraq.
Good times, or bad, he beats the drum for war;
another futile lap around that block.
Our British allies read the same portent;
they're satisfied the Persians still want peace.
No cause at all for war is evident.
But Bolton's lust for blood finds no surcease.
Trump craves a war-time leader's special perks
that SCOTUS found in "Youngstown" long ago.
'Though Bernie scolds that's not the way it works,
our constitution's torch is burning low.
With Mattis gone, adults lost all control.
Another baseless war looks set to roll.

no soft landing

Low-status walruses thud on the shore
to splatter messily on rocks below.
High-status males staked beach-front claims before
and snort at the idea of letting go.
As climate change puts sea-ice out of reach
they vie for any haul-out they can get.
if not prime sugar-white sand on the beach
at least a bluff that's only sometimes wet.
But depth perception doesn't get them mates
and climbing rocks won't pass their genes along.
Their females weigh a bull on other traits
that warming seas abruptly rendered wrong.
Dire metaphor for blind pursuit of cash
gigantic pinnipeds are prone to crash.

stalwart II

The propaganda "uncle Joe" enjoyed
when Stalin took our side, last century,
has been repurposed; this year it's deployed
to keep big corporations net tax-free.

Joe Biden's old ambitions steady burn,
like he's entitled for the years he's spent.
Impatiently, the BoyScout waits "his turn"
to claim the office of the president.
The never-Trump Republicans are sold;
the GOP they thought they knew's deranged.
Joe serves his donors, does what he's been told,
and stands against Liz Warren's call for CHANGE.
This year, they love the guy they so long fought
an "honest politician" who stays bought.

stalwart

The propaganda "uncle Joe" enjoyed
when Stalin took our side, in a World War,
has been repurposed; this year it's deployed
to sell the People WallStreet's shopworn whore.
Joe Biden's old ambitions steady burn,
like he's entitled for the years he's spent.
Impatiently, the BoyScout waits "his turn"
to claim the office of the president.
The never-Trump Republicans are sold;
the GOP they thought they knew's deranged.
Joe serves his donors, does what he's been told,
and stands against Liz Warren's call for CHANGE.
This year, they love the guy they so long fought
an "honest politician" who stays bought.

that vision thing

Pelosi deems impeaching Clinton cost
Republicans House seats in '98.
And fears "her" precious gavel could be lost
were Congress really to investigate.
The Speaker's got Trump's number one-on-one;
she claps sarcastically because it galls.
A better man than Donald's chinless sons
takes pleasure squeezing doofus by the balls.
But our democracy's not her concern;
that fire, she's more inclined to use, than douse.
While she's secure, her neighborhood can burn;
the only votes she counts are in the House.
The change Liz Warren hopes could save our soul
looks threatening to those who love control.

Elmer Gantry

This week, we learn that Jerry Falwell  paid
Mike Cohen to suppress salacious news.
Flamboyant hypocrite on his own stage
must now contrive to blame it on the Jews.
The Fundamentalists who form Trump's base,
like sheep queued up where they're enjoined to join
made all the diff'rence in this hair's breadth race,
all bought and paid for in this tainted coin.
This pious fraud, as bad as his old man
sings Pilate's praise and hopes nobody learns
he's swapping photos with a courtesan.
But threatens others that they're gonna burn.
A televangelist with feet of clay
consorts with presidents in pay-to-play.

rearguard

Mnuchin sneers; his people won't comply
'though Congress has full right to all the facts.
To earn Trump's love, he's hell-bent to defy
a rightful requisition of Trump's tax.
But chairman Neal'd extend his long arm's reach,
and courts would find no grounds to block the blow,
if Nancy'd pull the lever to impeach.
That process validates his need to know.
Executive amok, whom Mitch won't check;
a constitution crisis in our times
can't goad the turtle-monster to object
while DoJ pretends there've been no crimes.
I'll make the popcorn; drag your chairs around!
The Watergate reprise is back in town.

High Crimes and Misdemeanors II

Bob Mueller's far too prudent to defy
internal guidelines of the DoJ.
But call him up! He'll gladly testify:
what Trump has perpetrated's not okay.
The SpecialCounsel still inspires some awe,
and even Donald understood he's "fucked".
Of all the ways he violates the law,
the unifying theme's been to obstruct.
McConnell plays defense, while Barr attacks;
each rationalization's more absurd.
Joined at the hip in guarding Donald's back,
 their oaths of office were just empty words.
The factions that so worried Madison
close ranks regardless what "their" felon's done.

High Crimes and Misdemeanors

Bob Mueller's far too prudent to defy
internal guidelines of the DoJ.
But call him up! He'll gladly testify:
what Trump has perpetrated's not okay.
The SpecialCounsel still inspires some awe,
and even Donald understood he's "fucked".
Of all the ways he violates the law,
the unifying theme  is to obstruct.
McConnell plays defense, while Barr attacks;
each rationalization's more absurd.
They're unified in guarding Donald's back,
 their oaths of office were just empty words.
The factions that so worried Madison
close ranks regardless what "their" felon's done.