disloyal

John Yoo can't forge a legal argument
to justify what Trump's done in Ukraine;
soliciting a foreign government
has no place in a federal campaign.
Swiftboating patriots' been tried before
when--on the merits--Kerry might have won.
Professor Yoo's a more then eager whore
who does it less for fee, than for the fun.
The immigrant who loves his country's cause
survived an IED blast in Iraq.
Back home, where he expects the rule of laws,
contemptibly takes gunfire from the back.
A party scant on honor, spine, and sense
now fears their best remaining option's Pence.

the parochial serves the universal

Strange savior to only kin and kine not caring for his fellows in the least at consanguinity, he draws the line, reserving hospitality to beasts. But neighbors got no warning, no reprieve If their own gods don't specify an ark, they got surprised the day it's time to leave succumbing to the flood, and mud, and Dark. Concern for strangers dawns with Avraham A Light until the Nations' something new confronting God with his own moral qualm Refocuses from "species" down to "Jew". If not a "tzaddik", certainly a sage this new protagonist for a new age.

situational

the neighbors must have asked, but Noah shrugged

so done with advertising what he planned.

He used to socialize, 'til he got mugged

but now he's sure they'll never understand.

The voices coming to him in the night--

insisting he must make this box his home--

would only cause the doomed to fret and fight;

 the dreams were meant for him, and him alone.

A later prophet'd warn Assyria

that God did not approve their errant ways

but Noah'd let the folk of Ninevah

go blithely to their fiery end of days.

within his generation, Noah's best.

But Avraham did better by his guest.

niggling

The full report refutes Bill Barr's glib gloss;
the Special Counsel felt his hands were tied.
He had no writ to prosecute his boss,
despite strong evidence he'd bigly lied.
That Russia meddled's proven without doubt
but Putin might have done that on a whim.
As candidate, Trump didn't have the clout
to dictate KGB hitlist to him.
A race so close depended on a thread
as turnout was suppressed by foreign aid
Since Trump and Putin plainly were in bed,
who cares if Mueller can't prove Vlad got paid?
No SpecialCounsel could transcend his writ
when Mitch McConnell doesn't give a shit.

and loyalty towards none

The shock's exquisite on Trump's spray-tanned face;
November swept all Orange County Blue.
His name's a millstone in this midterm race
the House  now boasts a cyanotic hue.
When even Mitch McConnell won't defend
Trump's quid pro quo corruption in Ukraine,
The egoist who's never made a friend
finds few stands by him swirling down the drain.
Just Pence heels dog-like, orbiting his mass
Like Hillary adhering to her Bill.
His lips seem stapled to the orange ass
as if he has no independent will.
Pelosi's counting votes, and likes her odds;
Iconoclasts are faithless to false gods.

co-equal

The fabric of society could burst
as Trump transgresses every rule and norm.
He started bad, but day by day gets worse
and  makes no slightest effort to conform.
Dick Nixon hoped no statutes could apply
to anything the president had done.
Now Trumpty goads his minions to defy
the courts that must restrain their Chosen One.
John Roberts will be tarred by Limbaugh's base
presiding in the Senate as he must
if our republic's to survive this case,
we've got to hope this Justice will prove just.
When Trump feels free to lie, defraud, extort...
our Senate sits as court of last resort.


                 

Betsy Herring

Liz Warren trod her own Damascus road
before she took to heart Progressives' cause.
This Harvard expert in bankruptcy code
took inspiration from the dryest laws.
The daughter of Republicans pure-bred
keeps family ties, but spurns much that they'll do.
The blossom on this rootstock that's so Red
if not cerulean, is deeply Blue.
Some can't forgive her failure to endorse
the Sanders bid, when Bernie stood alone.
But I'll let Bernie choose his friends, of course
I won't tell Bernie whom he must disown.
A second term's no cinch for Trump to steal
when he's contending with a convert's zeal.

amoral

Transactional relationships suffice

If you're a rich schlub looking to get laid.
No one has value, but each has her price
And one can always buy a passing grade.
Roy Cohn built a career within the mob
And mentored Donald in corruption's ways.
Morality had no place in that job;
nobody's wrong if he's the one who pays.
With no internet compass of his own,
He trusts one's worth the price for which he's bought.
Condemned to walk his  joyless road alone,

Trump lies awake in dread of getting caught.
No manly honor curbed his urge to steal
false authorship for "The Art of the Deal".

self-dealing

Awarding contracts to his own resort
Trump grabs emoluments the law forbids.
Defying both the Congress and the courts,
to separate his interests from his kids'.
Both Foreign and Domestic, seizing both
he gives our Constitution zero heed.

You'd be a fool to think he'd keep his oath

to guard a Constitution he can't read.

This crime, Pelosi thinks, she can explain
to even Trumpty-Dumpty's basest base.
Fundraisers for his cause will feel the pain

as this drags into next November's race.
Infractions even Mitch strains to defend
tip this new nightmare back towards Nixon's end.

cabinet of tools

DeVos, Mnuchen, Ross...Trump's cabinet--
burnt to it's venal irredentist core--
still hope the public's willing to forget
how eagerly they've played the Donald's whore.
The Senate can't advise or give consent
when acting Secretaries come and go
revolving door runs right through government
And back to industry to roll in dough.
A few--like Mattis--did their best, then quit
There's nothing in this train-wreck to be saved
The bitter-enders, chin-deep in Trump's shit
Are irredeemable, short of the grave.
Long years since Puzder's jersey's been retired
The worst think themselves safe--'til they get fired.

faithless II

No ally should accept us at our word;
We're quick to contradict the things we'll say.
Each generation seems to screw the Kurds,
And Trump's a different guy from day to day.
Pesh Murga've fought our fights, and paid their dues.
But self-determination's "premature"?
They're not as influential as the Jews;
Our treaties toothless as Trump's addled slur.
But Trumpty-Dumpty's never made a friend
He's been the loner since his unplanned birth.
Still using people as means to his end;
Alliances to Trump are of no worth.
The clown's as free of honor as of class.
who trusts in Donald takes it up the ass.

faithless

Betraying Kurdish allies on a whim
Trump reaffirms he knows no loyalty.
But loyalists who'd put their faith in him
still haven't found the balls to mutiny.
With Pence at least, you're getting an adult--
Albeit one snarled in Mom's apron strings.
But trumpsters so entangled in his cult
don't mind that Don's a brat who would be king.
No Christian ought to take him at his word;
He cheats on loans, and liens, and wedding vows.
But maybe handing Erdogan the Kurds
Is more than even Robertson allows.
McConnell's got his back, but for how long?
When even true believers see Trump's wrong.

profiles in courage

Yovanovich stepped up to sing her song
about our ethos recently laid low.
How Trump woos the far Right, but got it wrong
to base our policy on quid pro quo.
Pompeo thought a fellow WestPoint grad
would join in or--at least--would temporize
But Taylor's quick to say what's bad is bad
and to condemn the master of such lies.
Trump's never made a friend. But enemies
proliferate wherever he's made deals.
And agents of our big spy agencies
are mostly deaf to his corrupt appeal.
While diplomats condemn both Trump and Pence
a thousand others slip them evidence.

vision

Joe Biden aims for what Obama'd got
aware substantive progress would be tough.
Don't look to him to better Workers' lot
Just don't get hugged, and act like that's enough.
But Democrats still stubbornly aspire
to someone who's both competent and wise.
The bits we got, we got by aiming higher
before we settled for a compromise.
Still, all is not as dire as it might seem;
a few still bear the flag of LBJ.
A Great Society's not just a dream
if senator Liz Warren gets here way.
If we're to get our proper slice of pie
we've got to start by asking for the sky.

crisis time

"Don't dare comply!" Trump sputters in contempt
"what Congress wants, no tool of mine will give.
Pelosi's over-reached in this attempt
to challenge me; I'm Chief Executive!"
Those who remember Nixon, twitch and blanch.
The heresy we'd beaten long ago
--asserting sole control for any branch--
marks this regime has just one way to go.
Our Constitution's Framers saw full well
we might confront a president amok
who'd gladly drag our system straight to Hell
if Legislators didn't give a fuck.
The Speaker's dragged her heels quite long enough.
It's long past time she more than acted tough.

loyalist

Pompeo tolerates his boss' lies
in violation of his WestPoint oath.
No moral compass they won't compromise
impinges on the bliss of one, or both.
McConnell holds the Constitution cheap;
he's hitched his cart to Trump's and won't let go.
Accustomed to swear oaths he'll never keep
as long as nothing stops the flow of dough.
No abolitionist could have foreseen
their party'd shed all principle to turn
into this parody of greed obscene
uncaring if our whole republic'd burn.
The Checks and Balances so finely wrought
must fail when all our servants have been bought.

crises

Two stents restore blood's flow where it was scant
and Bernie's heart continues its tick-tock.
But episodes like this mean people can't
dismiss discussions of the running clock.
The orange geriatric pompous jerk
--incumbent and presumptive nominee--
may argue he's he fittest for the work
albeit with no credibility.
Two old White men won't turn all voters' crank
full half of whom sat out, last time around.
Liz Warren has two Xs in the bank
and now seems poised to tear the system down.
To disenfranchise based on sex must stop;
this might just be a woman's turn on top.