Archive for March, 2010

Liberal Drilling? Chill, Obama, Chill!

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Like so many of my fellow progressives, I am dismayed by Obama’s plans to open offshore areas to oil and natural gas drilling for the first time.

Before I get to my latest limerick, here are some other bloggers who are aggravated by plans to open coastal waters to oil exploration: skippy, John Amato, Melissa McEwan, Taylor Marsh, and Jonathan Turley.

And now, my limerick:

Liberal Drilling? Chill, Obama, Chill!
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Obama’s pronouncement ain’t thrilling.
He plans to expand off-shore drilling.
As a gal from the left
I am Mad and bereft.
Tell me, what has Obama been swilling?

Political April Fools’ Day

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

Political April Fools’ Day (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

April Fools’ Day is coming. Beware!
Cuz it’s practical joke time. Prepare!
Don’t assume something’s frank,
Though perhaps as a prank,
Fox News will be balanced and fair.

Mitt Romney: Constitutionally Confused

Friday, March 26th, 2010

Credit where credit is due: When it comes to self-contradiction, Mitt Romney is both fearless and peerless.

Once a staunch advocate of individual health insurance mandates — the Massachusetts governor who ardently defended their constitutionality — Romney has flip-flopped. Now that they’re required by the Democrats’ Affordable Care Act, they’ve magically turned unconstitutional.

Of course, constant flip-flops can be hard on the constitution. So it’s no surprise that Mitt Romney was for individual mandates before he was against them.

That brings me to my latest limerick:

Mitt Romney: Constitutionally Confused
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Individual mandates are great,
Said Mitt re Mass. health bill’s debate.
Now he swears that they’re awful
And even unlawful.
Your claims, my dear Mitt — get them straight.

Chuck Grassley Upchucks Hypocrisy

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

Senator Chuck Grassley, one of healthcare reform’s most vocal opponents, has outdone himself. He’s now trying to take credit for portions of the Affordable Health Care For America Act, bragging that he authored the good parts.

That brings me to my latest limerick:

Chuck Grassley Upchucks Hypocrisy
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Chuck Grassley threw health care a curve
When he stalled reform efforts with verve.
His votes were all “no.”
His performance was po’.
Yet he brags he’s an author. What nerve!

     

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And speaking of taking credit, check out Don Davis and his Rethuglicans Take Credit for ‘Home Scare Reform’.

Republicans: Stuck Between Their Crock And A Hard Place

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

When it comes to health reform, Republicans are stuck between their crock and a hard place.

Repeal (requiring a veto-proof majority as long as Obama is president) is virtually impossible, not to mention unpopular. But the very GOP lies that came close to blocking health reform have brainwashed the Republican base into demanding its rescission. Consequently, many Republican leaders feel forced to perpetuate their doomsday and Armageddon claims and fight for repeal, even though they know it’s a lost cause.

That brings me to my latest limerick:

Republicans: Stuck Between Their Crock And A Hard Place
By Madeleine Begun Kane

The GOP base screams “Repeal!”
And Republicans pledge to with zeal.
Cuz they set their own trap
With their factual gap:
Nixing laws that have widespread appeal.

Republican Trials

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

How ironic that GOP state leaders are vowing to challenge the Affordable Health Care for America Act in court. For a party that’s always lambasting trial attorneys and activist judges, Republicans sure are litigious:

Republican Trials (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Republicans constantly boo
Trial lawyers. They do it on cue.
For a party that feels
Such attorneys are heels,
The GOP sure likes to sue.

Addled Threats

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Now that health reform has passed, Republicans are angrier than ever. Mitt Romney calls it an “unconscionable abuse of power” and Bill Kristol is urging repeal in a Weekly Standard editorial. Moreover, Senators John McCain, Judd Gregg and their fellow GOPers are so incensed that they’ve come up with a very creative threat:

GOP senators emerged Monday to caution that the health debate had taken a toll on the institution, warning of little work between parties the rest of this year.

“There will be no cooperation for the rest of the year,” McCain said during an interview Monday on an Arizona radio affiliate. “They have poisoned the well in what they’ve done and how they’ve done it.”

Wow! The next thing you know, Republicans will be vowing to filibuster and obstruct.

And that brings me to my latest limerick:

Addled Threats
By Madeleine Begun Kane

The GOP’s angry as hell.
Says McCain, Dems have “poisoned the well.”
So the rest of the year
We won’t work with them here.
And how is that diff’rent? Do tell!

     

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I proud to say that this post is mentioned in the excellent
Health Wonk Review: Special Edition On Health Reform.

“Deem and Pass” Ditty

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

The House has apparently ditched the “deem and pass” health reform voting mechanism. Instead, it will hold separate up-or-down votes on the Senate health care bill and on the changes to that bill. While various explanations have been given, my limerick explains the real reason “deem and pass” plans have been abandoned:

“Deem and Pass” Ditty
By Madeleine Begun Kane

So “deem and pass” will not be used.
Not surprised — I was rather bemused:
To me, it was seemin’
It sounded like “demon.”
Of framing faux pas the phrase oozed.

Religion Hits Bottoms

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

Have you heard about the Bible-based Christian S & M cult? Of course, CDD (Christian Domestic Discipline) doesn’t consider itself an S & M cult, but it sure as hell sounds like one:

Just when I think I have seen it all, I stumble upon something called Christian Domestic Discipline (CDD) marriage, a rising trend in conservative Christian households. A CDD marriage, for the uninitiated, is “marriage is one in which one partner is given authority over the other, and has the means to back up that authority, usually by spanking.” And, of course, that one partner with authority is always the man…

That brings me to my latest limerick:

Religion Hits Bottoms
By Madeleine Begun Kane

CDD is an odd Christian fad
For punishing wives when they’re “bad.”
Is it weird? Just a smidgeon.
They call this religion:
Spousal ass spanking. Gals, you’ve been had.

Related Post:
I Won’t Graciously Submit To Mike Huckabee

Et Tu, Dennis?

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

Big news on the health reform front: Dennis Kucinich caved. “Something is better than nothing,” the Ohio Congressman explained.

I’m not at all sure I buy the half a loaf theory because I have zero faith in Obama and his fellow Dems. I just don’t believe Democrats will ever manage to improve their health reform recipe.

Et Tu, Dennis? (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Obama takes lib’rals for granted,
And with Dennis’s “no” vote recanted,
It appears that he’s right:
Lib’ral pols have no fight!
Count this lib’ral as quite disenchanted.

Related Post: Dear Obama, Enough With The Voltaire!

I proud to say that this post is mentioned in the excellent
Health Wonk Review: Special Edition On Health Reform.

J.D. Hayworth’s Marriage Menagerie

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

J.D. Hayworth, in an effort to out-wingnut John McCain in Arizona’s Senatorial primary, is claiming that legalized same-sex marriage can lead to man-horse nuptials. This is what he had to say during his Rick Santorum-like “man on dog” moment:

You see, the Massachusetts Supreme Court, when it started this move toward same-sex marriage, actually defined marriage — now get this — it defined marriage as simply, “the establishment of intimacy.” Now how dangerous is that? I mean, I don’t mean to be absurd about it, but I guess I can make the point of absurdity with an absurd point — I guess that would mean if you really had affection for your horse, I guess you could marry your horse.

Now I’m very happily married to a human male right now. But just in case it doesn’t work out, I think this is wonderful news:

Hayworth’s Marriage Menagerie (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Would you like to be wed to a cat?
Or a horse, or a dog, or a bat?
Or even an ass?
Simply move out to Mass.
Hayworth says it’s okay. So that’s that.

Now Playing On My Other Blog

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

If you’d like a quick break from politics, here’s what you may have missed on my other blog:

* Patently Evil? (post and limerick about the smartphone wars involving iPhone, Android, and a patent violation lawsuit)

* Save Me From Daylight Savings Time

* A Limerick Meal

* Feed Needs (web obsession humor)

Holier-Than-Thou Wars

Friday, March 12th, 2010

The Democrats have suffered some ethics-embarrassments, and Republicans have been playing holier-than-thou with an RNC Charlie Rangel and Eric Massa ad.

Of course, looking morally superior would be a lot easier if Republicans didn’t have such a culture of corruption.

I’m guessing the RNC figured Democrats were too cowardly to fight back. Fortunately, the RNC was wrong.

And that brings me to my latest limerick:

Holier-Than-Thou Wars
By Madeleine Begun Kane

The GOP’s trying to smack
The Dems on their ethics. How whack!
With their glass house display—
Ensign, Vitter, DeLay—
They throw stones — an ironic attack.

Liz Cheney: Chip Off The Old Crock

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

A right-winger has to go pretty far to be criticized by both the left and the right. But Liz Cheney and her Keep America Safe organization have managed to do it with their McCarthy-like attacks on U.S. Justice Department lawyers, smearing and demonizing them as terrorist sympathizers for their previous legal work defending Gitmo detainees.

This brings me to my latest two-verse limerick:

Liz Cheney: Chip Off The Old Crock
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Has Cheney gone stark raving mad?
I’m speaking of Liz — not her dad.
Now even some peers
Are attacking her smears
As McCarthy-like. Talk about sad!

When her natural allies cry foul,
She’s applying her lies with a trowel.
If she fails to give in
And fess up to her sin,
She’ll end up with a Dick Cheney scowl.

Related Posts: Liz Cheney’s Song and Ode To The Deceitful Cheneys

Not Going Postal Over Saturday Mail

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

Are you upset by the cost-savings proposal to cut Saturday mail delivery in 2011? The prospect of mail-free Saturdays doesn’t bother me, as you can tell from this limerick:

Not Going Postal Over Saturday Mail
By Madeleine Begun Kane

There are those who are deep in a funk
Cuz our Saturday mail may be sunk.
They think it’s unfair,
But I really don’t care
If I have to wait days to get junk.

Now Playing On My Other Blog

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

If you’d like a quick break from politics, here’s what you may have missed on my other blog:

* Ode To “Rabbit Ears.”

* Two limericks inspired by National Grammar Day.

* A cat limerick that also serves as a poetry prompt.

* Dear Press: Clean Up Your Own Damn Mess!

* A post and limerick about our electric power woes.

Ode To An Obstructionist

Friday, March 5th, 2010

As you undoubtedly know, Senator James Bunning (R-Kentucky) is retiring at the end of the year … and none too soon. Embittered and unstable, Jim Bunning seems determined to inflict as much damage as possible during his final months in office.

The immediate crisis caused by “Bunning’s Blockade” is now over, and unemployment benefits and other payments blocked by Bunning’s obstruction are back in the pipeline.

Not that Bunning’s finished making trouble. He also placed a blanket hold on all pending presidential nominees.

Why? Because he felt like it.

I do believe Bunning’s earned himself a limerick:

Ode To An Obstructionist (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Republican Senator Bunning
Seems senile and evilly cunning.
On his way out the door
He’s done damage galore.
But at least he’s not once again running.

Subversive Limerick

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

South Carolina is a very entertaining state … if you’re into oddball politicians and very strange laws.

For instance, South Carolina has a little known (until now) law requiring subversive agents to register with the state and pay a five dollar fee.

No, I’m not kidding. If you’d like to overthrow the government, you’re required to register with the government.

Naturally, Tea Party members think this law was passed purposely to target their group. If so, that would make South Carolina pols highly precognitive — the law dates way back to 1951.

But if any subversives do feel the urge to register, they’d better do it soon. Why? Because State Sen. Larry Martin, a Republican, is pushing to repeal it:

“I readily recognize when it had been passed and what the purpose of it was back in the 1950s,” he said. “But I don’t think Osama bin Laden is going to register. It’s outlived its usefulness.”

This cries out for a limerick, don’t you think?

Subversive Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

You’re subversive and live in SC?
There’s no problem — just pay a small fee.
File a form with a fiver.
It’s cheap, you conniver.
You’d best file if you party with tea.

Rest In Peace Jon Swift a/k/a Al Weisel (Updated With “Limerick Ode To Jon Swift”)

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Note: I’ve updated this with a limerick in Jon Swift’s honor at the bottom of this post.

Alas, there’s tragic news in the blogging and journalism communities: One of my favorite satirical bloggers, the brilliant Jon Swift a/k/a journalist Al Weisel has died suddenly. Tom Watson has the details about the death of this hilarious faux conservative blogger.

What a terrible loss! Rest in peace, Jon Swift. Your wit will be sorely missed throughout the left blogosphere.

Update: Libby Spencer has eulogized Jon beautifully here, and so have Blue Gal and Melissa at Shakesville and skippy.

Update 2: I’ve written a limerick in honor of Jon Swift:

Ode To Jon Swift
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A Swiftian journo named Jon
Was brilliant, but sadly is gone.
His wit will be missed
Cuz none could resist
The posts in his humor salon.

Gosh-Darn Pols!

Monday, March 1st, 2010

I haven’t lived in California since I graduated from Cal Arts a zillion years ago. And when I read stories like this one about the California Assembly’s silly anti-cursing bill, I’m in no rush to go back. And certainly not to Sacramento:

Gosh-Darn Pols!
By Madeleine Begun Kane

California Assembly’s decree:
The first week of March is “cuss-free.”
So don’t fret about health,
Or pine for lost wealth,
Cuz your pols are protecting you. See?

Update: After writing this, I ran across this interesting post on the same topic by Seth Frederiksen, who’s originally from California. And there’s more information about the bill over here at skippy’s.