Archive for December, 2012

Limerick Ode To Wayne LaPierre

Sunday, December 23rd, 2012

The NRA’s Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre has a grand solution to incidents like the Newtown massacre: Station armed guards at every school in the country. Sane people aren’t buying it.

Limerick Ode To Wayne LaPierre
By Madeleine Begun Kane

The NRA’s Wayne LaPierre
Is busy pretending to care
About kids who are dead
And the lives that were shred.
But his sole goal is one we can’t bear.

Boehner’s Plan B Gets A Failing Grade (Limerick)

Friday, December 21st, 2012

John Boehner’s Plan B scheme seems to have backfired, forcing him to cancel the vote and endangering his speakership.

Boehner’s Plan B Gets A Failing Grade (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

John Boehner had hoped that Plan B
Would embarrass Obama, you see.
It collapsed on the Speaker.
Job tenure? A squeaker!
Boehner’s stunt gets an F, at most D.

Open Limerick To Birthers

Tuesday, December 18th, 2012

In Arizona, at least, the Birthers still haven’t gone away.

Open Limerick To Birthers
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Even now, we hear Birthers contest
Barack’s birthplace with zealotous zest.
Though he’s won two elections
Their baseless objections
Persist. They should give it a rest.

Massacre Message (Limerick)

Friday, December 14th, 2012

I’ve been meaning to write a serious limerick about gun violence for a long time. Today’s tragic Newtown Connecticut school shooting prompted this verse:

Massacre Message (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Mindless murder and mayhem in schools.
U.S. mall assaults — gun wielding ghouls.
We seek a solution,
But hear: “Constitution!”
We need leaders — not NRA tools!

Limerick Ode To Reince Priebus

Thursday, December 13th, 2012

I share Ed Kilgore’s amusement at the NRO’s interview with RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. Kilgore says:

At NRO, Jim Geraghty has an unintentionally hilarious interview with RNC chairman Reince Priebus in which the party chief pledges a frantic effort to look everywhere for ways to improve the party’s appeal—everywhere, that is, other than ideology, the Big Taboo no one is supposed to address.

Limerick Ode To Reince Priebus
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Reince Priebus now brags that he’s planned
To improve the Republican brand.
But his pride seems misplaced
Cuz root problems ain’t faced:
Ideology change appears banned.

Senryu For Obama

Wednesday, December 12th, 2012

Here’s my response to this New York Times article about the “fiscal cliff” negotiations between Obama and Boehner:

Senryu For Obama:

John Boehner’s con game:
Can’t muster votes. Give me more.
Don’t be fooled again.

Limerick Ode To Vendetta Politics

Tuesday, December 11th, 2012

Fox News has found something new to cheer about: Lame duck Michigan Republicans have rammed through a law that would make Michigan the 24th “right-to-work” state. And Republican Governor Rick Snyder is poised to break his prior promise by signing it.

This is payback, of course, to punish auto and other unions for supporting Obama.

Limerick Ode To Vendetta Politics
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Republicans rule by vendetta,
Passing laws meant to enemies fettah:
The Michigan bosses
Blame unions for losses,
So at unions have aimed a Beretta.

Medicare Mishigas (Limerick)

Monday, December 10th, 2012

In the “fiscal cliff” negotiations, Republicans are irrationally demanding a hike in the Medicare eligibility age — what Nancy Pelosi refers to as “a trophy that the Republicans want.”

As Ezra Klein explains, this would not save money or help solve the health care cost problem, and it would hurt lots of people. Unfortunately, Republicans seem to favor symbolism over substance, and raising the Medicare eligibility age would be “a signal that they won something big on entitlements.”

Medicare Mishigas (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

GOPers want change that ain’t sage:
Raise the Medicare-el’gible age.
This does harm — won’t address
The health care cost mess:
It’s the fruit of entitlements-rage.

Ousted Pundits (Limerick)

Wednesday, December 5th, 2012

Earlier today, I posted about Karl Rove and Dick Morris being benched by Fox News. I couldn’t resist writing another limerick on the topic:

Ousted Pundits (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Dear Morris and Rove, what a blow:
Fox has noticed you ain’t “in the know.”
Special leave is now needed
Before we are treated
To blowhards like you on a show.

Rove’s Ailing Punditry (Limerick)

Wednesday, December 5th, 2012

Apparently, Karl Rove’s election night histrionics pushed Roger Ailes too far. Rove’s been benched.

…Ailes has issued a new directive to his staff: He wants the faces associated with the election off the air — for now. For Karl Rove and Dick Morris — a pair of pundits perhaps most closely aligned with Fox’s anti-Obama campaign — Ailes’s orders mean new rules. Ailes’s deputy, Fox News programming chief Bill Shine, has sent out orders mandating that producers must get permission before booking Rove or Morris.

Karl Rove’s Ailing Punditry (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Roger Ailes appears sick of Rove’s failin’
To get anything right, so he’s bailin’:
Fox News has been told
Not to book that old scold.
But alas, Fox still carries Ms. Palin.

Open Limerick To President Obama

Tuesday, December 4th, 2012

Open Limerick To President Obama
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Dear Obama, I welcome your stance
In the “fiscal cliff” deal-making dance.
If the 1st comes sans deal,
Our nation will heal.
Hanging tough is the way to advance.

Seasoned Limerick

Monday, December 3rd, 2012

Seasoned Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

It’s spring and the weather is mild.
Now it’s summer. The heat has me riled.
Autumn leaf-peaking thrills me,
And winter’s cold chills me.
All once true — now the weather’s just wild.

(My verse about global warming and climate change was prompted by “Time Counts” at We Write Poems.)

Stormy Haiku

Saturday, December 1st, 2012

Political haiku for a change of pace:

Hurricane’s over,
but the political storm
is never-ending.

(More storm haiku here.)