Archive for the ‘Corruption Humor’ Category
Monday, January 10th, 2011
In the wake of the Arizona shootings, there isn’t much news to celebrate in rhyme. But I finally came up with something: Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) was sentenced to three years in prison for “conspiring to launder corporate money into political donations during the 2002 elections.”
That brings me to my latest limerick:
Want Tom In Prison — No Delay!
By Madeleine Begun Kane
There’s a glimmer of good news today:
It’s prison for Thomas DeLay.
His sentence? Three years.
So let’s hear it: Three cheers!
Please no stay! Want DeLay put away.
Tags: Campaign Satire, Crime, Election Humor, Law Satire, Legal Verse, Money Laundering, Prisons, Tom DeLay
Posted in Campaign Humor, Congress Humor, Corruption Humor, Crime, Election Satire, GOP Humor, Law Satire, Legal Limericks, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Texas Humor | 7 Comments »
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
I don’t meant to minimize the importance of the Congressional ethics charges against Rep. Charlie Rangel. But I can’t help wondering why the media can’t spare just a bit of space to cover the FBI’s criminal investigation into Sen. John Ensign. Hey journalists — I thought you liked covering juicy scandals involving money and sex.
That brings me to my latest limerick:
Why So “Liberal” With Charlie Rangel Coverage?
By Madeleine Begun Kane
I’ve a question dear journos — a gem.
And kindly don’t haw and don’t hem.
Where’s your cov’rage of Ensign?
You sure love dispensin’
The dirt on Rep. Rangel — the Dem.
Tags: Charlie Rangel, Double Standards, Ethics, FBI, John Ensign, Media Bias, Media Humor, Nevada, New York
Posted in Congress Humor, Corruption Humor, Crime, John Ensign, Media Satire, Nevada Humor, New York Politics, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire | Comments Off
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.
Tags: Aphorisms, Charlie Rangel, David Vitter, DNC Ads, Eric Massa, Ethics, Glass Houses, John Ensign, Political Corruption, Republican Hypocrisy, RNC Ads, Throw Stones, Tom DeLay
Posted in Campaign Humor, Corruption Humor, Crime, GOP Humor, Hypocrisy Humor, John Ensign, Political Ads, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, RNC Humor | 2 Comments »
Thursday, March 19th, 2009
I practiced law for over a dozen years and negotiated lots of contracts. And, unlike the Bush administration, I always kept my poker face. Why? Because if you want the best possible deal, you must make the other party think that he needs you more than you need him.
So, for example, when you tell banks that they’re too big to fail, you disincentivize them from cooperating, or even telling you the truth. That’s why I’m not surprised that 13 of the “top 23 private recipients of taxpayer-funded bailouts under the $700 billion program” enacted by the Bush administration “owed more than $220 million in unpaid federal taxes” and that they lied about it on their TARP contracts.
Why bother being honest? After all, it’s not as if Bush’s Treasury Department made them back up their statements with actual tax records. Of course not — they were too big to fail.
This brings me to my latest limerick:
Tough Negotiators, Those Bushies!
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear bank, we can not let you fail.
You’re too big. Pay no mind if we wail
That you owe us back tax.
Do not worry. Relax!
Cuz that huge bailout check’s in the mail.
Tags: Bailout Humor, Banks, Bush, Contracts, Law Satire, Legal Humor, Lies, Negotiating, Paulson, TARP, Taxes, Taxpayers, Treasury
Posted in Banking Humor, Ben Bernanke, Business Humor, Corruption Humor, Crime, Economy Humor, Fiscal Policy, George Bush Satire, Henry Paulson, Law Satire, Paulson Plan, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, TARP Humor, Tax & Budget Humor, Tim Geithner | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
The AIG bonus fiasco has been very enlightening. Giving incompetent employees huge bonuses, so they won’t resign? And with taxpayer cash yet? What a concept!
I think all of us who still have jobs should send our bosses a letter like this:
Dear Boss, Where’s My Bonus? (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear boss, where’s my bonus and raise?
I expect lots of cash — no delays.
Though my work surely sucks,
I deserve all those bucks.
Ain’t it great that incompetence pays?
Tags: AIG, Bailout, Bonuses, Economy, Employment, Incompetence, Money, Workplace
Posted in Banking Humor, Business Humor, Corruption Humor, Economy Humor, Federal Reserve, Fiscal Policy, Insurance Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Social Satire, Tax & Budget Humor | 7 Comments »
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008
According to the GAO, TARP (the gazillion dollar Troubled Asset Relief Program) is seriously lacking in oversight. Why? Because of a single Senator’s anonymous block on the program’s IG (Inspector General) nominee.
Sen. Max Baucus, the fellow who made sure the TARP bill provided for an IG, isn’t too pleased. And that brings me to my latest limerick:
I’m never a person to carp,
But nobody oversees TARP.
One anonymous “hold”
Stopped the process out cold
Of confirming an IG who’s sharp.
Tags: Anonymous Blocks, Bailout, GAO, Inspector General, Max Baucus, Senate Satire, TARP
Posted in Ben Bernanke, Business Humor, Congress Humor, Corruption Humor, Economy Humor, Fiscal Policy, Legislation Humor, Max Baucus, Paulson Plan, Political Limericks, Republicans Humor, TARP Humor, Tax & Budget Humor | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, July 24th, 2007
Alberto Gonzales is but one of the Bushie liars and Bush enablers whose Congressional hearing testimony can be summarized by this limerick:
Every Bushie’s Testimony Summed Up In A Single Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
“Don’t recall, don’t remember, can’t say
What I did or I said on that day.
But I happily swear
On the life of ma mère,
I did nothing that’s wrongful. No way!”
(You can find more of my Gonzales satire here, my legal humor here, and my limericks and other satirical verse here.)
UPDATE: Don’t forget to vote in my Bush Impeachment Poll! [tags]Bushies, Liars, Congressional Testimony, Senate Testimony, House Testimony, Senate Hearings, House Hearings, Deposition Humor, Subpoena Satire, Bush Cheney Administration, Bush Enablers, Convenient Memory, Alberto Gonzales, Gonzo, Liars[/tags]
Posted in Alberto Gonzales, Congress Humor, Corruption Humor, George Bush Satire, GOP Humor, House Satire, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Senate Satire, White House | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, May 15th, 2007
No, I’m not talking about Alberto Gonzales, although Gonzo seems to be staying too – so far, at least. I’m referring to yet another Bush administration miscreant: the ethically challenged World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz and Bush’s stubborn insistence on keeping Wolfowitz on the job:
He’s staying! So, there! (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Will Wolfowitz finally go?
“Not a firing offense,” argues Snow.
At the World Bank, he’ll stay.
Cave to pressure? No way!
He’s our guy! We’re in charge! It’s our show!
UPDATE: My good pal Skippy is having a fun contest! Having heard about the Clinton campaign’s efforts to get the public to help choose an official campaign song, Skippy decided to provide some Skippy-style assistance. [tags]Paul Wolfowitz Satire, World Bank President, Tony Snow, Bush Loyalty Satire, Bush Stubbornness, Ethics Violations[/tags]
Posted in Corruption Humor, George Bush Satire, Paul Wolfowitz, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Tony Snow, White House | 1 Comment »
Thursday, April 5th, 2007
Rachel Maddow has an update on Orrin Hatch’s smear campaign against Carol Lam, the U.S. Attorney for San Diego who was recently fired by the Justice Department. Senator Hatch has now issued a just-barely-an-apology for telling the following lies about Lam this past Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press:
She was a former law professor, no prosecutorial experience, and the former campaign manager in Southern California for Clinton.
I’ve summarized this sorry saga in a pair of limericks called Truth On The Lam:
Truth On The Lam
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Orrin Hatch hatched big lies about Lam,
Won’t admit that his claims are a sham.
She was wrongfully axed,
But he conjured up “facts”.
About truth Hatch does not give a damn.
Under pressure, Hatch issues a letter
To Tim Russert that isn’t much better
Than his televised lies.
Hatch just barely denies
That his Lam claims belong in the shredder. [tags]Carol Lam, Orrin Hatch, Senator Hatch, Tim Russert, Televised Lies, Rachel Maddow, Smear Campaign, U.S. Attorney, San Diego, Justice Department, NBC’s Meet The Press, Prosecutorial Experience[/tags]
Posted in Carol Lam, Congress Humor, Corruption Humor, Justice Department, Law Satire, Media Satire, Orrin Hatch, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Senate Satire | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, March 20th, 2007
Kudos to Josh Marshall for his ongoing great coverage of the US Attorney purge scandal, including the involvement of Alberto Gonzales, Karl Rove, and the White House, in general.
Gonzo, Begone … And Take Your Pal Bush With You!
By Madeleine Begun Kane
It appears that the Bushies conspired
To ensure that some lawyers were fired,
Cause those lawyers refused
To let laws be abused.
In political crimes Bush is mired. [tags]Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General, Gonzo Gonzales, US Attorney Purge[/tags]
Posted in Corruption Humor, George Bush Satire, Justice Department, Law Satire, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, White House | 2 Comments »
Monday, March 5th, 2007
A Henry Waxman haiku seems overdue, so here’s my “thank you” haiku:
Investigations
Into White House wrongdoing
Wax, thanks to Waxman. [tags]House Oversight Committee, Henry Waxman, House Hearings, White House Wrongdoing, Bush Failures, Bush Investigations[/tags]
Posted in Congress Humor, Corruption Humor, George Bush Satire, Henry Waxman, House Satire, Political Haiku & Senryu, Political Verse, Politics Satire, White House | Comments Off
Thursday, November 2nd, 2006
Chalk it up to pre-election delirium, but I just wrote a Bush-Cheney song parody to Winter Wonderland, without realizing that I used the same tune back in 2004 for a pre-election song parody. Fortunately, a bad memory does have some benefits, so the lyrics are quite different. Here’s my new one:
Bush and Cheney’s Blunderland (Sing to Winter Wonderland)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Rummy’s great, and he’s staying.
No debate. Stop your braying.
“Fantastic” at war!
Bush Rummy adores.
Welcome to Bush/Cheney’s Blunderland.
War is hard, but we’re winning.
GOP, lies and spinning.
Our war in Iraq
Is really on track.
Welcome to Bush/Cheney’s Blunderland.
Bush and Rove are great at building straw men.
Then they proudly knock their straw men down.
Dub implies we’re traitors.
We’ll say, “No Man!”
It’s time to stop pretending you’ve been crowned.
Ev’ry day, they conspire.
Reckless knaves, thieves, and liars.
The Bush/Cheney reign,
Democracy’s bane.
Welcome to Bush/Cheney’s Blunderland.
=========
And now some links, for your reading pleasure:
* The Worst Political Websites.
* I like Avedon when she’s in a snit.
* Don Davis’s Kerry: How Do You Ask Me To ‘Die’ For My Last Mistake?
* OneGoodMove has the New York Times’ latest editorial, and it’s a great one.
* Gary Trudeau Profile. (Via Alternative Hippopotamus)
* No Bush profiteering op left behind.
* Carnival Time: Carnival of Satire and Carnival of the Vanities.
* I sure hope journalists everywhere read this column and heed its counsel.
* Eric Schwartz sings his Clinton Got A Blowjob.
Tags: Bush Blunders, Bush Humor, Donald Rumsfeld, Dubya, Election Humor, Karl Rove, Richard Cheney
Posted in Blame Game, Corruption Humor, Dick Cheney Satire, Election Satire, George Bush Satire, GOP Humor, Iraq War Humor, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Rumsfeld Humor, Song Parodies, War & Antiwar Poems, White House | 15 Comments »
Wednesday, October 25th, 2006
Jack Abramoff has been so helpful to the FBI’s widening corruption investigation, that they’ve given him his own desk. I never thought I’d say this, but keep up the great work, Jack!
And that brings me to my latest limerick:
Chatty Jack
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Felon Jack has turned out to be chatty.
Were he female, some might call him catty.
He’s been telling great tales,
That could send guys to jail.
And he’s driving Republicans batty.
And now for your reading (and viewing) pleasure:
*** Media Matters on Joe Lieberman and the lazy New York Times. (Via Skippy, who, like me, has started a second blog.)
*** Norm can always be counted on to provide video of Keith Olbermann’s great commentary. (And speaking of Norm, he’s just launched a forum.)
*** From The Specious Report, Rush Limbaugh Denies Going Off Meds to Criticize Fox.
*** Don Davis’s GOP Congress To Bush: ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’.
*** Shakespeare’s Sister observes an interesting phenomena: Boy, those Republicans sure know how to write sex books! [tags]Jack Abramoff, Republican Corruption, Congressional Corruption, FBI Humor, Justice Department, Criminal Investigation[/tags]
Posted in Corruption Humor, FBI Humor, GOP Humor, Jack Abramoff, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire | Comments Off
Holier-Than-Thou Wars
Friday, March 12th, 2010The 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.
Tags: Aphorisms, Charlie Rangel, David Vitter, DNC Ads, Eric Massa, Ethics, Glass Houses, John Ensign, Political Corruption, Republican Hypocrisy, RNC Ads, Throw Stones, Tom DeLay
Posted in Campaign Humor, Corruption Humor, Crime, GOP Humor, Hypocrisy Humor, John Ensign, Political Ads, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, RNC Humor | 2 Comments »