Archive for the ‘Health Satire’ Category
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.
Tags: Deem And Pass, Framing Humor, Health Care Reform, Language Satire, Legislation Satire, Self-Executing Rule, Voting Limerick
Posted in Democrats Satire, Health Satire, House Satire, Language Humor, Legislation Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire | 2 Comments »
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!
Tags: Congress Satire, Democrats Humor, Dennis Kucinich, Health Care Reform, Incrementalism, Legislation Satire, Liberals Satire, Ohio
Posted in Barack Obama, Congress Humor, Democrats Satire, Health Satire, Legislation Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire | No Comments »
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
As Steve Benen points out, we’ve already tried incrementalism. Nonetheless, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) keeps asserting that Congress can’t pass major legislation and should instead do things in bits and pieces.
Of course, Lamar and his fellow Republicans would say and do just about anything to prevent Democrats from passing comprehensive health care reform.
Lamar has earned himself a limerick:
A Limerick For Lamar
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Incremental reforms are the best,
Claims Lamar in support of his quest.
Sweeping change is too hard,
Says this Sen. to retard
All our health reform progress. Quelle peste!
Tags: Congress Humor, Health Care Reform, Incrementalism, Lamar Alexander, Legislation Satire, Republicans Humor, Tennessee
Posted in GOP Humor, Health Satire, Insurance Humor, Lamar Alexander, Legislation Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
I’ve been searching for a positive note in the Massachusetts election debacle and its effect on health care reform and Obama’s agenda. And I’ve finally found the one up side to Democrat Martha Coakley’s upset loss to Republican Scott Brown:
Joe “Vote 60″ No Mo’ (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Joe Lieberman’s blue — in a pout.
Massachusetts has cost him some clout:
Mr. “Me-Me-My-Mine”
Now just “Vote 59.”
Dems are screwed with his vote or without.
Tags: Joe Lieberman, Martha Coakley, Massachusetts, Scott Brown
Posted in Barack Obama, Democrats Satire, Election Satire, Filibuster Humor, Health Satire, Joe Lieberman, Legislation Humor, Martha Coakley, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Scott Brown, Senate Satire | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Removing the Medicare buy-in from the Senate health reform bill (to appease Senator Lieberman) was the last straw for Howard Dean. Dean says, “Kill the Senate Bill,” and I’m inclined to agree:
This is essentially the collapse of health care reform in the United States Senate. And, honestly, the best thing to do right now is kill the Senate bill and go back to the House and start the reconciliation process, where you only need 51 votes and it would be a much simpler bill.
I blame President Obama for this health reform fiasco. For it’s Obama who empowered Joe Lieberman to blackmail the Senate and hold health reform hostage.
And that brings me to my latest double limerick:
Dressing Down The President
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear Obama, your job is to lead.
You have failed. So has Senator Reid.
Seems you’d sign any swill
Labeled “health reform bill,”
And then brag that we’ve got what we need.
Yes, you’ve tragic’ly blown your great chance.
So spare us the song and the dance.
Though many will swear
You’ve done much for our care,
I am sorry — the prez has no pants.
Tags: Budget Reconciliation, Governor Dean, Harry Reid, Health Insurance, Health Reform, Lieberman, Medicare Buy-In, Obama
Posted in Barack Obama, Democrats Satire, Election Satire, GOP Humor, Harry Reid, Health Satire, Howard Dean, Insurance Humor, Joe Lieberman, Legislation Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Senate Satire, White House | 12 Comments »
Saturday, December 5th, 2009
When it comes to health care reform, Joe Lieberman is acting like a petulant baby: “Wah, wah, wah! Dump the public option, or I filibuster. So there!”
I don’t know whether Lieberman’s doing this because he’s owned by insurance companies or because he wants to punish Democrats. But it’s clearly not out of conviction. Otherwise, he could surely keep his rationale straight: Joe’s up to seven nonsensical reasons … and counting.
“No-Man” Joe (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
“Public option’s no good,” asserts Joe.
“Want my health reform vote? It must go.”
But his stated objections
Keep changing directions.
Joe’s mantra on health? “Just say no!”
Related Posts: A Limerick For Traitor Joe; and The Ballad Of Joementum Joe Lieberman.
Tags: Filibuster Humor, Health Reform, Insurance Reform, Joe Lieberman
Posted in Filibuster Humor, Health Satire, Insurance Humor, Joe Lieberman, Legislation Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire | 3 Comments »
Saturday, October 31st, 2009
One of the silliest Republican (and Fox News) talking points is that the Democratic health reform bill is too long. Fox News Live Desk’s Trace Gallagher seems especially fond of it, making repeated (and inaccurate) comparisons to Tolstoy’s War and Peace. (Well, we always knew that Fox is fond of fiction.)
“Short On Facts” Fox (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
When on substance your grasp just ain’t strong,
Simply bitch that the health bill’s too long.
“War and Peace is much shorter,”
Rants Trace (Fox “reporter”),
And even on that Fox is wrong.
Tags: Fox News, Health Reform, Law Satire, Legislation Satire, Leo Tolstoy, Literature Humor, Media, Russian Novels, Talking Points, Trace Gallagher
Posted in Fox News Humor, Health Satire, Legislation Humor, Media Satire, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Television (TV) Satire | No Comments »
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
Traitor Joe Lieberman is back to his old tricks, once again trying to undermine Democrats. So how’s Joe rewarding Obama and Harry Reid’s excessive generosity in letting Lieberman caucus with the Dems and chair the Homeland Security Committee? By threatening to help Republicans filibuster health reform over the public option.
Joe Lieberman’s latest misanthropic behavior reminds me of the single saving grace in Bush v. Gore: The election was stolen from Lieberman too.
I’ve already written Joe a song parody, so now it’s time for a limerick:
A Limerick For Traitor Joe
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Joe Lieberman’s meanness runs deep.
He’s a back-stabbing, Dem-screwing creep,
Who’s determined to kill
The health reform bill.
But at least he will never be VEEP.
Tags: Bush v. Gore, Filibuster, Harry Reid, Health Reform, Homeland Security, Joe Lieberman, Public Option, Traitors
Posted in Barack Obama, Filibuster Humor, Harry Reid, Health Satire, Insurance Humor, Joe Lieberman, Legislation Humor, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Washington | 6 Comments »
Saturday, September 19th, 2009
Wendell Potter, the former health insurance industry executive-turned-whistleblower, presents a scathing analysis of the Max Baucus health reform plan.
And that brings me to my latest limerick:
Balking At The Baucus Bill
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear Baucus, your health plan’s so bad,
Can’t decide if you’re dim or a cad.
Cuz the garbage disposal
Befits your proposal.
You’re driving us real Dems quite mad.
Related Posts: Ode To Senator Judd “Majority Rules, Except When It Doesn’t” Gregg; Open Limerick To President Obama; Republicans Were For “Death Panels” Before They Were Against Them; Tantrum Politics; and Waterloo Lies
Tags: Health Reform, Insurance Reform, Max Baucus, Wendell Potter
Posted in Health Satire, Insurance Humor, Legislation Humor, Max Baucus, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Senate Satire | 1 Comment »
Monday, September 14th, 2009
Just when you thought it was safe to take a shower, here’s a health scare that would make Alfred Hitchcock turn pale:
Bathing In Bad News (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Are health reports making you glower?
Is the swine flu bug making you cower?
Then get ready to frown
At the new scare in town:
Deadly germs in the head of your shower.
Tags: Bacteria, Disease, Health Humor, Immune Systems, Mycobacterium Avium, Shower Safety, Showerheads, Swine Flu
Posted in Health Satire, Scary News, Science Verse | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
Watching Republicans out-maneuver President Obama on “bi-partisan” health care reform has been so painful, I sometimes feel forced to avert my eyes. So I’ve written this open double limerick to President Obama:
An Open Limerick To President Obama
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear Obama, the GOP’s clear:
Won’t support any health reform. Hear?
You can whittle the bill
Down to bupkis — you still
Won’t get votes. Yes they’ve duped you, I fear.
Your naivety’s hurting our cause.
And so how about taking a pause?
Work with Dems on the Hill
To create a fresh bill
That has nary a GOP clause.
Related Posts: Republicans Were For “Death Panels” Before They Were Against Them; Tantrum Politics; and Waterloo Lies
Tags: Bipartisanship, Democrats Humor, GOP Lies, Health Care, Health Reform, Legislation Satire, Negotiations, Obama Verse, Republicans Humor
Posted in Barack Obama, GOP Humor, Health Satire, Insurance Humor, Legislation Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, White House | 7 Comments »
Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
Back in July, South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint bragged about Republican plans to “break” Obama. How? By killing health care reform, turning health care into Obama’s “Waterloo.”
So it’s no surprise that the President’s foes are wielding the Big Lie in their non-stop efforts to block reform. Or that their lies target the elderly, scaring them into thinking Democrats intend to mandate elder-euthanasia.
This brings me to my latest limerick, Waterloo Lies:
Waterloo Lies
By Madeleine Begun Kane
The GOP’s spreading big lies
To ensure that our health reform dies:
“The bill will kill gran —
Shorten seniors’ life span.”
Their goal? Cut Barack down to size.
Update: Check out the interesting and informative Health Wonk Review.
Related Posts: An Open Limerick To President Obama; Republicans Were For “Death Panels” Before They Were Against Them; and Tantrum Politics
Tags: Big Lie, Elderly, Euthanasia, Health Care, Insurance Reform, Jim DeMint, Obama, Reform, Republicans Humor, Scare Tactics, South Carolina, Waterloo
Posted in Barack Obama, Campaign Humor, GOP Humor, George Bush Satire, Health Satire, Insurance Humor, James DeMint, Legislation Humor, Media Satire, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Senate Satire, South Carolina Humor, White House | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
Life would be ever so much easier, if only RNC Chairman Michael Steele had Barack Obama’s gig. For instance, we’d be able to solve our health care problems in a nanosecond:
STEELE: So if it’s a cost problem, it’s easy: Get the people in a room who have the most and the most direct impact on cost, and do the deal. Do the deal. It’s not that complicated.
If it’s an access question, people don’t have access to health care, then figure out who they are, and give them access! Hello?! Am I missing something here? …
And so it’s time for yet another Michael Steele limerick:
Steeley Plan For Health Care
By Madeleine Begun Kane
U.S. health reform’s easy, says Steele.
Simply get in a room — do the deal.
Whether access or cost
Is the problem, accost
Those involved, do the deal, and get real.
Tags: Health Reform, Negotiation, RNC, Steele
Posted in Health Satire, Michael Steele, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, RNC Humor, Republicans Humor | 3 Comments »
Sunday, April 26th, 2009
For such a fan of secession, Texas Gov. Rick Perry sure is quick to ask for federal bucks. Hurricane disaster assistance? Check. Antiviral medications to combat swine flu? Check.
Now I live just two miles from the Fresh Meadows, Queens, New York swine flu outbreak at St. Francis Prep School. And I’m all for sending swine flu meds to needy areas like Texas. I just wish Texas didn’t have such a hypocrite for a governor.
And that brings me to my latest limerick:
Secession? Did I Say Secession?
By Madeleine Begun Kane
My Texas is quite independent,
Said Rick Perry — secession-defendant.
Then he called for the feds
To send anti-flu meds.
With hypocrisy Perry’s resplendent.
Tags: Antiviral Medications, Disaster Assistance, Flu Vaccine, Fresh Meadows, Health, Hurricane, Hypocrisy, New York, Queens, Rick Perry, Secession, St. Francis Prep, Swine Flu, Texas
Posted in Health Satire, New York Politics, Political Limericks, Rick Perry, Texas Humor | 11 Comments »
Stupak Stupidity
Monday, November 16th, 2009The Republican National Committee, the wingnutty Focus on the Family, and both groups’ donors are abortion-loving baby killers. Yes, I was shocked too. But it’s true, if you follow the thought process behind the Stupak Amendment to its logical conclusion.
Let me try to explain, even though the effort may make my brain explode. “Money is fungible,” say proponents of the Stupak abortion-coverage ban. And under “Stupak logic,” if your insurance policy doesn’t cover abortions, but your insurer issues abortion coverage to other people, your premiums are part of a pool of baby-killing cash.
This brings us back to the RNC whose health insurance policy, until roughly five minute ago, covered elective abortions and has done so since 1991.
So what inspired the sudden change? The RNC’s hypocritical abortion coverage got some headlines, embarrassing Chairman Michael Steele into sending its carrier an opt-out notice — something the RNC could have done any time during the last eighteen years.
End of story, right? Well, not exactly. Because the RNC hasn’t stopped paying health insurance premiums to Cigna. And Cigna still issues abortion insurance to other organizations. So under “Stupak logic,” the RNC and its donors are still subsidizing abortion and killing those babies.
Shame on the RNC! And shame also on Focus on the Family, which has its own fungible money problem. It’s insured by Principal, yet another abortion-covering carrier.
The RNC and Focus on the Family have earned themselves a limerick, don’t you think?
Stupak Stupidity
By Madeleine Begun Kane
The folks behind Stupak are clear:
All money is fungible. Hear?
So how odd that they chose
To pay money to cos
That finance abortions each year.
Related Post: Stewing Over Stupak
Tags: Abortion Coverage, Abortion Rights, Cigna, Focus On The Family, Fungible Money, Health Reform, Insurance Reform, Michael Steele, Principal, RNC, Stupak Amendment
Posted in Abortion Rights, Bart Stupak, Congress Humor, Health Satire, House Satire, Insurance Humor, Michael Steele, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, RNC Humor, Republicans Humor, Wingnuts | 1 Comment »