Posts Tagged ‘Negotiation’

Limerick Ode To A Speech Spat

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

I’ve bemoaned Obama’s bad negotiation skills in the past. But the latest brouhaha over a date to speak before Congress really takes the cake:

Limerick Ode To A Speech Spat
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Dear Obama, you waged a dumb fight
Over speech dates, and lost — not too bright!
Tell me, how did you make
Such a rookie mistake?
It’s no wonder your wins are so slight.

Premature Concession Syndrome — A Remedial Limerick

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

I’ve finally figured out what’s wrong with President Obama: He suffers from PCS (Premature Concession Syndrome.) The latest example is his proposed federal employee wage freeze. But as Rachel Maddow said last night in her Charlie Brown commentary: “This White House consistently gives up its concessions at the start, before getting anything in return.”

Here’s hoping this open limerick to President Obama helps:

Premature Concession Syndrome — A Remedial Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Dear Obama, it’s Law 101
That in deal making don’t jump the gun:
Never give stuff away
With the hope that one day
You might get something back — this ain’t done.

Your opponent will simply want more.
He will threaten to walk out the door
Unless you accede
To his limitless greed.
Learn this rule or you never will score.

You claim that you earned a JD.
I’ve got one of my own, so you see
Why I don’t understand
How you fail to demand
Quid pro quo from the damn GOP.

Steeley Plan For Health Care

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.