Archive for September, 2011

The Crass Chris Christie Craze (Limerick)

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

The Republican powers-that-be never liked Mitt Romney. And they’re beginning to panic over Rick Perry’s abysmal debate performances. So they’re back to wooing the obnoxious New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, despite his lengthy list of flaws:

The Crass Chris Christie Craze (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Some powerful GOP men
Are wooing Chris Christie again.
So why do these guys
Think a Chris-run is wise?
They’ve contracted a nasty-man yen.

Mild-Mannered Comedian Ted Alexandro Takes A Tough Stand On Wall Street (Limerick)

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

‎Ted Alexandro, one of my favorite comedians, is pictured demonstrating here at the Wall Street protests. I felt compelled to write him a limerick:

A wonderful comic named Ted
Protests Wall Street with sign above head.
He taught music in Queens
And he knows what it means
To fight for what’s right. Enough said!

Oddly enough, this is the second time Ted inspired me to write him a limerick: Limerick Ode To Ted Alexandro.

Wooing The Donald (Limerick)

Monday, September 26th, 2011

Just when you thought they couldn’t stoop any lower, Republican presidential wannabes like Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, Sarah Palin, and Michele Bachmann are lining up to kiss Donald Trump’s … uh … ring. After all, nothing says presidential like a Donald Trump endorsement.

Wooing The Donald (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Some Republicans hope for a bump
In their polls if endorsed by Don Trump.
Here’s a warning for those
Who are kissing his toes:
Self-promotion’s “Goal 1” for that grump.

The So-Called Liberal Media Strikes Again

Sunday, September 25th, 2011

Steve Benen points us to yet another example of the media blaming the wrong political party. According to the Washington Post, the Democrats, in resisting Republican precedent-changing demands for FEMA disaster relief offsets, was starting a “fight over a side issue:”

But Democrats decided to pick a fight over a side issue: an insistence by the GOP to pay for more disaster relief funding by cutting a popular auto-industry loan program. Republicans refused to back down.

So let me get this straight: Republicans try to change the rules, thereby holding disaster victims hostage … and it’s the Democrats’ fault?

This calls for two poems: a limerick and a tanka:

Dear Washington Post, you are wrong
With your Democrats started it song.
Disaster relief
Is the cause of this beef.
Give those offset demands a loud gong.

*****

Republican pols
Demand FEMA fund offsets—
Hold victims hostage,
While “liberal media”
Blames Dems for starting the fight.

*****

Sarah “Send Cash” Palin (Limerick)

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

Sarah Palin will apparently do anything to keep her name in the news … and the money flowing in:

Alaska Republican Sarah Palin is “on the verge of making her decision of whether or not to run for office” – and her backers should write a check right away, a letter from her political action committee says.

Sarah “Send Cash” Palin
By Madeleine Begun Kane

I need money to help me decide,
Says a woman I can not abide.
I’m referring to Palin—
Ex-Gov known for bailin’.
Let your non-gift be Palin’s best guide.

Limerick Ode To “Regular Guy” Romney

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

According to the New York Times, Mitt Romney is using Twitter to depict himself as a “regular guy.” So if you want to know what fast food Romney fancies, or what low-fare flights he has taken, be sure to follow Mitt’s Tweets.

Limerick Ode To “Regular Guy” Romney
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Mitt Romney’s a regular guy:
Subways, burgers, and sometimes a fry
Are the foods that he eats.
(You can tell by his Tweets.)
And I’m betting he never eats Thai.

Limerick Ode To The New, Improved Obama

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

This devout progressive has been very hard on Obama lately … and with good reason. But the debt ceiling debacle, liberal anger, and sinking poll numbers seem to have woken him up. Suddenly, Obama is the new, improved, assertive, populist President. And many former fans are welcoming back the President they thought they elected.

So, am I cheering? Well, let’s just say I’m giving Obama guarded applause. For while I like some of his jobs and tax proposals, and I love his newly confident, aggressive tone, I’m not convinced that any of this will last.

And that brings me to my latest limerick:

Limerick Ode To The New, Improved Obama
By Madeleine Begun Kane

It fin’ly has dawned on Barack
That with lib’rals he’s lost lots of stock.
His base and foundation
Could be his salvation.
I just hope his new stance ain’t a crock.

Limerick Ode To The Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

Limerick Ode To The Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Hooray! “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has ended.
Civil liberties lovers say, “Splendid!”
But it’s mourned by some jerks
Who think killed-at-war “perks”
Should only to “straights” be extended.

Limerick Ode To John Boehner

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

John Boehner’s jobs speech was rather hypocritical, as Greg Sargent points out. Sargent highlights two rather inconsistent sentences:

“If we want to create a better environment for job creation, politicians of all stripes can leave the ‘my way or the highway’ philosophy behind.”

And there was also this:

“Tax increases, however, are not a viable option for the Joint Committee.”

Such hypocrisy cries out for a limerick:

Limerick Ode To John Boehner
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Boehner’s job speech surprised me a tad.
He said, My way or highway is bad.
Sounded promising till
He continued, No bill
Will raise taxes.
Hypocrisy’s sad.

Political Haiku Trio

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

As pandering pols
romance the Tea Partiers,
they imbibe madness.

*****

Tea Party blood lust:
Leave uninsured man to die —
GOP scares me.

*****

Republican pols
cater to greedy donors—
putting people last.

*****

(For more haiku, check out Sensational Haiku Wednesday.)

Limerick Ode To Astrotweeters

Friday, September 9th, 2011

The astrotweet — yet another reason not to believe (or spread) those political tweets littered all over Twitter:

The research on astrotweeting, though too tangential to my book, is worth flagging for readers. In this paper, the authors describe how political operatives set up fake accounts to spread rumors or false statements about candidates. This is done in a way to make it appear as though the information is coming from numerous sources, to convey the impression that the information is reliable.

Limerick Ode To Astrotweeters
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Political op’rative geeks
Use various sneaky techniques.
They spread lies via tweets:
Astrotweeting — those cheats
Should be jailed for their libelous leaks.

Washington Observer’s Haiku

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011

I watch Washington,
Observe Republican pols—
Heart and hope erode.

(Prompted by Three Word Wednesday to use erode, heart, and observe in a poem.)

My Email To Obama’s Campaign

Saturday, September 3rd, 2011

I got an info@barackobama.com campaign email & replied with this limerick. I plan to do this from now on, every time I get an email from Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. Feel free to use my limerick in the same way:

Limerick Ode To A Failed Presidency
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Dear Obama, I’ve had it — you’ve failed.
It was time to be strong, but you bailed.
The Dems needed “bold.”
But instead you got rolled.
You’ve undermined all that we hailed.

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.

Limerick Ode To Sarah “Bigfoot” Palin

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

I can’t believe I’m writing this, but I almost feel sorry for Christine O’Donnell. No, I’m not talking about O’Donnell’s paltry book sales. I’m referring to her being bigfooted by Sarah Palin out of an appearance at a Tea Party of America rally.

Limerick Ode To Sarah “Bigfoot” Palin
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Sarah Palin’s a very spoiled brat.
To other gal pols she says, “Scat!”
Prima donna bar none —
She would bar ev’ry one,
Looking down from her very high hat.