Posts Tagged ‘Legislation Satire’
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 | 3 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!
I proud to say that this post is mentioned in the excellent
Health Wonk Review: Special Edition On Health Reform.
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 | Comments Off on Et Tu, Dennis?
Monday, March 1st, 2010
I haven’t lived in California since I graduated from Cal Arts a zillion years ago. And when I read stories like this one about the California Assembly’s silly anti-cursing bill, I’m in no rush to go back. And certainly not to Sacramento:
Gosh-Darn Pols!
By Madeleine Begun Kane
California Assembly’s decree:
The first week of March is “cuss-free.”
So don’t fret about health,
Or pine for lost wealth,
Cuz your pols are protecting you. See?
Update: After writing this, I ran across this interesting post on the same topic by Seth Frederiksen, who’s originally from California. And there’s more information about the bill over here at skippy’s.
Tags: Anti-Cursing, Cal Arts, California Assembly Satire, Cuss-Free Humor, Legislation Satire, Political Priorities, Politicians Limerick, Sacramento
Posted in California Satire, Etiquette Humor, Language Humor, Legal Limericks, Legislation Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire | 5 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 »
Monday, January 25th, 2010
In the wake of the Massachusetts election debacle, I keep naively expecting Democrats to wake up and smell the need to stop acting like patsies.
Any minute now (I tell myself) Dems under Obama’s leadership will call a halt to the futile act of making nice with Republicans (and Blue Dogs) and will start pursuing a truly progressive agenda.
But, alas, Democrats seem to have learned exactly the wrong lesson from losing Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat to a Republican.
And that brings me to my latest limerick:
Ode To Weak-Kneed Democrats
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear Obama and co are you nuts?
Or did someone abscond with your guts?
If you act like you’re weak
All your power will leak,
Hurling Dems out of town on their butts.
********
Some related posts from Think Progress, Common Dreams, Susie Madrak, and Steve Benen.
Tags: Blue Dogs, Democratic Leadership, Election Humor, Legislation Satire, Massachusetts, Progressive Agenda
Posted in Barack Obama, Campaign Humor, Congress Humor, Election Satire, Filibuster Humor, GOP Humor, Leadership Humor, Legislation Humor, Martha Coakley, Media Satire, Minority Rights Humor, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Scott Brown, Senate Satire, Washington, White House | Comments Off on Ode To Weak-Kneed Democrats
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 | Comments Off on “Short On Facts” Fox
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Recent comments by Sen. Jay Rockefeller and others indicate
that a strong public option could become a reality, if only President Obama stopped being a Bystander President.
Bystander President? (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Public option’s at stake — tock, tick, tock.
Please step up to the plate, Dear Barack.
Though the sidelines were cool
For a while, you’re a fool
If you fail to ensure it’s a lock.
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 Care Reform, Jay Rockefeller, Legislation Satire, Obama Verse, Public Option
Posted in Barack Obama, Health Satire, Legislation Humor, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, White House | Comments Off on Bystander President?
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 »
Ode To Weak-Kneed Democrats
Monday, January 25th, 2010In the wake of the Massachusetts election debacle, I keep naively expecting Democrats to wake up and smell the need to stop acting like patsies.
Any minute now (I tell myself) Dems under Obama’s leadership will call a halt to the futile act of making nice with Republicans (and Blue Dogs) and will start pursuing a truly progressive agenda.
But, alas, Democrats seem to have learned exactly the wrong lesson from losing Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat to a Republican.
And that brings me to my latest limerick:
Ode To Weak-Kneed Democrats
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear Obama and co are you nuts?
Or did someone abscond with your guts?
If you act like you’re weak
All your power will leak,
Hurling Dems out of town on their butts.
********
Some related posts from Think Progress, Common Dreams, Susie Madrak, and Steve Benen.
Tags: Blue Dogs, Democratic Leadership, Election Humor, Legislation Satire, Massachusetts, Progressive Agenda
Posted in Barack Obama, Campaign Humor, Congress Humor, Election Satire, Filibuster Humor, GOP Humor, Leadership Humor, Legislation Humor, Martha Coakley, Media Satire, Minority Rights Humor, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Scott Brown, Senate Satire, Washington, White House | Comments Off on Ode To Weak-Kneed Democrats