When Worthy of Respect

People say religious beliefs

Must always be respected,

And any criticism of such

Has to be rejected.

 

Frankly, that idea is

Just a religious ruse

To trick people and force them to

Respect irrational views.

 

If some fanatics say that they

Have the right to despise

And murder others in order to pave

Their way to paradise,

 

I say, "Nonsense!" They are using

Religion as a tool

To back irrationality

And be heartless and cruel.

 

It's so absurd when groups of people

And nations say with pride

That they have the right to massacre others,

For God is on their side.

 

When people ask, "Do I not

Have the right to deny

Equal rights for religious reasons?"

"Hell no!" I reply.

 

Creationists say that God made the world

In a specific way,

And throw out what evolutionary

Biologists have to say

 

And also maintain that criticizing

The Bible is off-limits talk,

And if creationist ideas

Are criticized, they squawk.

 

There are reasons that many people

Maintain a healthy doubt

When they study how all religious

Writings came about.

 

Religion can be a divisive force

When it is misused.

Let's be wise. Let's be adults.

Some things can't be excused.

 

-by Bob B (10-29-26)

Manipulation for Profit

As Facebook manipulates users for profit,

Its tactics aren't just arbitrary.

Pay attention to what's going on.

Users really ought to be wary.

 

Our personal data is being collected

And organized by Meta machines.

To give support to a populist's rise,

Facebook and Instagram have the means.

 

We can see how the apps have spread

Hate and mis- and disinformation

In hopes that users who catch on to that

Are able to swallow their indignation.

 

Lies spread faster than facts and the truth

And nurture people's growing hate.

And then by the time the lies are debunked,

Unfortunately, it is often too late.

 

Rewriting history is a goal

That propaganda networks use.

As tech companies aid the spreading

Of vicious lies, democracies lose.

 

Social media companies

Have reduced their efforts to stop

The flow of disinformation, for they

No longer want to be the cop.

 

Recently, some accounts have been

Suspended or posts have been deleted

Of people who would like to see

MAGA candidates defeated!

 

Will technology be held

Accountable, or will it be

Given free rein to aid the rise

Of tyrants and kill democracy?

-by Bob B (10 28-26)

Screwing Us Over

The situation is getting worse

Every friggin' day:

Cronyism, secrecy,

Corruption, pay to play.

 

In order to deal with Donald Trump,

First, you have to deliver.

He will do what benefits him

And sell us down the river.

 

Our national security

Is very much in peril.

How much longer till murderous Putin

Has us over a barrel?

 

Now it appears that Elon Musk

Is in the driver's seat

Of U.S. foreign policy.

Putin thinks that's sweet.

 

Big money is buying elections.

Donors recognize

That their candidates can win

Through deceit and lies.

 

Oligarchs are running the show.

Step right up and see

How they fill their pockets while

Hurting you and me.

 

Cronyism and making money:

That's what friends are for.

We once thought integrity mattered.

It doesn't anymore.

 

-by Bob B (10-24-26)

Humanitarian?

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff:

What an obnoxious fool!

Whatever sense the man possesses

Has to be minuscule.

 

Calling Putin a "humanitarian"

Is totally out of line.

Not only is the comment wrong,

It's also asinine.

 

Putin is NOT a humanitarian.

Come on. Give me a break!

The nicest thing I could say about him

Would be to call him a snake.

 

Putin released an American

Who for the past four years

Had been wrongfully held in prison.

Putin deserves our jeers.

 

He's a murderous thug, a bully

Who's killing kids in Ukraine.

He jails his opponents or murders them

So he can secure his reign.

 

Destroying cities, abducting children,

He seeks complete control.

He lies to his people--he lies to the world!

Domination: his goal.

 

Contributing to the deaths of our soldiers

In Trump's illegal war,

Putin has Trump by the balls, he does,

And Putin is keeping score.

 

Trump agrees with Witkoff, of course.

What else would you expect

From a wannabe autocrat

Whose interests he wants to protect?

 

Incompetent fools are running this country.

We badly need a change.

IF we ALL vote wisely, let's see

What we can arrange.

 

-by Bob B (10-22-26)

A True Story

In Gevaş, Turkey, in 2005,

While shepherds breakfasted that day,

Nearly fifteen hundred grazing

Sheep were suddenly led astray.

 

Nearby was a fifty-foot cliff.

One sheep walked to the edge and jumped.

Fifteen hundred sheep followed suit.

As to why, the shepherds were stumped.

 

That day 450 sheep

Died. It was a major blow

To the local community,

Which suffered therefrom tremendous woe.

 

One thousand fifty sheep

Strangely survived, observers recall.

The 450 unfortunate ones

That died beneath them cushioned their fall.

 

Currently in the United States,

We have a demented sheep that's leading

His followers over a precipice,

And they aren't dawdling; they're stampeding.

 

We all feel the repercussions.

The sheep that's leading is a master

At bringing about an economic

And frightful security disaster.

 

-by Bob B (9-19-26)

Good News and Bad News

Well, I have some good and bad news.

First, bad news could always be worse.

This has to do with where we live:

Our giant, mysterious universe,

 

Which is over thirteen billion

Years of age, and it's still growing.

Any knowledge that we receive

From scientists is well worth knowing.

 

The universe eventually

Will reach its maximum size, and then

It may collapse, setting off

The Big Bang all over again.

 

The "Big Crunch" it's called, and yes,

I know the whole idea sounds eerie,

But do not panic! Don't become

Depressed and commit hara-kiri.

 

Good news: it should not occur

For thirty-three billion years, and so

It should be a consoling thought

To know we have a long way to go.

 

Anyway, Earth will not be around,

So there's no need to make a fuss.

In twenty billion years our nearest

Galaxy will collide with us.

 

If the Big Crunch has to happen,

To the universe let's just say:

"'Pick yourself up, dust yourself off,

And start all over again,' okay?"

-by Bob B (9-13-26)

For Dolly

The country and the world mourn.

With tears of grief and hearts forlorn,

Lower flags to half-staff now for Dolly.

 

Think of all the good she'd done.

The joy that spread to everyone

Wouldn't be the same if not for Dolly.

 

Let her kindness be your guide.

The love that she personified

Seemed to be so natural for Dolly.

 

Her charming laughter and her grace

Both made this world a better place.

Folks would have done anything for Dolly.

 

She loved the LGBTQ

Community and strove

To make discrimination disappear.

She knew that vaccinations were

A pro-health treasure trove,

And she chose optimism over fear.

 

From humble roots to super star,

She sang and strummed on her guitar.

The stage became a second home for Dolly.

 

She said you MUST not sacrifice

Who you are or pay the price:

Words of wisdom were not hard for Dolly.

 

Learn all that you can, said she.

Show the world what you can be.

Make your dreams come true; they did for Dolly.

 

The legacy she left behind

And all she did for humankind

Should help console us as we grieve for Dolly.

 

Good-bye, Dolly.

 

-by Bob B (8-27-26)

Who's Natalie?

Perhaps you've heard a name in the news

Or heard it mentioned in interviews.

People all over are wondering,

"Who the hell is Natalie?"

 

Back in 2021

A bunch of thugs were having fun

Ransacking the Capitol.

But, hey, where was Natalie?

 

Later on--we now can read--

Someone had written "Never concede"

To all the insurrectionists.

Ah, that was Natalie.

 

Now she's Trump's devoted aide--

Also a human barricade--

Who helps Trump with social media

Posts. Yep, that's Natalie.

 

A loyal, sycophantic advisor

And staunch MAGA sympathizer.

With access to sensitive information:

Ever-faithful Natalie.

 

People say she worked a year

Without a security clearance. Dear!

"Human Printer" and "gatekeeper"

Are other names for Natalie.

 

Shielding Trump from negative polls

And angry social media trolls,

She shows him only favorable

Coverage--his Natalie.

 

A constant presence at Trump's side.

With special bonds the two are tied.

Want a private meeting with him?

You'll see Trump and Natalie.

 

Her letters to Trump are rather revealing

And have a lot of people reeling.

She calls him "guardian and protector."

Lovely words from Natalie.

 

I wonder if Melania thinks,

"This whole situation stinks!"

Or is she quite relieved that Trump

Gives attention to Natalie?

 

However, be careful what you say

And do not ask for her résumé,

For Trump gets testy and is protective

Of dear, sweet Natalie.

-by Bob B (8-24-26)

The I-Don't-Care President

As Trump swindles America

And gaslights the public whenever he can,

More and more people can see

That he's a contemptuous, heartless man.

 

The USS Abraham Lincoln

Had been deployed to the Middle East.

The ship's deployment was far too long,

But Trump didn't care in the least.

 

The sailors' mental health was a major

Issue. Conditions on board were bad.

Morale was low. One would think

The president would find that sad.

 

But, no, not Mr. Lack of Compassion.

(A person cannot make up this stuff.)

According to Trump the ship had not

Been deployed long enough!

 

While people suffer from rising costs,

Trump doesn't feel an ounce of despair.

Affordability to him

Means NOTHING because the man doesn't care.

 

Having created an economic

Crisis due to his senseless war,

Trump's major concern is his ballroom

With its gleaming marble floor.

 

As people lose their health care, Trump

Displays a total lack of concern--

Something that is easy to do

For someone who has money to burn.

 

Despite the effects of climate change,

Trump pushes for more drilling.

His self-indulgent and narcissistic

Way of thinking is bone chilling.

 

How much longer can this go on?

Democracy has no warranty.

Has the country passed the point

Of no return? We shall see.

-by Bob B (8-21-26)

Saying "Good Riddance!"

Karoline Leavitt is leaving the White House.

Say "Good riddance!" instead of goodbye,

For anyone who cares about

The truth will know the reason why.

 

Whether it's about ICE murders,

The state of our economy,

Trump's tariffs, deaths caused

By cutting U.S.A.I.D.,

 

Trump's vanity projects, or condoms

Being sent to Gaza--heck!--

Constantly, she lies for Trump

While wearing a cross around her neck.

 

Isn't there a commandment that says

That one shouldn't lie? Ironic, no?

But if you do not lie for Trump,

You will get the ol' heave-ho.

 

When she isn't lying, she's

Attacking reporters and calling them names.

Hard questions that she doesn't like

Are "bullsh*t questions," or so she claims.

 

When it comes to Trump's bruises,

Leavitt asks, no, she demands

That we believe her story that Trump

Has bruises from shaking so many hands.

 

So Karoline Leavitt is leaving the White House.

But there's no leaving a sigh of relief,

For obviously, her replacement

Will have to lie for the Liar in Chief.

-by Bob B (8-14-26)

The Grand Manipulator

If you're supporting Donald Trump,

He thinks you are stupid because

He thinks you will stand behind

Everything he says and does.

 

He expects that you'll agree

That our economy's doing great,

Even though his tariffs and wars

Have caused prices to inflate.

 

He assumes that you believe

That our election system is flawed--

That he "lost" in 2020

Because of rampant voter fraud

 

And foreign involvement, such as China's

Tampering with voting machines,

Despite that there's no evidence

Of shady doings behind the scenes.

 

You will go along with him--

He thinks--every time he lies

And makes up wild conspiracy theories

And says, "Do NOT believe your eyes."

 

The thugs who trashed the Capitol

On January 6, says he,

Were patriots who loved the country,

And he expects you to agree.

 

And he thinks you're not smart enough

To makes decisions on your own--

That you will do whatever he says

While he commands you from his throne.

 

Trump's an expert manipulator--

An expert at stringing people along.

If he thinks that you are stupid,

The NEXT time you vote, prove him wrong.

-by Bob B (7-17-26)

Destroyed from Within

Putin’s having a great time watching

America being destroyed from within.

Trump is taking leave of his senses,

And people's patience is wearing thin.

 

Continuing to divide the country,

Trump is spreading a "communist" scare.

The fact that there is no threat at all

Doesn't matter; he doesn't care.

 

His nightly rambling social media

Posts from his phone--his favorite tool--

Allow Putin to relish watching him

Look like a silly, demented fool.

 

Depleting military stockpiles

On his senseless war with Iran,

Trump's too dense to realize

That he is basically Putin's pawn.

 

His groups of white nationalist

Supporters grow more out of control

While he as a wannabe autocrat

Continues to expand his role.

 

He wants to control the nation's elections.

Putin most likely gives him advice

On how to rig our future voting.

Democracy will pay the price.

 

Trump has totally weaponized

The DOJ to go after foes.

When it comes to being divisive,

He and his admin team are pros.

 

Whenever Trump disparages NATO,

Putin is in seventh heaven.

He also loves it when Trump insists

There should be a G8, not -7.°

 

Putin jumps for joy when he sees

Protectors of democracy fight

With Trump supporters who sing his praises

And agree with him that might makes right.
  

A weak, divided America:

That's what Putin wants to see.

If things don't change, we will have to

Say good-bye to the land of the free.

-by Bob B (7-13-26)

°G7 (Group of Seven) - an intergovernmental forum of seven nations, not including Russia

Poor ICE Barbie

Kristi Noem, we hear that you're

Divorcing hubby, Bryon. Oh, dear!

Poor baby! It looks as though

You are having a very bad year.

 

So Bryon is into cross-dressing.

My, my! What's a girl to do?

Is the problem that when he wears

Your clothes he looks much better than you?

 

Involved in so many controversies,

You seem to have been caught in a thicket.

But Bryon is truly lucky that he

Didn't suffer the same fate as Cricket.°

 

We heard reports regarding your

Alleged romantic involvement with Corey.°°

You both deny it, but still it makes us

Wonder if there is more to the story.

 

When you were homeland security

Secretary, how you lied!

While you have been in your new position,°°°

Tell us how many people have died.

 

Do you feel any remorse

At all for the deaths in Minnesota?

Here's some advice: move back home

And stay on your ranch in South Dakota.

-by Bob B (7-11-26)

 

°Former Trump campaign aide

°°Noem's pet dog that she shot because of its unruly behavior

°°°Special envoy for the Shield of the Americas