Democracy in Crisis

All is NOT well in the grasslands.

The animals are fit to be tied.

The actions of the crafty wolves

Have left the rest of them horrified.

"How will we EVER be able

To keep democracy afloat,"

The antelope asked, "if the wolves

Don't allow us all to vote?

"In many sections of these grasslands,

Shameless wolves are doing their best

To hold voter registration

Hostage, keeping voters suppressed."

"They aim to control voter turnout,"

The deer added. "That's their hope.

Their sneaky ways to manipulate

Elections push the envelope!

“They stall and seek petty reasons

To take names off voting lists.

Fair and honest elections are

In jeopardy if this persists.”

"It's so close to election day,

Our courts are reluctant to raise objections,"

The buffalo said. "Some of the wolves

Are even running in the elections!

"Humph! They stole a Supreme Court justice.

Then they rammed another one through.

Now they're still suppressing voters.

What more damage will they do?"

"Winnowing down voter rolls!

Their strategies should be illegal!"

The fox chimed in. Looking around,

He asked, "Where is our dear friend Eagle?"

The absent eagle wanted no

Responsibility tied to her name.

She couldn't stop the out-of-control

Wolves, and hid her head in shame.

-by Bob B (10-19-18)

The King of Cover-up

The king of cover-up is at it again,

Downplaying financial ties

And close connections with other countries,

Especially when questions arise.

First it was with Putin and Russia.

How much collusion remains to be seen.

Conspiracy in election meddling?

Whitewashing is now routine.

And then there was the hush-money

To cover-up some hanky-panky.

Dissimulation's easy when

You've got money in the banky.

It looks as though you must deny

And try to hide actions you rue,

But calling your fling "horse face," is that

A gentlemanly thing to do?

Now the cover-up deals with the Saudis--

With the crown prince and the Saudi king.

Denial…admittance…rogue players…

It has such a familiar ring.

After bragging over and over

About the millions of dollars he's made

From wealthy Saudis, his words are now

Exploding like a hand grenade.

When the leader has conflicts of interest,

Critics, pundits, and others who know

Where his interests really lie,

Shrug and say, "We told you so!"

He says he has a "natural instinct

For science." Isn't THAT a joke!

I wish his "natural instinct" was for

Telling the truth whenever he spoke.

-by Bob B (10-18-18)

Death in Yemen

As the wind blows across the fiery desert,

The desperate people of Yemen sigh.

How many more will suffer today?

How many more children will cry?

A Saudi-led coalition

Strikes with a heartless disregard,

Leaving behind misery--

Death and destruction its calling card.

Choking the poor country, the Saudis

Organized a major blockade,

Cutting off vital medicine,

Food, and water, and stopping all trade.

Cluster bombs have fallen on cities.

Thousands of innocent people have died.

Hospitals and schools have been hit.

How can such horror be justified?

Millions of people risk starvation

If all the bombing does not end.

The Saudis hunger for more and more weapons,

And they have billions of dollars to spend.

A bomb made by Lockheed Martin

Hit a Yemeni school bus

Killing fifty-one people, and hurting

Many more, thanks to us.

A U.S. bomb hit funeral mourners;

One destroyed a marketplace.

That our support causes such

Atrocities is a disgrace.

The people suffer from cholera--

Something that is hard to avoid

When a country's sanitation

Facilities are being destroyed.

A massive humanitarian crisis

Plagues the country despite appeals

To end the conflict by caring nations,

While major players dig in their heels.

Sunni-Shiite conflicts continue

With innocent citizens caught in between.

Callous leaders turn their heads,

Afraid to speak up or intervene.

-by Bob B (10-17-18)

Just Deny It!

Despite multiple accusations

Of sexual impropriety,

Trump still demonstrates

A false display of piety.

He knows his loyal fans out there

Would never, ever truly deceive him.

He denies whatever he wants

And knows that they will all believe him.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh

Aspires for both fame and glory.

Somehow he got people to

Give credence to his manicured story.

Following Trump's slick advice,

He thought, "Hey, why not try it?

Whatever they accuse me of,

I will out-and-out deny it."

Putin said he hadn't meddled

In our twenty sixteen elections.

Although we know that Internet trolls

Were following his cunning directions.

Putin merely had to say,

"Mr. Trump, I did not do it."

That is all that Trump needed

To say to the world, "You see: I knew it."

Trump asked the Saudi king

If he had had a journalist killed

In Istanbul. That is where

Jamal Khashoggi's blood had been spilled.

The king and prince denied it. Trump,

Satisfied, said, "You see:

The king said they didn't do it.

His denial's enough for me."

Just deny whatever you've done.
That's the message we are getting.
Having to pay consequences
Can stifle your plans and be upsetting.
Just deny it, and you will have

All of your fans believing your tale.

Turn them all against the victim

To save your ass and stay out of jail.

-by Bob B (10-16-18)

Kanye at the White House

Kanye West visited Trump

At the White House, and man, what a scene!

His words were bouncing off all the walls,

Just like a ball in a pinball machine.

His disjointed rantings and ravings

Made little if any sense.

He sucked up to the president

More than even Michael Pence.

Rambling about the 13th Amendment,

The Unabomber, and then trap doors,

He ended the strange concoction of thoughts

With a weird reference to thirteen floors.

To him, Trump is a father figure.

To prove how much he is fan,

Whenever he wears his MAGA cap,

It makes him feel like Superman.

Illegal guns, tasting fine wines,

And liberals controlling blacks

Through racism? You wanted to say,

Calm down, Kanye. Try to relax.

One thing is certain: We can see

From trying to follow his monologue threads,

That Kanye needs some serious help.

Kanye, please get back on your meds!

-by Bob B (10-14-18)

Murder at the Consulate

At the Saudi Arabian Consulate,

In Istanbul, Turkey, I hear

Something dreadful happened, although

Details are as yet unclear.

Saudi born Jamal Khashoggi,

Journalist for the Washington Post,

Entered the consulate knowing that

It might not be a welcoming host.

An Apple Watch might seem useless.

Khashoggi's Watch, nevertheless,

Recorded his brutal beating and murder,

According to the Turkish press.

But was it an Apple Watch, or had

Turkish authorities bugged the room?

Whatever the case, people are certain

That that’s where Khashoggi met his doom.

We know he entered the building whole.

We're waiting to hear more news releases,

For many fear that the journalist,

Exited the building in pieces.

When asked if he'd condemn the Saudis

If they had committed the ghastly deed,

Trump at first appeared reluctant

To criticize them or intercede.

The Saudis pay billions of dollars

For weapons, he said, to the USA.

And what's-his-name wasn't even

An American citizen anyway.

Later, Trump admitted that

We need a thorough investigation.

But sanctions involving money? No,

That would severely hurt our nation.

Meanwhile, the Saudis kill innocent

Yemenis with the weapons they buy,

And rectitude falls by the wayside

As bank accounts multiply.

-by Bob B (10-13-18)

The D.T. Playbook: Chapter 5 (Supreme Court Confirmations)

Promise to nominate a judge

Who will reverse previous decisions.

Relish the opportunity

To fan the flames of people's divisions.

Refuse to provide the senators

With all of the documents that they need

To allow for careful, researched judgment.

Your nominee will be guaranteed.

Be sure the person you nominate

Will have your back if things get hairy.

Agreeing that you're above the law

Is absolutely necessary.

Let ideology be

The key factor for stacking the Court.

Your starry-eyed supporters will

Give you their undying support.

Train your nominee to behave

Just like you when at a hearing.

Your base will consequently find

The person even more endearing.

If any dirt might come up,

Limit the background investigation

To make it essentially a sham.

And lie without reservation.

Persuade Republicans in Congress

To sycophantly do your bidding.

You scratch their backs; they'll scratch yours.

Works like a charm. I'm not kidding!

Belittle dissenters. People who don't

Support you, you humiliate.

Stick to this plan, for that's how you

Are going to make this country great.

-by Bob B (10-5-18)

A Self-Made Man

"When your daddy's filthy rich,

Take the opportunity

To use his wealth so you'll become

A SELF-MADE billionaire like me.

"Dubious tax schemes help a lot

When Daddy Trump's income waxes.

You and he can benefit from

Committing fraud and dodging taxes.

"A sham corporation allows

You to disguise millions in "gifts."

Improper tax deductions

Speed along these money shifts.

"Undervalue real estate holdings

By millions of dollars. We've deduced

That when the property's transferred, your

Tax bill will be greatly reduced.

"Be creative, explore loopholes--

Even deception and obfuscation.

If you're under scrutiny,

Feign utter indignation.

"Later, when your fortune increases,

Say that you have serious concerns

About the need for anyone

To see your personal tax returns.

"Seduce your fans by spinning your tale.

Lie, cheat, do what you can

To let them think their president

Is from the start a SELF-MADE man."

-by Bob B (10-3-18)

Up to Snuff?

Hey, Judge Kavanaugh,

What should people think

When they hear all about

How much you liked to drink?

You can play it down, of course,

But one thing's very clear:

When you went to school, your friends

Knew you liked your beer.

You showed up at your hearing with

All guns a blazing!

Your little friend Lindsey Graham

Thought you were amazing.

It doesn't really matter to him

If you're wrong or right.

People say that Graham has

Bigger goals in sight.

You are bound and determined to be

On our highest court.

You THINK you're qualified, but something

Tells us you fall short.

A judge-like character

Is ONE thing that's required.

But your impartiality

Leaves much to be desired.

Sure you have your fans who say

You are a decent man.

Republicans are using you

As part of their master plan.

Your shining record doesn't mean

That you weren't once a jerk.

Now that you've cleaned up your act

You want to do "God's work."

Call your attacks a smear if you want,

But we have had enough.

America deserves a justice

Who is up to snuff.

If up to par, what will further

Investigations show?

That you deserve to be a yes,

Or will you be a no?

-by Bob B (9-30-18)

I or Me?

Many speakers of English have trouble

Knowing which pronoun they should be using.

Why do they find "I" or "me"

Or "she" or "her" so confusing?

"Between you and I" is a phrase

That many speakers of English say.

"Between you and me" is spot on.

Don't let "I" get in the way.

"Her brother and her went to the movie."

How could "her" go to a show?

"She and her brother" actually went.

Isn't that easy? Don't say no.

"The present is from Julie and I."

From "I"? No, no, that can't be.

Here's what we really should be saying:

"The present is from Julie and me."

"Her and I have known each other

For many years." I hear that said.

Ouch! Let "she" replace the word "her."

It should be "she and I" instead.

If one or more pronouns are used in a phrase,

Here's a tip that's kind of fun:

If you're not sure which one to use,

Always try them one by one.

For example, take the phrase

"Me and Tom like apple pie."

Tom likes pie; I like it, too.

So, it should be "Tom and I."

There you have it. For someone like

You and me, this is a cinch.

You and I will know the correct

Pronoun to use when we're in a pinch.

-by Bob B (9-29-18)

Lamenting the Death of Truth*

We hobble along with outrage fatigue

And watch as nothing ever exhausts

Our Machiavellian leaders' use

Of the media to win at all costs.

False story lines prevail.

To hell with accuracy and precision.

Sowing distrust of higher learning

Solidifies their paranoid vision.

Watch how their destructive disdain

For expertise gains vitality

As people's opinions and feelings stomp

On any form of objective reality.

Watch as they rewrite history;

Notice how data can be erased

As they become suspicious of much

Information that's science-based.

Language becomes weaponized:

Hyperbole, salacious lies,

And slippery superlatives

Celebrate truth's demise.

Party loyalty: that is key.

All that matters is the sale.

Hijacking democracy

Becomes the goal: the holy grail.

Mobilized by grievance, they

Inflame fear and anger. They hope

That we will find scapegoats to blame

When we are at the end of our rope.

A general illiteracy

On issues that affect our lives

Keeps us all in doubt while they

Create fake news and sharpen their knives.

Ah, how they want you to fear

Government, which is ironic,

For they themselves are government.

Look at their smiles, cold and sardonic.

Give equal weight to both

Sides of arguments, they say.

That's how they can justify

Bigotry and lead us astray.

While extremist views go mainstream,

Blurred lines make life hazy.

Keep watering narcissism,

And you will see it grow like crazy.

Their careful manipulation of language

Proves how much their rhetoric's swollen.

The people find it hard to accept

That basic freedoms are being stolen.

As we lament the death of truth

And wonder how it came to pass,

Before we cast blame we must

Peer into the looking glass.

-by Bob B (9-28-18)

*Inspired by The Death of Truth by Michiko Kakutani

What Happens There Doesn't Always Stay There

What happened in Georgetown stays in Georgetown.

Judge Kavanaugh, that's what you said.

But maybe that's not always the case,

For now you see that stories spread.

If you are the goody two shoes

That Republicans say you are,

Prove to us that you have what

It takes to be their shining star.

Gang rapes? Drunken parties?

Serious charges for a youth.

What happened there behind closed doors?

We just want to know the truth.

Survivors are merely asking for further

FBI investigations

To get to the bottom of all of this.

These are serious accusations.

One thing that they have done

Or at least say that they will do

Is take a lie detector test.

Maybe YOU should take one, too.

"This poor man's life is being ruined."

That is what your fans are saying.

They ignore how others' lives

Have been affected. That's dismaying.

Look at the hollow hypocrisy

Of members of Congress who turn their backs

On women who have struggled to

Survive violent sexual attacks.

Some say that the Democrats

Are experts at how to lie and cheat.

But we've seen that Republicans

In Congress are masters of deceit.

Holding back pertinent

Information is not the best

Way to show that a nominee

Makes the grade--passes the test.

Judge Scalia's position was kept

Open for over 400 days!

Now they want to rush to judgment,

Ramming you through with no delays!

A thorough study's important, but

Republicans don't give a damn.

The confirmation process here

Has turned into a real sham.

-by Bob B (9-25-18)

Blasted Phone Calls!

The telephone is constantly ringing;

I’m on the verge of insanity.

It’s all I can do when answering calls

Not to break out in profanity.

It doesn’t help to block a number,

For callers will use another.

How many do they have access to?

Twenty? Forty? Brother!

The scammers are the worst, of course—

Each a conniving crook!

But telephone solicitors?

Also bad in my book!

If they would only take NO for an answer,

It wouldn’t be so bad.

But when they importune me for money,

That’s when I get mad.

Sometimes solicitors overstep

The bounds of familiarity;

If they do, I’ll flatly refuse

To donate to their charity.

I hate to be rude, but it’s hard not to

Say something mean.

As I said, I'm at the point

Of saying something obscene!

It MUST be self-defeating for them,

For I know I'm not alone

When I say they’re forcing me

To never answer my phone.

The “Do Not Call List”? What a joke!

Robocalls? A pain.

All of us in phone-call hell

Have the right to complain.

This phone-call madness will have its place

In the annals of demonology,

For we know one thing: it is one

Of the curses of modern technology.

-by Bob B (9-13-18)

9/11: 17th Anniversary

Seventeen years ago

America was shaken to the core.

Since not too long after that

We've been involved in a non-stop war.

Homeland security

Became an issue that since then

Hoped to assure Americans

That such attacks won't happen again.

During the past seventeen years

Many measures have been taken

To make us safe; however, it's time

For sleeping minds to reawaken.

Lacking foresight, our president

Has gone after the people who

Have worked to make us safe. The man

Doesn't seem to have a clue.

Discrediting investigators,

Removing them from key positions,

And pulling security clearances

Because of paranoid suspicions

Will only make us vulnerable

To future terrorist attacks.

Watch how his Republican friends

In Congress support him. Political hacks!

The president also hates

When investigators eye

American involvement with

The Russian mafia. We know why.

It's hard to watch as the president--

With almost each careless endeavor--

Stupidly goes out of his way

To make us more unsafe than ever.

-by Bob B (9-11-18)

The Old Double Standard

A female tennis player might give

An umpire a piece of her mind

When she disagrees with him.

Consequently, she is fined

Or penalized in other ways.

However, if the player's a male,

He can spit, destroy his racket,

Yell, and viciously assail

The umpire at a tournament.

He could even resort to calling

The ump an "abortion," and little or nothing

Happens to him. Now THAT'S appalling!

A candid man might be considered

"Direct" or "outspoken." Isn't that rich?

But if you are an assertive women,

You are basically called a "bitch."

A man who loudly demonstrates

At a Senate hearing in an angry fashion

Could be considered "aggressive" or even

Be called a man of "impetuous passion."

A woman, however, who interrupts

A Senate hearing with passion hears

Herself being called "hysterical" when

She's led away to Senators' sneers.

Sexism? Discrimination?

Inequality? Status quo?

It certainly appears that way.

The double standard has got to go!

-by Bob B (9-11-18)

Simple But Deep*

The temple was swarming with total excitement.

Eagerly, the scholars awaited

The young priest's Dharma talk--

A day long anticipated.

The nervous priest stood before

The sangha as varied as the songs of the birds--

From simple folk to top-notch scholars,

There to scrutinize all of his words.

With a quivering voice, he started out.

After he felt more self-confidence,

He spoke as one who demonstrated

Compassion, knowledge, and commonsense.

After the service, a group of scholars

Stood in a cluster off to the side

And criticized the young priest's talk

With words arrogant and snide.

"So typical of a novice," they said.

"Shallow ideas." "Trivial thoughts."

"I didn't find it moving at all."

"Choppy and uneven in spots."

An elderly man heard their complaints

And asked, "What was so unclear?

The young priest said the Buddha's name.

That was all I needed to hear."

With that, he silently walked away,

Leaving them with a message so brief.

Speechless, they stared at the wise myokonin**

With a mixture of awe and disbelief.

-by Bob B (9-9-18)

*Based on an old Buddhist anecdote

**In the Shin Buddhist tradition, pious followers whose simple words represent the depth of their faith

Confirming the Obvious

Recently, in the New York Times,

An op-ed essay has hit the press,

Thus causing the president

To send out vicious tweets in distress.

Claiming to be a senior White House

Official, the writer wants to let

The people know that even though

Trump is unhinged, not to fret.

Because Trump is ill-informed,

Impulsive, and given to constant lying,

He can't be trusted to handle the job,

Which to many is terrifying.

He's impetuous, adversarial,

Reckless, petty, and quick to revile.

Any good has happened DESPITE

And not BECAUSE of his leadership style.

The writer insists that our knowing

One special thing will lessen the gloom:

Even though Trump is a mess,

Luckily, there are "adults in the room."

Thwarting the president's misguided

Impulses is the task

Of these "adults," each of whom

Has to hide behind a mask.

To publish the piece anonymously

Some people feel is wrong.

But, hey, it only confirms something

That we have known all along.

-by Bob B (9-6-18)

Birds of Prey

Hawks are present. Perhaps you can't

See them all, but they are there--

Waiting for the perfect moment

To capture you, unaware.

You are told it has to do with

Needed management and control.

But know they long to tear you apart

Because they cannot swallow you whole.

Are they circling overhead?

Listen carefully; decipher their cries.

Despite what you are told to believe,

They want to rule the land and skies.

Always on the lookout for victims,

They tie power and strength to wealth.

They seek out the vulnerable.

Their strategy: attack by stealth.

While you earn your livelihood--

Working hard to make ends meet--

To them you are nothing but

A menu item--something to eat.

They can spot you from far away.

Your home's a fragile sanctuary.

Is your encounter part of a plan,

Or is it strictly arbitrary?

When they say, "Do not fear;

We're your friends." That's not true.

One false move and it's all over.

Certain things you can't undo.

It doesn't matter whether you

Are fast or slow, strong or frail,

Once they have you, say good-bye.

Your screams will be of no avail.

-by Bob B (8-4-18)

Invitation

Some people call it karma;

Others just cause and effect.

One might also call it comeuppance:

What we sow, we will collect.

While many towering figures attended

The funeral of John McCain,

Trump was forced to watch from a distance.

A TV screen was safe terrain.

Without even hearing the president's

Name mentioned, anyone

Could hear in eulogies and speeches

The great damage that he has done.

We will rise above this, we hope.

We will survive direct assaults

On freedom and democracy.

We can grow and learn from our faults.

Don't worry, Mr. Trump.

One day you'll be invited

To something most don't want you to miss:

That's when you get indicted.

-by Bob B (9-3-18)