United States of A Mess

The government's closed
an unimaginable fact
next Ted Cruz will be reading
The Cat in the Hat

It's a big game of chicken
by overpaid sloths
democrat or republican
cut from the same cloth

A bevy of blowhards
a gaggle of goons
we've cast our poor votes
for a troupe of baboons

With extended vacations
and perks up the wazoo
it's no wonder DC's
now the national zoo

We're now at a standstill
a battle of wills
as they all stand around
up on capitol hill

Then there's the tea party
with a stick up their a*s
most of them had to be
last in their class

So stop dicking around
and get the job done
for now there are many
but soon there'll  be none

Reviews

[Rachelle]

Same goes here for my country.... I wonder why I'm still paying taxes? Oh yeah, they're withheld.... I feel like a serf.

[icelandicblue]

We are totally polarized as a government and a society. It doesn't seem to work very well without compromise.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

I'm amazed that you were able to end this poem in 28 lines. The subject is like a deep well that never runs dry. LOL! I don't even want to get started.

Well done.

[icelandicblue]

LOL, I don't think I'd be any good at a filibuster but I'm pretty good at taking a few jabs. I appreciate your comment.

[David Scott]

Dr. Seuss would be proud!
Love the humor with such a hard topic.
I wonder if we will ever see greatness from a government again?
We are like the empires of old... Babylon, Rome, Great Brittan, and now the USA... They rise in power to give the weak a place to make their own destiny. Then they waste their prosperity. Then they turn their back on ethics and morality. Then they fight for power as the fruit of greed and ambition rot on the vine. Then they appease and control the populace by making generation believe they are entitled rather than responsible to earn and create.
Finally, they become like spoiled children squabbling over their piece of the pie while China or India or the hordes of civil disobedience prepare to set up the next Dynasty...
Can you hear the sound of a nation dying?
Very sad.

[icelandicblue]

Yes, all great nations must capitulate at some point but we're a very young nation and it is happening much too soon. Greed is like acid and it erodes the very foundation on the tenets upon which we were built and I am afraid the barbarians are at the gate. Thanks so much David for such an insightful and thoughtful reply.

[Baby Ricochet]

Loved it! Standing ovation!

[icelandicblue]

Thanks BR, I'm thrilled that you approve!

[Joyce S. Greene]

Bravo, Anne! I'll vote for you anyday over any of those baboons standing on the hill! This poem is a riot and should be nominated for Poem of the Year (is there such a thing?) - then the Poet Laureate could read it aloud in front of Congress and wake up those goons from their everlasting stupors.

[icelandicblue]

Now that I would pay money to see. Thanks so much Joyce.

[Rita L. Sev]

It's a big game of chicken
by overpaid sloths...

Were you by any chance that fly on the wall at our house today, Blue? This poem is very much the conversation my husband and I had... though you express it much more lyrically. He works part-time as a ranger at Independence National Historic Park; furloughed until this nonsense is over. Independence Hall - closed to the American public. All for, as you so eloquently put it, a battle of wills...

[icelandicblue]

Rita we have passed through the sublime into the ridiculous. My sister is also furloughed for the time being, she works for the IRS (now everyone cringe!). Real people with real fiscal responsibilities will be the ones to bear the burden of this fiasco. There is great irony in Independence Hall being closed to its constituents isn't there? Thanks for your thoughts and I hope for your sake and many others this foolishness is over before we destroy our own infrastructure, bond rating and the little respect left for our government officials. All because some people didn't learn to play nice in one of those fancy schools while in kindergarten and they never learned to share their toys.

[Rita L. Sev]

Yes, we discussed the irony of the birthplace of independence being closed... the founding fathers never imagined this...

[Angel]

Government of the people, by the people, for the people???????
REALLY?????????

Does anyone really believe it any more??? Did anyone ever believe it??????

C'mon...even the postman tells me where I must place my mailbox, fevvinsakes!!!!

Ask yourself...are laws being passed that are against the will of the majority of people in the United States??
Hmmmmm....

[Angel]

How many poor families does it take to support one wealthy family???
What is so wrong with health care for everyone, anyway????????????

[Aethereal]

The argument isn’t over whether it should be done our not, but rather over the most cost efficient and medically effective way of doing it for the entire population. Two polarizing ideologies are clashing for dominances. We seem to be in the middle of a slash-and-burn civil war that disregards collateral damage. The last warrior standing over a mile high pile of mutilated bodies wins. By doing this, we’re showing the whole world the superiority of Feudalism over Democracy. Perhaps we should disburse a petition to bring back England’s King George? A Democracy is only as strong as its leadership is able. Plato believed in moral and ethical Philosopher Kings and Queens.

[Angel]

I understand what you are saying...but I don't think you understand what I am saying. Shouldn't the laws reflect the morality of the majority of the society being governed?
Recent polls show that the majority of Americans believe that abortion (for instance) should be illegal except in certain cirumstances. (As of March 2013, 52% of Americans, most of whom considered themselves to be "pro-choice" thought that abortion should be illegal except in the case of medical emergency.
Yet the law has not changed...
This is only one example.

[Angel]

You mentioned mile high mutilated bodies...have you ever seen "the products of abortion"?? Any idea how many we're doing every DAY??? (over 1.2 million last year...do the math.)
I don't want anyone's tax dollars paying for that!!

[Aethereal]

As far as I'm concerned it would be bad karma to have an abortion for any reason other than a medical emergency, but this is my private assumption. Handicaped childern who no one wants should be taken care of by the State at tax payers expense even if it cost millons of dollares per child, but I don't know how to force these taxes onto people for this would just be another form of violence. The voting majority must want to be taxed for this reason. Karma is one of my mystical intuitions that I have no way of forcing onto others. No one in their right mind would want to unnecessarily snuff out life in any form whatsoever. The main problem in America are those ineffective and inefficient public and corporate bureaucracies that have been created by people in power on purpose to hide a multitude of self-serving sins. Power maintains and begets more power. Morality and ethics has been replaced by the Law of the Jungle. If I was President, I wouldn’t be able to reform anything because I’d most likely be killed off by the Real Power in any number of stealthy ways that would look like accidents. In any attempt to reform civilization, it’s the non-violent doves who are he first to die. The Gandhi‘s , and Marten Luther King’s of this world are the best of the best, and they always pay the price. You seem to be a person who tries to avoid violence in all of its forms, and violence has thousands of forms. Avoiding violence takes a great deal of intelligence.

[icelandicblue]

Hi Angel,

I can tell you are passionate on a number of subjects. I do think if all eligible voters exercised their right to vote we might see a different government. But, that is too much of a utopian concept I think. Let's hope this standoff ends soon for the good of the country and for its future. I'd get fired if I didn't do my job and I expect congress to do theirs. Thank you for commenting.

[Angel]

LOL...okay, Hun, I will jump down off of my soapbox!! You are quite right...there are some things I am very passionate about...and the failure of our government to reflect the needs of the people is a biggie.

[Aethereal]

I enjoyed the rhyme and subject. What we need to remember it that these politicians are not as stupid as they look. When government funding is on an amusement park coaster ride, then so goes the stock market. The difference between us and them is that they know when the coaster is going up so their insider friends when given a secret cue may make a bundle in the stock market. This is how insider markets are manipulated in a self-serving way at the expense of the general public. We’re all being played as prey, but that’s the Law of the Jungle. These hungry political crocodiles are the masters of the water hole. Wars and rumors of wars are also used in this way. If only Congress was composed of ordinary Middle Class nine-to-five Workers with mortgages and car payments instead of super wealthy nobles who live in castles, then we wouldn't be going on financial ups and downs.

[icelandicblue]

Our government is most definitely comprised of the "elite" one percenters who have no contact with real life struggles. Unfortunately we middle classers vote them in and money does talk. What is more unfortunate is that the poor are so busy feeding and sheltering themselves that voting seems a waste of time. Should we join together I do think we could make a difference in how we are governed. What I found most interesting was that the dow was up 62 points the first day of the shut down. Not what I expected. I think this will get worse before it gets better. Thanks for your analysis of the subject, I found it interesting. And you are right, they are not stupid, but they are myopic and protective of their own self interests. Maintaining the status quo is really their primary agenda. Thanks again Aethereal.

[Lydia Shutter]

You really let them have it. Neither side wants to compromise and they are all acting like spoiled children. Politics...it seems it has become a joke. Good rhyming in this one. Lydi**

[icelandicblue]

Thanks so much Lydi. I'm happy you liked the poem and the rhyme. It's unfortunate I felt compelled to write it.

[Jack...]

Extremely appropriate Anne. I am in Texas where everyday our ability to secede from the United States comes up. It is a mess and unfortunately, in my opinion, it will never get better until we have people represent us who care about us more than they care about being re-elected, so I don't expect it to ever get better...just worse.

[Creepy Swine Guy]

I am going to show restraint and hold my tongue re: Texas and secession.

[Jack...]

Good.......

[icelandicblue]

Thanks jack- you've got to be a total egoist to be a politician. It's hard to find people who actually care about others rather than their own self and selfish interests.

[Jack...]

Well I do think Ted Cruz did a good job reading the cat in the hat, but he screwed up the ending, so there is that. :)

[icelandicblue]

He actually read Green Eggs and Ham, I just figured as a natural progression he'd read The Cat in the Hat- Congress can be Thing 1 and the Senate can be Thing 2. Always good to talk to you. ; )

[Jack...]

Now I feel stupid, I listened to him read it and I knew it was Green eggs and ham and I got confused with your cat up there. But he still screwed up the end.

[icelandicblue]

Yes he did, I'd be happy to work with him on his reading fluency! Don't feel stupid, you didn't teach first grade for 10 years like I did, I am one with the works of Dr. Seuss!

[Creepy Swine Guy]

You can bet no republican will ever read Yertle the Turtle on the floor.

[icelandicblue]

LOL- that didn't quite work out as planned. ; )

[icelandicblue]

How Much is a Million by David Schwartz might work though.