Mr. President, give it a rest!

Mr. Trump, are you thinking, perhaps,

The American public are saps?

What you claim to be knowing

Is just your wind blowing

And the blowing keeps sounding like “Taps!”

"We just don't Obamacare!"

The primaries here lack no drama.

Arch-conservatives swear: "on yo' mama

I am Christian and white

And will serve the far right;

Yadayada and, I'LL FIGHT OBAMA!"

Seems that in November the President plans on standing down from office and moving to Alabama, where he will run for everything from governor to county dog-catcher; or so Republicans running in the primaries here would have you believe. Whether they have a party opponent or not in the primary, there is no discussion of issues or differences; only a game of one-upmanship on who despises the President more. And how our local Public Services Commissioner plans on stopping "ObamaCare" remains a total mystery to the Savant?

Happy Voting today, especially to those of you who live in a place where your vote might actually make a difference.

For the sake of argument

A Resonable Man

The Savant has been wondering what would have happened had the current case before the Supreme Court been argued before the renowned jurist, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.:

Though Justice Scalia posed cockily

"Can we mandate that people buy broccoli?"

His question's absurd.

Even if you're insured,

You don't have to go to the doc, Ollie!

Yes, the Savant has stretched things a bit for the sake of a rhyme, but Scalia stretches reason with his ridiculous proposition. And what's the man's beef with broccoli? Maybe if he ate a few more vegetables it would clear up his fuzzy logic?

Judging the Health Care Law

NPR, 3/27/12

Mission Accomplished?

Well, what do you know about that?
Future terrorists' plans must fall flat!
Since Obama has shown
With bin Laden's iPhone
There's an app that can tell where you're at.

Seems like we finally had intelligence where we needed it: in the White House

Osama Bin Laden Killed
NPR, 5/2/11

Reconciled to reform

No more wellness dependent on wealth
Or insurance retracted by stealth.
Despite GOP jeers,
The Savant replies, "Cheers!
Here's to Congress and here's to your health."

For Consumers, Clarity on Health Care Changes
By Tara Siegel Bernard, The New York Times, 3/21/10

The few; the proud; the...

Openly gay service members.

They are patriots, serving us well.
So, why is this such a hard sell?
It's the generals' task
To ensure, if we ask,
It's, "You're gay and you're proud? Well, do tell!"

Thanks to Mike for getting the Savant thinking about an appropriate response to this issue.

Colin Powell now says gays should be able to serve openly in military
By Karen DeYoung, The Washington Post, 2/4/10

"Less filling!" "Tastes great!!" "Less filling!!!" Tastes great!!!!"

The Savant proposes the following simple test to be administered to prospective candidates for the police academy; Harvard professorships; and President of the United States. [N.B. This should not apply to candidates for the Vice-Presidency, so Sarah and Joe can quit sweating. After all we still need some entertainment.]

Fill in the blank:

A rule of diplomacy states:
When engaging in ________ debates,
You better use tact.
If you overreact,
You are certain to open flood Gates.

Choose the best answer:

a. legal
b. racial
c. ethnic
d. classroom
e. White House
f. press corp
g. heated
h. beer-fueled
i. all of the above

The Audacity of Hops
By Jake Tapper, ABC News, 7/30/09

More tortuous rhetoric

Mr. Cheney's the spokesman we'd pick
Claiming "charges of torture won't stick."
Some think it a goof.
We say it's the proof
That conservatives didn't know Dick!

read more | digg story
The Old Faithful of Nonsense
By Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post, 5/12/09

The medium is the massage

For the acting award in a drama
This year's Webby should go to Obama.
His appeal on Nowruz
Demonstrates he makes use
Of a YouTube as well as Osama.

Kudos to our president for recognizing that the same medium used with great effect by bin Laden to foment anti-American sentiment could also be used to massage attitudes in the Middle East. No mater the official response from the Ayatollahs, the video will be ubiquitous. Hooray for YouTube diplomacy!

Obama Reaches Out to Iran With Holiday Video Message
By Debbi Wilgoren and Thomas Erdbrink
The Washington Post, 3/20/09

A Titanic mistake

As Limbaugh shouts "I'm king of the conservatives!"
it's no time to be quibbling over which side of the boat you're on.

To those who support Rush's quip:
You chose to embark on this trip,
And refusal to bail
Means the captain could fail;
But you're bound to go down with the ship!

GOP Seeks Balance With Conservative Icon Limbaugh
By Perry Bacon Jr., The Washington Post, 3/4/09

del.icio.us

Some dog, millionaire?

Michelle says the family agrees
On a Water Dog, type: Portuguese;
Cuz they're easy to train.
Hubby wishes in vain
That Republicans were such a breeze.


Obama Vows, ‘We Will Rebuild’ and ‘Recover’
Jeff Zeleny, The New York Times, 2/25/09

Snow time like the present

Will Congress stay frozen in ice
Or take the Obamas advice?
To a Midwestern child,
The higher it's piled,
The more we just work and play nice.


As to Ice, Chicago Still Obama's Kind of Town
D.C. Needs 'Toughness,' President Says
By Daniel de Vise and Michael Birnbaum
The Washington Post, 1/28/09

Culture clash

As a simple appeal to our hearts
We support a Department of Arts;
But a Government role
Oft reduces the whole
To a sum of much less than its parts.

I submit the above as the Savant's addendum to the online petition in support Quincy Jones' proposal for a new department. Though I see enormous potential for promotion of the arts and enhancing their influence, I am wary when the political culture mixes with the artistic one. Giving government bureaucracy a role in the fragile creative process scares the willies out of me. Remember that the camel was a horse, created by committee. Imagine what they might do to a horse's ass like yours truly!

Weigh in on where you stand in The Savant's latest useless poll to the right. =>

and click on the link to sign the petition if you're so inclined.

Quincy Jones Leads Chorus Urging a Cabinet-Level Arts Czar
By Jacqueline Trescott, The Washington Post, 1/14/09

And so we would know it was real...

Guess who was singing?

If the voice went a little bit flat,
You're Aretha! We know you're "all that!"
For your power to wow
You can still take a bow;
And, what's more, take a bow for that hat!

[OK, Mark. This one was for you]

A little prayer from the Queen of Soul
By Richard Morrison, Times Online, 1/21/09

A dream fulfilled

Now work to be done.

We have witnessed the arduous climb
Just to savor this moment, sublime.
Let the message ring out;
Can there be any doubt
That, at last, change has come to our time?

New President, 'New Era Of Responsibility'
by Mara Liasson, NPR, 1/21/09

But who will make the coffee?

Look how far we have come in this nation
That a woman can rise to this station;
And in order to rate
Secretary of State
No one asked her, "Do you take dictation?"

Congratulations Hillary! Let's hope this isn't becoming the woman's job.

A Concession Wrapped in an Acceptance
By Alessandra Stanley, The New York Times, 12/1/08

Overwhelmed by history

To those of you who have wondered
"Whence the Savant?":

Since Obama's success with the vote
The Savant sees no reason to gloat.
Might we still pan the man?
Not a doubt. Yes we can!
As soon as the lump leaves my throat.

How Obama Rewrote the Book
By Nancy Gibbs, Time, 11/5/08

McCain plumbs the depths

First, the Market's a bummer, we know.
Then we get dumb and dumber, in tow!
From McCain's bag of tricks,
He now offers this fix
We can call on a "plumber" named Joe?


Joe in the Spotlight
By Larry Rohter and Liz Robbins
The Caucus, NYT Blog, 10/16/08

I want that one

An in depth analysis of the second presidential debate

"That one" lent the evening some drama.
That one of the men remained calmer
While the other looked miffed;
That one was a gift
That won the debate for Obama.

No, I'm not so stupid to as to believe that that one single, rash, disrespectful comment on John McCain's part was the deciding factor in Debate No. 2 but it was representative of the unveiled contempt he seems to hold for Senator Obama and I think it was especially ill-advised in last night's forum. I will leave it to others to decide whether it was racist or not; or whether any person should address another in such a way in a civilized society.

It was clear, however, that last night's debate was about the economy and the American public's anxiety over the current crisis in the financial sector. I hold no misconceptions about either candidate's ability to bring about immediate change in this area. As the last "Zen" question of the night suggested, there is much that they don't know and that we don't know about where we are headed in the next four years. What is clear is that this is not only a financial crisis but also a crisis of confidence. That is what is causing the Stock Market to fluctuate so radically and for solid companies to be undervalued.

And what helps you when you are feeling anxious, fearful and unsure? Is it someone fretful and pacing and showing there own frustration; or is it someone who's demeanor is calm, confident and unruffled by attack. Normally, I would be the first on the "where's the substance?" bandwagon and truthfully I am tired of hearing stump speeches from both tickets at what are supposed to be debates. Yet in the vacuum created by the void of new, meaningful solutions to the current turmoil, I am much more likely to accept reassurance that comes in a cool peaceful tone than in an irritable and agitated voice. This was John McCain's mistake in losing his cool and why I believe Barack Obama will be "that one" I vote for.



Why Obama won debate No. 2
By Adam Lashinsky, CNNMoney.com, 10/8/08

Palin Comparison - Low expectations?

You betcha!

Folksy wisdom is kinda amusin';
But there isn't a chance we're excusin'
All the pale platitudes
About "kids," "moms" 'n "dudes;"
Or the notion "she won by not losin'."

Seems like the last time the American public allowed their low expectations of a candidate to influence their judgment in the debates, they got exactly what was expected; for eight long years! Let's hope we don't get fooled again.

Need I say that I was not impressed by Sarah Palin's bobbing and weaving to avoid answering questions? If you're going to employ a rope-a-dope strategy you better have the talent to deliver the knockout punch; and you better not be the dope. Joe Biden is certainly no dope. He presented authentic, thoughtful and articulate plans for how he and Barack Obama intend to bring about change and he clearly elucidated the differences between their ticket and the opposition. Sarah Palin's scripted performance, on the other hand, sounded like a broken record; stuck on "maverick, maverick, maverick" and offering assurances of change with no real substantive plan. She never delineated a difference between the McCain/Palin approach and that of the current Bush/Cheney administration.

After listening to Geraldine Ferraro comment on the debate last night, I remain surprised that talented, competent and experienced women are not showing more outrage at the Republican choice for VP. It's not that she is a woman but that she is a featherweight in a world of heavyweights. Why not choose Condoleeza Rice, for example, or any number of experienced conservative women who don't have a direct connection with the current administration? Are women so desperate for a female in the White House that they are willing to settle for less than the best they have to offer? Hillary must have been spittin' nails watching last night's bout. Eight years ago I said to a colleague that one would like to believe that their president is smarter than them, at least in the complex realm of world politics. I guess that holds true for my vice-presidential expectations as well.

In Debate, G.O.P. Ticket Survives a Test
News Analysis by Adam Nagourney
The New York Times, 10/30/8