Night Before Christmas Debacle

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Senate
Evidence was mounting of democracy's limit.

The People dismayed by what they were seeing
Sixty votes it takes to do just about anything.

The Constitution took care to protect the minority
A wealthy elite exploiting the majority.

Obama a prisoner of establishment power
Claims "victory" with words that surely taste sour.

As the healthcare battle appears to be done
the people are told, "Go to sleep now, you've won!"

The dejected masses comply and act tame
While Obama unabashedly calls out some names

Now Geithner, Now Orszag, Emanual, and Baucus
On DePearle, On Lieberman, Nelson and Sebelius

A man with a smile audaciously says, "hope"
surrounded by insiders who think I'm a dope.

"We stood up to special interests," he says as he winks
But his words are cheap, this deal really stinks.

The man with a smile says "The struggle is on"
More people look askance as they detect a con.

And when the dust settles the people will see
No healthcare reform from the powers that be.

Though believers continue to heap on their praise
Their numbers dwindle with the passing of days.

The media, corporate owned, just plays along
while the people say, "something's terribly wrong."

The Empire teeters, the establishment takes fright
But with happy faces say, 'To all a good night."

Sources:

GDAEman

I thought I'd posted this years ago, but... it was written in reaction to the events of 9/11/01.

The American Way

The Islamic Extremist laments,
“The American imposes himself on everyone.”

No, No. This is our World too.
Get used to it, its the American way.

The Global Justice Protester laments,
“multinationals are trampling the worker and ruining the environment.”

No, No. Freedom means having free markets.
Get used to it, its the American way.

The French Farmer laments,
“Mass-produced wines are destroying our rural way of life.”

No, No. You could be more efficient and competitive.
Get used to it, its the American way.

The Conservative Politician laments,
“Decadent Hollywood movies are ruining our value system.”

No, No. We’re free to profit from free expression.
Get used to it, its the American way.

The Main Street Market Owner laments,
“The Big Box store on the edge of town will be the end of Main Street.”

No, No. Consumers want more choice, and lower prices.
Get used to it, its the American way.

The Fayetteville, North Carolina man laments,
“The last military action caused 20% of the mom-and-pop businesses to go under.”

No, No. Economics 101 says weak businesses naturally exit the market.
Get used to it, its the American way.

The Poet laments,
“Its hard to get used to the American way.”

No, No. You’re free.
You can change the American way.

The Pragmatist laments,
"Good luck trying to 'change the American way' "

No, No. Freedom implies a responsibility to try.
Get used to it, its the American way.

The Second Coming: A Statement on the Global Economy?

The Second Coming by W. B. Yeats

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in the sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

1920

This poem popped into the head of economist Paul Krugman as he thought about the unraveling economy. Interpretations of William Butler Yeats' poem consider things like a failing empire. Sound familiar?

Sources:

Krugman Column that cites this poem, The Widening Gyre, October 26, 2008 (might require logging into the NY Times web page).

Image Credit: Ravensdawn