Legitimate Pinheads

When you cannot escape
Cos they’ve got it on tape
It’s “Legitimate Rape” to your credit

Now the system is broke,
Even GOP folk
Say you clearly misspoke when you said it

Still you must not lose face
With your radical base
You must keep them apace while you edit

Say you spoke off the cuff
But on rapists, you’re tough
Hope this whistle’s enough, and embed it.

But it’s out on the wire
And despite your desire
You have started a fire and you’ve fed it

Now, you miserable gent,
You begin your descent,
But your path only went where you led it. [Read more…]

Thirteen Percent

Mitt Romney complains about taxes, and waxes
Nostalgic, and asks where America went—
Though singing aloud of its beauty, his duty
To fund it is capped off at thirteen percent.

Though tax under Reagan was higher, denyers
Say taxes today are a punitive fine—
Though shouting with all of the bluster they muster
The noise I am hearing sounds just like a whine.

So Mitt says he’s never paid less than 13% in taxes in each of the past 10 years. Our tax burden is remarkably low when compared to our historical levels (most of Reagan’s years saw a 50% top bracket, and war years saw rates of over 90%, back when we actually paid for our wars), but you wouldn’t know it to listen to the TP/GOP.

Headline Muse, 7/30

Though we don’t know the fallout just yet
A sure thing is no more a safe bet
It shook up a swing state—
At this very late date—
The withdrawal of Steve LaTourette

Headline: GOP moderate from Ohio quitting his seat. Is he punishing his party?

Potentially leaving his party in the lurch, Rep. Steven LaTourette (R) of Ohio is set to announce his retirement at the end of this term, the Columbus Dispatch and The Hill newspaper reported Monday evening.

He was a sure thing, in a swing state. Now, the deadline for announcing a candidate for the upcoming race is August 8th. If LaTourette officially announces before then, Republicans are up against a wall. If the official announcement is later, they get to simply choose a replacement candidate. Either way, a swing state loses momentum in a serious way.

I grew up in Ohio, in lots of different places. In this past election, every county I lived in in Ohio… went for Santorum. I’d be happy to see a sea-change in the Buckeye state.

Dressing Conservatively

A conservative t-shirt, I’d always been told
Would be simple, and muted in color–not bold.
It wouldn’t have pictures, or writing or such,
Or at most just a bit on the pocket–not much.
Conservative dress meant a suit and a tie,
In the cold of December or heat of July;
Your shoes were well-shined and your trousers were pressed,
And that was the way that conservatives dressed.

At least, that’s the tale I’d been told all along–
Till today, when I find out I’m totally wrong… [Read more…]

Maybe I *Should* Run For President

I see progress, though it’s progress at a plate tectonics pace:
If an atheist was entered in the presidential race,
For the first time in our history it seems to be the case—
The majority’s not instantly opposed!
Fifty-four percent of voters told the pollsters “yes, we would”
If the atheist in question, every other way, was good
We are still the most unpopular—let that be understood
But the case is not immediately closed.
[Read more…]