Are Voters Fine With This?

There was a day
The people
The voters
Would never this allow

Outraged
They'd be
Their past allegiance to him
They'd quickly
Disavow

Many things
We could pick
For their outrage

I will name just one
For this alone
They'd run him off the stage

The National Enquirer
You know
-- Or at least you've now learned
Was hired
As a functionary of his campaign
For that
He would have been spurned

Kill the stories against me
Create ones against my foes
I'll pay you
For whatever shade of dishonesty
Required
If you'll just
Lie and misconstrue

 

Every King Needs a Castle

Every king needs a castle
And every castle needs a wall
Donald Trump will need his wall
If he is to be our king

Make it tall and beautiful
Stretch it across our land
It will not only keep people out
But mark the domain of a king

 

Rule of Law and Word of Honor

There are problems with Donald Trump's immigration stand
Like, if it's legal
It's always good to keep the law
Be an American
Be an eagle

Americans keep the law
They don't seek to break it
Americans are honorable
They keep their word
They don't seek to shake it

Donald Trump is promising mass deportation
Largest in our nation's history
It's not just bluff and campaign talk
What he's planning is somewhat blistery

So, what of international law?
Promises we said we'd keep
What of rule of law, my friend?
You can believe in rule of law
Or you can just pretend

No contracting state shall expel or return a refugee
To a place he or she would be threatened 
Trump might not care about that agreement
What are we bettin'

How unfortunate we signed such an agreement, some might say
Do we really have to keep it?
We have our own laws
And international laws, we shouldn't need to obey

I wish for us to elect a president
Honorable and true
One who believes in rule of law
One who will see it through

One who will not tarnish our word of honor
But honor the agreements we have made
One who stands straight and tall
And calls a spade a spade

 

Back to the Days of Christopher Robin

Back to the days of Christopher Robin
When he came and went as he pleased
Have you ever read the back-story on Christopher
I haven't either, but I'll make one up and see if it is believed

Christopher came from Mexico
An immigrant, he was
And Winnie the Pooh was out of Africa
And if you ask me why Africa, I'll just say "Because"

Well, they met down at the border
A little Texas town
Christopher was snacking on a tortilla
When Winnie came up with a bound

Winnie had traveled a long distance
But Christopher, not too far
Now, they both were wide-eyed about America
It was their guiding star

But Gov. Abbott ruled in Texas
And Trump was president at that time
And the two of them were greatly upset
Because the newcomers were committing a crime

Well, they rolled out barbed wire to stop them
And called in the national guard
Winnie got the worst of it
He got feathered and tarred

Well, do you remember how I started this poem
Telling you Chris came and went as he pleased
Well, it didn't actually work out that way
For Trump and Abbott refused to be appeased

Abbott tried to buy them a ticket
To a sanctuary called Old San Fran
But Trump insisted on deporting them
He said that was a better plan

So, Chris is back in Mexico
And Winnie in Cameroon
And I don't think they'll be coming here again
At least not any time soon

They are the Players, We are the Pawns

They are the players and we are the pawns
These powers that call out to you
They call for division, they call for hate
They tell you what you should do

Some on the right, some on the left
Some for Israel and some for Palestine
You can find them everywhere
Even though they're clandestine

They plant their people in social media
They could be a Facebook friend of yours
They plant them in every country
There are misters and monsieurs

They have influencers of the media
And sometimes agents who land media jobs
They even reach out to Congress
All told, they come in gobs

Watch out for all these players
Watch out, for they desire to enlist you
They are looking for willing pawns
And their recruits are not a few 

 
They are the Players, We are the Pawns

They are the players and we are the pawns
These powers that call out to you
They call for division, they call for hate
They tell you what you should do

Some on the right, some on the left
Some for Israel and some for Palestine
You can find them everywhere
Even though they're clandestine

They plant their people in social media
They could be a Facebook friend of yours
They plant them in every country
There are misters and monsieurs

They have influencers of the media
And sometimes agents who land media jobs
They even reach out to Congress 
All told, they come in gobs

Watch out for all these players
Watch out, for they desire to enlist you
They are looking for willing pawns
And their recruits are not a few

(Index -- Poems, poetry, ready)
(Trump poems)

 
 
It's What You Do, Not What You Say

Some would say don't mix politics with religion
I have never felt that way
It seems political issues are always
A search for right, wrong or gray

And if the search is a search for doing what's right
If that is what this is about
Of course you should involve religion
You should not kick it out

But some politicians will wrap themselves in the cloak of religion
Just like they wrap themselves in the cloak of a flag
Donald Trump has been known to use the Bible as his prop
But you should ask if his practices lag

What of the Second Commandment?
The one that speaks of loving your neighbors?
Is he forever finding fault and finding names to call his foes?
Does he ridicule and demean others?
And always look to land verbal blows?

I really shouldn't need to go further than this
You can see what Donald is
And if you want a politician who practices religion
You know Donald is the opposite whiz

But go ahead and ask yourself questions
About all the other things you might see
Wonder about cheating and lying
They should matter, I hope you'll agree

 

AINOs

We've RINOs and DINOs and so do we have AINOs?
That would be an American In Name Only
Now if we get calling each other AINOs, that's a dangerous thing
And it will certainly make a lot of people feel lonely

I mean, who wants to be an AINO -- nary a soul
For we are all lovers of our nation and freedom
So if someone suggests anyone is an AINO
We should be careful as whether we heed 'em

Yes, AINOs probably exist
For there are those who call themselves patriots and wave the flag
But when it comes to the values of our land, they sometimes lack them
They stray and wander and zigzag

 
Kill the Truth and Print the Lies

When you hire the National Enquirer to write false stories
 about your political opponents
Is that ethical?
When the stories are mythical?
Is that just and fair and right?
It leaves a stain upon your character, Mr. Trump
It leaves a blight

When you hire the National Enquirer
 to buy the rights to stories about you
So it can kill them
Even if they are true

You want to be our president
But you have no shame
You don't know what immoral is
But you're immoral, all the same

You would hire the National Enquirer
To help you get elected
To kill the truth and print the lies
You cheat and lie and steal
You've got the art perfected

But my qualm is with the voters
I do not understand
When you learn what kind of man he is
You still support him
Regardless if he's underhand

 
Winds of Change

The winds of change are changing
The winds are bringing bigger change
It used to be the change went from R to D
And that was about their range

Every adminstration has had this
The winds of change, you know
The changing of the guard
Meant change right from the get-go

Trump's next administration
Will whip the winds of change
Never has it been a hurricane
Like what Trump will arrange

He'll sweep out democracy
Replacing it with his rule
The winds of change are threatening
To treat our nation cruel

Please Understand

All crazies are not the same
I know
But there are few you should elect as president
That's so
An inflicted man crawled upon my roof
He did
And damaged my just-installed solar panels
Heaven forbid
Would we ever elect him to our highest office
Oh my
Then along came Donald Trump and we said
Let's try
Mental health professionals across the land are warning us
About him
But we insist there's no cause for concern
How grim
An inflicted man is crawling upon the roof
Of our land
And, yes, that is cause for alarm
Please understand

 

Nice Try, Donald

There's got to be a poem in this
I just got an email from Donald Trump
To think that he would even know me
Ought to give me a goose bump

At any rate, I'm quite excited
But laughing at what he said
Rolling on the ground, in fact
He's crazy in the head

He said his team combed through countless profiles
Of dedicated MAGA folks
And mine stood out in all the land
Now, there's the best of jokes

Me? Does he know I sit around all day
Writing poetry against him
But he says I'm one of his "most impressive" supporters
Is he right?
The chances of that are worse than slim

He extends to me an invitation 
To be a founding member
Of his 2024 advisory board
Now, that makes me something of great splender

Donald, Donald, Donald
Do not make me laugh and cry
You're trying to flatter the wrong person out of money
Let me give you this quick answer
Thanks, Donald, Nice try

 
A How-to Book for Americans

How To Be An American
A book we ought to write
There must be some instructions
On how to do it right

How to vote and who to vote for
How to get across the border and who to get across
We need to know the rules for all these thing
And we need to know the price and cost

Should you go to jail for being a Republican
Or is that just for Democrats
What's the difference between the Deep State
And a bureaucrat

There's just so much we need to know
There ought to be a book
Or maybe a course in college
Like the one your father took

Back then they taught you all the rudiments
Of civics and history, too
They taught you how to be an American
Things you never knew

But now things have changed
Each party calls the other out
Each would send the other to prison
Prescribing a precise and exact route

I think we really need a book
Something to tell us how
How to persecute the Republicans
And how to make Democrats dip and bow

 
Never in America
 
Never in America
We don't do dictators, you know
And traveling on a road to tyranny
Is a direction we'd never go

We're not like all the rest
Places like Russia and China and Cuba
We're more like an enchanted land
Magical as the sands of Aruba

We think we're immune
We say it won't happen here
But what of the phrase eternal vigilance
Doesn't it teach us to fear

Wake up, America, before it's too late
Wake up and smell the foul air
There's one man who would take your freedom away
And it'd be nice if you showed that you care

 
Why Won't You Listen

There are those who won't listen to me
Won't hear a thing I say
And it does seem a little extreme
To warn that a dictator is surely headed our way

But look at the signs, look at his talk
Look at the scheming he does
Look at how he tried to turn over the last election
Now that should make your head buzz

Look at the warnings from family and past friends
Look at the indictments he faces
Look at how he says he's immune
In every one of his court cases

There are those who won't listen to me
There are those who won't listen to others
We try to tell you there's a real danger
But you think we're in a bed of feathers

Listen to Donald Trump, then
Listen to what he says
Listen to his plans to clean and purge
He's planning a funeral durge

Listen to the way he would take over the courts
Making them answer to him
The warnings are there right in his words
We will obey his every whim

 

If Biden Goes Down

If Biden goes down
The nation goes down with him
How ever tall or good or bad
If he goes down, our nation's had

How ever smart
How ever old
If our country is to be saved
He's solid gold

Yes, I ask your vote for him
The alternative breaks our nation apart
Either vote for Joseph Biden
Or wheel away our nation in a cart

 
Double Speed

Presenting an opportunity
One you've never had before
You can elect a dictator
And kiss democracy goodbye forever more

Seize the day
Capture the hour
Don't let this chance pass by
It's the opportunity of a lifetime
Yes, finally the moment is nigh

Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Elect him while you can
Never in the history of America
Has there ever been such a plan

Kiss democracy goodbye
Tyranny's what we need
Tyranny's great
Tyranny's grand
Head for it at double speed

 
Raising the Stakes

Not just another election
Not politics as usual
Not just another year
With a Democrat on one side
And a Republican on the other

2024 ups the ante 
The stakes go up
Not just another year
When you simply pick whichever you'd druther

The cost of making the wrong decision has soared
Gone up through the roof
A misstep 
This time
Elects a dictator

And there's only one person who can stop this
The ascention of a king
Are you going to get involved
Or will you remain a spectator

 
Hammering Nails

You don't quit hammering nails
Just because you've hammered a few
If you're building something that's going to stand
You pound nails until you're through

I've pounded nails at one candidate
Who's running for president
And as long as there are more nails in my sack
I can't be hesitant

Some things I say just once
And some things I say a bunch of times
Because sometimes you need to hammer
Or people will forget his crimes

 

Snake Oil

Trump is the elixir
The concoction, brew and mixer
He is the snake oil of the campaign trail

Step right up
All that ails you ends with a sip of this
Says the carnival man making the sale

War in the Middle East?
It wouldn't have happened if I were there
War in Ukraine?
If I were there, they wouldn't dare

How about the economy?
Would it be near so bad if Trump were in charge?
Of course not
Not for you or Tom or even your Aunt Marge

You buy his lines
You buy the elixir
It's snake oil on your shelf
If you vote for him
And his magic potions fail
You have no one to blame but yourself

 
Can You be Jailed for Your Opinion?

If you can be impeached for not believing as others
Can you also be thrown in jail?
If your opinion does not line up with that of the Republicans
Will you be tossed in a slammer without bail?

I'm in horrors at how our basic freedom
Has so quickly sunk to this point
And you can't blame just Donald Trump
For every Republican would toss Mayorkas in the joint

Do we have disagreement as to what should be done at the border?
Obviously and of course we do
But to impeach someone because their opinion doesn't line up with yours
Is a sign that democracy's through

 

Tell Me Again

Tell me again what Alejandro Mayorkas did
Tell me again, if you will
Tell me what crime 
Tell me what breach
Tell me how he failed your drill

You're impeaching us
So we'll impeach you
That's really all that this is
Don't ask us to be reasonable
Don't ask us to be just
That really isn't our biz

Your guy let them in
All these immigrants
And among them were terrorists
And some of the people 
You let into our land
Were rapists and socialists

So we'll impeach you today
You Democrats will pay
For letting non-Americans into our land
That's not how you make America great again
That's not how you make America grand

I'm at loss to find good reason
I'm at a loss to see any justice
For impeaching someone because their politics aren't yours
You impeach them for nothing
You impeach them for revenge
All that's just and fair your impeachment ignores

 

You Know Him by His Game

Masters of deception
Yet skilled at making flattery
And they are cruel and mean to others
Committing verbal battery

They lie and exaggerate
They seek power, control and dominance
And there's not a thing they won't resort to
In their quest for greater prominance    

They disregard rules and laws
And don't think they should face the music
For all the problems that they cause

You know well the psychopath I'm speaking of
I don't need to say his name
You know him by his actions
You know him by his game

 
In a Doctor's Office

There was nobody at the doctor's office
When he came in for his check up
Everyone had stepped away for lunch
They'd all gone out to sup

Our ex-president looks physically well
But mentally he's probably not
There's good reason to believe he's a psychopath
And in a doctor's office, he'd be smart not to get caught

 
All Over the World

Donald Trump is all over the world
You can find him in the strangest of places
He hangs out with Putin in Russia
And when in China, he thinks Xi is aces

In North Korea, his buddy is Kim Jong Un
And you can spot Trump in Egypt, too
el-Sisi is his man there
I guess you already knew

He speaks highly of these dictators
Dictators in other lands
And seeks to bring their ways to America
We should be excited, jump around and do handstands

Peace Offers Requiring Nothing in Return

 
Sometimes, if you really want something, you have to create a committee, an organization, to go out and get it.

We want peace, don't we -- so how about a World Peace Committee? Invite every nation in the world, from Japan to Latvia and from Chile to China.

The purpose of the group is to seek peace, and the members would be asked to dwell more on what they could do to bring more peace than on what their opponents in war could do. Yes, they could argue and make their demands. Some. But, the emphasis would be on what they could do -- asking nothing in return -- to help bring peace. Hamas and Israel would both be asked to forward ideas of things they could do -- without getting anything in return -- to bring peace in the Middle East. Same with Ukraine and Russia. Same with every other set of adversaries in the world.

At the beginning of each meeting -- and meetings would be weekly, if not more often -- the opposing sides of each conflict in the world would be asked what they could do -- getting nothing in return -- to bring peace. Then, after that, they could do their negotiating. 

Think of it. We've had world summits; what if there was a world summit every week. That should be worth something. 

 
The Good Earth Peace Committee

The Good Earth Peace Committee
Is what I think it was named
And it included every nation
In hopes they would all be tamed

Senegal and Portugal
Guam and Vietnam
China, Russia, England
And every country in Islam

They all came together
They met most every week
And the peace of all the world
Is the thing that they did seek

 

Which One Took Us North

Unemployment nears record lows
And the stock market hit record highs
But Biden is still taking hard blows
As food and gas are expensive buys

Trump and Biden each have their strong points
When it comes to the economy
It depends on what are the checkpoints
In deciding which has had the best fiscal anatomy

So you pick Trump, and I'll pick Biden
And we can argue back and forth
And our disagreement will only widen
As we debate which one took us south
And which one took us north

 
Defund Democracy

Defund democracy -- Elect Donald Trump
I saw them marching down the streets
These signs they held up high
I was shocked to see such sentiment
As they marched on by

And, while this is a fictitious scene
To me, they might as well carry such signs
For when you elect a dictator
Freedom always declines

 

It's the Economy, Stupid

It's the economy, stupid
When you're electing a president
Just the economy
Nothing else is relevant

So, the election of 2024
In part, at least, I say
Became a referendum
On the bills we have to pay

Were we better under Trump?
Was there less Inflation?
How about unemployment?
And, then, there's job creation

They argued back and forth that year
The election hung in the balance
We pretty much hung up on everything else
All their other talents

But presidents do not matter
In all the economy does
And while we blame and credit them
It isn't worth the buzz

Better to elect an officer
A president and leader of our land
Based on who they are
And things that they can command

Iran Should Have Fired Empty Warheads

 
Iran would have been smart, perhaps, to have emptied the warheads before launching all those missiles and drones.

I've seen reports saying Israel intercepted 99 percent of the projectiles. That is cool and all, but Iran had to know Israel was going to pick them off. Why not just fire empty warheads? Israel is not going to know if real warheads are headed their way or empty warheads. Israel has to expend its military resources to fend off the attack.

I see one meme suggesting Israel spent $1billion out of its defense system inventory shielding off the missiles and drones. That is a hefty enough expense. The meme says, "Israel says Iranian attack 'foiled' Iran claims 'success' "

Who knows, maybe Iran did hold back on its actual warheads being on all the missiles and drones. Just fire off empty projectiles and waste away Israel's defense system. Then, if you can deplete the defense system enough after so many such attacks, strike to kill.

And, even if you don't deplete the system enough for a future kill strike, you have won the battle of economics; you've reduced Israel's military funds. 

 
It Says a Bit

It says something about the truth
When you're afraid of it
When you run away and hide
Doesn't that tell us just a bit?

Trump runs from Stormy Daniels
Does everything he can to stop that trial
Three appeals in the last week alone
That tells us of his style

If you aren't afraid of truth
You do not run from it
And Donald Trump was running
As if he'd just been bit

 

The Sinclair Lewis Prophecy

Sinclair Lewis wrote it
Complete with a lead character they call an antihero
That's someone whose morals don't always line up with ours
And he certainly was not the kind of person I'd be bringing flowers

A 1935 Novel
It Can't Happen Here, Lewis called it
See, this politician comes along, whipping up support against migrants
People up from Mexico, you know, count them all as vagrants

A firebrand politician
A fearmonger, a populist
Oh, yeah, he was running for president of that great nation, the United States
Is all of this sounding familiar? What do you say, my mates?

It can't happen here?
Well, it is
That firebrand, populist fictional character from 1935 has come to life
Buzz Windrip then, Donald Trump now
So much like each other you couldn't cut them apart with a knife

Windrip stirred them up
Talking about the economy
That must ring a bell with you today
As Trump suggests we were better off with him
Both Windrip and Trump argued the economy was grim

Well, Windrip won the election
And perhaps Trump will win it too
Windrip rounded up all his political opponents and jailed them
And, who knows but what Trump will not make that happen again

 

No Glisten

"In individuals, insanity is rare;
but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule"
So said the German philosopher
And, with that, he gave us a picture of the truth
As if he were a photographer

And it is a picture of today
2024
A picture of a party and nation
Crazed like never before 

Many of us would tell you
The man himself is insane
But perhaps Friedrich Nietzsche would tell us
It is we who bear that shame

Ninety-one counts of crime
Thousands of mental health practitioners warning us against him
And yet we will not listen
If that isn't insanity, then gold has no glisten

Instead of Dueling Protests, how about a Joint Protest?

 
When wrong is wrong, when both parties are guilty for the death of Gazans, then it is time for us to join together to protest against them both.

This does not need to be dueling protests. It does not need to be a pro-Israel protest in one part of town and an anti-Israel protests on the other side of the city.

In fact, it should be cause for Jews and Muslims to join as one. And cause for those who support Jews and Islam to stand as one. It is wrong for Israel to not be taking greater care to not kill the Gazans. But it is equally wrong for Hamas to be using the civillians as human shields. 

Sometimes, humanity needs to rise above its leaders, telling them they will not condone wickedness.

Of course, we know no such mutual protesting is likely. Or is it? Is it perhaps possible, after all? Wish a group of people would gather to protest the inhumanity of both sides. What would stop someone from organizing such a protest? Wish it would happen.

 

Raise Him Right

It takes a village to raise a child
And America is that village
The child? Donald Trump
A wild enough kid to do much pillage

It takes a village to raise a child
And we are like the parents
The spoiled brat is Donald Trump
He wants so many presents

Raise him right, raise him good
But don't give him everything he asks for
And if he wants to be president
Tell him this isn't a candy store

 

 
Goodness is Greatness

Goodness is greatness, and we must begin there
To make America great again, that is the stair
You climb it, you step up it only with good deeds
And that means helping others with some of their needs

Goodness is greatness
And we need a leader who's kind
We'll never be great again
If such a leader we don't find

Someone who cares and is compassionate
Someone without ego and pride
Only a person who knows how to love
Only he or she is qualified

To make America great again
We need someone who follows the Bible
Love thy neighbor as thyself
Having that in your leader is so vital

Goodness is greatness
And greatness is good
If we are ever to be great again
This will need be understood

 
Donald, the Viking

I grew up a Viking, a Norseman
We ploughed the fields until the battle came
Then we forged our swords and rode into the flames of war
Our days were long ago
Our victories now forgotten
But for you, they're yet in store

If mine is the past, yours is the future

We drank from skulls and were unusually cruel
We raided settlements and stole the peace
Your freedom was not safe with us
We left pools of blood wherever our swords were thrust

Our ghosts march with you
As you seek to raid the halls of freedom today
The halls of America
The halls of the United States
Join the forces of Donald Trump
And break down freedom's gates

The Game's Up

   We should all be out protesting tonight, carrying our signs, our torches (hey, not to torch anything, just as a show of protest), sitting on the lawn at the White House, yelling our chants, demanding that America return to the principles of the Constitution when it comes to making laws.

   I guess I'm serious. Two presidential edicts the last two days don't sit well with my view of how America is suppose to run its government. Laws are to be made by Congress, then carried out by the executive branch. Isn't that the way it was meant to be? If student loans are to be forgiven, shouldn't Congress have a say in that? And, if thousands more gun dealers are to be required  to run background checks, shouldn't Congress be the one to say so?

  Don't lay this at the feet of Joe Biden, alone. Every administration has had its share of blame, both Democrats and Republicans. If Donald Trump returns to power, he will enter office with a flurry of executive decrees. He's promised as much.

We are kind of like the frog caught in a pot of boiling water. As time has gone on, we've come to accept the presidential orders. Somewhere, someday we've got to say stop. What would be wrong with starting right now? What about saying, Hm -- wait a moment -- this isn't what the founding fathers had in mind. We are going to put a stop to it. Mr. President. You might have gotten away with this in the past, but no more. The game's up.

 
The Dead Zone Revisited

Did Stephen King predict this?
Did Stephen King see it coming?
Did Stephen King write of Donald Trump
The similarities are a little numbing

More than 40 years ago
Stephen King wrote his book
Titled it The Dead Zone
And the likeness it has to today
Cannot be mistook

A man named Greg Stillson
Was the main character
And so much like Donald Trump, he was
He was like his ghost, his spectre

Stillson was a businessman turned politician
Who had been in real estate
His eccentricity and past of being a nonpolitician
Built him a large following hard to duplicate

"Throw the bums out," Stillson said
"Drain the swamp," Trump echoed
The story of Donald Trump
Is but the story of Stillson recycled

Yes, it sounds like Donald Trump
It sure does to me
Whether you call it prophecy
It's quite a coincidence, don't you agree?

 
They Do Not Know His Harms

They slide into the arms of the enemy
All the time thinking they are patriots
The enemy beckons, a finger motioning for them to come
Come, come, it says
I will not harm
I'm your benefactor, I'm your friend
And I've come to save you from the end

And once the patriots of our land
Fall into the arms of the foe
They give their hearts
They marshall their guns
They are taken in by the deceit
They slide into the arms of the enemy
Whose lips now appear to them so sweet

The enemy caresses them
Impresses them
Whispers in their ears
The wiles of this enemy
Capture the once-noble
They escape not his arms
They follow his beckoning finger
For they do not know his harms

 
His Abortion Stand is Tricky

Abortion rights?
How stands Donald Trump?
Is he right or left?
Or just on the campaign stump?

Does he really care?
Or does he just want your vote?
There's a lot here to take in
So here's what you should note

Go back far enough
Say to 1999
He said he was "very pro-choice"
Which means abortion's fine

Go back 10 years further
You'll find him of the same voice
He co-sponsored a celebration
For a leader of a group that was pro-choice

But bouncing forward to 2011
Now he flips his cards
Or does he?
He tries traveling down two streets at once
Two different boulevards

"I'm very pro-choice"
He tells Meet the Press
But I hate "the concept of abortion"
Now it's starting to get confusing
Just what is his real emotion?

Then 2016 comes up
And he's again running for president
For any woman who gets one, he says
There should be "some form of punishment"

Hours later, he does a switcheroo 
Let's not prosecute the women, he says
When punishing the doctors ought to do

This is the guy who appointed three judges
And got Roe v. Wade overturned
That really bothered a lot of women
They really were concerned

Now here we are in 2024
He's running for president again
And greedily wanting both sides of the vote
He figures a way to take them all in

So what to do, right or left
Which does he choose?
He tries to claim both the votes
'Cause he doesn't want to lose

Let the states decide just what will be
Yes, that would be the best
Opening up the chance again
For abortions to be blessed

He went after the voters that want states' rights
As well as those that want pro-choice
Leaving people laughing at him
'Til their eyes were getting moist

Operation Sunshine

 
   Everything has a name, so let's give it a name. Say, Operation Sunshine. And the purpose of Operation Sunshine? you ask. Well, to bring sunshine and happiness to the Gazans. How? You ask. Well, by getting emergency supplies through.
   And who is conducting Operation Sunshine? Well, Israel, of course. Yes, you heard correctly -- Israel.
   See, at present, the emergency supplies have great difficulty getting in. And, perhaps you have heard of the times Israel has tragically and perhaps accidentally taken out some relief workers. Perhaps, for example, you heard about the World Food Kitchen. You caught the part about Israel killing seven of their charity workers, I suppose.
   A mistake, perhaps, but a colossal one.
   Would Israel make the same mistake if it were delivering the supplies themselves? Would they blow away their own personnel?
   Let the provisions convoy bear two flags, and have two insignias on all the vehicles -- one of Israel and one of the UN. That way, Hamas knows it is a charity convoy, not an attacking force.  They have no excuse for attacking the supply line.
   And, if they do, here's the trick: Israel is bringing in the provisions and Hamas is knocking them out. Suddenly, if the emergency supplies are not making it in, it is Hamas, not Israel, that must face the castigation of the world. 
   And, if Hamas blows up a charity convoy, it sends an unmistakable message to the Gazan residents: Israel is on your side, not Hamas. The Israelis are your heroes. 
   But, send UN watchkeepers in with the Israeli relief workers. Give the Israeli aid workers strict instruction: You are not to fire on Hamas even if you know they are Hamas -- unless, of course, they fire on you. The UN watchkeepers are there to witness who takes the first shot, supposing violence breaks out. Israel cannot use the charity effort as a front for their war efforts because the UN workers are along to witness which side is shooting first. 

 
Joe Robin Hood

The Robin Hood in the race for president?
Joe Biden would be that man
He seeks to increase taxes on the rich
At least, that is his plan

But Donald Trump steps in 
Vowing to protect his fellow billionaires
Is it, then, the rich or the working class
For whom he mostly cares?

 
Seas of Tyranny

A king doesn't sit in a rowboat
For one thing, he's too fat
He needs a bigger boat
One big enough for a rich, rich aristocrat

Now, Donald Trump is mighty rich
And wants to be a king
And to have a great big boat
For him, that is the thing

You can help him
Help him get his boat
But I must warn you it sails for tyranny
The seas of freedom it won't float

 
Trump is all They Knew

Utah's not the only place on the map
I know, I realize
Where people actually think Donald Trump is wise

I've been to Arizona
And from there to Texas, too
I've been as far as Florida
Where Trump was all they knew

No, Utah is not the only place
I'm sorry to say
Where Trump is all they obey

 
 
Big Ben

If our country is important
If we care about it at all
We must care about all the people around us
Who are going to make it fall

They mostly have good intentions
In fact, they want to save our land
But what they're doing will ruin us
They just don't understand

You just can't take a man like Trump
And elect him again
Without fearing midnight will strike
On the American version of Big Ben

 
Don't Throw at it Your Bricks

There are more important things than politics
Yes, I'm sure there are
Religion and family
Are in the upper drawer

But when it comes to country
That's also a priority
So when you say politics aren't important
We need come clarity

God, family, country?
That's the trio we all cite
So I just thought I'd check
To see if we got it right

What becomes of country
Is decided by politics
So, if country is important
Don't through at it your bricks

Why are Republicans so Dead-Set Against Renewable Energy?

 
Why are Republicans so against clean renewable energy? comes a question. Climate change is obviously real. Oil and coal are destroying our environment.

My reply:

Not all Republicans are. Here in Utah, though, a large, large share of the people (and especially the state legislature) do not believe in climate change. Laws were enacted that move clean energy to the bottom of the list when picking between fossil fuels and clean energy.
Even if you consider the nation as a whole, I believe the sentiment of a large share of Republicans is that climate change is a hoax, or at least not as serious a problem as many (like me) believe it is. Many also believe that fossil fuels can be part of the solution, with carbon capture and such. Others suggest wind and solar are not practical in all parts of the country (I don’t understand that; the sun seems to be out in every state I’ve visited, and the wind sometimes blows, doesn't it?) Others say, Well, if we have to go green, let’s go nuclear, but they overlook that the new-style nuclear plants are hard to get up and running. Many Republicans also say they are not against green, they are just against the world-is-going-to-end-in-ten-years fearmongering. I am a climate activist, and I don’t know that I’ve heard environmentalists claim the world is going to end in ten years. Conditions will, though, deteriorate if we do not do more than we are doing — and, yes, some of those consequences will be severe

(Index -- Climate change info)

 
Stacked Stories

Watch for the stacked story as you hear the news
Watch for the stacked story
It's really rather easy to catch
You can catch it in all its glory

A stacked story is one with only one side
They bring in no one to offer rebuttle
And stacked stories are never the best
The truth is always in trouble

In my day, the news sources gave both sides
But then opinion commentators took over
And often they're just one-sided arguments
And that makes it just a pushover

So watch for the story with all the facts stacked
Just on the side that they want
The truth will always be far down the road
You're going to have a long jaunt

 
Don't Seem to Care

Maybe it doesn't matter
Maybe the people don't care
Maybe they don't mind a dictator
Maybe they think that would be fair

We're on our way to get one
Donald Trump looms ahead
But people don't seem to think so
They seem to just go with the flow

 
Trust the Internet, Not the Newspaper

You're only as smart as the books you read
Is what we used to say
Then along came the Internet 
And flipped that thought away

Now you're only as dumb
As what your read on the Internet
Or at least what you believe
For if you believe much of it
You're really quite naive

There's all posts that tell you
That Trump is quite the man
And you're no longer reading books that say
His feet are in the sand

Newspapers were once as good as books
We trusted them, we did
But now we're told to throw them away
And just keep the Internet in our eyelid

 

Dark as Sin

"If liberty means anything at all,
it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear"
George Orwell said that
So listen with your ear

We've had a president who wasn't good for us
Who wants to rule again
And if we let him do that
Things will be dark as sin

Both Need a Rebuke

 
   They both need a rebuke, both Israel and Hamas. And the tongue-lashing should be as heavy for one as it is the other. Israel should be condemned for killing and making it hard to get aid to the Gazans, and Hamas should be condemned for hiding behind the people who are in hospitals and such places.
   One is the baiter, and the other the baitee. Hamas baits Israel, and Israel takes the bait. Both are wrong.
   Iran and Qutar and any other country funding Hamas should also be rebuked. They should be rebuked for funding a war machine that is employing human shields. They should be called on to quit such compliance. And, Israel should be put on notice that aid will abruptly end if changes are not made so that innocent lives can be preserved and food and medical help can reach the Gazans.

We Would Entertain

Would we entertain electing a president
Who would entertain "terminating" the Constitution? 
Would we, would we now?
Because if he ever suggested that
It should raise your eyebrow

It was 2020 when Twitter removed pornographic photos
Photos of Joe Biden's son
Trump didn't appreciate that
So around in his chair he spun

"Widespread fraud and deception," he cried
Collusion with Big Tech and the Democrats
To him, it was corrupt and it was cockeyed

And he suggested it all had to do
With keeping him out of office for a season or two

Fraud of this magnitude, he said
Allows for termination of the Constitution
And with that, he laid the matter to bed

Now scarce years have passed away since 
And again he wants to be president
But remember the words he didn't mince
Of terminating our nation's highest law
When the time comes he thinks that is expedient

 
Giving Him a Hand

It isn't a campaign, it's a coup
Donald Trump plans to win
No matter what you do

Vote for him or vote against
He will work it out
He'll find a way to claim a win
Of that there is no doubt

He's taking over America
He's taking over our land
Are you just sitting there watching
Or worse, are you giving him a hand

Right or Left

You might think you are standing on the right or left
You might think that's what this is about
But think that and you've been fooled
Well, Donald Trump gives you a shout

He wants you to think its about the right or left
That's what he'd like to do
But what his intention really is
Is to take freedom away from you

This is about your freedom
This is about tyranny
You'll no longer be the one making the decisions
On abortion or border policy

Would you give away your right to decide
Whether our nation is left or right
Do you want everything done by edict
Everything ruled by might 

 
 
Dan Rather's List

It's not about politics
Dan Rather makes it clear
He's got better reasons
For not wanting Donald near

"It's about me, as a patriot"
And then he goes down a list of things
One after another, naming Donald's dings

He says he's simply rejecting
"a cheating, lying, racist"
And it becomes clear he think's
Trump is just about the basest

But he goes on, "treasonous, fascist and vile man"
And by now it is quite clear
He thinks Trump's about the worst
And we have great cause to fear

He notes the Donald "attacks the press,
and wants to lead the country I love"
And thus it is Dan Rather
Slaps Donald with his glove

Dan Rather's a legend newsman
A man I'll listen to on this
And when he says those are his reasons
I'd say he doesn't miss

 

You'll Need a Convenient Lie

You're  going to need a convenient lie
You're going to need just that
You'll need to find a way to excuse the truth
So select from all the lies so fat

Will it be the media
Will you say you can't trust them
Or will you say it's the courts
Now there's someone you can condemn

Or maybe it's the FBI
And they're out to get your man
Or is it the Deep State
Slapping Donald's hand

Yes, you're going to need a convenient lie
Something you can believe
You've got to trust a convenient lie
If you're going to be deceived

 
Evident

"Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth
because they don't want their illusions destroyed"
Friedrich Nietzsche told us that
And it's a fact we can't avoid

If you don't want to believe something
You won't
And if someone tries to tell you the truth
You simply tell them don't 

Pride can be measured in a lot of things
And all pride is not the same
But refusing to believe the truth
Just the same is lame

And now, you knew I was going to come to this
And speak of a past president
And all the flaws they say of him
Are really evident

And if you do not believe them
More is at stake than just your pride
The fate of our nation hangs in balance
And from that I beg you not to hide

 

Thirty Thousand

The Washington Post didn't use the word "lies"
But here is what they found
Donald Trump hangs the facts
As much as anyone around

Just more than 500 in his first campaign
Almost another 500 his first 100 days in office
This guy certainly proved he was no novice

And like a snowball rolling down a hill
His untruths then came faster and faster still
He picked up the pace as he went along
Snowing the people -- and that is wrong

Just six falsehoods a day that first year he served
That second year, 16 a day were observed
By year three he was going fast
Twenty-two a day hung from his mast

He finished strong his last year
Hitting 39
Altogether, he tallied over 30,000
During the course of all that time

Holding the powerful accountable
Is what the press should do
So we should thank the Washington Post
For catching him in what's untrue

 

Walter Cronkite, Come Back

Walter Cronkite, please come back
Bring Paul Harvey with you
The daily news is not the same
Glenn Beck cannot replace you

Tucker Carlson falls way short
Of being the newsman I need
Alex Jones is just as bad
And Ben Shapiro, like a weed

Walter Cronkite, please come back
Bring Paul Harvey with you
All the news is not the same
Not the same without you

 
Worse of a Thing

My doctors just came visiting
I appreciate their call 
They keep me somewhat healthy
It's nice of them, is all

I ventured talking Trump with them
Warned them of his ways
But they were true to the ex-president
And refused to believe he is a craze

Now, I appreciate their medical care
I want to stay alive
But it is much more important
For our nation to survive

Keep me healthy, happy too
Don't want to pass away
But a worse a thing to worry about:
Donald Trump -- okay?

 

 
Flawed Premise

It's a flawed premise
One I'm sure you know
But if you don't, then I must tell you
That it just isn't so

What of this idea
That everyone repeats today
Of how you can't trust the media
In anything they say

That's a flawed premise
Buy it, if you will
But while you might not realize it
You can trust a newsman still

 
If You Want Truth

"True ignorance is not the absence of knowlege, but the refusal to acquire it,"
said Karl Popper
And I'm thinking what he said is all right and proper
Truth and knowledge are everywhere
But some people let it slip away into the thin air

If you want the truth
Don't cast it away
Listen, please, listen
It's better that way

The mainstream media
Is what you reject
And your refusal to acquire knowledge is what you elect

 

The Media and Reality

Reality is not a state of mind
It's what exists despite your state of mind
You can be conditioned to never listen to the media
Fearful that if you do, you'll come down with leukemia 

But there are things that exist though you refuse to see
And the media is where you find that reality

 
You Can't Quit

You can't quit the war because you fear the war is lost
The war is too important
It's an epic struggle for the hearts of men
That pales the word significant

You might fear your family and friends are lost
They cannot be persuaded
But the votes of our nation will decide this war
You cannot be so jaded

If Trump is elected our nation is lost
Democracy will be gone
You must fight to protect America
To give up would be wrong

 
Donald J. Trump, Hijacker

Donald J. Trump, hijacker
Born June 14, 1946
Father of almost six

Donald J. Trump, hijacker
He hijacked American Democracy
He wanted to replace it with his own aristocracy

That's the short bio on this guy
And it makes it easy to identify
The guy we already knew as a wisecracker
Is also our nation's hijacker

 
Is the Donald a Racist?

Why would America want them, Trump would ask
People from places like Haiti and Africa
"Shithole countries," he would call them
Not places that picture well in a camera

The same Donald Trump, it was
Who once banned immigrants from Muslim lands
The same Donald Trump it is today
Who makes immigrants the subject of reprimands

He suggests they poison the blood of America
As if some blood is more pure than others
And he seems to be saying our blood
Will become impure if they become our brothers

Not a racist? You decide
You are free to vote for this man
If his feelings on race mean nothing to you
He will spread them throughout our land

 
May Day 

You let him off easy
If you just say he's bad
Just a very bad person
Just another cad

The fate of our nation
He will rip away
Take away our freedoms
We should be shouting May day

 

See No Evil

The news broke
But the people wouldn't listen 

He was impeached for his conduct
He was indicted for his crimes
Not just once, but 91 times

He was found guilty of sexual assault
But the people refused to believe him at fault

They closed their eyes
And their ears became heavy

He praised foreign dictators
While Washington and Lincoln he mocked
And our judicial system, he daily knocked

But the people turned and looked away
See no evil, hear no evil, was all they'd say

 
All This Talk of Trump

I'm not in to that
All this talk of Trump
I'm not into that at all
Said a guy sitting on a stump

It wasn't that he liked Trump
He just didn't care
It was just that the continous stream of news
Was something he couldn't bear

I tapped him on the soldier
As he sat on that stump
I said, if you would, please read this
And tell me if Trump is not a chump

I gave him all my poetry
And read it to him out loud
And while I was reading it
There gathered quite a crowd

Some of them clapped
Some of them booed
Some of them stomped their feet
Some of them praised him
As a man who could not be beat

I held my hand out to quiet the crowd
And pointed to my friend sitting on the stump
This man is sick of all the talk, I said
He's sick of all this chatter about Donald Trump

But as I spoke, the little man rose to his feet
Saying he wouldn't vote for Trump
Now, I thought that was awfully neat

 

They Who March for Freedom

They who march for freedom
They who march for right
The soldiers in this army
Carry freedom's light

The 2024 election
Is a battle they must win
Or liberty will be lost
Much to our chagrin

 

Hateriots

They wrap themselves in the American flag
And call themselves patriots
I wonder if we could coin a new name for them
And call them all hateriots
They hate the immigrant
Hate the poor
They hate a little
And then they hate some more

Make America Great Again
They say as they wrap the flag a little tighter around them

America remains a very great land
Always has been, and is to this day
But as much as that's true
And as much as it's nice
If these "patriots" take over
We'll be giving it all away

 
Fifty Poems I've Penned

Fifty states in the Union
And now 50 poems I've penned
I just wish I could publish them
So they wouldn't be lost in the wind

Fifty poems I've written
Fifty poems, I say
And now I want to publish them
So they'll never go away

 
Poem 51

I've now written 50 poems about Donald Trump
And as I come to 51
I reflect on all that I've done
The poems -- as poetry -- a few of them are good
But most are just adequate
But they've given me a chance to oppose him
And in that, I've been most adamant

Some are just rallying poems
And try to touch your emotions
Others appeal to reason
Saying there's enough to fill the oceans

Call them all anti- poems
For, yes, I guess they are
Because if Trump gets elected
Our nation will be a fallen star

 

So Good at Golf

Our ex-president is so good at golf
He wins even when he's a state away
At least that's what we learn
From Rick Reilly's expose

Reilly is a sportwriting legend
SI and ESPN are where he gained his fame
And he casts some light on Donald Trump
And he casts on him some awful shame

"Golf is like bicycle shorts," Reilly says
"It reveals a lot about a guy"
And what does it say about Donald Trump
Well, there a lot of tricks he might try

"He has to win," Reilly says
"And he will do anything to cheat”
If he misses a shot, he gets a mulligan
Which in golf terms is a repeat

"I know because I played golf with him and he took seven"
Reilly says
Speaking to how this Trump guy is really driven

Trump will tell you he's won 23 championships
Reilly counters he's won none
At least not without golfing's version of an end run

On his own courses he might "win"
But remember what we said about a mulligan

He runs ahead to move his ball
Moving it out of the water
Have you ever seen a golfer with that kind of gall?

He kicks his opponents' balls into the bunkers
Making them look like lousy chunkers

Does Trump get away with cheating in golf and life the same?
Don't know about politics, but in golf
Reilly says, cheating's not allowed
"It's just not in the game"

 
Beat a Dead Horse

Beat a dead horse
Some of you say
Too many poems about Trump

Quit all of your talk
Quit bad-mouthing him
Get off of this political stump

But I shan't be shut up
From my dangers and fears
I shan't be shut up from my tears
My heart cries for my nation
And it won't go where Donald Trump steers

A poem, a rhyme against him
What humble words I have
I'll beat that dead horse deader
Now don't you have a calf

 
Two Sides in this Great Battle

There are two sides in this great battle
Two sides in our great land
On one side are the Loyalists
Those who say Trump is grand

The other side is the Resistance
Those who resist the purge
They like the government we already have
They resist our nation's funeral dirge

There are two sides in this great battle
Two sides in our great land
You decide which side you're on
And which will be your band

 

A Way to Vent

I pour my heart out in poetry
Expressing my fears and concerns
I fear we'll lose our democracy
I fear where the future turns

A president once wants to rule again
And a warning is what I shout
But nobody listens, nobody worries
They don't know what this is about

So what of my awfully fine poetry
Is it even doing any good
It's fun to write
But it's not making the difference it should

It's a way to vent
But it won't make a dent

 
Cult of Trump

Turn, if you will to a list of the signs
Signs of being a cult
I want to know if the Trump faithful are that
Will you discuss this with me like an adult?
I'm told the leader is very authoritarian
And that he doesn't tolerate criticism
Would you agree he's that
If we insist on your objectivism?
He's not quick to financial disclosure
Now, that's Trump to a T
And he's always right in all he does
Now that's Trump, you'll have to agree
He speaks of evil conspiracies and persecution
Now doesn't that define those of his persuasion?
He's the exclusive source of truth
Even so, Trump's followers are taught not to listen to the media
And they're taught that from their youth
A cult? 
Do we call it the Cult of Trump?
I think so
It isn't much of a jump

 
Rise Up, People

Rise up, people
The day is at hand
Rise up and take a stand

Your freedom is challenged
It soon will be lost
And great and heavy will be the cost

Rise up, people
And face the foe
Do not let your liberty go

A tyrant is running
To be president again
Do not, do not let him back in

 

The Book of Trump

The Book of Trump
Or the Trump Manifesto
Whichever name you want to use

But, for those of us who love our freedom
It's a book that does not amuse

It's a book with all the guidelines
For destroying one form of government
And replacing it with another

A kind of how-to-do-it
for replacing democracy
with something not even close enough
 to being its brother

Buy it if you like it
For the cost of your vote
You can get a signed copy

But you're signing something too
Signing away your freedom
Tell me, how could you be so sloppy

 
The Narrative

The narrative spreads and the people shout
Both of these candidates are bad
"In all my life, this is probably the most horrible choice I've had"
a news story quotes one person as saying
They want a way out, the voters do
They don't want to vote red
and they don't want to vote blue

Stop, stop, stop
if you would
The narrative itself
is not at all good

It's an easy out, though
an easy way to escape
There's no doubt if we elect Trump
we'll be in the worst of shape

But, Biden?
He's a democrat
You can't expect me to vote for one of those
It makes me shiver and shake
from my head right down to my toes

So those who spread the narrative
have an easy lie to sell
And the damage they are doing
is greater than you can tell

If Trump is elected
that's all that they want
And Biden is the only foe in the way
So, if they can remove Biden
then Trump will yet rule the day

"The American people should demand better"
the news article eggs them on
And the people buy the narrative
And the people join in the song

 
No More Hooray

The political parade today
The one that goes right down mainstreet
Is lead by Donald Trump
And it seems every float and band
Has someone giving him a fist pump

But parades are celebrations
That only last a day
And I hope that come tomorrow
There will be no more hooray

 
The Loophole

Would the founding fathers put a loophole in the Constitution
Well, did they
Just by accident

This would
You know
Ruin our government

But what if they left a loophole
One letting kings and thieves slip in
What if it let people steal our government
Who were flat-out criminals, or something there akin

Immunity, you say
Or, perhaps more crucially
The ability to pardon yourself
Get elected Nov. 5
And the loophole
Would be waiting on the shelf

All you got to do is persuade the masses
Make fools of them
Rile them up to outrage
That you should even be arrested
And in danger of a cage

Is this the same Constitution
The one that says you can be impeached
For high crimes and misdemeanors
Cause, if it is
Why would it leave open a way
For us to be taken to the dry cleaners

 

Patriotism More Than Politics

We need patriotism more than politics
At this moment in our land
We need those on both sides
To join together in one band

When a nation's freedom
Is jeopardized by a foe
It's time to unite against it
And right now that means backing Joe

You can fight the border question
And decide on climate change
After the crisis is over
And Trump is out of range

 

Is This a Sun that Sets?

Is this the sun that sets?
Those words are not adequate
For they suggest a quiet demise

And what faces our nation now
Will not be soft winds
But a storm that does arise

It will shake the windows of democracy
It will blow the roof from off of us
Hurricane Donald
Will shake this building's very truss

This is not just a setting sun
It's the sun being blown from the skies
Freedom is not just going down
It's being blasted right before our eyes

 
Certain Curse

A regime is coming
It will be America's first
The land that's always been blessed
Faces this certain curse

The land that's always been free
And never known a king
Faces this certain curse
If it gives Trump its ring

 
'Transition' or our Submission?

Money is pouring in
Big money
And not just for Trump's campaign
But for the "transition"
In other words
For when he will reign

They are referring to it as
Well
a "government-in-waiting"
I just wonder
Though
What it is they think they are creating

More than $55 million  
Coming from Leonard Leo and the Koch complex
Does a change in presidents need that much
I ask, with all due respects

You're just changing administrations
No more
You don't have to create an entirely new entity
I just wonder what you have in store