Economy in rhyme

One of my Facebook friends posted a "Dr. Suess 2011" status. I am not sure if they wrote it, or if it was rolling around the viral-sphere. It was pretty funny. It was right-wing slanted, but that did not diminish from how funny it was, and in this climate, well, everyone has a point.

From my perspective, though, it was too difficult to read that poem and not react. To me it was a challenge. Frame the current economic debate in rhyme. The result is below. My own liberal bias shows through a bit, despite my attempt to play both sides as being the problem. Still, I think it is more about the meter and rhyme than being fair-minded...


by Wayne Roseberry

The budget was monstrous
the deficit growing
taxes were low and
spending was flowing

the economy was stuck
way down in the gutter
jobs in the toilet
no bucks to buy butter

when congressmen
senators all gathered and fought
to put the blame on each
what all of them wrought

With axes to taxes
the Republicans sought
to cut spending on those
who really had nought

They protected the rich
who had money galore
"To make us more jobs
the rich will need more!"

with eyes on the poor
the Democrats moaned
"What will they all do,
with their entitlements gone?"

"The poor are all whiners,"
Republicans snorted
"They're much better off
with taxes aborted!"

The Democrats shrieked
and uttered a cry
"My mother's on welfare,
she's going to die!!"

"Meanwhile the fatcats,
are sitting on cashes,
instead of making us jobs
they're fattening their asses!"

"The whole game is rigged
to keep rich growing richer
while the poor grow much poorer
and keep getting sicker."

when off on the side
of this mud slinging fest
the banks all chuckled
and put their feet up to rest

"We screwed them coming in
We'll screw them coming out
They're both far too stupid
To know what its about"

"We've got them convinced
we're absolutely essential
to keep feeding us money
so we can foreclose on your rental"

Meanwhile in the sands
of a far distant war
they kept burning up money
and who knows what for?

"Enemies surround us!"
They shouted and and roared
Dropping bombs on enemies
until they made more

The problem of course
is to difficult for any one side
to be all right or all wrong
we have to agree to decide

But instead of aggreeing
in a compromising way
the Republicans held hostage
the debt ceiling that day

"Give us all that we asked,
and nothing you wish.
Or we the blow this whole thing up
Won't that be de-lish?"

And the Democrats rather
than admit that the cuts
might just be needed
all went crazy and nuts.

"Tax on the rich!
Hang those old geezers!
Its righteous and right!
Use their money to make cheeses!"

The problem is teams
whose in yours and whose not
While seeking to win
Everyone forgot

That politicians have
a job to be done
Far more important than which side
is elected and won

So I say vote them all out
Let's wipe the slate fresh
Find folks that can compromise
And not make such a mess