Saved! At Last

The Wall Street Journal is far more even-handed than one might expect from a supposedly 
right-wing rag.  The editors are perfectly willing to print op-ed contributions in which the 
authors are permitted to make definitive statements and recommendations..  Next to the 
piece below was inserted a photo of apparent rubble from:  "An American school adjacent 
to the U.S.Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia, on Sept. 15.  Protesters burned the school the day before."

The article is itself entitled, "A New Course for the Middle East."  The (presumed) author
devoted 14 column inches to trashing the policies of the present administration.  Fair 
enough; that's a good lead-in.  Then in 3 column inches the new course is delineated:

"In this period of uncertainty, we need to apply a coherent strategy of supporting our partners
in the Middle East—that is, both governments and individuals who share our values.

This means restoring our credibility with Iran. When we say an Iranian nuclear-weapons capability
—and the regional instability that comes with it—is unacceptable, the ayatollahs must be made
to believe us.

It means placing no daylight between the United States and Israel. And it means using the full
spectrum of our soft power to encourage liberty and opportunity for those who have for too long
known only corruption and oppression. The dignity of work and the ability to steer the course of
their lives are the best alternatives to extremism."

There you have it.  We are saved!  It seems to me, though, that previous presidents might have
been more explicit, e.g., Jackson, Lincoln, TR, FDR, Reagan, both Bushes,  and even Bill Clinton 
in approving the bombing of Serbia.  There was only one Republican candidate willing to run who was 

certainly more definitive, and he got carpet-bombed out of the race.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444712904578024293333633994.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

Republic of New England report

The shadow cabinet of The Republic of New England
Met recently to discuss their current concerns,
Which I am obliged to report
As their faithful scribe.

The ascendancy of Parti Quebecois
In our neighbor to the north, raises once more
The spector of a referendum in the province
Leading to a vote for independence.

That would give separation anxiety
To Canada as a whole, some of whose citizens
Take the attitude,  "Let the bastards go,"
Most deplore breakup of the confederation.

A further complication in Canada is envy of
The western provinces and their wealth of
Oil and gas resources, leading to a healthy
Economic outlook, as in the Dakotas.

Thus, the idea of inclusion in our nascent republic
Has again attracted the maritime provinces.
New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island are in.
Nova Scotia is conflicted; Newfoundland is out.

In Nova Scotia, some of the descendants of
The loyalists who fled New England
Favor rejoining the British Commonwealth,
Whereas Cape Breton looks to a free Scotland.

Needless to say, no one wants Newfoundland
Unless oil is found offshore or some other miracle.
P.E.I. wants to keep its monopoly on providing
All the frozen french fries to Canada.

We are more worried about the U.S. national debt
Than the outcome of the election in the excited states.
But we figure that if we secede and then become a
Conquered dependency, we will not be taxed by the U.S.A.

The Man Who Would Be King

He is a prince who would be king,
Partly because Daddy could not,
But mainly because he is sure
That like David, God has anointed him to rule.

He looks in the mirror and sees
A perfect image of royal mien:
Tall, handsome, with a touch of gray
At the temples.  (He dyes his hair.)

He really would rather be king of admiring subjects
Than a political leader of a fractious republic.
He tries not to make definitive statements
As to what he might do if he became president.

Announcing plans that might trouble anyone
Is a risk he is reluctant to take,
Not only to avoid criticism, but
To preserve the kingly image of himself.

He has read The Prince,
Following Machiavelli's advice
To crush his competitors
Until he is the only person standing.

But of course he did not do
The dirty deeds himself.
He relied on ruthless courtiers
To smear, attack, and destroy.

His handlers try to keep him scripted
Because he tends to insert foot in mouth.
In weak moments, he reveals how little
He understands the concerns of the people.

Perhaps it is too bad that
We do not have a parliamentary system
So that he could bring in a hired gun
To run the government and take the flak.

If he succeeds in his quest,
We will face the great unknown
Of what he might deign to accomplish,
Which may very well be nothing of substance.

Uncontrollable Systems

Any plan that requires the interaction of
Organizations with different interests
Cannot be controlled,
Therefore is bound to fail.

A case in point is the kerfuffle
About health care in the United States;
Whether the Affordable Care Act
Is the solution to all our health problems.

Its primary objective is to provide
Each citizen with health insurance;
As though possession of an insurance card
Automatically results in well-being.

As many have said and written:
"It won't work because it can't work,"
Because it is an interlocking system
With conflicting and uncontrollable variables.

Assuming it is allowed to continue,
Policitians will be tinkering with it for generations.
The game of "whack-a-mole" will be played
To cope with each nasty "unintended consequence."

The governor of our commonwealth announced
That 98 percent of its citizens are now insured.
He also said that a pressing need is to
Figure out how to reduce the rising costs.

On our island peninsula, primary care physicians
Decline to add new patients; surgical specialists
Are booked six months in advance,
Sending the overflow to big city hospitals.

Conversely, immediate health care is now available
At walk-in centers across Cape Cod.
Some are subsidized, some are hospital affiliates,
A few are private, all are supported by volunteers.

The lesson is that the improvement
Of our health care system
Started at the bottom, rather than being
Imposed from the top.

West Point Military Academy

There is no such institution.
There is a taxpayer-supported college
At West Point, NY, which is officially,
The United States Military Academy.

In recent years, the name and location
Has been conflated into the WPMA.
Old grads like me cringe at that reference
Whenever we see or hear it in the media.

But our Association of Graduates and the
Domain of the official website now use
West Point as their identification of
The organization that they serve.

None of the other service academies
Can do that, although sometimes
The Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD
Was informally referred to as "Annapolis."

That makes no sense literally, because
Annapolis is the state capital of Maryland
And a historic city in its own right,
That happens to have USNA next door.

West Point, NY, however, is the academy.
That is, it is a tract of land owned by
The U.S. Government, i.e., the taxpayers
For the sole purpose of housing the academy.

It was not always so, of course.
West Point was the point on the Hudson River
Across which was stretched the Great Chain
To prevent a British linkup in the Revolution.

After the war, it became a school for
Training cadets for the Corps of Engineers,
Then logically became the site for an academy
To educate officers of the Regular Army.

We have to recognize and perhaps rejoice
At the misnaming of our Alma Mater and that
It is "West Point" that is engraved on our rings,
And to whom we sing "Hail Alma Mater'

Marketers call name recognition a priceless asset.
Which can be exploited, to be sure, but is also
An intangible spirit that has to be lived up to
By those who benefit from its existence.

How to Lose

My friend at church asks me,
"Do you think Obama can win?"
"No, I don't think he can win,
But the Republicans can lose!"

Now the Republicans are well on their way,
On their way to losing, that is,
As one by one, candidates quit the race,
Leaving a strange mix of competitors.

Worse yet is the roster of bystanders,
Those who might have been effective
In leading the country's citizens to accept
Living in the real world as grownups.

Changes need to be made, must be made
If we are to survive as a republic.
The tax code is a disaster;
The national budget rises through the roof.

Difficult decisions are a statesman's job.
The politician leads people where they
Say they want to go, whereas the statesman
Leads them where they need to go.

Who can tell us to rid ourselves
Of dependence on the largesse of a few
To food, clothing, shelter for all,
And the cure for all ills that befall mankind?

Some call for the fabled "white knight"
To ride into town bearing a banner
That reads, "Follow me and all will be well;
Obey me and you will be forever provided for."

History is replete with such false prophets
Who enslave their own people.
Freedom depends upon rulers
Becoming servants rather than masters.

NEWT 2012

Newt for president; you can't be serious!
Yes we are, and we're putting our money
Where our brains are, but we're not telling anyone
Because people will think we're crazy.

That's the attitude of those who all of a sudden
Gave Newt a big bump in the polls.
Even he was surprised, and said
"Today looks a whole lot better than yesterday!"

Can you imagine how risky it would be
To have a NEWT 2012 sticker on your bumper?
You might find your tires slashed, or
Key scratched all along the doors.

No, better to play it safe.
Don't say a word to anyone but the pollster.
Make your contribution online
Or mailed in a plain envelope.

Why Newt; is it because your favorite
Refused to jeopardize his/her future in the race,
Of if he/she did decide to compete
Managed to insert foot in mouth in a weak moment.

How can you support someone for president
With all that political and personal baggage
Hanging on his tail like tin cans?
Well, maybe because he truly tells it like it is.

What can the media say that isn't already known?
All the regular Joes and Janes who have
Made their mistakes along the way
May be sympathetic to a straight talker like Newt.