OBFUS-GATE: An Exploration of Our National Crisis (Even Worse: It’s In Verse!)

current events, democracy, election, government, impeachment hearings, Mueller Congressional Testimony, Mueller Report, poetry, polarized times, US Constitution 3 Minutes
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In April I cited Barr’s antics
The AG was quietly frantic
The Mueller Report
Was a strong retort
To the “Trump did no wrong” semantics.

But Bill-Barr knew why he’d been hired
And sensing the public was tired:
“There’s nothing,” said he—
“No conspiracy”
So the Truth into muck became mired.

Yet ONE DAY after Mueller appeared
The President moved into high gear
With an unbowed head
To Ukraine’s Prez said:
If you want all that aid to be cleared…

…There’s a favor I’d like you to do
Some people you gotta look into
You’ll investigate
And all will be great—
Maybe a White House visit for you.

Zelensky had quite the dilemma
With Putin evoking some tremors
He’d sought to be straight
’Twas his winning mandate
But U.S. demands were bad karma.

So why should Ukraine cause our fussin’?
Our ally’s a bulwark v. Russians
We gave them our word
Worldwide it was heard
It’s their safety and ours we’re discussin’.

Just in time someone blows a whistle
And justice’s wheels start to sizzle
The hearings begin
The experts weigh in
And Light shone on lies makes them fizzle.

But here come the intractable foes
Who back Trump from his head to his toes
They can’t argue facts
So they take a worse tack
And pretend that the Emperor has clothes.

Now we’ve entered the land of impeach
With the Dems set to not overreach
Two articles cite
The President’s blight
And his large Constitutional breach.

The facts tell a quite simple story:
Abused power for his own glory
For Congress contempt
No defense will attempt
To challenge except with lies hoary…

…Or red herring complaints like this call:
“Why the rush when we’ve not heard from all?”
With subpoenas defied,
Delays far and wide,
These “bad processes” tales are quite tall.

There is reason to move with dispatch
The President’s acts must be watched
His lawyer’s abroad
To promote more fraud,
Our election’s integrity they’ll snatch.

But the country’s sadly divided
With false stories, hard truth’s derided
We’ve so much at stake
We must stay awake
And try to engage those misguided.

I shall now add a Bill-Barr return
He’s in mischief I can’t quite discern
He’ll make a report
Next spring—of some sort
That is likely to cause great concern.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for this move
‘Cause its purpose will clearly behoove
Us to promptly react
And to counter with facts
So the falsities don’t gain a groove.

It’s a time our decisions must fit
With the words of Ben Franklin—to wit:
When asked what we’ve got
Republic or Monarchy, he shot:
“A Republic—if you can keep it!”

Note: I leave my rhyme to turn to the prescient words of Alexander Hamilton, which my blogging colleague Brookingslib used to conclude a terrific post on the topic:

“When a man unprincipled in private life desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper, possessed of considerable talents, having the advantage of military habits—despotic in his ordinary demeanour—known to have scoffed in private at the principles of liberty—when such a man is seen to mount the hobby horse of popularity—to join in the cry of danger to liberty—to take every opportunity of embarrassing the General Government & bringing it under suspicion—to flatter and fall in with all the nonsense of the zealots of the day—It may justly be suspected that his object is to throw things into confusion that he may ‘ride the storm and direct the whirlwind.”’

Finally, as stated by Acting Ambassador to Ukraine William B. Taylor Jr. in his testimony before Congress, by Constitutional law experts Michael Gerhardt and Lawrence Tribe, and by others:

“If this [the Ukraine scandal] isn’t impeachable, nothing is.”

Annie

 

Published by annieasksyou

I've been a nonfiction writer for many years, exploring diverse topics that pique my curiosity, as noted in my first blog posting (Greetings!). I'm seeking dialogue with others committed to joining me in this exploration, sharing my conviction that different views can be exchanged in a respectful, civil discourse where we can learn from one another and be agreeable, even when we disagree. These postings depend for their enrichment on your participation: your ideas, insights, knowledge, opinions, and personal stories.

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36 thoughts on “OBFUS-GATE: An Exploration of Our National Crisis (Even Worse: It’s In Verse!)”

  3. Brilliant Annie! I especially liked the stanza about the Emperor’s clothes. I thought things had reached a new low this week with the Twitter comment on Greta Thunberg Time’s Person of the Year – imagine the president of the United States insulting a 16 year old teenager on Twitter? And this has become accepted as normal behavior? He obviously doesn’t seem himself as the one needing anger management the most. Where will it all end? PS. I’m not sure what you allude to in Barr’s upcoming spring report, but suspect something to do with changing the rules to suit him?

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    1. The Founding Fathers were incredibly smart. I can’t imagine what they would have thought of today’s goings on. I really feel we all need to be as active as we possibly can to make sure we reverse this crazy lawlessness.

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      2. Hi, Nancy! How good to hear from you—so glad you’re with me on this voyage. The MacArthur “genius” folks haven’t come calling, but I appreciate your vote of confidence. Hope you and family are all well.

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  5. Great job Annie! And thanks for the shout out! The fix is in. McConnell is rigging the trial.. Barr will try to help his reelection. We are in such crazy times. It seems as though basically half the country think nothing of this. I’ll bet you a dollar to a donut that he commits crimes between now and the election. The question is: will America care?

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    1. You’re welcome for the shout-out. I was going to let you know I was referencing you, but you beat me to it!
      I heard Lawrence Tribe last night say that McConnell’s actions will mean the Senate vote is irrelevant—and the House vote will stand as the final word. I’m not sure if he meant legally or historically, but he’s advising the Democrats, so I hope that becomes a talking point.

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      1. I think he meant historically, because the stain will be on him forever, regardless of what the Senate does. And, since the Senate will rig this thing, they are the ones who will suffer the fate of historical ridicule. I really feel that will be the case

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  6. I agree with a previous commenter that this stanza is particularly inspired: “But here come the intractable foes/Who back Trump from his head to his toes/They can’t argue facts/So they take a worse tack/And pretend that the Emperor has clothes. The Hamilton quotation is startlingly prescient — but I guess we human beings have been grappling with abuses of power and leadership for many centuries/millennia… I agree about staying active (although everyone needs to take rejuvenating periods of rest on a regular basis) I am currently excited to be part of a new musical revue featuring very well-crafted songs which a Berklee professor has written during the past three years of political turmoil. Hurrah for the arts, as flimsy and subjective and useless as they often seem to be when compared with cannons and tanks and bombs…

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    1. Thanks very much. I am partial to that stanza too!
      Though as you say, we human beings have been grappling with abuses of power probably for millennia, in this country I don’t think we’ve seen such contempt for the balance of power that the President and his adherents display since the Civil War.
      Best wishes with your new musical adventure. Hurrah for the arts for sure! When Nancy Pelosi was asked at a recent CNN town hall how we can bring people together, she said through the arts—because we find our commonality there! I heartily agree: nothing flimsy or useless at all!

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    1. Thanks, Nan. But here’s the huge question that still remains: with Mitch so blatantly playing this game, and his party bereft of an ounce of shame, which side is the public more likely to blame? Can we count on the Truth to somehow win acclaim?
      Here’s hopin’!!

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  11. It’s just so mind-boggling that they’re getting away with it. I think Barr played a huge role in getting us where we are because of his deliberate mischaracterization of the Mueller Report findings.

    Today’s NY Times has an Op-Ed by renowned journalist Elizabeth Drew headlined: “The Impeachment Process Is Barely Working.”

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    1. What a fine idea! I’m sure Mitch would love it, and I can cc: the 52 other trial participants to explain what they’re missing about this impartiality/we must hear from witnesses business. Thanks for your suggestion!

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    1. Thank you again, Jill! The basic rhymes come fairly easily, but I sometimes spend a bit of time tweaking and counting syllables. And not all the lines sound quite right if the reader doesn’t place the emphasis where it is in my head. But they are a fun diversion—a balm for me in tough times.

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  16. Pingback: Bill-Barr One Mo’ Time…I Seek Refuge in Rhyme – annieasksyou…

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