It's Hurricane Season

Tim D. Culey



The past four years may not have been the best in American history, but compare them to the pervious 8 years.

During the previous 8 we started two illegal wars .. invading sovereign nations with no provocation (and Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11, bin Laden was a Arab, and not any more popular in Iraq than he was in the U.S.)

During the previous 8 years, we went from a record surplus and a balanced budget to record deficits and no budget.

During the previous 8 years unemployment went up to the highest it had been since the Great Depression. New houses were essentially not being built and when they were could not be sold.

Foreclosures were at an historic high, as was bankruptcy. Homelessness was the highest since the Hoover Administrations.

The automakers were nearly bankrupt. In addition, Wall Street was out of control with the 1% raping and robbing the 99% with impunity.

Four years later, we have ended one illegal war and are in the process of ending the other one.

As far as we know, people are no longer being tortured anywhere at the behest of the US Gov't.

Four years later if you attend a speech or a public gathering of people who support Mr. Obama, and happen to wearing a T shirt that has "Romney" printed on it, or carrying a sign supporting Romney, you might be subjected to some uncomfortable conversations. However, you will NOT be arrested and send off to some country nobody has ever heard of to be boiled alive.

Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom to Peacefully Protest have all been options in the past 4 years, whereas they were not during the previous 8.

What happened in New Orleans during Katrina is metaphorically the same as our country.

The Bush administration dynamited the levy system and let the Mississippi River come crashing through destroying everything it its path.

There were those who profited on the misery of others, during those 8 years, the special interest groups made up of billionaires and the business owners who paid others handsomely to lobby on their behalf.

Mr. Obama came along and started repairing the levies to keep any more water from coming in. Then he started pumping out the remaining water. Then came the cleaning of the sludge left behind, then the rebuilding of the homes and businesses. During this process it was incumbent upon us to care for the sick and injured and those displaced and beaten down by Hurricane Dubya

He started the cleanup process, and then the rebuilding. If there are citizens in this country who for no reason of their own have been swept away by the hurricane of poverty, despair, helplessness, lack of educational opportunities, we need to give them a hand up when possible. If they need medical care, we need to see to it they get it.

We traditionally have not been a country which encouraged its citizens to set at the gates of the city begging for alms.

The clean up and restoration of New Orleans didn't happen over night. There are some areas that look the same as they did the day after Katrina. (Which begs the question .. if we have this 47% of our population sitting on their hands collecting government money for doing nothing, why not send them to NOLA, introduce them into the fine art of using a shovel, or driving a nail straight into a couple of boards. Put them to work on landscaping and replacing trees lost during the storm.

During the depression years we had the CCC the PWA and the WPA and the other "alphabet agencies" who did just that. It worked then, why not now?

There are those who go to NOLA now and are taken aback by what they see. Those who have never left will say, "If you think this place looks bad now, you should have seen it before."

If you think our country is in bad shape now, just look at the mess we had during and after the eight years of Hurricane Dubya. Then make the comparison of now and then.

Just as in NOLA, our country is not fully recovered. However, we have to keep working at it one day at a time for as long as it takes.

When we turn the country over to billionaires whose only interest is making more profits, despite the hardships they inflict along the way, when their path to riches includes 2 or 3 more wars causing the maiming and death of thousands of Americans, when retired people who have worked for decades are denied Social Security and Medicare all for the sake of corporate greed we are taking a dangerous path.

History is full of examples of great societies, wealthy and powerful countries who took this same path until the citizens finally said "Enough" and took matters into their own hands.

We are fortunate in this time and place that we don't have to take shovels and hoes and home made swords and storm the castle. We can make our wishes known by visiting the polling place and casting a ballot.

The choice becomes whether or not to let the person who is on the job, and has made considerable progress in our post hurricane country, continue to keep working to get it finished, or hire a person who guarantees that Hurricane Mittens will be making landfall moments after he takes over.




...

Always Close to Day

Tim D. Culey



It entered out lives on April 2, (no foolin’) with 1956 being the date
The action took place in the town of Monticello we don’t know the state.
We were astounded by the shenanigans that we witnessed take place
There was fighting and killing and cheating, oh what a disgrace!
The main protagonist was a lawyer who was no Perry Mason
Although for many years in his past he pretended to be him

The daily dynamics of this fictional city taught us about a cut throat DA
With plenty of white collar mobsters who owned the cops, so they say
It was not perfectly clear at any given time who was sleeping with whom
When the lights were out, what went on in the dark we can only presume
Who can ever forget that meddling socialite with her ambitions so absurd
And certainly it was very wise to be wary of that person named after a bird.


Sometimes it was confusing whether the residents were dead or alive
One was blown up in a boat, but later was found still living. What a surprise!
Many people kept up with Monticello until they finally became bored
It was never heard of again just after Christmas of nineteen eighty four
Among many there was much discussion whether it was proper or right
I think we all know, time stands still for no one, not even The Edge of Night.

Environmental Eclipse

Tim D. Culey

 

Apocalyptic policies
That neglect the environment and diminish the future
Because the zealots in power
Those ruling are ruled by their faith in the scriptures
When the environment takes a backseat to religion
Are they serving our interests or just succumbing to fiction?
There’s no more hope for our future when we’re governed by fear
Of the political holy men who believe the end is near

This is the end
The end is here
We’re all dead
Governed by fear
Fear of the end
Environmental eclipse
We’re already dead
Governing for the apocalypse

Their distain for this world
Is obvious in the content of their environmental laws
They never hear the cries of nature
Which are drowned out by the sound of corporate applause
They don’t seem to realize what’s really at stake
They can’t see the forest for the trees when they’re blinded by faith
They can’t comprehend how much their policies are flawed
When they’re busy groveling, down on their knees, before god

This is the end
The end is here
We’re all dead
Governed by fear
Fear of the end
Environmental eclipse
We’re already dead
Governing for the apocalypse

The second coming is coming
So there’s really no need to take care of the earth
They just live for today
And bleed the planet for all that it’s worth
But do they live for today or are they living for death?
Do they really feel god breathing down the back of their necks?
It’s their faith in the end that we’ll all live to regret
When our children inherit the wasteland that’s left

This is the end
The end is here
We’re all dead
Governed by fear
Fear of the end
Environmental eclipse
We’re already dead
Governing for the apocalypse

 

Breaking News

                                                   Tim D. Culey

In a news conference jsut moments after the Vice-Peidential debate, the Romney campaign has released its latest, latest position on abortion. (Not to be confused by their latest postion of Wednesday or their latest postion of Monday.)

The Romney Campagin wants to make it very clear that we are unilaterally opposed to abortion. We will work hard to repeal Roe v Wade as soon as we get into offce. The only possible exception to this policy will be if the fetus is gay. In cases where the fetus is non-white or female, "most likely" those abortions will be allowed, but we will take it on a case by case basis. Abortions  will always be allowed if the fetus is a Democrat.

There you have it the latest, latest position from the Romney Campaign. Stay tuned tomorrow for the daily update on their latest, latest position on this issue.

This news break was  brought to you by Mitten's Flip Flops. Made in Micronesia for a nickle a pair and sold in America for a mere $65.00 per pair All proceeds from the sale of Mitten's Flip Flos go directly to the Billionaire Relief Fund in the Cayman Islands, whose policy is "No billionaire shoud have to settle for just one yacht."  Not one penny of this money goes into the United States and is totally tax free to the recipients who are proud to be part of the 47% who pay no taxes.
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Forty Three Years Ago

October 4, 1969

Dawn creeps in through the canopy of trees and vines somewhere deep in the jungle in this place called Viet Nam.

The crackle of radio traffic interrupts the singing of the birds and the screeching of the monkeys.

“Red Queen, Red Queen this is White Rabbit. Over”

“White Rabbit this is Red Queen. Over.”

“Red Queen be advised Ell Tee (Lt.) Jefferson he has urgent traffic this location.

“White Rabbit this is Ell Tee. Over.

“Ell Tee this is Major Slick. You and your men are to leave your present position and move approximately 10,000 klicks (kilometers) south by west ASAP. You will then wait there for further orders UNODIR (Until Otherwise Directed). Do you copy?

“Major Slick this is Ell Tee. Roger, I confirm 10,000 klicks south by west. We are moving out.”

Several hours of radio silence ensures …

“Red Queen, Red Queen this is White Rabbit, over.”

(Only static on the radio.)

“Red Queen, Red Queen this is White Rabbit, over.”

(More silence .. more static)

“White Rabbit this is Doormouse, over.”

“This is White Rabbit, Doormouse, go ahead.”

“White Rabbit this is Doormouse be advised that Red Queen and his whole platoon were ambushed by Charlie. Everybody is gone, even El Tee bought the farm. I repeat, Red Queen was ambushed by Charlie and they all went west (been killed.)

“Doormouse this is White Rabbit .. "Ten Four.”

© Tim D. Culey October 4, 2012, 10-4.