President

Map Quest

Holding it

as long

as possible,

the drive

continues

until

what was

once

probable

is now

unfathomable,

while

the situation

of this election

becomes

untenable.

The liberal

art of losing

the electoral

college,

despite

the popular

vote,

is no 

longer

remote.

We are

being driven

by fossils

fueled

by the vision

of apocalypse.

The fear

of the end

so near

brings up

the rear

view

mirror

of fascism.

Cataclysm

feels

imminent.

Despite

the words

at the presser,

I heard

some answers

that seemed

to hint

at some

exit ramps

ahead. 

Stopping

to rest

after a

personal

best,

could test

the road

less

traveled.

Have we

unraveled

entirely?

Or merely

enough

to find 

the stuff

to repair

our tire

before 

we expire

and find

a charging

station?

A slight

detour

might

be required

to be

re-inspired.

Seeking

the path

to victory,

fearing 

history

as precedent,

we are in

a moment

to test

this quest

not yet

mapped:

to elect

a project 

for 2025-

keeping

democracy

alive-

or turning

right

into a 

dead

end?

Patriot Acts

“I know how

to tell

the truth,”

declared

the POTUS

the day after

the rest of us

saw 

he couldn’t claw

his way out

of a debate

with a liar

lying

about 

everything.

Telling 

the truth

for the uncouth

MAGA man

is seen 

in the ways

he conveys

fears and aches.

The stakes

being grilled

have filled

our capacity

on this anniversary

of America.

Patriotism

on display

today,

waiving in 

red, white,

and blue,

hate and fear

is still clear

while professing

love

for America

above everything

except embryos.

I chose

anniversary

instead of birthday

because a union

was created

and debated

since 1776.

America

is not

biological;

it’s philosophical

and ideological, 

though sometimes

with 

the logical part

missing.

We are all

patriots today,

celebrating

this anniversary

of possibility

for humanity

to live decently

in democracy,

once 

associated

with liberty

and justice

for all.

Truth

has been

spinning

for winning

elections.

But reflections

of  acts

of patriotism

reveal

less cynicism

and criticism

than truism,

until the era

of MAGA.

Now,

truth telling

is telling.

Claiming

to be

a patriot

with mendacity

and audacity

to blatantly

lie

is the truth

this 

4th of July

of one party

claiming

the future.

The truth

is grim,

but patriotism

for US

has meant 

a system

dependent

upon

truth

and accountability.

A patriot

acts

for 

a more

perfect union,

not for

a savior

or

not with 

a diety

but with

democracy,

where 

the truth

is not easy

to accept.

Hearing Aids

It’s hard

to regard

calls

to step 

down

as 

the sound

of success.

But two 

things

can be true

at the same

time. 

Not everything

must 

rhyme.

Biden can be

his legacy

now,

taking 

a bow,

with a vow

to make

us all

better.

Fearing

a worse

defeat

that

would

seem like

a complete

disaster,

I understand

the reticence.

I imagine

the pain

and belief

that Biden’s

relief

is the best

shot

we’ve got

going forward.

He’s always

bounced

forward

but now

must

fall back,

knowing

he’s slowing

down

along

the way

down.

How cruel

the circumstance

of his

last chance

that may

be ours.

I have to

think

his aids

are hearing

what 

is happening

here.

It is clear

he is losing

a losing

battle,

and winning

the election

won’t

be the correction

for the ravages

of aging.

It’s torturous

to witness

declining

fitness

and not

having

access

to more.

I understand 

the seriousness

of the iffiness

of Harris

at the top

the ticket.

Fear of losing

is confusing

issues:

winning

and delivering

for the future.

Biden 

is not

winning

now,

and the 

trajectory

is not

good.

Would

that his

aids

are listening

and that

he can hear

that we

see

his legacy

cemented 

gracefully,

which

is utterly

anti

Trump.

Before 

the 4th,

the irony

of the immunity

of the presidency

decision

did not escape

me. 

Washington

stepped down

when he could

have remained

in office.

He distinguished

the presidency

from a monarchy.

For different 

reasons

but still

guided

by pride,

if Biden

steps

aside,

it will

be 

for the

better. 

Be who

we say

we are.

Energy Crisis

I couldn’t watch.

I wouldn’t watch.

Governance

is not 

a debate.

Yet our 

tradition 

of performance

of endurance

to provide 

assurance

is the substance

we use

to  choose

the POTUS.

By all 

mounting

accounting

in real

time

and thereafter,

I glimpsed

the sad

theater

of our absurd

election.

A weak-

voiced

Joe

seeming

slow

against

each

blow

no matter

how false

the statement,

was a statement

of fitness

to those

who witnessed

what should

never

have taken

place.

Sad 

to say

that the

job

at bay

is partially

appearance.

The grievance

guy

with

each lie

conveys

energy.

He may 

be cruel

but his

fuel

is addictive

despite

being

convicted

so far,

34 times.

We are

addicted

to energy

at all

costs.

But

thoughts

of being

slow,

embodied

by Joe,

are dreadful.

Last century’s

model

seems

on the way

out,

as autocrats

plow through.

But 

dictators

playing

orators

is also 

old

while selling

retold

as something

new—

or at least,

something

strong.

A power

fueled

by desperation

supported

by

exasperation,

cannot

trump

our democracy.

This is crazy.

Alternative

energy

seems necessary

now

more than

ever,

while

voters

still

have power.

Heat Wave

Desantis

cut

all grants

for arts

in Florida.

This is not

merely

the display

of Tom Delay

opposing

a nude

sculpture.

This is culture

war 

gone

nuclear.

Aside

from 

refuge

from the deluge

of the monstrosity

of absurd 

political

verbosity,

the arts

engage 

with less savage

rage

and elevate

hearts

and minds.

Thinking

critically

is critically

necessary,

and increasingly

lacking

in society.

Not merely

criticizing

the opposing

position,

but juxtaposing

division

for consideration

is the job

of the thoughtful

democratic

citizen.

Of course

arts 

are 

not exclusive

to democratic,

inclusive

societies.

All cultures

create

culturally 

great

works,

that work

to showcase

impressions,

expressions,

confessions,

obsessions

beyond

politics

or religion,

or economics

or any statistics.

Art 

is part

of being

human,

if only

to be

appreciated.

No reason

was given

as to what

had driven

Desantis

to defund

grants

for arts

across

the great

state

of Florida.

How about 

opera

in Tampa?

Or the Miami

City

Ballet?

Or the New

Word Symphony

or every gallery

from Tallahassee 

to The Keys?

More importantly,

these sacred

places 

not

for profit

benefit

the public—

educating,

celebrating,

debating,

and creating

connections

anew.

He won’t

undo

what he 

threatens

to,

despite

his defunding

veto.

It’s abundantly

clear

he’s sincere

about 

being a

rage 

machine.

He won’t

be outdone

by anyone

except

by himself.

Should

we be 

outraged

or disengaged?

Which

would be

most effective

against

the invective

and incentive

to be incensed

by the lack

of sense

and every 

pretense

and policy

to lash

back

against

culture

and history

since 1960?

Adding fuel

and heat

to compete

for VEEP

may be

a steep

conquest,

but my best

guess

is that

this wave

won’t 

save

him.

Heat

waves

have begun

not just

in the Sunshine

State. 

The first 

debate

will ignite

the fight

that will

get overheated

as MAGA

acolytes

on the right

like to 

make waves

and heat

things up.

The boiling

point

is the point;

to foil

any opposition

even if

the position

is to defund

all arts.

Don’t let

the heated

rhetoric

and waves

of crazy

keep you

lazy.

Support

the arts.

Buy and read

banned books.

Help women

access care

as needed.

Ignore the 

debate.

Help create

access

and accountability.

It’s your responsibility

in this 

heat wave.

Elder Care

Some don’t 

care

about one

candidate’s

age

or

gaffes

or (potential?)

crimes,

because:

demeanor.

The meaner,

the better;

such

a go

getter.

His vim

and vigor

and ability

to trigger

libs

is his

super 

power,

despite

his dour

countenance

and incompetence

at everything

but delaying.

He’s playing

the game

to win

at all 

costs,

which,

as of now,

costs him

about a half

a billion

dollars

plus interest

each day

he doesn’t

pay.

“So what?”,

they say,

“He’s here

to stay”,

because

he’s the

Mr Fixit.

But if

the fix

is in

unless he

wins…

oh there is

no

logic

to the diabolic

hyperbolic

sclerotic

neurotic

chronic

liminal

criminal

chief

cheat,

other than

to serve

himself.

And the slow

moving

Joe

is suffering

from low

approval

ratings

despite 

succesful

governance.

But media

presence

presents

a problem

for the elder

statesman.

Looking

frail

on the campaign

trail

is worse

than the prospect

of going

to jail

in our current

democrazy.

Will stopping

Biden

be easier

than stopping

Trump 

from running?

This could 

be stunning.

Write

to your 

pols

regardless 

of polls

and tell

them how

much

you care.

A democracy

is not 

a one man

capability.

We are much 

more

than this

sore

spot

of old

white

guys

clinging.

Never Mind?

Lemme just say

that one 

should pay

one’s bills.

The latest

threat

to NATO,

though,

we can’t ignore

as a sure

bet

to upset

yet

again 

the anti

MAGA

as the saga

continues.

The irony,

as Andy

Borowitz

reminds us.

is that

the guy

who never

pays 

his bills

somehow 

instills

a sanction:

a sort of

permission

for Putin’s

aggression

and obsession

with expansion.

Trump

is playing

quarterback,

wanting his

own

Super Bowl

back;

treating this

as the halftime

show

Ushering

in 

the third

quarter

after ordering

House

Repubs’

ignoring

the border

deal

that could

have helped

our immigration

situation,

and also

Biden.

And who 

could forget

Hur’s hurling

insult

at the aging-

before –

our-eyes

POTUS,

who 

side steps

stepping aside.

Designed

to undermine

Biden’s

candidacy,

Hur’s report

tends

to distort

his role.

Now 

what’s on

everyone’s

mind:

Who’s

mind

is more

demented?

The tormented

one 

who foments

aggression

and hate

with a spate

of indictments

and trial dates?

Or the decidedly

decent,

accomplished

statesman

whose

lack

of alacrity

walking to

pressers

has had no

bearing

on his

ability

to engage

in serious

matters

at home

and abroad

with some

of the greatest

successes

despite

what impresses

the minds

of voters

most.

It used

to be

“It’s the economy,

Stupid!”

Now,

it’s just 

stupid.

And we can’t

never

mind.

Under The Influence

In the influencer

era,

an influx

of flummoxing

speech

and behavior

is driving

the culture,

media,

and politics

such that

verbal tics

become

propoganda 

tricks.

The most 

influential

and least 

presidential

still has 

the potential

to create

torrential

storms.

He inflicts

pain

while feigning

affliction

from unfair 

prosecution,

and his claims

of innocence

bring cognitive

dissonance.

He relishes

the influence

he has,

while

denying

plausibility

of influencing

the rioting

and the rest

of the insurrection.

Under The Influence,

we’ve been 

driven

to the precipice,

where every 

action

and utterance

feel consequential,

if not 

existential. 

Driving

while intoxicated,

the indoctrinated

keep drinking 

in 

the bathtub

gin—

a homemade spirit

of amateur conditions

against prohibitions.

We need 

Dry January

to Sober

October

to remember

November

requires

each of us

to be

a defender

of democracy.

Your influence

is needed

until

his is defeated,

which may

continue

from confinement.

There’s no 

requirement

for influencing

beyond the appeal

to how people feel

or wish 

to be

regarded.

So while 

we’re bombarded

by the craven

Maven 

of Influence

(and verbal

flatulence),

don’t let his

petulance

and contaminants

drive you further

under his influence.

Drive with focus

as the

auto

reply.

Old Spice

It stinks

to holy hell-

the old man

smell-

that leaves

the future

behind.

Like bad

body spray

that won’t go

away,

the redolence—

the prominence

and dominence

of intolerance—

is fetid.

Shamelessly 

reeking

while constantly

seeking

money

and political

support,

intent to 

distort

and contort

the law,

I remain 

in awe

that he can

clench

the nomination

with the stench

of abomination.

Ballot removal

has found

approval

in some states

thus far.

His odor

persists

as he 

insists

he’s clean

as he vents

his spleen

on the rest

of us.

Meanwhile,

the elder

once fiesty

pol

needs to call

a life line.

He smells 

fine,

but too benign

and in

decline,

which is sad

and also

terrifying.

Gimme that

Old Spice

as when 

he was

Vice,

or entice

someone

else to run.

Voters want

vim

and vigor,

(and some 

want vinegar);

we can’t 

let it

all

come undone.

The new year

upon us

when we’ll

vote for 

the POTUS

should be

one for 

the ages.

And their

ages 

will play

into the fray

with a bouquet

of toilet water. 

So hold

your nose;

here it goes:

2024 is here.

Volunteer.

Persevere.

Be sincere.

And vote.

Here’s 

to a high note

ending

with all

that’s impending:

we’ll be

sending

the offending

away.

The Nutcracker

I never understood

how a nutcracker

could

be

a favorite

gift

until now. 

Oh how sweet

the suite

has been

this week. 

Like the famed

ballet

our nutcrackers 

today

are soldiers

of the good

and just.

The Nutcracker

kills

the menacing

7 Headed

Mouse King,

allowing

the land 

of the sweets

to thrive.

Earlier this week

The Mouse King

made references

to his preferences

for dictators

and his desire

to hire

those 

who will impose

restrictions

and revenge.

But our 

Nutcrackers

have been

cracking

while

the nutty

keep attacking,

because

it’s what

they do.

Now Rudy

owes Ruby

and Shaye

a ginormous

pay day,

and more

to come

because

he won’t

succumb

to accountability.

Judge Engoron

closed the door on

the lies

of the “expert

witness”

of the Mouse King.

And Bravo,

Colorado,

for disqualifying 

the horrifying

candidacy

of the Mouse King.

Letitia James,

Fani Willis,

Jack Smith,

and so many

other

Nutcrackers

among us,

are doing 

the work

of justice

as we wait

for Christmas

whatever

time of year

it comes,

bearing

the gift

of blocking

The Mouse King

forever.