[Vision2020] "Medicare to the Forefront" and "Calling In the Humanizer Man"

[Tom Hansen]

"Medicare to the Forefront"
By Calvin Trillin, Deadline Poet

"Polls show that Medicare is now the third most vital issue of the campaign, and Paul Ryan’s plan to change it is unpopular with likely voters." — News reports    

Yes, any talk of Medicare Is almost guaranteed to scare 
A lot of voters everywhere. 
Though Medicare, in truth, has ne’er 
Been short of signs of wear and tear— 
Its funding source may need repair— 
Most folks are fierce in guarding their 
Entitlements, and they declare 
That any change would be unfair, 
Would cheat them out of their fair share. 
So politicians are aware 
There’s always risk in going there. 
They keep their distance from that snare. 
You cannot win the Croix de Guerre 
By meddling with Medicare. 
Your fate’s more likely to compare 
To agonizing mal de mer, 
A bad encounter with a bear, 
A trip to the electric chair. 
So talk of Medicare is rare, 
But Ryan’s put it in the air. 
And some Republicans despair.

-----------------------------
"Calling In the Humanizer Man"
By Calvin Trillin, Deadline Poet

"Analysts say that Romney campaign strategists face the challenge of humanizing their candidate." —News reports    

They’d like it if this man the folks are seeing 
Resembled more an actual human being. 
For that he’d need some warmth and shmaltz and soul; 
Then he’d appear less plastic and more whole. 
So in their dreams of triumph they aspire 
To show that their guy bleeds and may perspire, 
This can be done at once, without delay: 
The Humanizer Man is on his way. 
 
Yes, any candidate with boardlike stiffness 
Can be adjusted with surprising swiftness. 
The Humanizer Man’s done this before. 
Though he fell short of loosening Al Gore, 
He’s had a host of triumphs in his day. 
So if Mitt’s men believe, to their dismay, 
Their man’s as human as a Charolais. 
No need to cry “¡Caramba!” or “Oy vey!” 
For everything is going to be OK. 
To give him hope you only have to say, 
“The Humanizer Man is on his way.”

--------------------------------------

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students.  The college students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20120911/e411a56c/attachment.html>