<html><head></head><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div></div><h2 property="dc:title" style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;">"Medicare to the Forefront"</span></h2><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;">By Calvin Trillin, Deadline Poet</span></div><div><br></div>"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 <div><br></div><div>Yes, any talk of Medicare Is almost guaranteed to scare </div><div>A lot of voters everywhere. </div><div>Though Medicare, in truth, has ne’er </div><div>Been short of signs of wear and tear— </div><div>Its funding source may need repair— </div><div>Most folks are fierce in guarding their </div><div>Entitlements, and they declare </div><div>That any change would be unfair, </div><div>Would cheat them out of their fair share. </div><div>So politicians are aware </div><div>There’s always risk in going there. </div><div>They keep their distance from that snare. </div><div>You cannot win the Croix de Guerre </div><div>By meddling with Medicare. </div><div>Your fate’s more likely to compare </div><div>To agonizing mal de mer, </div><div>A bad encounter with a bear, </div><div>A trip to the electric chair. </div><div>So talk of Medicare is rare, </div><div>But Ryan’s put it in the air. </div><div>And some Republicans despair.<div><br></div><div>-----------------------------</div><h2 property="dc:title" style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; clear: both; font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px; ">"Calling In the Humanizer Man"</span></h2><div>By Calvin Trillin, Deadline Poet</div><div><br></div><div>"Analysts say that Romney campaign strategists face the challenge of humanizing their candidate." —News reports </div><div><br></div><div>They’d like it if this man the folks are seeing </div><div>Resembled more an actual human being. </div><div>For that he’d need some warmth and shmaltz and soul; </div><div>Then he’d appear less plastic and more whole. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">So in their dreams of triumph they aspire </span><br></div><div>To show that their guy bleeds and may perspire, </div><div>This can be done at once, without delay: </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">The Humanizer Man is on his way. </span><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">Yes, any candidate with boardlike stiffness </span><br></div><div>Can be adjusted with surprising swiftness. </div><div>The Humanizer Man’s done this before. </div><div>Though he fell short of loosening Al Gore, </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">He’s had a host of triumphs in his day. </span><br></div><div>So if Mitt’s men believe, to their dismay, </div><div>Their man’s as human as a Charolais. </div><div>No need to cry “¡Caramba!” or “Oy vey!” </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">For everything is going to be OK. </span><br></div><div>To give him hope you only have to say, </div><div>“The Humanizer Man is on his way.”</div><div><br></div><div>--------------------------------------<br><br>Seeya round town, Moscow.<div><br></div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div><br></div><div>"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!)."</div><div><br></div><div>- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)</div></div></div></body></html>