A Senator and protegé
Were sitting in the park one day.
The old man's speech was topical
(Cigars made him philosophical.)
"My boy," the Senator proceeded
"I'll tell you how my work succeeded.
I worried for the working folk,
The jobs and wages for which I spoke
That were snuck out of our nation
Against the tide of immigration:"
Compassion for the common, see,
Bought me my nobility."
"Isn't competition good?" the lad replied
"For consumers and the worker's pride?"
"You miss the point," the elder scolded,
"To injury, we are beholded
Not to effort, nor to fortune
Nor to progress for our portion
But to the restless, troubled mob
That gives the Senator his job
Convince them that they have been cheated
And you'll never be defeated
Persuade them they've been robbed of pleasure,
And they'll buy your sympathy with treasure.
POPULISM, n. The theory that the people are gullible, vulnerable, inferior and foolish and so must be sovereign.
16 comments:
Populism,n. the reigns of power somewhere close to Italy?
Very good poem. A+ I had to pass out a grade since I'm no longer homeschooling here at home.
That "restless, troubled mob" can make you or break you. Convincing them they've been cheated is key, then the saavy politician must promise to rectify the situation - usually by robbing the rich to give to the poor. Of course, the politician himself or herself is usually rich and never bothers to rob themselves.
populism: average, every day Joes & Jamie Dawns in unison
Populism: "Power to the people" in charge of the people who have all the power.
love your poem -- that said, your senator reminds me of a certain fat Walrus who chatted up a Carpenter whilst walking on the beach alongside a bunch of gullible oysters. d'oh!
Populism,n.
"Pope, you'll listen!"
you think that'd make a good opener for when I am arriving at the Vatican to be canonized?
And republics are governed by chance? (Don't see why not. He's got as good a chance as any other Republican, says so right on the label. And he already knows how to throw a curve.
;)
I got nothing.
But the poem is great.
So, you sayin' these politicians are lyin' to me? Hard to believe! I'm stunned. And stunted. And stupid. Just another typical member of the general population.
POPULISM n. 1) political pop culture; 2) glossy and slick advertising inversely proportional to its product's/candidate's actual substance or social value
Minka, Vatican City? No.
Thanks, Jamie Dawn. I guessed you didn't grade hard.
Now is the time to speak of many things, Neva.
Minka, from my understanding of the process of canonization, your opening line is assured to go badly.
Amoeba, I don't remember Dean Chance but in the little chart on the bottom he sure came before and after some folks I remember. I might even name a dog Boog one of these days. OK, Chance for Prez.
Thanks, Jenn.
TLP, you just aren't entitled enough. By the way, Minka took a lamp.
Quilly, I think unproportional. The badly financed candidates are also scoundrels.
Populism just sounds happy to me.
Poppies, Pop Tarts, popular, Pop Goes the Weasle...
You're right, Dawg. My bad.
So, was this the guy that had his home remodeled by a Republican lobbyist? Sounded familiar. xoxo
I can only relate to poplar...those we got.
Nice poem Doug.
Great poem... you have stumped with Populism. Can't think of a lyric!
The poem reminded me of this tune:
"They told us that we lost our tails
evolving up
from little snails
i say it's all
just wind in sails
are we not men?
we are DEVO!"
Is there something to this? Or is it just my twisted thought patterns tying themselves in knots again.
Jamie Dawn, it's meant to sound happy, actually. Like sigmascope and pap smear.
Contend away, Quilly. I've just known some reprehensible pols that did their fliers on xerox machines.
Mireille, you're going to have to be more specific. Was it tasteful?
Thanks, Kyah
Really, Shayna? Anything by Hank, Jr., CDB, Bruce Springsteen or Steve Erle oughta do.
Well, Cheesie, I can see how a band from Akron, Ohio could reach that conclusion.
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