THE QUADRENNIAL TURKEY TROT
(or: The Race Is ON!)
The campaign’s begun and we all get to choose
Who’s going to win or be yesterday’s news.
'Twas Congress this year, but you know the date;
The campaigns this year set the stage for ’08!
Voting this time is “important!” “historical!”
(Whatever they say is mostly rhetorical.)
‘Cause it’s name recognition, money, and buzz
That’ll make all the difference ‘tween who is or was.
Just two years from now we’ll again have our say
As to who walks the plank and who gets to stay!
The members of Congress—all five-thirty-five--
Will be humbler once more, knowing some won’t survive,
For this is the year when top dogs take note
Of constituents dear; they covet their vote.
As John and Jane Public come into their own,
Solicitous candidates court them by phone,
By mail and by satellite, radio, too,
Election is paramount; they know that you
Are back in the driver’s seat (now’s when, of course,
Our dear public servants remember who’s boss).
(Self-serving’s a fact for all pols--innately,
So citizens ask, “Whatcha done for me lately?”)
As Tip O’Neill said, all politics is local.
But who wants their nation led by a yokel?
Election, say some, has become too important
To leave to the candidates. Lobbyists brought in
Have something to say about all their campaigns
And influence broadly who goes or remains,
For they, more than others, have axes to grind,
So hopeful ones heed them or get left behind.
Seniority still is the sought-after prize,
As up through the ranks each aspires to rise.
Come '08 and, with it, the moment of truth:
Some oldies survived by the skin of their tooth.
And now that the off-year elections are done,
The big guns load up for the ultimate fun:
They hope to fulfill all their dreams—what a thrill--
To become the big wheel in that house on the Hill!
(To be continued)
