It spoils the fun of being loaded ...

Like many homes used mostly by vacationers, the lovely house where we're staying has accumulated a nice collection of older books. One I ran across might be thought obsolete: Calvin Trillin's little 2004 volume, Obliviously On He Sails: The Bush Administration in Rhyme. But on opening it, I ran across some little gems. Not as much has changed as we'd like as Congress considers whether to extend the Bush tax cuts for the rich.

THE REPUBLICAN PLAN TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY

It's very hard to estimate
Just what it takes to stimulate
A corporation, but we know
These people need a lot of dough.
And so, if no one else objects,
We'll cut them some humongous checks.
But stimulating them is tough.
A billion may not be enough
To spur a corporation while
It keeps its CEO in style.
It's possible we should explore
Some way that we can give them more.
We may just give them all we've got:
It takes a lot to keep them hot.
--Dec. 3, 2001

***
A REPUBLICAN DISCUSSES TAXES

Because they pay too much in taxes --
To feed the poor and fight the axis --
The rich are truly discommoded.
It spoils the fun of being loaded.
So we should tax the poor instead --
A tax on alms, or day-old bread.
-- Feb. 3, 2003

Enough already!