What a Month!

by D. J. Herda

It's been an interesting month in politics, that's for sure.  What with potential Republican presidential candidates Mike Huckaby and Donald Trump virtually assuring us of throwing their hats into the ring only days before bowing out within 24 hours of one another, the political climate is heating up.  And when you consider that antiquarian Newt Gingrich and perpetual hat-hanger Ron Paul added their names to a presidential primary run, how can you not walk away mumbling to yourself?

But the Republicans are but mere bit players in a month that saw plenty of presidential posturing, pouting, posing, positioning, and virtually anything else you could name outside of actually running the country.  Oh, sure, Obama gave the go-ahead to a plan to ultimately attack and kill Osama bin Laden.  But somehow, watching our commander-in-cheek watching the mission unfold on closed-circuit television made even that feat look less presidential and more Xboxish than "Black Ops."

And then there's one of my favorite stories from the past month involving, of course, none other than Nancy Pantsy Pelosi, whose congressional district out there in the good old political clime of Kahl-i-for-nay-aee received nearly 20 percent of all Obamacare exemptions handed out nationwide.  One-fifth.  One out of every five exemptions delivered by the president, himself, presumably on a satin-covered pillow ringed in ermine and pearls.

Understandably, the businesses receiving the gifts were pretty high up on the nation's list of national security interests, including one restaurant at which Nancy Pants often orders $60 porterhouse steaks for her cronies and her.  I mean, farmers could starve.

And then there was the story of the Guvernator who, unlike Pelosi, really can't keep his own business in his pants--at least not with those entrusted to serve the first family while living in the governor's home.  I guess it ain't easy being married to someone with access to all that Kennedy money.  Think of the pressure in simply keeping up with the Joneses.  Uhh, the Shrivers.

My favorite political gaff of the month, though, belongs once again to Obama, who in his brilliance ("He's the smartest American president in history") invited rapper Common to sing a song or recite a poem or something at a White House gathering.  Common, who used to be known as Common Sense but had to drop the last name because he could never remember them both, glorified a convicted cop killer who has since exiled herself to Cuba, where she has lived for nearly 40 years.

But the ignominy of it all is that the arts event was held mere days before the commencement of National Police Week, an offense to all those in law enforcement and the families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty.  Worse still, the president's spokesperson, Jay Silverheels, tried to put a light-hearted spin on the Lone Ranger's arrogance and ignorance afterwards. 

But then again, isn't that what we've come to expect from a White House that boasts more cowboys, more cobwebs, and more criminals among its core than any other in history?  One that boasts more job creation, more stimulus packages, more corporate bailouts, and more government takeovers (as the economy continues to tank) than every other administration combined? 

At least it seems that way to me.

And I…am D. J. Herda.

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D. J. Herda is President of the American Society of Authors and Writers (http://amsaw.org), an organization made up of authors, writers, editors, publishers, agents, directors, producers, and other media professionals who rely upon the printed word in the creation of quality literature and entertainment.  He is a member of the Author's Guild, a former member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and a former member of the National Press Club.  He has published more than 80 books and several hundred thousand articles, short stories, columns, interviews, plays, and scripts.
 

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