We've been "in those places". . . . . the soft-stepped, "LESSER-EVIL" with our hands raised out before us as if "tip-toeing about" in some form of padded/guns n' butter conciliation, as if to be somehow "bold-yet-spineless" with our haughty, pretentious attacks "like little professors" and snide asides; if not pinched sinuses and joyless laughter. Life is a harried, repressed, angular proposition "in which logic upon laural-splayed pillars" is but our only consolation. . . . . if not "the chopping heart-beat of fear". Of EVERYTHING WE WOULD HOPE TO BE, "yet slinking-off at the last possible second" when it comes to those deeds of valour.

Beyond ceremony "or public events" when one sits there behind some behumbled, cruddy fold-out table, either rewarded or overlooked "for some crummy little mention"-- THE TRUTH COMES OUT IN SMALLER WAYS. The pomp, gold, blinkered-brain-cheese, and "the laughable idea" that this assortment of official jack-assery CAN EVER GET DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF ANYTHING except bray on "with its own self-importance", the crowning of THE KING which may as well be a fuckin' JUG-HEAD CROWN "for all this should matter".

In former times, a President existed as "the salesman of THE SYSTEM" which pretty much meant that he traveled around "like a figurehead" whom owed his seat and continuing ability to govern on the basis "of favors". . . . . looped back to MONEY and SNIPING INTEREST GROUPS which largely meant "that his hands were tied".

Though certainly, "The White House SEEMED COMMANDING". . . . . there with about a million dollars or two ($$$) spent on freshly-cut floral arrangements put up by hushed, ingratiating maids n' staffers "with the legend of Virgina n' Manassas n' other such stolid "Civil Wahar" battles with bearded, Beauregard gray-eyed Confederacy "Yosamite Sam" bluster with BEAT-poetry/SLAM-soul-spirituals 'thrown to the 'niggers. If not a Cuban exile or two with a pencil mustache praying for repatriated deliverance around some gruesome, bloody, hot tamale altar with a howling-coyote Jesus with a smokin' crown of thorns.

God help you "if you offended them" and the heart-racing dispatches "from the don's press office" THAT HAD TO SMOOTH THINGS OVER "with blanket-denials and bland assurances" even as some dirty, under-handed "hatchet-job" WAS QUIETLY CARRIED-OUT UNDER THE RADAR. Whether it was slamming cruise missiles through apartment buildings or saying that "We'd never EVER apologize for THE UNITED STATES" with whatever sort of collateral-slaughter "we'd prefer not to think about" and sooner brush under the rug, much less send in soliders n' aid "to clean-up that shit-tornado" WE KICKED-UP.

Sometimes "there are the truths we know", THEN THE TRUTHS WE NEED TO HEAR-- "which softens the sting". Evermore, we confuse "desire" with "reality" and the task of a true politician, therapist, AND EXPERT NEGOTIATOR is to get back down "to the truth of things" that best serves the interest of the harmonious spheres expressed in this body politic-- FOUND IN A FUNDAMENTAL HONESTY TOWARD LIFE.

Beyond "the blustering, hallowed HALLS OF GREATNESS" belies the empty sepulchre of misery's tomb FOR THE RIDICULOUSNESS OF ALL THIS, whether you have some over-eager "young pup" of a congressional page weighted down with the ticking, droning hours of PROCEDURE or yo' sponge-headed "media-manifestation" of spooning-grapefruit, tea-baggin' gossip-circle "uselessness" betelling OF TORCH n' ROPE (-- and "death to the liberal insect")

(-- incidentally, that refers to "THE NEW YORK TIMES"!!!)

(-- "Who'se da' Bitch?!")

At this point, at "our dire hour"-- the business of governance SHOULD NOT BE THINKING SO MUCH OF POMP & CEREMONY, BUT EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP. We are beyond the television age with its heavy, flabby, ham-handed blandishments. . . . . perchance, thinking of peanut-seller's making their way around the stands in the swollen attendence at a ball park and the happy, grinning gestures "and limited amount of information" that can be packed IN THE HUGENESS OF THE ARENA, if not those whom lose themselves "in riotous entitlement" like vandalism, death-threats, and ill-will toward the otherwise peaceful attendees and Barry-in-Chief.

If it was anything I remembered "in particular" with the dislocations of modern life, the vulgarization of the masses, and the rise of mass communications "down to the MICRO-LEVEL" was the capacity for juvenile guerilla-strike tactics and the ill-will OF MORAL TERRORISM oftentimes taken out against "those least able to defend themselves", whatever a meek smile and peace-sign as if to ask, "Why can't we just GET ALONG?". But sadly, "unity & harmony" ARE NOT THE WAY OF THE WORLD and what folks must understand "first" IS THE INTEGRITY OF RETALIATORY POTENTIAL, first "in fear" then "in love" to fulfill the Machiavellian "doozy" while hopefully not leaving out the headless body of a designated "fallen favorite" in a purple cloak to the sniping, frozen terror OF THE TOWNSFOLK.

(Nyaaah, but it probably would have "backfired, anyway". . . . .)

Our Washington Capitol exists "as a kind of theatre" for those GULLIBLE ENOUGH TO BELIEVE IN IT as the fiction mashes n' parses n' turns the culture INTO A BUNCH OF WHIPPED, POP-EYED DOGS that can surely be whipped by one ferocious lion, just toying with them from his home office "set-up" in St. Louis.

In other words, one leads "far more effectively" when they're not BOUND, GAGGED, n' DROWNED in the D.C. culture of self-importance "like a bunch of barking seals" and forever maintains "their healthy SENSE OF SKEPTICISM".

Whether you live in Washington "or in da' stix", YOU NEVER LOSE YOUR SENSE OF THE GROUND SITUATION "and how it really is", particularly for the down-and-out n' least amongst us WHO ARE MOSTLY FORGOTTEN in budget-outlines and charity plans, who do most of the fighting n' heavy lifting and for whom "NO ONE REMEMBERS OUR NAMES". . . . . down in the mud, and the guts, and the blood.

Call 'em "THE TROOPS", 'da GRUNTS, yo' PORK RIND CONTINGENT without whom this country WOULD BE WITHOUT A PRAYER. You must speak to their need for honor, and a gruff, bemused self-regard while letting them quietly move up to the well-spring of nurturing, "good things" on their own terms.

Sometimes it's not about "being addicted to the frazzled, crackling trail" of televised sulphour found "in nationalized drama" or a constant infusion of "MEDIA CONSUMPTION". . . . . and what, should praytell "HAPPEN" if the transmission on the other side "should quite echoing back your need for self-validation".

But rather, the silence of the rollin' tumble-weed "speaks for itself" with a rustle of dust.

The business "of getting America back on its feet" should be based on the principle of guilds n' work-shop's n' mentorships, if not "crews of guys" working on projects with great camraderie-- there with cook-out's n' P.X's n' flag-raisin' ceremonies, and a well-rehearsed TOOL-KIT like a country doctor's satchel grounded in biology n' life-saving medical science, if not the geology of shale-oil exploration & lookin' around for fossils, when not only is this hard-nosed "version of truth" understated, but it can also "save your life".

Plenty amongst us "may rant n' rave" AND ABUSE FREEDOM. . . . . whether "free speech", "abortion rights", or "some flippant notion that two assholes have the license to get married"-- but if you lean over the porch in only the bottom half of your camoulflage pajamas "like a mean, yet-bemused OLD MAN goggin'-out his eyes" then turn around and draw on your pipe with infinite slowness, the answer begins to poke its way up from the murky bubbles of the cauldron. Much like the peepin' eyes of a chortlin' old alligator with a crooked, gnashin' grin of teeth.

Politics n' economics is defined "by scarcity", OR WHO GETS WHAT-- whether in power, "swing", goods & services, "guns, butter. . . . . or cruddy little mentions". If not the fall-out from such explosive quantities "found in what folks FIND MOST GRATIFYING". . . . . such as gambling, drugs, sex, or "status"; preferably "somethin'-for-nothin'" with all those scams, cons, n' cheats "when folks DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU" when allegedly, "the unthinkable" happens brought about BY OUR OWN GREED "in so many words". No matter "how holy n' selfless", watch what people do. . . . . and understand with a wise, forgiving nod of someone "who's done that a time or two" themselves.

When you come to the government of "U.ncle S.anta". . . . . your Odin-in-Chief, remember that "the kettle" is not begrudging, nor is it "infinite"-- say, if you were ever down at "the ole' station-house" with a fatherly cop as you glance at various budget reindeer tack-up's "on the bulletin-board" amid WANTED POSTERS and public service hand-bill's, if not a display of old rusted "Tommy-Gun's n' butter-fly knives" from the 1920's when the department chased around "boot-legger's" & slugged "a hood or two" in the face.

He'll hand ya' "a Pepsi" and a "Kit-Kat bar" and lay out some "rules of thumb", his hands folding and unfolding like making a sandwhich that sure ain't no baloney and would nod there "with a cagey tip of his hat", bringing the fingers up to the brim for good-natured authoritarian-brio.

For "commonsense" should not be a sparing concept. . . . .