Tears of laughter
Well, it didn't take long to find my first good laugh of the new year. From the opening riff of Mr. Bush's Sunday appearance at Brooke Army Medical Center:
You know, just start with that "foundation for peace" line, and I'll bet you're already beginning to chuckle. Why, with an unprovoked invasion which caused the deaths of thousands of Muslim civilians and American servicemen and women to his credit, Mr. Bush is laying one helluva foundation, all right. Oh, and there's that 3-sided civil war thing that's a probable result of our little "intervention" in Iraq, which has the potential to destabilize the entire Arab world, or provide an excuse for our permanent military presence there. Hoping for "peace" - now that's funny stuff!
And I didn't even get to the layer of this PNAC-inspired foundation that includes prisoner abuse, planted propaganda, torture, and Extraordinary Rendition. As comic hack Kenny Banya used to exclaim, "That's gold Jerry, Gold!"
But our Laughmeister in Chief didn't stop there, even though he was already "killing" (in the vernacular of the comedy circuit, of course). He really brought it home with that whole "strong economy" and "anybody that wants to find a job can find one" bit. Sure it's been a strong economy - for major corporations, powerful lobbyists and their clients, and the upper one percent of the socioeconomic strata. As for the rest of us... Well, let's just say that we're guffawing 'til it hurts.
And that "jobs" punchline? Hysterical! Why, I have 25 years' experience, a shelf full of industry awards, a drawer packed with personal commendations, and a body of work that's helped win millions in new business accounts. Of course, in today's corporate world, that didn't prevent me from being "downsized" almost two years ago - and I still haven't found a steady, salaried position after 22 months of trying. As a middle-aged, middle class, middle management type, I (and untold thousands like me) have as much chance of finding a new permanent job at this advanced stage of our careers as does Osama bin Laden!
And that's especially true when those corporate fans of White House economic policy can easily get someone younger (or offshore!) to do the same work for half the price. This Administration has set the tone for a business model that no longer really values experience, consistency, or quality. Lots of us "want" a job, Georgie, we've just had to sacrifice them for the continued security of your "base", as you once said - which makes this the funniest joke in your routine.
All this knee-slappin' humor has left me breathless now, so if you'll excuse me, I've just got to grab a tissue. I mean, those are tears of laughter running down my face, aren't they?
"I've been thinking long and hard about 2006. My hopes, of course, are for peace around the world. I'll continue to work as hard as I can to lay that foundation for peace. And also my hope is that this country remains as prosperous as it was in 2005. We had a very strong economy, and we'll work to keep the economy as strong as it possibly can, so anybody that wants to find a job can find one."Who knew this guy was such a brilliant comedian?
You know, just start with that "foundation for peace" line, and I'll bet you're already beginning to chuckle. Why, with an unprovoked invasion which caused the deaths of thousands of Muslim civilians and American servicemen and women to his credit, Mr. Bush is laying one helluva foundation, all right. Oh, and there's that 3-sided civil war thing that's a probable result of our little "intervention" in Iraq, which has the potential to destabilize the entire Arab world, or provide an excuse for our permanent military presence there. Hoping for "peace" - now that's funny stuff!
And I didn't even get to the layer of this PNAC-inspired foundation that includes prisoner abuse, planted propaganda, torture, and Extraordinary Rendition. As comic hack Kenny Banya used to exclaim, "That's gold Jerry, Gold!"
But our Laughmeister in Chief didn't stop there, even though he was already "killing" (in the vernacular of the comedy circuit, of course). He really brought it home with that whole "strong economy" and "anybody that wants to find a job can find one" bit. Sure it's been a strong economy - for major corporations, powerful lobbyists and their clients, and the upper one percent of the socioeconomic strata. As for the rest of us... Well, let's just say that we're guffawing 'til it hurts.
And that "jobs" punchline? Hysterical! Why, I have 25 years' experience, a shelf full of industry awards, a drawer packed with personal commendations, and a body of work that's helped win millions in new business accounts. Of course, in today's corporate world, that didn't prevent me from being "downsized" almost two years ago - and I still haven't found a steady, salaried position after 22 months of trying. As a middle-aged, middle class, middle management type, I (and untold thousands like me) have as much chance of finding a new permanent job at this advanced stage of our careers as does Osama bin Laden!
And that's especially true when those corporate fans of White House economic policy can easily get someone younger (or offshore!) to do the same work for half the price. This Administration has set the tone for a business model that no longer really values experience, consistency, or quality. Lots of us "want" a job, Georgie, we've just had to sacrifice them for the continued security of your "base", as you once said - which makes this the funniest joke in your routine.
All this knee-slappin' humor has left me breathless now, so if you'll excuse me, I've just got to grab a tissue. I mean, those are tears of laughter running down my face, aren't they?
posted by Bob P @ 10:10 AM
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