How to Acquire and Maintain Political Power
Part 1: Acquiring Power
Announce that you’re The Savior.
_You’ll be the one who strives
to transform our society
_and better people’s lives.
Are people’s problems their own fault?
_No way. Of course, they’re not.
“The system” is the reason for
_the issues that they’ve got.
Proclaim that poverty’s not fair,
_that you are going to nix it.
Declare a stronger government
_is what we need to fix it.
Emphasize entitlement.
_Push envy, till they’re seething.
Tell them they deserve more freebies,
_just because they’re breathing
Vilify opponents. Call them
_“racist” frequently.
Claim that they are fascists who’ll
_destroy democracy.
Oppose all efforts to inspect
_and clean the voter rolls.
Get to know the people who
_are working at the polls.
Part 2: Maintaining Power
Improving people’s lives can wait,
_though they may gripe and glower.
Pass laws that are likely to
_enhance your party’s power.
Give happy names to pending bills.
_This tactic is the sort
that hides the real contents and
_elicits more support.
Claim you’ll solve an urgent need.
_To do this, you’ll provide
money to nonprofits run
_by people on your side.
Use inside knowledge of new laws
_for monetary gain.
Getting rich by buying stock
_will help fund your campaign.
Bring civil suits against your foes,
_and if that plan should fail,
drum up phony charges so
_they’ll all be put in jail.
And if your policies don’t work,
_say life will be sublime,
if voters give you what you need:
_more money and more time.
Mark F. Stone worked as an attorney (active duty and civil service) for the United States Air Force for 33 years and is retired. He began writing poems in 2005, as a way to woo his bride-to-be into wedlock. His poems have been published by The Epoch Times, Light, Lighten Up Online, The Ohio Poetry Association, The Road Not Taken: The Journal of Formal Poetry, Ric Edelman’s The Truth About Your Future podcast, and the Seeking Alpha Alpha Picks podcast.
Excellent tragicomic work, Mark. Good job!
You took the thoughts right out of my mind, Mark, and you touched pretty much all the bases doing so. Not one sentiment we don’t share. Maybe it’s a ‘Mark S.’ thing? A fun but disturbing piece and 100% on target. Thanks for the read…
Mark, this is a very pungent and on-target description of how our enemies work, and how they have managed to embed themselves into power throughout the West.
But I must add this: We who oppose all of this maneuvering and infiltration and propagandizing have NOT LEARNED OUR LESSON. The only way to fight is for us to be just as ruthless, just as merciless, just as underhanded, and just as totally fixated on winning at all costs, regardless of what it takes, and regardless of who starts whining and preaching.
And I’ll leave it to you to to answer just whom I’m talking about at the end of that last sentence.
Mark, you are right on target with your sophisticated soliloquy slamming those who have used their ill-gotten powers for personal gain employing soothing, nice sounding titles to programs while hiding their deceptive intent from the masses.
Stone is on point and rock-solid, but unfortunately the grifters have studied and learned the art of showmanship. God help the stout citizens who refuse to be gullible, and thank God for authors who are able to see things as they actually are. Carry on!
You always crack me up, Mark. Well said.
Love it Mark – perceptive, inventive and spot-on. Especially love the lines: Get to “know the people who
_are working at the polls.” This is so true: there was a time when one genuinely believed that no-one would dream of falsifying a democratic election. But now? One way or another we are getting it everywhere. Keep up the great work.
I thoroughly enjoyed this poem Mark. It is one where I say to myself, I wish I’d written that. Very clever and spot-on sentiments. Perfect rhyme and meter in my view.
Russel, Mark, Professor Salemi, Roy, C.B., ABB, James & Norma, Thank you all for your comments. I appreciate them very much!
i would say, this poem connects almost every link of dominating species over the poor one…..either it’s about gender, status, position or power. and definitely ever if i get chance to do so, i will not be the one who serves discrimation, differentiation or anything that become a shark for a oceanlike heart .