On the Debt Limit

Coming from Holland, Spain, England, France, Portugal,

In large boats,

The Europeans disembarked, and

Soon possessed the land,

Wresting it from the natives,

Clearing it, hacking down trees, slashing, burning,

Damming rivers, planting amber waves of grain,

Spoiling the earth for gold, coal, and iron ore.

Then possessed by a frenzy to consume,

The Europeans exhausted their resources,

Spent more than they earned--

And we get to the debt limit.

Their complex government designed in the 1700s

To maximize liberty against government,

To protect property against the many poor,

Allowed some to abuse their liberty,

To thwart the community’s will.

Allied with simple folk bent on acting contrary

To their best interest,

These Europeans prefer to see the government fail,

Prefer a return to 1778,

Over sharing the wealth. 

--October 9, 2013