I don't hear the fat lady singing..

And this isn't the opera, with its endless dying scene.. We did see Aida, a masterpiece, the other year. It took a very very very very long time for someone to die at the end.

So this is not that tale. This is a tale of the latest "agreement" between Rs and Ds. Those tea party Republicans, those liberal Democrats. Both equally guilty of political theatre, at the expense of the American people.

I am not sure which is worse, the way the world feared and hated us under Bush II, or the way the world thinks we are completely dysfunctional right now. I could say "under Obama", but of course the extended cast of character is far broader. None of them sing, that I know of. Maybe they sing in cowboy poetry? Oh wait, that was nuked in the last federal budget.

Tiny secret: the Prez hasn't yet signed that Omnibus appropriations bill for FY 2012, and your favorite budget analyst may be talking about "cash on hand"... Good news here though, this legislation is at least on the "pending" list. So maybe Obama can sign before he goes off to improve his tan and snorkeling capabilities with the kiddos in Hawaii.

So back to singing. Boehner today says he basically "caved" and has agreed to a 2-month extension of the payroll tax cut, unemployment benefits, Medicare reimbursement rates. Wait, we've heard that before. Is this tape on a loop? And is someone trying to break in and steal my new TV? Sounds like a bad movie.

But one week ago (last Friday), there was calm in DC when there was an "agreement". Then it unraveled Sunday with those dratted Sunday talk shows, exposing the truth, no deal. So a week of teeth-gnashing, and lo and behold another deal. This time for real..

Here is the kicker - Boehner personally needs to get 100% unanimous agreement from his membership to pass this bill by unanimous consent tomorrow. Maybe he can send them all electronic spiked egg nog and they will vote yes.

Like I said, I am going to wait till the fat lady is singing, till the dead are really dead, and the opera is really over.

Only Her Hairdresser Knows for Sure

Is it real, or is it Clairol?
That was the question of the 60s - with regard to a woman's haircolor. Now does anyone care? I am the last un-highlighted head of hair in the cosmos, save for my kids who seem to appreciate the natural way of things as well.

The federal debt limit. Weeks ago I imagined it was just posturing. Poor lad Obama was the tragic Shakespearean character. Only I didn't have enough Shakespeare in my heart or head to map him onto any character. And other state dweebs in staff meetings were no help either. Not that they are philistines exactly, but, um, well..

Now we are at the 10th hour (not yet 11th, not yet 11 + 51 minutes, not yet 11 + 59 minutes, not yet 11 + 59 minutes + 58 seconds). I mean, we've seen this before, many times. We have heard the cry "wolf!" so many times that I think Obama's fate, Shakespeare or not, is to be the tragic character slain and eaten by the wolf. This time for real?

Today the debt limit debate talks apparently broke down. Senate Republican leader Boehner walked out. Obama was mad. Took Boehner all day to return a phone call from Obama. Obama, the leader of the free world. Maybe that is what democracy looks like. The President doesn't control all the strings.

But yet, I still wonder - stage right. stage left. They all play their parts very well. Obama, still wants it on his scorecard that he fought the good fight- a balanced approach to reduce the debt, raise taxes on those nasty rich people, those people with corporate jets, the symbol of an indecent spending of private dollars. Those dollars should be redistributed to welfare moms, don't they know that?

Meanwhile, the Republicans, holding fast to Grover Norquist's pledge. Though even he sounded a little bit like a grown up this week. Mr Norquist, kiddos, is infamous and famous too, for his "pledge". For 25 years he has been asking people to sign the pledge - no new taxes. Till this week, common interpretation was that even removing a tax credit (such as those Bush tax cuts) would have been considered a tax increase. This week he spoke about "well technically not *voting* on a tax increase and just letting those tax cuts expire is not a tax increase". Making the point that it is the voting record that counts. Political accountability and all that.

But the Republicans have out Norquisted Mr Norquist. They aren't falling for any technicality, its no taxes, no way, no how. It was Obama's message machine that tried to create the illusion of a deal. There was no deal, Boehner says.

Is it real? Is it Clairol? August 2 will let us know.

Win-Win-Win, its all about the Washington Monument

and the cherry blossoms.
I only learned (or realized?) recently that the Washington Monument is a monument to our first Pres, George Washington. Not sure what I thought it was before - maybe a monument to the city? To our capital? Just a neat-looking obleisk type building?

So the current Pres Obama, with the darkened blue sky of our nation's capital city in the backdrop, and the whitened image of the Washington Monument, announces "deal". A deal has been reached to avoid a government shutdown. Glory be.

Win #1: He looks good - all the schoolkids and their shepherders who planned to trek on their spring break to the capitol city, to see that monument, to see those cherry blossoms, to feel a part of our nation's founding, the seeds of democracy. Budding little citizens in the making. Their trips are on! Obama saves the day! And announces a deal..

Win #2: Senator Harry Reid looks good. Those nasty policy riders the evil tea party gang planted in a continuing resolution have been stricken! Young women afraid to seek counsel from parents or others can, in confidence, find the Planned Parenthood counseling they seek. Trying to tie social policy issues to stop abortion clinics, or stop the EPA, were stricken from this budget bill, which after all as Reid has said, is a budget bill. So he saves the day, get him a cape as Super-senate-democrat!

Win #3: House Speaker John Boehner looks good. Not giving in easily, fighting fighting fighting to the very end, and even then continuing to fight. To nuke every last penny from the largest federal budget on the planet, to restore fiscal sanity. He looks good to his tea party and right-wing constituency, with Obama and Reid claiming this budget now contains "the largest reduction of federal spending in history!". So he is clear.

The conspiracy types out there may wonder if this was orchestrated? Can you orchestrate real time? Obama surely knows how to stage a win. Reid, to his credit, is always a master tactician. Boehner, did he satisfy the tea party? Maybe not 100% but they will never ever be satisfied 100% till we are all living in trees with no nasty government, but all of us armed as militia. Hmm, maybe they have something in common with tree huggers after all. Full circle.