Not long after America chose Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton way back in November of 2016, Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence stopped by the Wisconsin State Fair Grounds in West Allis to offer thanks to the state for helping to put Trump–a notorious city slicker with a gift for divorce and lying–into the White… Read More As Trump Departs, Lessons from the MAGA Madness
It’s a new year and, starting tomorrow, the United States will have a new (and actually effective) president and a new Democratic Congress. But starting today The Pacific, one man’s liberal symphony of prose and satirical poems, is back in business on a fairly regular basis. So welcome back loyal followers and readers to the… Read More The Pacific Blog Returns! Long Live The Pacific!
On July 7th, Harper’s Magazine published a letter on its website that was signed by more than a hundred prominent writers, scholars, intellectuals and leaders of organizations. Most prominent among the prominent signers include J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame, Noam Chomsky, scholar and commentator, Margaret Atwood, novelist, Salman Rushdie, novelist who certainly understands the… Read More Defending the Letter “On Justice and Open Debate” in Harper’s Magazine
Unfortunately, we in the United States have allowed our system of higher education to be infiltrated by the demands of economic priority to a remarkable degree.… Read More Higher Education: Time to Disrupt the Digital Disruptors
After the media and Democratic voters of Iowa and New Hampshire sent Senator Elizabeth Warren out to get coffee for the cream of the Democratic Primary, the debate last night in Las Vegas proved that Warren the candidate came back with a glass of something stronger: feminist liquor. Just a whiff of it sent Billionaire… Read More Warren is Back. Cheers!
After a long retreat, a deep ebb tide of silence, the Pacific blog returns to regular publication for this momentous political year. The Pacific will remain “a still small voice” in the vast ocean of digital detritus, providing discriminating readers with shorter prose pieces on politics, literature and ocean conservation, as well as the occasional… Read More The Pacific Returns for 2020
If Rudy* is a “hand grenade”*Why did Bolton* send his aideTo disarm the whole charadeWhile Bolton lounges in the shade? Well, that is how his wars are made:From the safety of Bolton’s brain. Note: *Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of NYC serving as President Trump’s personal attorney and covert diplomat in Ukraine. *John Bolton was the… Read More John Bolton’s Wars (a poem)
Because no one will pay to build His WALL– Not Mexico, not Congress, not even the Wall Street Journal or Faux News, not anyone— The PRESIDENT will send soldiers with guns To make sure Mexico does not invade. Nat. Guard will guard the desert (without shade) As long as Trump proclaims that they will stand On… Read More The Human Wall (a poem)
Trump’s Spin Cycle “There is no Chaos, only great Energy!” Said the guy trapped in the washing machine.
“Tough Love” Trump will issue tariffs in “a very loving way.” (He thinks that we will love him even when we lose our pay.)
By Rumple Oxbridge, liberal lyricist It’s sad to see, the president said, knocking down our metal-molded racist generals green with age. Once such men were all the rage, killing to keep owning slaves. You gotta admit, they looked brave on their green horses, on pedestals, so “beautiful” were those generals as all the monuments… Read More Rumple Oxbridge: “Ode About Not Missing Statues of Racist Generals”
The Pacific regrets it will not be posting much satire for the next few days due to the reality show some refer to as The White House. We simply cannot compete with such real-life unintentional confusion and humor. So our apologies. Once political reality returns to the merely abnormal (probably Monday), we will return for your… Read More The Pacific Letting the Naturally Satirical Material in Washington, D.C. Speak for Itself
By Rumple Oxbridge, liberal lyricist A journalist of the conservative type has branded my satirical prayer “a crime against the idea of verse.” Well, well. I plead guilty in this literary sense: my verse lacks the sort of literariness that isn’t concerned with truth or nonsense. In other words, it’s a verse of ideas that doesn’t… Read More Rumple Oxbridge: “Liberal Verse is No Crime”
Arguing against military retaliation/intervention is not appeasement or surrender; it is an attempt to limit violence everywhere . . .… Read More After Paris terrorist attack, it’s either war or “appeasement” many say
(Drawing by John Tenniel [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons) “It’s the stupidest tea-party I ever was at in all my life!”— Alice in Wonderland By John Kaufman It’s been a busy week in Madison, Wisconsin where Republicans/conservatives are currently in charge and our governor has abandoned the rabbit hole. To keep the underground world flourishing, Republican… Read More WI Republicans in Wonderland
(Photo by schooner guest [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons) By John Kaufman Wisconsin’s GOP-controlled Assembly is assembling two bills aimed at achieving less freedom for the unemployed and people on food stamps. Thus the party of “freedom” and “faith” is displaying neither democratic generosity nor religious charity, though we should all be grateful they haven’t tried… Read More Let Them Eat Lobster
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