Lowered Expectations

Is there anything new to say about the shutdown?

Is there anything new to say about politicians

And the compromises they make to get

And stay in office,

The trade-offs they make,

Or the corrupting influence of power?

I can’t really say I’d do any better,

Though I’d like to think so.

I’d like to think I would not pander

To the lowest common denominator to get votes,

To sell my beliefs to maintain my office,

To stay out of other people’s pockets altogether,

But I don’t really know.

Still, I’d like to believe

There are some legislators with integrity,

Maybe still with a little idealism left

From what made them want to run in the first place.

But I suppose “Mister Smith Goes to Washington”

Was just a movie I watched when I was a kid,

And, now that I’ve grown up, unfortunately,

I don’t believe in fairy tales anymore.