Thousands of people make our nation secure,
Concerned for my safety, how touching, how pure.
But hard as they try and send cameras aloft,
I still get the feeling I'm no better off.
My firm might be purchased, the Chinese might steal
Our great techno-feat that derives from a peel.
That boy with a Glock might do show and tell,
And blow kids and teachers and coaches to hell.
The dentist off-rips me, the plumber -- oh my!
Insurers all gyp me, and Google's a spy.
Even the burger I buy down at Earl's
Consists of mule meat and paws of red squirrels.
The weather gets hotter and doesn't abate,
Yet on we continue to shop and to skate.
I'd like to conserve and go 'round without gas,
But find me a chick who digs guys with bus pass!
Afar there's ISIL or whatever the name,
Roving the desert and enjoying some fame.
I really don't grudge them their day as top dog,
Until they start looking for sinners to flog.
Amazed they'd be at the fear all this urges,
The ten-hour meetings and budgeting splurges
On strong-arm black outfits that offer great pay,
Great jobs with great perks as way back in the day.
All this at ten thousand kilom's from black flags,
Where teens blow their dough on torn blue jean rags.
And police go crazy on army sur-plus,
No cop on the beat, just robots-R-us.
And of course I'm grateful: no knife's at my throat.
A.Q.'s neither called, nor threatened, nor wrote.
But pre-9-1-1 our lives weren't so bad,
No need for ten billion to combat jihad.
Which now drives our debt so high, so queasy,
I sorely perceive it cannot be easy,
To defend our corner and half Asia's too,
And pay those big bills with derivative stew.
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