The Two Bums

[abelenkpe]

The Two Bums

http://thelongmemory.com/thetwobums.html


The bum on the rod is hunted down
As the enemy of mankind;
The other is driven around to his club
And feted, wined and dined.

And they who curse the bum on the rods
As the essence of all that is bad
Will greet the other with a winning smile
And extend him the hand so glad.

The bum on the rods is a social flea
Who gets an occasional bite;
The bum on the plush is a social leech,
Blood-sucking day and night.

The bum on the rods is a load so light
That his weight we scarcely feel,
But it takes the labor of dozens of men
To furnish the other a meal.

As long as you sanction the bum on the plush,
The other will always be there,
But rid yourself of the bum on the plush
And the other will disappear.

Then make an intelligent, organized kick,
Get rid of the weights that crush;
Don't worry about the bum on the rods,
Get rid of the bum on the plush!

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With all the articles and propaganda pushed recently from the right that the poor don't pay any income taxes (See they work all day and are still so poor they don't deserve a break) and that they have things like refrigerators and TVs and cell phones (Can't be really poor unless they are on the street) this poem reminds me that there are people who don't labor all day yet who receive large tax breaks and subsidies. As our nation suffers from a deficit problem why are we talking about taking more from those who cannot afford it while protecting those who don't need assistance and can afford to pay more?

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, abelenkpe.

[hfojvt]

2. I'm not getting the meaning of "rods"

Is that like 8 furlongs, or something else.

[abelenkpe]

4. HItchhiking on trains

big during the depression.

[RegieRocker]

3. Hell pay them more so they can pay taxes!!!!

They got it bassackwards.

[abelenkpe]

5. I think that's what the poem is advocating

During the depression thousands of families were thrown out of their homes unable to find work. They hitched rides on trains looking for work. It's not that they didn't want to work and pay taxes, it was that there were no jobs. Very similar to today. We have millions of people looking for work unable to get work. We demonize them for collecting unemployment or making use of food stamps. And republicans are seriously talking about stopping programs like unemployment and food stamps blaming these programs for our deficit instead of looking for ways to help people willing to work find gainful employment. Republicans even want to do away with minimum wage so workers can work all day for a wage that doesn't pay enough to pay the bills AND deny them food stamps or aid. I agree with you, we need to create jobs and make them good paying jobs. Without that talk of further punishing people who are already hurting and blaming them for our woes is cruel.