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T’was the last day of shopping when all through the land;
Automakers were closing while making their plans;
Corporate jets were parked on the runway with care,
While waiting for St. Barack to take up his chair,
All the bonuses were paid and the bankers all fed,
While the rest of us schmos had visions of dread;
And Madoff in handcuffs: his lies come uncapped
As the markets settled in for a long winter’s nap
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With our credit shut off and our teeth all achatter
If you think times are tough now, they’re goin’ to get badder..
Away to the bank I flew to get cash,
Tore open my mattress to search for my stash.
The blood in the streets, my stocks hit a new low
Gone now my portfolio and business cash flow.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
A drop in my equity, my debt in arrears.
With nary a warning and just a swift kick,
I thought for a moment it must be a trick.
More rapidly the bad news and promises came,
But they were all talk and their bailouts all lame;
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Now Paulson, now Bennie, now Barney tried fixen’,
Still the economy in ruins like London aft blitz’en!
From the top of our roofs to the top of the mall;
We pine for new answers and leadership tall.
Less talk and more action, for that we all long;
Swift programs that work like hammer and tong.
Be gone your corrupt and bring on the bold,
So next year a brighter Christmas tale can be told.
John Cohn is a senior partner in the Globe West Financial Group[ based in West Los Angeles. He may be contacted at www.globewestfinancial.com