Since Alexander the Great
They’ve come and gone in Afghanistan since Alexander the Great,
They’re at it again and the whole affair is up for debate,
The Imperial British and the Russians all came and left,
Unfortunately we’re there now with our politicians bereft.
Faith can move mountains, they say, but it can also cause a war,
Highway of Heroes killed by detonators, while at death’s door,
We can’t leave our politicians all say and we bow our heads,
Another reason for binding referendums, to remind the feds.
Because every day they add another year to our stay there,
Nothing much changes because no one will ask or even dare,
No one seems to have an answer to that terrible affair,
And on the Highway of Heroes we stand in a trance and stare.
Nov 18th,2010
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Wartime Affair
Why should we feel we have a moral obligation over there?
Why are we not allowed any input in this NATO affair?
Some countries have binding referendums but we’re not allowed,
We are submissive, told what to think but we still have to feel proud.
As we stare at the lines of coffins on the Highway of Heroes,
We seem heartbroken and coming up with a lot of zeros,
Death in faraway places that are difficult to pronounce,
Which none of our political leaders will stand up and renounce.
This is a reason why we should have binding referendums,
And finally give our politicians some utter ultimatums,
Let them know that we are not numbers on some foreign battlefield,
Or just zombies watching TV sitting on a chesterfield.
Nov 25th,2010
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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What's This War About Mar 5th 2011
Can we afford to be involved in an ongoing war?
It must be very expensive and what ever for?
Oh, I know, human rights in a far away insignificant place,
And all the politically correct all want to show their face.
Alexander the Great went to Afghanistan and came back,
Even then it was obvious that strange place was way out of whack,
Does anyone know whether we are winning or loosing there?
Why do I count coffins on the Highway of Heroes in this affair?
Canadians need binding referendums like the Swiss,
Maybe then we could impress the politicians about this,
Did the UN get us into this and who can get us out?
Am I the only one to wonder what this is all about?
Mar 5th,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Afghanistan Canadian War
Is Afghanistan good for a referendum and why not?
Dead soldiers on the Highway of Heroes in case you forgot,
Does this send a message of why we should stay over there?
As we stand in a trance and watch, counting hearses and stare.
And there are still many more coffins en route and on the way,
And even many more American returning over there they say,
Could we have an Afghanistan referendum for “IN” or “OUT”?
Should we bow our heads in submission and pretend we’re devout?
Politicians in Kandahar for photo ops over there,
Making a grand officious announcement that they really do care,
Can’t have propositions, referendums or judicial reviews,
No plebiscites, proportional representation or strange views.
Nov 27th,2010
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Out Of Afghanistan And The Un
After we’ve pulled out of Afghanistan and the UN,
Declare a national holiday to celebrate what we just done,
On the second Monday of October every year from then on,
Dream on because there’s nothing our politicians agreed upon.
The world would immediately pay attention to us,
Pompous UN persons with delusions of grandeur would cause a big fuss,
Dream on because we don’t have an independent politician,
They’re all locked into party agenda and their position.
We count our dead UN soldiers on the Highway of Heroes now,
No one explains if or when Afghanistan will change or has somehow,
And still we can’t seem to see the solution to our distress,
The British, Russians and Alexander the Great were in this mess.
poem by James Bredin (27 August 2010)
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Stop The Dead Guys Coming Home
Why should we be worked up about what happens way over there?
Far away on the other side of the globe where we can’t repair,
Dead guys coming back in coffins on the Highway of Heroes,
It seems obvious that the benefits amount to zeroes.
Media says we have a moral obligation to do this or that,
The politically correct say we can’t leave ‘cause we’re up to bat,
None of this makes much sense and it’s as expensive as hell,
Who’s running this wartime show - some very very strange cartel?
Why am I loosing faith with that guy looking back in the mirror?
Why are we stuck there for more years according to the emperor?
Is this a reason why we need binding referendums and soon?
Less dead guys on the Highway of Heroes by the next full moon.
Dec 8th,2010
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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We Have To Wait To Die Feb 18th,2011
There should be a place in each hospital where people go to die,
Go in alive, come out dead but before you do that; wave good bye,
We have to convince our politicians that this is what we need,
Would binding referendums get them to pay attention or heed?
From the hospital to the funeral home, have it all arranged,
Like the abortion clinics, after a while it’s not so strange,
We can’t trust politicians or Supreme Court so what other way?
We need binding referendums on a fine summers day.
Our politicians like Middle East dictators, want to stay for life,
They don’t want set-date elections and very little strife,
And no binding referendums to upset their peace of mind,
Canadians have to be patient and completely resigned.
Feb 18th,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Day You Die
The most important day in your life is the day you die,
And your time of death could be scheduled but can’t and you don’t know why,
Somehow or other they can’t get around to changing the death rules,
About assisted suicide and euthanasia for us fools.
European countries and Oregon can do it but not us,
Our politicians have the attitude that it was ever thus,
Our politicians go to Ottawa and there they hide out,
But then they do nothing and act as if they know what it’s about.
Maybe our politicians believe that they will never die,
We will never know because they will never tell us why,
No binding referendums like the Swiss constitutional tools,
No death with dignity because it’s against religious rules.
Jan 18th,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Canadian Political Changes Forbidden
Prostitution and marijuana legislation is a no,
They are mostly lawyers and how do you think they make their dough,
Therefore the system will stay the same and no changes allowed,
Without those terrible sins or changes, we all have to feel proud.
Our establishment feels secure because there's nothing we can do,
No binding referendums or recall or hullabaloo,
Not even set date or mid term elections so we wait and wait,
Maybe next year or the year or the year after that with the fourth estate.
Even the UN banned us from their Security Council place,
It looks like our politicians can't even make it to first base,
We are not even required to vote so most of us don't,
Why do we want changes and our politicians refuse and wont?
Jan 31st,2010
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Canadians Are Not Allowed
Can’t have propositions, referendums or judicial reviews,
We know about these because of nightly US TV news,
No proportional representation or mid term elections,
Because recall and set-date elections are forbidden selections.
But we have dead soldiers on the Highway of Heroes coming home,
From Afghanistan in black shiny hearses with lots of chrome,
From that expensive, pointless and endless conflict over there,
But it gets worse because pompous politicians don’t seem to care.
No plebiscites, euthanasia or death with dignity here,
Not even doctor assisted suicide so nothing to fear,
Because UN political correctness seems to rule the day,
That crowd that banned us from the Security Council by the way.
Dec 3rd,2010
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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WHAT CAN CANADIANS DO? MAR 18th,2011
Canadians don’t complain about having to measure in meters,
Or about having to buy their expensive gasoline in liters,
And we can’t ever go back in time to measure again in miles,
And we can’t have binding referendums as politicians smile.
I feel I should apologize for having the wrong attitude,
And our lack of political control in this latitude,
We need binding referendums and death with dignity soon,
Why is that so difficult for a political goon?
Our first-past-the-post politicians want to do things their way,
No proportional representation allowed any day,
Ottawa stays without proportional representation,
Looking down from their comfortable high elevation.
Mar 18th,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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WE WAIT TO DIE Mar 29th,2011
Our politicians in Ottawa may soon tell us what to do,
Without binding referendums, as we wait in the long tax queue,
And without dying-with-dignity clause, we also wait to die,
It could be in deadly pain and sorrow and we don’t know why.
Add to that, we are now in the middle of an election,
Death-with-dignity questions might cause them disaffection,
Because the majority of our politicians don’t have a clue,
Add that, plus, binding referendums being completely taboo.
They’ll have a celebration when they are reelected,
Maybe you’re among the half who don’t vote and not connected,
We may not have to vote but we have to eventually die,
There is no connection, they say and don’t you dare ask why.
Mar 29th,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Politicians Despise Referendums
POLITICIANS DESPISE REFERENDUMS
BY
jamesbredin.com
Politicians despise binding referendums; did you know?
They also hate recall and the Internet but never say so,
So we have to walk lightly or they might even pass a law,
So they can stay in office forever which might be a flaw.
They also despise elections because they could loose their jobs,
So set-date elections could put them out on the streets with the nobs,
And no elected senators because they will be appointed,
And Supreme Court judges and Governor Generals anointed
But if they make the proper changes, they might stay a while
We need binding referendums and death with dignity in style
We need to vote for a senator so they get no free hand outs,
Why should we be the ones with all the political doubts?
Jan 17th,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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ONGOING CANADIAN ELECTION Apr 2nd,2011
There are issues our Canadian politicians tend to avoid,
Like a deep hole in the road at least a half a mile wide,
Binding referendums and death with dignity are only two,
Plus the issue of compulsory voting which is overdue.
Having a debate about a debate any time any place,
On radio, on TV, on the Internet right in your face,
They want to be the first in line to tell you what to do,
But no binding referendums for them and what they should do.
They can appoint friends to the Senate and Supreme Court when they like,
These judges and senators can’t be voted in and some stay for life,
There’s no proportional representation in our first-past-the-post,
Where the combined opposition usually have many more votes.
Apr 2nd,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Binding Referendums Forbidden in Canada
Binding Referendums Forbidden in Canada
If we had propositions like the Americans, what would we like?
Can’t have these changes because our politicians would spike,
But we could at least have binding referendums like the Swiss,
These changes too, our politicians would surely dismiss.
We need to have a plebiscite about our first past the post,
Counting election votes where the loosers quite often win the most,
Should we have Supreme Court appointees elected to that post?
Could we then get judicial reviews where we could actually boast?
Should we rewrite Trudeau’s Charter and make it just for us?
And not let every terrorist in the world, cause a High Court fuss,
If we pulled out of the United Nations would anyone know?
Stand on our own, banned from their Security Council game show.
Nov 16th,2010
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Would Party Politicians Lie? Apr 11th,2011
We’re having an election but we don’t know what it’s about,
But you can ask a politician if you have any doubts,
But remember they are party people committed to their cause,
Their only ambition is to get a vote and applause.
But what we need are politicians who will listen to us,
Because we are constituents who should and could cause a fuss,
About death with dignity and binding referendums,
We need to be treated as equals – not a bunch of bums.
There’s a certain grand but terrible equality in death,
Because loud politicians will eventually die too, you can bet,
But they still overlook death-with-dignity for some reason,
From inside their political party, this idea is treason?
Apr 11th,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Who Runs This Land Now? ... Nov 20th,2012
WHO RUNS THIS LAND NOW? … Nov 20th,2012
By
James Bredin
Is it the High Court, the politicians or the media moguls that rule?
As they pump out their pious pompous propaganda so uncool,
We are denied death-with-dignity and referendums they say,
If you really want some change, you better learn how to pray.
Our politicians seem to disappear for a month or two,
Can't see their empty seats in Parliament because they have a rule,
Though they like to see themselves on TV doing their stuff,
We can't tell them, that without binding referendums; it's not enough.
And you don't count that much because you so seldom vote,
Because without referendums; they have you by the throat,
The idea of binding referendums is strictly forbidden,
Why do the Swiss have them, but not us and I'm not kidding?
Nov 21st,2012
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Can't Change Trudeau's Charter Feb 12th 2011
Some politicians in Europe have come to certain conclusions,
About multiculturalism and their other strange illusions,
But Canadian politicians are politically correct,
Such ideas made public might show a certain disrespect.
We are forbidden binding referendums so no talk about this,
We have Trudeau’s Charter of Rights unlike the very smart Swiss,
Because they can compel their politicians to do this or that,
But Canadian politicians never need to go to bat.
Canadian binding referendums could get us all involved,
In case multicultural problems might need to be solved,
But Trudeau’s Charter of Rights cannot be altered or changed,
We watch from a distance because things cannot be rearranged.
Feb 12th,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Canadians Should Vote Or Else Mar 2nd,2011
Canadians who don’t vote should get a fifty-dollar fine,
If their social insurance numbers do not show on a ballot line,
And this will show on their next year’s income tax return
Where the fifty-dollar addition might indeed show some concern.
Canadians should have binding referendums to control politicians,
Who seem to have their own hidden agendas and secret conditions,
Death with dignity should be a referendum question,
So those waiting around to die can at least get some suggestions.
Recall of useless politicians should be up for debate,
And passed into law to stop politicians who only skate,
Supreme Court, Parole Boards and Senate should be elected,
So that the present cozy relationship can be rejected.
Mar 2nd,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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We Need Binding Referendums Now Feb 19th 2011
We don’t need to go somewhere else to solve our legal problems,
We can do it here in Canada with binding referendums,
But we don’t have binding referendums because they are banned,
And worse, only establishment media moguls can take a stand.
And now and then we even have an election where they boast,
Though no set-date elections allowed and only first past the post,
No proportional representation or equalization,
In our so called stable democratic first-past-the-post nation.
And our politicians are busy taxing and spending right now,
Therefore binding referendums is something they will not allow,
This will not be discussed on TV or written in the papers,
Nor will death with dignity or any other strange capers.
FEB 19TH,2011
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Counter Quebec Referendum Aug 18th,2012
COUNTER QUEBEC REFERENDUM AUG 18TH 2012
BY
JAMES BREDIN
The Quebec referendum is really our opportunity too,
Our chance to show them that our democracy can break through,
To counter the Quebec separatist movement; we need to change,
Binding referendums and mandatory votes should not be strange.
But how do we get our Ottawa politicians to pay attention?
Get the lead out and counteract all this apprehension,
Ottawa should come around and down to earth to help us all,
Our referendums in Quebec might get the separatists to forestall.
Why should I be the one to come up with some counteraction?
Unknown Internet poet showing his dissatisfaction,
Because this may not be a repeat of what happened before,
When the separatists didn't quite make it out the door.
We need frequent binding referendums and much much more,
We need death with dignity, though the religious types abhor,
We need elected senators and set-date elections every four years,
These constitutional changes could lessen apprehension fears.
I feel I should apologize for disturbing their peace of mind,
But a strong separatist movement can put us in a bind,
If we can get them to help us; interfere with Ottawa isolation,
Change the Constitution for us all and a great sensation.
AUG 18TH,2012
poem by James Bredin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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