THE POWER OF MONEY

Satur Sulit

the thing about money is it is very tricky
one minute you have it the next one you don’t
and so with the power that accompanies it
you have to exercise it or somebody else will

every dispensation needs loyal beneficiaries
to serve as its staunchest defenders and apologists
the benefits on offer are largely economic
but also psychological, the thrill of belonging

dressed up in uniforms, with titles and honors
the trappings of privilege, command of their lessers
it is a fantasy invented especially for them
to keep enthralled in the service of mammon

the work may be ugly, but you get used to it
the rewards are fantastic, you would not believe
you fall into its throes, it is very addictive
heaven on earth, the great ulterior motive!

it is heaven while it lasts but money is tricky
it traps you and then it throws away the key
there is no escape then, the show must go on
it is a ticket to hell, or maybe to prison.

mar roxas, way to go!

why was i surprised when mar called a press conference to make his important announcement?   certainly not because i wasn’t expecting him to give way if noynoy decided to run.   i guess what i wasn’t expecting was that mar would make the first move, now na!   and that noynoy would quickly follow, bukas na!   aba, biglang nagmamadali, bakit kaya.

not that it’s a bad idea, kung tatakbo din lang.   i won’t bore you with the heavenly signs (as above, so below), but any astrologer would tell you that it is infinitely better to start anything new this week rather than in the next three weeks.   so mar’s timing, wittingly or un-, is perfect, actually, and the decisiveness, as president of the liberalparty, is quite impressive.   kapanipaniwala na inuuna niya ang partido, sige na nga, ang bayan, kaysa sarili.   not bad atall.   he’s suddenly smelling real good.

i still think noynoy would do better if he finished his senate term first and then prepared to run in 2016 but yeah who knows, rising to the challenge now while the clamor is high could be right too, politically and historically.   at least it makes the campaign for 2010 interesting, even exciting.   no doubt we will be reminded of cory’s people-powered campaign in 1986 — no money, no media.    no doubt noynoy’s people will do even better, given access to media and the example of obama’s 2008 campaign.

but first let’s hope that other opposition presidentiables take the cue from mar and drop out too in favor of noynoy.   actually the only one i can’t see giving up, giving way, is manny villar of the nacionalista party.   so maybe at best it’s going to be a three-way race.   noynoy vs. villar vs. gma’s candidate.   puwede na rin.

unless of course villar and gma start running scared and decide to join forces.   that would be fun, and awesome.