They want us all to know they are the smartest of all,
The most perceptive and clever, and with powerful recall.
They have at their fingertips a cornucopia of facts,
And options to cover everything, no matter how Putin acts.

They understand China even better than Master Xi,
After all they went to some Ivy League for their college degree.
They’ve worked for key Senators, on an election campaign,
Traveled in diplomatic circles, flew on the President’s plane.

They’ve traveled all over the world, driven ‘round in armored cars,
Visited 50 capitals, sipped Courvoisier in some private bars.
Maybe even got shot at once, before flying out of town,
Then drowned their fears in Maker’s Mark, acted like a clown.

They are the Best and Brightest, they’ve no time for nitty-gritty,
Too busy doing important stuff, too busy being witty.
They don’t read the fine print, that’s a task for some clerk,
Don’t really know if their Rube Goldberg plan will really work.

Not for them to actually understand what details really mean,
How hard it is to change the course of these great machines.
Who cares the consequences, speaking ill formed thoughts out loud?
From their corner offices they roused a partisan crowd.

But meanwhile as they say things that sound cool and tough,
Private Smith and Gunny Jones are living in the rough.
They’re the ones who catch it, when it hits the fan,
And then get told some losses are all part of the plan.

And if things go really bad, the Best and Brightest will resign,
Write a book, entertain elites, and drink only finest wine.
As for the folks in that other world, where things hit the fan,
Well, they just need to suck it up, take it like a man…

After all, this is about the adults, who really are the best,
Not about the little people, who are all so poorly dressed.
Yes, a war may start because of things they misunderstood,
But what really matters is that they always look good.

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