His political career
Hung in the balance
Throw a certain number under the bus
Or see bus production drop precipitously
This short poem recognizes a brutal utilitarianism in politics, which is present at most any level. Using people as means to another end is the Achilles heel of a utilitarian ethic so popular in Western so-called civilization and particularly in its politics. 
The sacred worth of people, in which human rights are secured, is anathema to the commonplace horse-trading that politicians participate in as business as usual. Universal respect for human rights would grind the meat and potatoes of politics to a halt, and cripple the usual business interests which are better suited for corporate persons than actual human persons. A deep appreciation for human rights that are not subject to some currency exchange is at the core of an anarchist radical critique of capitalism or any other large scale human endeavors willing to trade humans for cash or securities. The economy and economies of scale (meaning large scale efficiency) serve as the gods of modern America, or simply as idols in owed time religion. The impersonal and distant relationships present in global capitalism provide convenient cover for amoral/immoral behavior, all the wile habitually greasing the wheels of commerce with the lifeblood of humanity. 
This disconnect between humanity and economic production is directly related to inhumane politics, as economics and politics both serve as fool for the same engine. In the bus of times, the worst of times, career politicians can even manage to do miracles, by throwing people under the bus AND opposing public transportation. Perhaps it’s time to travel another way, recognizing that such politicians don’t behave as if we are in the same boat, and, as a rule, don’t even ride the bus.
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