Possible Clues:

• Barring changes
• A model lies regularly, the way things are
• "... ___in heaven"
• "The way things stand . . ."
• Currently, warship tails every other one
• "If nothing changes ... "
• "The way things stand ... "
• 'Given the circumstances ... '
• Things being so easy with fish all skinned
• Unaltered, it's as I designed