You say that you cannot afford
The products that you once adored?
Afraid your children will not see
Your generation’s opportunity?
Something’s gone wrong, something horrid
Upon this we can all – well, most of us agree.
“Trust me,” he smiles, “I’m a politician
And I have a brilliant plan.”
As your wages are rolled far back,
A Hatchet is taken to your contract.
While your decreasing buying power gets the attention,
Cutbacks are being made to your pension.
That cash had already been raided by the company, and that’s a fact
Too embarrassing to mention.
“On this issue,” he states, “I will take a firm stand –
You must believe I have a plan.”
Even promising students with fancy degrees
Watch as jobs are being shipped overseas.
Agreements on supposedly free trade
Are responsible for adjustments being made.
High unemployment is becoming an incurable disease,
And promises to cure it a hollow charade.
“I feel your pain,” he tells us, “and might consider some sort of ban
To be part of my plan.”
Since power in the hands of workers cannot be trusted,
Every union must be thoroughly busted;
Not only will this “high” wages and benefits lower,
It will weaken those opposed to Conservative power.
As the lives of working stiffs are continually adjusted,
Their bosses get richer and richer by the hour.
“This seems totally unfair,” he sympathizes. “We need a vision, grand:
And that is exactly what you’ll be getting with my plan.”
Cutting taxes is supposed to be a
Universal panacea
That would “help incurable slobs
Get off their asses and find jobs.”
But it is just so much verbal diarrhoea
To placate growing mobs.
“To ease the tax burden,” he boldly states, “I will do all I can.
For, you see, I have a bold plan.”
After years of cutting taxes, government revenues have shrunk,
Causing programmes to help ordinary people to become useless junk.
Hoping to get some “enjoyment”
From extended benefits for unemployment?
We must humiliate the poor, thought pols on power drunk,
What did you think the term “free markets” meant?
“I promise,” he vows, “to protect the common man –
All we have to do is follow my plan.”
Just as the situation makes you want to shout
Corrupt traders on Wall Street are given a huge bailout.
The priority of your great nation
Appears to be making the world safe for corporations.
While the wealthy get repeated million dollar payouts,
Everybody else receives diminished expectations.
“This seems unfair,” he allows, “giving money to those who don’t need a hand.
It would definitely be reviewed in my plan.”
As government debt grows ever larger and more scary,
More and more of your tax dollars are spent on the military.
After all, what else is government for
If not to maintain a permanent state of war?
Of course, as the deficit situation becomes more hairy,
Further cuts to social programmes will be in store.
“You say,” he observes, “you are not keen on a war in Afghanipakikazakhashackalackastan?
Never fear, for I have a plan.”
Another seeming government priority
Is to strip citizens of hard-won liberty.
For when the welfare state completely fails,
There is always a boom in the population of jails.
The smallest of crimes requires the largest penalty
As, against damn outlaws, every demagogue rails.
“To solve difficult problems like this,” he soothed, “is why I originally ran,
And, even now, I am using your input to refine my plan.”
Now politicians, those fickle sages,
Say to help the unemployed we have to abolish minimum wages.
And, if jobs at those wages won’t fulfill the needs of men,
We need to be prepared to give them to children.
We’ve now reached the final stages
That will bring the country to financial ruin.
“We must consider,” he muses, “how supply and demand
Can best work as one in my plan.”
The effects of “market forces” are plain to see
As our society boldly marches forward into the 19th century.
The gap grows between rich and poor
As, on upward mobility, they’ve shut the door.
Government has been bought and paid for by the most wealthy –
It’s in their interests all of this has been for.
“Don’t get upset,” he chides, “you silly man,
I have always been the epitome of the modern Republican.
And, you must admit my vision is grand,
For, all along, this was the plan!”