On the second day of taxes
my government said to me,
Clean drinking water, and
for Schools, Police and Fire Protection.

On the third day of taxes
my government said to me,
Food that’s safe to eat,
Clean drinking water, and
for Schools, Police and Fire Protection.

On the fourth day of taxes
my government said to me,
Emergency health workers,
Food that’s safe to eat,
Clean drinking water, and
for Schools, Police and Fire Protection.

On the fifth day of taxes
my government said to me,
Clean air to breathe,
Emergency health workers,
Food that’s safe to eat,
Clean drinking water, and
for Schools, Police and Fire Protection.

On the sixth day of taxes
my government said to me,
Good roads to drive on,
Clean air to breathe,
Emergency health workers,
Food that’s safe to eat,
Clean drinking water, and
for Schools, Police and Fire Protection.

On the seventh day of taxes
my government said to me,
Sewers to take waste,
Good roads to drive on,
Clean air to breathe,
Emergency health workers,
Food that’s safe to eat,
Clean drinking water, and
for Schools, Police and Fire Protection.

On the eighth day of taxes
my government said to me,
Prisons to hold felons,
Sewers to take waste,
Good roads to drive on,
Clean air to breathe,
Emergency health workers,
Food that’s safe to eat,
Clean drinking water, and
for Schools, Police and Fire Protection.

On the ninth day of taxes
my government said to me,
Parks for play and picnics,
Prisons to hold felons,
Sewers to take waste,
Good roads to drive on,
Clean air to breathe,
Emergency health workers,
Food that’s safe to eat,
Clean drinking water, and
for Schools, Police and Fire Protection.

On the tenth day of taxes
my government said to me,
Libraries for all,
Parks for play and picnics,
Prisons to hold felons,
Sewers to take waste,
Good roads to drive on,
Clean air to breathe,
Emergency health workers,
Food that’s safe to eat,
Clean drinking water, and
for Schools, Police and Fire Protection.

On the eleventh day of taxes
my government said to me,
Health care for our elders,
Libraries for all,
Parks for play and picnics,
Prisons to hold felons,
Sewers to take waste,
Good roads to drive on,
Clean air to breathe,
Emergency health workers,
Food that’s safe to eat,
Clean drinking water, and
for Schools, Police and Fire Protection.

On the twelfth day of taxes
my government said to me,
Help for our veterans,
Health care for our elders,
Libraries for all,
Parks for play and picnics,
Prisons to hold felons,
Sewers to take waste,
Good roads to drive on,
Clean air to breathe,
Emergency health workers,
Food that’s safe to eat,
Clean drinking water, and
for Schools, Police and Fire Protection.

Of terrorism plots and other things

To kill Americans like you and I

Who wrote the songs

Who wrote the songs

Pearl Jam and Jackson Browne

And Rage Against the Machine
They put the F.O.I.A. request together

They’re the writers

And they are pissed . . . because . . .

Enhanced interrogators played their songs

At painful volume all day and night long

For information whether truth or lie

Who paid the bills

Who paid the bills

We’re the taxpayers, and WE paid the bills

That’s what dark-skinned people must fear

There’s a long list of abuses to prove it

Here are a few of those mournful names.

Patrick Dorismond, killed for refusing

An undercover cop’s request for drugs

Shawn Bell, never got to his wedding

The cops’ 50 gunshots got to him first

Remember Diallo, armed with a wallet

Clifford Glover, only 10 years old

Timothy Stansbury, on his way to a party

So many more whose names we don’t know

Abner Louima was raped in a precinct

He’s still alive so the criminal’s in jail

Because Louima was able to counter

The slanders and smears that came his way

If you are white, please take a moment

A brief speculation, and then you may know

Imagine your children, their skin a bit darker

What will you tell them, when outside, they go

Will you tell them, police are their friends

With a mission to serve and protect

Or will you beg them to give cops a wide berth

Because the black and the brown never know who’ll be next

Worked for wages so very low

Kids who didn’t like immigrants

Went out hunting for someone like him

To torment and terrify

They wanted to terrify

Marcelo Lucero

To your murder we say no

No to the racism, hatred and fear

That took away your life so dear

We must remember your name

We will remember your name

Immigrants and native-born

To one race we all belong

All entitled to human rights

To work and live by our own lights

We must learn to live in peace

On earth in heavenly peace

Pumped into the nostrils

Through a finger-wide tube

Is not caring, it’s hostile

Over there on Guantanamo

A hunger strike is proceeding

The guards’ll show them a thing or two

If they refuse to be eating

Forced feeding is not

Ethical, moral or legal

On the conscience a blot

To all civilized people

If inmates go on a hunger strike

There’s got to be a good reason

Obama, why don’t you find out why

And stop this barbaric feedin

Of food, horrible food, sickening food, torturous food!

Extremes of heat and cold

Sleep deprivation

Prolonged isolation

Stress and duress

What a bloody mess

We must investigate war crimes.

Enhanced interrogation

Cheney told the nation

But it’s torture under

Real adjudication

It’s a crime in every land

So here is our demand

We must prosecute war crimes

Investigate, prosecute Bush war crimes!!!

Or you might as well die.

Avoid accidents,

I’m telling you why

You can’t afford medical, care

You pay premiums,

Meet deductibles

Then you find out you’re

Not eligible

For that operation, you need.

BRIDGE

Well, Michael Moore, he said it

Hit the nail right on the head

Take the profit out of healthcare

Or dry we’ll all be bled

In Europe, Japan,

And Canada, too,

In Cuba, Thailand

And Sri Lanka, YOU [point to audience]

Will see universal healthcare.

BRIDGE

In lots of other places

That’s just what they have done

Told insurance and drug companies

To stop having so much fun.

Call us socialists,

We really don’t mind.

Just look at the facts.

We know you will find

Everybody must have healthcare.

Nuclear waste, you’re deep in the hearts of us

So deep in our hearts, you’re really a part of us

We’ve got you, under our skin

Pesticides, you’re in there too,

Genetically engineered food, what do we do with you?

Smog, dioxin, and diesel emissions too

We’ve got you, inside our lungs [cough]

(BREAK — uses the other melody)

Don’t you know, my friends, we must stop this trend;

Our world is polluted, It can’t be disputed;

And we must spread the word, and we can’t be deterred by polluters,

Who must be defeated; And we’ll get them out of our skin

Lots of better places than home
for the holidays
Maybe best to stay far away and roam
If you usually have a hard time there
on holidays
Think twice before you call that place your ‘home.’

2)Sure everyone deserves a home but media
Have snuck schmaltz in where reality should be
Nobody’s home’s a picture perfect paradise
Check the Christmas misery site – you will agree

3) Grieve that home that never was (without self pity)
You survived now you can make one of your own
Find a friend and then a brand new way to celebrate
Mean something special now when you say ‘going home.’
Rose DeShaw

Mean lots of money in the bank

For KBR and Boeing too

Who foots the bill?

It’s me and you

Even if they replace tanks

Those for peace cannot give thanks

A company called ITT

Makes unmanned drones for you and me.

Every drone costs thirteen mil

A “safer way” they say, to kill!

Americans, not in harm’s way

But Pakistanis die each day.

Drones over Afghanistan

Kill many women, kids, and men

Controlled from half a world away

They stalk people at work and play.

Thirteen million dollars, wow!

We could use that dough right now

 For teachers here and nurses there

And for green jobs everywhere.