How a return to the economic supremacy of the United States can end global poverty.
chaos once again descends, the war of all against all
from inequality to social unrest, you fend for yourself
father come and save us, your children are hungry and cold
man, we’ve been in time-out a lot, but brand new toys are coming soon
we’re backward but luckily we know the way out
got papa joe to show me the way
we know who to blame for all our pain and poverty
an enemy to justify increasing suffering
tyrant savior, the blind will lead the blind
father killed himself but the economy was homicide
Trotsky or Khodorkovsky the trend remains
lock up the economy in autocratic chains
stagnation ends with an 'n' but in Ghana that’s where it began
isolation, domination the cry for justice is back again
alone and weak in the sea
while sharks swim below
we stand by and watch the sea turn red
its in our interest to act, while we still have a chance
to save the hopeless masses from the jaws of death
hegemon must rise
supremacy once again ascends, at the expense of the weak
exploiters only think of cutting the cost, as in the days of old
its a race to the bottom, a race that no one wins
comparative advantage comes at a price, we reap the dividends of misery
we suffer, but luckily there’s a way to fight back
its crude, but it just might work
the victims of the war between the great economies,
the corpses of the poor lie rotting on the battlefield
Britain made cloth that was multi-hued but the bones of the Indian weavers were bleached white
when the imperialists came they robbed and they stole and when they left there was nothing to see but a hole
sent to work sewing soccer balls if you complain about your wage then you’ll get nothing at all
there’s no mercy for the weak, they cant develop on their own, take out a loan, and give up sovereignty
work and hope you get out of poverty, work and hope you get out of poverty
shit, the Thais are tied and you’re fucked
band together to fight the oppressors, band together to fight the oppressors
stabbed in the back, the war drags on
and when elephants fight
the grass pays the price
we stand by and watch the suicide
its in our interest to act
while we still have a chance to save the hopeless masses from the jaws of death
hegemon must rise
THE REGRESSION OF MAN:
A history of genocide and prescriptions for its eradication
those people were marched to their graves and we waited for candy as we watched the parade
when you realize your enemies are worms that might be when you lose track of the bodies you burned
national sovereignty deified, you cant build a power plant but genocide's fine
slaughter your people en masse, kill a peacekeeper get a missile up your ass
how many people have to die
before we call it genocide
oh, does it really matter why the human skulls are piled up
when one commits a crime
does the punishment depend on how or why?
he died happily in bed, cozy and warm, he was protected by the laws that he ignored
when a child's head is bashed into the ground
does it make a sound if no one is around?
feel no remorse, powerful enough that we cant hope to enforce
the rules
by giving up and just forgetting a crime, we miss an opportunity to keep ‘em in line
when thousands of Armenians were butchered and raped, it didn’t take Hitler very long to relate
the message to the purpose of his murderous plot
you think we would have learned, but alas, we did not
exterminate the opposition
ill have a shish -ka-baby
counter revolution
that’s not a banana
execute the saboteurs
new people, old people
show no mercy,
we ignore the truth and nod our heads
its much better this way
what could we do?
don’t you remember all the money we gave?
well apologize later, we wont forget the flowers
you can lay them atop the mass grave
mass grave
mass grave
mass grave
the human race, dead and disgraced, witness the regression of man
and when the furnaces are lit
will we stand by and watch them burn?
what are these things that we’ve become?
we’ve left humanity behind
if god existed, he is dead
collective intervention can reduce current incentives to rely on idle threats
regionalization can discourage the creation of a mass of refugees
independent groups can help ensure treaty compliance and a firm united front
outlining expectations and subsequent course of action when demands have not been met
but they wont do it on their own
but they wont do it one their own
GOOD FOR NOTHING:
A discussion of the failures of multilateral development aid
Jeffrey Sachs laid out the facts, he’s here to save the day
he called Bono on the telephone - oh, god he was just blown away
checkbooks out, we'll save the world the Brangelina way
I bet they’re poor because they cannot invest,
we'll send ‘em money and we'll hope for the best
we wash our hands of it and give ourselves a pat on the back
‘cuz when investing I just look for a place
that is renowned for all the following traits
corrupt, destabilized and lacking courts and property rights
hand cash out to the poor
committed evermore
the state no stronger than before
jolly good! we’ve built a road, now we can relax
where’s the sex appeal in making sure we’ve filled the cracks?
after seventy years of decline you think it might have
been because of the aid we gave or just in spite of?
refusing to learn, paternalism returned
we threw gas on the flame and deflected the blame when it burned
now they’ll change their ways if they want some of what we got
they cant pay their cronies when the IMF's calling the shots
another loan is squandered, wow, that sure seems to happen a lot
from these conditions leaders have to be freed
so they can pay for what they desperately need,
a foreign bank account, a palace and a secret police
its great to make the state a valuable prize
Nigeria's success cannot be denied
as long a structural adjustment loans are finally gone
who needs capacity?
cash comes from overseas
we’ve pledged our aid eternally
raise your glasses, chaps, that dam we built just made the news
maybe when it springs a leak we'll send a tube of glue
after seventy years of decline you think it might have
been because of the aid we gave or just in spite of?
refusing to learn, paternalism returned
we threw gas on the flame and deflected the blame when it burned
there is no farm that can compete when the food dropped from the sky stinks of U.S. subsidies
why would you foster regional trade when you get your food for free from the white men in blue helmets?
[we] didn’t mean to create,
the Prebendalist state
but the tyrants took their seats at the table we set and they ate
and ate
[but] did we try to explore?
did the scraps on the floor
feed the poor
they were intended for?
were not responsible for adverse effects
we closed our checkbooks and our minds
weak
meek
the nation's future is bleak
but should we give the government the money they seek?
just to keep ‘em alive,
we'll give into their cries,
they wont create the institutions that they need to survive
were not responsible for adverse effects
we closed our checkbook and our minds
artificial states
in a state of authentic stasis
as much oppressed by the iron fist
as by the open hand
since independence
they’ve been dependent
global pariah
condemned to suffer
THE GREAT SATAN
An analysis of united states anti-terror policies and their failures
in a darkened prison cell
in a place where human rights don’t matter
some one screams in agony
for the sake of freedom they must suffer
no mercy, remorseless, we’ve been desensitized
we must at any cost preserve our way of life
i really wasn’t shocked or fucking awed
when the terrorist became the renegade
imperial putrescence in the air
or did the scent of freedom make them gag?
when the state is left a crippled fucking wreck
like a body with immuno-deficiency
you can feed it all the pills that it can stand
but the virus will never cease to grow
we are now what we once despised
terrorists, sadists and worse
prisons muffle the tortured screams but the gulag has a voice of its own
troops in search of a trophy, will we hang him on a cross when he's caught?
we fucked up on a massive scale when the war creates more foes than it destroys
standing alone for the world to see
we fucked up, unilaterally
its easy to see now who is to blame, lets paint targets on our faces so they know where to fly the planes
LIFE AND DEATH IN THE LAND OF HOPE:
An exploration of the challenges facing the new administration
is it a tax cut bringing us hope,
is it a bailout bringing us change?
is it a face on a fucking magazine?
what does it feel like to be chosen,
to be alive in this golden age
nothing has changed, nothing will change, I have no hope
what’s the point of hope when you’re stuck inside the poverty trap?
as you struggle to get free
it will only pull you deeper
dad's laid off, barely getting by,
but you’re just above an invisible line
you try to apply but get
( )
but don’t worry change is coming
I’m sure if we all believe despicable inequities in access to a decent education will be remedied
hey kids, pop quiz if one society that doesn't emphasize education and one increasingly global labor market are on a collision course
how long will it be till they collide?
the day after election day
they said change wont come right away
you fell for the fucking hype
hahahahahah
you fell for the mother fucking hype
an inbox checked each day in vain
each silent 'no' a stabbing pain
months go by, you’re losing hope
bills like daggers in envelopes
do you hope for death each day while sending out your resume?
don’t you worry, never fear, the ambassador of hope is here
all the gods in heaven had a meeting to select him and they told their prophet Oprah of their choice
now the rain will turn to candy, cars will run on happiness and everywhere the people will rejoice
sure you’ve got a job but in Bangalour they do it cheaper, just to save a buck you’ll get the boot
[the] boss [is] cutting costs, its your benefits under the knife for profit its the price that must be paid
don’t look down when walking on the tightrope of the market for there is nothing to catch you when you fall
going out of business and your pension's going too, I’m sure the CEO is crying on his yacht
with the congress as his lapdog
and the mandate he received
I will not accept excuses
I have taken shit for far too long
when your pills are more precious than gold
its obvious who has control
pill pushers are pulling the strings
god help us
bankrupt
going through life uninsured,
which is worse the disease or the cure
the rest of us trusted our lives to the free market
parasitic HMOs put price tags on our lives
they lose money when we live and profit when we die
