Democrats and lemmings revisited

Several weeks ago I posted this video of an old National Lampoon show sing a Woodstock parody song, "Lemmings Lament."



I suggested that it now sounds like an incredibly current theme song for a Democratic Party that opposes Social Security and Medicare, seemingly bent on wiping itself out as a national political party. (Though the comparison is a bit unfair to lemmings.) This post by Digby, War of Independents Hullabaloo 08/26/2011, which discusses how Democratic-leaning independents are increasingly put off by President Obama's compromising ways, reminded me of it yet again. The lyrics aren't a perfect fit. But the opening verse about how indecision passing for open-mindedness (or Compromise!) can be destructive seems especially relevant. My own transcription of the lyrics; the song was written by Paul Jacobs and Sean Kelly:

Between the politicians' polarizing power trips
We're just too pure and peaceful to decide
So we got our heads together while the planet fell to bits
Never once had bent to take a single side

Chorus:

We are lemmings
We are crazy
We will feed our flower habits
Pushing daisies

If you're put upon by powers
If you're restless for release
Death just might be the final rush you crave
We all believe in flowers
And we all believe in peace
There is endless peace and flowers in the grave

[Repeat chorus]

We all want to go underground and get back to the earth
We don't want nothing if it isn't free
A mighty mass of furry little mindless animals
A million lemmings marching to the sea

[Repeat chorus]

Tags: barack obama, democratic party, lemmings lament, medicare, social security

The Democrats' new theme song as they "jump off the cliff" together with, uh, each other on Social Security and Medicare

The punditocracy is praising President Obama for his "adult" behavior in proposing cuts in Social Security and Medicare. At the same time, they also love the lemming metaphor of Democrats and Republicans joining hands and jumping off the cliff together. It doesn't exactly fit with the "adult" metaphor, although adults do commit suicide. So far, though, the only ones I see heading for that political cliff are President Obama and the Democrats.

This song was originally a good-humored National Lampoon send-up of the legendary Woodstock festival. Now it sounds like an incredibly current theme song for a Democratic Party that opposes Social Security and Medicare.



Tags: democratic party, lemmings lament, medicare, social security