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A-caroling we will go…

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Illinois

* VanillaMan in comments yesterday…

I’m Dreaming of a Functional Government - Irving Berlin, humbly enhanced by VanillaMan

Our government is frozen, it’s the worst we’ve seen
The Governor believes Turnaround is not extreme
Thanks to judges, civil servants get pay
Thanks to judges, we survive another day
He says he’s a petulant rascal and soon
We will happily sing his pro-business tune

But it’s December the 24th
And our state is irreversibly off course …

I’m dreaming of a functioning government,
just like the ones we used to know
When a governor listened, infrastructures christened
and we weren’t hostages in this show

I’m dreaming of a functioning government,
Without the bullying and threats
May we all stop this dysfunctioning regrets
Before we all face injunctioning requests

I’m dreaming of a competent governor,
just like those Old Jims long ago
When they worked with the Assembly
and compromised so reasonably
And everyone went along with the flow

I’m dreaming of a compromising Speaker,
just like back home in Chicago
When he kept our state together
while governors perp walked whether
They were a Ryan or Blago

I’m dreaming of a bright future,
for our glorious and prosperous state
May it once again be merry and bright,
and survive all this political hate.

I’m dreaming of state reimbursements,
that makes Moody’s and Fitch glow
May our leaders remove their heads out from below,
Hug one another and eat crow.

VMan has been so on it this year.

* And this one is from a reader via e-mail…

What State is This? (sung to “What Child is This”)

What state is this?
In such mean distress
With Bruce the omnipotent leading?

With bills unpaid
And with nerves all frayed
He won’t stop
Until Madigan’s pleading.

CHORUS

This, this is Bruce our king,
Whom AFSCME loathes and Goldberg sings.
This, this is Illinois,
The state, the kingdom of Rauner.

No budget ’til my agenda’s passed
The short term pain I’m not feeling.
Poor people suffer
And businesses shutter
But it’s Madigan’s fault that you’re
reeling.

(repeat chorus)

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:31 am

Comments

I am looking forward to the Youtube videos!

Mr. Miller, accompanied by Oscar!

Comment by cdog Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:35 am
Brilliant!

Next week I have a few more. I had to release “Miller the Newsman” today because Rich doesn’t normally make himself the focus of a thread. I’ve had that little ditty hanging around for several months after his heart problems began.

I wish I kept the previous year’s Christmas carols. Remember the one about Blagojevich sharing briefs in jail, set to the tune of “The Christmas Song - Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”?

Its the most wonderful time of the year!

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:37 am
VMan, the next time I have an intern, I’m gonna have him pull up all your songs. Maybe we can do a book and/or a CD or something.

Also, OW needs to get his ideas to HBO for real.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:39 am
OW - If HBO won’t bite, I’m sure NetFlix would do your little series justice.

Comment by WhoKnew Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:46 am
- VanillaMan -’s catalog is inspired genius. This year he’s been “Grammy-Worthy”

If I can get a treatment to HBO, the skeleton is there, lol. Rich, you do realize you’d have to be a “Larry David” resource in creative.

That’s for all the feedback on the show. That’s pretty cool.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:53 am
“Thanks”

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:54 am
I can just hear ‘Der Bingle’ warbling out that Functional Government carol, with Diana Rauner playing the xylophone icicles.

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:55 am
Are the carols works in progress? They seem to be missing a few verses concerning the debt we owe preventing us from buying toys for all the good girls and boys. Or some lumps of coal for all our corrupt and convicted pols.

All in all, good stuff.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:05 pm
I nominate VanillaMan for a new Golden Horseshoe Award.

Best Capitol Fax Troubadour. He’d win every year, though.

Comment by Wensicia Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:06 pm
Jingle bells,
Impasse smells.
Rauner laid an egg.

Can’t pass a bill,
We’ve got nil.
And Dunkin ran away.

Hey!

Comment by Dome Gnome Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:07 pm
Bravo!

Comment by James Knell Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:11 pm
To “The Little Drummer Boy”

I can’t compare to the great Vman however

The leaders of this state act
dum,dum,dum,dum
Why can’t they get along?
dum,dum,dum,dum
They want that campaign cash
dum,dum,dum,dum
The other side then they can trash
dum,dum,dum,dum
dum,dum,dum
dum,dum,dum

This is not our fault
dum,dum,dum,dum
It’s those other guys
dum,dum,dum,dum
If they’d just agree with us
dum,dum,dum,dum
Then we’d fix it all
dum,dum,dum,dum
dum,dum,dum
dum,dum,dum

Comment by train111 Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:12 pm
In this season, I usually get tired of hearing “holiday music” after the first week. The enhanced lyrics have made it a little less unbearable, so thanks for that anyway.

I the king of Illinois are
Bearing campaign cash I traverse afar
Buckingham fountain, farm field but no mountains,
With yonder superstars.

Stars of wonder, stars of night,
Stars with trickle down theory bright,
Goldberg’s insults leading, still proceeding,
Guide us according to thy perfect Light.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:16 pm
VMan has been going yard this year.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:18 pm
- WhoKnew -

Good idea with NetFlix, I’ll try them too.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 1:14 pm
We probably need to give judges a golden horseshoe.

Comment by Anon Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 1:31 pm
try amazon as well OW.

good job VM.

Comment by Ghost Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 1:39 pm
A tip of the cap to the great Paul McCartney & the Beatle classic - Let It Be:

When I find myself in times of trouble
Governor Bruce comes to me
Carrying loads of cash, let it be

And in my hour of darkness
Rich Goldberg whispers to me
Snarky words of wisdom, let it be
Yeah, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Snarky words of wisdom, let it be

When the broken hearted employees
working in Illinois agree
There will be an answer, let it be

For though they may be partisan
There is still a chance that they will agree
There will be an answer, let it be

Yeah, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Yeah, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
You know there’s gonna be an answer, let it be

And when the mood is nasty
There is still a hope that prevails to me
Hope carries to tomorrow, let it be

I wake up to the sound of music
Governor Bruce comes to me
Carrying loads of cash, let it be

Let it be, oh no, let it be, let it be, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be, let it be
You know there’s gonna be an answer, let it be
Oh, let it be

Comment by Stones Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 1:45 pm
- Ghost -

Good point.

I need to get some representation, lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 1:45 pm
I’m still offering, with the help of my niece, to get a video done. She has already had some original material posted on YouTube. The offers stands.

Comment by illini Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 3:49 pm