Auction Songtext

von David Rovics

Market-driven forces
Are the way we'll save the earth
We just have to ascertain
Exactly how much it's all worth
So we put a price on pollution
And now we've got lots more
We privatized the hospitals
And they stopped servicing the poor

We privatized the schools
And watched the test scores plummet
Then we recounted our success
At a corporate summit
We privatized the prisons
And watched the riots flare
Deregulated industry
Created many a billionaire

We removed that federal oversight
And watched Enron crash about
So we did the same with the utilities
And then the power all went out
With such a stellar record
We opened wide our eyes
Looking for some other things
We could privatize

So our next plan of action
For something calling out for correction
Is this complicated process
That we call elections
So our new proposal
For some of your consideration
Is that we do away with polling booths
And let's just have an auction

(Chorus)
Sold to the highest bidder
It's the road map to prosperity
Sold to the highest bidder
'Cause what's good enough for Halliburton (etc.)
Is good enough for me

Just think of the advantages
So many you can choose
No more lines at polling stations
No more ballots you can lose
No more lying politicians
Just honest CEO's
Following the wisdom of the market
Wherever it goes

It would eliminate the middleman
And we'd just have a direct line
No more wasted time with congressmen
Who we have to wine and dine
It could all be so very simple
Over in one day
When we just choose our leader
Based on who has the most to pay

(Chorus)

There'd be no more special interests
No need to scrub a voter roll
We would not have to listen
To all those mothers on the dole
We would have no problem
Telling them to tighten up their collars
'Cause we'd be following the dictates
Of the almighty dollars

You can waste your time with senators
Or judges in the court
But the man with the most money
Is the one we should support
This is clearly the way forward
I tell you with aplomb
Just think of Silverado
Exxon and WorldCom