(With apologies to Don McLean)

A long, long time ago

When Washington,

Lincoln and the Roosevelts

Solemnly took the presidential oath

And became commander in chief

Of the U.S. show.

Liberty not tyranny was held dear.

Freedom from hunger, persecution,

Censorship and fear

Were ideals that all Americans cheered.

But February 2025 made me quiver

With every “Fork in the Road” e-mail

And the executive orders 47 delivered.

The fear of ICE looking

For immigrants to seize

Caused people of good will to ask,

“How could this be?”

I remember how much I cried

When 47 declared “Liberation Day”

On January 20, 2025

Something touched me deep inside

The day our democracy

Began to collapse and die.

And I heard them singin’

(Refrain)

Bye-bye democracy bye-bye

Went to see Lincoln’s

Reflecting Pool but it was dry.

47’s allies were celebrating

Project 2025’s rise.

And singin’ this’ll be the day

To share high-fives.

This’ll be the day democracy began to die.

Did they forget the message of

The Good Book of love?

Did they lose faith in the rule of law

Which no person should be above?

Doesn’t the Constitution tell us so?

Now, do they believe in equality for all?

Can enriching billionaires save their mortal souls?

Who taught them to put profit above country?

Why did so many willingly

Leap down fabulists’ rabbit holes.

Well, I know you’re in love with him

Because I saw you dancin’ in

The Capitol One Arena with all of them

You all kicked off your shoes

Man, y’all dig those authoritarian blues.

(Refrain)

As I watched him on stage

Out of my mouth came

Prayers for citizens to engage.

Even the tech boys

Went down on bended knee

Before 47 uttered his

First decree.

The past four years, prosecutors and most judges

Faithfully followed the facts and applied the law.

But when the Supreme Court jesters

Didn’t like what they saw,

They blithely decided

The president was above the law.

The day democracy began to die.

And they were singin’

(Refrain)

Helter skelters close all the shelters

End USAID, education, social

And welfare programs, and

Let the needy and the marginalized

Die, freeze or swelter.

And they started singin’

(Refrain)

Oh, and there in one place are

The 90 million voting-eligible citizens

Who didn’t vote and who are now lost in space

With no time left to start again.

“Special government employee” Musk’s takeover

And 47’s purges and proposals are proof

That 47 is an anti-president.

So come on citizens be nimble, citizens be quick

Facts, truth, protests,

And not complying in advance

Will be our righteous politics.

As the light of Miss Liberty’s torch

Receded into the night

In search of informed voters

So, it would always shine bright.

A People’s Cabinet came into sight

And Elon was laughing with delight

The day our government was leveraged

By a wise guy.

They were singin’

(Refrain)

I met voters who sang the blues

And I asked them for some happy news

But they just cried and turned away.

Will we let our Constitution and its Bill of Rights

Disappear because 47 and Musk

Dismantling of our government

Gives us a fright or will we stand up for

Our democracy and fight?

I went down to the TV news & newspaper stores

Where I’d heard the truth many years before

But the billionaire owners barred the door, saying,

“Reporting the truth no longer pays.

Our podcast influencers are skilled

In newspeak and spreading

The sensational stories of the day.

So, ignore your misgivings

You are not being played.”

And in the streets the homeless and elderly screamed

The Democrats sighed, and the Republicans schemed

But not a word was spoken

The Liberty Bell was broken.

And the three men — Washington, Lincoln, and FDR —

Who were true to their presidential oath,

Looked down from heaven

And prayed the most.

The day democracy began to die.

And 47’s myrmidons were singing

(Refrain)

Robert W. Kubacki lives in Greenfield.