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Modern Major-Imbecile

SOURCES

Scene list Lyric list




Scene 1I am the very model of a modern Major-Imbecile,
I've information confidential, speculative, and trivial,
Scene 2I know the czars of Russia, and I tweet my thoughts maniacal,
From tapping phones to "no one knew", in order unaccountable;
Scene 3I'm very well acquainted too with matters dictatorial,
Scene 4I understand injunctions, both the pending and enforceable,
About the failing media I'm steaming with a lot o' news---
Scene 5With alternative facts about the so-called torture of the Jews.  
Scene 6I'm very good at infantile and detrimental craziness
I know the systematic games of rabble rousing looniness
Scene 7In short, in matters unremorseful, amoral and mythical
I am the very model of a modern Major-Imbecile.
Scene 8I know revisionist history, Civil War's and certificates
Scene 9I question U.S. servants, I've a pretty taste for Bolsheviks
Scene 10I quote enthusiastic all the crimes of Hillary screwing us
Scene 11In chronic I can shore peculiarities cantankerous
Scene 12I can tell undoubted real intels from liberal cows and bad Chinese
Scene 13I know the stroking chorus from the cogs of white theocracies
Scene 14Then I can frame a fugitive I heard has used this phone before
Scene 15And marshal all the heirs for that internal family favor store
Scene 16Then I will start white washing bills while babbling on Twitter more
And tell you every detail of fake news's most vindictive scorn
Scene 17In short, in matters unremorseful, amoral and mythical
I am the very model of a modern Major-Imbecile.
Scene 18In fact when I know that agents, try sullying my epic win
When I can tell my plight is stupid piffle not a damning sin
Scene 19When such affairs as pussies and franchises I'm more wary at
And when I know precisely what the failing media's playing at
Scene 20When I have learnt what progress has been made in what is asked of me
When I know more of basics holding office in democracy
Scene 21In short when I've a smattering of elemental policy
Scene 22You'll say a greater Major-Imbecile has never bested me
Scene 23For my military knowledge though I'm jumpy and compulsory
Has only been thought sound to those who don't see my deficiencies
Scene 24But still, in matters unremorseful, amoral and mythical
I am the very model of a modern Major-Imbecile.

Intro

Trump: Did I Say Mexico Was Paying For That Wall? I Meant You. (via The Young Turks)

Scene 1

I am the very model of a modern Major-Imbecile

Meme: "I'm speaking with myself because I have a very good brain and I've said a lot of things."

I've information confidential, speculative, and trivial

In May 2017 President Trump met with Sergey V. Lavrov and Sergey I. Kislyak, a meeting in which Russian media was allowed and U.S. media was barred

Trump Bars U.S. Press, but Not Russia’s, at Meeting With Russian Officials

It was also reported that President Trump revealed highly classified information. If true it would mean that Trump "revealed more information to the Russian ambassador than we have shared with our own allies."

Trump revealed highly classified information to Russian foreign minister and ambassador

Scene 2

I know the czars of Russia, and I tweet my thoughts maniacal

The last Russian Czar was Nicholas II

Sack cartoon: The Trump-Putin encounter

From tapping phones to "no one knew", in order unaccountable

A Freedom of Information Act request led the Department of Justice to state in a court filing that "Both the FBI and NSD confirm that they have no records related to wiretaps as described the March 4, 2017 tweets"

DOJ: No evidence Trump Tower was wiretapped

Trump and his son, Donald Trump Jr., have changed their stories on the purpose of the Trump Tower meeting

The Double Damage of the President’s Trump Tower Admission

Scene 3

I'm very well acquainted too with matters dictatorial

Source: Donald Trump: America's African President (via Comedy Central)

Some have criticized Trump's tendency to make positive comments about dictators

Nine Notorious Dictators, Nine Shout-Outs From Donald Trump

Scene 4

I understand injunctions, both the pending and enforceable

Trump 9th circuit meme

On February 9, 2017 the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals denied an emergency motion for a stay by the Trump administration

February 9, 2017 Order in D.C. No. 2:17-cv-00141

About the failing media I'm steaming with a lot o' news

The same poll includes other less flattering results including a 51 percent disapproval for President Trump (Q172NET)

Morning Consult National Tracking Poll - October 12-16, 2017

Rex Tillerson did leave three months later

Trump ousts Tillerson, will replace him as secretary of state with CIA chief Pompeo

Trump has been widely criticized for hostility towards the news media though he has occasionally rebuked that by saying he means "fake news", which is in his view something like 80 percent of news media, is the real culprit

Trump turns to Fox friend for coveted interview

Scene 5

With alternative facts about the so-called torture of the Jews

This lyric conflates a widely mocked gaffe made by Kellyanne Conway, who suggested exaggerated figures regarding inauguration attendance were not falsehoods but "alternative facts", and a strong implication that Trump holds sympathy for Holocaust deniers. While it would be fair to say there has been no explicit support from the Trump administration for that baseless conspiracy (i.e. the theory that the Holocaust did not occur) the lyric is meant to underscore Trump's tacit acceptance of support from those holding either subtle or radical racial and/or cultural animus.

(image source)
WH: No mention of Jews on Holocaust Remembrance Day because others were killed too Trump Retweets Video From Supporter of Convicted Antisemite Trump says 'sometimes it's the reverse' when asked about anti-Semitic incidents: report President Donald Trump On Charlottesville: You Had Very Fine People, On Both Sides | CNBC

Scene 6

I'm very good at infantile and detrimental craziness

I know the systematic games of rabble rousing looniness

Politifact has reported on noted allegations

Fact-checking Donald Trump’s tweets about Hillary Clinton and Russia

Scene 7

In short, in matters unremorseful, amoral and mythical

Did Trump really mock reporter's disability? (via Fox News)

Serge Kovaleski, the reporter said to have been mocked by Trump in this clip, suffers from a disability related to joints' structure and function and reported on Trump for years.

Reporter mocked by Trump says the 2 knew each other well

I am the very model of a modern Major-Imbecile

Scene 8

I know revisionist history, Civil Wars and certificates

Robert E. Lee statue Obama Long Form Birth Certificate (stamp added)

Access and description available on Obama White House archive

President Obama's Long Form Birth Certificate

Scene 9

I question U.S. servants, I've a pretty taste for Bolsheviks

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, is actually a distinctly anti-revolutionary conservative and might not appreciate being described as Bolshevik

Why Putin Won't Be Marking the Hundredth Anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution

FBI Director James Comey testifies before the House Intelligence Committee hearing into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election (via Reuters)

James Comey, the former FBI Director fired by President Trump, has said "I hope there are [tapes], and I’ll consent to the release of them,". The alleged tapes have never materialized and Trump later said he did not record the conversations at issue.

Comey swipes at Trump: 'Lordy, this time there will be a tape'

Scene 10

I quote enthusiastic all the crimes of Hillary screwing us

Hillary Clinton testifies regarding Benghazi

Hillary Clinton, Trump's main opponent during the 2016 U.S. election, is a well known and often maligned figure in U.S. politics. Trump has likely more often and persistently complained about his defeated opponent than any electoral victor in living memory if not all of U.S. history. Since February 2017 there does not seem to be a month in which Trump has failed to mention 'Clinton' on Twitter at least once (as of August 2018). Trump Twitter Archive

Scene 11

In chronic I can shore peculiarities cantankerous

Jeff Sessions at a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing (caption added)

Sessions quote

Trump’s pick for attorney general: ‘Good people don’t smoke marijuana’

Scene 12

I can tell undoubted real intels from liberal cows and bad Chinese

Donald Trump / Rosie O'Donnell

Trump has routinely quibbled with O'Donnell

A complete timeline of Trump's years-long feud with Rosie O'Donnell

Trump famously invoked O'Donnell to deflect questioning regarding his comments about women generally

Donald Trump destroys Rosie O'Donnell during debate

Trump was strongly criticized by former intelligence officials and others for his seeming inability to support the findings of the U.S intelligence community that Russia actively interfered with the U.S. election process

Trump Questions Finding of Russia’s 2016 Meddling as He Appears With Putin (via WSJ)

Trump attempted to reverse his Helsinki comments saying he misspoke when saying he didn't see why Russia "would" instead of "wouldn't" meddle in U.S. elections

Would or wouldn't: how Trump's claim he misspoke unleashed a meme-fest

There have been suggestions that Trump tarriffs may disproportionately harm agriculture interests who also tend to be Trump supporters

Trump's tariff war threatens to erode support of farmers

Scene 13

I know the stroking chorus from the cogs of white theocracies

Donald Trump greets supporters in Mobile, Alabama (August 2015)

One study suggests "Christian nationalist ideology was a robust predictor of voting for Trump"

Make America Christian Again: Christian Nationalism and Voting for Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election

Scene 14

Then I can frame a fugitive I heard has used this phone before

Trump / Obama with tweet embedded

Scene 15

And marshal all the heirs for that internal family favor store

Trump has famously failed to release his tax returns unlike most U.S. Presidents in recent memory. On this note he reneged on a promise he made to do so just before being inaugurated and after having been elected.

Release his tax returns after an audit is completed - FALSE

There is at least one lawsuit alleging Trump violates the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Federal Lawsuit Against President Trump's Business Interests Allowed To Proceed

Jared Kushner’s sister woos China’s ‘golden visa’ investors Trump businesses making millions from political and taxpayer spending – report (via The Guardian) Eric Trump’s Charity Paid Donald’s Business $145K During Election Kellyanne Conway Promotes Ivanka Trump Brand, Raising Ethics Concerns Donald Trump Jr. arrives in India to sell luxury apartments, raising ethics questions New York sues Trump and his charity over 'self-dealing'

Scene 16

Then I will start white washing bills while babbling on Twitter more

Donald Trump signs an executive order

Trump also called the bill 'mean'

Trump Says He Did Call the G.O.P. Health Care Bill "Mean" After All

And tell you every detail of fake news's most vindictive scorn

Scene 17

In short, in matters unremorseful, amoral and mythical

Prayer in the Oval Office

Trump: "I think apologizing's a great thing, but you have to be wrong. I will absolutely apologize, sometime in the hopefully distant future, if I'm ever wrong."

30 of Donald Trump's wildest quotes - On apologies

Trump: "When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending the best. They're sending people that have lots of problems and they're bringing those problems. They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists and some, I assume, are good people, but I speak to border guards and they're telling us what we're getting."

30 of Donald Trump's wildest quotes - On immigrants

I am the very model of a modern Major-Imbecile

Scene 18

In fact when I know that agents, try sullying my epic win

Robert S. Mueller III as FBI Director

On May 17, 2017, Robert S. Mueller III was appointed by acting Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein to serve as Special Counsel

Special Counsel's Office | Department of Justice

When I can tell my plight is stupid piffle not a damning sin

Facebook screen capture (URL of original article)

Scene 19

When such affairs as pussies and franchises I'm more wary at

Trump quoted from famous Access Hollywood tape Settlement of Trump University lawsuit (link to NBC News article)

And when I know precisely what the failing media's playing at

Percent of news reports with positive/negative tone (1st 100 days) News Coverage of Donald Trump’s First 100 Days (via Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center)

Scene 20

When I have learnt what progress has been made in what is asked of me

Screen capture of Politifact Trump-O-Meter Scorecard (link to web page)

Trump proponents often claim he has kept many promises. There are in fact a number of promises Politifact rates as "Promise Kept"

Promise Kept rulings on Trump-O-Meter

When I know more of basics holding office in democracy

Scene 21

In short when I've a smattering of elemental policy

Trump at Dallas rally September 2015

The selected articles are a small sample of issues chosen to highlight issues of contradictory communications coming from the Trump administration

In Guatemala, Trump's Homeland Security chief contradicts new immigration directives Trump on deportations: 'It's a military operation' Five Contradictions in the White House’s Story About Comey’s Firing Federal Climate Report Contradicts Trump Administration Stance Trump Walks Back Threat to Blow Up U.S.-British Trade Talks Mulvaney quickly walks back Trump vow to wipe out Puerto Rico debt The Trump Administration Contradicts Itself on Putin’s Offer

Scene 22

You'll say a greater Major-Imbecile has never bested me

Donald Trump Presidential Campaign Announcement (C-SPAN, June 16, 2015) Trump: Nobody Knew Health Care Could Be So Complicated (via Bloomberg Politics) The moment Donald Trump is warned not to look directly at the sun (via Guardian News)

Scene 23

For my military knowledge though I'm jumpy and compulsory

Trump's First Year in Numbers: Strikes Triple in Yemen and Somalia US air wars under Trump: increasingly indiscriminate, increasingly opaque

Issues regarding a lack of transparency in the Trump administrations' military policy is not limited to drone usage

The Pentagon's Transparency Problem

Has only been thought sound to those who don't see my deficiencies

Scene 24

But still, in matters unremorseful, amoral and mythical

Image released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Image referenced as "People in custody at US Border Patrol's Central Processing Station in McAllen, Texas on June 17, 2018. Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection/MGN"

AP report: Youngest migrants held in 'tender age' shelters

The Trump Administration’s Shifting Story on Family Separations Hundreds of separated children not reunited by court-ordered deadline Trump Again Falsely Blames Democrats for His Separation Tactic

I am the very model of a modern Major-Imbecile

Finale

America for all its faults has many ways to self-correct

Even the highest officer can not forever stay unchecked