Boy: Woof! You sure gotta climb a lot of steps to get to this Capitol Building here in Washington. But I wonder who that giant ream of paper is?
I'm just a bill.
Yes, I'm only a bill.
And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill.
Well, it's not a long journey
To the capital city.
It's a short, short debate
When I'm sailing through committee,
But I know I'll be a law someday
Cause I'm stuck full of poison pills,
But today I am still just a bill.
Boy: Gee, Bill, you certainly have a lot of patience and courage.
Bill: Well I got this far. When I started, I wasn't even a bill, I was just an idea. Some lobbyists decided they wanted a law passed, so they called the Congressman they own and he said, "You're right, sir, I need to pay you back" Then the lobbyist faxed me over and his Congressman introduced me to Congress. And I became a bill, and I'll remain a bill until the majority party pushes me through on a party line vote.
I'm just a bill
Yes I'm only a bill,
And I got as far as Capitol Hill.
Well, now some call me pork barrel
But they're resigned to my fate
In the Republican congress they do not discuss and debate
Whether they should let me be a law.
How the people hope and pray that they will,
But they might as well give up on stopping this bill.
Boy: Listen to those congressmen arguing! Is all that discussion and debate about you?
Bill: No, they're arguing about weather or not to rename French Fries Freedom Fries. I am going to pass for sure. My lobbyist has already got the votes with a backroom deal with the Republican leadership.
Boy: Backroom Deal??
Bill: Yeah, most bills nowadays are written by lobbyists and herded through congress by the Republican leadership.
Boy: If they vote yes, what happens?
Bill: Then I go to the Senate and where we've already bought the votes for passage.
Boy: Oh no!
Bill: Oh yes!
I'm just a bill
Yes, I'm only a bill
And when they vote for me on Capitol Hill
Well, then I'm off to the White House
Where I'll go the front of the line
In front of a lot of other bills
For the president to sign
And when he signs me, then I'll be a law.
And you just know that he will,
But today I am still just a bill.
Boy: You mean even if the whole Congress says you should be a law, the president can still say no?
Bill: Yes, that's called a veto. If the President vetoes me, I have to go back to Congress and they vote on me again, but George Bush has never vetoed a bill.....
Boy: It's awful easy to become a law, is it?
Bill: If you have the right daddy it is!!!
So now I know today that I will,
But today I am still just a bill.
Congressman: He signed you, Bill! Now you're a law! It's time for my payoff!!!
Bill: Oh yes!!!
Is this what the Republicans want our children to learn?