They Been On The Job Too Long

The first thing Congress did in 2017, the first thing on their agenda, priority numero uno, was to revoke the independent ethics committee’s ability to operate.  The independent ethics committee investigates unethical acts of congressmen and women, and has the ability to report their findings directly to the public.

They been on the job too long.

There’s an old folk song, called “Duncan and Brady”, that was sung back in the sixties by Judy Henske. It’s about a cop who thought he was King of his beat and could do anything he wanted. It goes something like this:

“Duncan, Duncan, was a-tendin’ the bar,

Along comes Brady with his shiny star,

Brady says to Duncan, ‘you are under arrest.’

Duncan shot a hole in Mister Brady’s breast.

Well, he been on the job too long,

I say he been on the job too long.

Women all heard King Brady was dead,

They go home and they re-wrap in red,

Come a slippin’, come a slidin’,

Come a shufflin’ down the street,

In their big mother hubbards and their stockin’ feet.

Well, he been on the job too long.

I say, he been on the job too long.”

But this is the age of social media. And the Congressional phone lines went into overload from the protest raised. In this day of cell phones, we may forget that land lines are still very much in use—and in Washington D.C. in the Congress, that’s where most of the business gets done.

So they “walked it back.” Dropped it like the proverbial hot potato.

They been on the job too long.

Oh yeah, King Congress been on the job too long.

And today, I’m wearing red.