The Capitol Follies

The overture begins anew, a Monday morning headline hue A promise of decorum, grace, a bill to put things in their place A handshake here, a solemn vow, we'll get it done, we'll show them how The pundits preen, the cameras flash, a bipartisan and hopeful dash But wait, a tweet, a slip of tongue, a different song is being sung The perfect plan is now askew, and Tuesday's only just broke through! By Wednesday, all the gloves are off, a hearing starts with scoff and cough

A senator from somewhere west decries a point with frantic zest He holds a chart, it makes no sense, the rhetoric is growing dense The cable news divides the screen, a shouting match, a fever dream They're fundraising off the fight, while shouting what is wrong and right And I'm just here, upon the stage, and trying to find the proper page! Oh, what a show! The Capitol Follies! Another act in the absurd!

We sing and dance to break our promise, and hang on every single word! The plot is thin, the cast is mad, it's the most brilliant mess we've had! So raise the lights, let's see this through, I can't believe it's only Friday, can you? (Music softens, a single spotlight hits a performer holding a curled-up script) Is this my line? To filibuster bread? And argue points that have been long since dead? Who wrote this scene? What is my motivation?

To bring about the downfall of the nation? (The rest of the cast turns, music swells) They say to play it with conviction, with fury and with friction! (Full orchestra kicks back in, grand and frantic) So let's play our part in this design, it must be brilliant, it's so byzantine! Oh, what a show! The Capitol Follies! Another act in the absurd!

We sing and dance to break our promise, and hang on every single word! The plot is thin, the cast is mad, it's the most brilliant mess we've had! So raise the lights, let's see this through, I can't believe it's only Friday, can you?!