Society & Politics

Political satire: Songs that make fictional candidates look better than what is running now.

This presidential election year is going to turn out to be one of the craziest we have ever had in the United States. But in 1968 and 1972 two songs were released that put a satirical spin on those years presidential elections which were also called crazy back then. Underneath each song I will give a brief explanation of the story behind both election years and how the messages of these satires can still be relevant today.



Snoopy For President (1968)



In 1968 the Vietnam war was getting hot. President Lyndon B Johnson was facing a lot of criticism over the war. In January 1968 he shocked the world and the US by deciding not to seek a second term. Thus entered the Democratic nominee field of: George Wallace,Hubert Humphrey,Eugene McCarthy,and Robert Kennedy. The Republican nominees were: Richard Nixon who unsuccessfully ran again John Kennedy in 1960. And then New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller. 1968 was a violent year. Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King were both assasinated just two months apart. Protests were growing over the Vietnam War. And during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, there were mass riots at the convention leaving hundreds injured and or arrested. The democratic party was torn at the time much like the Republican party is now. This song reflects the sediments that people had at the time by suggesting that the loveable comic strip beagle run for president and would get the votes needed to win. Showing much like nowdays people are tired of both parties.



The Monkey Who became President (1972)


1972 was another year marked with anti Vietnam war sediment. The Democratic Candidates were George McGovern and George Wallace. Wallace was shot in an assassination attempt in May of that year and was forced to drop out of the race even though he survived. That year there was a big scandal brewing in the Nixon white house. Some of Nixons cronies broke into the Watergate Hotel and stole important documents. The FBI and CIA were also tapping into citizens phones. This would ultimately get Nixon in hot water and lead back to him. Nixon would ultimately resign his presidency in 1974. With Vice President Angew resigning a year earlier. This song states a fact that a monkey could ultimately be a better president than any candidate either party could put up. The last line holds a bit of truth "Would you rather have a monkey uo in Washington DC, or.have those people making monkeys out of you and me" . So goes to show that even then noone really trusted either party.



So the point of both of these songs is: One party is just as crooked and messed up as the other. Sometimes even fictional characters or other third party candidates would make better presidents. But,in the end its not the people who matter but the money and the Super PACs. So either way bith parties are making fools out of our people and the USA. But more so, they are making jackasses out of themselves! Folks we need to just admit it, we're screwed this election year.



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#Isupportneitherparty

Political satire: Songs that make fictional candidates look better than what is running now.
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