When a song becomes more than lyrics and a tune?

[rigney]

A small town football coach in Tennessee was fired for making Obama the subject and brunt of this song. A blessing, perhaps? But here's one 26 year old lad who will likely make more money as a singer/songwriter in Nashville over the next few years than he would as a teacher/coach during an entire tenured career. The song is a bit racy, upbeat and catchy, so be careful.

 

That was really mean, wasn't it? So let's just keep trashing #43.

Edited August 5, 2011 by rigney

[swansont]

He was fired a year ago. Any word on how much money he's made from his songwriting, or on the status of his wrongful termination suit? Maybe, just maybe, he was fired for something else.

 

The school's guidelines say

"Responsible and ethical use of the e-mail system is required. The e-mail system may not be used for personal gain, or political or religious views or in any illegal, offensive or unethical manner. The e-mail system is intended only for valid and legitimate Williamson County Schools' related communication."

 

So, is it possible that he was fired for misusing the email sysytem (including getting mailing list information), and the specific content had nothing to do with it — simply that it was political? Or that the firing was coincidental?

[rigney]

He was fired a year ago. Any word on how much money he's made from his songwriting, or on the status of his wrongful termination suit? Maybe, just maybe, he was fired for something else.

 

The school's guidelines say

"Responsible and ethical use of the e-mail system is required. The e-mail system may not be used for personal gain, or political or religious views or in any illegal, offensive or unethical manner. The e-mail system is intended only for valid and legitimate Williamson County Schools' related communication."

 

So, is it possible that he was fired for misusing the email sysytem (including getting mailing list information), and the specific content had nothing to do with it — simply that it was political? Or that the firing was coincidental?

 

Couldn't agree with you more. I just thought that after all of the bashing we've done on Bush, and two and a half years of diving into a depression deeper than even Hoover could have made, we need a laugh. You're right! Probably should't have posted it. Just thought it was time for a little levity. But remember, we still have a years and a half to go. What do we do then?

[JohnB]

I think he has a future in Nashville, but he could be a "One hit wonder".

 

I also think he makes a valid point. One of the things I've yet to understand about the US system is "Why is the President always the one blamed?" He's not a dictator, so presumably anything he proposes goes before Congress and is voted on. If the Bill passes that would mean that Congress agrees. Similarly a Bill originating in Congress goes to the President for his veto/non veto, but he didn't write the Bill, he agreed to it after Congress had passed it.

 

The constant finger pointing at the President, whether Bush or Obama lets the Congressmen/women get off scot free. They can start and pass a Bil and if it goes belly up, the President gets the blame for assenting to it. The third verse in the song is directly aimed at the Congress, "Everyone looks like a nail". The buck might stop at the Presidents desk, but he isn't the one passing the Bills.

 

In comparison, we are facing the introduction of a very unpopular tax, polls are consistently showing 85%+ are against it. The Prime Minister Julia Gillard is copping a lot of flak over it (as she should) but all Federal Labour politicians are now very loathe to be interviewed because they know they will cop stick too. (Some have been publicly laughed at while trying to defend the position.) But it seems that in the US, in a similar situation, only the President will be on the recieving end of criticism.

 

Congress must be complicite in the passing of bad policies, it's nice to see someone pointing the finger at them for a change.

[john5746]

This song could apply to any President. All Presidents complain about problems left from the previous administration and make promises to make things better. I do think Obama has much more to gripe about than Bush did, though. It is interesting how many people are much more tolerant of slow progress in regards to wars as they are in response to the economy, yet these same people claim to believe government can't really do much with the economy. What was Bush doing after the first two years?