Ann "Babe" Huggett
The Pirates of Penzance updated
By Ann "Babe" Huggett
One of the most astute and witty political and cultural journalists of our time, Mark Steyn, recently mocked President Obama as a "modern major generalist" in reference to Obama's over-arching, bloodless speeches, pedantic dependence on failed political theory and tanking presidency. Steyn so enjoyed his pun that he used it again in a different article and who can blame him? It's a brilliant observation but how many readers are even familiar with Gilbert & Sullivan's song, I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General, in particular and it's operetta in general, The Pirates of Penzance?
Now, I am not going to go into the history, Victorian politics or plot of the The Pirates of Penzance or the artistic tensions and musical rivalries between Gilbert & Sullivan here. That is for the curious to find out for themselves. So my apologies to Gilbert & Sullivan but what I am going to do is, in my own way, bring their satiric observation of Peter Principle leaders up-to-date:
Obama is the Very Model of a Modern Major Generalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist
He can't be bothered with information unless it is minimalist
He hates the Queen of England, and holds grudges quite historical
From Indonesia to Kenya, in orders categorical
He's very well acquainted, too, with communities organizational
He understands the shake downs, both lending and corporational
About leftist academics he's teeming with a lot o' views
With many cheerful plans to skew the US Constitution's use.
With many cheerful plans to skew the US Constitution's use.
With many cheerful plans to skew the US Constitution's use.
With many cheerful plans to skew the US Constitution's use.
He's very good at bowing to and hugging leaders dictatorialist
He knows just how to grovel and in War on Terror is defeatist
In short, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist.
In short, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist.
He doesn't believe in American exceptionalism, gets a fit of colic
He won't answer the hard questions, has a petty taste for the histrionic
He reads in a strange cadence from teleprompters ubiquitous
In control-freak politics his socialism is historically iniquitous
He's either vacation goofing off or teeing off with buddies
He boogies every Wednesday with a guest list that's star-studdy
Then hums a call-to-prayer under cover of the West Wing's din afore
And whistles all the airs from that foolish Paul McCartney bore
And whistles all the airs from that foolish Paul McCartney bore
And whistles all the airs from that foolish Paul McCartney bore
And whistles all the airs from that foolish Paul McCartney bore
Then he signs unread bills to socialize American medicine transform
And you must tell the IRS ev'ry medical insurance detail on your form
In short, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist
In short, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist
In fact, he knows what is meant by "sedition" and "treason"
When he can't tell us his birthplace as proof of his usurpation
When such knowledge comes to light the country will go crazy at
And he knows precisely what is meant by "silent coup d'etat"
When he's finally ruined America from socialist experiments
When he knows that jobless citizens are reduced to camping tents
In short, when he has achieved through Cap and Trade what Marx dreamed of as his own
You'll say a better Major-Generalist had never sat a throne
You'll say a better Major-Generalist had never sat a throne
You'll say a better Major-Generalist had never sat a throne
You'll say a better Major-Generalist had never sat a throne
For his political consolidation through ACORN of the Jackass Party
Has a plan for Amnesty to make illegal immigrants Democratic voters hardy
But still, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist
But still, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist
© Ann "Babe" Huggett
June 23, 2010
One of the most astute and witty political and cultural journalists of our time, Mark Steyn, recently mocked President Obama as a "modern major generalist" in reference to Obama's over-arching, bloodless speeches, pedantic dependence on failed political theory and tanking presidency. Steyn so enjoyed his pun that he used it again in a different article and who can blame him? It's a brilliant observation but how many readers are even familiar with Gilbert & Sullivan's song, I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General, in particular and it's operetta in general, The Pirates of Penzance?
Now, I am not going to go into the history, Victorian politics or plot of the The Pirates of Penzance or the artistic tensions and musical rivalries between Gilbert & Sullivan here. That is for the curious to find out for themselves. So my apologies to Gilbert & Sullivan but what I am going to do is, in my own way, bring their satiric observation of Peter Principle leaders up-to-date:Obama is the Very Model of a Modern Major Generalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist
He can't be bothered with information unless it is minimalist
He hates the Queen of England, and holds grudges quite historical
From Indonesia to Kenya, in orders categorical
He's very well acquainted, too, with communities organizational
He understands the shake downs, both lending and corporational
About leftist academics he's teeming with a lot o' views
With many cheerful plans to skew the US Constitution's use.
With many cheerful plans to skew the US Constitution's use.
With many cheerful plans to skew the US Constitution's use.
With many cheerful plans to skew the US Constitution's use.
He's very good at bowing to and hugging leaders dictatorialist
He knows just how to grovel and in War on Terror is defeatist
In short, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist.
In short, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist.
He doesn't believe in American exceptionalism, gets a fit of colic
He won't answer the hard questions, has a petty taste for the histrionic
He reads in a strange cadence from teleprompters ubiquitous
In control-freak politics his socialism is historically iniquitous
He's either vacation goofing off or teeing off with buddies
He boogies every Wednesday with a guest list that's star-studdy
Then hums a call-to-prayer under cover of the West Wing's din afore
And whistles all the airs from that foolish Paul McCartney bore
And whistles all the airs from that foolish Paul McCartney bore
And whistles all the airs from that foolish Paul McCartney bore
And whistles all the airs from that foolish Paul McCartney bore
Then he signs unread bills to socialize American medicine transform
And you must tell the IRS ev'ry medical insurance detail on your form
In short, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist
In short, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist
In fact, he knows what is meant by "sedition" and "treason"
When he can't tell us his birthplace as proof of his usurpation
When such knowledge comes to light the country will go crazy at
And he knows precisely what is meant by "silent coup d'etat"
When he's finally ruined America from socialist experiments
When he knows that jobless citizens are reduced to camping tents
In short, when he has achieved through Cap and Trade what Marx dreamed of as his own
You'll say a better Major-Generalist had never sat a throne
You'll say a better Major-Generalist had never sat a throne
You'll say a better Major-Generalist had never sat a throne
You'll say a better Major-Generalist had never sat a throne
For his political consolidation through ACORN of the Jackass Party
Has a plan for Amnesty to make illegal immigrants Democratic voters hardy
But still, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist
But still, in matters informational minimalist
Obama is the very model of a modern Major-Generalist
© Ann "Babe" Huggett
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