“You’re nothing without Washington behind you”
Thomas Jefferson
Lyrics: Cabinet Battle #2
The issue on the table:
France is on the verge of war with England.
Now do provide aid and troops to our French allies?
Or do we stay out of it?
Remember, my decision on this matter
Is not subject to congressional approval.
The only person you have to convince is me.
Secretary Jefferson, you have the floor sir.
When we were on death’s door when we were needy
We made a promise, we signed a treaty.
We needed money and guns and half a chance,
Uhh who provided those funds? (France)
In return they didn’t ask for land,
Only the promise that we’d lend a hand
And stand with them if they fought against oppressors
And revolution is messy but now is the time to stand.
Stand with our brothers as they fight against tyranny.
I know that Alexander Hamilton is here
And he would rather not have this debate.
I remind you that he is not Secretary of State!
He knows nothing of loyalty. (nothing)
Smells like new money
Dresses like fake royalty.
Desperate to rise above his station.
Everything he does betrays the ideals our nation.
Hey, and if you don’t know now you know Mr. President.
Thank you Secretary Jefferson
Secretary Hamilton your response.
You must be out of your GODDAMNED mind
If you think
The president is gonna bring the nation to the brink
Of meddling in the middle of a military mess
A game of chess
Where France is queen and king-less
We’ve signed a treaty with a king
Who’s head is now in a basket
Would you like to take it out and ask it?
“Oh should we honor our treaty King Louis head?”
Uh do whatever you want, I’m super dead!
Enough! Enough!
Hamilton is right (Mr. President)
We’re too fragile to start another fight
(But sir do we not fight for freedom)
Sure, when the French figure out who’s gonna lead ’em.
(The people are leading!)
The people are rioting, there’s a difference
Frankly it’s a little disquieting
You would let your ideals blind you to reality
Hamilton? (Sir) Draft the statement of neutrality.
Did you forget Lafayette? (What?)
Have you an ounce of regret?
You accumulate debt, you accumulate power
Yet in their hour of need you forget.
Lafayette’s a smart man he’ll be fine,
And before he was your friend he was mine.
If we try to fight in every revolution in the world
We never stop, where do we draw the line?
So quick witted
Alas, I admit it
I bet you were quite a lawyer
My defendants got aquitted
Yeah, well someone oughtta remind you (What?)
You’re nothing without Washington behind you.
(Hamilton) Daddy’s calling
Lyrics: Washington on your Side
It must be nice, it must be nice
To have Washington on your side
It must be nice, it must be nice
To have Washington on your side
Every action has an equal opposite reaction
Thanks to Hamilton, our cabinet’s fractured into factions
Try not to crack under the stress, we’re breaking down like fractions
We smack each other in the press, and we don’t print retractions
I get no satisfaction witnessing his fits of passion
The way he primps and preens and dresses like the pits of fashion
Our poorest citizens, our farmers, live ration to ration
As Wall Street robs ’em blind in search of chips to cash in
This prick is asking for someone to bring him to task
Somebody give me some dirt on his vacuous mask
So we can, at last, unmask him
I’ll pull the trigger on him, someone load the gun and cock it
While we were all watching, he got Washington in his pocket
It must be nice, it must be nice
To have Washington on your side
It must be nice, it must be nice
To have Washington on your side
Look back at the Bill of Rights (Which I wrote!)
The ink hasn’t dried
It must be nice, it must be nice
To have Washington on your side
So he’s doubled the size of the government
Wasn’t the trouble with much of our previous government size?
Look in his eyes
See how he lies
Follow the scent of his enterprise
Centralizing national credit and making American credit competitive
If we don’t stop it, we aid and abet it
I have to resign
Somebody has to stand up for the South
Well, somebody has to stand up to his mouth
If there’s a fire you’re trying to douse
You can’t put it out from inside the house
I’m in the cabinet, I am complicit
And watching and grabbing the power and kiss it
If Washington isn’t gon’ listen to disciplined dissidents
This is the difference, this kid is out
Oh! This immigrant isn’t somebody we chose
Oh! This immigrant’s keeping us all on our toes
Oh! Let’s show these Federalists what they’re up against
Oh! Southern motherfucking Democratic-Republicans
Oh! Now follow the money and see where it goes
Oh! Because every second, the treasury grows
Oh! If we follow the money and see where it leads
Get in the weeds, look for the seeds of Hamilton’s misdeeds
It must be nice, it must be nice
Follow the money and see where it goes
It must be nice, it must be nice
The emperor has no clothes
We won’t be invisible
We won’t be denied
Still, it must be nice, it must be nice
To have Washington on your side
Listen again: Cabinet Battle #2
Listen again: Washington on your Side
“When we were on death’s door, when we were needy We made a promise, we signed a treaty
We needed money and guns and half a chance
Who provided those funds
– France”
Hamilton and Jefferson have the next argument. In front of Washington and the Cabinet they fight about wether America should support France in the war against Britain.
Jefferson thinks that they should help, but Hamilton thinks that France should fight alone.
Task 1
Extra Task
Jefferson, Madison and Burr want to get rid of Hamilton.
What could they find and use against him?