“Welcome to the present, we’re running a real nation”
Alexander Hamilton
Lyrics: What Did I Miss
Seventeen, se- se- seventeen
Se- se- seventeen
Seventeen eighty-nine
How does the bastard orphan, immigrant decorated war vet
Unite the colonies through more debt?
Fight the other founding fathers ’til he has to forfeit?
Have it all, lose it all
You ready for more yet?
Treasury Secretary, Washington’s the President
Every American experiment sets a precedent
Not so fast, someone came along to resist him
Pissed him off until we had a two-party system
You haven’t met him yet, you haven’t had the chance
‘Cause he’s been kickin’ ass as the ambassador to France
But someone’s gotta keep the American promise
You simply must meet Thomas, Thomas
Thomas Jefferson’s coming home
Thomas Jefferson’s coming home
Thomas Jefferson’s coming home
Thomas Jefferson’s coming home
Thomas Jefferson’s coming home Lord he’s been off in Paris for so long
(Aaa-ooo)
(Aaa-ooo)
France is following us to revolution
There is no more status quo
But the sun comes up and the world still spins
I helped Lafayette draft a declaration
Then I said, I gotta go
I gotta be in Monticello
Now the work at home begins
So what’d I miss?
What’d I miss?
Virginia, my home sweet home, I wanna give you a kiss
I’ve been in Paris meeting lots of different ladies
I guess I basically missed the late eighties
I traveled the wide, wide world and came back to this
Aaa-ooo
There’s a letter on my desk from the President
Haven’t even put my bags down yet Sally be a lamb, darlin’ won’tcha open it?
It says the President’s assembling a cabinet
And that I am to be the Secretary of State, great
And that I’m already Senate-approved
I just got home and now I’m headed up to New York
Headin’ to New York, headin’ to New York
Lookin’ at the rolling fields I can’t believe that we are free
Ready to face, whatever’s awaiting
Me in N.Y.C.
But who’s waitin’ for me when I step in the place?
My friend James Madison, red in the face
He grabs my arm
And I respond, what’s goin’ on? (Aa-oo)
Thomas, we are engaged in a battle for our nation’s very soul
Can you get us out of the mess we’re in?
Hamilton’s new financial plan is nothing less than government control
I’ve been fighting for the South alone
Where have you been?
Uh France (aa-ooo)
We have to win
What’d I miss? (What’d what’d what’d I miss)
What’d I miss? (I’ve come home to this)
Headfirst into a political abyss (headfirst, into the abyss)
I have my first cabinet meeting today (chik-a-pow)
I guess I better think of something to say
I’m already on my way get to the bottom of this
(What did I miss?) aa-ooo
Mr. Jefferson, welcome home
Mr. Jefferson (Alexander Hamilton)
Mr. Jefferson, welcome home
Mr. Jefferson, welcome home, sir, you’ve been off in Paris for so long
So what did I miss?
Lyrics: Cabinet Battle #1
Ladies and gentlemen, you could have been anywhere in the world tonight
But you’re here with us in New York City
Are you ready for a cabinet meeting, huh?
The issue on the table, Secretary Hamilton’s plan to assume state debt and establish a national bank
Secretary Jefferson, you have the floor, sir
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
We fought for these ideals, we shouldn’t settle for less
These are wise words, enterprising men quote ’em
Don’t act surprised, you guys, ’cause I wrote ’em (ow)
But Hamilton forgets
His plan would have the government assume state’s debts
Now, place your bets as to who that benefits
The very seat of government where Hamilton sits
Oh, if the shoe fits, wear it
If New York’s in debt, why should Virginia bear it?
Uh, our debts are paid, I’m afraid
Don’t tax the South ’cause we got it made in the shade
In Virginia, we plant seeds in the ground
We create, you just wanna move our money around
This financial plan is an outrageous demand
And it’s too many damn pages for any man to understand
Stand with me in the land of the free and pray to God we never see Hamilton’s candidacy
Look, when Britain taxed our tea, we got frisky
Imagine what gon’ happen when you try to tax our whisky
Thank you, Secretary Jefferson
Secretary Hamilton, your response
Thomas, that was a real nice declaration
Welcome to the present, we’re running a real nation
Would you like to join us, or stay mellow
Doin’ whatever the hell it is you do in Monticello?
If we assume the debts, the union gets new line of credit, a financial diuretic
How do you not get it, if we’re aggressive and competitive
The union gets a boost, you’d rather give it a sedative?
A civics lesson from a slaver, hey neighbor
Your debts are paid ’cause you don’t pay for labor
“We plant seeds in the South. We create.” Yeah, keep ranting
We know who’s really doing the planting
And another thing, Mr. Age of Enlightenment
Don’t lecture me about the war, you didn’t fight in it
You think I’m frightened of you, man?
We almost died in a trench
While you were off getting high with the French
Thomas Jefferson, always hesitant with the President
Reticent there isn’t a plan he doesn’t jettison
Madison, you’re mad as a hatter, son, take your medicine
Damn, you’re in worse shape than the national debt is in
Sittin’ there useless as two shits
Hey, turn around, bend over, I’ll show you where my shoe fits
Excuse me, Madison, Jefferson, take a walk
Hamilton, take a walk, we’re gonna reconvene after a brief recess, Hamilton
Sir
A word
You don’t have the votes (you don’t have the votes)
Aha-ha-ha ha
You’re gonna need congressional approval and you don’t have the votes
Such a blunder sometimes it makes me wonder why I even bring the thunder
Why he even brings the thunder
You wanna pull yourself together?
I’m sorry, these Virginians are birds of a feather
Young man, I’m from Virginia, so watch your mouth
So we let Congress get held hostage by the South?
You need the votes
No, we need bold strokes, we need this plan (no, you need to convince more folks)
James Madison won’t talk to me, that’s a nonstarter
Ah, winning was easy, young man, governing’s harder
They’re being intransigent
You have to find a compromise
But they don’t have a plan, they just hate mine (convince them otherwise)
And what happens if I don’t get congressional approval?
I imagine they’ll call for your removal
Sir
Figure it out, Alexander, that’s an order from your commander
Listen again: What Did I Miss
Listen again: Cabinet Battle #1
“Thomas Jefferson’s coming home”
After spending time in France, Thomas Jefferson returns to the United States. George Washington wants him to be his Secretary of State.
Hamilton wants to establish a national bank. Thomas Jefferson wants none of that. They start a heated discussion in Cabinet.
Task 1