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[personal profile] microbie
I've been feeling depressed this week, so I can't really think of much to say. This They Might Be Giants song cheers me up, though temporarily.

In 1844, the Democrats were split
The three nominees for the presidential candidate
Were Martin Van Buren, a former president and an abolitionist
James Buchanan, a moderate
Louis Cass, a general and expansionist
From Nashville came a dark horse riding up
He was James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump

Austere, severe, he held few people dear
His oratory filled his foes with fear
The factions soon agreed
He's just the man we need
To bring about victory
Fulfill our manifest destiny
And annex the land the Mexicans command
And when the votes were cast the winner was
Mister James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump

In four short years he met his every goal
He seized the whole southwest from Mexico
Made sure the tarriffs fell
And made the English sell the Oregon territory
He built an independent treasury
Having done all this he sought no second term
But precious few have mourned the passing of
Mister James K. Polk, our eleventh president
Young Hickory, Napoleon of the Stump

-"James K. Polk"

Date: 2002-07-11 01:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] angel80.livejournal.com
Now I didn't know that - that the Mexican territories were annexed during that presidency. Inf fact he's not at all one of the presidents we, on the outside, hear about. We do know about Davy Crockett though. Davy Crockett hats were all the rage when I was about 10. I didn't find out until much later that he was defending a colonial cause.

Did he do it in the name of God or was he a more straightforward imperialist?

Date: 2002-07-11 06:31 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] microbie.livejournal.com
We on the inside don't hear much about James K. Polk, either. I didn't know he did any of the things mentioned in the song. Growing up in San Antonio with the Alamo, Davy Crockett never went out of style. I'm not sure what you mean about imperialism, though. After Texas defeated Mexico it was an independent country, with an elected president. It joined the U.S. just in time to secede with the South.

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