By Raise Your Hand Action And The Beachwood Lyrics Desk
She’s just a bill.
Yes, she’s only a bill.
And she’s sitting there on Cullerton’s hill
Well, it’s been a long, long journey
To Springfield city.
It was a long, long wait
like the Cubs’ World Series,
But I know she’ll be a law someday
At least I hope and pray that she will,
But today she is still just a bill.
Girl: Gee, Bill, you certainly have a lot of patience and courage.
Bill: Well, I got this far. When I started, I wasn’t even a bill, I was just an idea. Some folks back home decided they wanted a law passed, so they called their local legislators and they said, “You’re right, there oughta be a law.” Then they sat down and wrote me out and introduced me to the General Assembly. And I became a bill, and I’ll remain a bill until they decide to make me a law.
She’s just a bill
Yes she’s only a bill,
And she got as far as Cullerton’s hill
Well, now she’s stuck in purgatory
And she’ll sit here and wait
While Rahm puts his foot on the brake
And won’t let her become a law.
How I hope and pray that she will,
But today she’s still just a bill.
Girl: Listen to those legislators arguing! Is all that discussion and debate about you?
Bill: No, that’s Rahm and Rauner and John and Michael laughing their asses off about me. Most bills never even get this far, but it was all just a smokescreen. See, there’s this thing called the Machine . . .
Girl: Machine?
Bill: Yeah, Machine. It’s the bipartisan web of political organizations that control our state and local government.
Girl: Really? Why?
Bill: Greed, power, ego.
Girl: Oh no!
Bill: Oh yes!
She’s just a bill
Yes, she’s only a bill
And she’ll wait forever on Cullerton’s hill
Well, then she’s off to die
A legislative lie
When she should be on a desk
For the governor to sign
And if the governor signed her, she’d be a law.
How I hope and pray that one day he will,
But today she is still just a bill.
Girl: You mean even if the whole General Assembly says you should be a law, the governor can still say no?
Bill: Yes, that’s called a veto. But it won’t even get that far because legislative leaders have these things called bricks . . .
Girl: But the GA voted for you overwhelmingly! And so did the people in several referenda! It’s not easy to become a law, is it?
Bill: No! Not unless Rahm and Bruce and John and Michael want you to.
But how I hope and I pray that someday she will,
But today she is still just a bill.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on May 31, 2018