The Dark Days of the Ruddites

The government tells those aged between 17 and 25

they've got to be either learning or earning

or their social security will be withheld.

Young unemployed don't need to be compelled;

they need to be provided with opportunities to learn

and helped to build careers so they can earn

When I was that age I was burning and yearning

sometimes instead I'd be sucking and trucking

or ducking and chucking up all over the footpath.

In those days there was plenty of work

and governments didn't have to shirk

their responsibilities to pay unemployment benefits.

This Rudd Government chases false prophets;

it has sunk so low as to plagiarise Latham:

yes, Mark Latham who could always find someone to slam.

Plagiarising good ideas from clever people is smart

but Rudd's ideas show the brain and heart are far apart.

Will someone help Labor find good ideas to steal

maybe some with a decent human feel?

If they weren't so lazy then they might reveal

they can think for themselves and can appeal

not only to base instincts of downward envy

then "we'll have pie in the sky when we die".

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