The Ballad of Ramblin’ Chris Murphy

The Ballad of Ramblin’ Chris Murphy

Rambling Chris Murphy
Walking ‘cross our state
Talking to the people he runs across
Trying to relate

Some folks say we’re proud of you
and all the work you do
and others say, just go to hell
I got better things to do

He’s trying to meet the bosses
who don’t call into his offices
They’ve got opinions and concerns
And he’ll hear them say their peace

Now we live in cynical times
and I’ll be honest I’m worse ‘n most
I don’t want to overpraise Murphy
for doing something this simple

I think it should be a job requirement
for every politician in this country
to walk across their district
talking to whoever they meet

to listen to their problems
not just rich folks who want to bribe
– sorry, “lobby” – them
with a bag of cash and demands

When was the last time you saw Mitch McConnell
meet with people on the street?
or talk to anyone not a waiter
who didn’t pay for the privilege?

How many times has your mayor or local rep
sought to meet people just to say hi
and listen to what they have to say
when they’re not running for reelection?

Why there are some politicians
who won’t even attend debates
and folks still re-elect these people
who clearly don’t have time for them.

Agree with him or not
Murphy never was a rich man
One of the poorest members of the Senate
who didn’t magically get richer

trading stocks with secret knowledge
or whose wife goes to work trading influence
Which is the way I thought it’s supposed to work
In this here USA

I have to admit I was impressed
watching him talk to people
he didn’t agree, wouldn’t change his vote
but he never tried to escape

Let people talk, didn’t glance around
for an aide to move people along
just listened pretty intently
and that ain’t an ordinary thing

Now I’d like a representative
who agrees with me 100
But barring that, I like having one
not afraid of the people in his district

I see it as a matter of respect
I was brought up to believe that matters
So I appreciate the town halls
The long walks and the meetings

And that he thinks part of his job
is just to go and talk to people
Which shouldn’t be all that unusual
And I hope that soon it won’t

I wish more local politicians
would take the time to walk and talk
if they did, we’d have better sidewalks
which is neither here nor there

But until that day arrives
and they stop thinking they’re better ‘n us
Because every single one of them
should be like rambling Chris Murphy

He’s not running for reelection
just ambling ‘cross our state
talking to whoever he comes across
Trying to relate

Some folks say we’re proud of you
and all the work you do
and others say, just go to hell
I got better things to do

Til that better days comes,
and the sidewalks here improve
I know I’ve got a senator
who’s always on the move

Every day we should try to be better
And sometimes that means doing small things
Chris Murphy is listening, rambling along
showing us who he is

with the blisters to prove it