Shaking You Down

What they’re up to is just no good.          G
The man is shaking you down.                 G  D7
Can’t trust him and you never could.      D7
The man is shaking you down.                 D7  G    

Gave your keys to a nasty mob.                G  G7
Don’t care if you’re being robbed.             C  C#dim
They don’t care if you lose your job.          G B7 E7
The man is shaking you down.                    A7 D7 G

Told you once and I told you twice,
The man is shaking you down.
Some people don’t play nice.      
The man is shaking you down.

Lots of trouble up their sleeve,
Excuses you can’t believe,
If you fall for it, you’re naive.
The man is shaking you down.

You can ask what would Jesus do,       C
But it’s all pretty black and white.        G
Not a question of  point of view.           A7
It’s a matter of wrong and right.           D7

Just sayin’ connect the dots.
The man is shaking you down.
Whole nation tied in knots.
The man is shaking you down.

There’s no use asking please.
Just get up off your knees.
It’s disease you can’t appease.           G B7 E7
The man is shaking you down.           A7 D7 G

Instrumental

You can ask what would Jesus do,
But it’s all pretty black and white.
Not a question of  point of view.
It’s a matter of wrong and right.

Just sayin’ connect the dots.
The man is shaking you down.
Got the nation tied in knots.
The man is shaking you dow

There’s no use asking please.
Just get up off your knees.
It’s disease you can’t appease.           G B7 E7
The man is shaking you down.           A7 D7 G

Disease you can’t appease.                 G B7 E7
The man is shaking you down!           A7 D7 G

©Doug Hendren 2025

What’s it about? On the eve of the 2024 presidential election, The Economist magazine published a special report on America’s economy, christening it “The Envy of The World.” Donald Trump inherited this very strong economy, and is rapidly squandering it.

A few months ago, my song “Don’t Come Crying to Me” expressed some of the many published warnings about Trump’s threatened tariff plans. At this writing, a mere three months into his term, Trump’s chaotic policies have turned into nightmare and anxiety for countless Americans. Markets have plummeted and fluctuated wildly, wiping out savings and pension plans, and making rational business investments impossible. The Trump administration bullies our neighbors, supports dictators and alienates traditional friends and allies, who have stopped purchasing our goods, cancel US vacations, and now question whether the US can be a reliable partner in military intelligence. Trump has disrupted security and trade arrangements that have kept us safe and prosperous for generations. The possibility of recession now looms, and investors are abandoning US bonds in such numbers as to threaten its traditional status as a safe haven.

Trump’s increasingly obvious primary goals are consolidation of personal power, and enrichment of the wealthy at the expense of ordinary Americans. His policies draw heavily from the infamous “Project 2025,” which would raise taxes on the middle class and cut taxes for the wealthy.  Many Americans are just waking up to the fact that Trump’s tariff program is a tax paid by American consumers. If these tariffs remain in place, the average American cost of living is estimated to go up by several thousand dollars.

Trump has claimed to find vast fraud and waste in the US government, but so far has produced no credible evidence of savings. Numerous essential government agencies concerned with health, consumer protection, education, and environmental protection have been slashed or dismantled, causing considerable harm to our society, natural environment, and our future. He is canceling important, productive programs that help our society run safely and smoothly, like the National Weather Service, FDA and CDC. This is like a homeowner canceling fire insurance, stopping routine home maintenance and not paying bills, all in the name of efficiency.

The status of American science, international respect and leadership in numerous fields is falling rapidly, and many American scientists are accepting job offers in other countries. For the first time in my 75 years, the US is experiencing a brain drain. We lose stature daily, stature that may not easily be regained. One of the great ironies of the present moment is seeing how big a hole in the world Trump’s policies are creating. Under the claim of “making America great,” we are getting a glimpse of how great our nation has been. We are watching that greatness disappear in the rear-view mirror.

We are being shaken down. Our assets, institutions, national trust and reputation are being shaken down, diminished and defiled through false claims,  self-destructive economic policy and intimidation. Blowing up our geopolitical alliances will leave permanent scars on us all.

“It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” Often attributed to Mark Twain, this observation undoubtedly applies today. We are on a self-destructive trajectory. If we want to change direction, first we need to recognize we are being shaken down.