Reading this song literally would be to overlook the lyrical complexities of the other songs on the album. As previously stated, Elfman has said in an interview that the song is "serious satire." Like the best satires, it makes a real point through absurd comedy and critical framing.
The song presents the sociopolitical mindset of the early 1980's for pointed ridicule. The political portraits are painted from the conservative perspective, noting the neo-conservative surge of the early eighties (note: Ronald Reagan). It underscores the absurd qualities of both the gushing guilty conscience of the over-eager liberal, and the maliciously cold-hearted self interest of the die hard neoconservative. Both parties are defrauding themselves and each other (i.e.: the Nation) of authentic meaning by discussing opinions and attitudes about the fact of suffering, rather than doing something about that suffering. One righteously ignores the real suffering of their fellow men from on top of the pile in blind allegiance to the sovereignty of greed, while from a cushy gallery above the filthy masses, the other righteously prosthelytizes against the evil minds fueling the same suffering. Neither knows anything about the real suffering of the masses, but assumes authority on the matter under the guise of knowing "what's best" for everyone. In the end, everybody perpetuates the cultural delusions they inherited.
Since this is from a neoconservative's perspective, It is understandable that a self-identifying neo-conservative wouldn't see the slight of hand. We have to deduce the assumptions, prejudices, contexts and beliefs of the subject (the neoconservative) through their commentary on the object (liberals and their ideology), but to take this song at face value would be tantamount to taking "Little Girls" at face value. Believing wholly in only the plain, written meaning of the song will totally and completely miss the point with ideologically evil and comically perverted results.
TL;DR: It might sound like mindless pop, but if you aren't disturbed and amused by this you didn't get the joke.
Reading this song literally would be to overlook the lyrical complexities of the other songs on the album. As previously stated, Elfman has said in an interview that the song is "serious satire." Like the best satires, it makes a real point through absurd comedy and critical framing.
The song presents the sociopolitical mindset of the early 1980's for pointed ridicule. The political portraits are painted from the conservative perspective, noting the neo-conservative surge of the early eighties (note: Ronald Reagan). It underscores the absurd qualities of both the gushing guilty conscience of the over-eager liberal, and the maliciously cold-hearted self interest of the die hard neoconservative. Both parties are defrauding themselves and each other (i.e.: the Nation) of authentic meaning by discussing opinions and attitudes about the fact of suffering, rather than doing something about that suffering. One righteously ignores the real suffering of their fellow men from on top of the pile in blind allegiance to the sovereignty of greed, while from a cushy gallery above the filthy masses, the other righteously prosthelytizes against the evil minds fueling the same suffering. Neither knows anything about the real suffering of the masses, but assumes authority on the matter under the guise of knowing "what's best" for everyone. In the end, everybody perpetuates the cultural delusions they inherited.
Since this is from a neoconservative's perspective, It is understandable that a self-identifying neo-conservative wouldn't see the slight of hand. We have to deduce the assumptions, prejudices, contexts and beliefs of the subject (the neoconservative) through their commentary on the object (liberals and their ideology), but to take this song at face value would be tantamount to taking "Little Girls" at face value. Believing wholly in only the plain, written meaning of the song will totally and completely miss the point with ideologically evil and comically perverted results.
TL;DR: It might sound like mindless pop, but if you aren't disturbed and amused by this you didn't get the joke.