This song is saying that even though we have the power to vote, after the elections we have no actual power to make a difference in the political system. Many of these lines are sarcastic, and impersonating the views of people who praise democracy and the government. Notice how the word "progress" is in quotations, suggesting that what most people consider as progress is really eradication and vindication.

The line "Puritan work ethic maintains its subconscious edge" means that when a person's morals are not their own, it is not part of their consciousness.

The line "As Old Glory maintains your consciousness" means that our consciousness is based on the past, for example when a person thinks that the US is great because of the ideology of the country's Founding Fathers, but they ignore the problems that their country is causing in the present.

The loser in the house is the President in the White House. The puppet on the stool is also the President, and he is described as a puppet on a stool because it is being suggested that the President does not make his own decisions, someone else controls the country, but we see the President speaking and think that he decides what happens in the country.

The line "And as the people bend, the moral fabric dies" states that people are forced to change their ideas of right and wrong to match the ideas of the politicians.

For these reasons, this song is not saying that the population has power, but that we do not have enough power.

I personally think that the lyrics mock the way that we are constantly told on TV and at school how wonderful democracy is. To me, the last line "And I make a difference too..." shows how Greg feels as if despite what he is told, he doesn't actually make a difference at all.

I think this mainly because of the tone that this last line is sung in, and BR being BR there would be no point in writing a song that puts forward the same opinion that is put forward everywhere anyway.

It's about the fact that you control the government. You can't blame the government for your problems, because you put them in power. Greg has said that you should vote for what is best for the poor, not just what's best for yourself: "The government you vote for is the one that you possess" (Politics). The country can't pretend to ignore its people's cries because the people are (should be) in power. Democracy is the best system of government we have, but it is far from perfect. It takes everyone for a society to function properly.

Actually, it would seem to me this song is expressing a sense of hopelessness/powerlessness to effect any kind of positive change. It is being sung to the people in power who have screwed the world up by someone who would like to see things changed to be more sensible but feels hopelessly outweighed by the forces that perpetuate the system.

"You are the government, you are jurisprudence..." all the institutions used to control society are controlled by the people that 'I' want to challenge, whereas 'I' am virtually powerless against 'You'; 'Can I make a difference?' This is the pessimistic outlook on social change that one finds in many Bad Religion songs.

"'You Are The Government / You are Jurisprudence / You are the Volition / You are Jurisdiction / And I make a difference, too" - I don't believe Greg is talking to the people in elected offices. I believe he is talking to each and every American, the source of real government in America and every other self-governing democracy.

We live in a democracy and the power of democracy comes from the people, the voters. You may complain that you do not like your government or some aspect of the government. Well, my friend, you have the power to change the things that you do not like in America because we live in a democracy and ultimately you are the government. You say the government sucks. Well, did you vote in the last election? Did you volunteer to help with the campaign of your favorite candidate? Did you run for political office? In America, you are the government. You have the privilege (and duty) to participate. And the unbelievable part is that we tend to often overlook and neglect this great gift of self-government.

Most people in America do not vote! Ultimately, it is your choice: you can just complain about how bad the government is and give up this power of self-government to other people who are willing to vote and participate in government and do nothing yourself. Or, you, like Bad Religion, can participate in your government and make a difference, too. Because ultimately, you are the government. Register to vote! And once registered, vote! If you don't vote you have absolutely no right to complain.

In my mind this song inflicts upon us that each human being has an advantage over each other, which is the ability to use and operate their own mind, produce their own decisions without an outside force such as the Government and God getting in there way, and to not sit complacently while the earth around them is being destroyed in the name of profit.

I think it's about how we are told that we have power, but in actual fact we have next to none. We don't have a say in the running of anything; democracy is only there so that we can choose who makes our decisions, as opposed to deciding ourselves. The song may be sarcastic because he is trying to imitate the government. I don't think it's about your vote not counting, because Greg appears to be in favor of voting from his essay about responsible voting.

I think this song deals with what is wrong with our society and way of life these days. It states whats wrong and it also states how by not changing it you in fact are the government!

This is about how the politicians and people in power think they are more important than the average Joe, when in fact it is the average Joe who elects them. The lyrics are suggesting that everyone can play an active role in society instead of relying on the morons in power to do it for them.

This song has a sarcastic tone to it. You are told from when you are born that you are in charge of your country and your destiny. Remember: this is told to you through political propaganda. You are really in control of nothing, and only have the ability to learn what the government will let you, thus you are ignorant to their ways, and you are at their mercy. Your vote means nothing, and neither does anyone's political platforms. You can object...but you will be silenced by one of a million ways, be it passive or aggressive. You are (useless)