The Volokh Conspiracy
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How Does He Know When You've Been Bad or Good?
This was supposedly written for and sung at a US Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel Christmas party during the Carter administration; please let me know if you have a more precise attribution:
You'd better watch out,
You'd better not cry,
You'd better not pout;
I'm telling you why.
Santa Claus is tapping
Your phone.He's bugging your room,
He's reading your mail,
He's keeping a file
And running a tail.
Santa Claus is tapping
Your phone.He hears you in the bedroom,
Surveills you out of doors,
And if that doesn't get the goods,
Then he'll use provocateurs.So—you mustn't assume
That you are secure.
On Christmas Eve
He'll kick in your door.
Santa Claus is tapping
Your phone.
And a slightly different version:
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Does Santa Claus need a warrant?
And who does he go to to get one?
I believe under Kris Kringle vs. The Grinch the courts held that there was a "santa exception" to the Fourth Amendment, similar to the community caretaking exception. Also the court noted that Santa visits many houses under implied consent as people leave out milk and cookies for his visit.
Also, the 4th was meant to prevent searches and seizures; Santa doesn't search for anything but the tree and the cookies and milk; and he leaves things instead of taking things.
IANAL and I say only the -4th amendment could apply, and it is quite imaginary.
I meant the warrant to find out whose been bad or good. Which the post implied required a wiretap.
"Does Santa Claus need a warrant?
And who does he go to to get one?"
Santa is a private entity, not a government, so... no, no warrant requirement but private liability for tortious action.
At the North Pole, Santa IS the government, buddy! Who do you think rules over the elves? Reindeer?
Who do you think rules over the elves?
Elrond, Galadriel, and Mithrandir have the 3 elven rings.
"At the North Pole, Santa IS the government, buddy!"
Doesn't Russia claim most of the Arctic seabed as its territory?
Who says Santa only works one night a year?
I never thought that.
There's lot's of intelligence to gather to figure out who's naught and who's nice.
And lot's of logistics in manufactuing all those toys. And keeping the elves from striking.
And keeping the sled and reindeer in tip-top flying shape.
Do you know why Santa is so jolly?
Because he knows where all the naughty girls live.
So you are saying he knows where to get his jollies off?
Exactly.
"Do you know why Santa is so jolly?
Because he knows where all the naughty girls live."
But he only visits them one night. Santa comes but once each year.
But the creepy stalker that he is comes for everyone.
He hears you in the bedroom,
Surveills you out of doors,
And if that doesn't get the goods,
Then he'll use provocateurs.
Take out the "then" in the fourth line.
Lawyers ain't got rhythm.
Time for some holiday tradition.
You are a lunatic, but you actually have excellent taste in music (I have noted this over the years).
Curious how your taste in movies and TV runs.
Follow up question: Are you Alec Baldwin?
Thank you, mostly. Perhaps one of these days I'll provide some links to performances by my band (although you get just one crack at a link at this site, so far as I am aware). That might lead to one of our larger crowds, although we'd need more chicken wire.
Twelve television programs proposed for watching in bunches (unconsidered order):
1) The Wire
2) Breaking Bad
3) Boardwalk Empire
4) Game Of Thrones
5) Deadwood
6) The Simpsons
7) The Americans
8) Saturday Night Live (try it by sketches)
9) Barry (small bunches)
10) Deadwood
11) All In The Family
12) House of Cards
13) Arrested Development (see ... more than you expected)
That is a good list, although I would probably replace one of your Deadwoods with the Sopranos.
Arrested Development (original 3 seasons) is pound-for-pound the funniest thing ever on TV, and is incredibly re-watchable.
The Rockford Files needs to be on your list somewhere too.
Here are 10 movies off the top of my head that are great, but not too, too famous:
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
White Heat
Out of the Past
Asphalt Jungle
The Hustler
Dr. Strangelove
Friends of Eddie Coyle
Parallax View
Tender Mercies
No Country for Old Men
"although I would probably replace one of your Deadwoods with the Sopranos"
. . . as would I.
That was an 'off the top of my head in 90 seconds' list. Please do not hold me to it in a formal context.
I may try to contribute some television-movie-music content.
Veronica Mars should be on anyone's list of recommended TV programs, and Batman: The Animated Series.
Is it time for the ceremonial passing of THE fruitcake?
This from the days when DOJ had to had evidence to prove a case. That hasn’t been true since 2017.
Oh, it goes waaaay back before Trump. Your TDS is showing.
Or yours is. the cap'n didn't say anything about Trump, you decided to drag him in.
Merry Christmas. Merry CHRISTmas. Share the Kiss of Peace.
If you're intent on being merry on only one day, I guess it's fine for you to pick which one.
Or you could choose to be happy on ALL of the holidays (except one. Nobody should be happy on Memorial Day.)
He'll seize you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
It's the bad ones that he'll take
"How Does He Know When You've Been Bad or Good?"
A vast network of informants.
Santa is Google. It is embedded in your TV even without a smart speaker. China has a toilet paper waster registry. It recognizes your face and locks down the toilet paper dispense in a public park toilet, if you use it. The all knowing Santa is here, but he is not bring presents. He is bringing punishment for deviation from party orthodoxy.