The more i listen to it, the more I think Headache is looking at this from the right angle. That yes, it IS a song to his daughters, but its not just a - Be strong, independent, blah, blah. It really is a song to them about what's happening in the world politically and how you have to stand up to that shit.
What finally made me see it was that, the political references are not just in the second verse, but the first as well.
And resistance
Love has got to fight for its existence
The enemy has armies of assistants
The anti-Trump movement is called "Resist"
and then saying that love now has to fight for it's existence in this current climate. That the enemy of love, is now in high positions and has the support of so many. (congress/senate, voters who align with those views)
Obviously this also is applicable to British and French elections, etc...
So it then going on to the next verse to talk about the face of liberty starting to crack is not a big shift at all. It's just continuing the warning and advice to his daughters.
I think the verse i was most puzzled about was the third, until i looked at the official lyrics and one word changed the meaning of it for me.
Like freedom
The slaves are looking for someone to lead them
The master’s looking for someone to need him
The promised land is there for those who need it most
And Lincoln’s ghost said
I think that this is a larger reference to just how fragile freedom is. And that even in a "free" country, the masses are looking for someone to lead them, and not always using their own thought, morals and integrity in the process.
Obviously "masters" referencing ego driven politicians.
The promised land section to me - referring to those that fall for the big promises and lies that politicians spout. Those that are hurting the most, often are the ones that will fall for those promises, because they need something, some hope.
Anyway, I don't think this is a song that starts out as a personal father to daughter thing and then takes a hard turn to political. I think the entire song is a personal song to his daughters about the politically shifting world they are finding themselves in, and not to stay quiet.