Is this government the "Dr Kevorkian" of the unemployed?

Because it sure feels like it, I am getting so depressed more and more every day.

It feels like death is the final release.

No jobs, No hope and the government spewing out BS that things are getting better, THEY ARE NOT.

I watched All the Star Wars Movies this weekend and while watching them I was thinking about the premise of the movies:

The main political and social message of the Star Wars Trilogy is the idea behind much of the modern popular view of the American Revolution--by working together (and with the help of Divine Providence), a small, mostly disorganized group of Rebels can overthrow a vast Empire.

The order and militarism displayed by the Empire is meant to evoke images of Nazi Germany, but the imperialism and utter dominance of the galaxy by the Empire recalls the glory days of the British Empire. In those days, America was an agrarian society. The trilogy's main character, Luke Skywalker, is from a backwater planet where he lives on his uncle's farm. In short order, he becomes the hero of the Rebellion. The idea that a small group of independent-minded rural farmers and other lower-caste members of society can mount a successful revolt against an incredibly powerful governmental organization is still present in the American psyche.

Aside from the political messages involved, the Star Wars Trilogy also has an element of religion. Tens of millions of Americans still classify themselves as religious. Even today, one can find many people professing a belief that their deity of choice is watching out for the country. Preachers pray for the country. Politicians frequently end their speeches with, "God bless America." Although Star Wars lacks a specific god for the characters to worship, their belief in the ever-present supernatural "Force" leads them to continue fighting. The character Obi-Wan Kenobi, though killed in the first movie, is able to appear to Luke as an apparition, a sort of wise guardian angel, giving him advice. It this "Force" (or divine intervention) that allows Luke to succeed in destroying the Empire's Death Star in the first movie. As Luke later continues to train in this supernatural power, he becomes ever-more successful.

A third major element of the Star Wars films which may have both political and social significance is found in the third movie, The Return of the Jedi, in which the Rebels are assisted by the lovable noble-savage Ewoks. The Ewoks, a primitive civilization that lacks any technology more advanced than the wheel, are located on a pristine "Forest Moon" that has been garrisoned by the technologically advanced Empire. Despite their obvious technical shortcomings, the Ewoks help mount a rather successful attack on the Imperial troops. The heroic Rebels, of course, are friendly towards the natives. This final movie in the trilogy seems to have a theme of environmentalism and nature as being superior to technological might.

Lesson #1: Beware the Enemy Within. Beginning in Episode I (The Phantom Menace), Palpatine took over the Galactic Republic from the inside out. Palpatine was able to conceal the fact that he was a Dark Lord of the Sith as he rose to power and expanded the size and scope of his government. (For the novices, the Sith Lords are the bad guys. While the Jedi use their power to help others, the Sith are only concerned with increasing their own power.) The Jedi Knights and the others who were trying to save the Republic were frantically searching the galaxy for a Sith Lord known as Darth Sidious. All the while, he was right under their nose; the Jedi failed to realize that Palpatine and Sidious were one and the same -- until it was too late to stop his quest for power. Additionally, Palpatine recruited his last two Sith apprentices (Count Dooku and Darth Vader) from within the Jedi Order. Today, there are many who live within our borders and enjoy our freedom, yet seem bent on rewriting our history and erasing the values and principles which made America great. Further, there are many within the ranks of the Republican Party who seem equally bent on compromising virtually every principle for which our party stands. We ignore the enemy within at our own peril.

Lesson #2: Liberals Attack Incrementally. Modern American liberals are shrewd. They don't try to seize power in one shot. Instead, they gradually chip away at things, hoping we won't notice until it's too late. In Star Wars, Palpatine gradually increased his government's power, until one day their free society had disappeared and a new Empire had risen in its place. Modern American liberals are equally skilled at this subtle tactic. They mask taxes by calling them "fees" and hope we won't notice. They gradually chip away at our Second Amendment rights, hoping we won't notice. They gradually remove God from the public square, hoping we won't notice. As conservatives, we would be wise to head off liberals' seemingly insignificant attacks on our Republic -- before it is too late.

Lesson #3: Public Opinion Matters. As conservatives, we must accept the reality that public opinion has a tremendous impact on our ability to win elections and govern once in office. Further, we must be prepared to deal with the fact that the liberals have a tremendous Public Relations machine, and that many of them will say and do anything to further their agenda. In Star Wars, Palpatine was a master at influencing public opinion, and he systematically turned public opinion against the Jedi. Near the end of Episode III, when the Jedi discovered that Palpatine was actually a Dark Lord of the Sith, they attempted to arrest him. Palpatine skillfully manipulated public opinion, characterizing the attempted arrest as a "rebellion." In the end, he convinced the Galactic Senate that the Jedi were the traitors, and that they had attempted to overthrow the Republic. His efforts at persuasion were so effective that the Senators actually cheered when Palpatine announced that the remaining Jedi were being hunted down and killed. This is quite a marked shift in public opinion from Episode I, when the Jedi were clearly accepted as being the "good guys." As conservatives, it is absolutely imperative that we take the bull by the horns and be proactive when it comes to Public Relations. If we don't tell our story, on our terms, the liberals will tell it on theirs.

Lesson #4: Liberals Seek to Undermine Longstanding Institutions. At the beginning of Episode I, the Jedi Knights were accepted as the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. By the end of Episode III, Palpatine had successfully manipulated public opinion by convincing a majority of the Galactic Senate that the Jedi were the bad guys, and that they were intent on overthrowing the Republic. The Galactic Senate had been sold a lie. Modern American liberals have taken a similar approach in their no-holds-barred campaign to eradicate any mention of God from public life in America. Our nation was founded on Biblical principles, by people seeking freedom of religion. Modern liberals are attempting to rewrite history by brainwashing our young people into believing that Biblical principles played no role in our founding, and that people of faith have no place in politics. Unfortunately, far too many Americans have bought this lie. Liberals have also worked to undermine other institutions that attempt to stand for something. When the Boy Scouts attempt to enforce the idea that a Scout should be "morally straight," liberals tar and feather them as insensitive, discriminatory bigots. The most obvious example of liberals' efforts to undermine longstanding, long-respected institutions is the ongoing assault on traditional marriage. As conservatives, we must do more than rise up and defend these longstanding institutions; we must be proactive in communicating their importance and value to the American people.

Lesson #5: Liberals Seek to Blur the Lines between Good and Evil. The primary theme of Episode III was Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side of the Force. Anakin Skywalker was a powerful Jedi Knight, and Palpatine was determined to seduce him and recruit him to the dark side. During one of their conversations in the movie Anakin told Palpatine, "The Jedi use their powers for good." Palpatine replied, "Good is a point of view." In the book Palpatine went further, saying that the difference between good and evil, between Jedi and Sith, was simply a philosophical difference. Does this sound familiar? It should. Liberals in America have used this approach for years. When conservatives make an effort to state that there is absolute Truth in the universe, that there is a difference between right and wrong, liberals accuse us of being narrow-minded and say it's simply a "difference in philosophy." Everything is relative, and everything must be "tolerated" -- except, of course, anything that has its roots in Christianity or conservatism. Those things are offensive and should never be repeated! There is no clearer example of this approach than the current debate over the definition of marriage.

Lesson #6: Don't Underestimate the Power of Connection. It has been said that people don't care how much you know until they know that you care. Palpatine's seduction of Anakin Skywalker -- which eventually led to Anakin's fall -- was due in large part to the fact that he established a personal connection with the young Jedi Knight. Palpatine took an interest in Anakin as early as Episode I -- when he was barely 10 years old. In Episode II they were clearly friends. Palpatine had successfully established a bond. He had established trust. In Episode III, when Anakin shared his struggles and concerns Palpatine said, in effect, "I feel your pain." He sympathized with Anakin, and he won the young Jedi's trust. He also worked to create an environment of mistrust between Anakin and the Jedi Council. When push came to shove, when Anakin realized that Palpatine was a Dark Lord of the Sith, their personal connection trumped this fact. In the end, Anakin abandoned the Jedi Order and became Palpatine's new Sith apprentice, Darth Vader. As conservatives, we would be wise to heed this lesson. We must do more than simply communicate with the American people. We must connect with them. We must show them that we are genuinely concerned for their well being. We must be real, we must practice what we preach, and we must be worthy of the people's trust.

Lesson #7: Emotional Appeals Rule the Day. Once Palpatine had secured Anakin's trust, he used an emotional appeal to evoke the reaction he wanted. In essence, he told Anakin that the only way to keep his wife from dying was to abandon the Jedi Order, join the dark side, and kill all of the Jedi Knights. In the movie Anakin clearly struggled with this decision. His brain said one thing, and his heart said something else. In the end, the emotional appeal won the day, and Anakin became Darth Vader. As Republicans, we often fall into the trap of making logical appeals while the liberals are making emotional appeals. Sadly, the emotion they most often seek to evoke is fear. It is imperative that conservatives learn to craft our messages in a way that evokes an emotional response.

Lesson #8: Choose Your Battles Wisely. In Episode III the Jedi Knights were spread far too thin. They were engaged in so many battles throughout the galaxy that the Jedi Order was unable to survive Palpatine's efforts to wipe them out. At the end of the movie, only two Jedi remained alive. As Republicans, we would be wise to heed this lesson. We must choose our battles wisely, and we must invest our resources where they can have the greatest impact. Further, we must set priorities and not allow meaningless distractions to shift our focus.

Lesson #9: Invest in Your Team. As we recruit new volunteers and leaders into our party, we must invest in them. We must provide them with the training and resources they need to be effective. Further, we must take the time to get to know them and connect with them. If the members of the Jedi Council (other than Obi Wan Kenobi) had taken the time build trust with Anakin Skywalker, Palpatine's ability to sow seeds of mistrust would have been greatly diminished.

Lesson #10: Be the Aggressor. Failure to prepare is preparing to fail; this is a cardinal rule of business. If you're defending, you're losing; this is a cardinal rule of politics. Unfortunately, conservatives often seem to be on the defensive. The issue of protecting traditional marriage offers a prime example: the public debate is now about "banning gay marriage." In essence, the public debate is about banning something that has never existed in the first place. If pro-family conservatives were the aggressor, if we were dictating the tempo, the debate should be about "protecting traditional marriage." Unfortunately, the liberals all too often control the tempo of the debate. While we're fighting legislative battles in the legislature, they're legislating from the bench, indoctrinating children and college students, and working to maintain control of the mainstream media. By the end of Episode III, the Jedi Knights were on the defensive. They were responding to Palpatine's move. He controlled the tempo, and he won. As conservatives, we would be wise to heed this lesson and understand that the best defense is a good offense.

In Episode III, the stakes were high. The fate of the Galactic Republic hinged on the outcome of the battles fought in the movie. In our America, the stakes are equally high. What will our nation look like in ten years? Will we honor our heritage by protecting our constitution, or will we sit idly by and allow liberals to systematically chip away at our form of government? Will we honor our heritage by protecting traditional marriage, or will we be too busy to fight the battles necessary to prevent the liberals from destroying this all-important institution? Will we remain true to our founding principles, or will we sit quietly as liberals systematically remove God from the public square?

Near the end of Episode III, after the Jedi had been wiped out, Palpatine announced to the Galactic Senate that the Republic was being reorganized into an Empire. One of the Senators said, "So this is how liberty dies -- to thunderous applause." If we sit on our hands and allow liberals to remain the aggressor and influence public opinion, we may one day say the same. There are many political lessons to be learned from "Revenge of the Sith." As conservatives -- and as Americans -- we would be wise to heed those lessons.

YB500 wrote:One of the Senators said, "So this is how liberty dies -- to thunderous applause." If we sit on our hands and allow liberals to remain the aggressor and influence public opinion, we may one day say the same. There are many political lessons to be learned from "Revenge of the Sith." As conservatives -- and as Americans -- we would be wise to heed those lessons.

Are you kidding me?????? First this was WAY too LONG WINDED. "liberals to remain the aggressor and influence public opinion" what??? Did I MISS something???? liberals aggressors? In STAR WARS? Dude the Empire WAS AND IS the AGGRESSOR and THE LAIRS and the PROPAGANDISTS and the "my WAY or the HIGHWAY" point of view. It's either WORK(OBEY) or DIE mentality.

I don't know what you are on but I will take some. Liberals are fight for the existence of the middle class.

The right only cares about the rich and would be happy as an unemployed victim of the bush era you just go away.

The only analogy you need to use is the GOP= The Grim Reaper.

gettheminNOVEMBER wrote:I don't know what you are on but I will take some. Liberals are fight for the existence of the middle class.

The right only cares about the rich and would be happy as an unemployed victim of the bush era you just go away.

The only analogy you need to use is the GOP= The Grim Reaper.

Got to watch those with an ABSOLUTISTS mindset. They can twist anything.

mistermunster wrote:

YB500 wrote:One of the Senators said, "So this is how liberty dies -- to thunderous applause." If we sit on our hands and allow liberals to remain the aggressor and influence public opinion, we may one day say the same. There are many political lessons to be learned from "Revenge of the Sith." As conservatives -- and as Americans -- we would be wise to heed those lessons.

Are you kidding me?????? First this was WAY too LONG WINDED. "liberals to remain the aggressor and influence public opinion" what??? Did I MISS something???? liberals aggressors? In STAR WARS? Dude the Empire WAS AND IS the AGGRESSOR and THE LAIRS and the PROPAGANDISTS and the "my WAY or the HIGHWAY" point of view. It's either WORK(OBEY) or DIE mentality.

Sorry for the long winded post, I tried to keep it brief but to get the point across it just got bigger.

I actually liked your post. It was long but I don't really mind reading long articles, and that was an article, that are well written. I hope you will indulge me and read mine.
I cannot help but think your interpretation is a little but flawed. The Empire in star wars is supposed to represent ANY empire in history. I don't feel like it really fits the republican party or the democrats as a whole either. The Empire in the films was fascist by any standard and I feel like fascism is pretty much cornered by your party right now. I am hopeful that they will turn around.
You are doing the typical republican spin move of including what suits your purposes and leaving out the rest. You try to find an example of the liberals undermining a tradition is the boy scouts. What about the conservatives undermining social security?
Your example of the most obvious undermining of a long standing institution is the "attack on marriage". First of all why should marriage just be between a man and a woman? Because god said so? There is a separation of church and state in this country. It's actually in the constitution. I do not care one way or the other about god. I also do not care who another person marries. You know why? It's none of my d@mn business. It's also none of your business.
What about some of the other long standing institutions that that liberals have attacked? Segregation comes to mind, did that ruin our country or make it better? Were liberals doing the right thing when they fought conservatives to desegregate the south?


You mention that liberals would have you believe that there is no such thing between right and wrong. The comments you make on this are absurd. Who are YOU to tell ME what is right or wrong? Everything is a shade of gray. Of course there are some things that a general consensus says is wrong, such as murder, but as far as definitive right and wrong goes there is no such thing. You also go on to say that everything must be tolerated unless it is christian or conservative. The last I heard christianity was going strong. I saw that some of your christian brothers were protesting at soldiers funerals holding signs telling me that the soldiers that died in the "war on terror" were now in hell. See what I did there? I twisted something around to suit my agenda just like you did. I actually realize that most christians aren't crazy.

So, in the end, who's decision is it going to be to decide what is right and wrong and what I can do and what I can't? You? Your conservative friends? Let's take abortion for example. I would assume that you are against it and think it should be outlawed because it's murdering babies or whatever. Who wants to murder babies? Certainly not me. But you know what you should do if you think abortion is wrong? DON'T HAVE ONE! Then stop trying to tell other people what to do with their bodies. You know what you should if you think gay marriage is wrong? Don't marry someone of the same sex. Problem solved by a liberal.

Thanks for allowing my indulgence.

Long Winded Yes, But this entire (nearly entire post) was posted at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1418314/posts

June 7th 2005 , I read part of it thinking I've read that somewhere before. Hmmmm, For a min I thought those were your words. I was duped!

Good catch, Leanna!

D@mn. That means, since none of those ideas were his, that I won't get a response my well thought out retort.

Everyone knows that the three new star wars movies sucked anyway.

DesperateInRI wrote:Good catch, Leanna!

The thing is it's long winded but I never said I wrote the whole thing, Never.

The last one Revenge of the sith was the best out of the new 3 movies.

lendmeflight2 wrote:D@mn. That means, since none of those ideas were his, that I won't get a response my well thought out retort.

Everyone knows that the three new star wars movies sucked anyway.

I do have a well thought out retort but it will turn into a argument from the looks of some responses here.

Admins, if you would like to lock the thread be my guest.