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For those who don’t know (which is everyone on this site), I am an avid Star Wars fan. I am also, controversially, a fan of the Prequels. I know, this is blasphemy. I stand by what I said, though. The Prequels are good movies, in spite of Jar Jar! They also act as excellent commentaries on the state of politics in the US. I was rewatching Revenge of the Sith the other day when it occurred to me that the movie serves as an excellent representation of Trump’s Republican Party. Let me explain:
Chancellor/Emperor Palpatine
Trump himself is the star of this movie. Now, before you drop any angry comments, I am not saying that Trump is an evil mastermind. He, quite obviously, is not. What I am saying is that Trump has developed quite the cult of personality within the Republican Party, much like Palpatine did with Anakin. His control over the party is almost absolute, with devastating consequences.
Anakin Skywalker
Anakin serves as an apt representation for Trump supporters. In 2016, the number of Trump supporters who genuinely believed in him was relatively small within the actual Republican Party. Since then, however, Trump’s influence over these voters has increased dramatically until, finally, the Republican base has embraced Trump wholeheartedly, casting aside conservative principles in the process. Anakin did much the same thing. As the movie progressed, he became more conflicted until he finally casts his dice in favor of the Emperor.
The Jedi Order
The Republican establishment in 2016 was complacent in the nomination process. It could not get behind any of the 16 candidates opposing Trump, and its indecisiveness led to Trump’s rise. The establishment has also been ignorant of the wishes of the Republican base, which has, for years, seen Republican elites as kowtowing to Democratic demands. The relationship between the Jedi Order and Anakin is similar. The order ignored the turmoil brewing within Anakin, believing that he would remain loyal until it was too late.
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda
Though we are few in number, there are still principled conservatives on the outskirts of the party who are willing to stand against Trump, even to our own political detriment. Justin Stapley and myself are two prominent examples here at The Liberty Hawk. In Congress, the most prominent ‘Kenobi’ figure is Justin Amash (there must be something about the name Justin that makes people principled). This group may be small, but we will not stop fighting for the soul of the Republican Party so long as we can help it.
Jar Jar Binks
No Star Wars comparison would be complete without including the execrable Binks. The intention behind the character was good. The execution, however, was deeply flawed. In the United States, Rand Paul is an outstanding example of this dichotomy. Rand Paul, in almost every circumstance, is a through-and-through conservative. However, his support for Trump has tainted his conservatism. He may have genuinely good intentions in his support for Trump, such as attempting to steer US foreign policy away from the Middle East. However, his execution of these intentions has ruined his credibility and that of conservatism as a whole.
Now that those comparisons are out of the way, one question remains: where in the movie are we? The answer: almost to the end. If I had to pinpoint one moment in the film, I would say we are currently in the midst of our very own Duel of the Fates. Trump’s control over the party is almost complete. If conservatives do not win the fight now, we will have lost it for a very long time. We all know how Revenge of the Sith ended. Now it is our turn to change that ending.
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Scott Howard is a constitutionally-minded conservative freelance writer with a focus on fiscal matters and foreign policy. He has been an active contributor to The Liberty Hawk. You can follow him on Twitter: @thenextTedCruz
Editor’s note: In tribute to this awesome article, here’s a Trump Wars opening crawl:
-Justin
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