So who was Julius Caesar and how is Obama like him?
He was a man of great physical courage who fought and won wars. (Not like Obama.) But then he wrote exaggerated accounts of his exploits that made him the toast of Rome. (Exactly like Obama.)
He was a gifted speaker with tremendous charisma who believed he could sway even his most ardent political adversaries with his slight of tongue. He believed he could make you do what he thought you should do by giving you a speech. (Oh, yeah. That's Obama.)
In running for Consul, Caesar - a man who hungered for real wealth and prestige - ran as a populist. In his grab for power, he appealed to the common man by setting himself up as the candidate for 'change'. A 'change' in the status quo of the Republic. Crowds of people turned out to hear him speak and applaud him. (Right out of Obama's playbook.)
He became a Consul for Rome by aligning himself with Crassus, the richest man in Rome and Pompey the Great, who was famous and respected. He convinced Crassus and Pompey to work with him to win the election and control the Senate.
Caesar wasn't as rich as Crassus or as great a fighter as Pompey. But he had a glow about him the other two lacked. This Triumvirate became so powerful that they gained control of the entire Roman political apparatus. They were able to hand out offices to whomever they wanted whenever they wanted.
Caesar convinced Crassus and Pompey to manipulate him into the governorship of Gaul and two other provinces. In return, he rewarded them with money and power.
Marching to Gaul with his army, Caesar met Barbarians on their way to Rome. To get around Caesar, they took an alternate route, outside of Roman territory. Caesar, who had no authority to take his army out of Roman territory, convinced the Senate there was a threat of monumental proportions. Nothing was going to keep him from collecting the slaves, booty and new territory he wanted. If he had to rant about the sky falling, he would.
Caesar knew how to position his troops in the most favorable way possible, so there was little threat to himself or them. They were suicidally loyal to him. Through his continuing scare tactics and exaggerated tales of personal glory, the Senate was convinced to give him more power.
Conservatives in the Senate, however, were on to him. If Caesar had a big enough army, he could overthrow them and implement his 'change'. Pompey continued to support Caesar, though, and protected his interests in Rome. Caesar, as the ruler of Gaul, continued to send dispatches to Rome which were devoured by a populace hungry for a hero, and elevated him to an almost godlike figure. Conservatives, reading between the lines of these dispatches, recognized his greed and enormous ambition.
As unrest rose among Conservatives, Caesar called on Crassus to block his enemies. Crassus, so wealthy he had no fear of Caesar, wheeled, dealed and bribed his way through the Senate. He was rewarded with his own army, marched in search of glory, but found death.
Pompey, the cataract-like clouds cleared his eyes and his political savvy returning, broke with Caesar. His followers physically clashed with Caesar's followers in the streets. Pompey gathered his own army and went into battle with Caesar, but was no match for Caesar's tactics or his seasoned army. Caesar defeated Pompey, entered Rome, and declared himself Dictator for Life.
The Roman Republic was officially dead.
Caesar's stepson, Marcus Brutus, who fancied himself a defender of the Republic, masterminded the assassination of Caesar in order to restore the old order. But there was no rebirth of the Republic. There was anarchy and Emperors.
Conditions were ripe for Caesar to topple the Republic. Greedy, self-interested politicians lost sight of what their Republic meant; of what they were in government to accomplish. It became about them personally and not Rome and her citizenry. The Roman people believed that Caesar had their best interests at heart; that he would make their lives more bearable. Better to be ruled by a benevolent dictator than arrogant, crooked Senators.
Caesar understood the power of words and how to manipulate a populace. He understood how people reacted to tales of hardship and glory and how desperate people were to believe his promises. He convinced people he really, really cared about them - not about personal power, and in him was their only hope. Change was going to save them and he was the savior. Caesar stood for all things good.
Republican legislators got what they deserved when Obama was elected by a people and media interested in charisma and an ability to string a few sentences together that promised the majority a better world at the expense of the minority. They had years to show us how to govern properly and they failed miserably.
But America deserves better than the benevolent dictator Obama, who smilingly flips the bird at our democracy and our Constitution with every bill he signs.
All hail Obama.
He was a man of great physical courage who fought and won wars. (Not like Obama.) But then he wrote exaggerated accounts of his exploits that made him the toast of Rome. (Exactly like Obama.)
He was a gifted speaker with tremendous charisma who believed he could sway even his most ardent political adversaries with his slight of tongue. He believed he could make you do what he thought you should do by giving you a speech. (Oh, yeah. That's Obama.)
In running for Consul, Caesar - a man who hungered for real wealth and prestige - ran as a populist. In his grab for power, he appealed to the common man by setting himself up as the candidate for 'change'. A 'change' in the status quo of the Republic. Crowds of people turned out to hear him speak and applaud him. (Right out of Obama's playbook.)
He became a Consul for Rome by aligning himself with Crassus, the richest man in Rome and Pompey the Great, who was famous and respected. He convinced Crassus and Pompey to work with him to win the election and control the Senate.
Caesar wasn't as rich as Crassus or as great a fighter as Pompey. But he had a glow about him the other two lacked. This Triumvirate became so powerful that they gained control of the entire Roman political apparatus. They were able to hand out offices to whomever they wanted whenever they wanted.
Caesar convinced Crassus and Pompey to manipulate him into the governorship of Gaul and two other provinces. In return, he rewarded them with money and power.
Marching to Gaul with his army, Caesar met Barbarians on their way to Rome. To get around Caesar, they took an alternate route, outside of Roman territory. Caesar, who had no authority to take his army out of Roman territory, convinced the Senate there was a threat of monumental proportions. Nothing was going to keep him from collecting the slaves, booty and new territory he wanted. If he had to rant about the sky falling, he would.
Caesar knew how to position his troops in the most favorable way possible, so there was little threat to himself or them. They were suicidally loyal to him. Through his continuing scare tactics and exaggerated tales of personal glory, the Senate was convinced to give him more power.
Conservatives in the Senate, however, were on to him. If Caesar had a big enough army, he could overthrow them and implement his 'change'. Pompey continued to support Caesar, though, and protected his interests in Rome. Caesar, as the ruler of Gaul, continued to send dispatches to Rome which were devoured by a populace hungry for a hero, and elevated him to an almost godlike figure. Conservatives, reading between the lines of these dispatches, recognized his greed and enormous ambition.
As unrest rose among Conservatives, Caesar called on Crassus to block his enemies. Crassus, so wealthy he had no fear of Caesar, wheeled, dealed and bribed his way through the Senate. He was rewarded with his own army, marched in search of glory, but found death.
Pompey, the cataract-like clouds cleared his eyes and his political savvy returning, broke with Caesar. His followers physically clashed with Caesar's followers in the streets. Pompey gathered his own army and went into battle with Caesar, but was no match for Caesar's tactics or his seasoned army. Caesar defeated Pompey, entered Rome, and declared himself Dictator for Life.
The Roman Republic was officially dead.
Caesar's stepson, Marcus Brutus, who fancied himself a defender of the Republic, masterminded the assassination of Caesar in order to restore the old order. But there was no rebirth of the Republic. There was anarchy and Emperors.
Conditions were ripe for Caesar to topple the Republic. Greedy, self-interested politicians lost sight of what their Republic meant; of what they were in government to accomplish. It became about them personally and not Rome and her citizenry. The Roman people believed that Caesar had their best interests at heart; that he would make their lives more bearable. Better to be ruled by a benevolent dictator than arrogant, crooked Senators.
Caesar understood the power of words and how to manipulate a populace. He understood how people reacted to tales of hardship and glory and how desperate people were to believe his promises. He convinced people he really, really cared about them - not about personal power, and in him was their only hope. Change was going to save them and he was the savior. Caesar stood for all things good.
Republican legislators got what they deserved when Obama was elected by a people and media interested in charisma and an ability to string a few sentences together that promised the majority a better world at the expense of the minority. They had years to show us how to govern properly and they failed miserably.
But America deserves better than the benevolent dictator Obama, who smilingly flips the bird at our democracy and our Constitution with every bill he signs.
All hail Obama.
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