After listening to President Obama go on and on last night about how he plans to circumvent Congress and unilaterally enact just about any law he sees fit, Glenn could not help but think back to an iconic moment in the Star Wars franchise.
Last night, President Obama had this to say about his plan for the New Year:
OBAMA: Stock prices have rarely been higher and those at the top have never done better. But average wages have barely budged. Inequality has deepened. Upward mobility has stalled. The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working American ever just to get by, let alone to get ahead. And too many still aren't working at all. So our job is to reverse these trends. It won't happen right away, and we won't agree on everything. But what I offer tonight is a set of concrete practical proposals to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class and build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class. Some require congressional action, and I am eager to work with all of you. But America does not stand still and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that's what I'm going to do.
“So last night the executive head came to the legislative head and said this. And they’re cheering him,” Glenn said exasperatedly. “So here is Congress, whose job is to protect the balance of power to make sure that no executive gets out of hand, standing and cheering saying, ‘Yes. Move without us.’ Now, I believe a fulfillment of a movie happened last night. We've seen this happen before in another republic."
In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, the Emperor announced society will be reorganized for the sake of security and stability, to which Natalie Portman’s character, Padme, observes she has witnessed the death of liberty.
THE EMPEROR: In order to ensure the security and continuing stability, the republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, for a secure and society!
(applause)
PADME: So this is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause.
“Every time these movies are made, they make our case. And those same people who say those words never recognize that they are cheering on what they've just made and know is bad,” Glenn concluded. “It always happens this way. The artists always are the first to lead us into slavery and the artists are the first to lead us out.”
