Since the turmoil of the 1960s, Americans have compared America’s social entropy to that of Rome’s. Few who do so have actually read Gibbons’ Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. It is saddening to report that the comparison is accurate – to a horrifying degree: the social moral decay produced by prosperity, the political apathy (and monetary greed) of its’ citizens leading to the corruption of their elected officials, the disintegration of discipline and physical weakening within the military; the encroachment of its’ borders by barbarians, are all just a few examples.
So it is no surprise that President Trump’s life and political endeavors have a remarkable similarity to Julius Caesar’s.
Gaius Julius Caesar was named after his father but upon achieving manhood had to petition Augustus Caesar for a boon to have any chance of entering political life. This took the form of commanding a military cohort in order to conduct war in Gaul – which was pretty much at peace until he stirred things up. This was Caesar’s strategy to obtain both riches from conquest and political recognition from the Roman citizenry. The loot he sent back to Rome helped him in rise in status among both the Senate and the populi. The generous donatives he gave his troops ensured their loyalty when he was confident the citizenry would tolerate his crossing the Rubicon and entering the capital with troops. Upon Caesar entering Rome, the Senate fled in panic fearing well-earned retribution for their rampant corruption. Caesar promptly declared he was restoring authority to the citizens of Rome and proceeded to rule by edict to bring that about. His reward was to earn the hatred of the Senate and to be betrayed by his friends who stabbed him to death.
The ”Donald”, as he was affectionately known in New York City when he was greasing palms, was also named after his dad – who gave Junior the boon of a million dollars to jump start his life as an adult male. By all accounts, Trump multiplied his “talents” tenfold to become the most successful businessman in New York City. It was natural for him to look for more challenging horizons in the political arena. After earning his wealth and reputation in New York City he set his sights on Washington, D.C. – which, until then, felt quite comfortable on their thrones. This caused great consternation among the Uni-Party in the nation’s capital. Despite the best efforts to prevent it, Trump crossed the political Rubicon (as an “outsider”) resulting in his becoming President of the United States. Congress did not flee in panic but their collective spasmodic response had about the same effect. McConnel, McCain, et al of Trump’s adopted Party swore in McConnell’s office they would never support Trump’s agenda to “restore the power to the People.” What cooperation he did get from them was forced upon them by popular demand.
But Trump’s audacity in attempting to run for a second term created in the minds of the Uni-Party the fear Trump was making himself emperor. And the Uni-Party cannot tolerate that.
In the 2020 election, Trump was betrayed by his own White House staff – including his legal advisors, political Party, and the judicial system. Trump was ousted from the White House by the ancestors of the Roman Senate who feared Trump – like Caesar- would really return the power to the People. They couched it in terms of Caesar wanting to be emperor – and maybe he did. Like the Roman Senate, Congress doesn’t want to share power with anyone outside the “washed and anointed.” Unlike the Roman Senate with Caesar, the D.C. “Senate” made the “mistake” of letting Trump leave the congressional cesspool “alive” politically. They won’t make that mistake again.
There’s a reason conquering Roman generals publicly killed their enemy commanders at the conclusion of their Triumph ceremonies. It was a message to the People: resistance is futile.
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they kill you.” – Anonymous. The quote wrongly attributed to Ghandi ended with “then you win.” It remains to be seen which the Uni-Party will use to end Trump’s reign.
Caesar was stabbed 23 times. Trump probably feels about halfway there.
The Uni-Party needs to remember what happened after Caesar’s demise. History does repeat itself.
