This last weekend the History Channel had an excellent two hour special about the Dark Ages in Europe. Before the show the History Channel ran a four hour special called the "The Barbarians" that looked at each of the tribes that eventually led to the downfall of Rome and started the decline of Europe.
As a history buff this was a quite a delight for me. Watching the tales of the leaders of Rome, and their enemies the Vandals, VisiGoths, Goths, Lombards, Saxons was rather mesmerizing. To see how the decisions of single individuals have shaped the course of history always seems to boggle my mind.
As I watched the stories of these people of antiquity unfold I couldn’t help but compare it our own modern Kentucky Republican Gubernatorial politics. As I watch our Republican Party tear itself apart it does remind me a lot of the fall of the Roman Empire. Let’s make a few analogies shall we.
The Roman Empire – Of course this would be Governor Fletcher, like the Romans he still has a great deal of power at his disposal, but he has been tarnished by the specter of court intrigue. Thanks to the oratory of former Governor Julian "Cicero" Carroll we even have a "Brutus" in the form of Lt. Governor Steve Pence.
According to now State Senator Carroll’s recent comments when he compared the current Lt. Governor to Julius Caesar’s trusted friend that betrayed him. Under the reign of Emperor Fletcher, the people have become rather dissatisfied by palace intrigue. Even plans to build a Grand Coliseum in Louisville have yet to please them.
Perhaps, if he were to add some chariot races to the Equestrian Games planned for Lexington the masses might come around. The Barbarians – Now this would be Anne Northup of the Visigoths and Jeff Hoover of the Vandals. Both tribes inevitably sacked Rome, and looted its great wealth.
The VisiGoths moved on Rome from the north, and the Vandals whom had conquered the Roman Provinces in Northern Africa approached the Roman capitol from the south. Like the Barbarians, Northup marches from Louisville on Frankfort and Jeff Hoover approaches from Southeastern Kentucky. Will they sack Frankfort, who knows?
The Eastern Roman Empire/Byzantines - Our third player in this triangle of ancient politics would be candidate Billy Harper. Harper is best compared to Byzantine Emperor Justinian who was based in Constantinople far from Rome, much like Harper in Paducah far from Frankfort.
Justinian spent an outrageous amount of money to bring the empire back together much like Harper with his personal fortune. However, upon his death the pressure from the Barbarians was too great, and the all of the conquests to reunite the empire were abandoned by the next Byzantine Emperor. Once that occurred the Dark Ages began in Europe and lasted almost a 1000 years.
Western Civilization had utterly and totally collapsed, and thus shall the Republican Party of Kentucky this gubernatorial election year. I have mentioned my father before in previous articles; he is just a pragmatic old country boy from Southeastern Kentucky. However, he carries with him wisdom about politics that I have always known to be right.
His take on the Governor’s race is that we are fighting each other and losing the political battle in Kentucky and that no matter who wins the May primary all Republicans will lose in November. Not just the gubernatorial candidates but all of the down ticket races with the exception of Agricultural Commissioner Richie Farmer.
So like a medieval monk I have decided that I will retreat to my monastery secluded from the political strife all around me and tend to my manuscripts. That is at least until "Pontiff McConnell the First" calls for a crusade to take back Frankfort in 2011.
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