This morning, I engaged in a profound conversation with Mark, a sharp observer of political dynamics, who began by pointing out an often-overlooked lesson from George Lucas’ Star Wars saga: politicians pit groups against each other to consolidate power, a tactic Lucas embedded in the prequels as a cautionary tale. Mark argued that this warning, frequently missed by audiences dazzled by lightsabers and mythology, is vividly reflected in modern American politics, particularly in how Democrats under President Joe Biden have manipulated issues and groups for electoral gain. From climate change to marginalized communities, Mark’s insights reveal a pattern of division and betrayal, culminating in Biden’s “climate change heresy”—a stark contradiction between his promises and actions that mirrors Emperor Palpatine’s duplicity. Through Mark’s lens, grounded in Lucas’ allegory, we uncover how Biden used climate rhetoric to polarize voters in 2020, only to abandon his commitments, leaving trust fractured like the Republic under Palpatine’s rule.
Lucas’ Warning: Pitting Groups Against Each Other
Mark’s starting point was Lucas’ political allegory in the Star Wars prequels, particularly the rise of Palpatine. In The Phantom Menace, Palpatine engineers conflicts—pitting the Trade Federation against Naboo, the Senate against the Jedi—to sow division, erode trust, and justify his authoritarian ascent. By Revenge of the Sith, he’s fractured the Republic, turning allies into enemies while posing as a unifier, a strategy Lucas confirmed in a 2005 Chicago Tribune interview was inspired by the fall of democracies like Rome. Mark emphasized that this lesson—politicians exploiting division for power—is often overlooked, with fans focusing on action or mythology. Yet, he sees it playing out today, with Democrats weaponizing issues and groups to polarize voters, only to sideline them once power is secured.
Mark pointed to examples beyond climate change: the transgender community, framed as victims to vilify conservatives as “bigoted,” yet seeing limited policy progress; Dreamers, promised citizenship but left in limbo (no DACA fix under Democratic control, 2021–2023, as Mark noted with Pelosi’s rejection of Trump’s DACA deal); and Black Americans, pledged racial equity in 2020 but sidelined for migrant funding (Chicago’s $150 million in 2023, protested at city meetings). In each case, Democrats amplify a group or issue to rally their base against Republicans, then fail to deliver, fracturing trust like Palpatine’s Republic. Mark’s insight set the stage for his sharpest critique: Biden’s climate change hypocrisy, a textbook case of this manipulative strategy.
A Promise Made, a Trust Betrayed
Mark zeroed in on a pivotal moment from Biden’s 2020 campaign: an outdoor rally where Biden told a young lady, “I promise you, I promise you, I will end fossil fuels.” Mark captured this in a video clip, which he later posted on X during Biden’s presidency (2021–2025) to call him out as a “climate change heretic.” The promise, delivered with conviction to a young voter—part of the 37% Gen Z/Millennial electorate (2020 exit polls)—was a rallying cry. Climate change, a top issue for 83% of Democrats (2020 Pew poll), became a wedge to divide progressives from “denier” Republicans (only 44% saw it as a major issue). Biden cast himself as a climate savior, much like Palpatine’s Senate speeches, promising peace while plotting control.
But Mark’s clip, meant to hold Biden accountable, faced suppression. Posted under Twitter’s old management (pre-Musk, 2021–mid-2022), it gained little traction due to shadowbanning—a tactic Mark believes stifled his dissent, much like Palpatine silencing Jedi warnings. A 2021 NYU study noted Twitter’s algorithms sometimes reduced visibility for controversial posts, and Mark’s experience suggests a modern narrative control, protecting Biden’s image while his actions betrayed the young lady’s trust.
The Gas Stove Hypocrisy: A Double Betrayal
Mark’s most damning evidence centers on the White House kitchen, which continued using gas stoves during Biden’s term, despite his administration’s push to phase them out for Americans. An image of the White House kitchen, representing a 2021–2025 video tour screenshot Mark saw, shows a chef cooking with gas flames flaring on a Vulcan natural gas range (confirmed in use as of 2011, per Wikipedia). No records indicate a switch to electric under Biden, contradicting his “end fossil fuels” vow. Worse, a 2021 photo from D.C. Central Kitchen shows Biden and Harris using Southbend gas ovens, actively burning fossil fuels while telling Americans to go electric.
Mark dismantles the “legacy equipment” excuse with two incisive points:
Disregard for Cooks’ Health: Democrats, including Biden’s DOE and CPSC, claimed in 2023 that gas stoves pose health risks—nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter linked to 12.7% of childhood asthma cases (2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health study). If true, the White House’s gas stoves endanger its cooks, a reckless negligence Mark calls out. He notes the kitchen’s high-volume cooking for events—like state dinners for 400 guests (e.g., 2023 Modi dinner)—requires hours of stove use, amplifying exposure to harmful emissions. A 2023 Environmental Science & Technology study found high-use settings can exceed EPA safety thresholds, meaning Biden’s cooks face greater risks than the average American, all while he preaches public health.
Contribution to Climate Change: Gas stoves, legacy or not, emit CO2 and methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than CO2 (EPA data). A 2022 Stanford study pegged U.S. gas stoves at 0.4 million tons of methane annually—equivalent to 500,000 cars’ CO2 emissions. The White House kitchen’s bulk cooking for events generates significant emissions—hundreds of pounds of CO2 per event, plus methane leaks—undermining Biden’s climate goals. Mark’s point is clear: every meal cooked on those Vulcan ranges betrays Biden’s promise, contributing to the crisis he swore to end.
A Pattern of Betrayal: Palpatine’s Playbook
Mark connects this hypocrisy to Biden’s broader climate record, revealing a Palpatine-like betrayal:
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Migrant Flights: Biden used fuel-heavy Boeing 737s to transport migrants (1,000 weekly, 2023 New York Post), burning thousands of gallons, despite climate pledges.
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Saudi Oil Request: In 2022, Biden urged OPEC+ for more oil (100,000 barrels/day, Reuters) to ease gas prices ($5/gallon, AAA), contradicting his anti-fossil fuel stance.
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Record Oil Production: U.S. oil output hit 13.2 million barrels/day in 2024 (EIA), with Biden approving more drilling permits than Trump (3,557 vs. 2,658, Politico 2023) and greenlighting the Willow Project (600 million barrels, 2023).
Mark sees this as part of a Democratic pattern, using issues and groups to polarize, then abandoning them, exactly as Lucas warned. In Star Wars, Palpatine divides the Republic—Jedi vs. Senate, Republic vs. Separatists—promising salvation while consolidating power. Biden’s rally promise mirrors this, rallying climate activists against Republicans, only to betray them with gas stoves, oil production, and suppressed dissent. The White House kitchen’s high-volume cooking, endangering cooks and the climate, is Biden’s hidden Sith lair—a private contradiction to his public stance, like Palpatine’s double life.
A Suppressed Truth, a Fractured Trust
Mark’s shadowbanned X clip underscores the betrayal’s depth. Just as Palpatine stifles dissent, Twitter’s old guard (2021–mid-2022) suppressed Mark’s attempt to expose Biden’s heresy, protecting his image while fracturing trust. Climate voters, like the young lady at the rally, join Chicago’s Black residents, Dreamers, and trans advocates—promised change, but sidelined once power was secured. Mark’s insights, rooted in Lucas’ overlooked warning, reveal a stark truth: Biden’s climate promise was a lie, a tool to divide and win, betrayed by actions like gas stoves, suppressed by power, mirroring Democrats’ manipulation of other issues. The young lady’s hope, like the Republic’s unity, lies in tatters—a Palpatine-like betrayal Mark’s sharp eye won’t let us ignore.
P.S. Mark added a final, incisive point: Biden’s policies, such as transporting migrants from less developed nations (2.6 million border apprehensions in 2023), further undermine his climate stance. These individuals, adapting to American living standards—using air conditioners, cars, and other energy-intensive amenities—drive up U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. For example, air conditioning alone accounts for 6% of U.S. residential energy use (EIA, 2024), often powered by fossil fuel-heavy grids. By facilitating mass migration while promising to “end fossil fuels,” Biden indirectly fuels the climate crisis he swore to combat, another layer of his Palpatine-like hypocrisy.
Published by Editor, Sammy Campbell.