# Sulla Speaks Out **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 17, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887 "2017-11-17T18:55:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/1 "2017-11-17T18:55:59Z")
So, I was looking up plastic bags in California and drifted on to the Mercury News’ [Editorial: GOP attack on Californians’ health is most brutal yet](http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/11/17/editorial-gop-attack-on-californians-health-is-most-brutal-yet/) where, oddly enough, Mr. McConnell looks extra-added demented; but there’s more: ``` **[Trump urges bigger tax cuts for the rich](http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/11/13/trump-urges-bigger-tax-cuts-for-the-rich/)** ``` I swear to God this man is comedy gold. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/2 "2017-11-17T19:37:10Z")
What man, and who or what is “Sulla”? ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/3 "2017-11-17T20:43:11Z")
Seriously ? Lucius Cornelius _Sulla_, Dictator of Rome, Leader of the Optimates, Saviour of the Roman State, money-grubbing opportunist, Protector of the Rich, lover of women, crusher of the popular side in the Civil War, winner of the Battle of the Colline Gate, after which Rome was his toy. Like proscriptions a lot, although so far Trumpus has not gone that far. I mean, a _lot_. Not so much from cruelty as from confisticating the many victims’ possessions. \*“No friend ever served me, and no enemy ever wronged me, whom I have not repaid in full” . \* ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/4 "2017-11-17T20:45:55Z")
So Obama is Marius? I hope he’s enjoying his life in exile. Also, the assumption here is that the populares had the people’s best interest at heart. If anything, Trump is more of a populist. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/5 "2017-11-17T21:19:16Z")
Both the two parties are Optimates ( none more so than the Clintons ). I’ve always disliked Marius, but he and his nephew, Caesar had rather more concern for people than Sulla ever did. Not so much as the greatest Roman, the Elder Scipio Africanus or his grandchildren, the Gracchi, but every bit counts. Anyway, optimates can be populist in appeal, like FDR or all those tedious little noblemen who served as fronts for allegedly left governments in the fall-out from WWI. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/6 "2017-11-17T21:25:43Z")
Ah. Thought you meant the “Miracle on the Hudson” guy. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/7 "2017-11-17T21:32:24Z")
The indignation that not everyone knows a Roman emperor who wouldn’t qualify to be the subject of a game of Botticelli is the most interesting part of this thread so far. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/8 "2017-11-17T21:46:14Z")
He wasn’t an emperor. Nor was Marius. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/9 "2017-11-17T21:47:42Z")
Please clarify what this thread is supposed to be about. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/10 "2017-11-17T21:57:37Z")
Yeah, we know who the Roman Sulla was. But what modern figure does he represent in this metaphor? ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/11 "2017-11-17T22:03:41Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Yeah, we know who the Roman Sulla was. But what modern figure does he represent in this metaphor? > [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > money-grubbing opportunist, Protector of the Rich, lover of women, crusher of the popular side in the Civil War, … ^Doesn’t remind you of anyone? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/12 "2017-11-17T22:05:59Z")
Please don’t say Lincoln. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/13 "2017-11-17T22:09:56Z")
Indeed. Plus _Felix_ ‘The Lucky’ However let’s forget about Sulla now and concentrate on Trump’s hilarious demand _via_ twitter, no less, to the Senate, for more help for the rich. Because they’re not doing enough for the wealthy little guy. Almost as if he can never be satiated. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/14 "2017-11-17T22:13:54Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Please don’t say Lincoln. You might be interested in Thomas DiLorenzo’s depiction of Old Abe as Satan. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulla-speaks-out/801887/15 "2017-11-17T23:24:03Z")
I’m closing this as incomprehensible. Please make coherent OPs. [/moderating]