Can Jedi be Senators ?

Since a bulk of the Jedi seem to be expert negotiators, it would be natural that some would
want to enter politics. Yet, we dont see any Jedi in the Senate in the PT. Would that be
because Force enabled people, who are really superior beings, are legally barred from
politics ? Would this be the reason they went to arrest Palpatine ? Was Leia illegally
serving in the Senate ? And if so, did Obi-Wan have knowledge of Leia serving illegally in the Senate ?

Thoughts ?

 

How could Leia be serving ilegally in the Senate if she's not a Jedi and no one knew that she had huge Force abilities?

 

I don't know if it was illegal, but I'm sure the majority of the Jedi wouldn't want to be Senators anyway. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if it was illegal because of the whole "Jedi mind trick." They could influence some of the weak-minded beings easily.

 

No, they can't.
Not because of anything to do with their order, their rules, or their overblown Force abilities though.

What would they be senators of?
They don't know what planet they even came from, and they sure don't have any constituants to vote them into power.
Jedi are worldless nomads. They belong to the Republic, not a particular world.

 

They do in most cases know their homeworld, but they already have reps in the senate for them.

 

and no one knew that she had huge Force abilities?

Yoda, Obi-Wan and Bail her step-father knew.


Also, I wouldn't be surprised if it was illegal because of the whole "Jedi mind trick." They could influence some of the weak-minded beings easily.

Yep, thats what I was thinking, the Force user mind trick. Since a lot of people think Leias memories of Padme are from the inadvertant use of the Force, maybe she got elected by the inadvertant use of the mind trick.

They do in most cases know their homeworld, but they already have reps in the senate for them.

Yep, I believe most would know their homeworld, at least from their species. But that wouldnt stop them from seeking office anyway if it was legal.

 

No, but Sith Lords are encouraged. Much like real life politics really.

 

I thought in the OLD Republic, there was such a-not senator-Chancellor. But no name comes to mind...

 

No, but Sith Lords are encouraged. Much like real life politics really.

Heh.

But do you think this was the reason Palps was arrested ? Arresting him just for being a Sith always has bothered me. It would seem more fair and sensible if the law was for no force users in politics.

 

But do you think this was the reason Palps was arrested ? Arresting him just for being a Sith always has bothered me. It would seem more fair and sensible if the law was for no force users in politics.

Really? You don't think him being a Sith is good enough to get arrested?

 

I think the Jedi would discourage it because of the conundrum about "Serving the Republic" or "Serving the Force". The Jedi are supposed to serve the force, but they clearly serve the Republic. Having a Jedi sit on the Senate would only further that notion.

Carnage

 

Yeah. Evil incarnate gets elected to high office all the time.

 

You don't think him being a Sith is good enough to get arrested?

Yeah, the concept of arresting someone just for "being" seems out of line even for the GFFA.

 

Jedi could serve as senators, but they generally don't. They'd have to leave the Jedi Order. In the eu, there was a Jedi Chancellor for a time, but that Jedi didn't last forever. Post ROTJ, Cilghal did serve as a Senator. That said, Jedi do serve as advisors to the Chancellor. And have good relations with various senators. Bail Organa would visit the Council often, especially in the wanning days of the Clone Wars. And Bail considered Obi-wan a good friend, after a particular assignment early in the Clone Wars. Which refers to what Leia meant about serving her father. But as the corruption set in, many Jedi had a hard time trusting most of the senators in the Senate. Due to their ties to the future Confederacy.

Leia was not a Jedi, but a Force sensitive during her time in the Imperial Senate. However, she had no training and Bail kept this knowledge to himself. Leia's instincts served her well in judging who was likely to join the Alliance and who would throw their support to them.

 

Wouldn't they have to be able to "sell" it to the public, them arresting the Chancellor? Just being a Sith might not be a good sell to a vast majority of the public that has no idea what a Sith really is. It would be like Vatican placing George Bush under arrest for being... oh, I'd better not even finish that thought.
But yeah, they would need some additional reason to keep the public from scratching their heads about the whole thing and questioning their methods.

 

Wouldn't they have to be able to "sell" it to the public, them arresting the Chancellor?

More importantly, they needed to "sell" it to the Senate, which they didnt. My thought is that since Jedi and Sith are superior beings, the general public mistrusts them both.




DS, only one example of a Jedi Senator in the EU ? That by itself is odd and may be a fluke.

 

If you go by real-life politics, Palps would never be arrested or kicked out of office. Clinton purgered himself in court and at best sexually assaulted at worst raped someone, Ted Kennedy got drunk and drove a car off a bridge, then swam away leaving the girl inside to drown, Robert Byrd was a KKK Kleagle, and US Representative Cynthia McKinney punched a policeman. None of them got kicked out of office.

I dont think Palps would get removed for just being a Sith. On the other hand, if the Jedi got evidence, hardcore evidence, that he was manipulating the war on 2 sides, and murdered several Jedi and others, there is a chance he would get kicked out of office.

 

It would've been totally awesome to have Jedi senators IMO...They would've been able to represent their system better as senators than as policeman, which is kinda how they were.

 

Wouldn't that be like integrating church and state though?
The Jedi are basicly religious monks in a way.... it would never work.

 

Yeah but how do you get priests to be policemen in the first place? It's the same principle with SW if you ask me.

But that is a pretty awesome point JMN77...how DO you seperate church and state?

 

Good frickin' point man!

With a hose?

 

That's how I thought you seperated the priests from altar boys....

That joke was AWESOME!!!

 

Jedi don't like politics. I assume that they wouldn't be allowed to serve in the Senate under JEDI rules, not CONGRESS rules. Jedih ave their place as protectors of peace, and that duty should not be surpassed to serve in the Senate. I assume that if a Jedi left the order they could theoritically serve in the Senate.

 

I think you'd need a crowbar for that!
This one priest I knew when I was a wee alter boy.... well was SO enthusiastic about his *ahem* work, that..... you know maybe I'll just pm you the rest...

 

Dude...your PM was awesome and all...but I just don't see what drinking communion wine from his navel has to do with the Jedi becoming senators...