This week's Fact Check Dispatch is a breakdown of what really caused the 2025 government shutdown. Despite the headlines, it was not about “healthcare for illegal immigrants.” It was about H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which gutted healthcare programs and turned next year’s funding into a political weapon.

The episode unpacks how that law’s cuts to ACA subsidies and Medicaid created the shutdown crisis, then moves into the larger story of how fear and control shape political systems. We turn to the fall of the Galactic Republic, examining how Chancellor Palpatine manufactured wars, staged threats, and used emergency powers to build an empire.

The episode closes by connecting those same tactics to modern history, showing how leaders from the 1930s to today have used crisis as a pretext for control.

Show Notes and Sources: Available at ⁠www.wesidedwiththerebellion.com⁠

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Disclaimer:This podcast is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Lucasfilm Ltd., Disney, or Star Wars. Any references remain the property of their respective owners and are used for commentary and educational purposes only.

Silence serves the oppressor. Truth fuels the rebellion.