Break Glass in Case of Emergency

This is a different kind of episode than is typical; there's no book, no central text, not even a single, central event that guides the conversation. Instead, we begin with a few recent news items—speculation about Trump 2028, Speaker Mike Johnson's refusal to swear in a Democratic congresswoman, the stunning abdication of Congress as the shutdown continues, and, incredibly, a secretive billionaire and Mellon heir donates over a hundred million dollars to pay the military, among others—and then lay out our profound worries about Trump ruling by decree, and the coming of MAGA-style Caeserism. How and when might that occur? We discuss troubling signals the Trump administration is sending about upcoming elections, and especially the 2026 midterms; the ticking time bomb that is the Insurrection Act; how the right thinks about executive power (then and now), and more. Sources: Peter Rothpletz, " Trump's Third Term? " Zeteo/First Draft , Oct 24, 2025 Dana Milbank, " How Reactionary is MAGA? Try the First Century B.C. ," Washington Post , Sept 7, 2022 Steve Bannon interview with The Economist , Oct 23, 2025 ( YouTube ) Shawn Hubler & Laurel Rosenhall, " Justice Department Will Monitor Ele…