Episode description

SEASON 3 EPISODE 96: EMERGENCY EDITION

A-Block (1:45) (AN EMERGENCY PODCAST): Trump is having them ask candidates for jobs in his administration’s FBI field stations away from D-C what is probably the most chilling question ever asked by any government of the United States: “Who is your real boss?”

This is, if you do not know, in The Washington Post’s brief, damning, almost (despite everything) unbelievable, nightmarish report posted late Saturday night. The Post is quoting applicants for the FBI and other top National Security positions – and they hint some of these are people who were IN these organizations, dismissed, and are being the opportunity to return to work. At least two FBI applicants were asked at least two questions out of George Orwell or the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany. One, you heard: Who is your real boss? If you need more, don’t worry, there IS more. Who were “the real patriots on January 6th?”

We know through the Post’s reporting, of at least two other questions, asked of those being interviewed for some kind of leadership positions WITHIN the Trump national security apparatus IN Washington. They are told to answer yes or no to each. Question one: was January 6th an “inside job?” Question two: Was the 2020 presidential election stolen? At least these two applicants told their interviewers ‘no.’ Neither was hired.

Just the asking of these questions alone – never mind the answers, let alone the implications that it is anything BUT political science fiction to conclude that some people have already answered YES and are moving into roles at the FBI and other law enforcement and national security organizations – just ASKING these questions, signals the end of democracy because if today you can ask candidates for FEDERAL law enforcement positions to swear personal loyalty to their “real boss” and if today you can ask candidates for those same positions to insist lies about January 6th and the 2020 election are the truth, and that the truths are lies… then tomorrow you can make it ILLEGAL to answer that the 2020 election wasn’t stolen, and then next week you can make it illegal to publish or broadcast that the 2020 election wasn’t stolen, and then the week after that you can put anybody who does in prison.

We are already here. To be in law enforcement, you have to prove in advance you are willing to lie for Trump. I hope every bothsidesist reporter and whatboutist executive and bipartisan Democrat has a secret plan they've been saving for the last possible moment.

Because we are at the last possible moment.

PLUS: Musk is now hinting at ignoring the court ruling restraining him from further access to government computers and payroll systems. If he and Trump don't obey the rulings force of some kind will have to be applied and this entire issue of democracy versus dictatorship may come to a head faster than ever anticipated  

B-Block (26:20) MORE SPECIAL COMMENTS: We are at the point where I hope I've never been righter and the continuation of democracy actually does depend more on the stupidity of those trying to destroy it than it does on the efforts of those of us trying to save it. But there are measures we take - or at least our wobbling, dubious opposition party can take: deny support for anything in the House and put a personal hold on anything Trump wants from the Senate. And we need a Wartime Consigliere or if you're from this century, The War Doctor.

C-Block (41:20) WRAPPING IT UP: I don't know when the next episode will be. I do know we need our own answer from Hakeem Jeffries and every other Democrat to the question of the hour: Who's Your Boss?

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