283- A Third Term with the Tyrant challenges our constitutional values With Paul Greenberg

Paul Greenberg joins us to discuss his satirical novel "The Third Term," which imagines George Washington returning from the past to challenge a Trump-like tyrant seeking an unconstitutional third presidential term. Written in just one month during 2020 but published for the 2024 election cycle, this compact, fast-paced satire examines what America's founding ideals mean in an era of personality cults and constitutional crises.

• Washington was chosen as protagonist because he established the two-term precedent, prioritizing democracy over personal power
• The tyrant character is infuriated by Washington's omnipresence on American currency, highlighting his obsession with fame and status
• Modern politics has abandoned character for team loyalty, exactly what the founders warned against in the Federalist Papers
• Digital distraction and smartphone addiction parallel political dysfunction, both diminishing our capacity for critical thinking
• Protests across America show growing awareness of democratic erosion, though media coverage often focuses only on isolated violence
• Book aims to puncture political bubbles, appealing to readers across the political spectrum concerned about democratic norms

Find "The Third Term" available now on Amazon and at independent bookstores, with an audiobook releasing soon. A screenplay adaptation is also in development.

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