The Bill Press Pod - Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal Chapter 5: The Department of Retribution.

Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal Chapter 5: The Department of Retribution.

10/09/24 • 64 min

In Chapter 5 of Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal, Part one, the fictional characters Congresswoman Louise Getty and Senator Wade Stiller, former rivals, meet at the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. They reflect on their pasts and express concern over a hostile political climate under Trump’s second term, feeling fear and paranoia about being surveilled and targeted by the government. Their conversation reveals a sense of vulnerability as they confront the reality that many of their colleagues have abandoned principles out of fear. Louise recalls the intense political maneuvering and betrayals leading up to and following the January 6 insurrection.

In Part Two, Woody Nuxhall, the newly appointed head of the Treason and Political Crime Section of the DOJ, oversees his zealous young team of prosecutors, eager to pursue investigations and vendettas against political enemies. The group discusses tactics to surveil and undermine former colleagues and opposition figures, planning a strategy fueled by partisan loyalty and vengeance, while embracing a radical transformation of the DOJ's role in politics. The narrative emphasizes the deeply entrenched fear and moral compromise within Washington's political landscape, contrasting the idealistic memories of past sacrifices with the present-day weaponization of governmental power. Overall, the story highlights the erosion of democratic norms, and the personal toll this environment takes on the individuals involved.

While these stories are fictional, they are based on Trump's own words and Project 2025. In fact, the New York Times, just last week reported just how Trump would use the Justice Department to go after his enemies.

We’d like to thank the artists who contributed their time to make this episode:

Richard Schiff and Morgan Fairchild read the chapters and others who contributed character voices.

Sound Design by Marilys Ernst and Jon Moser.

Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal was written by David Pepper and Produced by Pepper, Melissa Jo Peltier and Jay Feldman and is a production of Ovington Avenue Productions and The Bill Press Pod.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’d like to thank the artists who contributed their time to make this episode:

Richard Schiff and Morgan Fairchild read the chapters and others who contributed character voices.

Sound Design by Marilys Ernst and Jon Moser.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Previous Episode

Nut Cases in The House with The Washington Post's Dana Milbank

The great columnist for The Washington Post Dana Milbank has a hilarious/frightening new book: Fools on the Hill: The Hooligans, Saboteurs, Conspiracy Theorists, and Dunces Who Burned Down the House. Bill’s conversation with Dana highlights the perceived incompetence and extremism of the current Republican House members, including figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Kevin McCarthy. Milbank’s book chronicles the dysfunction and conspiracy theories within the House Republican caucus. Milbank argues that if Republicans maintain control of the House with Trump-aligned members like Mike Johnson as Speaker, it could pose a serious threat to American democracy, as they would likely seek to overturn election results at Trump's behest. The podcast emphasizes the high stakes of the 2024 House races and the need for Democrats to regain control to prevent further damage to the institution of Congress.

Bill points us to SwingLeft , an organization targeting the key races that could win control of the House and Senate. If Harris wins, she will need a Democratic Congress to get things done. Go to SwingLeft.org and give what you can.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Next Episode

Project 2025: Up Close and Personal- Mass Deportation Disaster

The story that leads off Chapter 6 of Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal, Mass Deportation Disaster captures the struggles of 12-year-old Alvaro and his mother in a fictional detention center in West Texas. Alvaro expresses his hunger to his mother, who is too weak to properly care for herself. As they navigate the deteriorating conditions of the camp—overcrowded with diminishing food supplies, hostile guards, and a sense of fear from both authorities and fellow detainees—Alvaro reflects on lost friendships and longing for better times. His mother’s health declines as she sacrifices for him, giving him her piece of bread despite needing it more herself. This highlights Alvaro’s growing awareness of their desperate situation. He learns from a friend, Manuel, about possible escape routes and decides to plan his own escape to ensure both his and his mother’s safety.

In the second half of Chapter 6, in a parallel narrative, soldier Jake Caldwell describes the chaos of the detention center from his perspective. As he witnesses the overwhelming influx of women and children, he feels the systemic failures of the camp. The environment strips away humanity, leading children to escape in search of freedom. As both narratives unfold, Alvaro attempts to escape the camp, filled with hope for a future where he can see his mother smile again even as Jake grapples with the moral dilemmas of his role in the oppressive system. Their stories intertwine themes of resilience, sacrifice, and the harsh realities faced by both detainees and guards in the unjust conditions of the camp.

We'd like to thank all the artists who volunteered their time to make this episode:

Mark Ruffalo and Andrea Guidry who read the chapters and others who contributed character voices.

Sound design by Marilys Ernst and Jon Moser.

Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal is written by David Pepper and produced by Pepper, Melissa Jo Peltier and Jay Feldman and is a production of Ovington Avenue Productions and The Bill Press Pod.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.