Ira Glass

You are serious. There are certain things that they do. For example, they pick some group in society to be like, these are the people who we hate, who are ruining things for the rest of us. That's one thing they do.

You are serious. There are certain things that they do. For example, they pick some group in society to be like, these are the people who we hate, who are ruining things for the rest of us. That's one thing they do.

And then another thing is that they call to some sort of golden age. Yeah, that they're going to recreate in the future. And then you're saying another one is just, we're going to expand...

And then another thing is that they call to some sort of golden age. Yeah, that they're going to recreate in the future. And then you're saying another one is just, we're going to expand...

And the something greater is a country that's expanding its borders?

And the something greater is a country that's expanding its borders?

OK. So obviously nobody knows what's coming next. But if you see Trump as a kind of autocratic ruler and you worry about him taking more power in that way, what are the things you'd be looking for next? Like what are the markers of it going further?

OK. So obviously nobody knows what's coming next. But if you see Trump as a kind of autocratic ruler and you worry about him taking more power in that way, what are the things you'd be looking for next? Like what are the markers of it going further?

Masha Gessen. Their book about Donald Trump and his autocratic tendencies is called Surviving Autocracy. These days, they're an opinion columnist at the New York Times. They recently wrote in the Times... Life under autocracy can be terrifying, as it already is in the United States for immigrants and trans people.

Masha Gessen. Their book about Donald Trump and his autocratic tendencies is called Surviving Autocracy. These days, they're an opinion columnist at the New York Times. They recently wrote in the Times... Life under autocracy can be terrifying, as it already is in the United States for immigrants and trans people.

But those of us with experience can tell you most of the time, for most people, it's not frightening. It is stultifying. It's boring. It feels like trying to see and breathe underwater because you're submerged in bad ideas, being discussed badly, being reflected in bad journalism, and eventually in bad literature and bad movies.

But those of us with experience can tell you most of the time, for most people, it's not frightening. It is stultifying. It's boring. It feels like trying to see and breathe underwater because you're submerged in bad ideas, being discussed badly, being reflected in bad journalism, and eventually in bad literature and bad movies.

Just this week, lawyers nominated for top positions in the Justice Department, including Solicitor General, were asked if the president could ignore or disobey a court order. And they hedged. They did not say that he should obey. Vice President Vance said earlier this month that judges should not be allowed to control what the president does. Act three, in defense of unnecessary lies.

Just this week, lawyers nominated for top positions in the Justice Department, including Solicitor General, were asked if the president could ignore or disobey a court order. And they hedged. They did not say that he should obey. Vice President Vance said earlier this month that judges should not be allowed to control what the president does. Act three, in defense of unnecessary lies.

Well, it's been nearly a whole hour talking about far-fetched lies that do not seem to make the world a better place at all. Our tone, I'll admit, has been skeptical, sometimes incredulous. In this act, we turn that around. I present one of our co-workers here at the radio show, Ike Shreeskandarasha.

Well, it's been nearly a whole hour talking about far-fetched lies that do not seem to make the world a better place at all. Our tone, I'll admit, has been skeptical, sometimes incredulous. In this act, we turn that around. I present one of our co-workers here at the radio show, Ike Shreeskandarasha.

Ike Sreeskandarajah is one of the producers of our show. By the way, his friend Charles, who Ike lied to about Karl Rove, Charles told her amazingly that he never thought that that was true. He lied to Ike about believing it and also about telling others just to amuse himself.

Ike Sreeskandarajah is one of the producers of our show. By the way, his friend Charles, who Ike lied to about Karl Rove, Charles told her amazingly that he never thought that that was true. He lied to Ike about believing it and also about telling others just to amuse himself.

Our program was produced today by Diane Wu. The people who put together today's show include Jendayi Bonds, Michael Kamate, Angela Gervasi, Catherine Raimondo, Stone Nelson, Nadia Raymond, Ryan Rumery, Lily Sullivan, Frances Swanson, Christopher Switala, and Julie Whitaker. Our managing editor is Sara Abdurrahman. Our senior editor is David Kestenbaum. Our executive editor is Emmanuel Berry.

Our program was produced today by Diane Wu. The people who put together today's show include Jendayi Bonds, Michael Kamate, Angela Gervasi, Catherine Raimondo, Stone Nelson, Nadia Raymond, Ryan Rumery, Lily Sullivan, Frances Swanson, Christopher Switala, and Julie Whitaker. Our managing editor is Sara Abdurrahman. Our senior editor is David Kestenbaum. Our executive editor is Emmanuel Berry.