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Dear friends: I enjoy sending you my column every week, but I ask you to pay special attention to this one. Here goes…

Let’s stop pretending. Let’s stop acting like this is normal. Let’s stop kidding ourselves that there is any adult supervision left in Washington.

There isn't.

If the first few weeks of 2026 have taught us anything, it’s that the chaos we are witnessing isn't an accident. It’s the plan. We are watching the systematic dismantling of the guardrails that have protected this Republic for 250 years, and it is happening right in front of our faces.

Look at the headlines. A president who openly flouts international law to invade a sovereign nation like Venezuela – not because of a national security threat, but for oil. A president who treats the Justice Department like his personal law firm. A president who demonizes career civil servants and replaces them with lackeys whose only qualification is absolute loyalty to the Boss.

This isn't foreign policy. It’s a stick-up.

And what do we get from the Republicans in Congress? Silence. Crickets. Men and women who once preached the gospel of "fiscal responsibility" and "rule of law" have suddenly lost their voices. They see the same chaos we do. They see the same violation of norms. But they are too terrified of a mean tweet to do their constitutional duty.

It is no happy new year when the truth is the first casualty of the administration. We are fed a daily diet of "alternative facts" so colossal, repeated so often, that they make Orwell’s “1984” look like a documentary. They tell us the economy is booming for the little guy while they cut deals for their billionaire friends. They tell us they are restoring order while they sow division in our streets.

Don't buy it.

We have seen this movie before. We know how it ends. It ends with a country divided, a reputation in tatters and a citizenry too exhausted to fight back. That is exactly what they want. They want you to tune out. They want you to give up.

But we can't afford to be tired. The stakes are too high. The survival of our democracy is on the ballot every single day now, not just in November.

God save the Republic.

There you go! So, what do you think? I think it might be my best column ever. But, here’s the kicker: I didn’t write it! It was entirely written by Google’s Gemini AI when asked by my podcast producer Jay Feldman to write a column on the current political landscape in Bill Press style.

First, Gemini noted that “to write in the style of Bill Press, one must channel the voice of an unapologetic, old-school progressive fighter who combines the punchiness of a radio host with the moral indignation of a seasoned columnist. His writing is direct, confrontational and deeply concerned with the erosion of democratic norms.”

Gemini continued: “Press writes like he speaks. He uses short, staccato sentences to build rhythm. He often starts with a conventional observation or a pleasantry, then immediately pivots to a hard-hitting critique. He loves repeating a phrase at the beginning of consecutive sentences to hammer home a point. He doesn't mince words. If he thinks someone is lying, he calls them a ‘liar.’”

That’s not all: “Press frequently draws parallels to historical failures (Vietnam, Iraq, Watergate) to frame current events. He is laser-focused on disinformation and often references the concept of the "Big Lie" to describe political gaslighting. His columns almost always end with a dramatic, often ominous, summary sentence that serves as a warning.”

Google’s Gemini AI then produced the column – my reaction to which, I must admit, is mixed.

First, I’m floored that Gemini knows me better than I know myself. I’m afraid it might soon put me out of a job. Second, while recognizing its many positive aspects, I fear the negative impacts an uncontrolled, unregulated AI could have across our culture and economy, including jobs lost.

At the same time, I’m impressed that, without prompting, even AI knows how bad things are under Donald Trump and expresses it so forcefully.

To Google Gemini AI’s column, I’d just add one comment: We were treated this week to a photo of Donald Trump flipping the bird to a protester in Detroit. Now it’s our turn – for the vast majority of Americans to flip the bird to Donald Trump in the mid-term elections on Tuesday, November 3.

(Bill Press is host of The BillPressPod, and author of 10 books, including: “From the Left: My Life in the Crossfire.” His email address is: bill@billpress.com. Readers may also follow him on Twitter @billpresspod and on BlueSky @BillPress.bsky.social.)

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