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Politics, law, justice, and morals are all turned on their various heads in this satiric parable. Sacred precepts and institutions are sorely tested, and readers are given a vision of what is possible when an individual has the means to assume powers not granted to him by man or God.
The story begins with the presidential campaign of a young, charismatic governor. He is truly the perfect candidate. Men trust him. Women swoon over him. Even opposing political parties agree that he would make a swell POTUS. He wins by a landslide and begins his presidency. Unfortunately, he also begins a potentially disastrous adulterous affair. Soon he’s neglecting not only his wife but his presidential duties as well. Congress gets the goods on his carnal goings-on and threatens to go public with them. Not wanting to be embarrassed, and not willing to give up his presidency, he overcorrects in monumental proportion. He takes it upon himself to dissolve both Congress and the Supreme Court. Then he puts in place a series of mandates that threaten to obliterate virtually everything the United States holds most dear. Will he be successful? Will the country stand for it? Will the world?
Clerveaux tells his tale with a combination of plot and philosophy. Often his narrative is interspersed with observations on political ideologies amid forays into civics. Tenses frequently collide in the narrative and result in syntactic issues. Still, there is fervor in his prose and a definite appreciation of the governing principles that have made America a democratic beacon for the world. This is a cautionary tale for all lovers of freedom.