Billionaires and the Media

"2025" -- Final Chapter and Episode

I wrote the final chapter of “2025” a while back. But I saved it for release until the podcast episode was also ready.

For those of who have not kept up with either—know that the stories are narrated by two reporters (Rose Carpenter and Calvin Stegman) of a magazine called The Capitol Monthly, who have each been assigned to cover the “two sides” of the story of a hypothetical 2025, with Trump in office.

Well, here is that 12th/final chapter and episode.

And this story is what happens to the The Capitol Monthly itself—and those reporters—after trying in good faith to deliver the “truth” about the events of 2025.

If you sense a creepy parallel to the non-endorsements by the billionaire-led Washington Post and LA Times in the past few weeks, and the resignations that have followed, you’re not the only one.

As I keep saying, it’s all so predictable.

So here’s the grand finale….(it’s brief, btw)

Part 3.

The pressure came immediately after January. The day after the first story.

We were fake news, the new administration warned our publisher. Too one-sided.

The criticism grew louder after February—the IVF story. Show both sides, they demanded.

Advertisers pulled out. Social media companies buried us in algorithms. Death threats came Rose’s way.

I brought in Calvin in March. Cover the other side, I told him. The new administration promised him great access. Top officials. Supporters. Voters. Front-line enforcers. And those who benefitted from his policies—business leaders, voucher recipients and the like.

But each month, the complaints still grew. From the White House. From advertisers. From social media trolls.

Rose’s stories, too much. Calvin’s stories, not fair, even though they came right from the access they’d given us.

We cut back on Rose.  Gave Calvin more ink.

Philadelphia was the Rubicon. Too raw, the publisher said. For the first time, he looked scared.

In October, a firm called Gorilla Capital made an offer our owner couldn’t refuse.

No more Rose.

We ran what we had about Hurricane Timothy before they cut us off.

I walked out of the building for the last time December 1.

So did Calvin.

Theo Shepherd

Former Editor

Capitol Monthly

December 2, 2025

Chapter 12

December

Capitol Monthly

“Year-in-Review”

By Chip Manson, Editor

Washington D.C.

As a candidate, the president made countless promises to the nation. His backers and allies made similar promises. Most didn’t believe the plan would actually happen.

But as president, he spent 2025 fulfilling those very promises.

He deported those who protest our allies, punished traitors, and cracked down on insurrectionists and domestic terrorists.

He protected life from the moment of conception.

He replaced the Deep State bureaucrats with loyal servants who best reflect the popular will of the American people.

Promises kept.

He ordered the largest mass deportation in American history.

He unlocked the freedom to work for all workers, including new opportunities among America’s young people.

He cut costs and outsourced functions better done by the private sector.

Promises kept.

He created universal choice in education while cracking down on pornography and vaccination discrimination in schools.

He cleaned up Florida after the governor failed so miserably.

He declared war on “woke,” and won.

And so much more.

Promises made. Promises kept.

Onto 2026.

To listen to this Episode (where I play a small role) as part of the Podcast, go HERE, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Or, you can buy the entire book HERE.

Thank you all for reading and listening.

Let’s do all we can in these final five days to make sure all that I’ve written is irrelevant fiction, and not reality.