Something odd is happening in Washington.
It is not a loud protest.
It is not a big scandal.
It is a quiet move.
A planned one.
And it could hurt millions of people.
The government is shut down. But this time is different. The White House is using the shutdown as a weapon. It is cutting off money to states and cities. These places are run by its political foes. [1]
Over $27 billion is being held back. This is money for trains, green energy, and roads. It is all gone. The official reason is to “review for waste.” But the targets are all “blue” states. New York. Chicago. California.
It feels like a punishment. It feels personal.
This makes you wonder. What happens when a government uses its money to hurt its own people?
This is not a new story. The answer is 1,200 years old. It is written in the ashes of a fallen empire.
***
## The Time Portal
Let’s go back in time. To the 9th century. To the heart of the Byzantine Empire. The city of Constantinople.
Picture a city of big churches and busy markets. You can smell spices from the East. You can hear many languages.
The man in charge is Emperor Theophilos. He is not a mean ruler. He is a smart man. He loves art and justice. He thinks he is a good ruler.
But Theophilos has a big problem. He is obsessed with his image. To him, the Emperor is more than a man. He is God’s ruler on Earth. He must be perfect. He must be above the dirty world of business.
One day, a fine ship sails into the city’s harbor. It is full of costly goods. It is a sign of the empire’s wealth. But this ship holds a secret. A secret that will make the Emperor very mad.
***
## The Parallel Revelation
The ship belongs to the Empress Theodora. His own wife.
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