4. Congressional Budget Office. “Medicaid Work Requirements and Coverage Effects.” Published March 2025. https://www.cbo.gov. Details the actual impact of work requirements on Medicaid coverage, backing the section in the story where Jane struggles through a reapplication process for Marcus.
5. U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “Fentanyl Seizures and Overdose Data.” Accessed July 2025. https://www.cbp.gov. Contrasts Trump’s inflated claim about “saving 258 million lives” with actual fentanyl-related death and seizure statistics, reinforcing the story’s theme of overblown political rhetoric.
6. The White House. “Remarks by President Trump on Tariff Strategy.” February 2025. https://www.whitehouse.gov. Source of the “enrich our citizens” claim, giving insight into how economic policies like tariffs directly affected characters like Marcus in the story.
7. The New York Times. “Trump Calls January 6 Defendants ‘Hostages’ in Campaign Speech.” June 2025. https://www.nytimes.com. Confirms the shift in tone toward January 6 and the rebranding of rioters, as seen in the story’s critique of historical revisionism and Jane’s reaction to the language.
8. PolitiFact. “Did Trump Say Prices Dropped 1,500%?” Accessed July 2025. https://www.politifact.com. Verifies and analyzes mathematically impossible statements like “prices will fall 1,500%,” echoing the story’s themes of absurdity and eroded logic in public discourse.
9. Jefferson, Thomas. The Writings of Thomas Jefferson , edited by Albert Ellery Bergh. Washington, D.C.: Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association, 1907. Cited in the story’s challenge to fabricated Jefferson quotes used in modern political theater—underscoring historical misuse for ideological ends.
10. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “Medicaid Eligibility and Work Requirements.” Accessed July 2025. https://www.medicaid.gov. Reinforces the bureaucratic challenges faced by Jane and Marcus, grounding the narrative in real administrative barriers.