Breaking the Deadlock

In the fictional town of Middlevania, it's Election Eve, 8 PM. Polls are tied, and only a handful know the truth: teens burned the Ten Commandments, not protesters. At a packed rally, a supporter repeats a viral rumor, and a candidate faces a choice: protect his integrity or chase victory in a razor-thin election. Watch this clip from BREAKING the DEADLOCK: Truth Under Fire to see what he decides.

Social media gives everyone a voice—but does it spread truth or chaos? Experts debate whether algorithms fuel angry mobs, distort facts, and threaten democracy, or if they empower accountability and transparency. Can empathy and shared facts can rescue democracy from digital chaos.

When a school poster sparks outrage, a storm of faith, politics, and media responsibility erupts. Should journalists lean in or step back? Who decides what’s fair—and what’s true? This hypothetical discussion raises big questions about free expression, and the role of journalism in shaping public perception.

In this hypothetical scenario, minutes before a rally, a candidate learns that a former staffer faked a viral video that’s fueling their campaign. Then the President calls, urging him to lean into the lie because voters love it. Will the candidate choose truth over strategy? Is honesty the path to becoming a hero? The next move might define history.

Imagine this: Hours before polls open, a shocking confession threatens to upend an election. A mother is caught in an ethical storm after her son admits he staged the Ten Commandments burning to sway opinion. With politics, community division, and campaign stakes at play, accountability, family loyalty, and damage control collide in a race against time.

What happens when victory comes at the expense of truth? In this hypothetical scenario, one candidate has triumphed in a close election, but now faces a reckoning with integrity, and the long view of leadership. Voices across the spectrum examine disinformation, pluralism, and why fact-based decision-making matters more than ever.

Facing a gripping hypothetical dilemma—disinformation about a controversial school board decision spreading rapidly on social media—a panel of experts grapples with what is true, and what truth even means today. Watch the preview for BREAKING the DEADLOCK: Truth Under Fire.

In the hypothetical situation presented in this clip from BREAKING THE DEADLOCK: A Power Play, “Senator” Chris Christie questions the "president’s" authority to defund the “Green Business Bureau” via executive order. Urged to show unity, Christie stands firm on his oath to the Constitution and vows to speak for Middlevania—even if it means holding his own press conference.

A car crash leaves “Senator” Goldman injured. The driver is convicted—but some demand a pardon. The “president” weighs political and moral stakes as advisors debate justice, legacy, and the limits of executive power. Is the pardon power a shield against injustice—or a political weapon? Decide for yourself as you watch this hypothetical scene play out from BREAKING THE DEADLOCK: A Power Play.

Watch a preview for BREAKING the DEADLOCK: A Power Play sparks civil dialogue in polarized times. Guided by UC Davis Law Professor Aaron Tang, a diverse panel explores ethical dilemmas in a fictional tale of executive power—told through two fictional U.S. Presidents from opposing parties. Complex, timely, and thought-provoking.

"Chief Justice" Duncan warns of threats to judicial integrity as a judge clashes with the "president" over defunding the "Green Business Bureau". "Attorney General" Goldman pushes back, Severino resists, and a former clerk-turned-podcaster calls it unconstitutional. Watch this simulated scenario from BREAKING the DEADLOCK: A Power Play and decide for yourself.

As rival "presidents" push executive power to new limits, a call emerges for accountability, courage, and constitutional grounding. The real challenge? A weakened Congress, performative politics, and voters who must demand better. With the nation’s 250th anniversary ahead, the question remains: can we still come together to form a more perfect union? BREAKING the DEADLOCK: A Power Play.