US founding father descendants, T.J. Delaney and John Adams Paulson, have been friends and occasional lovers since Harvard. Jack's uncomfortable with this, but he's even less okay with T.J.'s belief their love is fated. T.J. is virtually certain they're the literal reincarnations of their legendary ancestors. Jack is virtually certain T.J. is nuts, but he will soon change his mind. Excerpt:“You and your goddamned empty principles,” T.J. barked back. “What’s more important to you, a principle or a reality? The reality of gay people finally being allowed to have the most basic civil rights? Forget the fucking list! This is a much faster road. And the breakfast program will come to naught, we know that. Of that, I am sorry, but I think equal rights beats out even the best-intentioned hunger program.”“I don’t see that one is any more important than the other. T.J., goddamn it, this is how the bastards do it. This is how they divide and conquer. You get sane people from both parties working together and they toss out the red meat to one side or the other. Abortion for women, gun control for men, that‘s the way they work the middle. These guys are not going to give in without one hell of a lot more concessions from our side. There’s more to this. What is it?”“I think they just want to make it impossible for you to progress with your agenda,” T.J. said softly, staring down into the empty place made with his coupled fingers. “They’re terrified of your pedigree. They’re afraid this new effort of yours will unleash a new tide of social spending.”“Keep going, there’s more. What is it? Why go to you? Why not just threaten me directly?”T.J. shook his head with a hollow and melancholy sigh. “The only way they can think to counter your ancestry is with … my own.”“Wonderful. And for my last round of Final Jeopardy, Alex, the answer is ‘What is History repeating itself?"
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