In a well-known episode of The Twilight Zone, titled “It’s a Good Life,” life isn’t at all good for those who dare anger six-year-old Anthony, who has the power to punish those who would contradict his wishes, no matter how nonsensical or cruel. Show creator Rod Serling, in his still chilling introduction, calls Anthony Fremont a “monster,” albeit one “with a cute, little boy face and blue guileless eyes. But when those eyes look at you, you better start thinking happy thoughts.”

Are we in the Twilight Zone?

America’s 78-year-old leader may not exile opponents to a “cornfield,” the name used for oblivion in that episode, or turn them into a grotesque jack-in-the-box, the fate of poor Dan Hollis when he lost his temper with little Anthony.

But Donald Trump can be just as destructive if you fail to show due deference or, worse yet, cross him. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discovered, Trump may suspend aid to your country until you accept the lie that Ukraine was the aggressor villain in its war with Russia.

You and your job could be “on the bubble,” the president’s words, if you refuse to obey unelected billionaire Elon Musk’s orders to justify your usefulness by listing five accomplishments that pass muster with 19-year-old tech bros drunk on power.

Trump’s Department of Justice, under orders from yet another unqualified white man, could fire or demote you for doing your job, that job being the hard work of investigating and successfully prosecuting January 6 rioters and criminals. Acting U.S. attorney in Washington Ed Martin may not have any previous experience as a federal prosecutor, but the “Stop the Steal” movement veteran is great at revenge.

And, by the way, isn’t it the American people’s Department of Justice?

At Tuesday night’s speech to Congress, watching reactions from those present, you had to keep reminding yourself that members represent the people. Republican elected officials holding recent town halls in their home districts have seemed surprised when being asked substantive questions by voters expecting answers.

Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina has a solution: Stop having in-person interactions. Hudson, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, recommended a virtual or Facebook Live option instead, according to reporting from The New York Times, perhaps fearing the images of heated interactions will reverberate come election time.

Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana agreed, blaming mostly “Democrat activists who don’t live in the district” for the ruckus. I’m sure some bona fide Republicans have questions about cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the wisdom of Musk running around with a chainsaw ready to slash everything except his own companies’ ties to agencies he’s regulating.

But here’s my question for Johnson: Even if those with questions happen to be Democrats, don’t they also have a voice in American politics, or does GOP control mean everyone else needs to sit down, shut up, and take their medicine?

Trump’s speech stretched to an hour and 40 minutes, resembling one of Fidel Castro’s legendary marathons, full of self-serving bluster and superlatives labeling everything the best that ever was.

At the speech, it was a Democrat, Rep. Al Green of Texas, who stood up in loud protest as Trump falsely claimed a mandate for his drastic actions. For getting into what the late Democratic Rep. John Lewis — who once led a sit-in on the House floor — might call “good trouble,” Speaker Johnson has threatened Green with “censure.”

Compliant congressional Republicans are mighty afraid of being banished to the “cornfield,” or in their case, being primaried, thus possibly losing power and their own federal paychecks. They were quick to leap to their feet at nearly every utterance of Trump at his speech, a few looking both terrified and embarrassed.

Apparently, turning your back on the idea of a multiracial and inclusive democracy, where different kinds of people with different gifts and opinions can thrive, is no problem, especially if you never bought into that ideal in the first place.

Trump, wearing that smirk he favors, especially when he’s bullying a perceived enemy, may seldom make sense; but he revels in the power. Sometimes, I think he gets a special thrill when he forces Republican officials to change their minds on an issue once held dear.

As Washington political denizens venture back home, if they dare, constituents’ angry pleas won’t be able to compete with the specter of the president’s disapproving gaze.

“When those eyes look at you, you better start thinking happy thoughts.”

Mary C. Curtis has worked at The New York Times, The Baltimore Sun, The Charlotte Observer, as national correspondent for Politics Daily, and is a senior facilitator with The OpEd Project. She is host of the CQ Roll Call "Equal Time with Mary C. Curtis" podcast. Follow her on X @mcurtisnc3.