The Fredösphere

I just got an idea for a novel in the speculative fiction genre.  The wonderful thing about this blog (from my point of view) is that I can publish the idea without enduring the annoying, time-consuming business of fleshing out the scenario and, you know, writing the thing.

In the near future, the government of the United States is in crisis as an increasingly polarized electorate fails to produce presidents with clear mandates.  Disgusted by the weakness of its top leaders, an influential group of elites recommend raising Augustus Caesar from the dead to rule the U.S. as president for life.  (That such a thing is possible will be the one tongue-in-cheek conceit of the book.  Perhaps I could explain that such a fantastic trick is not attempted more often due to the massive expenditure of resources required.)

As to the plot, I really don't have any idea.  I don't care, for example, to speculate whether Augustus' reign would be successful by any measure.  I'm more interested in imagining the various anachronistic, "conservative" attitudes Augustus would bring to the job.  I imagine him quickly adapting to life in a modern American city, it's vast projects of civil engineering and technological conveniences being mere extrapolations on what the ancient Romans achieved.  I imagine him brooding over Washington, D.C., decrying its decadence (although certain parts of the Judeo-Christian package of morality would baffle him).  No doubt he would rejoice in the greatly expanded culinary options.  (Imagine being more than 80 years old and tasting for the first time chocolate, chiles, potatoes, maize, cola, ice cream, scotch whisky, and coffee.)  He would have mixed emotions about the increased professionalism of military life.  He would absolutely love American football.

Mostly, I'm thinking about the cover art for the novel, and seeing lots of possibilities:  Augustus in a toga, wearing a laurel wreath, standing before Lincoln in his memorial, thinking about how little things have changed in 2000 years -- or maybe a scene inside the oval office, or better, Augustus in a press conference, with the presidential seal on the lectern.  Or how about Augustus posing with an AK-47 in his hand?  (No, wait, that one has been taken already.)