SECOND TERM

A NOVEL OF

AMERICA IN THE LAST DAYS

JOHN PRICE

Christian House Publishing, Inc.

Second Term is Book One of a trilogy of novels arising         from events that may well occur during the second term of an American President, informed by Biblical prophecy.

SECOND TERM

A NOVEL OF AMERICA IN THE LAST DAYS

Copyright © 2012 and 2013 by John Price

This book is a novel, a work of fiction. Any similarity or resemblance of the characters depicted in this book to actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Names, characters, places and incidents depicted in this novel are devised and used fictitiously.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Author or Christian House Publishing, Inc.

www.SECONDTERMBOOK.com

www.ENDOFAMERICABOOK.com

Library of Congress Control Number – 2011916857

Price, John

SECOND TERM

A Novel of America in the Last Days

ISBN-13: 978-0-9840771-3-7 (Amazon)

ISBN-13: 978-0-9840771-4-4 (Kindle)

Printed in the United States of America

AMENDMENT ONE

TO THE CONSTITUTION

OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Congress shall make no law respecting

an establishment of religion,

or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;

or the right of the people peaceably to assemble,

and to petition the

Government for a redress of grievances.

AMENDMENT TWO

TO THE CONSTITUTION

OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A well-regulated militia,

being necessary to the security of a free state,

the right of the people to keep and bear arms

shall not be infringed.

(The Bill of Rights was adopted on December 15, 1791)

I.

THE

PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION

“It will begin with an internal revolution.”

Introduction to September, 1984 “Message to America” by Romanian Pastor Dumitru Duduman (1932-1997)

ONE

THE WHITE HOUSE OVAL OFFICE

Washington, DC

Vivian Higgins raced down the hall of the West Wing, flew past the Secret Service Agent posted at the door to the Oval Office and pushed open the office’s curved door, without being announced. As the President’s Chief Domestic Policy Advisor, she was the only staff member who could get away with such an injudicious entrance. The President, who was reading a memo from Speaker Pelham, snapped his head up to see who had burst into his world-famous office without even a knock, let alone a phone alert.

Once he saw that it was Vivian, he smiled broadly, knowing that even if he asked her to be more respectful of his official space, it wouldn’t do any good. They went too far back, to the days when neither had any money, nor much power, just a common desire to radically transform their country. Both knew that the President was sitting in this august office only because Vivian, who was then working for the mayor of their city, had taken him under her wing. Vivian had been introduced to the young community organizer by his fiancée, a friend of Vivian’s. Impressed by his good looks and his hyper-liberal ideas, which matched those of Vivian perfectly, she quickly introduced him to the members of the establishment in their city. The rest, as they both had frequently observed since, was definitely history.

The President couldn’t recall ever seeing his Chief Domestic Policy Advisor so upset. “Whoa, Vivian, slow up. Come here and sit down. You look like you’re about to blow a gasket. What’s the problem?”

The President wasn’t too concerned as he knew that whatever was bothering Vivian Higgins had nothing to do with a foreign crisis, or even a blow up in his already stormy relationship with Congress. Vivian had a habit of losing her temper only when anything came close to touching the personal reputation of her boss, whom she clearly idolized. The President readily accepted the admiration of those who held him in high regard, but held in obvious disdain those who didn’t.

Clutching a printed e-mail, Vivian moved towards the most famous desk in the world, her voice shaking with emotion. “Mr. President, tell me this Politico e-news article that just hit our computer screens is wrong. You’re not seriously considering dumping the Vice President and replacing him with Hilde? Tell me it ain’t so! Not Hilde Ramona Calhoun.”

“Now, Vivian, calm down….you know I won’t do anything that major without talking first to you….and….of course, talking….to…The Wife.”

“So, you are thinking about it? I knew it.”

“I have to, Vivian, you know that, we all know the Veep can’t open his mouth without sticking in both feet. You remember what he did to me on same sex….”

“Stop. I know better than anybody what a world class dope he is. You usually assign me to clean up his daily mess. That’s not the issue. He needs to go off the ticket….but Hilde?....Surely you haven’t decided….to….”

“I told you that until you and The Wife and I discuss this, it’s not a done deal. Plus, the printed results from the poll David ordered aren’t on my desk yet. All I have is David’s phone call telling me that Hilde on the ticket would move 5-6 per cent of the base into our column. I don’t have to tell you how close this election is and what 5 to 6 per cent of the vote can mean for winning….and….Vivian, no matter what you think of Hilde, we have to win. Davy and the campaign staff can only steal so many votes.”

“OK, look I get all that, but I haven’t forgotten The Wife’s near meltdown when you were considering Hilde for Vice President four years ago. What did she ask you?….‘Do you really want Hilde, and her media-hungry husband, Wilbur Jackson Calhoun, who, let us not forget, occupied this office for two terms, located just down the hall from the Oval Office?’ ”

“Yeah, yeah. That was her argument, and I eventually agreed, especially when I realized from the early polls that I couldn’t lose, that I could put Donald Duck on the ticket and still win.”

“So, instead you ran with Goofy and look what that’s done for you. He’s a constant embarrassment….Oh, by the way, I called The Wife on the way out of my office. She’s on her way down to….”

TWO

THE WHITE HOUSE OVAL OFFICE

Washington, DC

WHAM. The Oval Office curved door slammed against its door stop as the First Lady bolted into the room.

“WHAT? Hilde Calhoun? No….NO….Did you hear me? NEVER.”

The First Lady was livid. She was beyond upset, she was irate. Vivian’s call had ignited her famous uncontrollable anger. How dare her husband consider replacing the Vice President with former First Lady Hilde Ramona Calhoun.

“Now, honey, slow it down. Nobody’s decided anything, and you know that….”

“Don’t honey me. You’d better not decide something like this without my consent”, she said while glancing at her best friend in the White House, “and Vivian’s consent, also, of course.”

“Look, let’s take this one step at a time, shall we? Do we all agree that the Veep should be history? Too much baggage. An Albatross around our neck. Pick your metaphor.”

The President had agreed to his one unbreakable rule in his first week in power when, in a weak moment, he told his wife, and his closest political advisor, that he wouldn’t decide anything “really big” unless all three agreed. He had come to regret his words within days, but, by then it was too late, and he had been hobbled ever since with what amounted to a quiet ‘Three Way Presidency.’ His staff members soon figured out how things worked, so they invariably lobbied Vivian first, then the First Lady, and if they had both votes, then they presented their proposals to the man elected as the ‘leader of the free world’, though there were really three co-leaders.

Both women, now seated on the two chairs on both sides of his desk, said nothing, but both quietly slowly nodded, waiting for the President’s next words, the ones they were both prepared to pounce on.

“I get it, girls, I get it….You both hate Hilde. But, I’ve worked with her for the last three years, and really….she’s not that bad. She’s a lot more savvy on complicated foreign affairs issues than Wilbur ever was. Everybody used to say that when she married Wilbur she latched onto her ticket to political stardom. I don’t agree. I think he did.”

Both women continued to say nothing, staring at the President. He had not spoken….yet….the words they were both well prepared to counter. Forcefully.

Fidgeting. Brushing dust off his desk top. Uncomfortable with their silence, the President thought that he could play the same game, so he stopped talking. Let’s see what their main objection is, he thought. I’m armed with polls. I know they’re just armed with emotion.

Silence. The pendulum clock in the Oval Office ticking. In the far distance, even through the triple bullet proof window panes, traffic noise in DC rumbling in the background.

Who would speak first? From past experience, gained from many bruising battles, the President knew that The Wife would have to speak first, even if he had to wait until night time. If he spoke first, he invariably lost. The Wife was not a woman to be trifled with, let alone argued with. So he waited.

And waited.

The First Lady blinked first, as the President knew she eventually would.

“All right. I know you’ve polled this, so what….”

“How did you kno….”

“David. You’re not the only one who talks to your Campaign Manager. Plus, how long have we been married? We wouldn’t even be discussing this if you didn’t have a poll in your desk drawer that you gonna’ whip out on us. Am I right? So, what does the poll show?”

“I just told Vivian right before you arrived, sharing your presence with us. Hilde adds five to six percent….that’s five to six percent.”

Neither female co-President responded. More silence.

The President spoke up this time, “Guys, I’m a little tired frankly of Wilbur’s less than subtle public gnawing on my leg in the media. He keeps saying good things about our opponent. I think he’s hoping that I’ll replace the Veep with his wife, in order to shut him up. Need I point out the painful truth….that we are today in a virtual tie with our opponent….a tie….and….Hilde can push us over the line.”

Vivian couldn’t restrain herself any longer. “You can be sure of that. If you pick Hilde to replace Goofus she will push all of us over the line….and maybe push us all right out ‘da door, if you know what I mean.”

Tag-teaming, the First Lady jumped in to agree. “Look, I said it four years ago, and I guess I have to repeat it again. Wilbur and Hilde do not have a very good history with the long term health of people who fall out of favor with them, shall we say.”

The President leaned back in his chair, folded his hands on his chest and smiled, for the first time in the tense discussion. “Honey, that is so much nonsense. The Calhouns may be a lot of things, especially Wilbur, as we all know. But, murderers, come on.”

The First Lady was unimpressed. “What was the total body count of former staff who became their enemies? Unh, was it twenty four? Twenty four deceased former associates of the Calhouns? You really wanna’ take a chance of having the Calhouns not only one heartbeat away from their returning to this office, but just one bullet away?”

Turning to the First Lady, Vivian was shaking her head in obvious disagreement. She said, “I never bought that internet baloney. I even looked into some of that. Except for the guy they found over in the DC park, all the others had natural causes of death. So, I just don’t….”

The First Lady sensing that she may be in the minority, looked down at her lap, then said, “I’m just sayin’….”

The President saw his opportunity, and took it, “Vivian and I aren’t worried about the Calhouns doing anything like that. This fishbowl of a job doesn’t exactly lend itself to offing the Commander in Chief. If Lyndon Johnson actually had anything at all to do with what happened in Dallas, it would have come out within hours. I’m the most protected man in America, as I should be. Can either of you think of anyone else more vital to the nation?”

Both women were more than used to the President’s fascination with himself, but neither wanted to argue the obvious. The First Lady decided to try one more approach to heading off Hilde’s nomination as Vice President of the United States.

“Dear,” the First Lady said, using her most endearing personal name for her husband, “let me just ask you a simple question. What are you going to do when ol’ Wilbur walks down that hall there into this office, without even an appointment….pulls up a chair, puts his oversize feet up on your desk and tells you what you need to do to handle that day’s crisis? You can’t keep a former President from invading your space….this was his space, remember?

“Well, I, that is….I could tell the Secret Service that I want them to….”

“Sure, you can. You know Wilbur, he’s not a self-restrained person, in any way, including with a number of female interns, one in this in this very off…”

“OK. I see your point, but I have a bigger concern, that I’ve thought some about. Wilbur could make his wife’s West Wing office down the hall into his personal media relations center, meeting and greeting reporters. How could I stop that?....But, look guys, we still have to replace the Veep, and Hilde gets me more votes than anybody else we polled, by a large number. Don’t forget Alinsky’s main rule – never voluntarily give it up once you get into power.”

Vivian looked over at the First Lady. She could tell from the body language and lack of eye contact of her friend of twenty plus years that the First Lady was probably, reluctantly, willing to agree with her husband. Vivian instantly regretted her comment arguing that the Calhoun enemy destruction conspiracy theory was hokum. Her words had made it appear that she could swallow Hilde as Vice President, when she had no such intention. She knew it was time to erase the impression that she would agree to Hilde’s selection.  “Look, a minute ago I supported the Calhouns on the ‘murder their enemies’ bunk, but I didn’t mean to say that I…..”

BUZZ. The President’s telephone handset alerted him that his personal secretary was about to give him a message. He was somewhat surprised because his standing instruction had been to never interrupt a meeting with the First Lady and Vivian Higgins. “Yes, Marge,” his voice tinged with some anger, “what is it? You know I’m with….”

“I’m so sorry, Mr. President. I wouldn’t have even thought of interrupting you, but you need to know that CBS just called to alert us that President Calhoun, sorry, former President Calhoun, has just been rushed to the hospital. Sorry to interrupt, sir.”

“No problem, Marge, you were right. We needed to know.”

Vivian was the first to speak. “Well, the Lord works in mysterious ways, as they say. Our remaining problem with the best way to pick up six per cent of the vote this fall may have just been resolved. Now, we just have to figure out how to break it to Goofy. He has a world famous temper, as we know, and a ton bunch of friends on the Hill. It won’t be easy.”

THREE

St. Louis, Missouri

“What the h….Son of a….What the heck is this? I can’t…believe…this!”

Mike Chapel had given up cursing years ago when he was saved, but the enormity of his discovery almost erased his pledge to watch his tongue. But, the ballots didn’t lie. Mike found the ballots as he was looking for filed candidate filing records to satisfy a reporter’s Freedom of Information request. His extended search led him to the back of the storage area in the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners. Underneath a green tarp, held in place by yellow nylon ropes, and stacked at the bottom of several card boxes, he found a locked ballot box. The ballot box looked to him like one normally used to deposit absentee ballots cast by voters prior to the election. Stenciled on the side of the wooden box were the words ST. LOUIS ELECTION COMMISSIONERS. It had a narrow slot in the top, a metal hasp and a large padlock securing its contents. Until, that is, it was pried open by Mike Chapel, who as a new employee of the election bureau, wondered why it was locked. He justified breaking it open because he thought it could have been left over, uncounted, from the last election.

What Mike found, upon leveraging off the padlock and hasp from the wooden top, was a ballot box stuffed to the top with ballots printed for the upcoming November election, now three months away. He pulled out two large handfuls of ballots and soon confirmed that they were, indeed, this year’s ballots. He knew the ballot well because he had worked with the Clerk to proof and edit the ballot before the text was sent to the printer. These were this year’s ballots, he thought, so why are these ballots in this box, most of them folded, some not? How could this happen?

He began to spread the ballots out on the top of the stacked boxes in the storage room. As he looked at the ballots, all of which were clearly marked with votes for President, he soon noticed a disturbing trend. Each had a vote for President, and only a few votes were cast for other candidates for other offices. The pre-marked ballots that he had discovered hidden in the storage room were almost all marked in favor of the President. The more he examined the ballots the more he realized that he had come across evidence of a criminal act….voter fraud. Only a small handful of the several hundred ballots in the box that he examined showed votes for the President’s opponent. His estimate was about one hundred votes for the President for each vote marked for the President’s opponent.

Mike had been hired by the Election Commissioners because he was a Republican. By law, the office had to have some employees of the opposite political party. St. Louis hadn’t voted Republican since 1949. So, he immediately recognized that he had a problem. A big problem.

As a token Republican who had uncovered what appeared to be documentary evidence of voter fraud, he knew his job would be in jeopardy the minute he talked with anyone about what he had found. If he went to his supervisor, who quite likely had some knowledge, if not downright involvement, in the fraud, he would be fired. If he went to the media, he suspected he would be scapegoated and maybe even accused of concocting the scheme for public attention, to help his party in the upcoming election. If he did nothing, just put the ballots back, he could be imprisoned if someone else found the ballots later. His fingerprints were now on hundreds of pieces of paper, not easily cleaned off. If he destroyed the ballots, he knew he could be accused of destroying evidence of voter fraud, a serious offense. Mike Chapel was stuck.

Not knowing how long it might be before someone entered the storage room, he took what he thought was the only prudent course of action. He stuffed the ballots into the bottom of a large miscellaneous records filing box that he located and slit open. He then replaced the hasp and lock on the ballot box as well as he could and stacked the boxes on the ballot box just he had found them when he entered the storage room. He needed time to think, and pray, and now he could do so without an immediate need to decide. It was then that he realized that the box he had discovered was only one of what looked like maybe sixty identical boxes, all stacked behind the one he found and all locked with identical locks. He pulled several of the boxes out, confirming that they were all locked. Based on shaking them and hearing rustling ballots inside, it appeared that they were also stuffed. Mike knew that they all should have been empty. If the ballot boxes contained what he now thought they undoubtedly contained, a monumental fraud was just sitting, waiting to be counted. He knew he had to do something, but what? Mike Castle, of course, had no way of knowing then what would eventually happen in American politics and government because of his chance discovery.

FOUR

St. Louis, Missouri-Election Offices

It came to him at 2:37 AM. Mike Chapel had tossed and turned most of the night, worrying about his discovery of voter fraud, his eye on the orange numbers of his alarm clock. Then he suddenly knew what he had to do. Why didn’t I think of this earlier, he wondered? I could have gotten to sleep sooner. Mike’s majors at UMSL were political science and computer studies, which led him to a summer-intern job at the nation’s second largest voting machine manufacturer, located in Illinois. His early morning epiphany was simply that he would have to find out if the voter fraud went beyond paper ballots locked away in ballot boxes and hidden in a storage room. Once he saw his course of action, he slept soundly late into Saturday morning.

Mike had access to the St. Louis election offices via a magnetic strip card, first given to him when he was hired. He had only used it twice, when he needed to catch up on some work, so he knew the card would grant him entry. He waited until late afternoon, on the off chance that a fellow employee might come in on a Saturday morning, but a government employee’s late Saturday afternoon visit, he concluded, was highly unlikely.

Once he was in the election offices, located on Tucker Boulevard in downtown St. Louis., he went to his desk and pulled up on his monitor the listing by serial number for the City’s mechanical lever voting machines, all four hundred and fifty of them. The large metal machines were heavy and unwieldy, usually requiring two or more persons to move them. The City had used them for so long that no one now working in the office knew how old they actually were. The City had balked at investing in newer electronic voting machines, one Commissioner arguing that the new machines could be tampered with, another objecting to the cost.

The machines were stored in an expansive basement room. Entry to the voting machine storage room, he knew from prior experience, was not by magnetic strip card, but instead by a simple Kulwin brass key, tagged with a label saying ELECTION MACHINES STORAGE. The trick, he realized, was where did the Clerk keep the key? It wasn’t hanging on the office key rack. He didn’t find the key in the desks in the office, as he tried all ten desks, but with no results.

Where would the Clerk keep the key? Not an easy question, with no ready answer. Clearly the key needed to be located, but where was it? Without the key, he knew he was wasting his time.

Then, he remembered where it was. He had previously seen the Clerk upend the BEST DAD EVER coffee mug on his desk, dumping out an assortment of unused pens and pencils, and revealing the key. Sure enough. Mike now had access to the basement election machine storage room. He placed the pens and pencils back in the mug, and headed to the building’s lower level. He would later regret that he had ever found the key.

The key worked, just as he had prayed it would. Inside the storage room he saw what he knew he would find, hundreds of ancient voting machines The machines had originally been manufactured by his former Illinois employer, so he had a passing knowledge as to how they worked. The company kept one of the devices in its front lobby as a memento to its beginnings in the election tabulation business. He had often shown visitors how the voting machine worked, with the voter pulling the curtain closed and then pulling down small levers on the face of the machine over the name of the chosen candidates.

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the end handle on the closest machine and slowly managed to leverage the heavy machine out so he could get into the back of the machine. In order to avoid the possible loss of the keys to the machines, office policy was to leave the back door key in each machines’ back door lock.

Mike confirmed the serial number he had pulled down on his PC in his office before coming to the storage room on the end plate of the machine. This machine would be used in the upcoming election, based on the serial number. He then moved back in front of the machine and confirmed that the candidate name strips had already been installed, showing the name of the President in position 1A and that of his opponent in position 2A. So far, so good, just as it should be. Maybe this isn’t what I at first thought, he mused, walking around to the back of the machine. He turned the key and dropped down the access door. Inside the machine he could see the metal levers used to rotate individual counting tabulation wheels for each candidate’s position on the machine. Oh my, he thought. That’s not right.

Looking at the many counting devices across the back of the machine, he could see that almost all showed five zeroes on the counter wheel, just as they were supposed to, prior to an election. With some trepidation, he looked to the end counters, for ballot positions 1A and 2A, the positions for the two major parties’ candidates for President of the United States. The counter for position 1A, which was to tabulate votes for the President, showed:

557

Glancing down to 2A, the counter for the President’s Republican opponent, Mike saw:

47

Well, there you have it, he thought - voter fraud. This machine would be moved to its pre-selected location in late October and would then be ready for voting on election day. The first voter would have no idea that he or she was voting on a machine in which the top race had already been decided, at least on this small part of America’s voting grid. Mike looked around the room and mentally calculated what these margins would mean, multiplied by over four hundred machines, assuming they were all similarly pre-voted. But were they?

Mike pulled out two more machines, at random, and quickly confirmed his worst fears. All had been manipulated to give large, varying margins for the incumbent President. He realized that when one added the normal St. Louis voting imbalance for the President’s party, that this would be a vote of historic proportions. The margins from the City would clearly overcome the more rural areas of Missouri, throwing the State’s electors into the President’s column and helping to propel him towards a second term.

Mike recognized that the only way that the pre-cast votes could be caught before the voting started was by the employees who worked in his office, the very persons who had exclusive access to the machines. The voting machines would be delivered to the various polling locations, and then checked by his fellow election officials to be sure the machines were ready for votes to be cast. The election officials merely had to initial a one page form attesting that the machines bore no votes at the beginning of voting, and were thus ready to vote. No one else would, or could, look at the total vote counter on the machine to confirm a clear machine, with all counters set at zero, before voting started. Classic vote fraud. Right before his eyes.

With a sinking heart, Mike Chapel knew that he would have to go to the media – and, as a consequence, his job would soon be terminated Great, he thought, an economy with increasing unemployment, and I go and get myself fired. Brilliant. He took several pictures with his cell phone of the jiggered voting machines, including serial numbers, locked them back up and replaced each where they had been when he first entered the room. As he left the building, Mike called his brother, a lawyer in St. Louis, who was an officer in the local Republican Party organization.

“Jim….Mike….We need to talk….Not on our cell phones. Meet me at Panera Bread, the one near your house….In a half hour. This is important. No….I can’t tell you now….No….I haven’t been arrested….Not yet….anyway.”

The following Tuesday Mike Chapel held a well-attended media conference arranged by his brother, on the steps of City Hall on Market Street, six blocks south of his election offices. He disclosed his evidence of massive voting fraud planned for the upcoming Presidential election. Missouri media gave lead item/front page coverage to his allegations, which were then carried nationwide. Both national political parties quickly issued statements decrying any fraud, or “attempts to create fraud where none actually exits”, as the White House Press Secretary phrased it. The spark lit at the media event soon led to the ignition of an electoral tinderbox which had apparently just been waiting to burn.

Three days later, Mike Chapel was arrested and charged with various federal crimes, including voter fraud, illegal manipulation of voting devices, interference with a federal election, perjury, unlawful entry to governmental facilities and hate crime defamation of public officials. His brother, Jim Chapel, was arrested for conspiracy to commit the same crimes which his brother was accused of committing. The U.S. District Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri announced that the Department of Justice would prosecute the case against the Chapels, at the same time releasing video pictures of Mike Chapel entering the St. Louis Election Commissioners office late on the prior Saturday. The DA claimed that the evidence would prove that Mike and Jim Chapel had engineered the vote fraud to help their party’s candidates win the upcoming election.

The City of St. Louis Police Department’s fingerprint section announced to the media that “Mike Chapel’s fingerprints were found on several hundred fraudulent ballots hidden in a storage room at the election offices and on an unspecified number of voting machines and ballot boxes.”

Prior to his arrest Mike had downloaded his cell phone pictures to several conservative websites. The pictures went viral across the country, enraging Republicans, tea party members, conservatives and others, who disbelieved the criminal charges filed, as they had long suspected that the President’s supporters had plans to fix the upcoming November elections, using any means necessary.

FIVE

White House Oval Office

The President was livid, “Does this leaky White House have any control at all over what it tells the media?”

The Vice President was likewise enraged.

Hilde Calhoun was smiling.

Every major media outlet had reported that morning that the nation’s two highest elected officials were to meet in the afternoon at the White House with former First Lady Hilde Ramona Calhoun. The reports also suggested that the purpose of the three way meeting was to discuss Hilde replacing the Vice President on the ticket for the fall Presidential election. Thus, of the three persons in the Oval Office, only one had a reason to smile.

Before going to the White House, Hilde met with Wilbur in his hospital suite. His doctors had given him a clean bill of health the day before, which the media dutifully reported, telling readers and listeners that his medical issue had only been a digestive issue. Upon hearing the news that Wilbur was healthy, and was…well….Wilbur again, The Wife had demanded an immediate meeting with Vivian and the President. To say that The Wife was insistent at the heated meeting that Hilde not be offered the nation’s second highest job would be to state the quite obvious. The President’s somewhat mumbled response was that he had already hinted to Hilde that she was about to be offered the nod when he had called her to invite her to the three way meeting. Neither Vivian nor the First Lady thought that meant anything. The President, they both loudly argued, was still the President, he could change his mind and, lest you forget, they said, Wilbur would be right down the hall, steps from this office. Forget it. Keep Goofy the Veep. The President started to raise the polls. You can win without Hilde, they snapped back. Just send more money to Davey to buy, create and/or steal votes. The President knew he was done, but he was none too happy about it.

Seeing Hilde Calhoun’s insulting smirk the Vice President could contain himself no longer. He jumped up from his seat on the curved couch, his face red and his right index finger pointed directly at his boss. “I only want to know what ever happened to loyalty? Hunh, ol’ buddy? You know….basic ol’ loyalty to your friend? I’ve done everything you ever asked….everything. And now, just to be dumped, without even a….”

“Stop….Stop….You don’t know what I’ve decid….”

Yeah? Don’t try that one on me. I heard it on NPR first thing this morning. On NPR….NPR. Not so much as a phone call from you….NPR.”

“I just tried to tell you that I haven’t decided yet.” Hilde said nothing, but she did lean back a little further on the couch, taking it all in, savoring the moment that would lead to her return to the building she had come to occupy and adore when Wilbur was President. She casually glanced at the gold embroidered curtains in the office, thinking those ugly drapes will be the first thing to go when I finally succeed this man as President.

“Really? Why is Hilde here? Why are there only three of us? I know an et Brute meeting when I attend one. Why didn’t you just….”

“Look. I called Hilde yesterday just to suggest this meeting so we could talk about the number two job. Like a strategy session. You know. No decisions yet. We need polls, we need….”. For the first time, the Vice President’s face began to reveal a slowly spreading smile, as he sat back down, withdrawing his accusatory finger.

Hilde’s head snapped up as she quickly turned from her Oval Office re-decorating mode. Had she heard correctly? “Say what? Wait a minute….We’re just here to have a….What did you call it Mr. President? A strategy session? Hunh? The Vice President has a right to be upset….and so do I, for that matter. You’re either going to keep him on the ticket….or you’re not. I thought you told me yesterday, or at least implied it, that I would get the nod. Polls? You haven’t already polled this? Polls?”

The President was decidedly uncomfortable. He didn’t like what Vivian and The Wife had done to him. He didn’t like being forced to change a decision. He didn’t like anything that reflected on his competency to do the job of running the country, a job he knew inside of himself he didn’t deserve, and that he never should have obtained under normal circumstances. He especially didn’t like being embarrassed in front of Hilde Calhoun, as he knew everything that was said in this meeting would be reported to Wilbur, who would call his twenty best friends in the media, if Wilbur thought it would help Hilde. The President had early on concluded that Wilbur could care less if the leaked reports hurt the occupant of the White House. Wilbur’s public comments implied that the President was a man he looked down on, evidently not thinking he measured up to Wilbur’s performance as President.

“Look, Hilde. I’m under a lot of pressure here….on this….on the campaign….you know….on a lot of election issues….I just can’t snap my fingers and decide….”

“Mr. President, with all due respect.” The President flinched inwardly, knowing that he was about to be shown no respect, as Hilde used the traditional phrase that precedes an attack. The Vice President couldn’t decide if he should be angry or not, as he could tell that Hilde was about to unload on the President, but she might not say things that would be complimentary of either man.

“You are still the President. You get to make the decisions. This place is a sieve as we all know, so the three of us know that the First Lady and her friend down the hall have pounded you to keep the Veep on the ticket, and me off the ticket. That’s fine. He’s your Veep. You picked him. You’re now apparently stuck with him….Sorry, Mr. Vice President….I could have helped the ticket, of course, but if you can’t get it past the palace guard, then you can’t. Too bad. As they say, no sadder words of tongue or pen than the words what might have been. You can undoubtedly win without me on the ticket. Wilbur told me this morning this would probably happen, so I’m not totally surprised, though I am obviously disappointed. We’ll still help you in the campaign this fall. Wilbur wants to give speeches for you, though if I were you I wouldn’t contact him about that for a few days. Let him cool off first….I think it’s time for me to go, and let you two work out your own issues. I appreciate being considered, Mr. President, even if only briefly.” Hilde stood to leave the Oval Office. As she did she gave an over the shoulder glance at the office’s offending curtains. I’ll be back, she thought, just give me some time. Wilbur’ll have a plan.

SIX

September 4th

St. Louis – Jefferson Memorial Plaza

“When the Americans will think that it is peace and safety – from the middle of the country, some of the people will start fighting against the government. The government will be busy with internal problems.” (Pastor Duduman)

A FREE MIKE RALLY was announced by local supporters of Mike Chapel at the City’s election offices on Tucker Boulevard for a week from Saturday. Based on the spontaneous reaction received from sympathetic organizers around the country, the location for the rally was moved to the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, the location of the Gateway Arch. Local rally planners made it known that they had not, and would not, apply for a parade permit, and dared St. Louis city officials to try and stop anyone from attending the rally.

The St. Louis rally plans also went viral, as thousands of angry Americans decided that the line would have be drawn in St. Louis, and that they would attend the rally to protest the arrest of an obviously innocent man, as well as to forcefully object to clumsily-hidden voter fraud, apparently calculated to force back into office a President they could not stand. At the same time a composite undercover video e-flashed across the country showing election officials in eight states facilitating voter fraud. Cameras hidden in baseball caps captured election workers in the various offices handing out stacks of blank voter registration forms, confirming that “no ID is necessary” to register, nor do the “voters even need to show up at the offices” when the forms are returned, either by mail or just dropped off.

Once it became known that a significant throng of objectors were coming to St. Louis, the President’s supporters issued a national call for public employee union members, Occupation America supporters and others, who had trashed the Wisconsin State House in a fight over union rights, to come to St. Louis in order to overwhelm, or at least match, the “right wingers opposed to the re-election of our President and who are spreading lies about voter fraud.”

Organizers kicked off the rally held in the large open area near the Gateway Arch with the Pledge of Allegiance and the robust singing by many of the National Anthem. At about the time the words “the bombs bursting in air” were sung a loud WOOMPH sound was heard west of Jefferson Plaza. Cell phone owners texted relatives asking if there was anything on the news about what sounded like an explosion in downtown St. Louis. Within minutes a St. Louis radio station posted a news flash on their website reporting that the explosion might have been a bombing of the Election Commissioners building a few blocks west of the Plaza on Tucker Boulevard. Word quickly spread through the assembled partisans. Some were pleased, high-fiving others at the rally. Just as many, upon hearing the news, were angered, threatening those near them who were celebrating the bombing with violence and mayhem. Later investigation arrived at no official explanation for what appeared to be the loud sound of an explosion. Neither the St. Louis election offices nor any other downtown building suffered bomb damage.

What would later become known as the “St. Louis Riot” started within minutes of the spreading knowledge of the bombing that wasn’t. Unknown was what happened in the crowd to trigger the actual start of violence, but later video footage showed that it appeared to begin in the middle of the crowd and spread outward, with many of the uniformed police officers who were present either being struck, shot by firearms, or, in one case, stomped to death. Supporters of Mike Chapel later claimed that the riot was started by several men wearing black armbands or head bandanas, throwing the first punches and firing the first shots. They were labeled ‘Presidential Provocateurs’. Supporters of the President denied those claims and charged Chapel’s backers with spoiling for a fight, and beginning the riot.

Video revealed thousands of supporters and opponents of the President, based on their signs and badges, indiscriminately striking and assailing each other, punching and then shooting each other at close range. The final fatality count was so high neither side initially wanted to release the figures. St. Louis hospitals were overwhelmed with patients suffering injuries in the ensuing panic, as attendees fled the Plaza in all directions.

Both opponents of the President and his supporters across the nation hardened their positions as a result of what started at St. Louis. News stories analyzing what happened at the Gateway Arch also included local reports on voter registration abuses coming to light in every State. Since voter registration documents are generally accessible as public records, private individuals across the country began to comb through voter registration records, easily discovering widespread fraud and abuse. They soon found many instances where ten to twenty voters were registered at the same residence, which was usually an abandoned foreclosed house. Feeling the heat from local media and enraged voters, concerned public officials promised to investigate and correct what appeared to be a well-organized national effort to steal the election for the incumbent President. The fact that the dates on most of the fraudulent registrations started at about the time of his first election, and increased over time, reinforced suspicions that these were orchestrated moves from the highest levels to retain power.

Within days of these revelations, several public political events, Tea Party, Democrat or Republican, eventually ended in some level of violence. Some were limited to blows being exchanged, but then were broken up when cooler heads ultimately prevailed. Numerous outbreaks, though eventually led to bloodshed, and then frequently to the burning of automobiles and retail businesses. The President’s opponents loudly charged that the White House and its “radical shock troops” were actively engaged in “trying to steal the election that they know they can’t win if it’s a fair count.” At the same time the President’s supporters claimed that “the radical right is trying to besmirch our President because they know they don’t have the votes to win, so they are pushing their armed thugs into violence. They are racists who want to keep minorities from voting.”

Many tea party leaders and Republican officials were not content with public claims by election officials of Democrat Party-controlled cities that there was no reason to believe that voter fraud could occur in their communities. Several in Congress called for a thorough public examination of voting machines, including electronic devices, and ballot boxes. At least six separate Congressional committees called hearings to investigate voter fraud. None expected to be able to conduct hearings, arrive at findings, draft legislation and enact statutes before the upcoming election, which was mere weeks away.

Public skepticism that the election would be untainted increased dramatically when several unidentified persons broke into a regional office of the Cook County Clerk’s Office on the south side of Chicago. They found and pried open several locked ballot boxes stacked in the basement. All were stuffed with pre-cast ballots, heavily favoring the President by ten to one, or larger, margins. The boxes were dumped at the front door of WGN-TV on West Bradley Place in Chicago. The Mayor of Chicago accused the persons responsible with “committing the crime of burglary”. He claimed that “the burglars marked the previously blank ballots, in order to create a controversy and try to make a media splash.”

The revelation that the White House had jiggered official unemployment statistics by not counting ‘people no longer looking for work’, led many Americans to be suspicious that the same people who lied about the number of Americans out of work, would likewise falsify election returns. Honest election workers in various cities revealed that tens of thousands of registered voters were dead, but still registered to vote. A majority of the honest workers were subsequently fired, triggering even more voter anger.

The Department of Justice sued twelve States which adopted voter-ID laws, thus delaying the implementation of the laws requiring photo identification in order to vote until well after the election. The Attorney General accused States of trying to prevent minority voters from voting, by requiring photo identification. Even though the U.S. Supreme Court had years earlier approved Indiana’s voter ID law, the Attorney General used the issue to scare minority voters into to thinking that their right to vote was imperiled by the President’s opponents. The spark that the leader of the Department of Justice ignited led to many minority voters turning out into the streets to protest what they were told was an organized effort to keep them from voting for the re-election of the President.

Florida sought to remove what was estimated to be over one hundred thousand improper registrations by illegal residents, but was sued by the Department of Justice to prevent the State’s correction of fraud in its own voting records. The Attorney General accused several States seeking to void improper registrations with “voter suppression”. With the discovery of yet more pre-election voter fraud, with increasing numbers of registered undocumented immigrants, street riots broke out in increasing numbers of urban areas, with election offices burned and pillaged across the country. Several Mayors and Police Chiefs went on the record to claim that they “weren’t staffed well enough to protect every election office 24/7.” The mainstream media covered each event in depth, almost non-stop, at the same time airing demands by supporters of the President that the White House do something, forcefully and immediately, about the spreading violence, which “threatened to put the upcoming election results into question.”

SEVEN

New York City, NY

Election Night

Chip Meadors, the MSBCN talking head, who once famously told viewers that whenever he heard the President speak he got an electric charge up his leg, could hardly contain himself. Voting booths in Ohio had been closed for over an hour when Meadors made his cable network’s official call:

“Yes,… yes,… indeedy, its now official, it’s official, based on the overwhelming results in the Buckeye State, MSBCN is calling Ohio for the President. Ohio will be solidly blue. That’s a HUGE win for the President, folks, as our network is now calling the race for the President. Let me repeat. The President HAS BEEN RE-ELECTED. All that tea party, patriot chatter about losing Constitutional rights apparently just didn’t seem to work in this critical Midwestern State. In any case, it’s a major win for the President. The President has been handily re-elected to a second term. That should encourage a lot of Americans, frankly, like yours truly, who have been pacing the floor today, all of us worried about how the voting would turn out. Whew.”

The mood up the street in New York City at the Fox News broadcast studios was somewhat less ebullient. Shane Harrison, not smiling, nor apparently feeling any electric shocks up his leg, turned his attention to camera two:

“Folks, I’ve covered elections and election campaigns for 12 years and I’ve never seen the public opinion polls right before election day take such a decided shift in favor of a candidate. The Bush drunk driving story made a six point difference, but according to Zogby, CNN, CBS, the Wall Street Journal, just about all the polls, the President went from a virtual tied race before October 26th to last night’s final polling. That’s a huge shift, almost unheard of in American politics.”

Grenda Sandora, obviously less upset with the polling results than her co-host of Fox Election Night Coverage, wasted no time in challenging his comments. “Shane, you may be right about the size of the shift in voter sentiment. But what living being on this planet doubted that the President would win today, and win really big?”

“We face staggering levels of national debt, the overhaul of our nation’s health care system, widespread civil unrest as we saw almost daily in the campaign, a declining dollar, possible food shortages. But all anybody could talk about in the national media was the how much money the President’s opponent had. How many houses. How many cars. They may have dealt the country a potentially fatal blow by re-electing the President to a second term.”

Every major media outlet soon called the election for the President, acknowledging that control of the U.S. Senate would remain with the President’s party, and that the next Speaker of the House would be former Speaker Nadia Pelham, by a hefty margin of newly elected Democrat Representatives. The other 49 states split 34 for the President and 15 for his opponent. The red states were mostly western states, including Texas, in which gun advocates, tea party and patriot groups appeared to have their greatest electoral strength. The electoral college final count was even more lop-sided, 348 for the President and 190 for his Republican opponent.

What was not settled by the election results, though, were Americans’ angry suspicions of voter fraud orchestrated by the White House. The internet was full of claims that the vote was rigged in the battleground states. Many precincts in key areas of critical states recorded more voters casting votes than were actually registered in the precincts. In hundreds of precincts the President’s opponent received either no votes at all, or only a vote or two compared with hundreds cast for the President. The mainstream media were not at all sympathetic to such claims, most media outlets refusing to cover the violence caused by those who strenuously objected to the re-election of their President, under a cloud of charges of vote fraud. In any case, within hours of the final polls closing, Americans knew that their President had won and had four more years to serve in his second term.

EIGHT

Sandusky, Ohio

Dr. Adam Nation never expected to be a politician. He had frequently declared how much he detested politicians, from all political parties. Thus, it came as quite a surprise when Dr. Adam Nation agreed to run for Congress as a tea party backed candidate from the 9th District of Ohio, traditionally a Democrat District. Dr. Nation was a respected forty-six year old OBGYN who had developed firm political beliefs about how government should function. He was fed up with seeing his patients’ retirement funds chewed up by a federal government that couldn’t seem to control its spending, but which was unable to encourage job growth, choosing instead to incur trillions of dollars of new debt.

Dr. Adam Nation became the consensus choice by tea party activists to run for Congress from his District, in what became a contentious, sometimes violent campaign. Supporters of the three candidates for Congress accused the opposing candidates of vote fraud. Once martial law was declared for Ohio, Adam Nation wished he had never agreed to run. When the votes were counted, though, it appeared that the vote in at least his district hadn’t been rigged. He bested the two candidates from the Democrat and Republican parties, and joined several other tea party members in the new U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressman Nation planned to waste no time in advancing his conservative causes in the U.S. House. Political media profiles routinely described him as ruggedly handsome, frequently referring to his ‘muscular Marine build’. Unlike most of his classmates in medical school, who went into lucrative medical practices after medical school, Dr. Nation joined the Marines and served his country as a medical doctor, frequently in combat zones. At five foot ten inches he wouldn’t tower over his colleagues, but his engaging personality led people to enjoy his company. A principled conservative, he had promised himself, his wife, his college aged children and the voters of his district one major promise. He assured them that “I’m going to change Washington.  I will not allow Washington to change me.” Like all Americans, he had frequently watched the newly elected eventually become the new establishment, and then become the new embarrassment. He was committed to not letting it happen to himself. He decided this after a talk he had soon after his election with a former Congressman who had lived through all three stages. The Congressman had served in the House as a conservative Republican, risen to a leadership position and then resigned in shame. He first reached out to Adam Nation the day after Dr. Nation’s surprise upset election. He drove to Ohio to meet with the Congressman-elect.

“Thanks for meeting with me, Congressman. I certainly know how busy you are as you wind up your practice and head to DC soon. I asked to see you because I think I may be able to be of some help as you take on your new duties.”

“Congressman, first of all, I’m not a Congressman yet, as you know, so just call me Adam. There are lots of people, I’m finding, who want to tell me how to take on my new duties. But, I’ll admit I was intrigued by your message, I think it said I might want to talk to a fallen leader before I make the same mistakes you made. That got my attention. Congressman, I appreciate your driving over to see me.”

“Adam, I’m no longer a Congressman, so just call me Mike. It’s my privilege to drive over and tell you what I’m about to tell you. If somebody had done this for me, I’d probably still be in Congress. If you have a few minutes, let me share what I’ve learned about the arrogance of power.”

“Mike, I’ve got all the time you need. I respected you when you were in Congress, and I thought you did the right thing when you resigned, after…. your….your….”

“Don’t mince words. I resigned after my adultery was revealed, I’m sorry to say. But, we’ll come back to that. Let’s start with the basics. People who get elected to high public office, I’m not talking about the township council here, find an interesting thing occurs as soon as they win….they immediately begin to receive praise, even adulation, from other people. It’s apparently a human failing that when we are around people that we think are important, we act differently towards them than we would if we thought they weren’t important. I can’t explain it, but I’ve witnessed it first hand, personally, and watched it affect my colleagues. One day, you’re candidate Adam Nation, nice guy, normal sort of fellow. The next day, after you are elected to Congress, all of a sudden, you’ve become a super human. People don’t call you Adam, or even Doctor, they call you Congressman, or United States Representative, or the Distinguished Gentleman from Ohio. You are now SOMEBODY.

“At first, you’ll get a little chuckle out of it. Of all people, you know you haven’t changed one bit. You’re still the same guy you were last week. But, and here’s the problem, over time, after months, and then after years, even after several years, of being idolized, and praised, and honored, and pampered….inside of yourself….you start to believe it. You begin to agree with your fawning staff, who, after all, owe their jobs to you. You begin to agree with the respectful news media, who always address you by your title. You notice that most of your constituents, the voters in your Congressional district, treat you like somebody who can bring them a better life. Most of them make it clear to you that they think you can just vote and jobs appear and grants of federal money appear and wars are won. A few, of course, won’t like you, or your votes, but over time, you learn to tune those people out. You ignore them, they obviously don’t know how great you are, you will quietly tell yourself. A new way of thinking sets in. With some, I’ve noticed that it happens almost as soon as they’re elected. But, with most, it takes time. If you’re a believer, it takes longer, because you know that you’re still mortal. But, I’ll come back to that.

“Adam, because 90% of all Members of Congress who seek re-election are re-elected, after two or three, maybe four re-elections, you will be tempted to become arrogant. I’m not talking about Louis XV- look down your nose - off with their heads kind of arrogance. I’m talking about arrogance in your gut. The word arrogance comes from the Latin root word arrogatus, to arrogate, or to assume something for yourself that isn’t really yours. The dictionary defines it as ‘to claim unwarrantably or presumptuously’. I’m not trying to lecture here, Adam, my point is this. When you are an important person for a while you begin to arrogate to yourself something that you don’t have the right to claim. If you are in power, you begin to think that you actually are the source of power, and it changes how you think.”

“Congressmen have power. What am I missing here?”

“Scripture says that all power belongs to God. He loans it, on occasion, to mere mortals, but it’s His. If a judge starts thinking that he is the source of justice, or a banker thinks he is the source of economic resources, or a doctor thinks that he is the source of healing, then they arrogate to themselves what is not theirs. They become arrogant. It may not show on the outside, but inside, they begin to arrogantly think they can get away with what others who don’t have what they have, could never get away with doing. You’ll be able to raise a million dollars for your re-election. Lots of folks will donate to you if you’re in office, many because they want something. Snap your fingers, arrange some fund-raisers and many thousands of dollars end up on your desk. You won’t have to do even one pelvic exam and your bank accounts will overflow with money. It’s amazing how much money comes in. Money sure affects how people think.

“And here’s where I’m headed with this. One day, and it could be any given day, you’ll be in your office and a cute new staff member will brush your arm as she hands you some papers, looks into your baby blues and gives you a big smile and a come-hither look. You’re not a teen ager any more, but you’ll start to feel like one. Your blood will race. You’ll think what if, or maybe. But….self-control will kick in. You’ll remember your dear wife, and your vows, and your constituents and your faith. And the temptation will pass.

“That is, until the next time it happens, and maybe the cute staffer is a little more forward this time, and maybe it’s out of the office, or out of town, at some event. She lets you know how much she admires you. She gushes about how you should be a Senator, or maybe even President someday. You go through your list of why you can’t break your wedding vows, again, but, and this is when it happens, you begin to tell yourself – ‘Self, you deserve this; you can get away with it; you’re a powerful, important Congressman. Nobody’ll know. Look at how hard you work. Can’t hurt anybody, really. Just some recreation to relax some.’

“It can’t be that easy to fall that far….”

“Adam, believe me, it’s incredibly easy to fall. I knew everything I had ever done, all I had ever worked for, all the pro-family, conservative stands I had taken were on the line, my family, my job, it was all right there and I did it anyway. As you can see, I’m no Cary Grant by any means, I’m less than normal height and balding, so looks have nothing to do with it. The devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. I knew he was tempting me. My arrogance of power led me to think I could get away with it, because I was so important. Well, I wasn’t and I’m not. Only by the grace of God did Melanie stay with me, but it’s still very difficult on her, and our marriage was damaged, to say the least. My main regret is what I did to sully the name of my Lord.

“One other point. The arrogance of power can take you down in other areas besides sexual sin. You were elected because you believe in certain principles. I’ve personally witnessed my fellow Members of Congress stray. Not from their wives, but from their principles.  You can fall away from why you came here simply because a lobbyist who bundled several thousand dollars in campaign contributions asks you to cast a simple little vote on an amendment here or there. You look at what you’re about to do. You know it’s not consistent with your core beliefs, but then you go through the same self-delusion I just outlined for physical sins. You arrogantly tell yourself that nobody will notice; it’s a small issue, anyway; I should get more credit for all I’m doing to fight the fight; compared to what I’ve seen other conservatives swallow it’s no big deal. You get the idea.”

Congressman-elect Adam Nation could not have known at the time of his meeting how important his twenty minutes with a fallen Congressman would prove to be in his life, and for the nation.

NINE

Offices of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

The President wasted no time following his victory in the election. Once the election was over, he had frequently thought during the campaign, his anger increasing with each day, it would be time to settle some scores that were much in need of settling. Nobody treats me like they did the last four years and get away with it, he thought. Not this President. Not now that I’ve just been safely re-elected into my second term. Never facing the voters again. I can finally complete the process of fundamentally transforming a country that is obviously drastically in need of radical transformation. They elected me the first time. I told them what I would do. They re-elected me to a second term, knowing what I would do. So, now, it’s finally time to actually do it.

It had been a long day for Archbishop O’Malley. Most of his day had been spent fielding media inquiries. Reporters were uniformly curious as to whether he had been served any legal documents from the Department of Justice, as DC was full of rumors that either the Archbishop or the Archdiocese were being indicted for unspecified crimes. None of this came as a surprise to the outspoken Archbishop, as he had been the leader of the nation’s Catholics in opposing the re-election of the President. So, he expected no less, as he was a student of history and knew well what happens to those who oppose the occupant of the throne. He was acquainted with Machiavelli’s warning that “If you strike the king, you must kill him.”

The battle lines were joined once the Department of Health and Human Services had ordered Catholic institutions to provide medical services contrary to their faith. In response, the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were unanimous in refusing to bow to the dictates of the federal government, even including bulletin inserts passed out in Catholic churches across the nation. Catholics were told that, if necessary, they could be called upon to engage in civil disobedience against the government’s violation of their religious liberty.

Archbishop O’Malley walked his talk by personally leading Catholic civil disobedience in eastern Pennsylvania. He signed a letter instructing employees of the Archdiocese to refuse to allow any funds, directly or indirectly, to be used for contraceptive health services. He also wrote to the insurance company that insured employees notifying the company that he would cancel their services if any contraceptive services were accorded by the company, as that would violate the beliefs of their faith that life begins at conception.

The Archbishop made the cover of TIME and most major daily newspapers with his stance leading the fight and his public call two weeks before the election to “un-elect a President who wants to destroy the Constitution’s guarantee of religious liberty in America.” The White House was not amused, but the President and his advisors decided that to avoid drawing rank-in-file Catholic voters into the fight, they would just ignore the Archbishop, and the Church, until, after the election, that is. They believed that most of the voters in the nation’s Catholic Church pews were not behind their Church leaders, in any case. Studies after the election showed that Catholic voters supported the President in appreciable numbers. The Administration rewarded Catholic voters by indicting Archbishop O’Malley.

What the President had planned before the election for the Archbishop after the election was a single count criminal indictment. The crime of which the Archbishop was accused was that he purportedly violated the federal hate crimes statute. The DOJ alleged that Archbishop O’Malley’s actions opposing the President’s HHS directive was a hate crime in that the Archbishop “discriminated egregiously against a protected class under the law, i.e., gender, as he committed acts to deprive women of health services.” Not a single lawyer working at the Department of Justice thought that there was even a remote chance of a conviction, but the President’s decision to prosecute was not to be denied.

The Vatican’s Press Office issued a statement “on behalf of His Holiness.” The Statement read:

“Today’s indictment of Archbishop O’Malley is a travesty of justice. Unless dismissed immediately, it may well lead to an unfortunate religious war in America. The Church doesn’t want such a war, but apparently some in the American Administration do. May God help us.”

The President buzzed his Press Secretary to come to the Oval Office to discuss his Administration’s response to the strongly-worded statement from the Vatican.

“Mike, look, I’m not going to take this from Rome. Who does this Pope think he is? Religious war? If they want a religious war, I would remind his Holiness what the Bible says about King Rehoboam.”

“I’m sorry, Mister President, I may have missed that in Sunday school class. The name is familiar, though.”

“Check out Second Chronicles chapter ten. After Solomon died, the people of Israel came to his successor, Rehoboam, and begged him to lighten their load, to lay on them a lighter yoke. You know, less government, so to speak.”

“So, Mr. President, he did it, right?”

“No, of course not. He told them that his little finger would be thicker than his dad’s loins. He promised to make their yoke heavier, not lighter. That’s my plan.”

“Really, how did that work out? Didn’t that split Israel and Judah into two nations?”

“That’s not the issue. I’m just saying that the Vatican has picked on the wrong man. They did their best to beat me, so I’ll do my best to increase what this government does to rein in all these churches, of all denominations, that raised the sword against me. What’s the phrase, ‘if you live by the sword, you will surely die by the sword’?”

“But, I can’t say anything even close to that at the media briefing.”

“No….that’s right….but here’s what you will say….”

At the daily media briefing the President’s Press Secretary responded to the Vatican statement by saying, “If it’s to be war, on behalf of women’s health services, let it begin. America will not lose the battle.”

The next afternoon Archbishop O’Malley surrendered at the Federal Building on Market Street. After internal discussion the Attorney General determined that cuffing and perp-walking a robed Archbishop in front of the media might not be the best idea, even though the election was now successfully over and no votes could be lost.

TEN

Dallas, Texas

“POTUS is down! OH, NO!…Repeat, the President….is down!...So is the VP.”

“Appears to be an upper front shot…bleeding...he’s behind the podium …on the platform.…. Several on the podium appear to have been shot…Protocol SkyHook. STAT! ….Full perimeter. STAT, STAT.”

With these frantically shouted words Secret Service Agent Stephen Quinn was only confirming what hundreds of thousands of day viewers could see with their own eyes – the President had been shot and was down, along with others on the stage in Dallas.

Normally, viewership of a day time Presidential speech outside of DC would not be large, but this was no normal day. The election was now over. The post-election pundits had given their views. The President and his running mate, accompanied by several Congressional leaders, had for some time been touring the country in what some Republicans derisively labeled the “President’s Victory Lap”. Some asked if he intended to extend his tour for four years.

The major news outlets led their initial reports of a shooting of the President by reminding their audiences that the site of the shooting was the same city in which John F. Kennedy was slain – Dallas, Texas. No one could know, of course, this soon after the trigger was squeezed how this President would fare. Was it a fatal shot? Was he merely wounded and would survive, as did President Reagan? As in any act of violence of this nature, the crowds of supporters in City Hall Plaza panicked, running from the Plaza. Within seconds, the Secret Service, following well-rehearsed plans, had covered the President’s body, followed by carrying him swiftly off the back of the stage erected for the speech in the Plaza, and to an ambulance, always kept nearby for just such a purpose. Vice President Lawrence McAlister, whose wounds appeared to be more serious, was likewise swiftly moved offstage. The Senators and other Congressional leaders were treated initially on the stage, due to the lack of immediate available ambulances. President Bush, 42, noted that as long as he could see the ambulance tasked to carry him, and he wasn’t in it, he was ok.

News coverage being what it is in the age of satellites and the internet, tens of millions, and then, billions, of residents of the world soon heard the news from Dallas, holding their collective breath for what would inevitably follow – either the good news of the President’s diagnosed likely survival of the assassination attempt, or instead, the tragic news that he had succumbed to the malevolent plans of his assailant, or assailants.

Within ten minutes of the shot being fired, CNN set a new timing record in concluding that the act appeared to be that “of a lone gunman”, though no one had any idea who the shooter was, or even where the shot came from. Federal investigators, however, narrowed the location of the shot to a one inch circular hole cut in a vacant office window in a building a block and a half distant from the campaign event platform, so far away that it had not been felt necessary for the building to be secured prior to the event. Forensics experts concluded that the shooter had to have been a highly skilled, well-trained sniper to make the shot, given the distance and angles.

Twelve minutes after the first Associated Press flash bulletin alerted the nation’s news outlets, the NBC affiliate in Dallas reported that its hospital sources had informed the station that the President had not survived the shooting. Lemming-like, the world’s electronic media repeated the report of the death of the world’s most powerful man. The news, though, was incorrect. As soon as the White House Press Secretary, who had traveled to Dallas with his boss, could assemble the media in the lobby of Baylor Hospital, he assured grieving reporters that the President was very much alive, and was expected to fully recover.

The Press Secretary’s response to questions about the Vice President and Congressional leaders was more guarded. His reluctance led media veterans to conclude that at least one of the leaders shot may have died from his injuries. The Press Secretary promised updates of the President’s condition from Air Force One, to which the President was about to be transported for a flight back to DC and medical attention at George Washington University Hospital.

News of the shooting in Dallas led officials to instantaneously conclude that the government of the United States was under armed attack. The various federal agencies charged with law enforcement responsibilities alerted their key employees to the potential of a widespread assault on federal officials. Cabinet officers, Congressional leaders not present in Dallas and Supreme Court Justices were all taken to pre-arranged secure locations. With the shooting of federal officials, it was clear that the events required the government to shift into full crisis mode. Official Washington, DC knows well how to do crisis mode.

The startling news from Dallas, as compelling as it was, ratcheted up even further in the midst of the evening’s news coverage of the shootings, as talking heads on all media outlets referred to the AP instant news feed. Chris Walters of Fox News covered the breaking news:

“….and so, as we have been extensively reporting, the President has survived, thankfully, this dastardly, might I say also cowardly, attack today. Our sources tell us that the President was not actually shot, but may have suffered superficial injuries from shrapnel from the several bullets that were fired at the stage at the rally in Dallas. We also understand from hospital sources that the Vice President remains in surgery in Dallas and that a U.S. Senator who attended the rally, whose identity has not been disclosed, was also injured in the mass shooting today. We understand that the U.S. Senator is not from Texas, but that he was traveling with the President in his post-election ‘thank you tour’ around the country.

“One un-named doctor at Baylor Hospital, several blocks east of Parkland Hospital, which is where President Kennedy was pronounced dead in 1963, as you will recall, has been quoted by the Dallas Morning News as saying that one of the persons shot at the rally today is in what he called ‘dire, worse than critical, condition’. He opined to the newspaper that the shooting victim is not likely to survive. Whether he was referring to Vice President McAlister or the U.S. Senator, who remains to be identified, is unknown at this point in time….Let’s see….My producer is telling me that next we’ll look at a segment from the hospital news conference held late today at Baylor. Dr. Chap……wait…yes.

“I’m sorry, I’ve just been told in my ear piece that the AP is issuing an emergency news flash. No, it’s apparently not about the President, who remains in stable condition, thankfully, and is on his way back to D.C. But, we have some news from Dallas, according to the AP, and I quote, ‘the Senator who is suffering from a gunshot wound has now been identified as U.S. Senator James R. Blevins of South Carolina. He is…I’m repeating from the AP….‘apparently in serious condition’ …but thankfully he is still alive’.

“The Senator is one of the President’s loyal supporters, and one of the more liberal Senators, though he’s from a southern State. He bucked the trend of conservatives elected from Southern States, apparently because his father had been an icon in the Senate for seven terms.

“This shooting report is obviously somewhat different from the 2010 attempted assassination on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona, as her shooter was caught, fortunately, at the scene of the shooting at a town hall meeting at a mall in Tucson. As you know, she survived, some would say almost miraculously, a bullet in her brain, though a federal judge and five others were killed.

“ I will have to say, though, that the almost complete lack of information on the condition of the Vice President is troublesome. We’ve been told that the President, though involved in the shootings today, was not seriously hurt and now we hear that Senator Blevins was shot, but his condition, though serious, is apparently not life threatening. That’s all good, but why no condition report at all on Vice President McAlister?

““While we await further news on the mass shooting of a number of elected federal officials in Dallas, I would just like to comment about what I’m beginning to hear from our friendly competitors on cable and beginning to read on some of the blogs. Just as in the Arizona shooting where journalists and some bloggers immediately jumped to conclusions, unwarranted as it turned out, and speculated that the shooter was a ‘right winger’, I am starting to hear, actually increasingly now, that these shootings were the acts of right wingers, or the militia or tea party folks. I would suggest that everybody in my profession just hold on, be patient and let the federal agencies, and the state authorities, do their jobs. We don’t need any witch hunts at this point in time. We’ve got enough troubles, obviously, without pointing fingers, or assessing blame….this early…. and….without all the facts. Enough said. Now let’s take a quick break and we’ll be back to try and sort all this out for you.” Walter’s unsolicited advice was ignored by most American media.

ELEVEN

Washington, DC

Presidential historians were soon called into television and radio outlets to put the Dallas shootings into historical perspective.

“No, Charles, except for the Lincoln Conspiracy, all other attempts to assassinate American Presidents, whether successful or not, were by single gunmen”, replied Historian Dorene Goodwink to her network interviewer the morning after the shootings were labeled by many in the mainstream national media as the “Guns Against Government Conspiracy”.

“But, what about the JFK assassination, there are still many who think that Lee Harvey Oswald didn’t act alone?”

“There’ll always be conspiracy theorists who question every suspicious act, Charlie. However, let’s look at a true, actual conspiracy of men, and it appears, also women, who got together to accomplish one primary objective – to decapitate the federal government by killing its President and certain members of the President’s Cabinet. That, historically, was a confirmed joint action, a conspiracy, to violate the law through murderous acts.”

“I take it you see similarities with yesterday’s shootings in Dallas?”

“On its face there appears to have been a conspiracy yesterday to kill, with guns, high federal officials. Fortunately, our President is doing better than expected, we all understand. Unfortunately, Senator James R. Blevins is still in serious condition. Plus, Charlie, as you just reported on this network, the Dallas media are raising questions now as to whether the Vice President will survive his wounds.”

“Dorene, except for the obvious fact that all three were shot at about the same time, on the same day, why do you conclude, to use your words, that there was a conspiracy, on its face?”

“Just look at history. Secretary of State William Seward, was attacked, and nearly killed, but for his neck brace that spared him from his assailant’s knife stabs, in his home the very same night as Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theater. The conspirators’ plans to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson and General Grant fell apart at the last minute. The conspirators were convicted and hung for working together to kill officials of the government. Plus, and this is quite important in light of what happened yesterday, they acted together for a common political purpose. The Confederate States had lost the war, with surrender by General Lee just five days before. These conspirators were trying to throw the government into turmoil and confusion, thus hoping to lead Confederate soldiers to continue fighting. They tried to change the government, and history, through violence, using weapons of violence and hate, guns and bullets.”

“So, how is that like yesterday’s shootings in Dallas?”

“Simple, really. Just answer these questions. Who hates this President? Who’s made it their publicly stated goal to try and derail his progressive agenda? Who’s organized in every State and every city of any size to defeat the President? Who hates the ATF and its efforts to prevent the proliferation of guns in....”

“I apologize Dorene, but I’m hearing in my ear from my news director that the AP has just reported that Vice President McAlister has passed….as many had….feared he might. Our prayers are of course with his widow and family, and of course, for our country.”

“I am so sorry to hear that, Charlie. It’s a very sad day for our country. These right wingers will rue the day that they tried to….”

“Now, to be fair, Dorene, just because a large group of right wingers tried to defeat the President at the polls, and there were several instances of violence in the campaign, on both sides, of course, that doesn’t automatically mean that they had anything to do with these tragic shootings, isn’t that true?”

“I’ve made my statement, Charlie. This is a right wing, gun-toting straight up conspiracy, and the several bullets that were fired by guns held by these gun-loving radicals are clear evidence of what I’m saying, and what the early polls this morning are showing – that most Americans think that it’s obviously the tea party, self-styled patriot wing nuts behind this. They’re the ones that were trying to change America, and change its elected and appointed leaders through the barrel of a gun. We can’t let that happen. They’re the ones who falsely claimed that there was widespread vote fraud in the past election. Again, I say, what a sad day for America”.

“Well, thanks, Dorene, for your time today and your passionate and informed analysis. Any final words?”

“Only this. My study of history tells me that it’s now finally time to correct that clumsily written, ambiguous, and we learn, again, that exceedingly dangerous Second Amendment. There should be no right to own hate guns particularly when those weapons are used to try to change governments. After a mass shooting Australia banned private ownership of guns. America needs to do the same thing. Let’s ban the right to own weapons of hate – and do it now, before even more good people are killed. In addition, though this may be more controversial, we need to re-examine how this country has allowed all manner of hateful speech, and violent words, to lead to more shootings….and….to lead to….well….to just more hate. The hate has to stop. We must curtail hateful speakers and we must stop their violent words.”

“But, Dorene, don’t we have a problem with the two U.S. Supreme Court decisions, in 2008, the D.C. case, and in 2010 the. Chicago decision? Those two cases interpreted the Second Amendment as applying to individual gun ownership and applied the Amendment to the states. Right?”

“Charlie, both of those cases were decided 5-4. Just one vote made the difference. With the President’s recent appointment, and the Senate’s confirmation, of Justice Sheila Newton to the high Court, the ball game has changed. Changed dramatically. Justice Newton is a known progressive, I would even use the term liberal. She replaced Justice Kennelly, a Reagan appointee, who had been a swing vote on many cases. Kennelly did vote with the majority in both pro-gun cases. Though Justice Kennelly was 76 years old, he had told friends that he would stay on the Court through the President’s first term. But, as we know, health reasons led to his resignation, and to Justice Newton’s appointment.”

“Dorene, how do you see all of that working in the growing public demand to ban guns in this country after these horrific shootings of three federal officials, coming at the end of a violent campaign?”

Dorene looked deep into the camera’s lens and uttered words that would be quoted for many months to come. “Charlie, if the Congress has the guts to pass a bill outlawing private ownership of guns, especially now after Larry McAlister’s passing, I think it would be quickly upheld in a test case by the Supreme Court. I’m saying that the Court would reverse itself, as it’s done in the past. It looks like it could be 5 to 4 against the gunners, Charlie, and that’s a very good thing. It’s time to change the law. Let’s give peace a chance.”

“Well, folks, noted Presidential Historian Goodwink has sounded the alarm. Is anyone in the White House, or in the Congress, listening?”

As it turned out, people at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue were well ahead of the renowned Presidential historian.

TWELVE

Washington, DC – GWU Hospital

No one in the national media could recall any news conference even remotely like this one. When the White House Press Office sent the initial e-mail notice, some in the media were openly skeptical of its source, but it was certainly authentic. It read:

WHITE HOUSE PRESS OFFICE MEDIA EVENT ADVISORY

At 1730 hours, tomorrow, the President will meet with pool reporters (confirm last week’s listing for your outlet’s inclusion) at George Washington University Hospital, 900 23rd Street NW. Check in with the SS Agent in Charge at the Main Entry to be escorted to the President’s Suite. The President will be joined by Congressional Leaders (list not confirmed at this juncture) along with Mrs. Blevins. It is expected that Vice President McAlister’s widow may also be present.

No questions will be taken, nor answered, on any campaign issues, including polls. All statements made and questions addressed will deal exclusively with new legislation to be proposed and announced at the M.E. Note --- Network TV will be limited to one camera per outlet/same for newsprint. Questions? Contact Janice as usual. 202-555-1212 x1257

The University Hospital’s Presidential Suite certainly lived up to its name in terms of its decor, but its over-all size limited the number of people who could squeeze into its confines, thus curtailing the media personalities who could attend. This had the effect of bruising some egos, understandably so, given recent events and the historic news-making nature of this prime time media event in a hospital with a wounded President. The closest the media had gotten to President Reagan was his wave from his hospital window. By the time of the media event, the executives of the major media had reached an agreement to rely on pool coverage, with most placing their national anchors either at desks to be set up in the lobby of the Hospital or outside, if the weather cooperated. It was anticipated that possibly as many Americans could watch this media event as had watched the moon landing or the launching of the Kuwaiti war.

The pool picture of the President, on an I.V. and a pulse monitor, setting upright in his hospital bed, surrounded by his family and Congressional leaders, made page one of newspapers not only in the U.S., but in most of the world. There had never been a Presidential photograph quite like it, a fact confirmed by Historian Goodwink later that night in network color coverage of the historical event.

What took pool reporters by surprise was what the President didn’t say, which was to say, he said nothing. The First Lady graciously thanked the media for coming, thanked the Secret Service for protecting her husband and thanked the medical staff at Parkland and now at GWU for their excellent medical care. She then explained that the President would not be making public comments at this media event, because, she said, the President’s doctors had advised, because he was on pain killing medication for his shrapnel wounds, he should not yet make public comments.

Political strategists for the President’s opponents also thought that the President was right not to speak, or at least was smart not to do so. The media event turned out to be adversarial in nature, but the ominous words spoken were by others, not from the President. The President’s sole visible contribution was a wide, winsome smile when a pool reporter at the end of the media event shouted out, “How’re you feelin’ Mr. President?” The hospitalized President responded by raising a single thumb up with his left hand, careful not to move his bandaged right arm and shoulder. Click. Click. Click. Photo Op Number Two.

Thus, the opposition’s advisors concluded, the President got the best of both worlds. He gained additional sympathy as the surviving intended victim of a Presidential assassination attempt, plus, he was able to send a message to the party faithful, but with words spoken by others. They were his words, but he didn’t have to say them.

The First Lady led the attack, with a few carefully chosen, rehearsed, words. “My dear husband is here today, and alive today…….because a bullet missed its target – his heart. His heart is as compassionate as America’s heart – which in the last few days has cried out to solve this national peril that we all face. Anyone of us could be killed, taken down at any stage of life, by a bullet fired from a weapon of hate…..a gun. I know that my husband will want to work with the Congress that the people choose to elect to insure that weapons of hate are weapons of the past.

“He has asked these leaders of our nation’s Congress to be with us today, as we move towards that goal. Continuing to fix our nation’s economy that was broken when he took office will remain a major goal, but ridding our nation of hate weapons, and eliminating the hate speech that inflamed our nation through the past violent campaign, will be his priority goals for passage by Congress in this new session of Congress. The President will thus prioritize along with gun control the control of this nation’s increasing hate speech, as the two so frequently go hand-in-hand. We need to honor those many Americans who paid with their lives due to hate weapons and by hate speech by getting rid of the guns that caused their untimely deaths.

“Judy McAlister is here with us today, as you know. Judy, we love you and pray for you and your wonderful family. Your loving husband, Vice President Larry McAlister, sacrificed his life in the service of his country. In our minds he’s a true American hero whom we will never forget.

“My husband has also asked me to urge Americans who are grieved by the injuries that he suffered in Dallas to avoid any more street demonstrations. Too many have been injured, and tragically, even some killed, in these shows of support for the President. We can’t accomplish what we need to do as a nation with violence, but we can get where we want to go as a nation once Congress votes to outlaw hate and those who hate.

“Finally, I just want to say….to add….that whoever tried to keep my husband from serving his….whoever did this horrible thing….whom many in the media are speculating must be from the radical right….though we don’t know yet, of course….must be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. May God bless America and its voters as they decide next Tuesday the future direction and fate of our great nation.”

Many in the room found that they had moist eyes as the First Lady spoke. The First Lady then introduced the Senate’s Majority Leader, Senator Harold Reese and the soon to be returned to power House Speaker Nadia Pelham. The two Congressional leaders then spoke briefly, as they issued a prepared statement to the media:

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE

UNTIL 1330 HOURS

JOINT STATEMENT

OFFICE OF THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER

OFFICE OF THE HOUSE MINORITY LEADER

Senator Reese and Speaker Pelham join in assuring Americans that the nation’s long nightmare of gun violence and death will soon come to an end. To achieve this essential outcome, we will join together with the Administration to draft a bill to be considered by the new Congress in January to address our nation’s hopeless addiction to guns, and also to put teeth in the Shepard/Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Hate weapons and hate speech must be curtailed, even eliminated in most cases, if we are to survive as a free people. We will name this new law after our brave fallen Vice President, Lawrence McAlister, taken from us too soon by an act of hate and violence. The sponsors of the bill, to be announced next Thursday, have agreed to denominate the legislation, to be introduced as 113 – S.-1, the Lawrence McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapons Elimination Act. We look forward to its swift and fair consideration by the new Congress, as well as its early passage and adoption into law. We are both committed to expediting the scheduling of hearings and mark ups consistent with the urgency of this critical legislation. The hate-mongers among us, who terrorized America in this bloody campaign, have gone too far this time, as they will soon learn. This nation will deprive the haters, by law, of their weapons of hate and curtail their hateful words. Our American way of life deserves no less.

Once the media had exited the hospital suite, the First Lady motioned for Vivian Higgins, the President’s Chief Domestic Policy Advisor, to come out into hall. Once there, she leaned over and whispered into Vivian’s ear. “Vivian, do you think there’s any way….any way….that Hilde’s involved in this?”

Vivian moved around so she could whisper back in the First Lady’s ear. “What are you talking about? The shootings?” The First Lady nodded her head yes.

“No, of course not….The shootings?….No Way…..Wilbur?....Maybe….Hilde? No. She’s too smart for anything even close to that.”

“I’m just sayin’ that with a vacancy in the number two job, Hilde may make another push to get the President to pick her….like she did in the summer, when Larry almost got bounced from the ticket.  I’ll never trust that woman, I don’t care what anyone says. You have to back me this time in keeping Hilde, and Wilbur, as far away from the White House as possible.”

THIRTEEN

Campaign Website Blog Entry by John Madison –

It was the worst day of my life. No….not just the worst day. Election day was the absolute worst day of my life. I know. I know. ‘You can’t win them all’ and all that rot, but this election loss was catastrophic in nature, as it led to a whole series of legal and personal assaults about which I will shortly write. It wasn’t a catastrophe because I was defeated as a candidate on the ballot. I wasn’t running for office. No such luck. It was a full blown disaster for me because I managed the campaign in Texas against the candidate who won. Who was that winning candidate? Only just the incumbent President of the United States, who knew well who I was and who was reportedly not at all amused by my efforts in the hard-fought campaign to deny him a second term.

I’m getting a little ahead of myself. I’ve never kept what used to be called a journal, but after what happened last month, and my big mug being flashed on television screens all over the country, I decided I’d better keep a chronicle of what happened by blogging on my campaign website. I’m writing down what happened because my study of history as a student at Texas A & M tells me that the winners write the history books, and therefore, the truth is usually lost. I don’t want that to happen this time.

Oh, yeah, my name is John Madison, and I am the founder and State Co-Chairman of the Lone Star Patriots First tea party, one of several tea party and patriot organizations that had sprung up in our State over the four years between the President’s first and, it makes my heart, and my fingers, hurt to type these words, his second election to the White House. Even though it poses a danger to me to do so, I’ve decided to record the true inside story of what happened to me, our supporters and volunteers, and most importantly to our country, beginning after that fateful election day, yesterday.

I’m recording, now, of course, mainly what happened after the election, for an obvious reason, I’m writing this after the election. Plus, any American with a pulse knows what happened in the campaign. How the media slanted campaign coverage; how the incumbent’s political party and big city henchmen effectively eviscerated the President’s Republican opponent and his running mate; how the labor unions (you know, the ones to which the administration handed over ownership of car companies) and the public sector unions (the ones who had earlier declared war in Wisconsin against the taxpayers) managed to insure that the blue states stayed blue, and the red states didn’t total enough electoral votes; and the rigged voting with the President getting 99% and 100% in some precincts. Even the Russians usually gave a few votes to the opponents of the regime. And, well, you know what happened.. The White House political machine had worked for four years to guarantee that we couldn’t possibly win and the incumbent couldn’t conceivably lose. We don’t need to recall that disaster of a campaign. It hurts too much to remember, anyway.

Oh, yeah, how did the term ‘tea party’ come to apply to political efforts to throw out the Congress and to try to prevent a second term for the President? Everyone knows that the original term began with the dumping of tea in Boston Harbor in 1773, as an organized protest against British taxes on imported tea. OK, maybe not everybody knows this background. If you ‘studied’ U.S. history in a public school, they may have left out that little factoid. More recently, in 2007, the term ‘tea party’ was updated to apply to several angry voters in a large mid-western city who organized to protest grossly excessive property taxes, and who dumped tea bags in a city canal. Americans for Tax Reform in DC noticed the protest, gave the group an award, and the rest, as they say, is history. In 2009, Rick Santelli, a CNBC business reporter engaged in an on air rant from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, calling for a “tea party” by traders throwing worthless derivatives into the Chicago River. His rant went viral as more Americans woke up to the mortgage mess being perpetuated by the federal government.

In Texas, admittedly a long way from Boston Harbor, we liked the phrase, and along with several groups, we adopted it into our formal name. We might as well have painted red-ringed targets on our backs, though, as we have since learned that all of our data files were downloaded by federal agents. What really stings is that when we initiated legal action because of the unauthorized downloading of our membership and donor files, the official response was to claim that it was all legal under the Patriot Act. I don’t need to say anything about how offensive that argument was.

FOURTEEN

White House Oval Office

“Look, Darlin’, I don’t have any real choice. I’m gonna to have to pick Hilde to replace Larry, now that he’s passed.”

“Don’t give that fake homey drawl. I know you. I know you better than anybody knows you. I can tell you’ve already made up your mind, so why even ask me and Vivian?”

The trio in the Oval Office each had a strong déjà vu feeling as they convened, again, to discuss selecting former First Lady Hilde Ramona Calhoun to be the nation’s future Vice President. Four months ago, prior to the Democratic National Convention the three of them had met to consider replacing Lawrence McAlister on the ticket. The decision then had been to make the switch in the number two spot, though the First Lady had been strongly against it. Vivian had appeared to give in, the President called Hilde and the Vice President to a private meeting to make the switch, but it didn’t happen. Vice President McAlister persuaded the President that dumping him from the national ticket could cost him his own re-election. Hilde attended the meeting expecting to be named. After being left at the altar, Hilde and her husband, former President Wilbur Jackson Calhoun, were not amused.

Vivian was the most political of the three persons in the room. She had said after the election returns confirmed that her boss would serve a second term that, “It’s getting even time….every jerk who opposed us had better get ready, because it’s payback time”. Vivian was no fan of the Calhouns, but she was a pragmatist who understood, better than the President and his wife, how Washington really worked. She would not oppose the selection of Hilde Calhoun, again.

“Honey, you know I agreed not to decide anything major unless we all three agreed. Why do you think I called this meeting? Why are we all three here talkin’ about this? Hunh?”

Vivian decided it was time to intervene in the first couple’s argument by addressing her comments to the First Lady, “Stop. OK.? I only gave in back in August to picking Hilde because I thought she would add votes. Larry convinced your husband otherwise. So be it. Larry’s gone. God bless his cerebrally limited soul. Now, we gotta’ do the smart political thing and name Hilde. It’s really quite simple. We can’t dump Hilde twice in one year or we will have so much…..”

“Vivian….You stop. OK?” The President, realizing he wasn’t in this cat fight, folded his hands across his chest, and leaned back in his chair. “I have only one reason that I don’t want Hilde Calhoun down the hall as Veep. You know what it is….I raised it with you at the hospital, if you will recall.”

Vivian was temporarily puzzled by the First Lady’s response. Then she remembered. “Oh, you mean when you asked if Hilde, or more likely, Wilbur, had anything to do with the shootings in Dallas….Is that what you mean?”

The President quickly went from slightly bemused to intensely interested, “What? What? I haven’t heard anything about….”

“Your wife asked me at the hospital if I thought that the Calhouns could have been involved in some way with the shootings in Texas. I scoffed at the idea, but she’s still paranoid about all those stories when they officed here that the Calhouns had arranged to off several of their political enemies. Internet junk stuff. Baloney. And that’s what I told her.”

The First Lady looked down at her hands, which were nervously wringing the ends of the decorative scarf she was wearing. “You can both say I’m paranoid….maybe I am….but if the Calhouns get into power again, they’d only be a heartbeat from moving down the hall into this office. I’m just sayin’.”

The President also knew his wife well, and he knew when she had decided to give in on an argument, even one in which she was fiercely engaged. He knew it was time to count the votes and move on. “No one has ever proved anything even close to what you’re raising, dear. Hey, it’s my hide that we’re talkin’ about here. If I had any fears at all that Hilde and Wilbur would be a….problem….you know….physically….for me, I would never pick her. She’ll be fine. I worked well with her in the Cabinet. She’s smart politically. She’ll be a big help on the Hill with those retrograde Congressmen that I can’t stand. She actually can talk to them. Hilde’s my pick. Vivian?”

“As you said, you don’t have a true choice. It’s Hilde. Under the 25th Amendment you need to get her name up to the Senate so they can confirm her. Soon. We’ve got a vacancy that needs to be filled, now.”

The President didn’t need to ask how his wife voted. That was obvious, but the First Lady had a closing comment that she couldn’t restrain herself from making, “If I’m right, dear, you won’t be here for me to say ‘I told you so’.”

FIFTEEN

Second Campaign Blog Entry

Well, I’ve been less than diligent in updating my page. I’m obviously not going to be a daily blogger. I just don’t have the time. Why you ask? I’ve had such a hectic schedule this year that my time at our local exercise center was severely curtailed. As a result, I know I could stand to lose a couple lb’s from my six foot four bod. During the campaign I ate way too much fast food during my many trips across Texas trying to persuade voters to come out and vote to throw the President out of office. Plus, I have a real job that requires my time as an executive in the insurance industry.

I haven’t been delayed in blogging daily because of time spent with our kids, who are all grown and raising their own families, so I have no excuse of time consumed by soccer games or ballet practices. My dear wife, Debbie, made sure that I had plenty of time to work on campaign needs, and still spend time with her, as the love of my life. Debbie, many of you know, is blond, petite and has a bubbly personality. As my wife and the mother of our two children, Jack and Katie, she’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Jack is now a pastor over in Dallas and Katie is working overseas in commercial interior design. No, my delay since my last blog hasn’t been for family reasons. I’ve been swamped because of the media attention my Austin speech attacking the President is still getting. I’m getting a lot of calls about the anti-gun and anti-free speech bill that we hear is being drafted by the White House.

As I said earlier, I think it’s important to record the facts about what the newly elected federal Administration did to those of us who opposed them. I don’t know why, really, they were so upset. We fought a good, honest and clean fight in our efforts to sway Texas voters against the incumbent President. But, it’s already pretty obvious from the President’s actions since the election that he doesn’t see it that way. But, we’ve now learned that there is such a thing as a “sore winner”, sorry to say. Really, how does it happen that an officer of a mid-sized insurance company from Tyler, Texas could pose a threat to the Republic? When did I become an enemy of the state? I am clearly being targeted because I led the effort in Texas to replace the occupant of the Oval Office. Funny thing is that before this year’s campaign and election I had nothing to do with politics. I was a ‘died-in-the-wool conservative’, but I left it up to others to do something about the decline and possible fall of my beloved nation. I finally realized that our very survival as a free country was on the line if we just sat back and allowed the incumbent another four years.

Today’s announcement that the President has agreed in principle with a bill to eliminate private gun ownership and to quote curtail unquote hate speech makes me alternately sick at my stomach, and mad as…well, this is being read online, so, I’ll just write that I’m torn up inside over what is happening in DC over our right to speak freely and to own weapons of defense. The newly re-elected Administration has now reiterated the First Lady’s George Washington University Hospital statement made right before the election that in his second term the President will get Congress to “re-interpret” the black letters written centuries ago on parchment paper. This fulfills his agenda for America, which differs radically from those aged words.

The White House Press Office and Senator Blevins’ office jointly released the text of the bill, labeled as 113-S.-1. It’s to be introduced in the Congress, in the new session beginning in January, to rid the nation of privately-owned guns and shut down what was labeled as hate speech. I suspected that the Administration would have Jim Blevins act as the lead sponsor of the bill. The Senator is one of the most liberal in the U.S. Senate, even though he’s from conservative South Carolina. I’ve noticed that happens frequently, like Senator Reese coming from Nevada. Senator Blevins was in critical condition after his shooting, but last week he had recovered sufficiently to return to the Capitol and lead the fight, from his wheelchair, for his historic Constitution-changing bill. Senator Blevins looks like he was type cast by Hollywood for his role. Heavy-jowled….just plain heavy….balding, blustering, the Senator lays his South Carolina accent on pretty heavy when it suits his interests. With his seniority in the Senate, he was the perfect choice to lead the fight to pass the McAlister Bill, besides his shooting, needless to say.

It’s important to understand the assault on the First and Second Amendments that Senator Blevins and his several co-sponsors, joined by Speaker Pelham, and the President, of course, are proposing to become the law of the land. It’s not 1200 pages like the healthcare reform bill. In fact, being just a few pages, there are no obvious loopholes or areas of lack of clarity. 113-S.-1 states it as clearly as it can be stated - you can’t own a gun, as all firearms are defined as “Hate Weapons”. If you get caught owning a gun, after the 180 day redemption period for gun owners to turn in their firearms (in exchange for a few hundred bucks), you will be charged with a class C felony and then spend your next 10 years in a federal prison. How about that for clarity? There is only one exception for hunting, but it’s very limited. Quite offensive is the part of the bill that rewards Americans who turn in their friends, family and neighbors who may have held onto their guns.

In addition, any person who utters or writes words considered to be hate speech by the federal censors, excuse me, by a new federal Hate Speech Review Panel that the new law, if it passes, would create, can be imprisoned, also for 10 years. That’s clear enough, also. The text of the bill was apparently leaked today by its sponsors. Only time will tell if enough people of this country will recognize the danger of taking away our rights under the First and Second Amendments and defeat this assault on our Constitutional rights.

We’ve already started organizing in this part of Texas to fight, and hopefully defeat, this dangerous bill. I have to be honest, and say that it doesn’t look all that good at this early stage to defeat the bill. Bad laws get passed, and bad laws adopted, almost always during a crisis. The shootings have poisoned the atmosphere to speak out in support of owning guns, and opened the door to corking people, legally, for speaking their mind. We’re doing research on how a shooting crisis in other countries led to abolishing private ownership and how some nations have shut off free speech. Apparently in Australia after a crazed gunman shot several people the laws were changed taking away the right of Aussies to keep and bear arms. Taking away everyone’s rights to defend ourselves, just because of one nutcase, just doesn’t make sense to me.

Once the bill leaked today, I received two calls telling me about pastors in Sweden and Canada being arrested and charged with hate crimes for preaching from the Bible on same gender marriage. Incredible. Anyway, we’re going to fight hard to keep our Constitution. More later.

SIXTEEN

Oval Office – White House

Washington, DC

“Five, four, three, two…..” Thus, the White House media coordinator counted down the clock prior to the President’s address to the nation from the Oval Office. America’s broadcast and cable media aired the President’s prime time address, an event expected to be watched by a record audience. Most media led into the White House breaking news event by re-playing video footage of the shootings in Dallas.

“My fellow Americans….I address you tonight as your President….but also as your Commander in Chief. I do so, as it is increasingly obvious that what America is now facing requires me to assume more of my military role, my Constitutional role as Commander in Chief, than my domestic role as President. As you know, I have tried to calm those who have been demonstrating and protesting in our streets. I have urged Americans to settle their disputes at town hall meetings, letters to the editors, blogs and, yes, especially future elections. Many Americans have come into our streets to protest the shootings in Dallas of federal officials, myself included. In response to these inexcusable acts of gun violence, many have themselves reacted violently, fearing that they will lose their right to carry hate weapons, also known as guns. I will address this critical issue in greater depth shortly.

“Unfortunately, I must acknowledge what every American now knows. We may well be on the brink of a Second Civil War. It pains me to use those three words, but I must acknowledge that what is occurring in our country, as we speak, has that potential. In my Administration’s study and evaluation of what has brought us to this stage, and what we must do now to solve the problem of violence, we looked at what one of my predecessors in this office did when he was faced with similar problems.

At the studios of Fox News Shane Harrison turned to his talk show’s producer, turning both thumbs down. “Kevin, I told our viewers this would happen last month. I knew he would do this once he started referring so often to Abe Lincoln in his speeches. You watch, he’s about to use violence as an excuse to declare martial law, just like Lincoln. Just watch.”

“I am referring, as students of American history know, to our great 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, whose bust I display proudly in my office, as you can see behind me. Not all Americans, though, may know that when Abraham Lincoln saw his nation falling apart he took strong legal steps to make sure that our nation survived. We can learn from President Lincoln’s example.

“President Lincoln decided soon after coming into office, in April, 1861, that he needed to preserve the Union. He issued several orders before Congress convened in July. He increased the size of the Army and Navy, he bought weapons, he started a blockade and he temporarily suspended habeas corpus. He called forth the militia to ‘suppress combinations’ of persons who sought to rebel against the government. And….he also declared martial law.

“I know that many people get nervous when they hear the phrase ‘martial law’, but martial law has been declared in this country not only by President Lincoln, but also in 1941 by the Territorial Governor of Hawaii and in 1942 by the Department of War in four States, California, Oregon, Washington and Arizona. At least three Governors have declared martial law in their States, Texas, Alabama and Ohio, all in the last century. For those unacquainted with the phrase, it simply means a way to control violence in society during periods of war or civil unrest. I think we would all agree that we are in a period of increasing civil unrest, which must and will be controlled.

“Some may ask, why not just let local and state law enforcement agencies control this rising resistance to the government in our streets? The answer, of course, is that we’ve tried that in many cities across the country and it hasn’t always worked. I have reluctantly concluded that there is an urgent need to declare martial law, to be temporary, until we can control the gun violence in America. At this time I will not suspend Constitutional rights, such as habeas corpus, or assembly, or speech nor will I impose national curfews, though that could all change if the facts and events of the future so demand. The Executive Order that I have signed this evening only declares martial law. The armed forces of these United States, and the Department of Homeland Security, will ensure that order is restored and that peace prevails. I am instructing the Governors of the states to stand down from their legal duties regarding peace and order within their respective states.

“With the truly unfortunate passing of our nation’s Vice President, and my friend, Lawrence McAlister, we have reached the stage in this nation that we finally have to deal with the inordinate number of guns that are used every day to kill Americans. Most of you know that to honor the memory of our fallen Vice President, Congress is now considering a new law which would ban hate weapons, along with the hate speech that leads so often to the use of hate weapons. I urge you to write and call your Senators and Congressman and urge them to quickly consider and pass this bill. My commitment to you is that once I use my pen to sign the McAlister bill into law, I will the same day use the same pen to revoke my order declaring martial law. Once we are safe from gun killings, we will no longer need martial law in America. Some will argue that this new law violates the Constitution, but let me assure you that nothing could be further from the truth.”

Shane Harrison punched his producer in the arm, saying “See, Kevin. ‘Nothing could be further from the truth’. Whenever you hear a politician use that phrase you know you’re about to be lied to. There go the First and the Second Amendments.”

“My desire to see the violence in America come to an end is my primary motivation in following President Lincoln’s example in declaring martial law. Accordingly, under my Executive Order imposing martial law, on a temporary basis, I have instructed the Joint Chiefs of Staff to place the appropriate military assets in each State beginning tonight. The DHS will assign workers where needed. My office has called each Governor immediately before this broadcast informing them of my Order, and designating the ranking Generals of the United States Army who will be acting in their States to secure the peace. I, of course, expect the full and complete cooperation of each Governor. All Americans expect no less.”

“Oh yeah,” Shane observed, “like the Governors will have any choice in the matter, with a U. S. Army General sitting at their desk.”

“These are perilous times, my fellow Americans, but we have the ability to meet and conquer seemingly insurmountable difficulties. This is not a foreign war nor a natural disaster. It’s a problem of our own making. It can be solved by Americans of good will. We must pull together, lest we pull apart. I will not allow America to continue to pull apart, which is why I have taken the action that I have discussed with you tonight. The violence and the hate must stop. Thank you for listening. God bless you and God bless America.”

SEVENTEEN

FOX NEWS STUDIOS - NEW YORK CITY

Shane Harrison slammed his hand down on the remote to the studio monitor, terminating the Presidential video feed. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard emerge from the lips of the nation’s Chief Executive. It was his task to explain to viewers of Fox News the meaning of those words. For many months he had been a fierce critic of the President, and during the campaign had labeled his nightly program the ‘Retire the President Express’. Tonight Shane knew he had his work cut out for him, as he would have to control his well-known anger, while at the same time trying to explain what had just happened to his country.

“Well….folks….you all heard what I just heard. The question, of course, is what does it all mean? How will you be affected by these extraordinary acts of our President? I mean….have we just lost our Constitution? Do our civil rights have any meaning, anymore? Is this a blatant example of ‘never letting a good crisis go to waste?’ Is this a vast federal government over-reaction to what is actually just a local law enforcement issue in most cases? Could this have been avoided? Can the President legally do what he has just done? Lots of questions….very serious questions….all demanding answers. We’ll provide those answers from our panel of experts assembled here at Fox, where the news is always unbiased and accurate. We give you the news, then you make up your own mind.

“Joining us tonight to try and sort all this out are Rick Norris, Chuck Krausenheimer and Carl Amble. Two former Presidential staff members and America’s foremost political columnist. Let’s start with you Carl. When you worked at the White House, do you recall if President Bush ever considered imposing Martial Law?”

“No, never happened….Shane, I’m aghast at what we just heard. Sure, there were rumors he might do it, but who would have believed that this President would really do it? This speech and the President’s declaration of martial law is extraordinary….very frightening. He points to Lincoln’s declaration of martial law, but that was in a Civil War, Tens of thousands Americans were killing tens of thousands Americans, in a war. Is that where we’re headed?”

“Rick, what about President Clinton? When you worked for him did you ever hear any discussion of martial law?”

“Of course not. Only Lincoln, of all the Presidents, ever took such an incredible action. What the President failed to mention is that Congress at first opposed Lincoln’s 1861 martial law declaration. Congress claimed that only it could suspend the writ of habeas corpus. The issue went to the Supreme Court, which agreed with Congress, which by then had decided to ratify Lincoln’s actions. So, there’s a real legal question as to whether the President can do what he did tonight.”

“Chuck, your thoughts?”

“I won’t get into the legality of what he’s done. I’d rather discuss why he declared martial law Obviously he didn’t have to do it. We have state and local law enforcement personnel at every level of society who are well able to handle a little civil unrest and….”

But, Chuck, what about the President’s point that he has tried that and it didn’t work. That the violence is out of control?”

“Rick, we both know that’s baloney. Sure, there have been demonstrations, and some pretty extensive bloodshed in some areas, but his supporters are as much to blame as anyone. Look, this whole martial law power grab, which is exactly what it is, is an attempt to push Congress to pass the McAlister bill into law, while holding down dissent from Americans who want to keep their guns, and their right of free speech.”

Shane saw the floor director’s signal that they were up against a hard commercial break. “Gentlemen, we have to go to a break, but let me just say that Chuck just framed this debate. Is the President’s declaration of martial law tonight a thinly veiled attempt to shut up America’s gun owners while Congress takes away their Constitutional rights? Will it work? Will you keep quiet? More….after the break.”

EIGHTEEN

Private Living Quarters – White House

Washington, DC

Though Washington was under a heavy late December snowfall, since it was a Saturday, getting through traffic to the White House was not a problem for the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. The Chairman of the FCC, Chadwick Cummins, was a long-time friend of the President, having worked as media and legal advisor in each of his campaigns. He didn’t show up officially as media advisor in the just finished Presidential campaign, as he had been serving as FCC Chairman since shortly after the President’s First Inauguration. Chairman Cummins was loyal to a fault to his good friend in the White House. The President and Chadwick, had through the years watched together, enjoying Buds and Brats, nearly every NFL game by  their favorite team, the Bears. The President knew that if he needed anything, anything at all, from the FCC Chairman, that Chadwick could be counted on to gladly comply.

The Commission, by law, could have no more than three of its five members from one political party. The Chairman and the two Democratic Party members were all that were needed to adopt binding rules and regulations, as a majority controlled all proceedings of the FCC. Now that the McAlister Bill had been drafted and would be considered by the upcoming Congress, the President was ready to call on Chairman Cummins to do some advance planning for its implementation after the adoption of the bill, assuming that the bill passed and became law. Chairman Cummins was more than ready to be of assistance to his friend.

The FCC regulations that would rock the nation a few months later started as just ideas kicked around during the half time of the Bears versus Saints game in the private living quarters of the White House. “Chad, what would you think about applying McAlister, if it passes, to Rush, and Beck and the other radio and cable yappers, most of those guys at Fox? I have to admit they get on my nerves. They were like non-stop megaphones for my opponent, using the public airwaves, no less. They caused a lot of the street violence with their constant hateful words. It’s just not right.to use the broadcast spectrum that every American owns, to attack one political party, or to smear one candidate, in this case, me, of course. A lot of what they say could be construed as hate speech, don’t you think?”

“Let me work on it. We’re both assuming you’ve got the votes to get McAlister through the House. Before McAlister, there would probably have been little hope. But….if the bill becomes law, we may have a way to shut these guys up, or at least seriously slow them down. As I recall, McAlister’s anti-hate speech section prohibits hate speech and negative attacks on public officials. Most people are tired of all the political negativity on those talk shows and, of course, in political commercials.”

“True that, Chad, I saw a focus group analysis in the campaign that showed that most viewers of political TV ads are fed up with one politician attacking his or her opponent, with lurid, nasty commercials. Though they do work, of course.”

“Blevins tells me that he thinks he will have enough support to include the ban on negative attacks on public officials. It ought to be popular with the public officials who can just vote to protect themselves from being criticized. The ban won’t apply to candidates for office, just public officials, so it would be another incumbent protection provision in the law. But, assuming Congress passes McAlister, do you still feel that the Supremes will uphold it?”

“It’s a bit of a hurdle, but with Sheila on the Court, Chad, we should be 5-4 to uphold the new law. Before Sheila, there wouldn’t have been much chance, given that negatively attacking a public official is the essence of free speech. I used to teach that. Justice Hugo Black in the famous New York Times vs. Sullivan case wrote that, let’s see if I can remember his statement, I taught it enough times, I should recall it by heart. He said, ‘An unconditional right to say what one pleases about public affairs is what I consider to be the minimum guarantee of the First Amendment."  But, that was then, and this is now. Justice Newton will come through, and McAlister will be the law of the land. Bless her little rainbow colored heart.”

“I like Sheila, she’s gonna’ be a dependable vote on the Court for decades. Pass me over those pretzels, please.”

“Sheila’s vote on the Court is exactly why I think the FCC can do what needs to be done to shut down the nuts on talk radio and their hate talk. Come up with something, with some teeth. The Court’ll back you up, 5-4, which is all we ever need. By the way, at least for now I don’t want to do anything about the print media, nobody reads them anymore, anyway. By the way, you know, Chad, this is the same room in the White House where George W choked on a pretzel, also watching football in fact, so be careful.”

“I will, thanks. Wouldn’t look good for the FCC Chairman to choke to death in the Executive Mansion. Think what the conspiracy theorists would do with that….As I said, I’ll get to work on it. We’ve got some very smart lawyers now in the Office of FCC Counsel who can draft up something that will pass muster with Sheila and her four soul-mates. We’ll be ready once McAlister is passed by Congress, signed by you and affirmed by the Supreme Court. While we’re at it, how about we also do something about all the hate that’s spewed across the internet on any given day? I’ve seen a ton of nasty stuff accusing you of about everything a person could be accused of. There needs to be some control on all that vitriol and poison that spews across the publicly-regulated internet. Google has been limiting content on government request for some time. We should extend the concept to all politically objectionable content. Those wires and airwaves are owned by the public, you know, not the wingnuts. We need to extend our control over the internet, even more than some of the recent legislation doing so. There’s too much political negativity on the net.”

“Agreed, but you’ll have to be careful. When China shut down some internet communications, they caught a lot of heat. You need to couch it in terms of not only just enforcing McAlister, but also protecting Americans from hate material. Anybody who’s ever used the internet knows how looney it can get, so we may have less push back than you might think. Maybe we can get our Euro buddies to crank up some content restrictions on their internet servers a little before we do, so we can follow Euro precedent.”

“I’ve gotten to know some of those guys over the last few years. I’ll make some calls.”

“Do that, Chad. Let me know what your legal geeks come up with. Oh, man….look at that!….You know that was pass interference….How could that ref not call….? He had his arm hooked….that was a homer call, for sure.”

NINETEEN

White House - Oval Office

“Her people all roar like young lions, they growl like lion cubs…one rumor comes this year, another the next, rumors of violence in the land and of ruler against ruler.”

(Jeremiah 51:38, 46)

Since Hilde Calhoun’s confirmation as Vice President, replacing the deceased Lawrence McAlister, the President had virtually no contact with the Vice President. It wasn’t that Hilde Calhoun didn’t try to spend some time with the President. It was just that each request was rebuffed with varying explanations – he was still healing from his ‘shooting’, he needed time with his family, he had to consult with his staff, etc., etc. But no appointment. It was obvious to the Vice President that she was being purposely shut out, probably she thought, by that Vivian Higgins, or even the First Lady. Hilde’s inside the White House sources had divulged to her that the two women closest to the President had strongly opposed her selection as Vice President.

Hilde had an internal engine. She relied on it often during the years she put up with Wilbur. It helped her when she decided to run for the Senate. She thought it had failed her, though, when she ran against the President in a bruising national primary election, only to lose in what she saw as a humiliating defeat, even though Wilbur had assured her that she would someday sit in the big chair in the Oval Office. Ever since the President sent federal troops to the states her internal engine had told her that something was drastically wrong. She raised her objections with the President, as well as she could, but as the second person in the west wing, the newest to building and more importantly, because she was only there due to number one, she had to be careful how loud she objected. During the campaign, after she had been dumped for Vice President and Larry McAlister was the chosen candidate, she almost went public with an attack on the President’s tactics to quell violence in the streets. When the President declared martial law, her engine screamed that she needed to oppose the use of federal troops, to stand against the use of American soldiers against American citizens. But, reality set in, so she continued to restrict her opinions to whispering frequently into Wilbur’s coma-silenced ears.

With her confirmation by the U.S. Senate, though, everything changed. Hilde was now the Vice-President. She would be sworn in again for the full term on January 20th, just a few days away. She no longer served at the pleasure of the President, as she had served when she was just a Cabinet officer. No matter what the President thought, or wanted, or ordered, she could never be denied her job as Vice President. Or so she believed.

With each passing day Hilde became more concerned. It wasn’t just that she disagreed with her boss and his use of the military in what were essentially civil issues. She had become increasingly convinced that he was shoving the people of America into launching a full blown revolution. She heard increasing numbers of stories from around the country of violence, shootings and assaults on government buildings and employees. Most went unreported in the mainstream media. Her well-developed political instincts, developed over many years at the top levels of American government, had convinced her that if she didn’t remove the President from office, that armed mobs very likely might do so. America could have its own American Spring, soon.

II.

America Debates the

Lawrence McAlister

Hate Speech

and

Hate Weapons

Elimination Bill

TWENTY

John Madison Website Blog

If I could hit the rewind button on my life, I would go back to October  and the speech I made to the National Rifle Association chapter in Austin. The NRA campaign rally , of course was well before the shootings in Dallas. I suggested in my little talk that the President was planning to ‘take away our guns’, if he were to be re-elected to a second term, and, of course, I urged that he be soundly defeated, so that we could ‘keep our guns’. How could I have known? Needless to say, after the shootings, the news clip of my Austin speech, or at least about 12 seconds of it, was a regular part of just about every frantic news special on the so-called ‘Guns Against Government Conspiracy’, and there were many such journalistic endeavors over the weeks after the Dallas shootings. As I said, I might as well have painted a big red target on my chest, as I became the Texas conservative that the liberals, the media, and particularly the Administration, loved to hate in the gun and speech bill debate that ensued and accelerated after the shootings. Needless to say, I’ve lost a lot of sleep.

That intensive national debate didn’t take long after the election to start in earnest. From immediately after the President’s re-election until 113-S.-1 was officially introduced seven weeks later on January 1st, there was no secret that the returning Administration would use every power available to it to regulate speech and ban guns in America. The only unknown was what the new law would do to those Americans who didn’t want to give up their weapons of protection. The hate speech provisions in the Bill received some critical public comment, but did not seem to attract the same interest as the antigun provision. Most of the media generally ignored the hate speech prohibition, which surprised me, since it posed a threat to freedom of the press. But the rumor was that the White House had quietly promised mainstream media CEOs that the law would not be used on the media, just on supposed right wing radicals, like me.

Our various tea party, patriot and gun rights organizations in Texas wasted no time after the election in organizing ourselves to fight the adoption of the bill that had been promised by the Administration to be its number one legislative priority in the new Congress. We had known since the President’s hospital news conference that it would be filed, and worse yet, we had sound reason to fear that, unless we could arouse Americans to the looming danger of such a bill, that it would likely be enacted into law, given the nation’s anti-gun climate and the voting strength the President now enjoyed, again, in both Houses of Congress. We didn’t know at first what the Administration’s bill would include. The White House Press Secretary assured reporters days after their election victory that the bill would “include carrots and sticks”.

We soon learned that the ‘carrots’ part of the bill was a variation of the old ‘cash for clunkers’ program that caused many Americans to turn in their older automobiles in exchange for cash payments from the federal government. Some federal genius must have decided that if it worked for old cars, how about old guns? This gave Americans very little credit for discerning the difference between wheels to travel and a weapon to protect one’s life and family. We hoped that very few gun-owning Americans would give up their defense against death and mayhem for only five hundred dollars, or in the case of a rifle or shotgun, only seven hundred dollars. But, if the bill that ended up passing included financial incentives, given the depressed state of the economy and widespread unemployment, we knew that only time would tell how many Americans out of work, and in need of cash, would end up turning in their guns, motivated by the payment.

What was not leaked until the text of the bill was released was what the President’s Press Secretary meant by ‘sticks’ to be included in the anti-gun bill to insure compliance? A felony charge and conviction, with a ten year prison term, certainly qualified as a ‘stick’, if not a whole bag of sticks. The New York Times exulted that:

Finally, America will get over its sick love affair with    deadly weapons. Most thinking Americans, particularly in crime-impacted cities, and the blue states on the     two coasts, will step up, voluntarily do the right thing       and turn in their guns. Undoubtedly, though the           turning over of guns will be motivated in some parts of          the country only by the proposed time in prison, a stiff         enough sentence that no American should willingly           want to endure it, just to pack heat.

Once the nation had learned what the bill actually included, the battle lines that had been forming and loosely coalescing hardened into battle formation. The friends, supporters, associates and sycophants of the Administration were, of course, united in supporting 113 S.-1. No one was surprised by their intensity and fervor, at all levels, in organizing their members, and their family members, to push the Congress to pass the bill. Likewise, the conservative, tea party, patriot associations, and many Christian organizations, organized to exert their members and families’ maximum pressure on their members of Congress. No surprise there, either. The frantic recruiting efforts by both sides, though, centered on organizations and leaders of private associations that had not historically been aligned on either side of the gun debate, or had no prior history of interest in freedom of the press or speech issues.

Both sides instinctively knew that the final outcome came down not to what Congress did, but instead to what a handful of blue dog Democrats and liberal Republicans in both Houses, a total of less than eighty Members, would do when the determining votes were cast. The vote on the health care reform debate provided the outline for victory for the White House, in that a bill strongly dis-favored by most Americas, nevertheless, became the law of the land, even though by only seven votes in the U.S. House of Representatives. Political pundits in the days after the McAlister Bill was released speculated that the odds slightly favored the passage of the bill, primarily because of the healthcare reform outcome.

Senator Blevins let it be known soon after the bill was made public that he intended to put the opponents of his bill on the defensive, announcing in his initial news conference how he intended to do it. Seated in his wheelchair in the imposing Senate Caucus Room on the 3rd floor of the Russell Senate Office Building, the only available room that was big enough to hold the media they knew would come out to cover the unveiling of the Bill, the Senator fired the first shot, and an impressively large shot it was. I’ve memorialized here the important part of his formal statement announcing the Bill:

“Now that I’ve covered in some detail the specific provisions of 113-S.-1, let’s talk a little inside political baseball, so to speak. I’m more than mindful of the intensive efforts by the gun lobby, and their misguided supporters, because my office has been besieged by their dirty tricks, including robo-calls 24/7 to try and keep my Senate office phones from functioning. But, my friends, this is not my first legislative war. I will soon convene hearings of my Committee in this very same august and historic room, which was the site of the investigation into the sinking of the Titanic, the Army-McCarthy Hearings, as well as the Joe Valachi Mafia Hearings, and the Watergate Hearings.

“We will hear from several law enforcement officials across this country who were forced by the gun-bullies to call out their forces to defend the American electoral process. Let’s not forget that there would have been no need for the President to declare martial law, if there weren’t all these guns out there. My goal as a United States Senator, and Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, is to insure that no future President ever has to again declare martial law, because, there won’t be any firearms to defend against. The violence that has rocked our nation in the weeks since the election is even further evidence of why we must get rid of hate weapons and the hate speech uttered by the owners of those hate weapons. We can’t afford either, any more, in America

“We will, of course, hear from the many supporters of my Bill to make America gun free and safe. But, just as importantly, I will be subpoenaing, not just inviting to testify, the opponents of this sensible Bill. I want to make them come out in the open, out from the shadows so to speak, and tell Americans, under the bright lights of media coverage, how they could possibly oppose a Bill to make Americans safer from gun violence. They’ve been sneaking around, lobbying their Senators and Representatives behind closed doors, I want them out in the open, where we can all hear what they have to say. Let’s look them in the eye and force these gun-lusting, right wing, bullies to say in public what we know they’ve been whispering privately. I’m looking forward to it, I’ll tell you that. The wounds that I suffered in the ‘Guns Against Government Conspiracy’ will be worth it if we can pass this Bill and stop all the shooting.”

Senator Blevins’ news conference hadn’t been over two minutes before my office phones in Tyler started ringing off the hook. Somebody on Blevin’s staff had leaked that I was among those being subpoenaed to testify in his Committee Hearings, starting in ten days. Great. So, John, I asked myself when I got these calls, who ya’ gonna call? An obvious answer - my friend and attorney, Chuck Webster, who as it turned out, was more nervous than I was about this turn of events.

TWENTY ONE

Tyler, Texas

“John Madison, how long have I known you?”

“What kind of a question is that, Chuck?” Whenever the two sparred over any topic, they both knew that John would bring up their standing grade school girlfriend joke. “You’re my best friend, and you’ve been my best friend since I stole Patty Pierson away from you in the 5th Grade of Tyler Elementary. You’ve never forgiven me, have you? This is all about Patty, again, isn’t it?”

“If you hadn’t married Patty, later, I would have never forgiven you, but in light of the circumstances, I about had to forgive you. No, goofy, this is about how you are about to get yourself indicted, for various federal crimes and misdemeanors, if you’re not very careful. You obviously have no clue how seriously the President, and his Senate buddy, Jim Blevins, take the campaign speech you made in Austin before the shootings.”

Chuck Webster was a few years younger than John Madison, but they had developed a close relationship, as Webster had helped his friend negotiate through the labyrinth of insurance industry rules and regulations. His top of his Tyler high school class standing, paved the way, along with his impressive LSAT results, to his admission to an Ivy League law school. After graduation he turned down lucrative New York and DC offers, returning instead to Texas. He wanted to raise his family in a family environment, and near his parents. Chuck Webster and his wife had decided early in their marriage that they wanted to bear all of the children that God sent them, without any restrictions or impediments. As a result, they had been blessed with ten children, ranging in age from twelve years to eighteen months. Chuck liked to joke that he would be practicing law until he was in a nursing home, just to get all of his kids through college. John and Debbie Madison, whose grandchildren lived some distance from them, loved to spend time with Chuck’s brood, whom they referred to as their Tyler grandkids.

“Chuck, I understand the concept. A pro-gun Texas conservative gives a speech suggesting that if the President were to be re-elected he’ll try and outlaw gun ownership. That wasn’t a revolutionary thought, after all. When the President ran four years earlier a lot of people quietly suggested that’s what he would do. Otherwise, why did all the gun dealers sell out of ammunition back then?”

“Quietly is the key word. No major conservative leader went so public four years ago. Low profile was the approach. But, not this time. Right Wing Pro-Gun, Tea Party Leader John Madison uses his campaign megaphone and fires a salvo, if you’ll excuse the expression, at the President just a few days, a couple, three weeks, before he’s shot, or winged, or whatever actually happened in Dallas. Wonderful timing, John.”

“So? What ever happened to the First Amendment? I can’t speak my mind, in a civil way, without the sky falling in on me? Plus, I would point out the obvious in all this – the President is trying to take away our guns, just as I said he would. Doesn’t that inconvenient fact give me some cover?”

“See, John, that’s what I’m talking about. You’re in denial. The First Amendment? You really think these guys give a fig for the Constitution? They’re re-defining the First Amendment in Blevin’s anti-free speech, anti-gun ownership bill he introduced. This is the same President who promised to fundamentally transform America. How do you fundamentally transform a country without altering its founding documents?”

“OK, I hear you, but the Second Amendment’s right to keep and bear arms is written in our nation’s DNA. I was just trying to warn the voters, using my First Amendment rights, I might add, that his second term posed a distinct danger to gun rights. So, now I should worry about getting indicted for just speaking out, in a campaign?”

Chuck Webster shifted uncomfortably in his leather lawyers’ chair. It was obvious to him that his friend was headed for deep legal problems, and in spite of all of his lawyerly skills, he would not be able to head off the oncoming onslaught. He concluded that the best approach to help his friend and client was to give him the scary truth of what he was facing.

“John, buddy, here’s how it’s going to go. You’re going to be served very soon with a U.S. Senate subpoena from Blevin’s Committee on the Judiciary. You might have had more of a shot at true justice, ironically, if Senator Reese had assigned the Bill to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The problem with the Judiciary Committee is that it’s packed with the Senate’s most liberal, doctrinaire haters of all conservative causes and people. You’ll only have a handful of days to prepare. You’ll face the grilling of your life from Senator Blevins and his Committee members and Staff. They’ll paint you as the instigator, at the very least, of the shootings. You’ll try and defend yourself, but you are very likely to say things that will expose you to indictment. They’ll indict you, not only for what you say at the Committee Hearing, but every word you uttered in the campaign will be scrutinized for ‘hate speech’. They’ll push the trial to a quick date. They’ll convict you. You’ll be watching the world from a federal facility hundreds of mile from your family. And that’s the best case scenario. Now, do I have your attention, John?

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Why? Because you’re going to listen to your lawyer, and best friend, and take the Fifth Amendment, refusing to utter words that can be used against you, to indict you?”

“Chuck, I know you mean well. I know you’re scary smart in the law. I know that you have my best interests at heart and that you are probably giving me really good advice. But…”

“But?”

“But, I’m not going to refuse to answer questions by asserting my Fifth Amendment rights. That’s like waving a red flag. ‘Hey, look at me – I’m guilty of the crimes you’re asking about – which is why I’m taking the Fifth!’ No way, Chuck, I’m not doing it.”

“You don’t get it. The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution was written to protect you from the ambush that Blevins and his Committee are arranging for you. It’s the only way you can protect yourself from being indicted for your own words. I know it looks bad to take the Fifth, because you look like you’re hiding something, but it looks a lot worse to go to prison, when you might have been able to avoid it.”

“Chuck, I would agree with you and I would probably take the Fifth if the only danger to me was what I might say in front of Blevins’ witch-hunting Committee. But, as you just said, and we both know, I gave over 30 speeches in the campaign, to gun groups, tea party and patriot meetings, even to a handful of Republican county Lincoln-Reagan Dinners. Most were recorded, and several videotaped. I’m stuck with what I said in those speeches. If they want to accuse me of violating the federal Hate Crimes Act, they’ll figure out a way to do it, no matter what I say before the Committee.”

“No doubt, John. I’m just trying to minimize the charges. One of their historical tricks in DC is to charge people they are pursuing with lying to Congress, based on a portion of the criminal code that makes it a felony to give a materially false statement or representation to the nation’s lawmakers. Who do you think decides what constitutes a materially false statement? You guessed it, my friend.”

“Well, then, Chuck, your job, as you sit next to me at the witness table, is to make sure that I don’t lie to Congress.

“How do you propose, exactly, that I accomplish that task? I can’t take back your words once they exit your pie hole.”

“If I come even close to an untruth, kick my ankle, elbow my ribs or just write indictable statement on your legal pad. However you nudge me, I’ll get the message, and try to undig my way out of the hole. But, I’m not….not…going to plead the Fifth. Frankly, Chuck, I’d rather get indicted for federal crimes than to tell the nation at the hearing that I refuse to answer questions about the shootings, and make it look like I was involved, even though I knew absolutely nothing about the shootings before the shots were fired.”

“Well stated, John, but you may just get your wish. You won’t look guilty – but you may find yourself guilty, anyway.”

TWENTY TWO

Washington, DC

With each day Hilde was increasingly committed to removing the President from office in order to begin the healing of America. She had reluctantly concluded that she would have to take action. There was no other way, she now firmly believed, to spare the nation from an armed insurrection in which its many still-armed citizens assaulted the Executive Mansion and ripped the fabric of the Republic asunder. She knew that her ascension to power would be accepted, gratefully, by the leaders of her own political party, especially in Congress, men and women who had long ago quietly withdrawn their support from their party’s standard bearer. They were just as frightened as Hilde of what was happening to America.

But, how to accomplish the historical deed? Wilbur, bless his soul, was no help, as he continued to slumber in his blissful coma. Truth be told, she thought, I never really needed Wilbur and his advice as much as he needed mine. All of her years of education, and political experience, and work in the deep political trenches of governing from the White House with Wilbur, and the Senate, and in the Cabinet, convinced her that this President would only resign under intense pressure. Pressure that convinced him that he had no real choice. That he would have to go to avoid a greater harm. OK. So how should I apply the pressure, she pondered,? How to make it happen?

Ultimately, Hilde, as a lawyer, knew that she would have to use the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. She had been a lower level federal employee in Washington when the Amendment had been adopted. Hilde was well acquainted with the fourth section of the Amendment which provided for the removal of a President from office if the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet agreed that the occupant of the Oval Office was unable to perform the powers and duties of “his” office. ‘Sexist pigs’, she thought. It should have been written to say ‘powers and duties of his or her’ office, but no matter, it would work for “his” removal, she concluded.

Hilde knew that she had more friends in the Cabinet than the President himself. She could only name three members of the Cabinet who were appointed because of their close personal relationship with the President. The rest were the usual suspects, Washington insiders who had served under Wilbur’s administration, or even in one case, an appointee of Jimmy Carter. Hilde knew how to schmooze with others, a talent that the President seemed not to have learned. She spoke with most Cabinet members more frequently than their boss, leading her to believe that the Cabinet was made up of political animals with whom she could work to remove the President from office. They had to be just as worried as she was about what was happening in America’s streets. Martial law? What have we come to, she frequently asked herself.

What she needed now, Hilde mused after a particularly bloody report from Michigan came to her ears, was a plan. It wouldn’t do to just start contacting Cabinet members recruiting signators to remove the President. Word would leak within minutes of her first few calls. This was DC, after all. The Cabinet, what the Twenty-Fifth Amendment called the principal officers of the executive department, consisted of fifteen members. So, besides her own signature, she would need a minimum of eight signatures in order to remove the President from his power and duties.

It could only happen in one way – at a Cabinet meeting, with almost no warning, except to a trusted few. As she arrived at that decision, though, it occurred to her that she would have to have at least two or three Cabinet members to support what she was doing, to be vocal in demanding that it happen, to backstop her. To pull off that critical component of her plan, she reluctantly concluded, she would have to tell her two or three closest allies on the Cabinet what was about to happen, but only hours, maybe just a few minutes before the actual meeting. Any more time than that extended greatly the chance of a leak.

The next Cabinet meeting was Tuesday morning the following week at 10 AM. This President didn’t like Cabinet meetings very much. He wasn’t comfortable with management of large organizations, as he had no prior management experience of any type. As a consequence, he convened them only infrequently. The meeting of the Cabinet could be the last time the Cabinet convened for several weeks, or months. Thus, Hilde knew that the time to act was upon her. So, she wondered, who to call? Who to call first? And just as important, when to make the calls?

TWENTY THREE

Washington, DC  –  Russell Senate Office Building

“Would the witness please stand and be sworn?”

With these time-honored words directed to John Madison, United States Senator James R. Blevins commenced what Washington loved best, the blood sport of reputation assassination via Congressional hearings. This Committee hearing, as Senator Blevins had previously announced, was being held the next day after Congress convened in January in the historic Senate Caucus Room on the third floor of the Russell Senate Office Building, one of three buildings occupied by Senators for their Senatorial offices. The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, one of twenty standing Committees, consisted of ten Democrats and eight Republicans.

None of the eighteen Committee members were smiling. All knew that the mainstream media had decided to extensively cover the hearing, most airing the testimony live. It was political high drama show time. John Madison stood from behind the glass-topped witness table, on which were a bevy of microphones all pointed towards him, and raised his right hand. He swore to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but added “so help me God” at the end, even though the oath as given to him omitted those four words, and had not included the words for several years.

Senator Blevins, in his purposely emphasized low country South Carolinian accent, made it clear he was not amused. “Fine, Mr. Madison, y’all want to add y’alls’ own words to our o-fficial oath, that’s just fine. Ya may need all the help you can get from your version of God before this proceedin’ has concluded. I see ya got ya lawyer here today. Care to introduce ya man?”

“Certainly, Senator, Members of the Committee, I’m joined today by my attorney and lifelong friend, Chuck Webster. He’s a graduate of Har….”

“That’ll be enough, Mr. Madison. He’s identified for the record, we are not in need of his resume. Let’s move ahead, now. Mr. Madison, before we take y’all’s testimony, the several Members of this U-nited States Senate Committee on the Judiciary are granted the opportunity to make openin’ statements. Mine, suh, will be brief and to the point…..

“I don’t believe that individual citizens should ever have the right to own anythin’ that can be used, suh, to kill folks. I believed this before some dang fool right winger shot me in Dallas, but I’m even more of that belief and persuasion now, of course. I know all about what y’all scream about when it comes to any restrictions on ya precious guns, ya fire-arms. The Second Amendment.  The Second Amendment.  It’s ya mantra, ya holy grail.

“In these here hearings we all gonna’ look real close at your holy grail words, study ‘em real close up like. America’s gonna’ see that the Second Amendment don’t even come close to sayin’ what y’all been sayin’ what it says. We gonna’ have a number of expert academic legal scholars to testify that the Second Amendment don’t mean what it says….that is, it don’t mean what it seems to say…., uh, it don’t mean what it seems like it means….oh, well, you get my idea here. The scholars are gonna’ tell us, I understand, that this Congress can clear up the con-fusion in the Amendment real well, by just passin’ the McAlister Hate Weapons Elimination Bill. And, also, my bill will put some teeth in the Hate Crimes Act, to prohibit hateful speech that leads to violence. No more need in this here country for any more martial law declarations. Simple as that. I promised this’d be short. Uh….Let’s see here. Uh, yes, I recognize the ranking member for his openin’ statement, the distinguished gentleman from Idaho, Senator Remington.”

Senator Sam Remington had served in the U.S. Senate longer than all but two other Senators. In his several years of service in the Senate he had become known as a man who did not suffer fools gladly. He had long ago decided that Senator Blevins from South Carolina was, as he had said privately, ‘all blow, and no go’. Senator Remington had voted on nearly every bill of importance directly opposite the votes cast by Senator Blevins. Since the senior Senator from Idaho was a rancher and hunter, he was less than enthusiastic about Senator Blevins’ bill to take away his right to own and possess the several firearms he maintained at his ranch. It was widely known that for decades he had hosted in his office a weekly Tuesday night poker game for his western Senate colleagues.

As ranking member of the Committee on the Judiciary, Senator Remington was in a position to become Chairman, should control of the Senate revert to the Republican Party. Unfortunately for Senator Remington, control did not vest in the Republican Party after the election. A bit salty, Senator Remington had said that being the Committee’s ranking member was about like being Vice President, but without all the fun funerals to attend. He knew that his brief opening statement wouldn’t be long remembered, but that it could help set the tone for the hearings on the McAlister Bill, though the outcome of which Senate hearings there did not appear to be much doubt.

“Chairman Blevins, distinguished members of the Committee on the Judiciary, my remarks will also be limited. We all know why we are here. We all know that the McAlister Bill is designed and crafted to be an end-run around the U.S. Constitution. The majority may have the votes to pass this bill, but they don’t have the votes to do it the right way, the legal way, the honest way. They don’t have enough support in the country to amend the Constitution and take away the right to keep and bear arms, nor enough votes to legally take away the right of free speech, even if its controversial speech. If they didn’t have the occupant of the White House and if they didn’t have what may well be a majority of the Court that sets across the plaza from us, we wouldn’t be here today. They wouldn’t try to statutorily amend our nation’s founding document, except for one man at 1600 and one new Justice across the plaza. Wouldn’t happen.

“But, in my years working on this hill I’ve learned that you play the cards you’re dealt. So, Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, let’s play this high stakes game out. Let’s see if you’ve got enough votes in the House. It’s clear McAlister will pass this body. We know that the President will sign the bill into law, if you’ve got the votes in the House. How will the new Justice across the plaza vote? Flip those cards up and let’s see if Americans can continue to speak freely, and continue to keep and bear arms, or, alternatively, if we’re going to lose those precious rights. Are we going to stay under martial law even if the bill becomes law? Let’s see who’s got the votes. Deal ‘em, Mr. Chairman, deal ‘em.”

The other members of the Committee on the Judiciary delivered their opening statements, alternating between Democrat and Republican members. There were no surprises, as the Members had declared well before the hearings where they stood on the McAlister Bill, and how they intended to vote. At the conclusion of the opening statements, Chairman Blevins declared a short recess, which actually was brief, as everybody in the vast hearing room was anxious for the blood sport to begin. It was time to watch the Committee ‘Grill the Witness’

Senator Blevins wheeled back to his position and loudly banged his gavel, calling the hearing back in session, “Mr. Madison, suh, my staff’s report on ya, Mr. Madison, and the information provided to our Committee by various federal law enforcement agencies, tells me that ya were a very active Texan in the campaign that just concluded last November, about nine weeks ago. Would ya agree, Mr. Madison that ya worked almost full time in the campaign to defeat our incumbent President and to deny him, I might say, his well-earned second term?”

Chuck Webster had warned his client about compound and loaded questions, so he was ready for the Senator’s initial jab. “Senator, let me take the various parts of your question. First, I was not a full time, as you say, campaigner in last year’s campaign. I have a job as an executive officer of an insurance company, so what I did in the…..”

“Come on, now Mr. Madison. Ya gonna tell this Committee, this Congress, under oath, that ya weren’t active in the campaign, even though ya gave over, I hear, a hundred or so speeches?”

John Madison instinctively bristled at having his words misinterpreted. In practice sessions in Tyler, the local county prosecutor that Chuck Webster had recruited to help prep his client for the hearing had done exactly the same thing – make it sound like he was lying, when he wasn’t. So he was ready for the Senator.

“With all due respect, Senator Blevins, I gave forty some speeches, best I can recall. I did not work full-time, though I was active in the campaign. I was merely exercising my First Amend….”

“Fine, Mr. Madison, just fine, we’re not here today to hear lectures on ancient documents. No sirree, we are here to talk about guns and hate speech…so, Mr. Madison, let’s talk first about --- your guns. How many guns ya own and or possess, Mr. Madison, and I remind ya, ya’re under oath.”

“Senator, it’s hardly relevant how many guns I may or may not…”

“Suh, ya lawyer there sittin’ by ya will tell ya that relevancy is our call, not ya all’s call. Now answer my question, if ya would be so kind – and listen carefully to what I asked ya – how many guns do ya own and or possess?”

Attorney Webster leaned over to his client, cupping his hand around his ear, and gave him hurried advice. John Madison frowned slightly, started to whisper to his attorney, apparently had second thoughts, then addressed the Chairman. “Mr. Chairman, I own two handguns, and also a rifle, a shotgun and an antique long rifle, alleged to be from the Revolutionary War, that had passed down through the family to my father before he died.”

“Is that all, Mr. Madison? Sounds like ya got yaself a veritable arsenal there. Ya worried about somethin? Or someone? “

“Senator, in Texas, and I think in lots of areas of the country mine would not be an unusually high number of weapons for self-protection and as part of a collection.” Webster flinched slightly, a movement picked up by his client, causing him to raise his guard for how the Senator would likely respond.

“Self-protection? Is that what ya said, Mr.Madison? Self protection? When was the last time you shot somebody comin’ in ya house? Is that what you intend to do, Mr. Madison, shoot people that come in ya house? Ya call shootin’ people just ‘cause they might drop by ya house self-protection? Ya make me sick, Mr. Madison, sick with fear that people like ya want to hang onto ya many guns….It’s the law-abidin’ citizens of this country that need to be protected against ya, and all ya many hate weapons….I….I’m so….why, ya just…”

A Senate staff member hustled forward and handed a note to the Chairman, whose face had visibly reddened. He glanced at the note, banged his gavel loudly and announced, “We’ll take a brief recess, I’ve got a call from the President that I need to return.” A wire service photographer with access in the Committee room casually walked up during the recess and read the note that the Chairman had left after reading it at his seat at the committee table. It read “SENATOR – GOOD TIME TO CALL A RECESS.”

TWENTY FOUR

The Residence of the Vice President

Naval Observatory, Washington, DC

It was Friday afternoon. The weather was briskly cold. The ground was partially frozen, with a dusting of snow. As the historic grandfather’s clock in the foyer of the Vice President’s residence struck four P.M. the Vice President swallowed the balance of her second glass of Chardonnay and picked up the phone in her paneled office. It was time.

“Sarah. It’s Hilde.”

“Hilde….that is, Madam Vice President….how good to hear from you. To what do I owe the privilege on this cold February afternoon?”

“It is cold, Sarah, I’ve never been a fan of DC Februarys. I was doing some reading….looking at some reports from around the country….some disturbing things….and….I wondered if you had anything on your schedule for tomorrow morning? Maybe coffee at ten? Here at the Naval Observatory residence?”

“Sure, Hilde, I was just going to the gym at the agency in the morning, I can join you for coffee at the residence. Make sure you alert the guards, remember the last time I came over, they didn’t have my name. Or, if you’d rather, we could meet at your office in the White House, or your other office in the Old Executive Office Building. Your choice.”

“Sorry, Sarah, about the gate issue. It’s been fixed…. and uh….I’d rather meet here, not down at the White House, or even next door at the Eisenhower Building. Just a private behind closed doors meeting would be best. Just the two of us.”

“Ooh, well, OK, now you have my full attention, Hilde. You know I’m always up for palace intrigue, because….”

“Sarah, let’s not use that phrase, OK? I’ll see you at 10 AM.”

As promised, Sarah Sahale, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, was quickly cleared through security at the entry gate of the Naval Observatory. She drove herself up the hill to the Vice Presidential Residence. The Vice President was waiting for her guest in her formal sitting room, which had been swept for electronic bugs just the day before. One couldn’t be too careful, she had concluded, especially with a subject like the one she was about to spring on her best friend in the Cabinet. The Vice President had given her friend the triple explicit admonition that she could not, absolutely must not, divulge to any living soul what the Vice President was about to tell her.

TWENTY FIVE

Washington, DC – Russell Senate Office Building

The members of the Senate Judiciary Committee were slow to re-convene, most using the recess as an opportunity to grant interviews to favored reporters, giving their spin to the high-profile Committee hearings. Returning to the Senate Caucus Room, Senator Blevins rolled his wheelchair the length of the massive oak table, and positioned himself in the center seat, the location with the Chairman’s gavel, and the Chairman’s power, unequalled by any other Member.

“Mister Madison, suh, are ya ready to continue ya testimony?”

John Madison was technically ready, he thought, but it was obvious from the brief brush up with Senator Blevins already this morning, that he was in for what he would call in Texas, a tussle. How could anyone, he thought, really be ready for a tussle with a varmint committed to his destruction? Nevertheless, he was committed to as much civility as he could muster. “Yes, Mr. Chairman, I’m ready to continue. Thank you so much for the timely recess.”

The Chairman started to give a flippant response, then decided the better course was to move on. “I would remind the witness, suh, that the oath ya took this morning still applies to anything, that’s anything, that ya may choose to offer to the Committee in ya further testimony today. Do ya understand that, suh?”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman.”

“Mr. Madison, late in October last year ya delivered a much-reported speech to the gun lovers, uh, ‘scuse me, let me re-phrase that, to the Austin chapter of the National Rifle Association. Isn’t that right, suh?”

“Yes, Mr. Chairman, and it was much-reported, as you said. I’ve seen short excerpts from that speech on several occasions broadcast by the nation’s media. What the news clips don’t show is what I said about…”

“Ya’all answered my question, Mr. Madison.…just wanted to be sure that ya were the same person whose speech, many folks believe, may have led to the shootings, in Dallas. The President’s shooting, mine and the murderous shooting of Vice President Larry McAlister, for whom we have named this hate weapon and hate speech elimination law to honor his memory. Now, what I want to ask next…”

“Mr. Chairman, please, you have to give me the opportunity to respond to your…”

“Mr. Madison, I don’t have to do anything. I asked if ya gave that hate weapon incitement speech and ya have now admitted that ya did. My next question, though, is about.…”

John Madison was close to losing it. He had been well prepared for the likelihood of this specific attack, the accusation of his complicity in the shootings, but that didn’t make it easy to take. He remembered his lawyer’s advice, he took two deep breaths, and again interrupted the Chairman of the Senate’s most prestigious and powerful committee. “With all due respect, and I do respect your position as Chairman of this Committee, I want to state, on the record, that I had absolutely no prior knowledge of the tragic shootings in Dallas, including yours, Senator, which I sincerely regret. No knowledge. None. Nothing.”

“Now, suh, that was a mighty fine statement. Well-rehearsed and well stated. It suhtainly was. I expected no less. No less, indeed. I am not accusing ya, suh, of any direct involvement with my shooting, nor the President’s nor Vice President McAlister’s. If there were even one shred of evidence connecting ya with the shootins, what’s been called the Gun Conspiracy Against the Gubment, ya wouldn’t be settin’ here, suh, ya’d already be in a federal prison, yes suh, ya would. No, Mr. Madison, what I want to know more about, and what the members of this Committee want to know more about and frankly, what Americans want to know more about, is how ya hate speech may have motivated the triple shooting of high government officials, just days later. We not only want to know what ya knew and when did ya know it, we want to know what the shooters knew and when did they know it, and how much was based on your provocative little hate speech.”

“Senator, since I have no clue who the shooters were, and apparently the FBI doesn’t either at this point, how can I be expected to know how my speech affected them, or may have affected anybody else, for that matter.”

“Now, Mr. Madison, that’s right convenient, yes it is. Ya make ya little hate speech in Austin, poisoning the public discourse, throwin’ unfounded accusations at our Commander in Chief, then when ya followers take to heart what ya said, and try to assassinate the man ya said the hateful words about, then ya just duck and hide, and say ya just can’t be responsible for ya own hateful words. That won’t wash, Mr. Madison, ya gonna have to face the music for what ya said in that….”

“Mr. Chairman, if I may. Please….please….Sir, you have called my words in Austin hate speech and hateful words, but anyone who has read the words, or watched the speech, realizes that I was only saying in the middle of a heated campaign that the President would likely try to take away our right to keep and bear arms if he won a second term. To use your phrase, that’s political discourse. My words are by no stretch the use of hate speech. I know from the media reports that the Department of Justice is supposedly looking into whether or not I can be charged with violating the federal Hate Crimes Act, and that…”

“And, suh, that doesn’t concern ya?”

“Of course, Senator, it concerns me. I’m not a lawyer, but I’m told that there was a judge a few years ago who said that a grand jury would indict a ham sandwich if the District Attorney requested it. Of course, I’m concerned, I just don’t think there’s any basis for such a charge.”

“Very funny, Mr. Madison. Very funny, indeed. A ham sandwich, hunh? Well, we will see what we will see. I am told that there are more federal agents working on the Dallas shootings than have been assigned to any other investigation since 9/11. This, suh, I can assure ya. This government will find and prosecute those who fired the actual shots, but we will also put away for a very long time the lunatics who set the stage for the assault on the government. We cannot, we will not allow the overthrow of the government by violent means, even when it’s all masqueraded as protected campaign speech. Not gonna’ happen, Mr. Madison, suh.”

John Madison felt sick at his stomach. Virtually everything his attorney had warned him about was unfolding before him, and being broadcast to a nation demanding answers. How long had this been going on this morning, he wondered? He glanced at his watch, another thing his attorney told him not to do.

“Mr. Madison, suh, are we keeping ya from an important appointment? Are ya missin’ a meetin’ with a gun manufacturing lobbyist? Do ya need to make a call to ya gun groups?”

Feeling humiliated that the pressure and stress of the Committee hearing had made him forget even the most basic prep, like not looking at his watch, John Madison could only say, “No, Senator, you have my full attention.”

“Why, I thank ya for that, I really do. Moving on Mr. Madison, the Committee staff has prepared some basic questions for ya to submit to ya little tax payer, tea party, patriot groups that ya are affiliated with down there in Texas. We’ll give ya plenty of time to respond, say twelve, no…., let’s say ten calendar days. But, before I pass the questionin’ to the distinguished Rankin’ Member, the gentleman from Minnesota, I have one other area of questionin’, suh.”

“Yes, Senator.”

“I take it that ya are well acquainted with the Second Amendment – it’s  kinda like ya holy grail and ya holy Bible all rolled into one?”

“No, Senator, I wouldn’t put it that way. I’d just say that the Constitution grants us as citizens of the United States the right keep and bear arms, as it says in the Second Amendment.”

“Well, let’s look at your precious Second Amendment, suh. Not exactly, wouldn’t you agree, a model of precise, careful use of the English language. It starts out by referring to the militia. The militia. Quote. A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state. Unquote. Do ya belong to a militia, Mr. Madison? Of course, ya don’t. Nobody does any more, over two centuries after the words were written with a quill pen, except for some lunatics running around in the woods shooting at pumpkins and hiding ammunition in logs. There might, I say, might, have been a valid reason to own weapons of violence when the country was still gettin’ rid of the Brits, but today? Give me a break. The militia? Because they needed an armed militia over 200 years ago doesn’t mean every man, woman and child should have the right in the 21st Century to own instruments of mayhem and murder. Now, that just makes no sense to me, none at all. If ya want to arm the National Guard in each State, I have no problem with that, they are today’s militia, I believe, but my neighbor shouldn’t own an armory. Ya would agree that the many legal scholars that have been calling for a legal re-interpretation of this clumsy language have a point, wouldn’t ya, suh?”

“Senator, far be it from me to criticize the founding fathers for their language. Sure, the language used might have been a little more precise, but it’s clear enough. Read the balance of the Second Amendment - ‘the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed’. The people, the citizens, of this nation, have a basic right to defend ourselves, by force of arms, if necessary. You don’t have the right, Senator, to warp the clear intent of the Constitution by just saying you are re-interpreting the Bill of Rights. When they wrote those words, I’m sure they never thought that some future Congress would someday say that the black letters on parchment had no meaning.”

Senator Blevins just sat back in his Chairman’s chair and smiled. He knew that he didn’t need to reply to Madison’s words, as the witness had just given him tomorrow’s headlines, and those words would help push the Bill towards passage. John Madison had fallen into the classic Congressional practice of trapping witnesses into agreeing with a statement worded against the witness’s own interests. The nation’s leading liberal media lost no time in headlining Madison’s testimony to advance their undisguised anti-gun agenda:

New York Times

MADISON AGREES 2ND AMENDMENT IS FLAWED

Boston World

PRO-GUN LEADER TESTIFIES NO BASIS

FOR GUN RIGHTS IN 2ND AMENDMENT

CNN

CONGRESS POISED TO PASS HATE WEAPON ACT

TWENTY SIX

United States Senate

Hart Senate Office Building - Gymnasium

“Hilde, you’re not exactly known for being an exercise maven. Why did you drag me here on a cold, windy Sunday afternoon? I could be sitting next to my nice, warm fireplace. You’re probably the only person in DC who could get me to come out on a day like this….except, of course, the President himself.”

“Sam, it’s himself that I want to discuss with you. But, first I need to cover the ground rules and get your rock hard, unbreakable promise against discussing any of this with any one. Not Heather. Not your staff. Not your Momma. Not anyone. My head, and yours, actually, could be on the line….so…..I’m more than serious. If you have any doubt that you can keep your lip zipped, just through the upcoming Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, then tell me now. If you can’t assure me that what we discuss will stay strictly with us, I want to know it. If you’re at all hesitant, we’ll play some handball and then we’ll just go back to our nice warm homes.”

The Secretary of Defense took the oath of silence. He later came to regret doing so.

TWENTY SEVEN

John Madison Website Blog

Whew! I think I would rather have a really bad cold or a bout of the flu than to have to go through that again. Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday was like taking a beating, but without all the grins. I was in the hot seat most of the day. When I say the day, of course, that’s not like a normal person’s day. In Congress, they take lots of recesses, so they can talk to each other, and the media and who knows what else. We probably got in three hours, plus or minus, of actual testimony time.

Senator Blevins was tough on me, asking about my gun ownership and hitting me hard, as we knew he would, on my Austin speech. He really didn’t want to know what I had to say (I understand that’s usually the case with witnesses they call before the Judiciary Committee), he just used me, and my much interrupted testimony, to make points for his anti-free speech and anti-gun bill. To tell the truth (if you can’t tell the truth to yourself, who can you tell it to?), I think he did score some points. I never should have said that the language used by the founding fathers in the Second Amendment could have been a bit clearer, that was a mistake, and the media, as we know all know, ran with it. The language is more than clear that we have the right to keep and bear arms. It’s only those who want to take away that right who see vagueness in the first phrase regarding the militia in the 2nd Amendment.

My other mistake was when that Senator from Rhode Island, I’ve forgotten his name, asked how I could oppose a bill that allowed a specific exemption for hunters. What a joke - the so-called exemption requires an ATF employee or a government game warden to accompany every hunter. Say what? Only a government paid genius could come up with such an insult to every hunter in America. And the purpose of the hunting license exemption has to be for food purposes, only - come on. When the Senator asked me how I could oppose the exemption language, I should not have called it the most idiotic idea I’d heard in years, but it is. They’re going to use this as a not very clever fig leaf to cover up what they are doing – taking away our right to defend our families against people who won’t obey the law, who won’t turn in their guns.

The Senators guffawed and laughed me to scorn when I said that the old bumper sticker had it right when it said: WHEN GUNS ARE OUTLAWED ONLY OUTLAWS WILL HAVE GUNS. They apparently don’t believe it. Senator Blevins exploded with rage, sputtering about how no criminal would ever take a chance of a felony conviction for owning a gun. How out of touch with reality can these guys possibly get? Criminals who commit crimes are already facing felony charges if they’re caught, so what’s a little more prison time for owning a prohibited gun? These lawmakers ought to look in depth at what happened in Australia after they outlawed guns. The crime rate didn’t decline. In some areas, criminal activity actually increased. If this bill passes, I hate to think what will happen. Most guns used by private citizens are used to protect themselves from wrongdoers who want their property or their bodies, for their own pleasure. If it becomes a felony to own a gun in America, crime rates will soar.

But, I’m preaching to my own choir, here. What we have to do, and do it very quickly, is convince enough Americans to convince enough Congress Critters to vote against this bill. Everybody in the media keeps saying that’s it on a ‘fast track’ in the Congress for passage. They’re so sure of a quick vote and passage in the House that they only intend to hold two days of public hearings. Speaker Pelham has publicly told the President, in her words, that “America will be a hate weapon and hate speech free nation” well before Labor Day. At least on this bill she didn’t announce to Congress that Congress would have to vote for it first, before they could see what’s in the new law. The Lawrence McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapon Elimination bill is a stunning piece of clarity. We all know what it says, and we all know what it will do.

TWENTY EIGHT

Pentagon

Offices of the Secretary of Defense

Vice President Hilde Ramona Calhoun had decided that she could completely trust Sarah and Sam, both of whom fully pledged not only to hold her confidence, but also to join with her exercise of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment at the upcoming Cabinet meeting, including affixing their signatures to the document to remove the President from his power and duties. So far, so good, she thought. But, she finally concluded that she needed one more Cabinet member alerted and on board before the meeting in order to provide the fire power and verbal backing to sway the other members needed to sign off on a forced regime change at the top.

She worried that her choice for the third Cabinet member could pose a distinct danger for a leak, primarily due to his job as Secretary of Defense. But, she needed a third member of the Cabinet, and she had known the Pentagon chief for over twenty years. She also knew that he was clearly unhappy about the way his troops were being used to fire on and arrest their fellow Americans. One of the Secretary’s closest friends had divulged recently to Hilde that he had given serious consideration to resigning in protest. How better to protest, she decided, than to remove from office the man responsible for moving his department’s troops to violence, contrary to the posse comitatus statute, the 1878 law prohibited the use of the military to enforce the law.

Hilde thought she knew how to conceal her identity without being spotted. For her meeting in the Pentagon she wore a red hair wig, large sunglasses and baggy clothes. She knew that she could not be seen visiting the Pentagon, as the military was not even close to her job description, as restricted by a President who sought to limit what his Vice President could actually do in her new job. He had narrowed her role because he had some lingering doubts about Hilde, but mainly because his two co-presidents, Vivian and The Wife, didn’t trust her.

Hilde arranged to be dropped off at the River Entrance to the Pentagon, with only one casually dressed Secret Service agent, with no betraying ear device. Hilde’s ID was purposely generic and matched her look and attire, without revealing her actual identity. Her personal secretary had called the office of the Secretary of Defense on this Monday morning to arrange a late day meeting “for the Vice President’s Chief of Staff, for an important purpose”. The less time given to the Secretary before the Cabinet meeting the better. To say that the Secretary of Defense was surprised at the look and attire of his afternoon executive level visitor, who turned out to be the Vice President herself, would be a vast understatement.

As it turned out, Hilde’s almost comical disguise worked to her benefit. The Secretary was moved to readily agree to her strict condition of silence as he immediately recognized that the Vice President would never have gone to this extent just to meet with him privately, unless it involved a matter of the utmost importance for the nation. When he then learned why Hilde was in his office he thought, momentarily, that he might involuntarily empty his stomach.

TWENTY NINE

Washington, DC – Russell Senate Office Building

The Senate Committee on the Judiciary was about to conclude almost two full days of grilling John Madison. Exercising his prerogatives as Chairman, Senator Blevins concluded the questioning of witness Madison.

“Mr. Madison, suh, do these words sound familiar to ya? Ya complained yesterday that I had not used ya actual words, so let’s listen to a recording of ya actual words.” The Chairman nodded to his aide, who motioned to a sound engineer, who pushed the appropriate button to play an audio recording, which boomed across the marble hearing room, purposely played louder than it needed to be.

“Modern democracies like to brag, with some historic justification, that they reflect the will of their governed. The key word, of course, is historic. That’s because in recent years those in power, those in control, of the levers of power of western nations have learned how to warp and maneuver the system to get around the pesky requirement that the governed should give their consent to their own governing. The trend lines don’t look good for any improvement in obtaining the consent of the governed in this country. They don’t care what we think, or what we want our government to do.

“It’s good to be king. It’s even better to be President of the United States of America. You can ignore the voters, once you have wooed them into electing you President twice, gaining their votes with the most transparent campaign promises, and then just do what you want to do. The most dangerous time, of course, for America, with any President is in his, or her, second term. With no requirement to ever face another voter, or campaign opponent, the second term President is a potential tyrant, available for any scheme hatched by the White House staff, or outside ideological bed fellows, to radically change the Constitution of the United States, as it was written. We have to take him out!

“If this President should be elected to a second term next month, don’t be surprised if he tries to re-interpret out of the Constitution the guarantee of our right to own a gun. He may even seek to alter our right to speak, or meet or worship as we see fit. That’s what’s on the line in November. That’s why we must insure that every member of our families, all of our employees, in fact every one that we know, comes out and votes to deny the President a second term, which would be a very dangerous second term for America, indeed.”

“Did, the recording accurately record ya words, Mr. Madison, from ya little speech down there in Austin? Accurately recorded, suh?”

Like any person who utters words before crowds of people, or even small numbers of listeners, John Madison was stuck with his words. What could he say – no, I didn’t say those words? Or, could he say if he could do it over, he wouldn’t use the word tyrant or say that we should ‘take him out’? Or if he had known in advance about the shootings, he wouldn’t have even showed up in Austin? Camera phones had made private speeches a thing of the past. And now, Senator Blevins, freshly wounded and still healing, from his own shooting, was using John Madison’s own words to advance the Senator’s favorite cause – the abolition of gun ownership in America, while piggy-backing in his bill a significant restriction on the right of free speech.

“Do ya think it’s patriotic, to use one of ya favored words, to call our elected President a tyrant, Mr. Madison, suh? Ya think that encourages civility and respect for our leader, suh? Ya think it’s good to suggest assassination by sayin’ ‘we gotta take him out’ Suh, ya were the right-winga’ who suggested ‘takin’ out’ the President just days before he was shot, isn’t that the case, suh?”

“Those words were spoken in another time, before the shootings, Senator. I meant taking him out in the election, not by shooting, of course. But I do think my words are all protected speech, under the First Amendment, discussing the Second Amendment. That’s all I would say, sir.”

“I didn’t think ya would deny ya own words. I have no more questions of this here witness. This Committee stands adjourned until further order of the Chair.”

Most impartial observers thought that Madison had held his own against rough, even rude, questioning by Committee members, some from both political parties. Public sentiment, measured by most polls, was still decidedly running in favor of the President and Congress, and their plan to abolish private gun ownership, the small problem with the Constitution notwithstanding. Attention continued to focus on the gun abolition portions of the McAlister Bill, with little public debate of the free speech restriction, most likely due to continuing media attention to the Dallas shootings.

All members of the Committee had now asked their questions, some questions asked more artfully than others, but almost all questions calculated to make the questioning Senator look good back home to voters, to the media, to their staff members and to their significant other or spouse, or both, as the case may be. No Senator raised nor objected to the recent declaration of martial law by the President. Very few questions were asked in order to actually help shape the legislation pending before the Committee. The days of the Committee on the Judiciary seeking to learn the truth from witnesses had long passed. The Republic had suffered as a result.

THIRTY

The White House

The Roosevelt Cabinet Room

As she left her office, the Vice President made one last phone call, just a half hour before walking down the hall of the West Wing to the Cabinet Room. She spoke with the head of the Secret Service, one of hers and Wilbur’s best friends in the federal government. He assured her that the Service would abide by the decision of the Cabinet and would take the appropriate, legal action should she and a majority of the Cabinet decide to remove the President from his powers and duties.

The time had come. At last. Vice President Hilde Calhoun left her office, located on the west side of the West Wing, turned left and walked down the hall to the Cabinet Room, directly across from the Oval Office. As she approached she noticed that instead of the normal single Secret Service agent posted at the Cabinet Room, today there were three. She could only assume that the higher number of agents was related to her call to the man whom Wilbur and she had grown close to during their eight years in the White House, now its Director.

Unlike his predecessor, who started Cabinet meetings on time, the President didn’t enter the Cabinet Room until almost 10:20 A.M. It was immediately obvious that the President was not happy. His visage was one of a perturbed scowl. His forehead was furrowed as if he were about to lash out at anybody foolish enough to get in his way.

The Vice President was prepared to be that fool. She could read facial expressions as well anybody, but she concluded that the President was just being his normal irascible self, demonstrating his disdain for a management process that he didn’t understand nor appreciate. He generally only called such meetings of his Cabinet when a major newspaper or network talking head complained about his lack of cabinet meetings.

The President went to his seat at the east side of the long table, only shaking one hand, avoiding the others in the room. The Vice President was already seated in her seat to the right of the President’s chair. She quickly concluded that he was clearly in a mood. Could he know what I’m about to do, she asked herself, her head throbbing? Oh well, I didn’t ever think this was going to be easy, she thought, at the same time missing Wilbur’s guiding hand.

The President said nothing for what seemed an inordinate period, while staring pointedly at the Vice President, and then around the room, frowning as he looked at each face. He finally spoke. “This meeting will be brief. It’s also not an official meeting of my Cabinet.”

Turning then to his right and again staring at the Vice President, he said, “There are two troop carriers, with armed troops, ready for my command, parked as we meet here, on the basement ramp of the Treasury Building on East Executive Avenue. Two minutes, maximum, three minutes away from here. If necessary, I can order the immediate placement of those troops into this building and into this room. There will be no action taken today by this Cabinet, or any day, for that matter, in any way attempting to invoke the Twenty-Fifth Amendment. I used to teach the subject, remember?”

The Vice President stared back at the nation’s re-elected Chief Executive, now just weeks into his second term. The three members of the Cabinet who had been alerted to Hilde’s plan for a Constitutional coup d’etat all looked at the papers in front of them, hoping to avoid eye contact with the man whom seconds before they had been prepared to remove from power. Hilde had not shared their names as she had spoken with the three of them, so they didn’t know who else was involved in the conspiracy. The fact that the President was quite obviously aware of it, though, caused each one an almost discernible degree of nervousness.

The Vice President was immediately sickened, as stomach acids churned inside of her. Who talked? The second question she asked herself was is whether he was serious about bringing in troops to prevent his Cabinet from signing a document to remove him from office? She had her cell phone in her lap, on which she had been prepared to alert her staff once the deed was done. Now, instead, she quickly texted a member of her staff with an office on the second floor of the East Wing – SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL AT TREASURY??? In short order she received back a short text reading – STRANGE – ARMED TROOPS IN TRUCKS ON PARKING RAMP.

Well, that settles that, she thought. She could plunge ahead, lay out her case for removal, trust that she’ll pick up at least eight signatures and get this behind the Cabinet and end the misery of the country. Or….keep her mouth shut ….and see how bad things may get. The troops, she ultimately decided, were the determinant. She wasn’t willing to take the chance that the President might actually march in troops against his own Cabinet. If he hadn’t already used the military to disarm, arrest and shoot so many Americans, she might have doubted his resolve to bring over the troops waiting at the Treasury building. As it was, she decided to say nothing, admit nothing and watch events unfold. Unfold they quickly did.

The President, looking again to his right at Hilde, and not seeing the Vice President making any overt moves, turned back to his Cabinet and said, “OK. Here’s what’s next. Every second term involves some changes in the Cabinet, historically speaking. I want resignations from each of you on my desk by close of business today. You’re all resigning because I frankly don’t know which ones of you came here today prepared to try and remove me from office.”

At which point several members inhaled sharply, glancing quickly at the other Cabinet members, as they first understood why the President had earlier been discussing bringing troops to the White House.

“So, since I don’t know who the conspirators are, and I might miss someone, or several someones, if I tried to guess your identity, I’m firing the lot of you. For those of you who are innocent, and are still clueless as to what the Vice President intended to do today, you’ll be okay. I’ll announce that I removed everyone on the Cabinet to give us a fresh start in my new term, to help the nation heal from the recent unpleasantness. You’ll still be able to do your book deals and join your lucrative corporate boards.”

At the President’s mention of the Vice President every eye in the room was riveted on Hilde Calhoun, who cast a loathsome look at the President. No reason to appear innocent now, she thought, he’s quite clearly been told the plan in some detail.

The President went on, “The only exception to all of you resigning is the Secretary of Defense, as I don’t want to change things in the military while we still have unrest in the country.”

Hilde shot a withering glance at the Secretary of Defense, who looked down, refusing to return her look. She now knew the source of the leak, for whatever that’s worth now, she thought.

“One final thing. We’re awfully crowded here in the West Wing. I need my Press Secretary on this floor with better access to the Oval. So, Hilde, I’ll have your office furnishings down the hall moved over to the Eisenhower Building to your much larger ceremonial offices there. I’m also moving your three staff members who’ve until today officed here. There’s no statutory requirement for your office to be at the White House, in any case. Ladies and gentlemen, it has been a pleasure, sort of, serving with you. Don’t forget….resignations….by close of business….on my desk….We are adjourned.”

The President lost no time exiting the Cabinet Room and walking across the hall, slamming the curved door to his office quite audibly behind him. The Cabinet broke into bedlam and shouting, most trying to find out what the real meaning was behind what they had just heard and the history they had personally witnessed. The Vice President hurriedly pushed her way to the door, making short mumbled apologies that she didn’t have anything to say at this point in time. It would take at least two minutes before the first call was made to a media source, reporting rumors of ruler against ruler.

THIRTY ONE

New York City, NY – Fox News Studios

What does a national debate on an urgent issue which has captured Americans’ attention look like? Before the internet, the issues debated were framed, and presented, by the media. After the advent of the world wide web, many people, average, normal people could share their ideas with their fellow citizens, without going through the editor of the ‘letters to the editor’ section of their local newspaper.  The internet, as many have observed, has empowered people in ways never previously thought possible. Anyone with a laptop can now launch a revolution, as they learned in Yemen, Egypt, Libya, and ______________, fill in the blank, which country will be next?

This inconvenient truth has transformed national debates, in America and many western nations, on any issue that may attract the attention of bloggers and e-organizers. The blogosphere did in fact light up, and stayed lit up for a time, once gun-owning Americans heard the First Lady announce from the GWU Hospital that they might possibly lose their Second Amendment rights. Most Americans were shell shocked, so to speak, by the assassination attempt of their President, the shooting of a Senator and the killing of the Vice President. The three shootings had more than a chilling effect on those normally expected to fight gun abolition, or expected to lobby against allowing the federal government sweeping powers to regulate speech. Many Americans could see beyond the current crisis, and the prevailing public mood against gun ownership, but, increasing numbers of Americans appeared to be intimidated into silence. The prevailing national culture was trending against gun ownership, aided and abetted by the daily drum beat of media pressure and pronouncements from the White House and Congressional leaders.

Noted exceptions, those who were willing to openly declare their opposition to the anti-gun and speech curtailment bill, were often the subject of highly unflattering media attention. A Wisconsin television news interview typified the coverage.

“Jane, I’m here with Bill Brinkerstaff, a gun supporter from Racine, with his take on the bill being considered by Congress to make America safer.” The unshaven interviewee was dressed in camouflage and was wearing a bright orange baseball cap on which was stenciled WHEN GUNS ARE OUTLAWED - I’LL BE AN OUTLAW.

“Yeah, like I said, if they take away our guns, we will take away their miserable lives.”

“Who are you threatening, Mr. Brinkerstaff? Who should be afraid of you if the Congress adopts the McAlister bill into law and abolishes gun ownership by private citizens?”

“That camera’s on, right, lady? You’re recording this? I’m not saying anything more. I’m not going to jail. I’ll just say we’re not going to give up without a fight. You thought what happened in the campaign, or in Dallas, was violent? Just wait and see what happens if they pass this stupid bill. You’ll see real violence, lady. Got it?”

“Thank you, sir, now back to you, Jane.” What the interviewer did not report was that she had interviewed eight gun rights supporters, all of whom made cogent, non-threatening arguments, before she located his target, a gun rights supporter, in camouflage, who would threaten violence, on camera. None of the eight favorable interviews were ever aired by the station.

The national media followed the same pattern, during the time the Congress was considering the gun bill. There were few favorable interviews with gun ownership advocates carried by national media. Fox News was an exception, as its President, Roger Ayres, wouldn’t bow to pressure from federal agencies. Fox aired several pro-gun ownership interviews and segments covering the legal and practical arguments against passage of the McAlister bill. One such interview featured Jon Voyles, a Hollywood actor of some renown:

“Mr. Voyles, you’re widely known in Hollywood as a conservative, so, what makes your newly announced opposition to the gun ban bill news worthy?”

“Harrison, that’s a real good question, yes, it certainly is. You’re correct, I am a conservative, no secret there, but what I’m announcing tonight, exclusively on Fox News, is that I making a good sized financial contribution, from my own funds, to try and stop the McAlister bill.

“How much are you contributing to the pro-gun groups, if I may ask?”

“One dollar. That is, one dollar for every dollar contributed by pro Second Amendment Americans like me. A matching grant.”

“Wow, Mr. Voyles, that’s a serious commitment. Is there an upper limit to your generosity?”

“Let’s wait and see. I’m willing to give well over a million, maybe a lot more. I truly believe that the fight over the abolition of ownership of guns by Americans is only the beginning. If we lose this fight, since the Second Amendment is so clear, the Constitution will be shredded, and it won’t have any meaning in the future. This bill also goes after the freedom to speak your mind freely in this country, which Hollywood and the media seemed to have overlooked. Those speech review panels in the bill will just be used to censor Americans who want to discuss controversial subjects. Our founding fathers must be spinning in their graves. If this bill passes as its written, forget freedom of speech and worship and of the press, along with all those due process rights we have relied on for centuries. We can’t lose this battle.”

“But, Jon, aren’t you concerned about pressure on you from the White House, and the Administration’s friends in Hollywood?”

“Look, Harrison, I made my last major movie several years ago. Once it got out that I wasn’t drinking their liberal kool aid, I was blacklisted, and I have been ever since.  That’s OK, I’d rather be right than to have to thank the Academy. We have to defeat this dangerous bill. If we don’t, we’ll always regret not doing everything we could to stop this assault on the Bill of Rights. Don’t forget that there were weapons used by both sides in the recent campaign violence. Mark my words, if we don’t stop this bill, the government will be deciding what we can say on shows like this, in books, in speeches and even from the pulpits of our churches. I’m very concerned, which is why I’m backing my words with my money. I invite others to join with me.”

“Thanks, Jon, we’ll be watching how many Americans make contributions to stop this evil bill. We’ve put your website link on the screen for those who want to have you match their contribution. God bless.”

By the time of the vote on the McAlister bill, Americans will have given over four million dollars to the Voyles fund, which he matched, dollar for dollar. Most of the funds given in opposition to the bill were used to encourage calls, letters, e-mail and other communications by voters to their State’s Senators and to their District’s member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Later studies confirmed that most of the funds spent, however, had little effect, as those Members of Congress who were committed in favor of the bill routinely instructed their office staff to round file written communication against the bill, to delete electronic communication and to spike telephone messages. Representative government in action.

Members who had declared their opposition to passage of the bill, and who were known from past votes on other conservative issues as Members who would keep their word, were not targeted for voter pressure, for obvious reasons. They were the safe votes in opposition, not requiring any expenditure of funds by gun rights, religious groups and other conservatives.

The undeclared Members, those who refused to pledge to vote for or against the McAlister bill, numbered approximately twelve in the Senate and forty-four in the House, give or take, depending on the day. Of the fifty-six in both Houses, some were genuinely not sure how they intended to vote. They didn’t arrive in Congress because of gun rights supporters, nor were they elected with the support of opponents of gun rights. On the other hand, a few of the fifty-six uncommitted Members were known in Congress as ‘perpetual undeclared Members’, who had learned that holding out until right before the final vote could reap large benefits. Not only in meals at DC’s finest restaurants, but also invitations to speak at expensive U.S. resorts and exotic overseas locations to various associations’ annual conventions, all expenses paid. The most important rewards, however, for a last minute decision by these hold out Members were the campaign contributions bundled from the executives of companies and pressure groups, frequently totaling many tens of thousands of dollars, the ‘mothers milk of politics’. Ah, they would frequently muse, there are many advantages of taking one’s time to decide important issues facing the Congress.

THIRTY TWO

Phoenix, Arizona – State House

Arizona Governor Mike McManus was a hunter, a collector of antique firearms, a member of the NRA, Gun Owners of America and the Arizona state gun owners association. He was, therefore, an unlikely public official for the President to threaten, at least on gun ownership issues. Nevertheless, the President, in his telephone call to the Governor, made clear what he thought of the Governor’s plan to gut the McAlister Bill, should it become law.

“Governor, we don’t know each other all that well, I think we’ve met twice at the Governors’ Conferences, but I feel like I can just be real candid with you. I can level with you, you know.”

“Mr. President, in Arizona that’s what we expect. Straight talk. People out here don’t usually say, ‘well, to be honest with you’, because that’s just expected. So let’s talk turkey, which is something we do say.”

“Good, Governor, here’s the deal. We can’t allow your State to get away with adopting your militia bill. It’s not gonna’ happen, not while I’m the President.”

Governor McManus, as a skilled hunter, knew that sometimes the best thing to do was keep quiet, so as not to scare away the game. So, he said nothing. Seconds passed….still nothing….”

The President was the first to give in, to break the heavy silence.

“Governor. Are you still there? Phyllis, I think we’ve been dis-conn….”

“No, Mr. President, I’m still here, but you’re right that the two of us are dis-connected. We’ll pass whatever laws we want to in Arizona. Do you recall the immigration enforcement law fight under Governor Brewer. We don’t much care out here in the desert what you all think about our State’s laws back on the Potomac.”

“Un-huh….Well, they told me you didn’t have much respect for authority.”

“Got that one right, sir. I repeat. We don’t care what you think out in Washington about our militia bill. We are basing the bill on the most American of ideas, that every able-bodied man should be a member of our State’s militia. Check your history, the Massachusetts Bay Colony required every man from 16 to 60 to be a militia member, and of course, to bear arms to defend their State. Our militia bill only applies to Arizonans from 18 to 50, and what we are….”

“Look. We don’t give a rip about who you conscript for your militia, or don’t. Governor, you are quite well aware that this is all about your planning to buy up the guns in your State from their owners, and then handing those same guns back to the same people you just bought them from, except you’ll call them militia armaments. All this is a not very clever way to try and avoid the McAlister Bill, when it passes, from applying to Arizona. That’s a bunch of horse puckey, Governor, and we’re not gonna’ allow it. Are you hearing me?”

Governor McManus started to give the President the silent treatment response again, but he couldn’t restrain himself. In college he had been a wrestler, competing in national tournaments. Now he felt like his arms were being pinned behind him. It was time to make a reverse move on his opponent.

“Well, we’re gonna’ pass the bill into law, and you can just get used to the idea. And you might as well know, since it’s been rumored in the news, that I’ve been in touch with a number of other Governors who are giving very serious thought to following Arizona’s lead. You got ya’self a good old American rebellion on your hands.”

“No, Governor, I’m well aware that Arizona is leading this….this….rebellion….as you call it. I would call it by another word, maybe….insurrection….maybe trea….well, let’s just say we’re not going to let you get away with gutting the McAlister Bill when it’s a law.”

“With all due respect, Mr. President, which I am quickly losing, how do you plan to stop us? Invasion? Throw us out of Union? Go on and throw us in that briar patch.”

“I instructed the Attorney General about an hour ago, once I confirmed that there may be other states willing to jump off the cliff along with Arizona, to prepare suit to ask the Courts to….”

“Ha! That’s some threat. So if we pass a militia bill and arm our militia, you’re gonna’ get some liberal federal District Court Judge, probably appointed by Carter or Clinton, to tell us we can’t do it? Fine…that’s just fine. Do you remember Mr. President, that a Pope once famously ordered a British King to take a certain action? And the King’s response was to tell the Pope to enforce his order with his non-existent armies, or something like that? Our response to the Judge will be very similar – if you want to prohibit our militia from bearing arms, which is the ultimate purpose of a militia, of course, then Mister Judge, Your Honor, sir, you just come out here to Arizona and pick up those guns yourself, one at a time. Good luck with that.”

“Two problems with your little story, Governor. Unlike the Pope, I do have armies, and I will use them, as I have under my order declaring martial law. Second problem, it won’t be one singular judge picking up your guns. Now follow this, because I don’t want you later on to say you didn’t know what was coming….I have the Constitutional right as President to nationalize the National Guard of any State. Remember President Eisenhower and Little Rock in the 50’s? He federalized the Arkansas National Guard and then sent in 1,000 Army paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division. I can nationalize state militias. I will nationalize your state’s newly created militia. All several hundred thousand of them. And, listen carefully, Governor, I will require each member of the newly nationalized militia to turn in their guns, to comply with McAlister, and to comply with my order, as their Commander in Chief. For those who may try and be brave and dis-obey my direct Presidential order, we will arrest them, we will try them in a military court of justice, you probably know what that means, and then we will either imprison them or we may execute some.”

“What? Are you completely insa….”

“I’m perfectly sane, Governor. President Lincoln strung up deserters on the White House lawn. If we have to make an example of a few of your Arizona rebels, in order to enforce the law, and rid this nation of hate weapons, then so be it. That would be a small price to pay to save the nation from continued widespread gun violence. I didn’t run for a second term in order to sit back for four years and watch the haters continue to spew their hate speech and fire their hate weapons. So forget your little plan to avoid complying with what will almost certainly become the law of the land. Have I made myself sufficiently clear, Governor McManus?”

This time the Governor’s silence wasn’t calculated, he was genuinely unable to speak. He wanted to throw back a clever counter-argument, but he knew he had none. He was pinned to the mat. He had just been threatened with a highly credible threat by a President who would undoubtedly do precisely what he had just told the Governor he would do, if Arizona adopted its militia law. Game. Set. Match point. Match over.

Arizona State House reporters that afternoon noticed the Governor huddling in his office with Arizona Legislative leaders, although the official schedule instead showed a ribbon cutting in Flagstaff. Early the next day, the Governor’s Press Secretary issued a terse written media statement.

TO: ARIZONA MEDIA

SUBJECT: MILITIA BILL (HCR-13-927)

After discussions with the Governor, sponsors of HCR-13-927, (Establishing and Arming the State Militia), have agreed to withdraw the bill from further consideration. The Governor’s Office will have no further        comment on the Bill, nor on its withdrawal. Likewise, neither the House or Senate leadership, nor Bill Sponsors, will have any further comment.

The next day Governor McManus convened a behind closed doors meeting in his office with the Director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the State’s Attorney General. He divulged the details of the President’s threat and asked the Attorney General to draft for his signature an Executive Order. Under the Executive Order, which he said he would not sign until or unless the McAlister bill passed, every adult male resident of the State was to be drafted into the Arizona Militia. Each would be instructed to arm himself in order to protect the State and its residents from “any enemy foreign or domestic”. The Governor concluded the meeting by saying, “you gentlemen are warned, and as will be our citizens once I announce this Order, if it comes to that, Arizona will not be a friendly place to send armed federal troops. We’ll defend our right to bear arms, even if Congress and the President try to take away our firearms. They don’t have enough troops to fight every armed adult male in this State.”

THIRTY THREE

New York City, NY – Fox News Studios

Fox News, which the White House had once suggested was not a legitimate news organization, stepped forward as the only national news service willing to air a debate in prime time on the McAlister Bill. Other broadcast and cable networks who favored passage of the bill, and who didn’t attempt to hide their support for the bill, declined to give any significant air time to its opponents. Their thinking was not complex. Why stir up the right wing about over-blown threats to their free speech and worship rights? Why give a platform to the Neanderthals fighting the eradication of hate weapons? The average American occasionally watching television news would have to conclude that there really wasn’t much of a debate taking place on the bill, as almost everyone they saw on their home screen was in favor of its adoption into law. That may not be what they heard at work, or at the local bar or even at some churches, but it certainly appeared from news coverage of the issue that America wanted Congress to pass the bill.

Fox had promoted the prime time debate for several days, scheduling it on March 5th, knowing that the final votes in the two chambers of the U.S. Congress were likely by the end of March. The proponent of the bill in the Fox debate was none other than South Carolina Senator Jim Blevins, the choice by the White House, as the person who would gain the most sympathy from viewers. The Senator was a little rough-spoken, at times, the White House was willing to admit, but he had been shot, so he conveyed a strong message before he even opened his mouth in the debate.

Senator Blevins’ opponent in the debate was Representative Melinda Batchelder from Minnesota, an effective Member of Congress, who had impressed many in her earlier quest for the Republican nomination for President. She had been supported by conservatives, but she was unable to gain traction in the early days of the selection process, withdrawing from the race, many observers believed, with dignity and style. Congresswoman Batchelder was an impressive debater, and thus the Blevins versus Batchelder Debate was an event that was expected to attract significant viewership. The Debate was hosted by Fox’s talk show host Grenda Sandora.

“Welcome to the Fox News Debate on the McAlister Bill now pending in Congress, featuring Senator Blevins and Congresswoman Batchelder. The rules of the debate tonight have been agreed to by both debaters. Each will be limited to thirty seconds for a response to a question. All questions have been submitted in advance by Fox News viewers. If you are both ready, Senator Blevins and Representative Batchelder, let’s commence this clash of ideas. The first question is from Iowa, a State with which you are well acquainted, Congresswoman. The viewer wants to know from the two of you simply why you favor, or oppose, the McAlister Bill. Senator? You go first.”

“Well, Grenda, that’s a mighty easy first question, I expected a real hardball first pitch with me comin’ on to Fox, I really did. Not exactly friendly territory for a progressive Democrat, ya know. But, let me first just thank all the tens of thousands of Americans who have reached out to me expressin’ their prayers and their hopes for my recovery after my shootin’. Miriam and I really do appreciate all those kind…”

“Senator, you have only thirty seconds, remember.”

“Uh, yes, uh….of course, sorry. Where was I? Why am I for this bill? Simple question. Simple answer. No person in government should ever have to fear that they will be shot, maybe even killed, just because they are in public service. That’s why I’m supportin’ this bill. And, oh yeah, Grenda, don’t ya forget how many guns were used to commit violent acts, and kill folks, in and after tha’ recent campaign. Even forced my President to declare martial law. Yes, ma’am, don’t let us forget all that.”

“Congresswoman. Why do you oppose the Senator’s bill?

“Let me make my answer equally simple, and easy to understand. Our Constitution grants the unequivocal right to Americans to free speech and also the right to keep and bear arms. If Senator Blevins, and his friends in the White House, want to abolish gun ownership or change the First Amendment, let them do it the legal way. They should amend the Constitution by having two thirds of Congress and then three-fourths of the states make the changes they want. It’s been done before – when the nation repealed the 18th Amendment, which had prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages. But, let’s not hide what they are doing by calling ‘re-interpretation’, because it’s not, it’s tyranny, tyranny by the Congress and the White House, to deny us our God-given rights found in the Constitution of the United States of America.”

“OK, well the next question comes to us from New…”

“Whoa, hold on a minute, Grenda, I can’t let that one go without a response…

“Senator, the rules…”

“I frankly don’t care about…my debate opponent here has just called me a name – a mighty serious name, and I will respond, rules or not….Uh….she says that God gave her the right to own a gun? Really? Where’s it say that? My pastor is in favor of my bill, and he would know if God said anything about guns, come on. Now, Grenda, I’m getting’ mighty tired of hearin’ about how we all gonna’ take away free speech and the right to worship and such. My bill won’t take away anyone’s right to speak, they all just can’t say things that are against the law. No more of ya nasty, mean, hateful words attacking public officials, don’t ya see?”

Congresswoman Batchelder quickly responded, “Senator, now you come on. The history of our nation confirms that the men who founded this nation were, for the most part, Christians who believed that God had granted them a special opportunity to create a free nation, not ruled by kings and tyrants, as they had experienced in European nations. Before the Constitution could be ratified, the Bill of Rights was written and included, and the First and Second Amendments in the Bill of Rights were the first two included for a very good reason – they didn’t want this nation ending up like Europe. What you, and your friends in the White House, are doing is tyrannical, straight up, a tyrannical effort to take away our Constitutional rights, but without doing it the legal way, by repealing the amendments which you don’t like. A tyrant despotically misuses his authority. Senator, you sir, are misusing your authority, and you know it. Oh, yes, you certainly know what you are doing.”

Camera three, which was focused on Senator Blevins, caught a well-known governmental leader appearing to be weighing his options. His first response to his opponent’s words was to say nothing. He seemed to be gritting his teeth, then he narrowed his eyes as he stared hard at the Congresswoman. With an almost imperceptible nod of his head, it appeared to those who would later spin the debate, he seemed to make up his mind, but only after visible internal wrestling.

“Ma’am, I was raised to respect women. In ya case, though, based on ya cutting words and ya false accusations, I’m gonna have to make an exception to how I was raised. Ya no woman deserving respect, no, ma’am, ya are a highly-paid attack machine, working for the wealthy gun makers and ya supporters in the NRA and such. I am not goin’ to allow myself to be subjected to any more of ya scurrilous attacks. Ya can just debate ya’self, cause I’m stoppin’ this sham debate. I’m leavin’ this here Fox News organized ambush.”

With that burst of agitated words, the Senator pulled off the lapel mike clipped to this tie, spun his wheelchair backwards and out of the studio, leaving Grenda open-mouthed, along with a perplexed Congresswoman, wondering what she should say next, if anything.

The studio floor manager signaled Grenda to go to a break, which she promptly did. After two minutes of commercials, Grenda informed viewers that with the Senator’s departure from the studio, the Blevins-Batchelder Debate was concluded. Most of the mainstream media who commented on the debate, and its abrupt termination, blamed Batchelder, many (not coincidentally) using the same description of her, i.e., ‘a right wing pit bully’. The White House Press Secretary in his daily briefing suggested that “no self-respecting Democrat, liberal or progressive, should ever again appear on Fox News”. One unnamed, undisclosed Democrat Senator who opposed Blevin’s bill, leaked to a Fox correspondent who covers the Senate, that he had understood before the debate even started that Senator Blevins would look for an excuse to terminate the debate, and would leave the studio before it was concluded. Blevins’ press spokesman called the report ‘another radical right wing attempt to smear a fine public servant.’

THIRTY FOUR

Rural America

Human beings generally prefer to lead a peaceful, quiet existence. Get up, go to work, come home, spend time with the spouse and the kids, go to bed. Repeat. Thus, it requires something extraordinary to make a normal human being protest some action or another of the government. The McAlister Bill was an incentive to protest. Once it became known soon after the Presidential election what the bill would do if it became law, rank and file members of gun rights organizations increasingly besieged the leaders of their national organizations, asking what they could do to help stop McAlister.

The national leaders, though, were limited in how far they could go to oppose the McAlister Bill. They could coordinate protest and lobbying efforts, which they did frequently and effectively. But, they couldn’t, nor would they, call for any level of violence. The nation was under martial law, which limited Americans from exercising their rights of free speech and assembly. Everything changed when the President declared martial law. The Department of Homeland Security issued an order to the nation’s Governors finding that public demonstrations and protest marches were “inherently illegal” and were to be banned by officials in each of the fifty states.

National gun rights leaders were careful that almost every member letter, news release and press conference included an obligatory warning to avoid any form of violence. They warned their members that any act of violence would immediately be used by the backers of the anti-gun bill to persuade Congress of the increased need to rid the nation of what the Administration labeled in every news conference as ‘hate weapons’. One national leader, Harry Flatt, warned his members, “Even one bullet fired in anger over this evil anti-gun bill will be used against us, and used to justify taking away our firearms. Don’t help the White House pass their bill by using your defensive firearm in an offensive way. We are peaceful Americans who just want to be able to obey the law and defend ourselves.”

In spite of DHS’s order, sporadic protests broke out across the country, usually in rural areas, where the protests were further away from law enforcement officials who were willing to forcefully terminate the public gatherings. The protests initially took the form of marches and rallies, usually held on Saturdays, and including large numbers of people carrying protest signs. Most involved speeches by gun owners opposed to the pending anti-gun bill and by free speech advocates, generally conservatives and Christians and Jews, worried about the Bill’s effect on religious rights. Most included chants, such as:

KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY GUNS, KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY GUNS

I SPEAK, YOU SPEAK, WE ALL SPEAK FOR FREE SPEECH

Some were throw-backs to the anti-Vietnam war protest of the 60s:

ALL WE ARE SAYING IS - GIVE GUN RIGHTS A CHANCE!

Some sang We Shall Overcome, with revised lyrics:

Gun rights shall overcome,

Gun rights shall overcome,

Gun rights shall overcome some day.

Freedom of speech shall overcome,

Freedom of speech shall overcome,

Freedom of speech shall overcome some day.

Most of the scattered protests were cut short by local law enforcement officials who were ordered to terminate the gatherings by DHS. Media coverage of the protests and their forced termination was sparse. The Nation’s mainstream media chose not to report what Americans were saying with their feet, their signs and their voices about the McAlister Bill’s sponsors’ plan to define away their rights enshrined in the Constitution.

As the vote on the bill neared, and as the debate that was being covered on a limited basis intensified, the nature of the protests began to change. In a nation with as many firearms as Americans, and still smarting from what they saw as a ‘stolen election’, it was inevitable that the anti-gun debate would eventually turn violent. Bullets were fired at several federal installations, usually at night, with no recorded arrests. When windows were blown out of federal offices, the national media was there to show the nation’s viewers, and to interview distraught federal employees. Since no one was ever apprehended for the late-at-night shootings, there was no real assurance as to whether the bullets were fired in anger by out of control opponents of the McAlister Bill, or instead, by supporters of the Bill, trying to demonstrate to Members of Congress the urgent need for passage of the Bill.

One tactic used by the opponents of the Bill was borrowed from American teenagers who used what they called ‘flash mob messages’ to call out hundreds, even thousands, of supporters on a moment’s notice, using Twitter, cell phone texts and instant messaging. With no advance warning, entire plazas or office parking lots full of opponents of the McAlister Bill were called out, when it was learned that a Congress person was expected to be at a specific location in his or her Congressional District. Nothing got their attention like thousands of their constituents showing up at their District office or outside of a Lincoln-Reagan or Jefferson-Jackson political dinner. But, true to form, the only media who bothered to cover these demonstrations of public opposition were local.

Since most owners of firearms, as Flatt had said, were peaceful, and since they understood that using their weapons would help them lose their weapons, the number of confirmed and organized acts of gun violence decreased. It seemed as if American gun owners were holding their breath, hoping against hope that the Bill would fail. They wrote letters and made calls to their own Members of Congress. They protested, peacefully. They contributed funds for lobbying. They prayed. But….they were scared. Scared that America would become like Australia. Scared that they would be like the Brits in the 2011 riots who could only buy baseball bats to protect their homes and families. Scared that they would soon lose the weapons that they owned to protect their families. Scared that they would be unarmed in the face of criminals who would rob, hurt, rape or kill. Scared.

Likewise, religious leaders were worried that the seemingly innocent language of the McAlister Bill punishing speech deemed to be hate speech would be used against them, restricting the contents of sermons and religious writings. Conservatives of all stripes and from organizations across the country saw the Federal Hate Speech Review Panel as a direct violation of the First Amendment and an attempt to censor their religious views, if they conflicted with prevailing government policy. Most were scared that if the McAlister Bill became law, it would be used to punish them, including imprisonment, if the courts ruled that their words were illegal, in violation of McAlister’s definition of the phrase ‘hate speech’. Since the Bill categorized hate speech as written or verbal speech that unfairly or illegally attacked a federal public official, or which unlawfully denigrated or negatively criticized any public official, they were scared that any critical comments about public officials could land the speaker or the preacher or the writer in prison. Scared that any sermon, speech or book dealing with gender, race or sexual orientation could have the same result. Scared that the federal government would become the federal censor. Scared.

THIRTY FIVE

Omaha, Nebraska

The law of unintended consequences may have been meant for just such an occasion as this – the Omaha Gun Supporters Parade. The idea behind forming the Omaha Gun Owners Against Seizing our Guns organization was simple. The organizers announced that the February 17th “Parade was to demonstrate to the people of Omaha, and of Nebraska, and to that Crazy as a Loon Congress, that the people of mid-America aren’t about to voluntarily give up our firearms, even if the anti-gun law passes”. At least that was the underlying concept. The leaders of the group, as they planned the Gun Supporters Parade, were put on notice by the Department of Homeland Security in DC that the protest would be a violation of its order, and contrary to the President’s declaration of martial law. Thus the march would not be allowed and would be banned, by law.

The Mayor of Omaha, though, ignored the DHS order. He was more than happy to have his offices help the parade organizers obtain a parade permit. On first application, they had been turned down by a city hall bureaucrat who supported the McAlister Bill pending before Congress. Once the Mayor found out about the denial, though, the permit was swiftly granted. In return, the Mayor was invited to march in the front ranks of the Saturday noon event, an invitation he was pleased to accept. “Let’s send a message to DC,” he told anyone who would listen, including local media, “we aren’t going give up our guns, no, not under any circumstances, nor any threat, nor any federal government pressure. Not in Nebraska. Nor will we give up our rights of public assembly and free speech.”

Once officials at the DHS realized that their order banning the march was being flaunted by the Mayor of Omaha, they notified the Governor of Nebraska, demanding that he over-rule the Mayor and cancel the permit for the parade. This the Governor of Nebraska was unwilling to do. He responded to the DHS that he would handle it, though he had no intention to do so. He instructed his Chief of Staff to draw up the necessary order to the Mayor of Omaha, but privately advised his employee that he should “bumble” the service of the order on the Mayor, only finally delivering it to the Mayor late on the Friday before the Saturday march. He sent word to the Mayor that the order wouldn’t arrive until after hours Friday, and in any case, that the State of Nebraska would take no action to stop the protest, nor to seek to punish the Mayor for dis-obeying the late delivered order.

On Thursday before the march a suspicious DHS, not having received any verification that the march was being cancelled by the Governor, sent in the US Army General assigned to Nebraska as a part of the President’s order of martial law. The General and the Governor had known each other, as it turned out, since their days at the University of Nebraska, a fact unknown at DHS. After a brief private talk the two officials arrived at two decisions. The Governor and his wife left the state for a previously unannounced weekend vacation, asking his staff not to reveal his destination. The state’s Lieutenant Governor was on a trade mission to the Orient. The General informed the DHS and the Pentagon that he had exercised his authority to demand that the Governor prohibit the parade, but that he refused to do so. His report, though, was delayed in transmission, for unexplained reasons, until after close of business Friday evening. Thus the parade organizers had no legal impediment to their Saturday noon event.

In the planning for any public event, event organizers reach a point where the early decisions made for how the event will be conducted are either affirmed, or changed at the last minute. In the very first meeting of the parade organizers one member of the group casually said, “Won’t it look great when they show on TV all the thousands of Nebraskans carrying our firearms? Just seeing all those guns and all of us carrying them will make quite an impression, won’t it?” Many in the group nodded their assent, and the meeting moved on to picking a date for their parade. No one at that meeting, nor at any subsequent meeting, ever thought to re-examine their initial decision to openly carry their guns in the Omaha Gun Supporters Parade.

The chosen Saturday for the Parade was sunny and crisp, but not too cold, as tens of thousands gathered in Omaha, as planned, and without any legal impediment that organizers recognized, to assemble for marching down Farnam Street to Heartland of America Park on the Missouri River for speeches. Many marchers brought their children to make it a family event. All were there to demonstrate their opposition to federal gun control. The Mayor had his first inkling of personal doubt when his driver let him off at the Park. As the Mayor looked across the Park at the large crowd, he heard an organizer on a bullhorn say “Show us your guns”. As the marcher/demonstrators responded, the Mayor saw the sun glinting off of what at first appeared to be hundreds, but then reflecting off of thousands of rifles, shotguns and raised pistols and revolvers. The Mayor was one of the State’s highest profile supporters of gun rights, but it occurred to him as he walked across the Park to greet the marchers that maybe this wasn’t the best way to gain support from the general public. Seeing an individual defend themselves against a mugger or rapist, he thought as he walked, was fine for the cause, but this looked like an armed mob. This will feed into the White House’s propaganda machine. Oh well, maybe, they won’t be watching, he hoped. But, of course, at the same time, he knew that wasn’t at all likely. Why didn’t they just march, and carry signs, not guns? This will give the nation’s anti-gun President, who was from the Mayor’s own political party, he was sorry to say, ammunition for several speeches in support of the McAlister Bill. Ammunition indeed.

What the Mayor did not know, nor did anyone in authority in Omaha, was what the President’s Chief of Staff did once he learned from DHS a little after 8 PM on Friday night that the Mayor and Governor would not cancel the march through Omaha and planned to violate the President’s imposition of martial law. The President was located in the family quarters watching basketball, his favorite non speech giving activity. Once he was advised of the situation in Nebraska, the President speedily authorized his Chief of Staff to do whatever was necessary to enforce martial law. His Chief of Staff confirmed that the President literally meant whatever was necessary. Once assured of his authority, he went into action.

Soon after noon, on schedule, the marchers filled Farnam Street, on their trek to the Heartland of America Park, and some hoped-for ‘whooping up the crowd’ speeches. Within half an hour, the entire length of the east-west thoroughfare was full of people and their uplifted guns. It was quite a sight, and one that many observers thought had never been seen before, not like this. Most large numbers of people who carry weapons in public are dressed alike, in military uniforms. These gun carriers wore the full variety of what everyday people wear when they are in public, but they certainly didn’t look like an army. Historically, people who showed their guns and who weren’t in military uniforms, didn’t usually march or pose for photographs.

Once the marchers had reached Heartland of America Park, overflowing the Park down each street that fed into the large open area, the program began with a prayer and greetings by the Mayor. The Mayor was almost finished with his brief welcoming comments when he heard what sounded like a distant bull horn shouted voice. Neither he nor most of the people in the large crowd could make out what was being said. Later, federal officials claimed that the shouted words were what were called a “final warning” to the protestors to “lay down your guns, now, or be fired upon”.

Within seconds of the unintelligible words, shots rang out. At first sporadic shots, then extended volleys of gunshots were heard across the Park. Analysis of audio recordings later indicated that over three hundred shots, possibly more, with some overlapping shots, were fired in a 75 second period. The result, the immediate result, was pure panic. The gun owners were, for the most part, trained and quite knowledgeable about what the shots they were hearing meant, though all marchers had been told not to load or bring any ammunition. Most immediately knew that they were being fired on. When hundreds tried to escape, but couldn’t, and hundreds of others tried to fall to the ground to avoid being shot, chaos and panic ensued. In the ensuing melee, many marchers were trampled and severely injured. Some who fell to the ground were trampled by others who meant to do no harm, but who feared for their lives and for those of their family members. The death toll from gunshot wounds came to one hundred and seven, including eight children. The number injured who were treated for their injuries at local hospitals was not released to the media.

Later, in depth reports confirmed that none of the weapons carried in the Parade appeared to have been fired, either intentionally in self-defense, nor inadvertently, as marchers fled, fell or were trampled. Those reports, though, took several months to be completed.

What the mainstream media reported immediately after the Parade panic, though, was a completely different story:

New York Times

GUNNERS DEATH MARCH IN OMAHA

Five Die as Thousands Brandish Guns

NBC

OMAHA GUN OWNERS VIOLATE MARTIAL LAW

CBS

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THIRTY SIX

John Madison Website Blog

While we were at worship services this morning I had three somewhat frantic voicemails at home. The first message, which must have been recorded as we were pulling out of the drive, merely asked if I was or would be in soon. There was some sort of muffled sound, like the caller covering the phone while speaking to someone else, then a quick dial tone. Strange.

The second call, about an hour later (that must have been about when my wife was elbowing me to stop nodding off during the Pastor’s sermon), was equally unusual. The unidentified caller asked when I would return home and said, “This is important. We need to speak with Mr. Madison. Now. We’ll call back.” Again, no identification by the caller, but it was obvious to me that neither was a sales call. I was sure right about that.

The third call, which came in as we were at lunch after church at the Black Eyed Pea, was not a call you would ever want to receive. I wrote it down exactly as it was recorded:

Mr.….John Madison.…this is Special Agent Charles     Bock.…of the FBI in the Dallas regional office. I need         to speak with you, sir, as soon as you can return this   call….It’s an urgent matter, I’m informed by our offices   in DC. Please return this call….promptly. (He left his           number, twice).

It didn’t take a genius to figure out why the FBI wanted to talk to me on an urgent matter. It undoubtedly had something to do with my speech in Austin or maybe with my testimony from last month, or it could be…ooops. I’m writing this in my den. I’m typing fast. I’m looking at two black Suburbans, government vehicles of choice, which have just pulled up to our curb. My Sunday afternoon surprise? How many suits did they send? Four? No, my goodness…three in each vehicle. Two talking into their sleeves. Not a good sign. Another checking, no, he’s reaching in and unsnapping, his shoulder holster. A worse sign. I do wish, though, that they would have just waited until I called back, and not sent their squadron of agents to my house to arrest me, in front of my family, on a Sunday afternoon. I’ll get one call to my lawyer -- I hope Chuck’s at home -- more later, assuming there is a later.

THIRTY SEVEN

John Madison - Journal Entry

While I’ve been here in jail, I’ve been thinking a lot about MLK. Martin Luther King, Jr. used his time while in jail in 1963 in the midst of the civil rights struggle, to write what became known as the Letter from Birmingham City Jail. He wrote that “one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws”. I certainly agree with Rev. King. As a created human being I have the moral right to defend myself, and my family members, from another human being who may want to harm us or take our lives. It’s immoral to prevent me from defending myself and my family. I have the God-given right to speak my mind on who should be the leaders of my nation’s government.

I’m writing this as a journal entry, instead of a campaign website blog, since I don’t have access to a computer. I recognize, though, that these words may never be read. Security in this Houston, Texas Federal Detention Center is quite tight. King faced a similar problem, of course. He smuggled his letter out of the Alabama jail in a toothpaste tube. I’ll get this out somehow. Probably.

The news they allow us to see here indicates that the House will vote on the McAlister Bill soon. I’m only allowed one call a day, which I normally use to talk to my beloved Debbie. So, I’ve not been in a position since I got here to be involved in any way in either the debate on the gun bill, or working with my buddies to try and influence Members of Congress to oppose the McAlister Bill. Not that they missed me all that much. I’m the one that Senator Blevins tricked into saying that the Second Amendment was vague. Genius, right?

Most of my hours since I’ve been here have been spent working with Chuck, my erstwhile legal beagle. My arrest made some splash in the local media in Texas, though the President’s pals in the national media squelched any national coverage. I’ll have to say that was a shock, after the coverage given to my testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, but I understand how things work in the liberal mainstream media. An occasional news magazine or newspaper article, though, quotes me, I’m told, which must irritate the White House. One article accurately reported that my dad named me John in honor of John Adams, one of his heroes. He thought that Adams and James Madison were key to the formation of the nation that we became, so he wanted me to have both names. The media can get it right, sometimes.

My first question to Chuck was how quick he could get me out on bail. How hard could that be? Well, as it turned out, it was very hard. In fact, impossible. Normally a lawyer can file a writ of habeas corpus and spring his client from the slammer, or at least force the authorities to file charges. By the time any one reads this, it should become known that Chuck’s writ of habeas corpus was denied. Habeas corpus essentially means ‘bring forth the body’ or ‘you may have the body’. The purpose is to make the authorities bring forth a prisoner to the court and justify the prisoner’s detention.

The Administration, though, had its Department of Justice file a pleading opposing our writ of habeas corpus. On what basis? Article I, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution allows the government to suspend the right to a writ of habeas corpus “in cases of rebellion…when the public safety may require it.” The Administration warned the Court that national security issues were involved, and notified the Court that my right to a writ of habeas corpus was suspended, because I was part of a “rebellion”. They said the “public safety” required that I lose my right to file a writ. They also argued that under the newly passed National Defense Authorization Act, section 1021, I could be held, as an American citizen, for an indeterminate period of time.

We’re told that the only person more shocked than Chuck and I was the federal district court judge, who told one of Chuck’s lawyer friends that he had never seen anything like it. He had his staff research whether it had happened before. They learned that it hadn’t happened since Abraham Lincoln suspended the right to habeas corpus writs for Confederate soldiers. No question that the South in the 1860’s rebelled, but our efforts to use the Constitution to change how things work in DC could hardly be called a rebellion.

Great. Now I’m in “rebellion” against the United States. Give me a break. Chuck says that the conservative commentators and bloggers are calling me a “political prisoner”. I can’t read the blogs, incidentally, because we don’t have access to the internet in the slammer, which I can understand. The guys in here, with all their free time, would figure out how to hack every bank or government office in the country.

“Political prisoner”? That has an ominous ring to it. I guess that’s what I am. I haven’t done anything to break any laws, at least any that I know of. I know, I know, I hear it all the time from almost every inmate in here that he’s an innocent man. But, I think I really am innocent. They won’t tell us what laws I am accused of breaking, and since my habeas corpus petition rights have been suspended, Chuck says they can just keep holding me here on unspecified charges. Section 1021. We both think that will eventually change and they’ll file charges, but they’re holding up, we believe, until after the McAlister Bill passes, or gets defeated, as the case may be. They don’t want to stir things up any more than necessary, until the vote is taken. Likewise, I didn’t want to go completely ballistic public-comment wise, as much as I can from the slammer, until after the vote on the Bill. That would be a complication that the opponents of the bill don’t need, to be saddled with official charges of “rebellion”, or whatever they decide on, filed against one of the leaders against the Bill.

Bottom line, right now it looks like I’m not getting out of federal prison until I’m eventually tried by a jury of my peers, hopefully, and found innocent. When will that be? Unknown, according to Chuck. Obviously, they need to keep me bottled up here until the Congress votes the McAlister Bill up or down. If it passes, I’ll be tried and the Department of Justice will throw the veritable kitchen sink at me. If the Bill fails, it could be a long time before my case comes to a public trial, for obvious reasons. They wouldn’t want to try a leader of a cause that had just won, if the Bill is defeated. Chuck says that a defeat of the McAlister Bill would make it harder to get a jury to convict me. I like the sound of that.

My primary heart ache in jail has not been myself (I knew what I was getting into, sort of), but instead, my ongoing disagreements with our son, John Madison II, a/k/a Jack. Jack, our oldest child, is married and has fathered our two grandchildren. He is the pastor of a fast growing church in the Dallas area, and is starting a new television ministry. Jack is a great kid (though at his age now the word kid might not apply). We have a good relationship, and have had since he was birthed, but that doesn’t mean he agrees with his dad on what I have been doing for the last few years. His view is that as Christians we are to ‘render unto Caesar’. I agree with that, but only as I think Jesus used it, in regard to paying taxes.

My opposition to the President in the recent Presidential campaign, which admittedly was fairly high profile, led to several somewhat intense arguments with Jack. He just feels that we should live under whatever government we get, and not ever oppose Caesar. In one of our debates, I reminded him of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian who was executed for his involvement in an attempt to assassinate Hitler. He admitted that Bonhoeffer was a good example of a principled Christian who acted out of a desire to save the lives of Jews who were being slaughtered in concentration camps, but he argued I was no Bonhoeffer. OK, agreed, but I am worried about how this Administration is treating Israel, pushing it to give up its land. If we curse Israel, we will be cursed, I argued to Jack, citing one of the verses I’ve actually memorized. Genesis 12:3, I reminded my son, promises blessings to those who bless Israel and curses to those who curse Israel. He said America would never abandon Israel, but I replied that may not be the case under this Administration. But, simply stated, Jack’s not in very much agreement with me on very much that I’ve been doing.

Debbie and I love Jack, and his terrific wife, Allison, who doesn’t say much on the subject, but who seems to agree with her husband. We pray that they will eventually understand why his dad took on the President. In the meantime, we’ll just agree to disagree, and try to do it agreeably, as they say. But, it still hurts every time Jack asks me if I really know what I’m doing. Our other child, Katie, is working overseas and not too much affected by her dad’s problems. We only briefly discuss the issue in our weekly calls. But, she says she prays a lot for us, which is good to hear.

Well, that’s enough candid blathering for now. Sorry I ran on, but what else are you going to do with your time in the joint?

THIRTY EIGHT

Dallas, Texas

Pastor Jack Madison was having a good day. He’d met with his men’s discipleship group for breakfast at La Donni’s, his favorite morning restaurant, he’d finished his sermon notes for Sunday and had just started reading a contract from a local television station to carry his church’s services on air. Then his day changed, abruptly. His long-time assistant had just buzzed him to tell him that there were two unsmiling, dark-suited federal agents in her office demanding that they see him. The agents had arrived at his church, without an appointment. Great, he thought, I’ m not dressed in business attire today, just jeans and a polo shirt, since it’s Friday. How was he going to be perceived by his unannounced visitors? He was taller than his dad, due to his mom being nearly as tall as her husband. He had a full head of dark hair and his wife, Allison, regularly told him she thought he was quite handsome. But, his looks he quickly concluded, would have nothing to do with why he was being visited by federal agents. He had a distinctly bad feeling about what was about to occur.

After perfunctorily apologizing for coming to his church office without an appointment, the older of the two agents said, before even taking a seat, “Pastor Madison, we’re here to advise you, as a representative of the family, that the government plans to indict your father for several federal crimes, not the least of which is expected to be a charge of conspiracy to overthrow the government”.

Jack was not pleased at having federal agents descend on his office, unannounced, nor with their attitude and general demeanor. His earlier thoughts were confirmed, as he sensed that this meeting would not yield positive results. Thus it was that Jack flippantly responded, “Well, any candidate who runs for office is trying to overthrow the government”.

“Really, Pastor Madison?” It was obvious to Jack that they were definitely not amused. “Your father wasn’t a candidate for office. If he had been a candidate, maybe some of his incendiary words, though not his seditious plans, might have been protected speech. No, Pastor Madison, your father is expected to be charged with these several federal crimes because he went over the line. He clearly violated the federal hate crimes law. He’ll be charged with even more serious crimes than hate crimes. He’s an enemy of the state.”

Jack was raised to be polite, but he was at the outside limit of his ability to restrain himself. He wanted to reach across the desk and smack these guys silly, but he knew that striking a federal agent would earn him an adjoining cell next to his dad. Instead, all he could think to say was, “May I ask why you are here? And why are you telling me these things? I’m not my dad’s lawyer. Call Chuck Webster in Tyler. I don’t control what my dad says or does. Talk to him.”

“Pastor Madison, you make a valid point, you are not legally representing your father. But, as his son, you have contact and you communicate with your father, as we, of course, know from monitoring all of your father’s communications with anyone outside the federal facility.”

“Don’t you see any Constitutional issues involved here? You read everything he writes? Everything, even to my mom?”

“Of course, Pastor. Your father is expected to be charged soon as an enemy of the state. Under the Patriot Act we can do what we need to do to protect America.”

“Look guys. I’m a busy pastor of a fair-sized church. You’ve got lots of federal criminals out there to catch, I’m sure, so can we either wind this up, or can we get to the point?”

“No reason to be testy, Pastor Madison. The point that you want us to get to is simply this. Three things. Number one. Encourage your father to back off his trouble making. We know what he’s doing, or trying to do. Knock it off.

“Number two. Advise John Madison to stop writing letters and articles that are being used to stir up the gunners across the country. Stop writing.

“And number three. Suggest to him that if he ever wants to live someplace but a prison cell, he should consider a plea bargain once he’s charged. Agree with the Department of Justice that he’s violated the law, take his lumps, and maybe, with some good behavior, someday he’ll get to spend some time, on the outside, with your children, Josh, Sarah and Thomas, that is while they’re still children.”

The agent’s last comment, specifically naming Jack’s three minor children, obviously to scare and intimidate him, was too much for Jack. “We’re done, gentlemen. You found your own way in, you can find your own way out.”

The agents were trained to carefully watch and evaluate the reaction of interviewees whom they wanted to intimidate. After they were abruptly evicted from the Pastor’s office, they both agreed that it had been a fruitful visit. They both agreed as they drove away from the church that Pastor John “Jack” Madison had been somewhat intimidated. He would talk to his father and convey everything he had heard. However, the older agent, upon reflection, said, “I agree that he was intimidated, he’ll pass it all on to his dad. But…. I saw in his eyes something that concerned me. He’s no wimp, no roll over. The powers that be had better never push this young man too far….or….they may wish they hadn’t.”

THIRTY NINE

Houston Federal Detention Center

Jack Madison enjoyed visiting with his Dad even though the visit was at a federal prison. What he was not looking forward to was telling him what the FBI agents had revealed to him in their recent unpleasant visit to his church office. He knew he had to share what they had said, but he dreaded being the bearer of serious news, that agents of their nation’s government had confirmed to Jack that his father would be charged with several federal crimes. How many sons, he wondered, as he checked through security at the Houston federal detention facility, have ever had to tell their father that he was going to be formally accused of serious federal crimes. Not many, he thought, as he realized he needed to pray before he entered the prisoner/visitor contact area of the prison. He had been so wrought up over what he would say, that he had forgotten to turn the matter over in prayer. I’m a pastor. I should know how to approach tough jobs like this, he thought. So, he prayed and then went in to deliver the somber news.

Jack’s dad was upbeat, as was his normal approach, happy to see a visitor and to be with his son. “Jack, my son, great to see you….though, to be frank, you look like you ran over a cat, or a good-sized dog, on the way here. Why the sad face?”

“Oh, sorry, dad. I should be the one trying to cheer you up, not the other way around. No. I didn’t hit any animals, but I kinda feel like I’ve been run over a bit.”

“Oh? Is Allison OK? The kids’ fine? Everything all right at the church?”

“Well, that covers what it’s important, and they’re all just great. No major issues. Thomas got into a playground fight with some abrasions, but mostly hurt feelings. No big deal. No, I may not be as smiley as usual because I had an unannounced visit by two federal agents late last week.”

“Really? Seriously? Why did they visit you? What did they want?”

Jack then explained all that had taken place, emphasizing the statements made by the agents threatening John Madison with upcoming serious federal charges, along with their three warnings to lay low, keep his mouth shut and their final suggestion that he plea bargain, once he was charged.

“Well….hum….now I see why you looked glum coming here today. I guess none of this surprises me. Chuck’s been saying for some time that they would get around to charging me….and that it wouldn’t be friendly or fair. They’ve definitely targeted me to try and send a message to others who are like-minded. What I do object to, however, is using you to try and get to me. That’s reprehensible. If they have something to say to me….they certainly know where I am. They shouldn’t try and pressure me through my family.”

“I don’t mind that, dad, but what concerns me is the suggestion that if you don’t plead guilty and accept a plea bargain sentence, that you may be in prison for many, many years. That’s not a happy thought. As you know, I’m still worried about your case, and how you got yourself into this position….”

“No, it’s not a happy thought, that’s for sure. But, I’m had many days to think and pray about this, Jack. I’ve come closer to the Lord in all of this than I ever was before. Yes, I’ve had my rare moments in the past of having to realize that I couldn’t pull something off and I needed divine help. But those were few and far between. But, in order to get out of this mess, I know it will have to be an act of God, not of John Madison, not as a result of my schemes and plans. I can’t smart my way out of this, He’ll have to do it, if it gets done. And, frankly, I’ve decided that if He doesn’t do it, get me out of here sooner rather than later, I’m okay with that. Obviously, I think I can be used better on the outside. But….if His plan is for me to minister to the guys in here, or wherever I end up, I think I can live with that….I hope I can….that is.”

“My suggestion, Dad is that you pray, then talk to Chuck about what they said. Ask him for his insight. These apparently can be very serious criminal charges. One of the lawyers in my church told me that if the feds want to convict somebody they almost always are able to do so. On the other hand, does the visit by the agents show that they think they have a weak case, so they’re trying to get a plea-bargained conviction on the cheap, so to speak. That was my thought anyway. But, try not and lose sleep over it….as you say, if He wants you out of here, no power on earth can keep you behind these bars. Look at what He did with Paul and Silas, Busted them right out the front gate.”

“You’re exactly right, Jack. I won’t lose much sleep. I actually sleep better in here than I used to, when I tossed and turned over office issues, missed sales quotas, and all that. There’s a certain peace about this place, strange as that sounds.”

Jack was struck with how much his dad had grown spiritually in his few months of confinement. He had worked with prisoners in the past, but he couldn’t recall any who had experienced such a level of spiritual growth as what he was witnessing in his father. Jack knew that before John Madison became a federal prisoner he regularly, and many times irregularly, read his Bible. But his dad shared with him that after he changed his mailing address to a federal facility, given his increased free time, he had become an avid student of scripture. He candidly told his son that he was now spending long hours of reading, study, cross-referencing and prayer, all of which had led to his deeper understanding of the Word.

One area of scripture that had captured John Madison’s attention was prophecy. He had always been interested in prophecy, but once imprisoned, he decided to extensively look into what the Bible said would happen in the end times, in the last days. One area of last days revelation that he had focused on was the role of America in prophecy. Knowing that his son Jack would be visiting him soon, and knowing that Jack was not in total agreement with him on the political issues that landed him in the pen, he had prepared several questions for discussion on a different, non-political topic. He hoped that by talking about a spiritual subject, they could avoid clashing over the political reasons he was not a free man.

“OK, Jack, we’ve talked that visit by the feds to death. I appreciate your taking some heat for me, we’ll just have to see what happens, and what He wants to do. It was no surprise to Him. So, I’d like to change the subject to a more pleasant topic. I’ve been studying prophecy, as I told you on your last visit. I’ve prepared a list of questions for my seminary graduate son. I want to see if all those bucks we spent on books and classes were worth it….But, seriously I have some questions….let me just start with the biggy….the primo question. Why isn’t America in prophecy?”

“What?”

“I mean….well….given that we are obviously at the beginning of the end times….and ”

“Dad, stop….I don’t disagree. But, what leads you to you say that now? When I wanted to talk about prophecy as a teenager, you never seemed very interested in the subject.”

“Well, Jack, I wasn’t. I didn’t know much about it and it just never grabbed me like other parts of scripture. But here in prison, I’ve had a lot of time to read and think. Every time I’d read about Jesus talking to the fig tree, I’d stop and try and figure out what He was telling us. Jesus said to watch for the re-budding of the fig tree, as the beginning of the last days. Israel has used the fig tree as its symbol for centuries. Israel, contrary to all odds, is actually back in the land, just as Jesus said it would be.”

“True. He did say to watch for the re-budding of the fig tree. Israel was dead, dead, dead….that is, until 1948. Anyone who has any doubts about the accuracy of the Bible has a big obstacle to overcome when it comes to Israel. No nation in the history of the world has ever gone out of existence for 2,000 years and then come back into the same land, populated by the descendants of the same people who lived there two millennia before. It even has the same name. Never happened before.”

“And, since Jesus said, several times, that Israel would be re-born in the land, and Israel has, in fact, been re-born in the land, an indisputable fact, how can anyone not say that God has revealed Himself in our times? Today?”

Jack was a graduate of a Bible-believing, conservative seminary and had been a pastor for twelve years in Dallas. He replied to his dad’s softball question, “No question about it, Dad. Israel is Exhibit A for Biblical prophetic fulfillment in our time. He said Israel would come back in the land and they did, against all odds, and contrary to the world’s plans. You know that the test for whether a prophecy was from God was whether or not it was 100% accurate. If a prophet was only partially accurate, he was stoned.”

“That was certainly a dis-incentive for making up stuff. But, Jack, let’s come back to the first question I have written on my ‘Stump the Pastor’ list….why isn’t America in prophecy? All those hundreds of verses telling us about the last days, the end times, the day of the Lord, but none about the most important country on the globe? I don’t get it. What did they teach you in seminary about that?”

“Pops, you bring up a really challenging issue because Jesus also told us that the generation that sees the re-budding of the fig tree won’t all pass away until the end times prophecies He gave us are fulfilled. Your generation, the generation that was alive in 1948 when Israel was re-born, is clearly the generation Jesus was referring to.’

“OK, Jack, I’m tracking with you, here. I think. Since my generation saw Israel return, and Israel has survived over sixty years, we won’t all be gone before these other end times prophecies are fulfilled? Am I getting that right?”

“Yup. That is exactly what the Lord said….so….back to your question. Given that we are living in those last days, why doesn’t scripture talk about the world’s most powerful nation around today?”

“That, my son, may be the key. In my research, I came across an article by Dr. Lester Sumrall who said that he thought that meant that America would cease to exist before the end of the last days. He said….let me find my notes here….‘Simply put, the United States will no longer be a world power in the end times. It will not be a significant enough nation to play a major role in the events of those days – that is the obvious answer.’ ”

“Pleasant thought. Any other cheery results of your research?

“Maybe not so cheery, but Dr. Tim LaHaye, you know him, he wrote that Left Behind series, asked, ‘Why would the God of prophecy not refer to the supreme superpower nation in the end times in preparation for the one-world government of the Antichrist?’ Good question, hunh?”

“Well, generically, America is included in the end times verses that refer to all of the nations of the world, of course, but that doesn’t answer your question.”

“Nope, it sure doesn’t. I finally decided to start digging deeper, which leads me to my next several questions on my ‘Stump the Pastor’ list.

“Fine, go on, Pops, but I’m not doing too hot so far.”

“OK, here’s what I’ve come up with, I’m giving you a copy to take it along, and when you have a chance, take a look at it, in light of what you know about prophecy. Then, next time you visit, we can talk about it. This research took my mind off the debate over the McAlister Bill. By the next time I see you we should know whether or not the Bill has passed. Agreed?”

“Deal. What’d you find?”

“Take a look at these 223 verses in prophecy I’ve listed, written by five Prophets, both Old and New Testament, all of which describe a rich, powerful and influential end times nation. The name the Prophets used for that nation is both the Daughter of Babylon and Babylon the Great. That last one is in the Book of Revelation. Look at the verses, I’ve detailed them on this list I’m giving you, and tell me who you think they are referring to, America, or to somebody else?”

“This next month is a killer on our church calendar, but, Pops, you taught me to always set aside some time with just me and the Lord. I’ll use some of that time to study the verses.”

“I’ll pray for wisdom for you. See you in a month. Give my usual hugs and kisses to Allison and the kids.”

“Will do. Love ya, dad.”

The list that John Madison gave his son included the following prophetic verses detailing the future of the Daughter of Babylon/Babylon the Great.

Psalm 137:8

Isaiah 13; 21:1-10; 47 and 48

Jeremiah 50 and 51

Zechariah 2:7

Revelation 17 and 18

FORTY

Wilbur Calhoun’s Hospital Suite

The emergency telephone call from the nurses’ station was buzzed through to Hilde.

“Madam Vice President. Nurse Judy Martin here at GWU. I apologize for asking that you be interrupted, but we have very good news. Your husband is conscious. He’s asking for you. Are you in the area? In D.C? Can you come to….”

“Of course. I’ll be there in a half hour….maybe less. Tell him I’m on my way. Great news….Great….Thanks so much….I’m on my….Wait….Do not tell anyone that’s he’s conscious….Don’t tell anyone else on the staff….Nor the Secret Service agent outside his room….nor….especially anybody from the media….Not until I can talk to him….Got that?”

It only took Hilde’s Secret Service driver, and chase vehicle, twenty seven minutes to get from her Capitol Hill office to Wilbur’s bedside. His wide smile was all she needed to realize that Wilbur was back. The Calhouns loved to communicate with each other, though their discussions were frequently acerbic in nature, they were political animals who loved to talk politics, at all levels. They cried profusely as they hugged and held hands, realizing that they were both able to talk, again. Within a few minutes the Vice President of the United States had updated her husband, the former President, on the essentials of what had happened since he went into a coma the previous summer. When she told him about her aborted plan to implement the Twenty-Fifth Amendment she stopped, afraid she may have overloaded him, as his face reddened and his breathing rate sharply increased.

Wilbur squeezed Hilde’s hands, looked deep into her eyes, then said, “Hilde, ya’ done good….but ya’all are wrestlin’ with a varmint that’ll never play by the rules.”

“Duh. Like I don’t know that. But, now I’ve put myself into a bad corner. Since my little adventure at the Cabinet meeting, I now have no hope. The Prez has replaced every single member of the Cabinet, except for the Secretary of Defense, of course. What a weasel.”

The former President swallowed hard and motioned that he needed fluid from his straw cup. Once partially re-hydrated, he said, “Honey bunch, ya can just furget the Twenty-Fifth Amendment….not gonna happen. From what ya’ve just said, he’s stuffed the Cabinet with his totally loyal buds. Pretty smart, really.”

“Look, Wilbur, I don’t need to hear how smart he is, I want to know what I should do to replace this dud, this amateur, this threat to the….”

“Calm down, calm down….I’ve got ta’ think about this. I’m just now learning….Hilde….I need….I….uh….” With that Wilbur Calhoun fell asleep. His nurses assured his anxious wife that his monitors showed he had not slipped back into a coma.

III.

Congress

Votes on the

Lawrence McAlister

Hate Speech

and

Hate Weapons

Elimination Bill

FORTY ONE

Washington, DC – U.S. House of Representatives

Under the arcane rules of the United States House of Representatives, the Speaker has sole discretion on many matters before the House, including when the Members may engage in a floor debate over pending legislation, and how many minutes they each may speak. The Speaker alone decides.

Having been a Member of the House for almost two decades, the Speaker was well aware that she could help frame how the nation views bills being considered by her chamber of the Congress. She did it by scheduling long floor debates, in good viewing times, for legislation she favored. She diminished Americans’ exposure to the details of legislation she didn’t favor. Generally, legislation that she didn’t favor would never come to a floor debate because the bill would never make it through the House Committee to which she had assigned it. She would suggest to the Chairman of the Committee to which the unfavored bill was assigned that the Chairman either never set a hearing to consider the bill, or alternatively, vote down any bill not favored by House Leadership. Either way, the Speaker ruled. It was good to be Queen.

With the McAlister Bill, though, the Speaker was faced with a slightly different situation. She did not want to increase public visibility and perception of the Bill for quite obvious reasons. Those Americans who favored passage of the bill were already in support and didn’t need to be persuaded by a lengthy prime time floor debate. On the other hand, those who were opposed to the Bill didn’t need to be stirred up any more, as they would then increase pressure on her Members. The vote was going to be razor thin, either way, she knew from early head counts, so she concluded that scheduling a high visibility, lengthy formal floor debate would not serve her purposes. In addition, though she was firmly committed to the Bill’s passage, she knew enough American history, from having once been a high school history teacher, to convince her that the opponents had by far the best argument against passage of a Bill seeking to re-interpret the first two key provisions in the Bill of Rights. So why, she thought, give them a forum? Let them go on Fox News. This is my House, and you don’t use my House for your hate speech, she concluded as she signed the floor debate notification. The Speaker, who was tall and thin, was widely-known for her extravagant wardrobe, her acerbic tongue and her general dullness when it came to nuanced public policy issues.

When the Speaker posted the notification of the floor debate there was a hue and cry from the Members of the minority the likes of which and not been seen or heard since the 1960’s, when Vietnam and civil rights issues reigned. The Speaker had scheduled the floor debate on the McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapons Elimination Bill for 8 AM on Monday, March 18th, allowing only three Members to speak from each side, and for only three minutes each. In her notification the Speaker cryptically said, “This Bill has been thoroughly debated in the media. It’s time to vote.”  Republicans and tea party members were outraged.

The Minority Leader in a hastily called news conference summarized their anger, “Nine minutes? Nine minutes? That’s all the time we get, total? To debate a bill that purports to take away our Constitutional rights to speak as we see fit and to keep and bear arms? This is utter nonsense. It’s the tyranny of the majority in its worst possible form. Thomas Jefferson said it best when he said, ‘When people fear their government there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.’ We know under the House Rules the Speaker can get away with this high-handed act of oppression against free speech, but she should know that in doing so she is feeding a growing quickly awakening giant, the American people, and they will not let her get away with it. No, sir, not by a long shot. This government had better start fearing the people, just as Jefferson said.”

MSNBC’s most liberal talking head in his commentary that evening accused the Minority Leader of threatening the Speaker with violence. “When the Republican leader said ‘not by a long shot’, isn’t that actually code, for calling for gun violence? If it is, we just can’t have that in this country any more. Then, when the Minority Leader said the government should fear the people, is that a call for even more armed insurrection? These are scary comments, sure enough.”

Most House Members travel to their home Districts over the weekend, returning to DC late Monday or early Tuesday. By scheduling the brief debate for 8 AM on a Monday morning, the Speaker purposely forced the Members to return on Sunday, which did not set well with most, even many in her own Democrat caucus. Her point was to schedule the debate early enough so that potential viewers in the nation’s eastern time zone would be getting ready for work and sending kids off to school. In the other times zones, millions would sleep through this momentous House expression of free speech. Perfect timing. That is, if one didn’t want a lot of attention.

At 8:10 AM the Speaker gaveled the House to order and recognized the first Member to speak on the bill. “The Chair recognizes the distinguished gentleman from California for three minutes, speaking in favor of 113-S.-1.”

“Madam Speaker, thank you for allowing me to address the reasons for passage of this most important bill. All Members here this morning recognize that we are in this Chamber in historic times, as we will soon have the opportunity, to actually make, that is, to help in making history. History will record that as we adopt this…..” The Member from California consumed his full three minutes describing the historicity of the debate over the gun bill, but without advancing any legal, political or policy arguments for its adoption.

“Thank you. The Chair now recognizes for three minutes only, I would remind you, and time will be strictly enforced…Uh…I recognize…who is it?…yes …The gentleman from Ohio in opposition to the Hate Speech and Weapons Elimination Bill…uh…113-S.-1.”

The Congressman from Ohio was briefly tempted to point out how the Speaker’s introductions of himself and the Congressman from California varied so greatly, but he knew it would just consume part of his time, and fair-minded viewers would have caught it in any case.

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to oppose the McAlister Bill. Not because I favor gun violence or hate speech, but because I favor the rule of law. Let me be crystal clear in my brief time. If this Congress, the White House or the American people, for that matter, want to amend our Constitution to repeal our right to own firearms, or to curtail free speech, then they know how to do that. This bill is a reprehensible attempt to do an end run around our sacred founding document, by a mere simple majority vote of Congress. In their wisdom, our Founding Fathers knew that a day could come in this nation, as has been the case throughout history, in which the passion of the moment would be used to strip citizens of their rights. When times are scary, when the blood runs hot, when the mob demands that action be taken, they knew that it would be in those times when our freedoms would most be at risk. The writers of the Constitution knew this and required super majorities of the Congress and of the states in order to dissolve a fundamental right. They allowed it to be done, but they made it almost impossible to accomplish in order to prevent government by mob action.

“Let us not set this most dangerous of precedents. Today, the right that may be lost is the right to express your opinion openly and the right to own firearms. Gun ownership is now not popular with the governing authorities, nor with the media, and likewise not so popular with some Americans, the truth be told. The authors of this Bill have tied together changing the First Amendment right of free speech with the more popular ban on gun ownership. What rights will we take away tomorrow, next year, the year after that? How many Americans have decided not to engage in the national debate over the McAlister bill because the President unwisely declared martial law, in a transparent attempt to shut down the debate over gun ownership?

“Which due process rights in our Constitution do we lose by simply voting them away, as we threaten to do with the McAlister Bill? Can we so easily ‘reinterpret’, and then lose, those rights that were won for us by the many who gave their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor? May God forbid that it would ever be. Let us kill this dangerous precedent before it is born, before it becomes the road map for the loss of all of our rights as Americans. Those rights are all now hanging by a thread. Your vote, your single vote, could literally decide the fate of this Bill. Your single vote could decide the very future of our rights as Americans. Cast it wisely, my dear colleagues, cast it very wisely. A final point….Don’t let the violence that we have witnessed in our streets divert our attention from preserving our rights as a free people. Thank you, Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”

“The gentleman from Ohio’s time has expired. The Chair recognizes the distinguished gentle lady from New York.”

“Thank you, Madam Speaker. I’ll use the time that you have so graciously given to me to talk about hate.

“Hate…is…what…brings…us…together…today. What is hate? Hate is what makes us pick up a firearm and take another person’s life. Hate makes us think we should be allowed to live, while others die. Hate is what fills our streets with protestors, many using their guns, who just couldn’t abide the re-election of our President. What makes a person hate? We may not know all of the reasons why people hate enough to kill another human being, but we do know that guns kill people. So to stop the hate killings in America I am a proud co-sponsor of the Lawrence McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapons Elimination Bill.

“Our colleagues who oppose this noble bill are skilled at raising legal objections about amending the Constitution. But, if you are like me, you know in your heart that we have to ban guns in America, except of course the guns we have entrusted to our military, who may well be needing them if conditions in the world worsen. Legal technicalities shouldn’t stand in the way of protecting us from gun violence. The gentleman from Ohio suggests that we have to wait, for who knows how many years, for the various states to consider a formal amendment to the Constitution. That could take possibly several years before thirty four states have the chance to consider and vote for an amendment banning hate weapons, and shutting down all of this rampant hate speech that we hear on cable TV and on the radio, and read on the internet. We can’t wait that long. How many hundreds or thousands of our neighbors, our friends, our public officials, even our family members will die, from gun violence, instigated by hate speech, while we wait on those legal technicalities?

“No, Madam Speaker, waiting is not the answer. We must prohibit the private ownership of guns now, because if we don’t take this unique opportunity, we may never again be in a position to take away the firearms that are too frequently used to kill others. At a time when the world is worried about a war in the Middle East that could break out, we need to get this matter resolved now. No more delay. Madam Speaker, you should order a vote sooner rather than later. Stop the hate – stop the killing – vote yes on the Lawrence McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapons Elimination Bill. I yield back the balance of my time.”

Tensions on the House floor were at a breaking point. If the final vote was a foregone conclusion, the Members would have been considerably less tense, knowing the outcome. But, both sides had head counts, as recently as the morning, showing a dead heat. One Member’s vote, therefore, took on critical importance. The Members of the Minority knew that the Speaker was abusing her authority, but they also knew that when they were in the Majority they had been accused of similar actions. One thing that the Members would agree upon if polled at this early morning session was that no one would change their vote based on a total of eighteen minutes of floor debate, which was just as the Speaker intended.

The Speaker then recognized the second opponent to the McAlister Bill, Representative Adam Nation, a leader in the Tea Party Caucus of the U.S. Congress. Congressman Nation had seated himself close to the podium so that he could quickly begin his remarks once he was recognized by the Speaker, who clearly did not like this new Member of what she thought of as her House.

“Madam Speaker. Members of the House. My fellow Americans. There are two surprising aspects of this floor debate being held on this early morning. First, that this OBGYN from the Midwest is speaking in this Chamber today. Except for the American people rising up and electing me, and many other tea party supporters, I would still be treating hot flashes in Michigan. The second surprise to me as a new Member of this body is that I even have to defend rights as foundational and fundamental as the right to free speech and the right to defend oneself from a weapon-bearing assailant, that is, with more than one’s bare hands. What could possibly be more important to one’s life than the right to stay alive, to defend oneself, with a firearm, if necessary, and when assaulted by a criminal using a firearm? Name any right more important than the right to stay alive.

“Madam Speaker, my second argument is also a fundamental truth about governing. An elemental truth of governing a free people is that when a nation is divided, when as many people favor a change in the law as are opposed to changing the law, nothing should be done, until or unless there is a consensus of the governed. We should have learned from the healthcare debacle that forcing through massive changes in the laws of a nation, when half of all Americans are opposed to the change, only invites trouble, and an increasing suspicion and disdain for their government by the governed.

“Lastly, Madam Speaker, I hesitate to raise this argument, because it will undoubtedly be misinterpreted. But, the truth is that this country was founded by men with muskets, to whom we owe our freedom. If this free nation passes this anti-gun legislation, we should not be at all surprised if men with today’s form of muskets try to regain their freedom. I’m not threatening anyone. I have no inside information as to any armed overthrow of the federal government that may occur. But we’ve all heard rumors that if this Congress takes away our right to be armed, and to speak our mind freely, there are rampant rumors that there will be persons who will not abide such a decision, who will not turn in their firearms and who may even use those firearms against this government. Would they use them in this way? I don’t know, but I am suggesting to this body of legislators that before it crosses the line of public opposition to banning guns, that it first look to see what’s on the other side of that line. The killing of innocent pro-gun protestors in Omaha should be a wake-up call to all Americans This government is willing to even kill its own people to get its own way. Be warned, my colleagues, you are warned. I yield back the balance of my time.”

As the Tea Party Caucus leader concluded his remarks, the Speaker’s facial expression could only be described as hateful.

Spluttering, she said, “I have never….in all my years in this….I can’t recall ever hearing a Member threaten violence against our government, before. Never. I just can’t believe….Why, I should ask the House Ethics Committee to investigate the gentlemen’s threatening remarks….I….The Justice Department should….Sir, you should be very….”

“Madam Speaker, I didn’t threaten anybody, let alone our government…”

“Yes, you did, you very clearly said that….”

“If the Speaker would let me finish, I only suggested what everybody has already heard, and probably already discussed, and that is, that if this bill becomes the law of the land, that the new law will not be universally obeyed, and it may lead to violence against the government itself, which has itself become violent against the people. That’s not a threat. That’s reality, Madam Speaker, and we had better be aware of reality before we…”

The reality was that the Speaker had what she needed.

“The gentlemen will desist. Your time is expired. I am exercising my prerogative to terminate debate in this House when it appears that decorum has been disturbed, under Rule XVII. There is no right of a Member to engage in seditious comments in this House. There will be no more floor debate. The last two Members who were scheduled to speak can submit their remarks for the Record. We will vote tomorrow, Tuesday, at 5 PM. This House is adjourned.” With that the Speaker slammed down her Speaker’s Gavel, and walked off the Speaker’s platform.

“Madam Speaker, I challenge the…you can’t…”

“I appeal the Chair’s ruling and ask for a division.”

The motions were to no avail, as the Speaker had adjourned the House. No further business could be transacted. The floor debate on the Lawrence McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapons Elimination Bill was over. What remained was the vote.

FORTY TWO

Dallas, Texas

Pastor Jack Madison had a free evening, due to a cancelled counseling session, which allowed him to look more extensively into the 223 prophetic verses that his Dad had asked him to study during his last visit. After a very long night of study, prayer and research, he wished he hadn’t done so. He didn’t sleep well in the remaining hours of the night.

The next morning he decided to expand his study of the prophecies by asking his senior accountability group to also look into the verses. The six men in the group were all involved in leadership in Jack’s church in the Park Cities suburb of Dallas. Four had seminary training. All were students of the Bible. None were prepared for what their Pastor was about to ask them to do.

“Men, I didn’t sleep well last night….”

“Worried about Congress may do, or just unconfessed sins, Pastor?”, asked Scott Banks, the comic member of the group.

Always ready for a laugh, Pastor Jack joined in the general mirth, “No, Scott, but if I think of some to confess, you’ll be the second one I call, after the Lord, of course….OK, seriously though, my sleep deprivation was caused by a late night Bible study. My dad, you’ve met him and you all know why he’s in prison, gave me several prophecy verses to study. I finally had a free evening and I did so, though I frankly wished I hadn’t.”

“Why’s that, Pastor?”

“You’ll soon see. Here’s a list for each of you of 223 verses. All of them are about a single end times nation. Very powerful, called the hammer of the whole earth. Extremely rich, living in luxury. Influential, referred to as the great voice. The nations of the world stream there to meet. Has a large Jewish population. A supporter of Israel. There are thirty clues in those verses to what the Bible calls the mystery of the identity of this end times nation. Mystery Babylon.”

“Very interesting, Pastor. Sounds like you may have solved the mystery already?”

“It might sound that way, but I haven’t come to any final conclusions. Yet, that is. I want you each to take the list, look up and read the verses, do whatever research you have time to do, then let’s discuss it next week. I’m very interested in hearing what you come up with. This subject is obviously important, otherwise God wouldn’t have devoted so many verses to it, and they may answer the question that many American Christians have asked.”

“What question is that, Pastor?”

“Is America in the Bible? If it is, what happens to it in the last days?”

Thus the members of Jack’s most trusted church leaders were given what would prove to be a very challenging assignment. None would ever forget how they started down this path pursuing the contemporary application of prophecy.

FORTY THREE

Washington, DC – Chambers of U.S. House of Representatives

Speaker Pelham wasted no time in scheduling the final vote on the McAlister Bill. The pending vote drew several tens of thousands of protestors and supporters to Capitol Hill, all of whom had to pass through metal detectors. The signs being carried in the plaza in front of the U.S. Capitol were many, varied and, in some cases, hateful and vitriolic, and those were the signs in support of the gun bill. Not to be outdone, opponents of the McAlister bill showed their entrenched positions against the bill, with signs such as:

ONLY WHEN YOU PEEL AWAY

MY COLD, DEAD FINGERS

AN ARMED MAN IS A CITIZEN

AN UNARMED MAN IS A SUBJECT

DEFEAT GUN ABOLITION

DEFEAT SPEECH CENSORSHIP

GOD, GUNS AND GUTS          MADE AMERICA GREAT!

KEEP YOUR LAWS OFF MY GUN!

KEEP YOUR LAWS OFF MY SPEECH!

ONLY CROOKED POLITICIANS FEAR ARMED CITIZENS

THE ORIGINAL HOMELAND SECURITY

THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS

Gun bill supporters’ signs generally ignored the philosophical issues involved in the gun debate and, instead, reviled the opponents of the gun bill:

DON’T LET THE PEOPLE HATERS & GUN LOVERS WIN

SAY NO TO SLOPEHEADS

BAN GUNS AND HATE SPEECH NOW

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH – PASS THE BILL – STOP THE KILLERS

NO OLD DOCUMENT

CAN GRANT THE RIGHT TO KILL OR HATE

GOD MUST HATE GUN OWNERS

“The House will be in order.”

“The House will be in order!”

“The House will be in order!! All Members please take their seats. All Members please be seated, so that we can begin the vote tally. This is a truly momentous vote for our nation, so I would like to start…”

The only persons who were actually listening to Speaker Pelham try to call the House to order, were not those excitedly milling in the chamber, but were instead those watching her on the three networks, and on C-Span, MSCNB, CNN or Fox, all of which were covering live the historic vote on the McAlister Bill. The House session had originally been noticed for 1 PM, but it was abruptly moved to 5 PM, when the Speaker realized that she might be as many as three votes shy of the votes necessary to pass the hard-fought, and heatedly debated, bill.

The Members of the House, particularly the undecided, had been lobbied, and lobbied hard, but of course, that’s the price they paid in personal stress to be in public service, as they could be expected to argue in their own defense. Some might respond that the money, perks, staff, vehicles, fame and health and retirement benefits provided to Congressmen and Congresswomen more than justified the pressure and stress associated with having tens of thousands of people tell them what to do and how to vote.

Voting was why the Members assembled together tonight on Capitol Hill, in the historic shadow of the Members who had come before them, who also cast votes through which America was changed. With some votes the nation changed for the better, with other votes, the results were not so good. The true believers on both sides of the speech and gun bill who were assembled in the Chamber knew that it was their votes that would ensure that America would be free of guns, though America would lose rights guaranteed by its Constitution. They knew those rights could vanish with a simple bill, should it become a law, and be upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Such were the stakes facing the Members, as the Senate had the day before voted in favor of 113-S.-1 in sufficient numbers. The President had let it be known that he had several honorary pass-out signature pens lined up on his desk, prepared for signing the McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapons Elimination Act. What was needed was 218 Americans, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, willing and able to vote yes on the pending bill to change Americans’ rights to speak freely and to keep and bear arms. An historic vote indeed.

Speaker Pelham earlier in the afternoon informed her House majority leadership team that she intended to use the “Hastert Hat Trick”, if necessary, to get the votes needed to pass the McAlister Bill. She was referring to controversial legislative actions taken by Speaker Dennis Hastert in 2003 to pass the Bush Medicare Prescription Drug Act. On the first vote in the House in June, 2003 the bill failed by 218 to 214. After some arm-twisting, three Republicans changed their vote, passing the bill by 216-215. After several months of debate and eventual passage by the Senate, a revised version of the bill came back to the House for consideration. Voting on the bill started at 3 AM on November 22nd, but the initial vote tally showed the bill losing by 219-215.

Contrary to the traditional House voting limit of fifteen minutes, the vote was held open for several hours while Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Delay sought two more affirmative votes. During the vote delay one Congressman alleged that he was offered campaign funding for his son, who wanted to run to replace the Congressman in the next election. At 5:50 AM the Speaker found two more votes and the bill passed. Democrats called foul, but the precedent had been established, allowing the Speaker of the US House to hold open a vote on pending legislation, as long as necessary, and to do whatever was necessary, to get the votes necessary, to pass the bill and thus make a new law. Now, if the vote promised to be close, the Chair could instruct the House Clerk to suspend the clock countdown at one minute yet to go, to ensure that the Speaker had sufficient votes to either pass or defeat a bill, as the case may be.

Within a half hour, the Speaker had gaveled the Members into their seats and into enough order and decorum for the Clerk to read the title and synopsis of the bill upon which the Members would soon vote.

“The question is upon the passage of 113-S.-1, A Bill for an Act to Eliminate Hate Speech and Hate Weapons. Be it enacted by the Congress of the…. “

“Thank you Madam Clerk, the Bill is upon the table, the Committee of the Whole having considered and acted upon all amendments submitted by Members, the question is on consideration of the Bill. All those in favor, say aye, all opposed say Nay. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it, and the bill…”

“Madam Speaker,” the Minority Leader made the obligatory motion for a recorded vote by individual Members, “I request a recorded vote.”

“The Gentleman’s request is granted. The Clerk will open the voting system for voting by Members.”

The time was 6:05 PM. As Members began to vote, they didn’t do so in a vacuum. Not only were the eyes and ears of the world focused on their vote through electronic media, the multiple thousands of Bill protestors and supporters outside the U.S. Capitol insured that the Members of the House heard their respective messages.

The House of Representatives vote tally device posted votes as they were entered by Members, each using the encoded card given to them upon being sworn in as Members. Television screens carried the ongoing totals, as votes were added. Those who were strongly in favor and those who were adamantly opposed to the Bill cast their votes quickly, each side showing their voting numbers strength, as an early indicator.

With just five minutes to go on the countdown, almost all Members had voted, showing a count of 205 in favor and 207 opposed, leaving 23 not yet voting. At one minute and fifteen seconds yet to go, the count had risen to 212 in favor and 215 opposed, with 8 not yet voting. At almost one minute, 3 of the 8 had voted, but all had voted no, bringing the tally to 212 in favor and 218 opposed, a margin of 6 against, but with only 5 not yet voting. Alarm bells sounded behind the Speaker’s Rostrum, as the Speaker alerted the Clerk to stop the countdown, until further order by the Chair. The backers of the McAlister Bill had a problem, a big problem. They didn’t have the votes needed for passage.

The task was easy enough to understand – the Speaker needed all five Members not yet voting to vote yes, and one Member of the 218 voting no would have to switch their vote, a maneuver that was allowed under the House Rules as long as voting had not yet been closed by the Chair. The Speaker was not about to close the voting until she had 218 votes cast in favor of the Bill. How to accomplish that task was now her immediate task.

The five Members who had not yet voted were invited to leave the floor of the House and meet with the Speaker, “Congressman Scott, the Speaker would like to see you in her Chamber Office, if you have the time.” The Members not yet voting found that they indeed did have the time.

The five Members of the House who had not yet cast their votes were assembled in the Speaker’s private office just off the House floor. Congressman Scott later told his colleagues that it was almost like school children being chastised in the Principal’s Office for their behavior on the school grounds.

The Speaker even used language to that effect. “Alright, now children, what have I possibly done to you to lead you to disappoint me so greatly? This Bill is the most important since healthcare reform, and here we are, with your Speaker six votes shy, and you are five of those six votes. What am I to do? Could I conceivably be more embarrassed than to have five Members from my own Party who won’t vote for this bill?”

Speaker Pelham had developed through the years a reputation for personalizing every vote, whenever and however possible. She had been told that former Speaker Sam Rayburn had used the technique to great effect in his seventeen successful years leading the House in the 40’s and 50’s. Since amending the Bill was out of the question procedurally at this point in time, the only thing the Speaker could offer to pick up votes now was in the ‘sausage making category’. Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor of German, had once famously said that if one ever wanted to respect the law or eat sausage again, one shouldn’t watch either one being made. It was sausage making time for the Speaker.

“I don’t have all night, so let’s just do this. Write down what it will take on the back of your Member business card, drop it on the desk, and I’ll call you back in individually. But, don’t get greedy and don’t be stupid, there is actually a limit on my powers, there’s even a limit on the President’s ability to get what you want. He’s on standby at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, so we’re prepared to deal. But, before you leave, I still need a switcher, so also put on your card the most likely Member to switch, and I’ll call them in. Now get out of here, you guys have caused enough trouble tonight.”

Between the Speaker, and her ability to substantially advance a Member’s career and standing in the House, and the President, and his almost unlimited ability to bring federal benefits, grants, contracts, campaign contributions and Presidential visits to a favored Member of Congress, the five visitors to the Speaker’s Office eventually saw the light, and voted yes on the McAlister Bill. U.S. Senator Everett Dirksen, former majority leader of the Senate, had frequently observed that “when they feel the heat, they see the light”. His commentary on lining up votes was from a by-gone era, one in which political pressure to conform was more prevalent, times before an era in which monetary and power enticements, not threats, were the norm. The vote on the screens was now 218 opposed and 217 in favor. The Speaker needed one no vote to switch to yes. Now, finally, she knew she would win.

The Speaker’s words to her caucus leadership team and the bill’s floor leaders were certainly succinct, “This is the word. Circulate it. The first one to switch, the first one to change from no to yes, the very first one, gets a choice: a.) their spouse or significant other gets appointed to the Board of Directors of America’s third largest multi-national corporation, guaranteed 400 K per year for four years, plus perks, or b.) appointment by the President to the empty Ambassadorship to Italy, upon resignation from the House, all done within sixty days, with a guarantee of confirmation by the Senate. After the Court of St. James, our Ambassador to Great Britain, Rome is the best Embassy post in the world. After that, whoever switches, I don’t care. They get nothing special. Let’s get this done.”

Within minutes, three things had changed in America:

a.) A Congressman from New Jersey switched his no vote to yes, immediately after which the Speaker declared the vote closed at 6:18 AM, with 218 in favor and 217 opposed;

b.) America’s Congress had adopted a new law allowing the federal government to decide what constituted free speech, prohibiting private ownership of firearms and making it a felony to own a firearm, in spite of the Constitutional Amendments granting speech and gun ownership rights; and

c.) The President signed and faxed to the Speaker’s office the necessary appointment documents naming a new Ambassador to Rome, a man whose sole prior experience in foreign affairs, and particularly international relations with the nation of Italy, was as a frequent diner at Newark’s several Italian restaurants.

What went un-noticed was the adoption by the House earlier in the day of a “simple bill for highway beautification”, previously passed by the Senate. With the world’s attention on the McAlister Bill, few in the media, the Congress or the nation, paid any attention to an amendment that had been inserted in the highway bill, and enacted into law. The amendment effectively prohibited any financial institution with offices in the United States from transferring any funds by wire outside of the fifty States to a foreign bank, without prior clearance and approval of the Department of Homeland Security. The DHS had quietly requested the new law, as the White House determined that nervous Americans were transferring too many dollars outside of the country. The provision mirrored a currency control law adopted by Germany in 1933.

The second part of the quietly adopted amendment authorized the President, in his sole discretion, upon determining that a “hoarding emergency existed, to suspend “the right of private ownership of gold, silver, platinum or any other precious metal or tangible asset.” The language of the new law authorized the Department of the Treasury to redeem all such precious metals from private owners at a price to be determined in the Order implementing the law as ordered by the President. The introductory whereas clause of the second portion of the bill included a reference to the historical basis of the new law, based on the suspension of the right of Americans to own gold in the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who redeemed gold at $35 per ounce. The last section of the amendment provided that if any litigation arose challenging the act, or the valuation set by the President for redemption of precious metals, the case would be removed and taken directly to the Supreme Court of the United States for an expeditious decision. The Administration was quite comfortable with review of new laws that it favored by the U.S. Supreme Court, upon which it had a favorable working majority.

FORTY FOUR

Dallas, Texas

The longevity of an American protestant pastor can frequently be stunted, cut short by internal issues. It doesn’t have to be that way, as many evangelical churches with long-serving pastors can attest. Pastor Jack Madison had originally started at his Dallas church as a youth pastor, but when the senior pastor retired, he was the natural choice for the job. Since becoming senior pastor Jack Madison had developed a close relationship with his members and they with him. He was trusted, respected and considered to be a reliable expositor of God’s Word. Thus it was that Jack Madison strived to insure that the messages he delivered to his congregation were as consistent with scripture as humanly possible. The last thing he would knowingly do would be to misinterpret scripture. He knew that he would someday answer for each word, so he anguished at great length as he studied what the Bible said about the last days.

The seven members of the weekly senior accountability group had convened in the Pastor’s office, right on schedule at 6:30 AM, with hot coffee and Krispy Kremes in bountiful supply. What was also in plentiful supply were opinions on the prophecy verses they had all been studying during the prior week. After prayer, the Pastor kicked off their discussion.

“Men, you can’t say I didn’t warn you, now can you?”

Jim, consistent with his known proclivity for prodding the Pastor, though in good humor, responded, “Pastor, if I had known what you were getting us into, I would have missed the meeting last week. Thanks a bunch.”

“I know, I know. I had the same reaction, as I told you last week. I couldn’t sleep most of the night trying to figure out what other country those mystery identity clues could apply to, except for the U.S.”

“Pastor, when I was a young Christian in Idaho we studied prophecy and our teacher told us that those verses applied to the Catholic Church. That seemed at the time to make sense….but as I re-read them, as a group of verses, that doesn’t really work. Most of the verses refer to a nation, and the cities, plural, in the nation, with ports and an army, all clues that can’t apply to a church.”

“You’re right, Jim, for a long time, since the mid 1800’s, most Christians were taught that the Babylon the Great verses in Revelation 17 and 18 applied to the church in Rome. What I discovered in my research was that a pastor named Alexander Hislop in 1852 published a book called The Two Babylons. What he argued in his first page or two was that the prophecies about Babylon the Great applied to the Catholic Church, based on just one of the several identity clues.”

“Which one was it? I didn’t see any of the clues that applied to a church, frankly.”

“Well, he took the reference to seven hills in Revelation 17:9 and ran with it. Rome has seven hills and the Catholic Church is based in Rome, so he made a leap of logic, though not based on anything but location, and he argued that because of that one clue, Babylon the Great had to be the Catholic Church. Plus, the verse he leaned on actually translates as seven great mountains, not hills, maybe even continents. There are seven of those.”

“That’s faulty scriptural analysis, isn’t it Pastor? How did he explain all the other clues that obviously don’t apply to a church?”

“He didn’t. He ignored them. The balance of his book was just an attack on the beliefs and practices of the church in Rome. The principle of scriptural analysis that he violated is that no scripture is of private interpretation. All scripture is God breathed, and it all hangs together. When you try to base an argument on just one or two verses, and ignore other verses on the same issue, you get in trouble and do violence to the Word. Not a good idea.”

“Pastor, admitted that the identity clues don’t work for a denomination or a church, but why don’t they apply to ancient Babylon? The name of Babylon and the two names given in these verses are very similar.”

“Great question. That’s an issue that occupied my study and research for several hours. There are several reasons they don’t apply to ancient Babylon. First, of course, is that the Daughter is not the same as the Mother, obviously. If the Lord had meant these verses to apply to ancient Babylon, all He had to do was refer to Babylon, and leave off the Daughter of Babylon reference. Secondly, ancient Babylon has been gone since 331 BC when Babylon fell to Alexander the Great. Why then did the Lord give us the several end times prophecies in Revelation 17 and 18, a book that was written three centuries after Babylon became two piles of rubble? Why did He give us prophecy at about the time of Christ that Babylon the Great will someday fall, if it had already fallen three hundred years before?”

Scott added his take on the issue, “Well, that makes sense to me. The verses that grabbed me were the references to cities, plural. Babylon was one city. Plus, there were references in the verses you gave us to being on many waters. Revelation 18 refers to the ocean offshore from Babylon the Great. Ancient Babylon was not on the sea, or even near the sea, nor on many waters, just at the junction of two rivers.”

“True, but be aware that the Revelation 18 verses refer to the fall of a city, singular, when it refers to the merchants of the earth weeping and wailing once Babylon the Great, the source of the business is gone.”

“Is that a contradiction?”

“No, I think it clearly refers to a huge trading city that is destroyed, along with the other cities the verses refer to that will fall in Babylon the Great. They don’t contradict each other. If Babylon the Great is America, New York City, the center of world commerce, is an obvious candidate for the city pictured in Revelation 18 that the merchants of the world weep over when it falls.”

“Alright, Pastor, this is the first time you’ve indicated in our two meetings that you think these prophecies may refer to the good ol’ U S of A. Do they? In your opinion? That’s kind of heavy, you know, with what the verses say will eventually happen to this prophetically described nation.”

“Over the next few weeks I want us to concentrate on these prophecies, what our research shows us and what we conclude, after a lot of study and prayer. I’m not ready yet to come to a final conclusion, frankly, because I’m not finished with my research, and I know you’re not. What I suggest we do is to divide this up into bite-sized pieces and look at different parts of the mystery. God didn’t give us a mystery without the ability to figure it out.”

“Didn’t he say that He always tells his prophets before He acts, or something like that?”

“Correct. Amos wrote in 3:7 that “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.”

“Well, then, let’s study these end times verses and see to which nation they could apply. I suggest we start by looking at what’s happening and has been happening in the streets and public buildings. I’m talking, of course, about all the street violence, and burnings of cars and stores, and shootings….and I don’t have to even spell it out….you all watch the news….All those demonstrations across the country. Don’t forget the rumors about the President and the Vice President having real bad blood between them. Then there were those rumors about the Governor of Arizona fighting with the White House. Let’s go through the 223 verses and see if there’s anything in them that looks like civil disobedience in the Daughter of Babylon/Babylon the Great. Check it out, and we’ll talk about it next week.”

FORTY FIVE

Washington, DC – White House Rose Garden

Within twenty four hours of the First Lady’s GWU Hospital bedside announcement that the President would prioritize the abolition of guns upon his re-election, virtually every box of ammunition in America not yet sold after the earlier shootings, was then sold. The same phenomena had occurred during his first campaign four years earlier, so no one was greatly surprised, and just as then, no media outlet felt it worthy of reporting. Americans buying guns and ammo? Ho hum, so what?  Later, within forty-eight hours of the introduction in Congress by Senator Blevins of the McAlister Bill, virtually every firearm not yet sold by retailers, was then sold. Again, no mainstream media attention. Not newsworthy.

One late show comedian did mention that there were no guns currently available for purchase from retailers, comparing the lack of supply to the rumor a few years ago that toilet paper was no longer going to be available, thus clearing store shelves nationwide. The comedian, not known for his propensity to favor conservatives, said that guns and toilet paper served pretty much the same purpose, so it was ok with him. His audience dutifully laughed, but supporters of the Constitution were not amused. The highly paid comedian may have made light of firearms, and their owners, for his late night audience, but he was highly unlikely to reveal that he was routinely driven to and from his studio by a driver and an aide, who were both armed in order to protect their celebrity boss.

Within twenty-four hours of the narrow, one-vote margin adoption by the U.S. House of Representatives of the McAlister Bill, the President had signed the Bill, converting it into law. The widely covered signature event took place in the White House Rose Garden, the weather cooperating, so that several hundred gun ban and Administration supporters could be crowded into the event. After the President handed signature pens to Senator Blevins, who was no longer in his wheelchair, and Speaker Pelham, the next pen was handed by the President to Patrick Humless, the Director of the Bradford Center to Prohibit Gun Violence through Abolition of Guns. Humless frequently described the Bradford Center as the nation’s largest grassroots anti-gun organization. His role in assisting the President in lining up critical votes for the McAlister Bill was acknowledged by the President, but with more than a ceremonial pen.

“Pat, we couldn’t have done it without you and your Center. We needed votes. You and your people worked tirelessly to get us the votes, and America will be forever grateful. I’m a big believer in rewarding those who deserve rewards. So, besides my signing today the McAlister Bill into the McAlister Act, which makes it quite an historic day indeed, I am also announcing that I am today nominating Patrick Humless as the new Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the ATF. Patrick will fill the position made vacant by the recent resignation by the prior Director.

“In making this announcement today of my nomination of Pat Humless as the next Director the ATF, I want to state clearly what I expect him to do as Director. I’m stating it, here, on the record, and for all Americans to understand, and understand it without any question or doubt. Director Humless will enforce the hate weapon elimination aspects of the McAlister Act. Not just on passing occasion, and not just when gun owners feel like complying with the law. No, Director Humless and his ATF agents, and other federal law enforcement agencies as needed, will find and destroy every illegal hate weapon in this nation.

“It’s now illegal, a felony, for a private citizen to own and or possess a firearm in this nation, except under very limited circumstances that we all know about, similar to the exceptions in other countries. I won’t allow America to become a nation of law breakers. This new law that I have just signed as President requires that every American turn in their firearms, and that they do so within the time limit set in the McAlister Act, that is, within 180 days. After the 180 redemption period, I have instructed Pat to instruct his ATF agents and employees that they are to vigorously follow up on every tip the Bureau receives that an American has violated the law by refusing to comply with the law and failing to turn in their firearms. Our government employees will enter any home, business, farm, church, synagogue or other building where we have reason to believe there is an illegal firearm being retained. We will not abide any violations of the law that I signed today as your President.

“Monetary rewards will be promptly paid to Americans who turn in law breakers, once the hidden firearms are located. I have also instructed my Attorney General to prioritize the bringing of felony charges, by the various District Attorneys across the nation, against any American who does not comply with the law, and who is found to still have a firearm in their ownership and or possession after the 180 day redemption period.  The Speaker and the Senate Majority Leader have assured me that the funds to be paid to Americans for their firearms will be appropriated next week. These funds will be made available to pay Americans for their firearms because our Constitution, requires that property owners be paid just compensation for their property when seized by the government. We honor our Constitution and its requirements, when those requirements, of course, conform with the vital needs of our current culture. We will shortly detail our Administration’s efforts to enforce the hate speech aspects of the McAlister Act. Ridding our nation of hate speech goes hand in hand with abolishing hate weapons. No more gun violence in our streets.

“Finally, let me just say that as your President I am pleased that the American economy will get yet another jump start when these gun funds begin circulating and Americans all across the country use these dollars to buy goods and services for their families. It’s a win-win, as I see it. No more hate weapons, no more gun violence and an improved economy. Thank you for coming today to the White House on this very historic day in my Presidency. Patrick, any brief comments on your new job?”

Humless, an enormous smile across his face, stepped forward to the Presidential podium, the world’s most watched. Humless was stocky, with greying curly hair and was liked by his gun abolition supporters for his ribald sense of humor. This was his day. “Mr. President, you not only do me great honor with this nomination, you also are acknowledging and honoring the tens of thousands of supporters of gun control across the country.”

The President’s Chief of Staff, standing a few feet from the podium, inwardly groaned. Humless, he thought, was not off to a very good start. He had been well briefed before today’s announcement to avoid the use of the phrase, ‘gun control’. After the McAlister Bill was introduced, most areas of the country were flooded with bumper stickers opposed to the Bill, which said:

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION WOULD HAVE

NEVER HAPPENED WITH GUN CONTROL

GUN CONTROL IS USING BOTH HANDS

GUN CONTROL IS HITTING YOUR

TARGET REPEATEDLY

Yet, here was the President’s nominee for the job of taking away Americas’ firearms talking about gun control, a phrase the President was careful never to use publicly. Humless bubbled on effusively for a time about how his nomination meant so much to so many (particularly,  he was thinking as he spoke, to enhance his ability to sell books after he left office, detailing how he had disarmed an armed nation). Then he came to remarks that had been carefully scripted by the White House.

“Our President has given me specific instructions to fully and timely implement the McAlister Act, passed yesterday by Congress, and signed into law here today here at the White House. Let’s be very, very clear on this subject. I didn’t spend the last seven years of my life fighting to rid America of hate weapons, weapons of violence, to now fail to finish the job. So, my suggestion to any gun owner who is even considering not turning in your gun, is, think again. This nation has spoken through its elected representatives. It has spoken through our President, who has been elected by the people twice now, and who has just signed the law. This nation will witness the ATF enforce the law. Turn in your guns in the next 180 days at the designated redemption centers or get ready to spend over 3,650 days incarcerated in a federal facility. It’s your choice.

“Thank you again, Mr. President for your confidence in me and in the Bureau to get the job done. We will get the job done.”

Many of the gun owners watching the news event from the White House felt like they were now living in a different country, certainly not the land of their youth. The days ahead would only confirm their worst fears.

FORTY SIX

Phoenix, Arizona

The State Capitol-1700 West Washington Street

The President picked up his desk phone in the Oval Office. He punched the red button at the bottom right on the telephone console. The phone was directly connected to the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs at the Pentagon. In a brief conversation he ordered that two companies of U.S. Army troops, three hundred in strength, be dispatched to Phoenix, Arizona. The President’s orders were starkly simple – arrest and detain the Governor of the State of Arizona. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs hesitated, then he requested a confirming written Presidential Directive. The President assured the Chairman it was already on its way to his office.

Lt. Colonel Alan Swifton was not at all pleased with his orders, but he knew a valid and authorized order when he received it. For almost a minute he considered dis-obeying the order, resigning his commission and leaving the Army. Though he didn’t understand the legal complexities, he didn’t think that as a soldier he should be arresting an elected official, voted into office by the citizens of Arizona. Plus, he thought that if the Governor had committed a crime of some sort that he should be arrested by local law enforcement, not by the US Army. But, his reluctance soon passed as he recalled that his entire military life he had been taught the necessity of obedience to orders. This particular order, he had been assured by his commanding General, based at Fort Huachuca, had come down from the Commander in Chief himself.

Learning that the President had issued the order to arrest the Governor didn’t make Colonel Swifton feel any better. He generally kept up with the news, he had seen footage of violence in the streets and watched on television as the President declared martial law. Why should the Governor have to face arrest just because he very publically fought the President in the recent unpleasant campaign? When he had pressed that point with his General all the General would say was that it had something to do with some secret executive order that the Governor had signed. That didn’t help the Colonel feel any better. Why is that a criminal matter, he wondered? Why don’t they just go to Court? Why take the Governor in handcuffs to Fort Huachuca? Colonel Swifton didn’t like it, not at all.

The Humvees and armored personnel carriers pulled up on Washington Street and parked in the no parking zone in front of the State Capitol. Colonel Swifton selected fifteen armed troops to accompany him into the building, knowing as he entered the limestone building that he was about to make history.

FORTY SEVEN

Dallas, Texas

Pastor Jack Madison had a rough few days between the weekly meetings of his senior accountability group. He preached two funerals, one for a close friend who unexpectedly died at work, performed a wedding, attended a regional pastors conference, counseled with three couples in his church with family issues and prepared his Sunday sermon. He realized late Tuesday night that he had not yet examined the assigned verses for prophecies of civil disobedience. He also knew that with his schedule he couldn’t hit the books for an extended late-nighter, and still function on Wednesday. He did a quick overview, found an obvious verse that seemed to apply, said his prayers and collapsed into bed, hoping the guys would understand the next morning.

After explaining his difficult week since they last met, Jack asked their forgiveness, which was quickly granted.

“In the very few minutes that I did have, men, I found a verse that seemed pretty obvious to me. It’s in Jeremiah, in 51….look at verse 38….‘Her people all roar like young lions, they growl like lion cubs’. America has had a reputation as rebels since its founding. Still does today. This verse says that the people of the Daughter of Babylon will all roar like lion cubs. That sounds like widespread dissension.”

“Pastor Jack, I came across the same verse, and I agree with what you’re saying, but if you’ll look at the next verse, verse 39, that makes an even stronger case.”

“What does it say, Max.”

“Jeremiah in 51:39 describes the people of the Daughter of Babylon as being ‘aroused’. That’s the NIV translation. The King James describes the people as being in ‘heat’. Sounds like a nation that’s in turmoil, at least.”

“What else did anyone see?”

“Well, Pastor, moving down a little further in chapter 51 of Jeremiah, we come to verse 49, ‘One rumor comes this year, another the next, rumors of violence in the land and of ruler against ruler’. The Hebrew word translated rumor can also mean report or a message transmitted. The phrase violence in the land is kind of dramatic. As bad as things have been in the streets, this seems to indicate that it will get worse, if America is the Daughter of Babylon. That is, increasing levels of violence.”

“Yeah, and look at the last phrase of that verse, ‘ruler against ruler’. Think about that for a minute. This can’t just be reports of politicians arguing with other politicians. That always happens. This implies rulers fighting rulers, within the nation described as the Daughter of Babylon. It could be like a mini-civil war inside the end times nation. I think I mentioned at our last meeting the rumors that leaked out of Washington about the President not getting along with his new Vice President, Hilde Calhoun. I also referred to the stories about the Governor of Arizona. Well, since our last meeting that was confirmed. The Army just arrested the Governor. Wow. Doesn’t that sound like ruler against ruler?”

Jim relied, “That’s definitely ruler against ruler, Pastor, look at the verse. It describes rumors of these things happening. As you said, that word can also mean reports or message transmitted. So what does the roaring by the young cubs really mean? Is there any explanation?”

“This is all we’re given on this subject. What we can validly assume is that the people, all of them, in this rich, powerful, influential end times nation, will roar, as in widespread societal discontent. And the land will be filled with rumors or reports of violence, which apparently won’t come as a surprise, so there must be violence in the land, as well as officials fighting each other, or at least widespread reports that they are. That sounds to me a lot like what we’ve been experiencing across the country. We’re still under martial law, for crying out loud. We’ve seen tens of thousands of people in the streets, all over the country, in about every State. If we are in fact the Daughter of Babylon, it sounds like what we will witness more of that in the future.”

Jim smiled, “You guys are a bundle of joy. Can I just say I hope that these verses apply to ancient Babylon, and not to us, today? But, we covered that last week. The verses just don’t work for what is now just some piles of rubble in Iraq. But, they clearly do apply to an end times nation. These prophecy verses, after all, are set in the end times.”

“I’m with you, brother. Every time I read how these five Prophets described the Daughter of Babylon and Babylon the Great, I get chills, or goose bumps, or however you would describe a serious case of the heeby-jeebies. John, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Zechariah and the writer of Psalms were all in agreement about this end times nation. Scary.”

“I think we agree that internal dissent and violence is one of the several clues that the Bible gives us for the mystery identity of the rich, powerful and influential nation that’s described by the Prophets in these verses. We’ve seen some of that in the US, particularly lately, and are quite likely to see more. Let’s keep studying and keep our antenna up for anything else that looks like fulfillment of prophecy in our times.

“I’ll send out an e-mail with our assignment in the prophecy verses for when we meet next. Let’s all make a list of today’s nations that the verses might apply to. Particularly look at these five clues: ‘the hammer of the whole earth’….‘the great voice’….‘significant Jewish population’….‘center of world commerce’....’where the nations stream to meet’. Let’s all list any other country in the world that these prophecies could possibly apply to, that is, besides America….OK?....Let’s pray, guys. ‘Lord, give us wisdom as we study the prophecies that you have given to us. Keep us from error. Direct us to the research you would have us study. Keep our hearts and minds on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.’ ”

FORTY EIGHT

GWU Hospital – Washington, DC

Vice President Hilde Calhoun knew instinctively that no good thing could come out of the President’s invitation to meet him in his office in the West Wing. It had been, after all some time since she had been sworn into office and then promptly tried to arrange a coup d’etat to remove the President from office under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The President had refused to meet with her in the intervening time since her conspiracy was leaked with the President replacing the entire Cabinet, except, of course, the leaker. So, what, she pondered, does he plan to say to me? Why invite me to the Oval, after all these weeks? She knew she needed to discuss it with Wilbur, who was frequently not lucid. When he was thinking straight, Hilde thought, Wilbur was the best political mind in DC, but when he was out of it, his ideas were just unusable and potentially quite harmful. Still, it’s time to talk to Wilbur, and hope he’s in his right mind.

“Honey bunch, how ya’ll doin’? Ya look just terrific. Prettiest Veep in the nation’s history, by far.”

Good sign, Hilde thought, he’s using that same old dumb line that he thinks is so funny. Better pick his brain quick before he lapses into goofiness, again.

“Wilbur, we need to talk. The President’s invited me to the Oval at three tomorrow afternoon. Put on your political hat. What do you think he’s up to? He hasn’t met once with me, as we knew he wouldn’t, since I tried to organize the Cabinet to throw him out.”

“Hilde….it’s….sure….obvious….at least to me. Ya’re too close to it to see his next move. The leaks and rumors of what happened at the Cabinet meeting, which y’all both denied, of course, have all died down. Most people have forgotten it. That NBC poll I saw on TV said most folks didn’t believe the rumors, anyway. So, I can figure out what he’ll do next, it’s what I’d do if I were in his position.”

“That’s nice, Wilbur, but would you mind cluing me in as to what you two Presidential geniuses would both do to punish ol’ Hilde. I’m more than a little interested, you know.”

“Sure. Sure….Here’s the deal. He moved ya out of the White House West Wing, which was only a big deal to ya and y’all’s staff….and to me, of course, but it was a smart move, though, I’ll say that. What he will do at tomorrow’s meeting is tell ya that he’s moving ya out of the Old Executive, I know, I know….it’s now called the Eisenhower Executive Office Building….But….think from his viewpoint…. Ya and y’alls staff are still too close to the President’s White House. Ya can look out y’all’s window and watch the West Wing, and who’s coming and going. He’s gonna’ have to move ya out. Y’all still have ya office in the Capitol, but he needs to send ya a message….a big message.”

“Wilbur, dear, I’ve gotten the message. I know that he hates me and he….”

“No, that’s where ya’re wrong. He doesn’t hate ya, he wants to destroy ya. Ya represent a continuing daily threat to his power, to his position, to his very future as President. Y’all have to be marginalized, suffocated into nothingness. He’ll cut ya Secret Service contingent to just one agent at any given time, then he’ll leak that out, hoping it will encourage a nutcase to take ya out.”

“No….He wouldn’t.”

“Yes….he will, and worse. He will tighten the screws so tight ya’ll gonna’ wanna’ quit. He’s gotta try to destroy ol’ Hilde Calhoun. So… ya gonna’ have to see the Commandant.”

“What? Have you totally lost it? What kind of drugs are they giving you in here, Wilbur? The Commandant of the United States Marine Corps?”

“There are only two Commandants I know of, of the Coast Guard and the Corps. I don’t think ya wanna try and float a couple of Coast Guard cutters up Pennsylvania Avenue to bombard the West Wing. Of course, I mean the Marine Corps. Wes is not only the Commandant, he’s also one of ol’ Wilbur’s closest friends….and ya’s too, of, course, honey bunch. He was our Adjutant General back home for how many years? Most of both of my terms? Seven years? Hilde, Wes is our bud.”

“Wilbur, I’m as tight with Wes as you are, but that’s not the real question. If I understand your proposal, you want to remove the President….by force of arms? Using the Marine Corps? Good grief, Wilbur, we’re not Venezuela, we’re not a banana republic. We’ve never had anything even close that kind of turnover of power?”

“Really, Hilde, really? Ya may not have used the military, but what do ya call how y’all on the Hill ganged up on ol’ Tricky Dicky Nixon and bounced him out of office. Forced him right out of the White House. Let’s be honest, they had a lot more on me than they did on….”

“Wilbur. Stay on the topic. I could never be part of encouraging the use of the military to remove the President. Never gonna’ happen. Come up with a better idea. Think.”

“Honey bunch, what do ya think I do around here, besides talk to the cute nurses and watch the news? I’ve been doing nothing but thinking since ya first told me about ya aborted little effort to bounce the man at the Cabinet meeting. Here’s the deal, Hilde, ya made ya move and the President blocked you with his threat to bring two trucks of soldiers into the White. He then had to remove the Cabinet, just he did, except for the weasel, of course. So, ya can’t take him out under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment and you certainly can’t impeach him. The House of Representatives under Nadia Pelham would never, never vote to impeach this President. Under different leaders with different Members they didn’t have any problem impeaching me, but I….”

“Wilbur….again….stay on topic. Finish your analysis.”

“Sure, sure. OK, so here’s the bottom line. Ya got no choice. None. The Cabinet’s out. The Congress is out. It’s three plus years before his second term ends. So, I’ll just ask ya….Ya know more about what’s really happening out there in America than almost anybody….Do ya really think this country will survive three more years of violence in the streets, and martial law, and shootings, and shredding the Constitution, and….”

“I don’t think we’ll survive three more months, Wilbur. You watch the news, you know what’s happening. I fear for my country. We’re imploding.”

“Exactly. Hilde, you’re simply the only person in the country who’s in a position to get us out of this mess. All ya gotta do is just act dumb. Ya know nothing. I’ll talk to Wes. Ya’ve got nuthin’ to do with it. It’ll just be ol’ Wilbur talkin’ to ol’ Wes.”

FORTY NINE

ATF Redemption Centers

The next day after the appointment of ATF Director Humless, who would serve in an acting capacity until the Senate confirmed him, the ATF issued a list of ‘ATF Hate Weapon Redemption Centers’. It had been previously determined by bureaucrats at the ATF that establishing a sufficient number of new locations for turning in guns would not be cost effective. Therefore, the ATF list included virtually every existing federal facility in the nation, in order to obtain the widest compliance with the new law. On the list were all post offices, military bases and installations, federal courthouses, FBI offices, Social Security centers, EEOC offices, Department of Agriculture facilities and other offices operated by the federal government. Left off of the list were any offices related to Medicare, as it was felt that the turning in of guns at such facilities could be seen as inconsistent with their medical purposes.

ATF planners devised a system for collection of guns that they hoped would avoid the highly likely possibility of some federal employees at the Redemption Centers pilfering guns as they were redeemed by their owners. Each gun was tagged with a digital read bar code specific only to that gun, with a copy of the same bar code imprinted on a receipt given to the owner and also on the federal check reimbursing the owner for the owner’s redeemed weapon. Guns were deposited in a locked metal box for later disposal. As the checks were cashed or deposited, they made their way back to the issuing agency, the ATF, who would then check the bar code numbers with guns that were redeemed. Any discrepancy at a redemption center would soon show up and alert ATF headquarters in DC that it had a problem at that Redemption Center. The system was supposed to be fool-proof, but like many fool-proof systems it didn’t turn out exactly as planned. Many guns turned in by their owners seemed to just disappear before they could be smelted down, with police departments in many cases finding the missing guns in the hands of criminals who then admitted they had purchased them from federal employees.

After Australia banned most private gun ownership following the ‘Port Arthur Massacre’, many thousands of guns were turned in to their government by Aussies, who were then paid from the levy imposed on Australian Medicare. By all reports, compliance was steady and effective during the time period allowed to turn in weapons. On the other hand, no one could know how American gun owners would respond to the new law. ATF records eventually would show that compliance looked like a ski slope upward shaped curve with increasing numbers each week. In the first two months of the six month period redemption was modestly low in numbers. It apparently took owners some time to decide to comply with the new law. There was a drum beat for redemption which increased in intensity from the mainstream media and from all government agencies, steadily increasing the number of firearms turned in by their owners. Public service messages conveyed by the Administration to American gun owners varied, but they had three common themes – safety, patriotism and fear of prison:

TURN IN YOUR GUN - IT’S THE LAW!

TODAY’S PATRIOTS OBEY THE LAW

SAVE A LIFE – TURN IN A GUN

IS IT WORTH TEN YEARS IN PRISON?

JOHN WAYNE WOULD HAVE REDEEMED HIS GUNS

MAKE AMERICA GUN VIOLENCE FREE!

Television spots claiming that John Wayne would have redeemed his guns were pulled when his heirs filed suit, claiming that the Duke “would have gone down shooting before he would have turned in his guns”. The other public service announcements appeared to have an increasing effect, though, as more guns were turned in each week than the preceding week. The ATF was faced with a difficult accounting problem, of course, because no one knew, with any reasonable specificity, how many firearms were owned by Americans, or by persons illegally in America. Estimates had always varied widely, and there was literally no way of determining the actual count, as gun registration had never become the national law that some had tried to impose. Because of this fact, widely known to be true, many gun owners thought they would be safe in holding on to their firearms. After all, many thought, ‘who knows if I own a gun?’ It was this ‘nobody will know’ reluctance that led Senator Blevins to include Section 4.4 in his bill, to reward tipsters who turned in non-compliant gun owners, with generous monetary payments.

With two months to go in the Redemption Period, ATF officials were concerned. Almost one hundred million guns had been redeemed, as far as they could calculate, but they estimated that left almost the same number still not turned in, or more. So the agency began to air public service announcements in all areas of the country, promoting compliance by stepping up the ‘fear factor’. A typical thirty second spot asked how sure gun owners were that they wouldn’t be turned in, by friends, by neighbors, by shooting buddies, by their own family?

SCRIPT FOR TV AD – GUN REDEMPTION

Setting – Jail Cell – Low Lighting – Inmate Speaks – Cellmate in background of shot – heavy beard – cellmate frowns through most of shot – wicked grin at end as he puts his hand on shoulder of speaking cellmate. Both in orange jail attire.

“I know, I know. I didn’t think I would get caught. I thought that I was the only one who knew that I owned guns. I only had two guns. But, I forgot that I went shooting at the range a few times. I didn’t remember that I had shown my newest gun to my brother-in-law, my former brother-in-law. Yes, I had talked about guns and ammo with some work buddies. So, who turned me in? Who knows? The tipster stays anonymous, but he gets the big bucks. I’ve got a lot of time to think about it now. Ten years….You’d better think about it while you still have time. Turn in your guns, for cash money, while you still can. Don’t end up like me, ‘cause you will get caught....Count on it, ol’ buddy.”

The purchase of the television ads was a saturation buy in all mass markets. Within forty-eight hours of its airing, more Americans had turned in more guns than in the prior two months, combined. Many Redemption Center officials reported that most turn-ins were either directly by wives, or by husbands who appeared to have been hauled into the centers by their wives, not wanting to lose their spouses to prison. Petitions for dissolution of marriage shot up following the ads, as spouses couldn’t agree on redemption versus possible jail time.

FIFTY

Washington, DC – Department of Justice

Throughout the history of the world, government leaders have chosen to imprison persons who opposed their rule. That bears repeating. Throughout the history of the world, government leaders have chosen to imprison persons who opposed their rule.

John Madison was one of those persons.

Early in his incarceration, the official word issued by John Madison’s captors was that Madison was an enemy of the State, a danger to national security and he had possible ‘ties with terrorists’. Very few people come to the aid of a person accused of such serious crimes. Over time, however, as John Madison was not officially charged with committing any federal crime, many began to change their mind, and instead saw him as a political prisoner. A political prisoner is generally regarded as someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country, and not because they have committed a crime, as such. No one was more surprised than John Madison when Amnesty Universal labeled him as “America’s best-known political prisoner, who should be released forthwith.” Madison didn’t know much about this foreign human rights group calling for his release, but he had heard of it and vaguely thought of it as a liberal group. Now, however, he was appreciative of any help he could get.

The White House, apparently stung by criticism from abroad, issued a media release denouncing Amnesty Universal for “interfering with American domestic criminal cases”. John Madison was once again in the headlines.

New York Times

ATTORNEY GENERAL DENIES

MADISON IS POLITICAL PRISONER

White House Suggests Madison is

Linked to Right Wing Terrorists

CBS

AMNESTY UNIVERSAL

INTERFERES IN AMERICA

MSCNB

JOHN MADISON - TIES TO AL QUEDA?

FOX

AMERICA’S #1 POLITICAL PRISONER

Friends of John Madison in Tyler contacted other friends around the nation and formed a FREE JOHN MADISON Committee. Though the mainstream media largely ignored the Committee’s efforts to draw public attention to John Madison’s extended incarceration, by e-mail and social networking millions of Americans were reminded that John Madison was still in federal prison, and was still not charged with any crimes. As more people learned that Madison’s writ for habeas corpus had been denied, the drumbeat increased to either charge Madison and try him, or alternatively, to release him. Even totalitarian governments are sensitive to criticism, especially from abroad.

The heat from Amnesty Universal, along with increasing pressure at home, led the Attorney General of the United States to convene a strategy meeting in his office at the Department of Justice on Pennsylvania Avenue in DC, seven blocks from the White House. To say that the AG was not in a good mood would be a clear under-statement. He had not been an early proponent of arresting and imprisoning Madison, but had taken his orders to do so from the White House, which was quite insistent on the issue. As an attorney, the AG knew that he was on shaky legal ground, but his loyalty to his old friend, the President, forced him to do what he would not have otherwise even considered. The AG had given serious thought to resigning and going to work for a DC law firm, with a large income. Of all of the President’s friends, cronies and buddies serving in his Administration, the AG was the least enamored with what he saw his old friend doing.  He was caught between a rock and….and he didn’t like it, not a bit.

“Let’s get on it, folks. Madison has been in prison too long without charges. Our end run on avoiding habeas corpus worked, but it made us look bad with people who were paying attention. We’re starting to look like Guantanamo, but here onshore. I don’t like it. Amnesty Universal has butted in, as you know. The President’s getting heat from some of his European diplomatic buddies. The White House even had a call from the New York Times yesterday. They’re considering doing a story on why we are holding a prisoner without charges. When the President gets heat, we get heat, so I’m looking here for some creative ideas. Come on, people. What do we charge this troublemaker with? Something that passes the snicker test.”

The Deputy AG tasked with supervising the prosecution of Madison briefly reviewed the contents of John Madison’s October speech in Austin. After he did so, he looked up at his boss, the AG, who was holding his head in his right hand.

The exasperated AG said, “Yeah, that’s what I recalled. Some nasty words, but how can they possibly be crimes ?”

“Mr. Attorney General, I’ve been working on it. We have five possible options….treason, misprision of treason, rebellion/insurrection, seditious conspiracy and advocating the overthrow of the government.”

The AG’s mood was not improving, “Forget treason, that arises from war and giving aid and comfort to the nation’s enemies. Likewise, forget misprision of treason, which means having knowledge of treason, but not turning someone in. Stop wasting our time. What about rebellion and insurrection?”

“That’s all in one statute, sir, 18 USC Sec. 2383. It makes it a crime to incite, set of foot, whatever that means, assist or engage in any rebellion or insurrection against the government or its laws. Keep this in mind, because….”

“Come on. That clearly doesn’t pass the snicker test. We’d be laughed out of court. We don’t have a scrap of evidence linking Madison to rebellion, or to insurrection. This statute might work if he was part of an armed insurrection, but not to a speech by a political figure.”

“OK, it was a little weak, so let’s look at seditious conspiracy, section 2384. Maybe we can show that Madison conspired with one other person, that would be easy to prove, to overthrow, put down or destroy by force the US government, or levy war, or oppose by force the authority of the United States. He definitely opposed the authority of the United States. Judge McDermott could be counted on to deny a motion to dismiss a charge like that.”

The AG looked like he might have a stroke, “Stop. Stop. You’re killing me here. You left out the phrase by force. Of course he opposed the government, that’s what any political candidate or speaker does. But he didn’t use force, at least that we know about. Even if McDermott lets the charge stand, so what? Don’t forget, people, we will be facing a jury, someday, and a jury won’t convict if force is a required element to convict.  What’s the fifth choice, again?”

“Mister Attorney General, our last choice is really our only choice….I think. Section 2385 of the criminal code prohibits advocating the overthrow of the government. The statute prohibits knowingly or willfully advocating, abetting, advising or teaching the duty, necessity, desirability or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the United States. Yes, it does include the phrase ‘by force or violence’, but it adds ‘or by the assassination of any officer’ of the government. It also includes organizing or helping to organize any group of persons to overthrow the government. It provides for a twenty year sentence. I think we can make this one work. He did say to ‘take out’ the President. The Vice President was in fact taken out.”

“I’m listening. How do we charge Madison, or anybody for that matter, with advocating the overthrow of the government, if they don’t use force and violence?”

“Admittedly, we have to be creative, but that’s what I understood was the purpose of this meeting. The indictment would simply say that Madison obviously advocated the overthrow of the government in his speech at Austin. He said ‘we have to take him out’. Also, we can say that he essentially advocated the assassination of federal officers by telling the nation that they would lose their right to own firearms if they voted for the President and he won. The people who owned guns, and who might lose them, he was implying, should do something about it. Which they did, lest we forget, several days later. He established an atmosphere of violence by raising voters’ fears against their elected officials. He aided and abetted the shooters by his violence-laden speech. His speech was delivered before McAlister, so we can’t charge him with violating McAlister, though that would be sweet if we could. What do you think?”

All eyes in the AG’s Conference Room were on the AG. It was obvious he was thinking. On the one hand, if he charged Madison with conspiracy to overthrow the government, the White House would be happy, and would get off his back. On the other hand, if he released Madison, his friend at the end of Pennsylvania Avenue would be upset with him, as it would look like the Administration had no reason to hold Madison all those months. It reminded the AG of the old joke that his next attorney would only have one arm, because he was tired of attorneys always saying ‘on the one hand, but then again, on the other hand’.

“Alright, people, here’s what we’re going to do. Draw up the indictment for advocating the overthrow of the government, but juice it up a little, plus let’s add a count of conspiracy to overthrow. Do a third count for conspiracy to violate the federal hate crimes act, that statute can apply to almost anything. I’ll run it past O’Dayson at the White House, unofficially, of course. If it gets approved, we’ll release it Saturday night, on the media graveyard shift. We’ll push it hard in Europe through our buds in the media there. That should shut up Amnesty and the diplomatic set. Tell our District Attorney that due to his extremely busy schedule he won’t be able to try the case for several months, maybe next year. If this case goes south, I’d rather have it go south later, rather than sooner. This case is not going to win any of us any prizes for high standards of justice, you know what I mean? We’re dismissed. God bless America, because we sure didn’t bless it today.”

FIFTY ONE

Letter from Jail/Journal Entry

Jack, my much loved son, visited me again today. It was a sweet and sour experience. It was great to see him. I’m thankful he wanted to take the time to visit his dad in jail. Our time of fellowship, and prayer, was really memorable. Jack is a strong believer, and a forceful and effective pastor. I’m proud of him.

As for the non-sweet part of the visit, we clashed, again, on my opposition to the President, and my tactics in opposing our nation’s Chief Executive. Jack still doesn’t think that I should have gotten myself arrested for what I have done to fight to keep our Constitutional rights. I’ve brought up Dietrich Bonhoeffer before in my discussions/arguments with Jack. Bonhoeffer was executed by the government he opposed. Not that I’m planning on a similar end game, just that he was a principled man who was willing to do what was right to help others, in his case, to fight for saving the lives of Jewish residents of his nation. I’m fighting to try and save the rights of Americans to defend ourselves.

Jack, of course, supports our right to own firearms. He’s owned a gun since he was sixteen. We would hunt and go to the shooting range together. He told me today that he will turn in his firearm before the end of the Redemption Period. I didn’t expect him to violate the law and hold on to his gun, but I thought he should make some form of protest in connection with doing so. He doesn’t agree. As a pastor, it’s his position that he should preach the gospel and not be involved in what he calls ‘current events’. He’s not persuaded when I bring up either Bonhoeffer, who was a pastor, or Martin Luther King, Jr., who likewise was a man of the cloth.

I guess I can’t expect my son to be like his dad in all respects, especially when it comes to civil disobedience. But, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt when he gets that look on his face. You know, the look that kind of says, ‘I respect you as my dad, but you’re hurting our family by your actions’. Debbie has talked with him, and spent time with Allison, and expressed nothing but her support for me and what I’m trying to accomplish. So, Jack can’t have any reason to think that we’re not together on this. I truly don’t know what I’d do if Debbie was side-wise with me. She’s paying a huge price for me being in prison, naturally, but she seems to be handling it well. We have a good extended family, neighborhood and church support team. One of our small group guys hired her at his company, which supplements our daily financial needs while I’m a guest of the government. My room and board here are covered, no need to worry. The government provides me ‘three hots and a cot’’, as they say here.

I’ve shared with Debbie and Jack how I’ve been used here. Because it’s widely known that I’m in the can because of my gun rights activities, I’m a little bit of a hero with many of my fellow inmates. Probably because of that I’ve not experienced what I understand a lot of new inmates go through, with various forms of harassment, sexual and otherwise. They kind of give me a wide berth and a certain level of visible respect. I’ve had some good spiritual discussions with some guys, who have some true needs.

Our biggest argument today was when Jack asked me what I thought about the new ATF television ad, created and aired to try and scare gun owners into turning in their guns. Maybe I’m a little sensitive because the ad was staged in a jail cell. Seriously though, I told Jack that I thought it was not the role of the government in a free country to tell its citizens, using their money, that if they don’t do what the government tells them to do, they can spend several years in forced confinement. What kind of a country does that?

Jack’s response was that the internal revenue code works like that, and everybody accepts it. I sort of lost it at that point, and went off on IRS abuses, which led to a tiff over the Federal Reserve and downhill from there.

So, what should a parent do when agreement with an adult child is just not happening? I changed the subject. I brought up my potential future trial. We were both happy to talk about something else, I think. I know I was, because it makes my stomach hurt to fight with my son. I don’t mind at all fighting with abusive Senators or probing District Attorneys, but I don’t handle fighting with Jack very well. Or Debbie, for that matter, but as I said, that’s not generally been a problem, thankfully.

As I said, I brought up my possible criminal charges and trial.

Jack asked me if I thought there was any chance that any charges against me would be just dismissed, thrown out? I explained that the Attorney General had been appointed by this President, that he worked for this President and that he would do what this President asked him to do. Jack then asked if the Judge might grant some kind of a dismissal pleading. I explained that my attorney told me yesterday that my case was being venued out of Texas next week to Oregon, and that I would be transferred soon thereafter to the Pacific coast, to the federal prison at Sheridan, Oregon.

Jack immediately realized that the change of location was motivated by at least two goals, to harass me by separating me from my family and support network by several hundreds of miles and also to pick up a federal judge and jury who would not be friendly, shall we say, to a Texas gun rights leader. My attorney’s conclusions, exactly. Maybe Jack should have been an attorney. I told him that his hunch was correct, as I learned right before he arrived today that my new federal judge in Oregon will be Hiram ‘Hanging Judge’ McDermott, a Carter appointee, who has a record of imprisoning for maximum terms persons convicted in his court of gun law violations. One blog I read said that the Judge had told an attorney in a private conversation that the payer name on his twice a month check was ‘U.S. Government’, and he never forgot who his employer was. So, we are not counting on any favors from my new Judge, let alone a dismissal of any sort. Debbie is looking into moving to Oregon, if she can find a decent job. It won’t be easy on her, which, of course, makes it tough for me, which is the government’s purpose, pretty clearly.

Well, dear journal/readers of my jailhouse letters, how am I doing, you may ask? Besides that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play? Sorry, jailhouse humor, I guess. I’m human, so it’s not easy. But, I know Who has control of all this, so I’m OK. Pretty much, that is. Can’t mislead your own journal, right?

As Jack was here today, seeing his youthfulness and energy, I couldn’t help but recall when I was that young, a long time before my eye-opening education in how things really work in government and politics. As a young businessman and new father, I didn’t have a lot of time to pay attention to current affairs, what was happening in DC, or Austin or even at City Hall in Tyler. Like most people, I sort of just took it for granted that people in public office were all doing a good job, for the most part. I paid my taxes, voted and hoped for the best.

Then, my life changed. Somebody invited me, as a new insurance company employee to Rotary. The first time I attended, I met two guys who both became important in my life. One guy I met was named Ralph Snyder. Ralph took me to a meeting that led me down my political activism path that I’ll cover later in this journal in greater depth, but I’ll need some time to get all that collected in my memory and written down, maybe next week. I’ve got nothing but time here.

The other guy I met at Rotary on my first visit, Fred Rose, is a Tyler businessman, a house contractor, as I recall. He invited me to a luncheon Bible Study. As an American and a Texan, I always pretty much thought of myself as a Christian. If anyone had asked me, I would have said, ‘sure, I’m a Christian, I’m not a Buddhist’. Well, at the Bible Study, which was attended by about thirty some guys, some of whom I knew, somebody did ask me. But not the way I expected. Fred Rose asked me “when did I come to know the Lord?” I put his question in quotes here because that’s how he asked me. I, of course, had no answer. I kind of spluttered out something like, “well, I’ve always been a Christian”, which didn’t answer his question. A slightly raised eyebrow, and then a quick smile told me that I might hear some more about this from Fred.

Sure enough, he stopped by the insurance company the afternoon of the next day and asked if I had any time to talk. Turned out I did. I expected 15-20 minutes, max. We were still talking when Sally asked if I needed anything else before she left work for the day. I couldn’t believe it was quitting time. Fred told me about his messed up, booze-heavy, womanizing life that had nearly destroyed his family. He told me that a carpenter had saved him. Well, I knew he was a contractor, so I asked him if one of his workers had helped him out with some good advice. He smiled.

No, he said, this carpenter is Jewish, and he died a couple thousand years ago. I’m a little dense sometimes, so I asked how that could be and he told me that the carpenter was Jesus of Nazareth. Honestly, my first reaction when he said that was to glance at my phone to see if maybe Sally might buzz me and I could terminate this meeting. But, I’m really glad now I didn’t try such a stunt. Fred shared with me the gospel. That Jesus was crucified and resurrected and through Him I can have a new, abundant life. I’d heard some of that kind of talk before. I’m a Texan, remember, but it hadn’t really sunk in. My parents weren’t particularly religious. The only time I went to a church when I was kid was when a neighbor or friend invited to something special.

But, this time I guess I was just ready. Once I understood what Christ had done for me, and what He expected from me, that’s all it took. I still don’t know how I’d been so blissfully ignorant all those years, but I was. So Fred led me in a prayer. I prayed. I repented of my (many) sins. Then I told Jesus that I believed in Him as my savior and Lord, and I asked Him to come into my life, to take over the throne of my life. No fireworks, just a totally changed life. Jesus didn’t waste any time shaping me up. I don’t know who all may read this someday, so I’ll leave out all the lurid, racy stuff that I gave up, but I know, and my best friends know, how thoroughly, and rapidly, He changed my lifestyle. Whew!

Naturally, I told Debbie that night what I had done. She looked at me like, “yeah, sure you did”, but she said nothing, except “that’s nice, John”. But, within about a month or so, she had seen enough of her new husband (‘where is my old husband and what have you done with him?’) to want to know more about what happened to me. I count it a real blessing that I could share my new Best Friend with my wife at the kitchen table, and she came to know Him, also.

OK, dear journal/readers of my jailhouse letters, how did I get on this memory lane? Oh, yeah. Jack was here today. He has such potential. He loves the Lord. He’s a great preacher, at least a lot of people in Dallas must think so. He draws from all over the Park Cities area. Great family man. I just wish he would agree with his ol’ dad on the issues that are dividing our country. You know, the issues that landed me in prison. Oh, yeah, well, maybe that has something to do with why Jack isn’t in agreement with me. But, there’s always hope. More later on Ralph Snyder and what he did to me, make that for me.

FIFTY TWO

Concord, Massachusetts – Old North Bridge

The ATF claimed that its advertisements were so successful that 94% of the estimated number of guns in America had been turned in at Redemption Centers by the deadline. Of course, like many statistics, this one could not possibly be proven to be accurate, and was by many estimates excessively high. But it sounded good, and the estimated percentage of compliance became commonly acknowledged by the mainstream media as proof of success of the new law. The seemingly impressive statistic was cited by the President when he and Director Humless officially commemorated the concluding day of the Redemption Period. They did so with a joint news conference at the historic re-built Old North Bridge, spanning the Concord River, in Concord, Massachusetts, the site of the first battle of the Revolutionary War. The President and Director Humless gave their remarks in front of the Daniel Chester French sculpture of the Minuteman.

“Director Humless, I have asked you to join me here today at this historic location to honor you for your agency’s hard work over these last six months to make America free from gun violence. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate spot to formally end the era of gun violence than to commemorate its end where it began. It was here that guns were used for what we now know was the historic purpose of freeing our people from their domination by the British Empire. That Empire oppressed people on many continents.

“There are some who have objected to the McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapons Elimination Act based on what I think are misguided Constitutional law arguments. I know a little bit about Constitutional Law, having taught the subject. I want to assure the American public that if I thought the McAlister Bill was unconstitutional, I would not have signed it into law. The fact that it appears to conflict with some protestors’ interpretations of the Second Amendment doesn’t mean that it actually does. We used to have slavery and people argued that it was Constitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court, as we all know, will hear arguments next week, in an emergency hearing, in a case challenging the constitutionality of the McAlister Act. I am sure that our nation’s highest Court will carefully consider the arguments both for and against the new law. I am just as confident that the Supreme Court will render a Constitutionally correct decision, and hand it down expeditiously. My own view, of course, is that old words from two centuries ago must be carefully weighed in light of today’s public demand to rid our nation of gun violence, which has been caused in large part by hateful speech, which we have also outlawed in the history-making McAlister Act.

“So, my fellow Americans, we are gathered here today at Old North Bridge at Concord. What started here with guns, can now end here, as we honor the successful conclusion of the Redemption Period under the Lawrence McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapons Elimination Act. From this day forward, any American caught owning or possessing a firearm, with very limited exceptions, will be charged with a felony, will be convicted and will serve the maximum statutory time at a federal prison. The same penalty will apply to any person who violates the law prohibiting hate speech. There have been rumors that I will allow an amnesty period for those who did not comply with the 180 day Redemption Period. I want to clear that up. That is false. I will not excuse those who, after today’s midnight deadline, violate the McAlister Act. That will not happen. So, for those still hesitating, you’ve only got until twelve midnight tonight, as I did extend the regular office closing hours for today at the Redemption Centers. Thanks, again, Director Humless. Any plans ahead for you or your agency?”

ATF Director Humless, visibly preening himself as nicely as any peacock, assumed the podium. This was the day he had sought for years as America’s leading anti-gun lobbyist. His time had come to take credit, and also to send a message. “Mr. President, together with you, your staff and all the fine officials in your Administration, the ATF has managed to handle the redemption of millions of what some call firearms, but I call hate weapons, as does the McAlister Act. The final accounting isn’t done, naturally, but when it is, America should be overjoyed with the results. Our nation will be safer, and America will be gun violence free, which has been my dream for the last several years at the Bradford Center Against Gun Violence by Gun Abolition.

“Phase two now begins. Our agency has been authorized by Congress to hire over fifty-four thousand new ATF agents, which greatly helps the employment situation in this country, of course. That’s approximately one new ATF agent for every 5,000 Americans. This fact should make most Americans feel very secure, knowing that our agents will be out there in the various states. They will be hunting down….maybe a better word would be locating….sorry….the few remaining gun owners, those whose continued ownership of hate weapons threatens all of us. This will fulfill the dreams of many former Presidents, particularly Presidents Carter, Clinton and Obama.”

Two men were watching with great interest the televised coverage of the President’s news conference at Old North Bridge. The first was the President’s Chief of Staff, watching the news conference from his West Wing corner office, who groaned, again. Can this guy ever get his ‘government speak’ correct, he wondered? Humless may have been effective in the ‘gun round up’ for ‘meltin and smeltin’, as the President’s top aide liked to describe the disposal process. But, is Humless up to the task of phase two. Enforcement? Getting scared gun owners to turn in their guns for money was one thing, but actually going after the hold outs, the tea party folks, the militia groups, the angry hunters, he knew that was another issue entirely. The easy part, the ‘I’ll give you money, you give me your gun, and, oh yeah, you don’t go to prison’ part, that was finally over. Now, it was time for enforcement of the criminal provisions of McAlister, which promised to be a bit more difficult.

The other man greatly interested in the Old North Bridge Presidential media event was watching from his home in Billings, Montana. As he watched the President discuss the anti-gun law at the site of the first shots fired in the American Revolution, in front of the Minuteman statue, he made a life-changing decision. His President, he concluded, was desecrating what the founding fathers did at Concord, as they fired the shots heard around the world. How dare he celebrate his anti-gun victory on this holy site? He then decided, though reluctantly, and after much prayer, that he would honor what they did, and he would do it in a way that the world would understand that freedom and freedom’s friends were not yet dead and gone in America. It was time to assemble the posse. They had work to do.

FIFTY THREE

Washington, DC – Supreme Court of the United States

“The Honorable Chief Justice and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! All persons having business before the Honorable Supreme Court of the United States are admonished     to draw near and give their attention, for the Court is now sitting. God save the United States and this Honorable Court!”

The Marshal of the United States Supreme Court thus called to order the nation’s highest tribunal. His words came from an earlier time, when Americans still called on God to save their nation, and when the nation allowed His name to be used in a public setting. Constructed in 1935, the Supreme Court building displays several carvings or castings that depict the role of Moses and the Ten Commandments in the western world’s jurisprudence. On the Eastern exterior pediment Moses is predominately carved in the middle of several figures, holding two stone tablets. In the Supreme Court Chambers Moses holds a stone tablet bearing Hebrew letters. Doors to the Supreme Court Chamber show two tablets with Roman numerals I-V on one and VI-X on the other. Ironically, the Court that presides from this building has more recently ruled that allowing the depiction of the Ten Commandments in a public building, such as a local court house, violates the Constitution of the United States.

After the Clerk called the Docket of the Court, the Chief Justice called the first case, which was on the Docket as an emergency petition for a writ from the Court.

“This matter comes before the Court on an expedited, I might say, highly expedited basis, with five Justices agreeing to take it up as on emergency basis. It’s been since Bush vs. Gore that we acted so expeditiously. In light of the pending enforcement of the McAlister Act there may be some justification for the way we are addressing this case, this issue, but I would not want to establish such a fast track consideration for every suit challenging the Constitutionality of an act of the Congress. Having said that, Mr. Attorney General, it’s your law to defend. Defend it.”

“Thank you, Mr. Chief Justice. Associate Justices of this honorable Court. The people of the United States of America urge the Court to affirm the Constitutionality of the McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapons Elimination Act. The various free speech advocates, so called, and the gun owner and manufacturer groups that have challenged the new law don’t dispute that the Congress can adopt such a law, that’s what Congresses do, they adopt laws. Frankly, some better drafted than others.

“No, instead, the Appellants have only one argument. They urge the Court to strike down the McAlister Act because, they argue, it violates the First and Second Amendments of the Constitution of the United States. Their argument is that the American people can’t rid themselves of the rampant hate speech and the millions of hate weapons that kill tens of thousands of us every year. And why not? Because of the handful of words used in these two vague, poorly-drafted, last-minute Amendments. They argue….”

Justice Scanlon had been visibly holding himself back to give the Attorney General his customary few opening words before the Justices jumped in with their probing questions. He could restrain himself no more.

“Mr. Attorney General, with all due respect, this Court settled the issue of gun rights in 2008 in DC v. Heller. We held that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm for self-defense. So, how can you seriously argue that we….”

“Justice Scanlon, also with all due respect, that was five years ago. The nation has changed. Americans have evolved in their thinking about….”

“Are you saying that the Constitution, without going through the amendment process, can be changed, I think was your word, just because today’s public opinion polls may show some transitory shifting opinion, which might shift back just as quickly tomorrow or next year? Is that this government’s view of settled law?”

“No, Justice Scanlon, this government’s view of the law is that when Congress enacts a new law the judiciary gives to that new law its highest level of deference, and will only interfere in those limited instances where the new law clearly violates an express provision of the Constitution.”

“Whoa, Mr. Attorney General, you don’t see a conflict between ‘the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed’ and the McAlister law that imprisons those who seek to keep and bear arms? That’s not a clear violation of an express provision? And hate speech review panels? What are those?”

“Justice Scanlon, the government is only arguing that under the principle of granting the highest deference to Acts of Congress, that this Court has almost always followed, that you should uphold the McAlister Act. Any other holding….”

Justice Alinon, who had also been itching to engage in the legal sparring, jumped in, “Mr. Attorney General, you have fully ignored Justice Scanlon’s reminder to you that this Court has already ruled in Heller that the Second Amendment protects individual ownership of firearms. Two years later in McDonald v. Chicago, we held that the Second Amendment applies to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. So, sir, what possibly makes you think that the government has any chance of this same Court upholding the McAlister Act. It’s unconstitutional on its face. In addition to which, the government can’t review speech to decide if it’s hate speech or not. The Act is an egregious example of over-reaching by the Congress, apparently goaded on by the Administration for which you work.”

The Attorney General refused to lose his temper. Court observers later agreed that the AG was uncharacteristically calm as he sparred with the Court’s most vocal and persuasive conservative members. He soon revealed the basis for his confident manner.

“Justice Scanlon, not to pick a nit, necessarily, but you just said this Court is, to use your phrase, ‘the same Court’ as the Court that decided Heller and McDonald. It’s not. The five Justices who decided those two cases are now four Justices. I know you don’t like to discuss Court politics in oral arg….”

“Nor will we now, sir.” The Chief Justice, exercising his prerogatives, cut off the discussion. “We are here today to argue the law, not who has what votes. Is that clear, Mr. Attorney General. May we proceed now to discuss the law?”

“My apologies, Mr. Chief Justice, I’ll move on. The Appellants in their briefs urge the Court to strike down McAlister under the principle of stare decisis, that is, that the matter has been decided and must be ruled upon in the same way, barring certain circumstances. I think that is what both Justices Scanlon and Alinon are asserting, that under Heller and McDonald, the matter has been decided, and the Court has to follow the precedent of those two cases.”

“Precisely, Mr. Attorney General, precisely,” Justice Scanlon re-engaged, “and why isn’t that the principle we must follow in deciding this case? Stare decisis demands that we follow our precedent and strike down the McAlister Act, just as we struck down the DC and Chicago gun ordinances. No difference. All three violate the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. The Act is so obviously violative of the First Amendment that a first year law student could write an opinion striking it down.”

“Justice Scanlon, in every oral argument the core issue eventually emerges, as it now has. The principle of stare decisis, I say with the highest level of respect for this tribunal, has been abandoned by this Court, and no longer has the meaning and importance that it once enjoyed. When this Court….”

“What? Would you mind repeating yourself, sir? I must have not have heard you correctly. We….this Court….we have abandoned stare decisis?”

“Justice Alinon, this Court in 1986 in Bowers v. Hardwick upheld the sodomy laws of 25 states in America.” Knowing where this argument was going, Justice Scanlon was seen holding his head briefly in his hands, before leaning fully back in his leather high-back chair. His facial expression was not one of joy. “Yet, just 17 years later, in 2003, this Court, the same institution that decided Hardwick, ruled in Lawrence v. Texas that all sodomy laws were unconstitutional. The Court, in an opinion by Justice Kennedy, even said about following precedent in the Lawrence case that ‘Stare decisis is not an inexorable command’. Honorable Justices, when the nation changes, the laws must change and our understanding of what the Constitution says must also change. The Constitution must change, even if it’s not actually formally amended through the cumbersome process of Congress and the states adopting the Amendment by super-majorities. The nation shouldn’t have to put up with laws allowing prejudice against certain Americans, any more than it should put up with laws, or Amendments, that allow Americans to attack each other with hate speech and to slaughter each other with hate weapons.”

Justice Scanlon remained silent for the balance of the oral argument. In 2003, he led the minority of the Court in the Lawrence case in the hotly-fought split decision, even accurately predicting in open comments from the bench that the Lawrence case would open the floodgates to gay marriage, which before Lawrence was rarely even discussed. His mind briefly returned to his dissenting opinion in Lawrence where he criticized the majority for using stare decisis as the primary justification for not overturning Roe v. Wade, which would have ended abortion on demand, but abandoning stare decisis in Lawrence, when it suited the majority’s desire to advance what he called the “homosexual agenda”.

Justice Scanlon recalled how Justice Kennedy tried to justify overruling precedent in Hardwick, writing that the nation, since Hardwick, had experienced an “emerging awareness”. He knew that this was a slippery slope indeed, as the Court could abandon virtually any precedent under such an open-ended standard. Kennedy’s citation of the European Court of Human Rights’ view on the gay rights issue was the last straw for Scanlon, and had also been roundly criticized by many, as Kennedy based the Court’s majority opinion on other nations’ case law. Kennedy had even criticized a former Chief Justice of the Court for stating, accurately, that historically homosexual behavior had not been legally or socially acceptable. Justice Scanlon had observed in his hotly-worded dissenting opinion that this Court has not only re-written existing law, it also re-writes history to suit the majority’s purposes.

Justice Scanlon knew he could not now argue that the Court had to follow precedent, because the Court in Lawrence had demonstrated that it had to do no such thing. The Attorney General was correct that Justice Kennedy wrote in Lawrence that stare decisis was “not an inexorable command”. Well then, he pondered, what is it? We follow precedent when we feel like it, but we abandon precedent when it fits our “emerging awareness” of whatever cultural agenda is regarded to be acceptable for the day? Are we really now a “rights de jour” nation? We only have the rights that are felt by five Justices to be acceptable for that day only? If so, any Constitutional right would just be five votes away from drastic modification, or even extinction. Just five votes. Goodbye, Rule of Law, he thought, sadly.

The attorneys for the Appellants made their arguments, under withering questioning by the more liberal members of the Court. Veteran Court observers wrote in their articles and blogs that night that the government was expected to win the case, conjecturing that the Court would, in a 5-4 split uphold the McAlister Act. Newly seated Justice Newton, was known to be opposed to private ownership of firearms. It had been conjectured that she had written a strategy memo for the President before she ascended to the high Court, advising him on the text of the McAlister Bill to be considered by Congress. Nevertheless, she refused to recuse herself from the Court’s consideration of the Constitutionality of the new law. Justice Newton appeared to confirm those views in her single question to the gun owners’ lead Counsel.

“Tell me Counsel, one reason, just one, I’m only looking for one reason, to justify the Court striking down an Act of Congress that has the potential of saving tens of thousands of precious lives and of stopping all the hate speech that spawns violence. Just one little reason, please, Counsel?”

The other indicator as to how the vote to be taken the next day in the Court’s stately Conference Room would turn out, was a rare statement by Justice Thomson at the conclusion of oral argument. “Mr. Attorney General, we all know, I think, how this case will come down. What none of us knows, yet, is the impact of this decision, not only on our First and Second Amendment rights, but on all those other Constitutional rights that we used to think we had as Americans. I shudder to think what is happening to my country.”

On Friday afternoon, the Supreme Court posted an official notice in the McAlister Law Constitutional challenge case. The quasi-opinion was a model of brevity:

FOR PUBLICATION

BY THE SUPREME COURT

OF THE UNITED STATES

IN THE MATTER OF AN EMERGENCY WRIT REGARDING AN ACT OF CONGRESS (U.S.- 113-S.1)

THIS COURT, having fully examined the briefs submitted by Counsel, the oral argument offered in open Court and having thoroughly reviewed the legal issues involved, concludes that there is no valid legal justification to extend the consideration of this case further. A lengthier opinion will be released as expeditiously as possible, authored by Justice Newton, writing for the majority. To assuage public concern in the interim, and so as not to further impede the enforcement of a law validly adopted by the Congress of these United States, this Court orders that this appeal is resolved in favor of the Appellee U.S. Government, and that, accordingly, the Lawrence McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapons Elimination Act is affirmed, as in compliance with the Constitution of the United States, and all of the Amendments thereto. So ordered. Copy to all Counsel.

The McAlister Act was now confirmed as the law of the land.

IV.

The ATF Enforces the

Lawrence McAlister

Hate Speech

and Hate Weapons

Elimination Act

FIFTY FOUR

Elmhurst, IL, Philadelphia, PA & Des Moines, Iowa

The Attorney General was ready. Once the call came from the Department of Justice staffer who had been stationed at the Supreme Court, tipping the AG to the Court’s expected Order upholding McAlister, the Department of Justice sprang into action. The government had learned decades before that the best way to insure taxpayer compliance with the April 15 tax return filing deadline was to file federal tax evasion charges against a few hapless miscreant taxpayers, and do it just days before the deadline. Wide media attention to the filing of the criminal charges guaranteed that tax return filing rates jumped.

Likewise, the Administration had laid careful plans for charging several gun owners, in major media markets, who hadn’t yet complied with McAlister, now that the redemption deadline had expired. They knew that the mere act of showing how serious the government was, by the arrest and indictment of several gun owners, would bring in many thousands more guns, particularly now that the law had been affirmed on appeal by the Supreme Court. It was time for the ‘perp walk’, the televised and photographed hauling of criminal defendants, ‘perpetrators’ in police language, in handcuffs, into official-looking grey limestone buildings. Nothing, the AG knew, promotes compliance with the law like a good ‘perp walk’ viewed by Americans on their nightly televised newscasts.

Perp Walk I

Charles Robinson was a law abiding resident of Elmhurst, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He owned a small travel agency, which because of the growing use by travelers of the internet, was not doing all that well. On weekends, during hunting season, Charles Robinson liked to drive up to northwestern Illinois, to the Apple River Canyon area to Castle Rock to hunt northern bobwhite, which most people just called quail. His dad had taught Charles Robinson how to hunt, and he had passed on that training to his son, Charles, Jr., now in his mid-twenties. They enjoyed the time they could spend together hunting. When Charles Robinson first read the text of the McAlister Bill in the Chicago Tribune, he was surprised that firearms might be outlawed in America. But, as he read further, he saw that the Bill had an exemption in Section 5.1 for firearms to be used for hunting.

At first, Charles Robinson concluded that he would just apply for the exemption for his firearms used for hunting, and that would be that. But, the more he read, he realized that he might not be granted an exemption hunting license because he usually didn’t hunt for purposes of acquiring food, and he wasn’t going to lie about it on his application. Then, he read that he could only use his firearms for hunting under the license if he was directly supervised by an ATF agent or by an agent from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. What kind of hunting would that be? Baby-sat by a ‘gubmint’ employee, he thought, using his favorite expression for the government.

Charles Robinson talked to his son about what they should do. They neither one wanted to give up their primary recreation, so they decided to apply for the exemption, eat some of what they caught and see how long the government really wanted to accompany hunters out into the field. They agreed that the gubmint boys would soon tire of traipsing through the woods with hunters, and just let them go hunt. The problem developed when they tried to apply for an exemption hunting license.

Charles Robinson called his son, as it was nearing hunting season. They picked out a date a few days away on the calendar, so they could line up either an ATF agent or an Illinois game warden to accompany them hunting, under what they assumed would be a quickly issued hunting exemption license. As silly as they thought the whole process was, they were law abiding citizens, so they decided to comply with the McAlister Act, as best they understood it.

The cordial young lady at the ATF Field District office asked the Robinsons to fill out a six page ATF form. The form included several questions about the applicant, and also required details of the firearms that would be used by the applicant, under ATF supervision. The applicant had to supply the manufacturer of the firearm; the date manufactured; any known serial numbers; the price paid; from whom the firearm was purchased; the current location of the firearm; location at said address; nature of storage facility; locked or not locked; accessibility to others; any other known prior owners; address; telephone numbers; future intentions of the applicant regarding the sale of the firearm; and the intentions of the applicant regarding redemption of the firearm to the ATF under the McAlister Act. Charles Robinson read over the form, then he re-read it. None of this was mentioned in the McAlister Act, so why was the government asking so many questions, he wondered, his anger beginning to rise up within him. He asked his son, who was with him in case he needed to sign anything, to read over the form. They both agreed that it was more than intrusive, but what could they do? They loved to hunt, and this form was their ticket to hunting. Or at least, that’s what they thought.

After nearly an hour, which included calls out to gather requested information, the Robinsons had completed their respective forms. They asked the young lady to speak to an agent so they could confirm a time to go hunting. She asked them to have a seat while she buzzed an agent to come out and talk to them. Forty minutes later, ATF agent Falendar found the time to meet with the agency’s latest applicants for exemption hunting licenses.

“Name’s Falendar. Agent here in Chicago Field District office.  What can I do for you? Busy days here, what with the new law, and all.”

“Thanks, Agent Falendar for talking with us. Real simple. We filled out your forms, though I think the ATF asked us for a lot of unneeded information on our firearms. We want to schedule a time, sometime in the next two or three weekends to go hunting….with an ATF agent….like it says in the McAlister Act.”

Agent Falendar didn’t exactly laugh, it was more like a short nasal snort. “Nuhuh….Do what? To schedule….go hunting?.....Umh, let me ‘splain how this all works. Cause….you both seem like good law abidin’ folks. We got here in the Field District Office a limited number of agents. We’ve all got important things that have to be done, a lot more now with McAlister, what with trackin’ down law breakers. We got zero….that’s zero….time to tramp around with hunters, holding their hands so they can own guns, and not turn them in like everybody else. So, sirs, what we’ve been told to do by our HQ in DC is we take your names and put you on a waitin’ list. We will call you when an agent has a free Saturday and wants to spend it with hunters, instead of with his family. Not saying, you understand, that it won’t never happen, just that it may be a while before it does happen. Any questions?”

“Yes, Agent Falendar, how long it will be before we can hunt – that is, with an ATF agent?”

“Like I said, you seem like nice folks. I’d give it a couple, maybe three years, something like that….maybe not that soon. That’s not for publication, you understand. I’m just levelin’ with you here, OK?”

“Wow….Really?....Well, thanks for being honest….I guess….so….should….we just contact the Illinois Department of Natural Resources down in Springfield?”

“You can do whatever you want….but, you’ll just be wastin’ your time. They’ll give you the same response. Their guys are real busy, too, just like we are.”

Charles Robinson, Jr. didn’t have his father’s ability to stay calm when he was tempted to be angry. His father through the years had tried to teach his son how to control himself when he wanted to lash out. He saw out of the corner of his eye that his dad, though normally calm and collected, was not calm, nor was he collected. His face reddened. He clinched his fingers around the ATF forms which they had labored to complete. His son, sensing that his dad was about to do or say something he would later regret, reached over and grabbed his arm, saying “Dad, it’s ok, if they don’t want us to hunt anymore, we’ll turn in our guns and take up something else, like bowling, or fishing, or….”.

“Chuck….we….are….not….giving….up….our…hunting….NOT….Gonna….Happen…. I don’t give a rip about this crazy new law. They can’t stop us from what God has given us to enjoy. Agent Fal….whatever your name is…”

“Now, Dad, we can…”

Charles Robinson, Sr. was not about to be hushed. He had fought in Vietnam for his country to stay free. He didn’t feel today that his efforts had worked, as he saw his freedoms eroded, taken by his own government.

“As I was about to say….Mister Agent. You can take this hunting exemption form….and….file it….where….the sun….or the moon….will never shine! Got it? If my son and I want to hunt, we’ll hunt. Get used to it.”

Robinson crumpled the pages of the ATF forms and tossed them at Agent Falendar, hitting him on the forehead. The Robinsons stalked out. Agent Falendar made careful notes of the encounter. The notes became the basis for a rush report to ATF Counsel, who then converted the details into a formal charge by the Department of Justice. The Agent swore in an affidavit that he had been assaulted by disgruntled license applicant Charles Robinson, Sr.

The Robinsons, father and son, were arrested by the FBI three weeks later. They were perp walked, handcuffed and heads down, into the Everett McKinley Dirksen Federal Court House in Chicago, with full media coverage. When they were arrested, the warrant allowed FBI agents to search their homes, where they discovered and seized several firearms, mostly hunting rifles and shotguns, owned and possessed by the Robinsons in what was charged was a direct violation of the McAlister Act. They had no hunting exemption licenses. The Robinsons were charged with illegal possession of hate weapons in violation of the recently passed law, as well as assault on a federal official.

Perp Walk II

Not many years ago, if one wanted to share one’s written thoughts with the world, letters to the editor were the major venue. Most editors limited how many letters they would publish from a single writer, which crimped the style of those who had a lot to say. Things have changed. Bloggers today, particularly skilled bloggers who have something to say, can attract more readers than newspaper columnists, and frequently do. James Elizas Brown was the pen name of one of those bloggers who attracted a following of readers, primarily because his readers loved to read his rips on the liberal left and his frequent attacks on firearm opponents. The writer who adopted and used Brown’s pen name was in his real life Peter Samuel, a captain in a metropolitan fire department in Pennsylvania. Depending on the day and the heat generated by a scorching hot blog, Brown may have readers numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

One of Brown’s/Samuel’s columns printed early during the debate on the McAlister Bill started out with these memorable words:

WHO DO THESE PINKO/NAZIS THINK THEY ARE?

I know that Communism is, well, supposedly, dead. Tell that to the Chinese who are still in jail for their beliefs, or because of their religion. Tell that to the Cubans. But, whether you call it Communism, or Socialism or National Socialism (a/k/a Nazism/Fascism), what it all boils down to is this, these political ideologies all took away their citizens’guns.

NOW, IN THE GOOD OLD USA, THEY WANT OUR GUNS!

I’m announcing that they can’t have them!

This sicko pale excuse for a law, the McAlister Act, deserves a quick death. Put a stake in its heart. Bury it under ten feet of concrete. Never let it rise again. Confinement in federal prison for owning what has been legal in this country for over 300 years? Even the Brits, when they owned us, allowed us simple folks out in the Colonies to own guns, don’t ‘ya know. Now this liberal, lefto, pinko, yes, Nazi, Administration wants to ban the right to own firearms. I say that we ban this President from coming in to any State where more than 10% of the population own   guns!

Might not be safe for him, don’t ‘ya know!

Needless to say, James Elizas Brown, widely followed by his readers across the country, was not very popular with the White House, which asked the FBI to locate the man behind the pen name. Brown’s/Samuel’s suggestion that the President not visit certain states because he wouldn’t be safe from gun violence earned him a referral by the Secret Service to the Department of Justice.  The fact that he had several guns stashed under the back floor board of his well-used Jeep Wagoneer, which the arresting agents quickly located, added to his value as a target defendant.

When Brown/Samuel was perp walked, his hands cuffed behind his back, into the James A. Byrne Federal Courthouse in Philadelphia, the alerted media dutifully recorded the event. Ironically, Brown’s/Samuel’s public humiliation was near the Liberty Bell Center, also on Market Street. His website was shut down the same day, on petition by the DOJ which alleged that the website was in violation of the Patriot Act. He was also charged with negative attacks on a public official under the McAlister Act. The DOJ Deputy in charge of responding to media inquiries said that Brown’s/Samuel’s case may not come to trial for some time, due to “national security concerns.”

Perp Walk III

Dan Mitchell sold guns for a living. He sold more guns than any other gun dealer in the Midwest. His was a familiar face to television viewers, as he would appear on screen, standing in front of hundreds of guns for sale in his gun store in Iowa. His sandy hair and wide smile were his trademarks, along with his famous television ads. Each ad always ended with Dan looking into the camera and saying, “I don’t care about making a profit, folks….I just live…. to sell guns”.

During the national debate over the McAlister Bill, and before Congress made the Bill into a law, Dan Mitchell was a significant public participant in what the Des Moines Register called ‘the Iowa Gun Fight’. The newspaper didn’t much like Mitchell, and would frequently parody his ads by calling them ‘Dan’s Hate Weapon Promos’. The problem for the newspaper was that Dan Mitchell became the major spokesperson in the State against the McAlister Bill, so the paper was forced to quote his colorful attacks, though it would have rather have just ignored him completely.

Possibly Dan’s most memorable statement opposing the anti-gun Bill was when he called for armed resistance by Iowans should the McAlister Bill become law. He told a gun owners rally in Council Bluffs, “Mark my words. If the Congress passes this wicked Bill, we will see even more blood run in the streets of the cities of Iowa. No way Iowans will allow the President to take away our guns, no possible way. We will shoot anyone who tries to do it. Mark my words. And this is not about my ability to sell guns, ‘cause you all know I don’t care about making a profit, folks, I just live to sell guns.”

ATF agents later denied rumors that a blown up picture of Dan Mitchell was taped to the wall of the ATF offices in the Field Division office in Kansas City, which had jurisdiction over Iowa. They also denied that someone had written across Mitchell’s face – PUBLIC ENEMY #1. Whether true or not, once the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed McAlister as the law of the land, agents lost no time in obtaining a search warrant for Mitchell’s home and rural farm buildings. Dan Mitchell had earlier locked the doors of his mega gun store the day after the President signed the McAlister Act in the Rose Garden. He did so surrounded by guns rights advocates carrying protest signs, and well covered by regional media. He cursed the President and the Congress for the new Law, and for its forcing him to close the business he had lived to enjoy for over thirty years. Dan told the media that, “I don’t have to keep selling guns, folks. I’ll survive just fine, but what won’t survive is the freedom to own a gun. That freedom died in the Rose Garden, killed dead by this idiot President and idiot Congress of ours.”

Mitchell’s incendiary words on the evening news were watched carefully at the Kansas City ATF office. An internal memo was sent to the Des Moines Field Office advising the office to obtain a search warrant to attempt to locate any illegal firearms in the possession of Dan Mitchell. The memo, it was said, had been taped to the picture of Mitchell that was officially not taped to the wall of ATF offices.

The Des Moines Field Office lost no time, once the Supreme Court upheld McAlister, in asking the presiding District Court Judge to issue a sealed search warrant. Sealed, because they did not want to alert Mitchell before they showed up to search his house and out buildings. But, it wasn’t as if Dan Mitchell didn’t expect them. He knew he had made himself a giant target. He even had a local t-shirt shop make him a shirt with concentric red rings on the back. He liked wearing it when he went into town to have coffee at Nellie’s Pastry Shop and Deli. He’d tell anyone who asked, “Since I know they’re coming for me, I don’t want them to miss and just maim me, I want to help them get a good clean shot.” No one, of course, planned to shoot Dan Mitchell, that was bit of exaggeration on his part, but he was after all, a consummate show man. He was correct, though, that he was a target. He had made himself one by his own words. He had to be brought down….and shut up.

When Dan saw where the fight over gun rights was headed, he gave serious thought to leaving the country. In his research he learned that there were still several nations that allowed private gun ownership. His final first choice was New Zealand, where over 200,000 gun owners own over a million guns, which are licensed, but not registered. Gun shops in New Zealand are legal, a fact which appealed to Dan’s desire to stay in business. But, Dan frittered and fretted, and couldn’t bring himself to pack up and move, somewhat like the Jewish families in Europe seeing the danger from Hitler’s Brown Shirts coming, but failing to escape while they still could. He later wondered how he could have been so stupid, but by then it was too late.

When the agents arrived at Dan Mitchells’ farm they served their warrant, then went immediately to work. They did not expect to find any firearms in the sprawling house, but they searched it anyway. They then turned to the several out buildings. Armed with sensitive metal detectors, agents eventually uncovered a serious cache of firearms under a metal plate in the back of a straw covered horse stall in a long abandoned farm building, on the backside of the 180 acre Mitchell farm property. Over one hundred weapons of various types. Caught.

Dan Mitchell could afford a good criminal defense lawyer. His good criminal defense lawyer advised Dan Mitchell to shut his mouth, and keep it shut, with no comments, no fighting words, no nothing. He told Dan to just do the perp walk. No smiles. No frowns. Hold up your head, as much as you can, with your hands cuffed behind you. Dan argued that he was too well known for being a fighter to not fight, or at least verbally fire back, when they hauled him into the federal building on Walnut Street in Des Moines. Dan’s good criminal defense lawyer responded that if he mouthed off, each word could cost him years of incarceration or thousands of dollars in fines. Dan Mitchell got the message, and was uncharacteristically subdued when he was perp walked along Walnut Street in front of his ‘friends’ in the media. Several of the agents who had been less than amused by Dan’s harsh words in years past gathered later at Java Joe’s Coffeehouse to commemorate his arrest. One said, toasting the event with his coffee cup, “Here’s to Dan. You shoulda obeyed the law, Dan. Now, you’ll get to spend a lot more time with your former customers.”

Results of Perp Walks

Within a week after the highly publicized perp walks, and several others that followed around the country, the various Redemption Centers reported tens of thousands of firearms brought in by obviously concerned owners. The ATF’s initial success with the redemption of firearms cheered the occupant of the White House. The re-writing of the Constitution was a natural outcome of years of discussions between the President, before he achieved public office and a close friend who bombed a police station as a 60’s radical. Both had served on left-leaning not-for-profit boards of directors. The President’s first meeting in his initial run for office was in his friend’s living room. His friend was now a trusted advisor who was frequently called on by the President for his creative public policy ideas. His friend had often speculated how the U.S. government might one day be taken over by people who thought like they thought. He advised the President that his study of history confirmed that once a person in authority gets away with operating outside of the traditional restraints of the rule of law, the next similar act becomes even easier, as the fear factor increases. The success of McAlister fueled their determination to further radically alter America in the days ahead.

FIFTY FIVE

Wilbur Calhoun’s Hospital Suite

Former President Wilbur Calhoun asked the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps to meet with him in his hospital suite. He readily agreed to do so. The former President asked his friend and the former Adjutant General of his state, who served when Wilbur was Governor, to show up in casual dress, not in his four star general olive tan uniform Marine Corps uniform. There was no way to avoid being seen entering the hospital, but in any given day many people entered the hospital. Wilbur concluded that a fiftyish man with a close cropped hair cut wearing a sweatshirt and jeans would attract little or no attention, even if his Secret Service guards were snitching to the White House, which he assumed they were.

The general was seated in a chair close to the bedside of the former President, who had requested his nurse to turn up the volume on the radio in his suite. The room had been cleared and his Secret Service agent posted in the hall. Wilbur motioned for his visitor to lean over closer, so he could speak to him quietly.

“Look, General, let’s just get to it. I’m more than well aware that ya job as Commandant of the Corps is primarily an administrative position.”

“That’s right, Wilbur, uh, sorry, Mister President. And you can drop the General handle, I’m still just Wes to you. By the way, I’m so glad you’re out of your coma. That’s right, I have no direct operational command authority.”

“Wes. How long have we known each other? Thirty….thirty five years, since my first term as Governor? I didn’t ask ya here to talk about the niceties of law, the legalities of the Corps. I understand what the statutes provide and what the organizational charts show. I wanted to talk to ya about saving the country. Hilde and I have both decided that ya are very possibly the only person in the entire nation who is positioned to save America.”

“Un hunh….Look, Wilbur, I might have been born at night, but not last night. I assume you asked me to visit you to discuss all those rumors about Hilde’s effort to kick out our much beloved Commander in Chief. Am I right?”

“Very perceptive, Wes. But let me just say that not everything the media reported about what happened in January was accurate. Mainly a lot of rumors….and….such.”

“OK, but you didn’t ask me here to talk about my health. What happened in January at the Cabinet meeting? The only Cabinet meeting, as I understand it, that’s been held so far this year? Between us, of course, did Hilde, excuse me, did the Vice President try and push the President into stepping down? The word at the Pentagon, which came from my sources at SecDef, was that she tried to line up enough Cabinet members to sign a document ousting the President because he was unable to discharge his powers and duties. Do I have that right? Am I close?”

“Well, pretty much, but the SecDef, that scurrilous weasel, is the one who tipped off the President and blew everything out of the water.”

“You’ve confirmed that?”

“Ya figure it out. Every Cabinet member, except SecDef, was ousted….every one. Plus, then Hilde lost her White House office. Since then, she’s been kicked out of the Eisenhower building next to the White House, and, Wes, believe it or not, her Secret Service detail is now down to one agent at any given time, just as I predicted would happen, by the way. SecDef and the President have this country in their grip. We both know that posse comitatus is no longer worth anything. The U.S. military is running this country, under the direct orders of the Commander in Chief. Wes, ya know the real body count, not the doctored, cleaned-up tally. We can’t continue shooting Americans who oppose the President and his policies.”

“Mr. President, we both know what happened out in St. Louis, and in city after city, Americans killing Americans. Everybody knows where this is heading, if it’s not contained, and soon. That’s obvious even to the mainstream media, though they’ve been covering up for the White House now for way too long. They know the truth, but to protect themselves from the harsh spotlight of history, they continue to lie and obfuscate. Which brings me back to asking….why, exactly, why did you ask me here?”

“Wes, SecDef has the President’s back. He quite obviously sent the armed troops who were parked and ready at the Treasury Building to rush over to the West Wing if the Cabinet even came close to signing a document to remove the President. The President threatened Hilde and the Cabinet with the use of the troops if they tried anything. I don’t think that’s what Senator Bayh and Representative Celler had in mind when they wrote the Twenty-Fifth Amendment. They wanted a smooth transition process. Hilde has a source at Justice who tells us that the AG is looking at how the President can remove Hilde from office under Section Two of the same Amendment, which talks about a vacancy in the Office of the Vice President. Wes, we can’t have any more of this internecine warfare, but more importantly, we can’t have any more bloodshed in the streets. The man has to go.”

“Mr. President, you know how highly I regard you, and also the Vice President, but, there are obvious limits to what I can do. I don’t command any troops, even though I’m the Commandant. Though, obviously, I could ….”

“Well, Wes, what ya can….”

“Wait, let me finish. You haven’t asked yet, but should you ask….umh….should you ask me to use Marines to forcefully change the occupant of the White House, you would be violating untold numbers of federal statutes. In addition to which you would be inviting me to a hanging party. Last I looked, it’s treason to overthrow the government. I wouldn’t last three months before they’d put the hood over my head and fire away.”

“Wes, my friend, that assumes that ya’d fail. History is written by the winners. If ya succeed, and Hilde becomes ya Commander in Chief, she’ll pardon any technical violations of the law that ya, and your troops, may commit. That’s a given. She’d put it in writing, in advance, of course.”

“What? Technical violations? Aren’t you troubled just a little bit, especially as a lawyer, with violating the trust of the people who elected this man as our President? Why not urge Congress to impeach him? You know, the old fashioned way, you should know something about that process, right?”

“No reason to bring up bad memories, Wes. Ya know as well as I do that impeachment has to start in the House, and Speaker Pelham and the President are, to be charitable, close. Very close. Impeachment isn’t going to happen. With his mummy-dummy Cabinet installed, all now doubly-sworn loyalists, the Twenty-Fifth Amendment is off the table. The only way to stop this man from ripping our country apart is to forcefully remove him from office. I don’t know of any other way to say it, or to do it. General, America’s very survival is at stake.”

“Sir….it’s time for me to leave….I need to think. Sorry.”

FIFTY SIX

Asheville, NC

The Asheville Regional Airport is small as American airports go. Local leaders have for years asked for a longer and wider landing strip. Only 40,000 passengers a month flow through its gates. Thus, when the massive Air Force One Presidential aircraft landed at Asheville the plane dwarfed the modest terminal. A Presidential visit was literally a huge event for this mountainous artsy community. In planning for the major address that the President would deliver, White House planners selected a rural location as a quiet, peaceable backdrop for a speech that they knew would be anything but.

A bunting-draped platform had been erected on the airfield side of the terminal. A large red, white and blue banner welcomed the President to North Carolina. Thousands of sympathetic North and South Carolinians had been bussed in to swell the enthusiastic ranks greeting their nation’s CEO, each given a small American flag to wave. The visit had been promoted by the White House Press Office as a major address, a policy-setting speech that would be long remembered. The Press Office, at least in this instance, didn’t exaggerate.

The Governor of North Carolina was given an allotted ten minutes. He welcomed the President for honoring their State, thanked the hard-working event committee for their untiring efforts, thanked the assembled area high school bands for providing the best of John Phillip Sousa’s patriotic marches, thanked the employees of the State for providing great government for their State, thanked the many hundreds of volunteers who made the event possible, thanked everyone else he could possibly thank. He then said that the President needed no introduction, and after nearly twenty-five minutes of political-speak, exceeding his allotment, he gave him the shortest of introductions.

“And now it is my distinct pleasure to give to you the Pres…i…dent…of…the…U…nited…States…of…Amer…ica.”

After Hail to Chief was played through three times, accompanied by the cheers of the flag-waving crowd, the President, held up his arms for quiet, then looking at the nearest Tele-Prompter, plunged into his address. Notably, though he initially flashed his well-known smile, by the time he began to read his speech, his facial demeanor was clearly somber.

“My fellow Americans. We are gathered today to discuss a subject of great urgency to our nation, that is, if America is itself to survive as a free people. I don’t say those words lightly. No nation in history has survived when its people have torn each other apart, internally inside their own nation. That is exactly what we have been doing as a nation now for several years, tearing each other apart….with the hate speech of hateful people….aimed at hurting other Americans….even shooting each other in unjustified protests against legally adopted laws restraining hate weapons and hate speech. I’m here today to announce, yes, even to proclaim as your President, that the days of open and unrestricted hate speech are over. Done. Finished.

“We all know that recently the Congress of these United States of America, elected by we the people, adopted the Lawrence McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapon Elimination Act. I was most proud as your President to sign the McAlister Act into law. As we all also know, the McAlister Act is now the law of the land. We honor our brave former Vice President with this law. Even though there are apparently some, those who are gun-loving radicals, who seem hell bent on violating the McAlister Act, we will soon be a hate weapons free nation. We will enforce this new law. Thank you, Congress. Thank you, ATF. Thank you, peace-loving Americans.

The cheers, routinely expected at Presidential events after a speaking point, were noticeably less than enthusiastic. The President’s mention of the McAlister Act, while quite popular with most of his public employee and labor union audience, lacked support among many in this mountainous part of the country. Some in the crowd had been hunters or sports shooters, but because of McAlister, were now unarmed. The President’s planners knew, of course, that the location for the speech could be somewhat dicey, but concluded that what the President would announce in his speech would win over even some of the disgruntled previous gun owners, particularly if they were unemployed.

“Getting rid of hate weapons is the good news. But, anybody who watches television, listens to talk radio or visits the internet knows that the bad news is that the hate speech portion of the McAlister Act is a very long way from being implemented. Hate speech is destroying America. Let me repeat. As President, I am proclaiming that hate speech is destroying America. It is today’s enemy number one. Too many Americans are abusing their so-called First Amendment rights by using hate speech to attack other Americans, and doing it hatefully.

“A moment ago I mentioned that the McAlister Act was enacted into law by the elected representatives of the people. In addition, the McAlister Act has been confirmed as fully consistent with the Constitution of the United States of America by our nation’s highest Court, the Supreme Court of the United States. Lest anyone incorrectly charge that what I am announcing today violates their First Amendment rights of free speech and free expression, I would remind them that we are a nation of law, and that our Supreme Court has ruled that the McAlister Act does not violate our Constitution, in any way. Hate speech regulation is now legal, and this Administration is committed to implementing hate speech regulation, under the law.

“How will we fight this scourge? What can we do to stop the hateful use of words to attack our public officials and our minorities? As a student of American history it seemed to me that we should reach back in our nation’s proud past and revive a program that was more than successful in helping to cure our nation’s ills. I am referring to the Civilian Conservation Corps, known as the CCC, created by my predecessor, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, under his Executive Order Number 6101. When President Roosevelt was faced with tough economic times he initiated the CCC and, over time, from 1933 to 1942, he hired three million Americans to help build our nation. Today, we don’t have quite the same need as in the 30’s to build physical infrastructure, national parks, roads, and such. But we do have the need to re-build the moral foundations of our land, by ridding our nation of hate speech. Even Republicans should be in favor of that goal.

“Therefore, I am announcing today that I am signing Executive Order Number 13627, re-creating the Civilian Conservation Corps. Its task will be to hire as many American men and women, and young people, as apply and are qualified, to help conserve our land, as its name implies. How will these modern CCC Conservators, as they will be known, work to conserve our nation? They will be trained to help our Administration implement the McAlister Act, by locating hate speech and identifying hate speakers. Once the Conservators have succeeded in doing so, the hate speakers will be charged by the Department of Justice, through our local District Attorneys, with violating the McAlister Act. Just as the CCC rooted out unneeded trees and vegetation that stood in the path of progress in the 30’s, today’s CCC will root out unneeded hate and bigotry that threaten to destroy our nation today. I will shortly send a request to the Congress for legislation that will fund the new CCC. The new CCC will be administered by and under authority of the Department of Homeland Security, and will be trained by its TSA, which now numbers over 50,000 federal employees, working every day to protect traveling Americans.

Several persons in the crowd were seen high-fiving each other, as they realized that they were hearing the President say they could get a job, soon hopefully, and a federal job at that.

“I can already hear the partisan critics of this Administration. They can be expected to object to this plan to employ unemployed Americans. They will say that these newly created jobs are not real jobs, that they don’t involve any meaningful work. Nothing could be further from the truth, as each CCC Conservator will be hard at work in two areas. First, Conservators will help implement the McAlister Act by monitoring the many thousands of public meetings that take place in this country, every morning, daytime and night of every day of the week. As friendly faces, they will attend these public meetings, listening respectfully, making notes on what is said and reporting any overheard hate speech to their superiors for any needed legal action. This will be the ‘Oversight’ aspect of their jobs. Obviously, many hours per week will be required of the Conservators to fulfill this critical aspect of their work.

“Secondly, each Conservator will be trained to train others on proper and civil speech, and how to avoid violating the McAlister Act. I hasten to point out that not every hate speaker will be charged with a felony, especially on their first violation. Identified hate speakers will generally be assigned a CCC Conservator who will work with them to show them how to avoid hate speaking in the future. They will be taught how to refer respectfully to public officials, without verbal attacks. They will receive instruction from their assigned Conservator on how to respect all persons, no matter their race, their sexual orientation or their other differences. This aspect of the job of each CCC Conservator will also obviously require many long hours, fully justifying our nation’s expenditure in their training and wages. Every corps functions best when uniformed, just look at the military and the TSA. Accordingly, each Conservator will be provided with attractive forest green colored uniforms, proudly bearing the official seal of the CCC. The chosen color also bears witness to our Administration’s commitment to a green economy and preserving our environment.

“Lastly, let me just say that I see a bright future for America under the guidance of the new CCC, just as the CCC helped this nation exit the difficult economic times of the Great Depression. Many Americans of note originally worked for the CCC, including Admiral Rickover, pilot Chuck Yeager, actors Robert Mitchum and Walter Matthau and baseball player Stan Musial. The newly re-created CCC should likewise raise up and mentor future Americans of great note and worth to our nation. I fully expect that the CCC will help usher our nation into a joyful, civil and hate-free future. Once the CCC is established, I am sure that there will be many Americans blessed by the program and there will be other important assignments for the many competent and skilled men, women and young people hired by our nation, which only time will reveal the nature of those assignments as we move forward. Moving forward is what this is all about, which is why I am so proud of the Americans who will work together to bless our nation. God bless them and God bless America. Thanks, Asheville. Thanks, North Carolina.”

The combined Asheville area high school bands were cued to launch into Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever, which they did with a crashing flurry, accompanied by the cheers of the assembled thousands, many of whom had just caught a vision for a new job, as a CCC Conservator. It was certainly something for them to cheer about, with real unemployment in their area hovering just over 16%.

FIFTY SEVEN

Billings, Montana

“What kind of name is Gunning?” How many times had Gunning Bedford, Jr. heard this question, as a child, even as an adult? What made the name even more unique was the well-known fact in Montana that Gunning Bedford, Jr. was the organizer and President of Montana Gun Owners for the Second Amendment, Inc. ‘What a great name for a gun supporter’, Gunning had often heard. But, of course, he didn’t select his name. His father had been named Gunning Bedford by his father, because as a student of American history, and a conservative, he admired Gunning Bedford, Jr., a Delaware Delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, where he was an advocate of small states and limited federal government power. Gunning’s dad, unable to think of a better name, bestowed the name of Gunning Bedford, Jr. on his son.

That son, whom many said looked like Gary Cooper, just couldn’t get over his President desecrating, in his view, an iconic American patriot monument at Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts. He had been wrestling for several months, since the McAlister anti-gun bill had been submitted in Congress, with what he should do as a leader in the Montana gun rights movement. Montana had two U.S. Senators, of course, and only one Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. All three, as would be expected, were adamantly against the McAlister Bill, and had given numerous speeches across the State rallying voters. So, there was little more politically they could have done in Montana. Gunning had an internal ‘itching’, he later called it, to do something more, anything, to try and stop Congress from passing the McAlister Bill. But, what could they have done? He had invested hours patiently enduring long meetings, and then more hours of late night meetings with what he affectionately called his ‘posse’, the fellow members of his Montana gun rights organization. They saw the danger coming, they followed the news every day, they knew they could lose their right to keep and bear arms, no matter what the Second Amendment to the Constitution said, but they didn’t know what else they could do.

Some argued for armed resistance. Others cited the Biblical admonition to submit to earthly authorities. Some said that Congress would never pass the bill because the White House didn’t have the votes. Once it passed, others counseled waiting to see if the Supreme Court would overturn McAlister, hoping the high court would find the new law unconstitutional. Then Gunning Bedford, Jr. saw his President desecrate the Minuteman monument at Old North Bridge in Concord, while celebrating the end of the Redemption Period under the anti-gun law. Gunning thought that the official Presidential ceremony at that particular sacred location went too far in rubbing the nose of gun owners in what the government had done to their right to own firearms. Then when the Supreme Court affirmed the Constitutionality of McAlister, a new plan began to emerge. Gunning knew he had to assemble his posse of friends and supporters to talk about it.

FIFTY EIGHT

Springfield, Missouri

When Brock Simpson decided in 1979 where to locate the home office of his newly launched trucking company, he picked Springfield, Missouri. It was about half way between St. Louis and Oklahoma City, so it was perfect, he concluded, for basing his semis. When he made the decision he only had one semi-truck and trailer, but since then had grown to over four hundred and fifty. Simpson Interstate, as he eventually named it, had become a good-sized freight hauling company, with annual gross income that he never would have believed possible back in 1979. Another thing he would not have conceived of when he formed his company was that a government employee could attend a meeting of his company’s Board of Directors.

The green shirted CCC Conservator had arrived at Simpson Interstate’s corporate offices at 8:00 AM. He identified himself to the receptionist. He asked to speak with Brock Simpson prior to the Board meeting to convene at 10 AM, “so that I can let Mr. Simpson know why I’m attending today’s meeting of his Board.” Needless to say, his initial few words created quite a stir at Simpson Interstate, mostly behind closed doors. Brock Simpson’s first reaction was to call in the company’s in house counsel and ask him, “Who the world does this guy think he is? Look on the security monitor. He’s in his nice little green CCC shirt, leafing through our lobby magazines like he has a right to be here. Attend our Board meeting? Is he nuts? This is a private company. We don’t have outside stockholders. I know, I know, I reluctantly took your advice and added some outside Directors, besides the wife and our two sons, but surely that doesn’t open us up to….to….what? I don’t even know what to call this? Governmental inspections, without an appointment? Sticking their nose in our internal management of the….”

“Brock, if you’ll slow up for a minute….I understand why you’re upset….”

“Upset? Upset? I’m not just upset, I’m flamin’ ticked off. I’m not gonna let this CCC jerk in my Board meeting and that’s that. He can set in the lobby all day as far as I’m concerned.”

“Brock, I’m not arguing with you at this point. That may be what we do. But first, I’m going out and talk to this guy and see what he’s got loaded in his barrel. If its spit wads, that’s one thing. We tell him to pound sand. On the other hand, if it’s a 10 gauge magnum shell, well….we’ll just have to see. I’ll be right back after I find out what we’re up against.”

Brock’s Counsel returned from the lobby within seconds bearing a document that neither one of them wanted to read.  It was a letter addressed to CEO Brock Simpson of Simpson Interstate, dated yesterday and signed by a Deputy Attorney General of the United States of America, whose office was in Washington, DC. The letter advised CEO Simpson that the bearer of the letter was none other than a duly authorized Conservator attached to the Civilian Conservation Corps who had been tasked by his office to pay a visit to his company and to set in on his Company’s Board meeting, which he understood was being held on that day. That was the good part of the letter. The ominous words were found in its second paragraph which read:

The above designated CCC Conservator is specifically instructed at said meeting of your company’s Board of Directors to record the proceedings, make notes and to obtain copies of all documents considered or reviewed by the Board at said meeting. This is all by way of further advising this office as to the legal basis for its bringing any appropriate charges against the company. Those charges, by way of explanation, but not limitation, could arise from observed violations by your company of the Lawrence McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapons Elimination Act. Placement of printed negative attacks against public officials on your company’s over the road vehicles may constitute violation of said Act, and you are advised accordingly.

If any effort should be made to prevent or impede attendance at your Board meeting by the designated CCC Conservator, this office is prepared to immediately take the appropriate legal steps to require compliance with this demand. You are so advised.

The rough and tumble trucking industry was well suited for the likes of Brock Simpson. He didn’t get to where he was in the trucking business by being a wuss. Brock Simpson lacked formal education beyond high school, but had acquired more street smarts than the average business executive. At six foot and just over two hundred and sixty pounds he would, without too much provocation, yank off his jacket, roll up his sleeves and prepare to duke it out, if necessary. Though he was in his sixties, he still didn’t shy away from a fight. On the other hand, his in-house counsel, who was also his favorite nephew, generally could get his attention when it came to legal matters. He could instill a calming influence, largely because he had been right so often in the past and saved Brock Simpson many thousands of dollars over the years. A calming influence, however, was not what his counsel/nephew was having on Brock Simpson at this point in time.

“I don’t care what the Attorney General, or his Deputy, or any other of his lackeys threaten me with….I’m not gonna do it. They can throw me in jail….I’m not letting this green-shirted government snoop attend my Board meeting. Not….happening. Got it? Go back out and tell him it will take more than an eight and a half by eleven inch white sheet of paper to get him or any other government goon into my company’s Board meetings. That’s settled.”

After trying to reason with his uncle/client/employer, Brock Simpson’s nephew/counsel/employee had not changed his mind. He realized he needed to bring in additional firepower, so he convinced his client to speak with the Washington, DC law firm the company used on occasion on federal regulatory issues. That conversation only took twenty minutes, during which Brock Simpson was convinced that he had no choice, he had to allow his uninvited visitor to attend today’s Board meeting. He didn’t like it, but he liked the possible penalties and repercussions even less.

Because of all that had taken place the Meeting of the nine members of the Board of Directors of Simpson Interstate convened late. Brock Simpson called the meeting to order. “OK, we’re convened for our monthly Board meeting. Uh….I think….uh….by now….you’ve probably all been told that we have an uninvited visitor here today from the CCC. I’ve been told to make no comments about this matter…. to just allow him to set in and record the meeting if he wants…..”

“Mr. Simpson,” the CCC Conservator interrupted, “I am recording this meeting….every…. word….spoken….Thank you.”

Brock Simpson’s face flushed as he fought down the impulse to throw his government visitor through the plate glass window that looked out over the company parking lot. His nephew seated next to him gently squeezed his uncle’s arm. He leaned over and whispered, “Brock, don’t let him get you mad, that’s apparently what he wants. He’s probably been told you have a short fuse.”

Brock Simpson waited until he could calm down. He was on medication to control his occasional heart arrhythmia, but he knew that stress like this meeting could cause erratic heart pulse, in spite of his meds. He told himself that this was not worth a stroke or a heart attack. Just as quickly, he thought that if defending everything he’d fought for years isn’t worth blowing out a heart valve, what is? Nevertheless, after swallowing most of a 16 ounce bottle of water, he moved on.

“Let’s look at this month’s agenda that Sharon put together for us. Thanks, Sharon, you always do a great job. The first item on the agenda is a review of last month’s gross billings, returns and gross expen….”

“Excuse me, Mr. Simpson. Don’t mean to interrupt….but….We have an item that we have been asked to bring up at today’s Board meeting that appears to take precedence over the items listed on your agenda.”

“Stop….STOP…. First of all, who is the ‘we’ that you speak of? Secondly, what makes you think that you can control what we do as a Board at our meeting? Thirdly, what makes you think you can decide what takes….what was your word….precedence? Over our agenda items? I’ve just about had enough of this….”

“If I may respond, Mr. Simpson. The ‘we’ you asked about is the government of the United States of America, for whom I work. The importance of what I have been asked to raise at today’s Board meeting is simply this. This company has a pattern and practice of displaying words, slogans, catchy phrases, if you will, on the rear-end of its many semi-trailers. Those words are seen by potentially millions of Americans as they drive our nation’s highways.”

“So? Now you’re gonna tell us what we can paint on our own trucks? Is that this is all about? A few funny phrases that your bosses in DC may not like? This is flat ridicu….”

“Many motorists, Mr. Simpson, have been offended by your latest ‘funny phrase’, as you put it. How does it go? Oh, wait, I can read it on the back of that semi-trailer parked out there in the lot, WHAT DO THE PRESIDENT AND KARL MARX HAVE IN COMMON? You think that’s a ‘funny phrase’ Mr. Simpson? Members of the Board?

“And what about the ‘funny phrases’ used in the Presidential election? IF WE GIVE HIM A SECOND TERM, AMERICA WON’T HAVE A SECOND CHANCE.  Or, JANUARY 20 - THE END OF AN ERROR. Or, ONE AND DONE. Or what about the phrase you used earlier in the midst of the stimulus fight, DON’T TELL THE PRESIDENT WHAT’S AFTER A TRILLION. Care to justify any of these? Anyone?”

Brock Simpson’s wife, Delilah, had labored along with her husband in building their company. Though short in stature, she was not known to be a quiet or reserved person. She couldn’t restrain herself and jumped in, “Mister whatever your name is….let me tell you this….this is our company. We will put what we want to on our trucks, as long as it’s not profanity, of course. So you can just….”

“Mrs. Simpson, not to interrupt, but that’s the whole point of the McAlister Act. You can’t negatively attack public officials. That’s a use of hate words. If hate words are used, the government can levy substantial fines, or as you may know, criminal charges can be filed. What this company appears to have done is use hate words on its trucks, in violation of the law.”

The company’s counsel interjected, “We don’t agree that they’re hate words or that they are illegal in any way, but McAlister wasn’t effective in earlier years, nor in the recent election cycle. So there could be no liability for….”

“We’ll let the Department of Justice lawyers figure all that out, counsel. But, there’s no question, in our opinion, that the words I am reading on your truck as we sit in this conference room today are hate words, they violate the McAlister Act and your company should be fined in a large enough amount to make you stop violating the law. If that won’t work, then stiffer penalties can be filed, as we all know. I don’t have anything else really to say, except that I see looking down to item six on your agenda that there is this entry, DISCUSSION OF IDIOTIC TRUCKING REGULATORY CHANGES PROPOSED BY THE WHITE HOUSE.

“That could easily be construed to be hate words, calling the nations’ CEO an idiot, and also in violation of the McAlister Act. You can be sure I’ll include that in my report and recommendations to the DOJ….I’m done. I just hope this company, after it is penalized, sees the light and decides to comply with today’s laws. It’s not 1979 anymore folks. This is a new era.”

After the CCC Conservator left the room, Brock Simpson said, “I think what he should have said is that we’re living in a new error. Who would have ever thought it would come to this? God have mercy on us.”

FIFTY NINE

Helena, Montana – Montana State House

His somewhat worn and tarnished badge said MONTANA STATE HOUSE SECURITY. His hair was white and his shoulders were slightly sloped. His uniform appeared to have been originally purchased for a larger man. Once he reached retirement age, he had been assigned the weekend shift so he could supplement his social security income. The elderly guard preferred the weekend shift because his childhood sweetheart bride had passed on, which left his Saturdays and Sundays empty and lonely. The weekend shift this time of year was notorious for inducing sleep, as the legislature wasn’t meeting and State employed bureaucrats didn’t generally work outside of Monday through Friday. He was armed, but he had not been to a firing range for several years.

There are several entry doors to the Montana State House. After 9/11 it was decided that foot traffic into the building should be limited to two doors, one for the general public, with metal detectors, and one coming from the closest parking lot limited to government officials and employees, with appropriate ID. On the weekend, the general access door was padlocked. Anyone wishing to enter the State House had to access the building through the officials’ door, showing their ID to the aged security guard. The guard was well known to anyone with an ID, and he was always good for a friendly welcome to the Capitol building.

Gunning Bedford, Jr. had earlier confirmed State House weekend security details with a member of his association who was employed in the Montana State Treasurer’s office. He knew that their occupation of the State House would be opposed by a single aged security guard. What to do with the guard during their building occupation was a question that occupied no small amount of planning. Eventually, Gunning’s posse of ten, nine men and Betty Jean representing the female gun owners of the State, decided to place the guard in a room with a member assigned who would keep watch on him and provide food during the occupation. Their plans for the guard were based on the assumption that he wouldn’t have a heart attack when he first realized what was happening.

Doug and his son, recently returned from a stint with the military in Afghanistan, had volunteered to enter the State House and disable the guard. At 9 PM on Friday night the two, wearing small back packs, both dressed in plaid shirts and blue jeans, walked up the steps of the entry limited to employees. They slowly pushed open the large carved wooden door. They were greeted by the smiling elderly guard who said, “Howdy, gents, what brings you to the State House this late on a Friday night?”

The visitors to the State House smiled back and Doug said, “Well, ol’ partner, we’re actually here about the anti-gun bill, don’t ya know.”

“Wrong place gents, you need to go a little east of here, over to DC and talk to those boy geniuses. Nobody in this building, far as I can tell, supports taking away our guns.”

As Doug was talking with the guard, his son slowly edged to his right side, then with a swift move placed one hand on the guard’s holstered gun, and his other hand on the guard’s arm.

The move took the veteran security employee by surprise, “Whoa, watcha doing there, son?”

Doug moved to the guard’s other side, securing his left arm. “Sorry, ol’ partner, but we’re going to have to ask you to relax and enjoy the next few hours. We’re here to make a statement against taking away our guns, not to do you any harm. You’ll be fine. We have some food for you and we’ll find an office here with a TV, and maybe a coach, so you can be as comfortable as possible. I’m going to put these zip cuffs on you, with your hands in front, real loose, so you’ll be comfortable and can even feed yourself.”

“Well, boys, I sure hope you know whatcha doin’. You might have a good message, can’t say I disagree with ya, but you’ll go to jail, sure as shootin’.”

Doug pushed the send button on his cell phone, signaling his compatriots that it was safe to follow their path into the building. They were quick to respond and pushed through the now cleared entry door, carrying several containers with firearms, food and communication devices. Within minutes the building’s guard, with his new unofficial guard, were secured in a room off of the legislative chambers. The others decided to scout out the Rotunda and halls of the building to determine the best location for their media event, the areas that might be breached if an assault were to occur and the area from which seven of them planned to escape late Sunday night.

After some deliberation, Gunning made the final decision that the media event would take place in the Rotunda, the circular area in the middle of the State House, supporting the Capitol dome. They opened the communication case and proceeded to hook up a television camera that would broadcast their occupation message to the world via You-Tube. A large yellow Don’t Tread on Me flag was unfurled and secured to the wall in the Rotunda. The flag, which portrayed a coiled rattle snake, was the first flag carried into battle by the Continental Marines in the Revolutionary War. Mark and Doug, along with Doug’s son, planned to stand, with their firearms, in front of the historical flag, and deliver their attention-grabbing message. The video picture would show a number of Montanans willing to risk their freedom to stand up for their freedom to keep and bear arms. The stage would soon be set.

SIXTY

CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS

CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM

FROM: CCC CONSERVATOR DON OWEN

Badge Number CCC-45683

SUBJECT: Surveillance of SIMPSON INTERSTATE, INC.

and Recommendations for Fines/Charges

Summary of Surveillance  - This Conservator was tasked by directive of DAG Scott to attend a monthly Board of Directors meeting of SIMPSON INTERSTATE, INC. based in Springfield, Mo. See the corporate jacket for details concerning this mid-sized interstate freight hauling company.

Upon my appearance at the corporate offices, without advance notice, of course, I was initially rebuffed by employees of the company. Once I presented the directive letter from our DAG, I was eventually allowed to attend the Board meeting. It started late. Present were all nine Directors, which includes the founder and CEO, Brock Simpson, his wife Delilah, and two sons.

To say that the meeting was contentious would be an understatement. Things did not go well as soon as I raised issues with slogans and phrases placed on Simpson trucks over the last three years. They don’t have even an elementary understanding of the McAlister Act’s restrictions on negative attacks on public officials, in my opinion. If not significantly fined, or worse, I don’t think the company will ever come into compliance with McAlister. The company’s CEO, Brock Simpson, and his wife, Delilah, were both in my face and refused to take instruction on how to meet the requirements of the law. They also had an agenda item that referred to the President as an “idiot”, or words to that effect.

Recommendations – Accordingly, I would recommend as follows:

A. Levy a maximum fine on the company for its current violation of the hate speech law based on words currently being carried on some of their trucks (see transcript of surveillance meeting for details). I would suggest fining them $250,000 per day of violation, or $50,000 per truck, whichever is determined to be greater. The company will hire DC counsel, of course, to fight the fines, but legal fees alone will quickly run them over $500,000. That should shut down any more anti-administration slogans on their trucks. Brock and Delilah, you should have listened.

B. Speaking of the two principals of SIMPSON INTERSTATE, INC., if they decide to make a public fight over the fines, which they may well do, based on what I witnessed, I would strongly suggest sending a referral for criminal charges for violation of McAlister to the DOJ for both Simpsons, and maybe the entire Board, though I know that if more people are indicted that raises some enhanced proof of involvement issues. If Mrs. Simpson is facing charges, I suspect that Mr. Simpson will fold his tent, and do anything he can to protect his wife. Charges should only be filed if they decide to take us on, but if they do, we should not hesitate to end the fight quickly by filing criminal charges. Word of the Simpson Interstate fines will spread fast and shut up the other companies that like to use their trucks as traveling billboards for anti-Administration diatribes. It’s time to get this done.

SIXTY ONE

Helena, Montana – Montana State House

“The best laid plans of mice and men oft times go astray.” (Robert Burns)

“No OPLAN ever survives initial contact.”  (Murphy’s Law on Military        Action)

Friday night at the Montana State House was quiet. Gunning’s posse bedded down in various rooms, so as not to all be in one vulnerable location. They didn’t think there was much of a chance that anyone would want to visit the State House on Friday night, and that assumption proved to be correct. Saturday came early. Betty Jean had prepared java and her famous breakfast sandwiches. Using the Governor’s private galley to prepare the food was a special treat for her. The group’s plan was to send an e-blast notice of their occupation of the State House to media in Helena and other Montana cities at 8 AM. At the same time they planned to e-blast all of the national networks, cable outlets, the large metropolitan newspapers that were still in business and the Associated Press. The text of the e-blast read:

URGENT NOTICE TO MEDIA – A newly organized association of American gun owners opposed to the new federal anti-gun law has today occupied the Montana State House. Mark Cimarron, a leader of the group, announced that several owners of firearms, all residents of Montana, peacefully entered the State House on Friday night. No one in security was injured and are being well cared for during the occupation. The Montanans in the State House are all armed as a visible demonstration of their strong opposition to the federal law which prohibits private ownership of firearms. The occupiers of the Montana State House assure all law enforcement authorities that they will not use their firearms, as their occupation of the government building is a peaceful protest. A video statement by leaders of the occupying group of gun owners will be made available on YouTube at 10 AM this day – click on Montana State House Occupation.

At 9:30 AM, Mark, Doug and Doug’s son recorded their statement for posting and viewing at 10 AM. Mark spoke first.

“After the United States Constitution was approved, Samuel Adams said ‘The Constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms.’ What America has witnessed instead is a panicked seizure of our Constitutional right to keep and bear arms. This Congress has proven Samuel Adams to be wrong – this Congress has construed our Constitution to prevent the people from keeping their own arms. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have bowed to our tyrannical government and given up their arms. But, they didn’t do so voluntarily. Our fellow Americans only gave up their arms under the ominous threat of prison. No free nation should so threaten its own people. Another Founding Father, George Mason, said, ‘To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them’. As free American citizens, peaceable American citizens, we are serving notice today that we will not be enslaved.”

Doug spoke next. His comments were video recorded immediately after Mark’s. He had been warned by those who knew him and who knew that he could sometimes lose his self-control to watch his words. He silently told himself to be calm and to not lose his easily lost temper. His son placed his arm on his dad’s shoulder, as a comfort, and so he could exert some unseen pressure if his dad lost control.

“I’m carrying my firearm today in this official building as an uninvited visitor for just one reason. We are occupying this State House this weekend to demonstrate to those Americans who may think that we are no longer the home of the brave, that there are still Americans who are willing to risk jail, or worse, to advance freedom. If the federal government wants to take my firearm away from me, let them come here to the Rotunda of this building, and pry it away from my cold, dead fingers. I will never willingly surrender my weapon with which I can defend my family. If necessary, I’ll use my fire….”. Doug’s son thought he knew what was coming next, a threat by his dad to use his gun, so he gently squeezed his shoulder. Doug got it, so he wrapped up his statement, “….uh, that is, nobody wants to use their firearm, unless we have to. What needs to be done? We strongly urge the Congress that just barely passed the McAlister Anti-Gun Law, to repeal the law, and restore freedom in this nation. That’s all I’ve got to say, though what I just said probably violates the anti-free speech part of the new law. So be it, I’m still a free man, freely speaking my mind. God bless America.”

Doug’s son, still bearing his military close shaven haircut, and by far the youngest of the occupiers, was brief, “I agree with my dad, and Mark and the other brave men and women who are standing up for our Second Amendment rights. I didn’t fight in Afghanistan to preserve American freedoms, just to come back home and witness those rights being taken away from us. That’s it.”

The camera was turned off. The recorded segment was uploaded just before 10 AM as a YouTube segment. Over the next few weeks, the segment became the website’s most viewed, as millions clicked in to see the historic video.

The group’s two hour advance notice to the media, was a wise move, as most media do not staff heavily on Saturdays or Sundays. Two hours was enough time to call in the major network and cable talking heads, and many prime time commentators. When the video went up on YouTube, America’s media were ready. Within a short time, the various media outlets had aired and re-aired the recorded video from Helena, each overlaid with varying news story headlines:

CBS NEWS

MONTANA REBELLION

NBC NEWS

MOUNTAIN INSURRECTION

CNN

RADICAL GUNNERS IN THE CROSSHAIRS

FOX

MODERN DAY PATRIOTS FIGHT BACK

New York Times

Gun Rights Leaders Grab Control

Of Montana State House in Helena

Federal Troops Called up by White House

SIXTY TWO

Helena, Montana – State Capitol Grounds

Colonel Carlos Jimenez was not happy about his unit’s call up to Helena. As an Army officer, of course, he did what he was ordered to do, but that didn’t mean that he had to like it. When he was handed his squad’s mobilization order his first question to his CO was what the blank was the Army doing involved in a domestic disturbance? Didn’t the Montana State Police know how to handle trouble makers in their State? How about the Helena Police Department? And above all these issues, what about posse comitatus? His questions were ignored.

Why are we here, Colonel Jimenez asked himself? Why are we entrenched in front of the Montana State House? As a soldier, he found it very difficult to support the concept of taking away firearms from civilians. Worse yet, if his command structure wanted his unit to actually take down the occupiers of the Montana State House, that was a problem. His stated Rules of Engagement, which he was assured came from the highest levels of command and control, were to shoot to kill, if necessary. He knew what he was being ordered to do, but he wrestled with the idea of firing on his fellow Americans, especially, he thought, when you agree with their cause.

As Saturday dawned, Gunning’s group quickly became aware that the building was now surrounded, not by State Troopers, but by federal troops. Gunning called his posse together and gave them the bad news.

“I’m not going to try and dress this up in any way. We have a significant problem. Believe it or not, we’ve got a front plaza full of U.S. soldiers. They didn’t come here to congratulate us on our protest. Looks like the Administration has decided to nip protests like ours in the bud. Even if they might side with us, they’ve got to do what the command and control structure tells them to do, including taking us all out. We are in deep doo-doo, to put it mildly.

“I’m open to ideas, but this changes our plans. When we thought we might be faced with some Montana State Troopers, most of whom are with us, many of whom we would probably know, that was an acceptable confrontation. But, armed soldiers? Hello. Whose brilliant idea was it to call up the Army, for just a simple civil protest? They didn’t bring in the military when those leftist occupation crazies took over the government buildings in Portland and burnt City Hall.”

Betty Jean was known for being practical and hard-headed. She had managed dozens of Forest Rangers through the years, a group known for their independent approach to life. She had been the member of the occupying group who was most concerned about their exit strategy, worrying that if anything could go wrong, it would. She differed with Gunning’s description of what they were doing as a simple civil protest.

“Look, Gunning, you know I love you to death, but this is not simple, it’s really not very civil, since we’re armed, and it’s certainly a cut above a protest. A protest is marching with a sign on the sidewalk outside an abortion clinic, which many of us have done at one time or another. What we are doing here is seizing the seat of the government of our State. I’m not shocked that the White House rolled out the Army. They’ve got to stop gun owning America from anything else even remotely like what we’re doing. If we succeed in what we are trying to do, there will be copy-cat actions all over the country. They don’t have a choice. Stop the gun owners in Helena or face them in Nashville and Phoenix and Baton Rouge and maybe even at Concord Bridge, again.

“What we’ve got to decide, and I mean decide now, is whether we fold up this little weekend outing, turn in our guns, say we’re sorry, we was just a funnin’, or, stick with the plan, make our point, then most of us adios, except for Mark, Doug and his son, who will be left to take the heat.”

Doug jumped in with both feet, “What? What are you saying, Betty Jean? Are you seriously suggesting that we just give up and turn in our guns? I’ll never, under any circum….”

“Stop, Doug, stop. I’m just saying that the game has changed. We’re not up against Trooper Barney Fife and his buddies, guys who would treat us decent. We’re lookin’ down the gun barrels of people who are trained to kill. These guys aren’t here to make nice. I’m frankly surprised that they haven’t breached the entrance doors already. There’s nothing stopping them, and when they do, we’re toast.

“I suggest that Doug, his son and I go out on that balcony or parapet, whatever it’s called, now, like we talked before, and essentially give you cover, while you are exiting. We’ll say some appropriate words, read some freedom quotes and attract the attention of the media. After a decent interval, we’ll lay down our guns on the Don’t Tread on Me flag, surrender and face the inevitable music.”

The balcony was on the third floor of the Romanesque building, under the Capitol dome, facing Lockey Avenue. It was mounted so that the columns on the front of the building partially shielded the parapet and the overhang of the entrance structure shadowed it so that it was not well illuminated by normal daylight. It had only been used infrequently, almost always for a swearing in, usually of the Governor of Montana, if the weather allowed. Mark, Doug and his son decided that to maximize the cover they would send an e-blast message advising the media that they were about to make a public statement, and designating the exterior parapet as the location. Just before they opened the glass and walnut doors to the balcony, they could tell that the digital heads-up had worked, as the area at the base of the building was filled with cameras and reporters. They also noticed that the soldiers had moved their emplacements to within about a hundred feet from the building.

The three’s only disagreement, right before they walked onto the building’s balcony, was whether they should carry their weapons onto the balcony with them. Mark was concerned, suggesting that they leave their arms inside, since the video already showed that they were carrying arms. Doug disagreed, and disagreed strongly enough, that Mark gave in. They then walked out on the balcony, each carrying his own rifle. Mark carried his Winchester 30-30 lever action rifle vertically, with the barrel lying up against his right shoulder. Doug carried his Marlin Model 3630 with both hands, the barrel pointed straight forward. Doug’s son carried his Smith & Wesson M&P15T rifle pointed straight down, as he had been trained in the military.

After Mark, Doug and his son, all armed, walked onto the parapet, Mark began to speak.

“As we said in our video, we are here today to protest the federal government’s attempt to take away our right to own firearms to protect ourselves. Thomas Jefferson once made a statement….”

Colonel Jimenez interrupted with a barked command on his bullhorn, which echoed off of the limestone building, “Lay down your weapons. Now. Lay down your weapons, or we will be forced to….”

Mark, ignoring the warnings, plunged ahead with his statement, referring to his notes, “As I said, Thomas Jefferson once made a statement about firearms that directly applies to our protest today at the Montana State Capitol. Jefferson said, ‘The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government’.” Our protest at the State House today is truly a last resort, and it’s a protest, in fact, against a tyrannical government that has passed laws to take our firearms away from us, even though our Constitution prohibits the government from doing so.”

Colonel Jimenez, following standard firefight protocol when faced with an armed potential adversary, snapped out on his command com system to his squad, “Weapons up….Acquire targets….Hold….Hold….Hold”

Later video showed that Mark’s rifle fell forward at that point, into a firing position. It was unclear whether it slipped forward and he grabbed it, resulting in it being in a firing position, or he intentionally moved it. No one will ever know, as the moment two of the protestors had soldiers in their firing zone, Colonel Carlos Jimenez gave an order that he felt he had to give, though his guts wrenched as he did so, “Take your shots….Confirmed….Take your shots….Ahw, doggone it.” Mark and Doug entered eternity due to clean mid head shots. As Doug fell, his weapon discharged, whether intentionally or not, also never to be known, sending a bullet through the upper arm of an Army private who was at the farthest edge of their emplacement. Doug’s son dropped his weapon and fell to the balcony floor for cover. As he dived for cover, a bullet shattered part of his lower jaw. Gunning and the others with him, not yet knowing the fate of their three friends, surrendered by holding their arms above their heads and slowly walked out the 6th Avenue Capitol exit doors, on the opposite side of the building. They did not yet know that they would each soon be charged with conspiracy to commit murder of a federal employee, assault on a federal employee and threatening a federal employee with a firearm. What CNBC called ‘The Montana Armed Insurrection’ was over.

SIXTY THREE

INTERNAL MEMO

SIMPSON INTERSTATE, INC.

TO: VALUED EMPLOYEES-SIMPSON INTERSTATE, INC.

FROM: BROCK SIMPSON

SUBJECT: CORPORATE CHANGES – OWNERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

As many of know, we have been visited recently by an agent of the federal government. We didn’t invite him. He just showed up. Why was he here? Not for what you might think. It is well known in the trucking industry that our government, federal, state and local, highly regulates what we do and how we do it. Drivers, vehicles, hours of operation, charges, weights, use of electronic devices, hazardous materials, intermodal equipment, logbooks, visor cards, emissions, etc., etc., etc.

I’m become somewhat accustomed to federal regulations, however, but what I will never get used to is the government telling me what I can paint on my trucks. As long, as it’s not obscene, what right does the government have to tell Brock Simpson what I can place on Simpson Interstate trucks? Well, that’s the unanswered question after we were visited by a “CCC Conservator” a couple-three weeks ago. You know these green-shirted guys and gals, you’ve seen them on the streets and in the malls, I hear they’re even in our churches. Now they even come to private companies’ board meetings.

They think they can enforce that new so-called anti-hate speech and so-called anti-hate weapon bill, by just their word alone. If they don’t like my words, or the words on my company’s trucks, they supposedly can just tell me and I’ve got to do what they say. If they don’t like my words they can fine me and my company a gazillion dollars. If I fight the fines, well, that will cost me another gazillion dollars paid to my lawyers. Great system, hunh?

What if my independent American spirit tells me that I won’t do it? What if I tell them to get lost, I’m not paying their exorbitant fines and I’m not changing my words on my trucks? That’s where it gets really frightening. If I don’t pay, and I fight them, they can file criminal charges and try to imprison me, or my board members (including my dear wife and sons). All just because they don’t like what they call “negative attacks on public officials”. What a load of baloney (my wife cleaned this part of my memo up).

So, why I am I writing you, the employees who have made this company a success through the years? You deserve to know that I just signed a Letter of Intent to sell Simpson Interstate to a Minnesota freight company that’s slightly bigger than we are. I asked for job security, as much as one can expect in today’s market, for those of you who have been with me for five years or more. The final contract will spell it all out, but it looks like that part of the deal will be included. I’m telling you this now because word of this sale will leak, it always does, and I don’t want our best people jumping ship. It looks like most of you will be OK with the new owners, and not too much should change.

One quite obvious change, of course, will be that the Simpson family will no longer be running the store. We’ll miss you all, and we’ll never forget how hard you all worked to put us where we are today. Do I have to sell? No. I could stay and fight. I thought long and hard about doing just that. Most of you know I hate to lose and I don’t give up. Like Churchill said, right? “Never, never, never give up.”

But, Winston, sometimes you gotta decide what’s most important in life. When my attorney told me that my wife, Delilah, who is a company officer and director as you may know, could be charged with crimes for what I put on my trucks, I knew I could never live with myself if I let that happen. So, Mr. President and your fellow bureaucrats, you win. No more words you don’t like on our trucks, which will now belong to a company that fully understands what they won’t be allowed to do, after our experience.

What are we going to do now? I’ve located a medium sized trucking company in New Zealand for sale at a decent price. I understand that they speak a form of the English language there, that the people are great and that the nation believes in free enterprise. I’m looking forward to it. Come visit us and the Kiwis. See ya all down the road! Brock (and Delilah)

SIXTY FOUR

Journal Entry / Letter from Jail

To know Ralph Snyder is to love him. Sort of. I think.

Why the ambivalence you might ask? Good question.

Ralph is now one of my best friends, but it wasn’t always that way. As I mentioned earlier, as you know, journal (they say you’ve been in stir too long when you start conversing with inanimate objects, like diaries and journals), I met Ralph at that Rotary meeting where I met Fred Rose, who wasted no time introducing me to the Lord. Fred invited me to his Bible Study and Ralph asked me to attend an organizing event, the same week, for a new political organization in east Texas. I’d never heard of a tea party, except the obvious ones, like tea and crumpets with the Queen, or with the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.

I soon found out at the meeting held at the American Legion Hall that crumpets were not what they had in mind. No, but they were interested in hot water. But not for brewing anything, except exit parties for the politicians who were increasingly getting our country into the soup. How’s that, journal, for a mangled mixed metaphor? (Another sign of slammer fatigue is laughing at your own pitiful jokes.) Well, you get the idea. There were about twenty or so east Texans there and I can quite honestly say these folks were the most serious people I had met in a long time. I don’t mean that in a negative way. They had a sense of humor, they recognized what they were up against, but they were obviously willing to sacrifice, really sacrifice, their own time and treasure to try and rescue the nation before it was destroyed by people without any apparent self-control when it came to sound fiscal public policy. Serious folks.

Ralph, as it turned out, was the main instigator of that organizational meeting. He called the meeting to order and simply stated that America was on an unsustainable path to destruction of its currency, its economy and our way of life. He said that since the dollar is no longer the world’s reserve currency, the price of about everything has shot up. He told us that China owned the U.S., because it was buying billions of dollars of our debt. He said that almost 40% of what Americans spent every year in goods and services is subsidized by other nations or the Fed picking up our debt instruments. He asked what will happen when they open the bond window some day at the U.S. Treasury and no nation wants to buy any American debt?

Others added additional horror stories of excessive federal debt and spending on all manner of wasteful and frivolous projects. One lady said she didn’t think being in debt 16 trillion dollars plus is what any of the founders of America conceivably thought the central government would ever be doing, even adjusted for inflation. Which is another point someone made. He said that since the time that Congress created the Federal Reserve System, which is owned by private banks, and allowed it to issue the official U.S. currency, the value of that currency, due to inflation, has fallen by more than 95%. Not a very good record of accomplishment, we all agreed.

Once we had gotten our concerns off our chests, Ralph asked who was willing to actually do something about it. Everybody there raised their hands and the tea party movement in east Texas was born. I guess I may have mouthed off more than my share, because when it came time to organize formally, I got elected President of our east Texas group. Well, it didn’t take long for other tea party organizations to spring up across the State of Texas. Then, Ralph coordinated a meeting in Austin of the leaders of the various local tea party groups.

By the end of the week end we had a full-fledged state-wide tea party organization. Yup, journal, you guessed it, yours truly running my mouth again, I ended up as Co-Chairman of the State Tea Party group. I wouldn’t be using a stainless steel toilet today if I had managed to miss that Austin organizational meeting, which eventually led to my late October political speech, oops, wrong title evidently, as the President and half of DC call it my Austin Hate Speech.

But that speech was no such thing. I still marvel at how I can be an enemy of the state for engaging in political dialogue about issues of the day. But, of course, almost all political prisoners could say the same thing, whether they are imprisoned in China or Cuba or the Sudan or any number of nations that allow speech suppression. We all got this elevated status by saying what we think, when what we think wasn’t acceptable to the powers that be.

So, how did I get here? Whenever Ralph visits me, which is as often as he is able with his busy schedule, I remind him that I’m here because of him. We both get a good chuckle out of it. We like to spend time trading jail house humor. Ralph told me once he had seen a sign on a bail bond agency on the way to my prison that said, “We’ll Get You Out of Jail, If It Takes Twenty Years”. One of my favorites was about the dad who wrote his inmate son and said he didn’t have anyone to till the garden now that his son was in jail. His son wrote back and said ‘don’t do that dad, that’s where I buried the bodies’. The prison censors read the letter and alerted the local police who dug up the garden trying to find the bodies, which didn’t exist. His son then wrote his dad, and said, ‘that’s the best I could do from here, Dad, enjoy your garden.’

Most prison humor, I’m sorry to say, isn’t that clean. Things can get out of hand in a setting like this, and this is one of the better federal prisons.

So, if you go to a Rotary meeting and meet two guys for the first time, one may lead you to the gates of heaven, but one may lead you to the gates of the slammer. You just never know. Any way, if you get to read this someday, Fred and Ralph, love you both. You’re my buddies, you’re my pals.

SIXTY FIVE

Letter from Prison - Journal Entry

I’ve learned in the slammer that news among inmates travels at warp speed, particularly if it involves criminal acts on the outside. Professional curiosity, perhaps? Thus it didn’t take long after the Montana Standoff, as I preferred to call it, ended in a blaze of gunfire that we all heard about through the prison grapevine. Normally, we didn’t have daytime access to a television in my wing of the federal prison, but for some reason, the word was passed down, and the guards let us go to the rec room to watch the coverage. Once I saw what happened at Helena I figured they were eager to have us watch, particularly me I think, as a political prisoner. They wanted me to see that resistance to the federal government was futile. That the feds would always win, always.

I don’t know Gunning Bedford, Jr., nor any of the other occupiers of the Montana State House. Never met any of them, but I certainly admired their guts for being willing to make a statement. Should they have carried guns with them out on the balcony? Undoubtedly, no. That was a tactical error that cost two of them their lives. The media reports on the recently retired soldier who was shot in the jaw weren’t very good, though he will live, they said. Hindsight is always really good, so we all know that they should have released their video, left their guns on the Colonial flag in the building, and turned themselves in for short stints in the vertical bars Hilton.

My heart sunk when I watched, and re-watched, the video of three brave men paying a very high price to assert their American right to keep and bear arms. The media were apparently prevented from interviewing the soldiers, but the video clip showing a Colonel throwing up behind his transport vehicle told me all I needed to know about his view of what he felt he was ordered to do.

Except for Fox News, I didn’t see any other media question the use of the military in a domestic peacekeeping capacity. Fox’s White House guy, whom I think is smart and also tough, insisted at the White House media briefing that the President’s Press Secretary answer his question on what looked like a violation of the posse comitatus statute. The President’s press guy hemmed and hawed, then, looking at his briefing notes, referred the media to an Order signed by the Secretary of Defense, supposedly several days ago. The Fox guy said, well, that’s nice, but what does it say? Again, he answered with his nose buried in his notes, like he didn’t want to look anybody in the eye. He then mumbled that the SecDef, government-speak for the Secretary of Defense, had withdrawn a prior SecDef Order that had applied the posse comitatus statute, but without explaining what it did.

I almost fell out of my metal prison folding chair. Say what? With the stroke of a pen it’s okay, it’s legal, to use one branch of the military in internal domestic US disturbances? The Fox guy, likewise, was visibly taken aback, and blurted out something like, “Are you serious, Mike? Are you saying that the Act of Congress in the 1800’s has now been withdrawn by the Pentagon? What a crock of”…..or he said something like that. The President’s Press guy, nodded his head, mumbled something else we couldn’t quite hear, and said the news conference was over, and walked out.

Normally, that kind of performance would have guaranteed massive media reaction. But, as I wrote above, only Fox ran in a big way with the story. The lame stream media, that is the main stream media, almost totally spiked the story. Totally. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why. If the peasants and the hay shakers out in the boondocks figure out that this White House is abusing its power, they might pick up their pitch forks (they don’t have any guns anymore, right?) and march on Washington. Take the place over. Can’t have that, so they try to make it “legal” (I write the word in this letter/journal in quotes) for the military to be used against American citizens.

Who will oppose it, even if they know about it? The military won’t object, they are under command and control from the Commander In Chief. The Department of Justice won’t object, same basic reason, it’s what the boss wants. Any private citizen would have his law suit tossed by the federal district court judge who would rule that the citizen lacks what the lawyers call ‘standing’, that is, no basis to be in court. Congress could expand the statute, but that’s not going to happen, with control of both Houses by the President’s party. So, my fellow American citizens (I write hoping that some will eventually read these words) you are no longer living in the land of the free. Your duly elected government has decided that if you get out of line (and they decide where the line is) you are looking at the barrel of a military gun that you bought and paid for originally to keep you free from foreign aggressors. Now, it’s “domestic aggressors” or “home grown terrorists”, even though most are peaceful protestors, who are the new target of our military. Americans under siege in their own land. How does this differ from what Soviet citizens faced? What a frightening situation. Sorry, journal, sorry, outside reader, but I’m really, truly upset, and I think for good reason.

How did it come to this?  What could we have done to prevent the wholesale destruction of our rights? Oh yeah, I know. We could have denied the President a second term. That would have done it. I tried, I certainly tried, and look where that got me. Depending on how the trial goes, I could be a free man, or, alternatively, if the White House, and its Department of Justice, and the federal judiciary (based on past court rulings in my case) have their way, I’ll become a long term guest of the federal government.

One side note to anyone who may read my letter from jail.

The prison grapevine says that Gunning Bedford, Jr. is being transferred to this prison, with his case venued to the same judge who has my case. Things may be looking up, after all. Gunning and I might get along quite well.

SIXTY SIX

Washington, DC – Cannon House Office Building

Offices of Congressman Adam Nation

Offices furnished to freshmen Congressmen are notoriously small and inconveniently located. Offices are selected based on seniority and freshmen don’t have any. Among the incoming class a random drawing determines who picks in what order from the remaining bad offices. Newly seated Congressman Adam Nation had the misfortune of picking the equivalent of number 433 of 435 positions. When he finally selected his office, it was in what was originally the attic level of the aged Cannon Office Building, proven by the fact that the elevators didn’t go to his level. Visitors from his Congressional District in Ohio had to be told to take the elevator to the top floor, exit, take the nearest stairwell, turn right, and look for the first office on the left. Welcome, Congressman Nation, to the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Congressman’s official office was the largest room in the suite, which in total contained fewer square feet than a good-sized mobile home. When the Congressman met with his fourteen employees, there was barely enough room, but, the rent was free, the mailing address was impressive and the chances for advancement to a nicer suite of offices were high, for those who won re-election, of course. Congressman Nation had convened today’s staff meeting for what he considered to be a critical purpose. How should he respond to the seizure of the Montana State House by gun rights supporters? As a leader of the Tea Party Caucus he would be asked by reporters at their afternoon news briefing, and he needed to be ready with his official position for the media.

“OK, folks, we’ve all heard the news from Helena,” the Congressman said. “You know they’ll pound those of us on the right to try and get us at the afternoon news conference to disavow the protestors who took over the State House. Mark it down.”

The Congressman’s Chief of Staff, who had worked for five prior members of the House, immediately chimed in, “Well, duh, of course, you have to not only disavow the protestors, you have to make it really clear that you are concerned about the questionable tactics of the pro-gun people who are opposed to the McAlister Act.” His Legislative Director agreed. “Right on, you can’t be seen as being on the side of the gun nuts. The media’ll crucify you. Standing up for the Second Amendment is one thing, but supporting violence is another.”

The Congressman listened carefully as he heard his two top staff members recommend that he attack the Montana protestors at the news conference. He was most interested, though, in hearing his District Director’s views, as she was closer to his District’s voters than the members of his DC-based staff. The District Director had been asked to fly to DC for this meeting. She wasn’t hesitant to disclose her views.

“Look Mark, you’re thinking like a voter in the District of Columbia, all wobbly-kneed over the cowboys in Montana opposing the gun bill by shaking their rifles. Out in our District people are still very upset about losing their rights to own guns and their right to criticize government officials. I understand that the Congressman’s gonna’ get pummeled by the mainstream media if he doesn’t attack the protestors, but so what? The Montana group had the right to express their opposition to this insane law. Maybe they could have been a bit more subtle, but it worked, we’re talkin’ about what they did, aren’t we? If they had invited the media to join them for jelly doughnuts and conversation at a coffee shop in Billings, who would have shown up? Nobody. The media cover news. These guys made news.

“The shootings are another matter, of course. Nobody wants to see deaths in political controversies, but more and more people are seeing the shootings as either an accident or, more likely, an over-reaction by the government. Kinda like Waco, where they brought in tanks. I think the Congressman should just come out and support what they did in Helena.”

The Chief of Staff left his chair, confronting the District Director by leaning over and positioning his face in front of hers, placing both hands on her shoulders, “Allie, have you totally lost your political senses? They’ll label him as America’s newest nut job. Time magazine will front cover him as America’s latest political walnut, or worse. Our only choice is to distance ourselves from these gun rights supporters.”

“I agree”, the Legislative Director added. “We have to be consistent and do the same thing in the future with every protest that captures media attention”. Other staff members added their thoughts, no one agreeing with the District Director’s advice to support the Montana protestors.

After extended discussion, silence took over, the staff members turning to their boss, as they realized that he was no longer engaged in the debate. It was obvious that Congressman Nation was deep in thought. He was considering several ideas, many at variance with his other thoughts. If he dissed the Montana protestors, he knew he would appear to be more moderate than many in the media may have previously thought. That would score him points. If he attacked the protestors it would raise his standing with some of the more liberal members of the House Republican Caucus. If he ever wanted to rise in leadership in the House, he would need their votes.

By attacking the protestors he could probably pick up some advantage with the White House, and maybe get a push from the President for the federal highway grant for the eastern part of his District that needed infrastructure improvement. He had been told by a former Senator, he recalled as he was considering what to do, that if you don’t bring home the bacon, in federal grant money, the voters will find a new ‘sugar daddy’ who will. That remembered thought from a former member of Congress, though, reminded him of the advice that he had received from the Congressman who came to see him after his election. What had he told Adam? He had seen many members of Congress stray, not all from their spouses, many had strayed from their core principles?

Congressman Nation had made up his mind. Now it was time to tell his staff what he would say at the afternoon news event, “Look, I’m not going to attack or even mildly criticize any American who protests the McAlister Act, even if they used poor judgment in how they protested. There are plenty of libs, public service union guys and federal government employees to do that, let alone all the non-stop media coverage.”

“But, Congressman, with all due respect, this could cost you re-election. Won’t you re-consider? There’s a lot riding on how you handle this.”

“Yes, I know that, which is why I’m not going to cave on one of the first big decisions I am faced with making as a Member of Congress. I didn’t come here to impress anybody. I’m never going to be a darling of the media. I don’t care if I get re-elected. I don’t care if I’m never a leader in the GOP House Caucus. I will support the protestors because they had the guts to lay it all on the line to save their rights under the Constitution. Could they have done it better, in a more acceptable manner? Of course. But since they’ve done what they’ve done, millions of Americans are beginning to see just a little bit of what it took for the guys who started this country to make it happen. It took guts. It took a personal willingness to lose it all, which many did. Attack the Montana protestors? Never. If I lose this over-exalted job because I praise Americans who took a stand to protect their Constitutional rights, so be it.”

By now his Chief of Staff, believing that he was about to count six former Congressmen as his past employers, was beside himself, “But, Congressman, you just can’t do that. That’s not how things are done here. You have to go along to get along. I couldn’t work for a Member of Congress who actually supported such hooliganism, and I think….”

“Well, then, Mark, I accept your resignation. Clean out your desk. Mary, get him a bankers box for his stuff.”

“But….but….I didn’t mean to….”

“That’s okay, your time in this office is over, and our meeting is concluded, also. Mary, stay with your notepad. I need to dictate what I’m going to say in a couple hours to the media. And let me give you the phone number of a former Congressman I want to call and thank for the best advice I’ve had since I was elected.”

SIXTY SEVEN

Office of the Director of the CCC

Every government agency includes at least a few employees who are disgruntled about some aspect of how their agency treats them. Given the right circumstances, some will even leak internal documents intended to place their place of work in an unfavorable light with the tax-paying public. Thus, it was by an internally-leaked memo that the world came to know how the Director of the relatively newly created Civilian Conservation Corps had internally suggested arrest powers for his department’s employees, well before the White House Press Office eventually made the announcement.

FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY-CONFIDENTIAL-

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION

TO: Section Commanders – CCC

From: Director Alcorn

Subject: Law Enforcement Functions – Conservators – IM#1037

I don’t need to dwell on the unpleasant reaction that our new agency has experienced from many on the right wing, religious activists and former gun owners. Even though the McAlister Act clearly gives the federal government an oversight role to prevent hate speech, there appear to be increasing numbers of hate speakers who are not willing to obey the law. The shrill and vitriolic words coming from these folks poses a danger to the nation, as the President noted when he formally announced our agency in Asheville. In fact, I have just received a report showing that there have actually been more hate filled attacks on the President and the Congress since the establishment of the CCC than in the three months immediately preceding its creation.

Obviously, this situation cannot be allowed to continue.

The President and I were both given assurances by White House staff who worked on setting up the CCC that by placing our agency’s Conservators in public meetings, including church services, lodges, veterans’ meetings, etc., hate speech would be severely curtailed. Unfortunately, the presence of our trained CCC Conservators has had the opposite effect. Referrals for criminal prosecution by the CCC to the Department of Justice were supposed to have the added effect of drying up hate speech. That also has not happened.

Therefore, CCC Conservators, with White House approval and upon official Presidential announcement, will have arrest powers, similar to any other law enforcement agency. Each will be given a numbered agency badge and will be given training in providing Miranda warnings, in appropriate cuffing techniques and in booking procedures. Each of you will shortly receive a draft training manual for your review and input.

I want to emphasize that we are not implementing this program until the WH announces that the CCC Conservators will be granted arrest powers. It’s critical that this matter be kept on an internal confidential basis until the WH goes public. Any premature leak could be quite harmful to the future of the agency. There are still several in Congress, primarily in the minority, naturally, who oppose our goals and who would use knowledge of this new arrest authority to attempt to thwart our efforts going forward.

Watch your incoming for the draft of the arrest training manual. I want responses to the draft within three days of receipt of this non-existent memo. I have the impression we have very little time to get ready. Critical concerns or questions? Call me. (Don’t e-mail for obvious reasons).

SIXTY EIGHT

Sheridan, Oregon

Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution is located in northwest Oregon, almost to the Pacific coast. It’s about as far from Tyler, in east Texas, as one can get, still be in the U.S. and also be a medium security federal prison. With the intervening mountain ranges, ground travel from Tyler to Sheridan is a 2,100 mile, thirty-four hour, multi-day effort. The federal government’s decision to transfer John Madison to the Oregon federal prison was thought by many to be punitive, to separate him from his family and supporters.

That theory, however, changed somewhat when Gunning Bedford, Jr. was transferred to the same federal prison, the week before Thanksgiving. Once it became known that both would be inmates at the Sheridan federal prison, their counsel searched for any other reason why the two prisoners would be in the same facility. Chuck Webster told Bedford’s attorney that in his opinion a major part of the decision was based on the federal judge in Oregon who would be presiding over the trials of both men. U.S. District Judge Hiram ‘Hanging Judge’ McDermott did not come by his nickname by accident. He worked at it. He held the record among federal district court judges for sentencing criminal defendants convicted in his Court to maximum terms, with a particular emphasis on sentencing to full terms on each count brought against defendants charged with firearms violations.

John Madison’s attorney had filed preliminary motions with Judge McDermott to transfer his client back to a location closer to his home in Texas; to require the Department of Justice to pay for expenses of their witnesses and others forced to come to Sheridan; and to extend the time before the trial to allow for added preparation time due to the increased distance. Judge McDermott denied all three motions, all without a hearing to consider oral argument of counsel. The Judge routinely used a large two inch by five inch rubber stamp which simply said DENIED. He would stamp it on motions, with red ink, to clearly convey what he thought of motions that didn’t meet his favor. John Madison’s attorney knew that he not only had his work cut out for him, he was facing possibly the most anti-defendant judge in the federal system. It appeared to Counsel that the Judge’s assignment to preside over the case was no accident.

Everybody in Sheridan prison, inmates and guards, knew when Gunning Bedford, Jr. arrived at the facility. As the inmates had a high regard for John Madison, they likewise were looking forward to meeting Bedford, who was now at least as prominent a federal prisoner as John Madison. His assigned cell was at opposite ends of the prison from Madison’s cell, by choice of a Deputy Attorney General monitoring the case. What the suits in DC could not control, however, was what the guards did inside the Oregon prison to allow their two high-profile prisoners to interact. All but two of the guards had been gun owners, and were not at all pleased with the McAlister Act, which took away their right, as individuals to own guns. They had discussed the irony that they could carry inside the prison, but it was a felony outside. Consequently, the guards arranged morning personal, recreational and free time to allow maximum interchange opportunities between Madison and Bedford, who were more than appreciative.

John Madison was slightly apprehensive as he waited in the recreation room for his first time meeting with Gunning Bedford, Jr. Like the rest of America, he knew that Bedford was charged with a long list of serious federal crimes. That, of course, did not cause him to be wary of Bedford, after all, he himself was likely to be charged with violating the federal criminal code, eventually. As he understood what happened at the Montana State House, Bedford was a leader in the occupation, but he had no connection with the one shot that was fired, many thought, by accident. He had concluded that Bedford was a civil protestor in a demonstration that went bad, mostly because of over-reaction by the feds, such as happened at Waco or Ruby Ridge. He was anxious to meet him and see if his initial conclusion was correct, or if alternatively, that Bedford was what the feds and the mainstream media said he was. It didn’t take him long to learn who Gunning Bedford, Jr. really was.

A friendly Sheridan guard brought Bedford into the recreation room, introducing his two famous guests. “Mr. Madison, meet Mr. Bedford.”

Madison stood and grabbed Bedford’s rather large, leathery hand. “Name’s John Madison, Mr. Bedford, nice to meet ‘ya.”

“Same here, but it’s not Mister. Just Gunning.”

“What kind of a name is Gunning? Just kidding,. You must get that a lot.”

With a big smile, Bedford replied, “Yep, I do. If I can call you John, let me ask you how are you doin’? Lots of rumors about you. They say you’re America’s number one political prisoner. What’s it like here?”

“Well, like the comedian W.C. Fields once said, ‘On the whole, I’d rather be in Philadelphia.”

“Didn’t he also say, ‘there comes a time in the affairs of man when he must grab the bull by the tail and face the situation’? So how are you facing your situation?”

“The inmates here, Gunning, will treat you respectfully. They know why you’re here. Most, but not all, of the guards will do the same. It’s pretty obvious the prison administration and the Bureau of Prisons are under a lot of pressure from the Administration in DC. So you’ll get little breaks like this meeting, but on things that show up in the official records, like outside visitors, you won’t get any breaks. None. We each get 12 visitor points a month. A weekend visitor costs you two points, so you can expect that you won’t see a lot of family or friends. Won’t happen.”

“I can get used to all that, I think. At least, eventually. I’m mainly worried about my wife. How do you handle being away from your spouse?”

“Not easy. She’s up here this week, still trying to find a job that will pay enough to justify moving to Oregon through the trial. We don’t have a trial date yet. How about your wife? Is she interested in moving to Oregon?”

“Her parents are both ailing, plus our two kids are trying to finish college, in Montana. It doesn’t look good for a move out here. We’ve talked about it. She’ll get here probably twice a month, but Billings is a lot closer than Tyler. What happened to your income? Weren’t you in the insurance biz?”

“Yeah. That’s all gone. My boss was supportive, but his boss got some heat from some place, who knows where? Insurance regulators? Anyway, they let me go, not long after I was arrested by the feds. Gave me six months’ severance, which helped, but you can’t live forever on it.”

“Well. Let me ask you, on a different subject….”

“How’s the food?” Madison asked with a smile.

“No. I don’t expect a gourmet five star establishment. My question is what are you hearing about our Judge, you know, the ‘Hanging Judge’?”

“Big problem. Besides distance from home, the major reason we’re in Oregon. Pro-government in his rulings from the bench. Occasionally overruled when he’s gone too far, but generally seen, my attorney tells me, by the DOJ as a fairly reliable judge for the DOJ, as well as a good court to try a high profile case. Judge McDermott isn’t shy when it comes to being in the public spotlight with a case that the government really wants to win.”

“Like our two cases?”

“Yeah, like our two cases. What I hear, again from my attorney, since the DOJ doesn’t call me, is that the government wants to convict us in order to shut up verbal protestors, like me, and, to shut down demonstrations, like yours. A loss of either case would be seen by the Administration as a real set back. If they’re going make McAlister stick, they need to scare Americans who are upset about the gun law. Their goal appears to be to create a state of fear….the fear of speaking up as well as the fear of protesting.”

“Un-hunh, the way any government in history has grabbed and kept control – scare its citizens into sheep-like compliance. There’s nothing new under the sun, as Solomon once said. I just wish I was from Texas. I hear it’s the only State in the Union that can withdraw from the Union. It’s actually a Republic, as it was an independent nation for ten years before it joined the Union. If you ever get out of here, you should help lead Texas out of the Union.”

“Sure, that’s what I need, more trouble, to be a bigger target. I’ll pass….for now.” But, despite John Madison’s protestations, a seed had been planted.

“Gunning, do you mind if I ask you what really went down in Helena at your protest?”

“I don’t mind at all, if you’ll then share with me the background of your speech in Austin that got you in so much trouble.”

“Deal. You go first.”

“No matter what you’ve read or heard, we didn’t take over the State House to start a fire fight. Except for the three guys that were shot by government troops, one who’s still alive, as you probably know, but not in very good shape, the rest of us were going to exit the State House late Sunday night. We just wanted to make our point against the government trying to cancel our right to own firearms, and then we would just fade away. But, it all went south on us. The three guys who volunteered to be arrested and jailed shouldn’t have carried their firearms with them for their speech out on the balcony. That cost two of them their lives, as it turned out. Actually, we should have all left our firearms at home. The rest is history.”

“And now you’re here.”

“Yup”, he chuckled, “But I get to meet a nice class of people, including the famous rabble rouser John Madison, high on the President’s enemies list.”

“The truth is there are things about the President that I like. He works on spending time with his family, for instance. It’s just that almost every position he takes on a public issue, I disagree with him. His handling of the economy is clearly wrong-headed. If we had a President who understood business and how jobs are actually created, those millions of Americans who are unemployed would be back to work. It wouldn’t take too many Presidential speeches and DC policy changes to convince the small business owners of the country that they could start expanding their businesses again.”

“John, do you buy the theory that he’s trying to bring down the financial system, because at heart he detests capitalism?

“I don’t know if I do or not. What I do know is that this President’s background and training, and his growing-up friends and associates, could lead you to that conclusion. Now, what about your speech in Austin?”

John Madison related to his new prison friend the details of his speech warning that the President, if re-elected would try and take away Americans’ right to keep and bear arms. He shared his belief as to why he was targeted, among the many others who were giving similar warnings, and why what he said publicly led him to become an inmate at a medium security federal correctional institution in Oregon.

To an observer it would seem that Madison and Bedford were having a confidential conversation. But, things are not always what they seem, especially in a federal prison. The sealed playing card box on the middle of their table in the recreation room at Sheridan federal prison was a sophisticated microphone and transmission device. Every word spoken by the prison’s two leading inmates was being recorded and simultaneously transmitted to the Deputy Attorney General at the DOJ in charge of prosecuting Madison and Bedford. Though the Deputy AJ didn’t learn anything of note in this initial meeting, he was convinced that future such meetings between the two inmates at Sheridan would yield information that would help shut down those who opposed the Administration’s efforts to mold the First and Second Amendments more to its liking.

SIXTY NINE

Denver, Colorado & Washington, DC

Violence begets violence. There is something in the human psyche that raises the blood level and the propensity for violent behavior when one witnesses violence, particularly when coupled with perceived injustice. When television newscasts showed Rodney King being assaulted by police officers, widespread violence by others soon followed. Likewise, when Americans who still possessed guns saw the shootings by the American military of three gun rights protestors at the Montana State House, the fuse was lit for even more violence yet to come, in a nation which had witnessed unprecedented levels of blood shed by Americans in the streets of its cities and towns.

Three days after the Saturday shootings in Helena a powerful bomb blew apart the front two-thirds of the ATF field division offices in Denver. The bomb went off at one in the morning. If it had ignited during working hours it was estimated that over four hundred would have died, counting those in adjoining offices. Two days later a similar device exploded, demolishing the ATF offices in Little Rock. This time, the bomb, which ignited at just after 9 PM, killed two persons passing by the offices. One day later, the Portland, Oregon ATF field division offices were decimated, but the bomb went off at just after 6 PM, killing three late workers and five in an adjoining office’s conference room.

The next morning the President summoned the national media to the White House to issue a statement. As he approached the podium his expression could only be described as one of fury, absolute rage. He seemed to almost spit out the few words of his brief statement which he uncharacteristically made without a Tele-Prompter.

“I have a statement to make. These bombings of federal offices are an unacceptable atrocity. America is under a domestic terror siege. I will protect and defend our government from these….these….haters. Deprived of their gun hate weapons, they have now turned to more serious and violent hate weapons, bombs. I have called up an additional troops to be used to restore public order in the US. In addition, I have just signed an Order providing arrest powers to members of the CCC. Any criminal act, in word or deed, witnessed by a Conservator can now be the basis for immediate arrest. The haters are warned.”

The President turned, abruptly exiting the White House Press Room, followed by numerous shouted questions, the loudest of which was, “Mr. President, do we have any evidence who planted these bombs? Could they have been by outside terrorists, or someone not part of the right wing? Do we know anyth…..”. The President stopped short and turned, glaring at the reporter, whose well known voice he instantly recognized. Ignoring his Press Secretary’s advice not to take any questions, he shot back in response, “Ed, are you implying that someone in the government bombed our own offices? Is that your question? That’s reprehensible, even for Fox News. There’s no Reichstag fire here. The bombings were by the crazies, the radical right wing that just can’t get used to losing their hate weapons.”

The reporter shouted to the retreating back of the President, “Mr. President….How can you know these bombs weren’t planted by your supporters, or by…..”. By now he was only talking to the press corps, most of whom looked at him with disdain.

SEVENTY

White House Oval Office

Washington, DC

“General, don’t you get it? Hunh? Are you deaf?

“Do….you….not….understand….the….words….that….are….coming….out….of….my….mouth?”

“Oh, I understand, Mr. President, what you are asking the United States Department of Justice to do. I….understand….the….words….that….are….coming….”

“Alright, no need to be sarcastic. Sorry for my anger, but you just don’t seem to get what I want you, as Attorney General, and your DOJ, to do.”

The President and his Attorney General had known each other since they organized voter drives together, before either one of them had any hope of serving in high public office. That long-time friendship, however, didn’t prevent them from frequent verbal clashes. The AG was a loyal soldier, a fact which he found he had to on occasion remind the occupant of the White House. The President had never practiced law, though he had a law degree, which hindered him in his ability to understand why his choice for the nation’s top lawyer wouldn’t always do what he wanted him to do.

“Mr. President, I’ve told you this before, and once again, it bears repeating. If I file some crazy pleading, or bring ridiculous charges against Madison, that not only hurts my credibility, and that of the Department of Justice, it back-splashes on you, and hurts your image.”

“Image? I don’t care about that now, Erik, I won. Remember that? I’m in my second term. This is the ‘big things finally get done term’….Image?….Who gives a rip about my image? They’re never gonna’ carve my face on Mount Rushmore, let alone print my charming smile on our currency. Image?”

“You misunderstood what I meant. I also don’t give a fig for what the voters tell pollsters. Voters? Who are they? After the election they lost their standing. What I was trying to say was that if we operate the DOJ like we don’t know what we’re doing, and go off half-cocked, we’ll be held in low esteem, to say the least, by the Judges we have to deal with every day. Need I remind you, since you used to teach this stuff, that there is a supposedly co-equal branch of government in this country called the judiciary. You know, the guys that throw out acts of Congress and rule that you exceeded your legal authority? We don’t want those guys and gals in black robes coming to the conclusion that this Administration is incompetent. I can live with them thinking you’re a radical leftist, because a lot of them are too, but if they conclude that we’re totally inept, then that will hurt us with their future rulings.”

“But, Erik, how many of these Judges were appointed by Clinton, or Carter, or by O…., or by us?”

“I don’t know the current breakdown, but over half are our party’s appointments.”

“So, if I file, excuse me, if you file, the DOJ or the District Attorney, or whomever, files a hate crimes charge against this Texas televangelist, are you telling me that some federal judge is just gonna’ throw it out? How do you know that?”

“Mr. President, let me go over this again. You are very close to the line on the free speech issue. The First Amendment says….you remember that one. It’s right before the Second Amendment. The two we modified in the McAlister Act.”

“One of the highlights of both of our lives, I might add.”

“Yes, but back to my point. The media helped us mightily on getting rid of the right to keep and bear arms, but it won’t be so easy to modify the First Amendment. It provides for protections for the media that they jealousy guard. The Supremes didn’t directly rule on the speech aspects of McAlister, so we could still have a problem with that part of the law. ”

“Why can’t we just focus on the free exercise of religion part, and stay away from the free speech and press part? Am I missing something here?”

“Kind of, you are. This young pastor, the son of your least favorite Texan, who is, I might add, still in the federal pen awaiting trial, will launch his much-announced sermons on what ‘the Bible says about perverted behavior’ next month. The fact that his dad has been labeled by Fox as America’s number one political prisoner will add considerably to his viewership. Assume he says what we think he’s going to say. We can have several CCC Conservators in the congregation to witness his words. We can bring hate crime charges for violating the federal hate crime statute, besides, of course, charges for violating McAlister. We’ll emphasize that he is abusing the free exercise of religion clause, trying to jam his religion down folks’ throats, using the public airwaves and thus violating the separation between church and state, etc., etc. That we can do. Unfortunately, by presenting his hate speeches verbally, and on television, his lawyers will claim it’s all protected speech. First Amendment protected speech. See the problem? It’s a fine line, like I said.”

“I get it. I get it. I didn’t practice law, but I understand the problem of losing the media. Can’t we come up with something that we can add to the charges that will kind of….you know….cover over the free speech issues and highlight the violation of the separation of church and state part?”

“We’re working on it as we speak. We’ll be ready. He’s doing a series, so we can send in the CCC Conservators for the first sermon, nail down his hate words, then, maybe we’ll arrest this guy as he’s giving his next sermon right on the stage of his Dallas church. He threw down the gauntlet with those billboards and promo ads in large letters saying, What Does the Bible Teach on Perversion? He’s just asking for trouble from us.”

“I was told that he didn’t agree with his dad. That he thought John Madison was wrong to take me on so viciously in the campaign?”

“I don’t know. I just know he’s inviting scrutiny of his words. Don’t forget that Pastor Jack Madison’s words will be spoken after the McAlister Act. His dad’s speech was before McAlister, which makes convicting his dad much harder than convicting his son. But, I actually think it helps that he’s John Madison’s son, sort of makes it look like he’s thumbing his nose at the Administration, even though it’s on a different topic than the one on which his dad campaigned. He knows that we have to strictly enforce McAlister. We can’t have televised hate speech like what he promises to talk about. What do you think?”

“Back to what I said when you first got here. Send in the Conservators and nail down his hate words. Then prepare the charges and go after him as soon as he’s finished his next hate sermon. Let’s hope that there’s some red meat in his first sermon, some references to Sodom and Gomorrah, that kind of thing. I hear they go after pastors in Canada and Sweden all the time, so why can’t we? These guys on the religious right want to send us a message. I’ll send them a message, one they won’t soon forget.”

“All right. You’re the boss. In any case, we’ll be ready for Pastor Jack Madison. I just want you to know what can happen if we’re not careful. Let’s hope our Judge agrees.”

SEVENTY ONE

Louisville, Kentucky

Editorial Offices – Louisville Colonel-Journal

Gordon Ziegner had been the Editor of the Louisville Colonel-Journal, the State’s oldest daily newspaper, for over twenty seven years. He thought he had seen it all, reported it all and printed it all during those years. He was wrong. The official-looking Department of Justice letter lying on his keyboard grabbed his attention, as his assistant knew it would. She knew that if she placed it on his paper-strewn desk it might never be seen. As a trained editor, he read it all in one swift top to bottom scan, but, unlike most reads, this writing required a more intensive analysis.

Editor Ziegner was officially informed in the letter by a Deputy Attorney General named Roger F. Scott that his newspaper was about to receive a visitor from the government. Upon re-reading, he saw that the visit would be that afternoon. Not much notice, he thought, but not a big problem, I can make time before the Editorial Board meeting. But, hunh? As he read it again, he saw that the visitor, a Conservator with the Civilian Conservation Corps, was coming not to see Editor Ziegner, but to meet with Editor Ziegner and his newspaper’s full Editorial Board. Now, that’s strange, he thought. Don’t think we’ve ever had someone invite themselves to a meeting of the Editorial Board.

The Editorial Board of the Colonel-Journal, consisted of five editors or associate editors of the paper. It met every afternoon to discuss the next day’s editorials to be published, which guest columns to select for publication and how to prioritize the stories on the paper’s front page and the first page of the metro section. When elections came around, the Board would invite in candidates and interview them for potential endorsements. Service on the Editorial Board, inside the newspaper, was considered the top of the newspaper food chain, a position to be coveted.

Editor Ziegner read the DAG/DOJ letter the third time, and then the fourth. He then scanned it and e-mailed it to the other four Board members, asking for their comments. As it was a quiet news day, his e-mail and the accompanying letter stirred up a storm of comments. The City Editor wrote him back, “WHAT? This guy or gal from some federal agency is going to attend our Editorial Board meeting? WHAT EVER FOR? Tell them to forget it, we’ve got a newspaper to publish!!! (Yes, Gordon, I used three emphasis marks plus three words in caps, so mark me up, already!)”

The newspaper’s lead editorial writer, Tim Matheson, a strong supporter of the President, who had written both editorials endorsing him in his two runs for the White House, took a slightly less adversarial approach in his comments, “OK. I don’t see any BIG problem here. A bit unusual, but maybe this agency has some good ideas they can share with us. We might develop several future editorials based on what we learn from this CCC person this afternoon. See everybody then. Cheers.”

As was the norm, the Editorial Board convened at 3 PM to shape tomorrow’s news, in print form. None were shocked that their visitor wore an official CCC green shirt, as there were many federal employees now who wore that official uniform. None were surprised that their visitor actually showed up as announced in the letter from the DOJ, as they had all read it in advance. But all were flabbergasted when they looked up to see that their guest was Jim Mooney, a former reporter from the paper, who had been laid off over a year ago, in a newspaper staff downsizing, caused by lower newspaper revenues. Mooney had been rumored to be having trouble finding a job. Obviously, though, he was now employed, and by the United States federal government. He was accompanied by an armed TSA Agent.

“Well, Jim, it’s great to see you again,” Editor Ziegner said warmly. He had liked Mooney as a reporter, whose beat had been to cover the Kentucky State House in Frankfort for the Colonel-Journal. He regretted the owners’ decision to let him go. He knew when Mooney was let go that coverage of what went on in State government would suffer, and that state employees who were tempted to cross the ethical line were encouraged by seeing a reporter watch dog like Mooney move on.

Jim Mooney appeared to be happy to see his former comrades in publishing. He brought with him a digital recorder, a large expandable file folder and a reporter’s note book, which he opened once he and his TSA companion were asked to sit at the conference table.

“Jim, we’ve all read the letter from the Deputy AG from Washington. You’re an old pro at this stuff, so what gives? The letter didn’t say why you’re visiting us, only that a CCC Conservator would be stopping in to visit. Congratulations, by the way, on your new employment.”

Jim Mooney hesitated, coughed once, looked down and then said, “Thanks, Gordon. Here’s the deal guys….there’s a new sheriff in town. I’ve been deputized to help him out. With the new McAlister anti-hate speech law now in place, things are changing and changing fast. The old days of throwing around any old words we wanted to throw around are over.”

“What the heck does that mean, Jim? We don’t use hate words here, never have. We’re really careful about what we write. You know that. You, of all peop….”

“I don’t think you get it. Most people don’t get it….yet, that is, though they will soon enough. This new law allows the government to eliminate hate speech. Hate speech is defined in the McAlister Act as speech that negatively attacks a public official. All of us here would agree that’s a bunch of baloney….off the record….that is. Just because I criticize a public official, that shouldn’t get me in any trouble, right? Well, that was then, and this is now. Negative public official attacks are a thing of the past. Everybody still employed in the news editorial biz is going to just have to get used to it. Television stations don’t usually run editorials anymore, so they’re not an issue. Once the newspapers are brought in line, that just leaves talk radio and Fox, and I hear there are big plans by the White House for both.”

Ziegner responded, “Jim, I’m not horribly shocked that the government wants to shut down criticism, that’s been the case since government started. Dictators usually have no sense of humor when it comes to persons who oppose them. Lest we forget, it wasn’t too many years ago that negatively criticizing public officials in Europe could get you imprisoned or shot.”

Mooney quickly said, “Gordon, let me just give you a little tip here. That comment, implying that the McAlister Act, or the federal government, or the President, or the Congress, whatever, whomever, are in any way like Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy, could get you charged with a Hate Speech Act violation. So, be very careful. I’m just warning you.”

A distinct chill could be felt across the room. No one wanted to say what they were really thinking about the threat made by the federal employee in their presence. The chilly silence was finally broken by the City Editor who perceptively asked, “Jim, you’re here for more than just a warning to us to watch our spoken words, aren’t you?”

Mooney opened up his large expandable filing folder and withdrew several pages. “Afraid I am. I’ve been given the assignment by DC of going through all the major editorials in this paper for the last several months. My job is to highlight negative attacks on public officials. At first, I thought that meant just federal officials, but they interpret that part of McAlister to include all public officials. So, this print-out is a listing of all of the paper’s attacks, on all public officials, arranged by date.”

“Does it include the two editorials in which we endorsed your boss, the current occupant of the White House? Were those considered negative attacks, hunh, Jim?”

“No reason to get snippy. There are parts of this I don’t much like either.”

Ziegner was becoming less and less comfortable not only with what Mooney was saying, but also with even remaining in the room for such a discussion, “Jim. Hold up a minute, buddy. Don’t you….didn’t you….see any First Amendment problems with going through our editorials, as a federal employee, and picking out what the government may not like that we printed. And then, much worse than that, coming in here to the newspaper and telling us what you….what the government….doesn’t like. Talk about chilling our First Amendment rights. Are you going to tell us next what we can print in the future? Are you going to be our newspaper’s government paid censor?”

“Umh, guys, look….I told you there’s a new Sheriff in town. The Sheriff’s not allowing anyone to violate the law which prohibits folks from speaking ill about him. If you don’t like it, run for office and repeal McAlister. In the meantime, get used to obeying the law. As for censorship, we all got a memo directing us to never use that word. The memo said some people might think it has bad connotations. Well….I guess so. But what’s going to be happening is going to feel a lot like censorship.”

“Clarify please, Jim,” asked Tim Matheson, the President’s biggest supporter in the room. “What’s going to happen? I have the distinct feeling I’m not going to like this at all.”

“It’s simple, really. But you’re right, you’re definitely not going to like it. Our office will need the draft version of the next day’s editorials, by e-mail transmission, no later than two hours before your afternoon Editorial Board meeting convenes.”

“For what?” Editor Ziegner asked, incredulously.

“As I said, it’s very simple. We’ll do a quick review, just to make sure that the words in the drafts comply with the law, zip you back a quick approval, or changes, as the case may be, and that’s it. You go to press.”

“Say what? Changes? As the case may be? Does that mean that you will edit our editorials? If we write that we question whether or not the President’s proposal is right for America, you can write back and say, no, change it to the President’s proposal is right for America’? Am I getting this correctly?”

“That’s pretty much it, folks. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but, like I said, times change, the laws change. Stuff happens. You’ll still be selling newspapers, and stuffing them with Sunday’s overflowing ads, it’s just that your editorial page will be more people friendly.”

“Don’t you mean more President friendly, Jim? And, the funny thing, though it’s not funny at all….the ironic thing….is that we’re usually, though not always, in his corner.”

“Well, that will just have to change to always. I’ll look forward to tomorrow’s editorial drafts, the new Sheriff’s deputy starts work then. Have a good afternoon.”

Ziegner couldn’t control himself, though he sensed that he should be quiet and become a good and obedient servant to the new order. “Jim, if we tell you, your agency - the CCC, the federal government, all of you, that we’re not going to comply, that we’re offended by this assault on our Constitutional right to a free press, and if we lead the charge to expose all this to the public? What then? You didn’t tell us what the downside is of we don’t let you censor our words, though I suspect I know the answer. I want to hear you, as a former journalist, say the words. What are we threatened with for non-compliance?”

“Look, Gordon, we both used to be journalists. I’m no longer a member of the fourth estate. I’m now a part of the government. I took an oath to enforce the law. We’re going to do that. Now, to answer your question. If we don’t see immediate compliance, if you don’t send us your drafts on a timely basis, sent every day, the newspaper will be fined a very significant monetary fine for every day of violation. The fines will vary by the size of the paper, but for a good-sized paper like the Colonel-Journal, fines could be $25,000 or even higher for each violation. The feds are very serious about this. Once fined, the burden is on the paper to show why it shouldn’t have to pay. It’ll cost you mucho dinero to fight the fines. If there are a series of violations, since the feds don’t have a sense of humor, the next step will be to file criminal charges against the owners and, yes, the editors. The new regs will say that the paper can’t pay your legal fees to defend yourself, you’ll have to come out of pocket for that. Is that clear enough? Did I leave anything out?”

Jim Mooney shut off his recorder, gathered his notebook and stood to leave. The TSA Agent, who had said nothing, also stood to leave. Three of the five editors were staring at their guests with their mouths still open in unbelief. Another had his head down in his hands. The fifth was wiping away a tear from his cheek. The meeting was over. Likewise, freedom of the press in America.

The next day, the newspaper sent drafts of its proposed editorials by e-mail to CCC Conservator Jim Mooney at his Regional CCC office for review. At the same time, Gordon Ziegner tendered his resignation as Editor of the Louisville Colonel-Journal. He then called his oldest son living in Panama to tell him that he had resigned from the paper and would be visiting him soon, with the high likelihood that he would be emigrating from the U.S.

SEVENTY TWO

Dallas, Texas

Pastor Jack Madison’s church is located in the Park Cities suburban area of northeast Dallas. The upscale area is made up of University Park and Highland Park. Park Cities boasts several larger community and evangelical churches, some with several thousand members. Jack Madison’s church was growing, had almost two thousand members, and was considered as one of the areas up and coming churches. His congregation was a diverse mixture of age groups, with many young families, but also with retired couples who enjoyed his Bible-centered teaching.

This Sunday’s service was expected to be packed out, as it had been promoted with billboards and some radio advertising. Jack and his Board knew that they faced the potential of a disruptive interruption during the service, so they hired a few off duty policemen and women from their local suburban police forces. As the service started on Sunday morning all was peaceful, with no protestors outside the church. But peace was not to be.

After several minutes of spirited and worshipful singing, Pastor Madison strode briskly up to his pulpit, with his Bible and his notes firmly in hand. Spiritually speaking, it was show time. He had thirty minutes, max, to make his point, repeat it and make sure everyone understood it. Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you just told them, as he had learned in seminary.

Jack laid his Bible and his notes on the pulpit, said a silent prayer and looked out over his congregation. What he saw caused him to stop. Scattered among the congregation were several, maybe as high as 20 or 30 people, all wearing identical green shirts, the uniform of the CCC. Why hadn’t someone noticed this during the seating time and warned him, he wondered. Not that it was any huge deal, he thought, everyone’s welcome here. Whomsoever will may come, as they say. Still, he would have liked a heads up. I won’t change a word of what I have planned to say, he swiftly concluded. Maybe some of these government employees will respond to the Gospel through this visit today, he comforted himself by thinking. But, he did have to admit that his stress level went up considerably, as anyone could attest whose father who had been arrested for his words. Memories of the earlier visit in his church office by two FBI agents added to his anxiety.

Pastor Madison began with his traditional greeting, “He is risen.”

“He is risen, indeed”, responded the congregation, using a first century greeting exchanged by Christians.

“I welcome you all to our church. We’re a church that emphasizes the study of God’s Word. Before we look at the Word, though I’d like to welcome our first time guests here with us today. So please stand if today is your first time to be with us, and the Deacons will give you an information packet about what we do as a church in this community and how you might fit in.”

As Jack looked across the sanctuary he only saw a handful of first timers standing, scattered across the room. None of the green-shirted Conservators stood to be recognized. “Come now, I see several, maybe as many as thirty, first timers who have not yet stood, all in those sharp green uniform shirts. We welcome our friends who work for the Civilian Conservation Corps, which has a long and noble history of service in this country. One of my distant family members served in the CCC in the 30’s, building national parks, so we welcome you and ask to stand and be recognized.” None did. “Well, that’s fine, that’s OK, you’re always welcome here any time. Now, let’s open our Bibles and see what the Lord has to say to us today from His Word.”

As he opened his Bible, Jack looked down at the two Conservators seated just to his right on the first row. He noticed that both had lapel microphones attached to their uniform collars, and both appeared to be leaning slightly forward, as if anxious to get all of his words recorded. He never had any doubts that his words could be used against him. He was more than well aware of his father’s entanglement with federal authorities over his speech in Austin. In addition to which his church recorded and broadcast locally in the Dallas-Fort Worth area his morning services, including his sermons. He wasn’t keeping secret his message. Which made him wonder, fleetingly, as he looked down at his notes for his next point, why the government felt it needed to record his words spoken in the sanctuary? They could just turn on the local cable channel. But, they may have worried that Jack wouldn’t broadcast the words that they were most interested in. They just didn’t know Jack, he smiled to himself, at his own feeble attempt at humor. Oh well, he concluded, let’s give ‘em somethin’ to talk about, as the country song says.

“As many of you know from the radio spots and billboards, this month’s sermon topics are centered on this question– What Does the Bible Teach on Perversion?.... Please turn your attention to the video screens.”

A segment from the movie, The Princess Bride, appeared on the sanctuary’s three large video screens. In the clip the movie’s male and female heroes are standing at the altar in front of a verbally challenged cleric, who says, “Mawwaige. Mawwaige is what bwings us togwether today. Mawwaige, that bwessed awwaingement”.  The clip ended to widespread laughter. Pastor Jack followed it with, “my accent won’t be as good as the cleric in one of my mom’s favorite movies, but, it’s true….marriage is what brings us together today. Where did the idea of marriage come from? What is marriage? Does marriage have any purpose in this modern age? Is it really a blessed arrangement? Why shouldn’t anyone, or any group of someones, be allowed to marry? Is marriage in danger of extinction? These are all questions, along with others, that we will examine today and in the next three week’s sermons.

“First, where did the idea of marriage come from? Who thought it up? I’m going to read to you a few sentences from a sermon given by a Swedish Pastor named Ake Green. Pay attention to what he said, because he was arrested and convicted by the Swedish judicial system for what he said. As you listen to the beginning of Pastor Green’s sermon, ask yourself if you think his words are hate words. The Swedish government charged and convicted Pastor Green with a hate crime for these words. Here are Pastor Green’s opening few paragraphs:

“From the beginning God created humans as man and woman. We begin in Genesis 1:27-28:

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

“Here, God's Word clearly states that you were created to be Father and Mother - as man and woman - designed for parenthood. The Lord states that very clearly here….The marriage institution is also clearly defined in Genesis 2:24, where it says:

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

“Only man and wife are referred to here. It is not stated any other way; you can never imply or interpret it to mean that you can have whatever sexual partner you wish to have. ….”

“What was it that led to these cities (Sodom, mentioned 30 times in the Bible, and Gomorrah) perishing, losing their dignity, disappearing from the face of the Earth? It was because they lived in homosexuality. It will be the same on that day when the Son of Man is revealed; consequently, this is a sign of the times we are facing. As people lived in the time of Lot, so shall they live before Jesus returns. This is something we cannot deny in any way. Jesus says that the lifestyle of Sodom shall be active in the whole Earth before the coming of Jesus. The one who represents this lifestyle today goes against God's order of creation.”

“Are Pastor Ake Green’s words hate words? Or are they instead words of truth from God’s Word? Due to a high level of international interest in Pastor’s green’s conviction and sentencing to jail, the Swedish Supreme Court eventually overturned his conviction, I am happy to say. I am unhappy to report, however, that in doing so, the Swedish Supreme Court ruled that his Bible-based message did, in fact, constitute hate speech. The Court said that a higher European Court might not agree with them, so it threw out his conviction, even though they ruled that he was properly convicted as a hate speaker. Think about that for a moment. Pastor Green has been labeled by his government and his government’s highest Court as a disseminator of hate speech for those Biblically-based words in his sermon, though they spared him from serving time in jail.

“Could that same thing happen in America? Many of you know that my father, a resident of Tyler, was charged by the federal government with various crimes, all arising from his use of words in a speech in the election campaign that he delivered in Austin to a political meeting. Many of you may also know that I didn’t agree at the time with my dad’s speech, and what I then thought was harsh rhetoric to use in describing the President of the United States. I used, ok, maybe, misused, the verse about rendering unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s.

“I love my father, John Madison, but we didn’t see eye-to-eye on this subject, and frankly, it put a strain on our normally very warm father-son relationship. On more than one occasion, usually when I was visiting him in prison, I asked my dad if he knew what he was doing? Was it worth it to lose his insurance executive job and spend time in federal prison, away from mom and his family, just because of words? Dad loves me, as I do him, so he would always gently reply that he was right, and that I would eventually see that he was right.

“Last week I was able to tell my dad that he was right in two ways. First, I told him that I now agreed that he was right to do what he did in opposing an administration that has frequently acted contrary to the best interests of the people of this nation. Secondly, I told him that he was correct when he said that I would one day see that he was right in his actions that led to his arrest and imprisonment. It was a sweet moment, my friends, to be able to be re-united not only in our love for each other, as dad and son, but also united in our belief that standing up for what you believe in is worth the cost, whatever that may be. Words do matter.  I’m here today, using words from God’s Word, for which I may be, like Pastor Green, charged with criminal acts. I can’t control what those in authority may choose to do to me for using God’s Word, in their view, in a politically incorrect manner, in their view. I can only control what I say.

“I said to John Madison, my dad, last week, a man I consider to be a true American hero, ‘Dad, you stood up when others, including me, should have spoken up before the second term happened. If more Americans had stood up and raised our voices, as you did, we would still have our First and Second Amendment rights today. Please forgive me.’ And, congregation, please forgive me for not leading you to stand up and speak up when we still had the chance to do so. Because of my lack of leadership, and the lack of leadership by many other pastors and priests, we now live in a different nation than we did before the last election. We can’t go back now and change that, but we can admit we were wrong and speak up now. Will that mean we will be charged with violating the McAlister Hate Speech and Hate Weapon Elimination Act? Only time will tell, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

All of the CCC Conservators present that Sunday morning had been carefully trained to avoid any controversy. They were to attend, act respectfully, observe and record what went on and what was said at the worship service and render a recommendation, in writing, after their visit. The Conservators’ joint Memorandum recommending action was completed and submitted to the Regional CCC Offices in Houston by Wednesday and conveyed to national CCC headquarters by Friday.

A draft of a formal notification of the levying of significant fines to be levied on the Church and on Pastor Jack Madison and his Board members was on the desk of the Director of the CCC by the following Tuesday. On the same day a copy of the Memorandum was delivered to the Deputy Attorney General responsible for initiating criminal action. Criminal charges in several counts against Pastor Jack Madison were drafted for final review by the Attorney General. Jack Madison and his Texas church were on a collision course with the government of the United States of America.

SEVENTY THREE

U.S. District Court, District of Oregon

“All rise. The United States District Court for the District of Oregon is hereby convened, the Honorable Hiram McDermott, presiding. All persons present are advised that any outburst in the Court will led to your immediate ejection, and possible incarceration. You may be seated.” Thus began the trial of federal criminal defendant John Madison.

Judge McDermott called the case, “The cause before the Court today is the United States of America versus John Madison, Cause Number 13-ODC-276. The charges brought by the people of the United States against John Madison are a.) that he advocated the overthrow of the government of the United States, b.) that he conspired to advocate the overthrow of the government and c.) that he violated the federal hate crimes act. The charges will be read in full by the District Attorney shortly. You have been selected as a panel of potential jurors to hear and consider the evidence and to render a fair and impartial verdict. Anyone of you on the jury panel have a problem with doing so?....No….Okay, we’ll move to the questioning of the panel. If you’ve been a juror in a state court trial, you’ll notice that we do it differently in federal court. In this part of the trial, what’s called voire dire questioning, I’ll be the one who asks you questions. In state court the lawyers ask you a lot of loaded questions, all attempting to try their case before it actually starts. I just need to find out who should and who should not be jurors of this important case.”

Judge McDermott routinely used voire dire to quickly weed out any perceived ‘anti-government types’ who might be tempted to vote to set free any criminal defendant, just because the federal government, mistrusted by a juror, had filed the criminal charges. He viewed it as giving the District Attorney a ‘level playing field’. Oregon defense counsel saw it as stacking the deck in favor of conviction of persons accused of crimes by the federal government.

Even with federal judges, though, things don’t always go as planned. The District Attorney had read the three criminal charges against John Madison to the members of the panel, including the statutes on which the counts were based. Judge McDermott inquired as to their past jury service and anything about that duty that might affect the potential juror’s ability to be objective in the people’s case against John Madison. He had just started to ask the members of the jury panel if they were related in any way to the Defendant or any of the lawyers, when two panel members raised their hands, at about the same time.

“Oh….yes….potential juror…let’s see… Ms. Litz, what’s your question? Seeing as how I haven’t even started asking my next question. ….And then, let’s see….potential juror Hankins, we’ll take your question next….Ms. Litz?”

Amanda Litz was a registered nurse, taken away from her ICU patients by her call to jury duty, and none too happy about it. As she listened to the charges being read against John Madison, she pondered why everybody was so upset about a mere speech, when the streets and government buildings had been full of real rebels, breaking windows, burning flags and causing havoc. Before she enrolled in nursing school she had given serious thought to a career in law, as her high school and college teachers and professors had praised her for her analytical mind, telling she ‘thought like a lawyer’. Thus, it was that she addressed the Court with a question that did not please the District Attorney.

“Your honor, I don’t know the procedure here, whether I can ask a question or not….” The Judge, momentarily distracted by a staff member whispering a message to him, missed his opportunity to head off the question, as panel member Amanda Litz plunged ahead, “Well….ok….it just seems to me that accusing a man of trying to overthrow the government when all he did was just give a speech, for crying out loud, and he apparently wasn’t violent in any way, or he would have been charged with that, too….and the law that the DA just read said that the overthrow attempt needs to be by force or violence….I mean….your Honor….why are we here? Who would ever vote to convict another American in such a weak case…seriously….this looks like a big waste of everybody’s time….including….”

Crack. Crack. CRACK. “Stop….STOP….No more….” His gavel slamming the bench, the Judge was so flustered he could barely spit out his words. He had been distracted enough by his staffer that he had only just started paying attention to Amanda Litz late in her run-on commentary on the government’s case against John Madison. By then, it was too late. The jury panel had been hopelessly corrupted by her comments, as the lawyers like to describe such a case-destroying outburst.

Hoping that possibly he had not heard what he thought he heard once he paid attention, Judge McDermott tried to ignore her. “Thank you, Ms. Litz. We’ll let the lawyers sort out all those issues. Mr. Hankins, what was your question? Keep it short, please, I let Ms. Litz go on way too long.”

“Well, Judge, it’s funny, because I was about to say the very same thing that she just said….how can we convict somebody for advocating the overthrow of the government when there’s no allegation of force or viol….”

Crack. “That’s quite enough, Mr. Hankins….Quite enough…. Counsel, we’ll meet in chambers. This Court stands in recess.” ALL RISE.

Judge McDermott held in disdain government prosecutors who had no case, but who appeared to be asking him to use the power of his bench to rescue them from imminent defeat. After listening to the digital recording of potential jurors Litz and Hankins’ comments on the government’s case, the Judge, his robe freshly hung up, glared at the lawyers assembled in his chambers. “All right. Blame where blame is due. I should have paid attention when that woman started going off on your case, instead of listening to my aide tell me about a decision overturning one of my cases from the 9th Circuit. But, gentlemen, you all have tongues. You could have objected, and shut her up, and got my attention before she polluted the panel.

“Now, we got ourselves a real problem. It would clearly be reversible error to let this panel decide this case after what just happened. Not going to happen, as I’m sending them home. But the government has an even bigger problem. Madame DA, you just got a mini-verdict from two random citizens of this District. They not only don’t like your case, they think it’s a witch hunt, far as I can tell. My suggestion? Call your Deputy AG in DC, or call the AG himself for that matter, and tell them what happened in Oregon today, in a Court that’s historically not been too antagonistic to your cases.

“Tell them that the Judge suggested a thorough review of this case….a ….thorough….review…. of this case. Remind them that what was said today will be carried by every newspaper, TV station and radio talk show in this District, from whom the future potential jurors will be selected. That is, if there is a future panel of jurors, as I doubt seriously that this case will ever be tried. I’ve already denied Mr. Madison’s dismissal motion, so I’m not throwing out your case….but….today you saw what will happen if you actually take this poor excuse of a case to a jury. They would likely vote to exonerate before they even have time to order pizza. Again….two words….thorough….review….Got it? Now, you all get out of here. And as for you, Counsel for the Defendant, you can wipe that smile off your face. That woman’s destruction of the government’s case today was only by the grace of God.”

“Your honor, I couldn’t agree with you more. Thank you, sir.”

It was late Friday afternoon following Judge McDermott’s aborted voire dire of the jury panel in the U.S. vs. Madison case. The Clerk of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon was preparing to close for the day, when an employee of the U.S. District Attorney, officed in the same building, walked in with a last minute filing. The pleading withdrew all charges against John Madison previously filed by the United States. No media representatives were in the Clerk’s office at the time of filing. By Monday, when it became known that the charges had been dismissed, mainstream media justified not reporting the story as being “Friday’s news”. John Madison was informed by prison authorities in the middle of the day on Saturday that charges against him had been dismissed and that he would be released within 24 hours. John and Debbie Madison wept as they talked by telephone of the answer to their many prayers. Though their son, Jack, was equally happy at the good news, he warned his parents. “Dad and Mom, this thing’s not over yet. Not nearly over. As good as this news is, I’m convinced the Madisons are not off the President’s radar screen. If what I saw in the eyes of the government visitors to our church services means anything, your son, and this church, are facing significant trouble. Sooner rather than later.”

Pastor Jack Madison could not have known then how right he was.

SEVENTY FOUR

Tyler, Texas

After what seemed like an interminable time away from home, John Madison felt strange sitting in his favorite chair in his favorite room, his comfortable family room. But, he knew he would quickly adjust to being a free man, and to being with Debbie, his wife of twenty-seven years. Surrounded by his bookshelves and able to watch whatever he wanted on his big screen TV, he was thankful for the fact that he no longer faced conviction as a federal felon. But, just as he was relaxing in his new found freedom, his world was shaken by news from Debbie.

“John, now that you’ve been home for a couple of days, I think I need to tell you something.”

“We won the lottery?”

“Very funny, John. You know we don’t gamble, though I was tempted when we were low on funds to make our mortgage payment. Praise God for friends who helped us out. My employment by your friend Ralph was a Godsend. Literally.”

“I know. The guy walks his talk. So, what’s your revelation?”

“Something happened the day before you came home, after it was known that your charges were dismissed and that you were being released. I decided to wait to tell you until you’d settled in and adjusted to life back in Tyler.”

“Yes….Okay, so I’m relaxed, but I’m quickly unrelaxing waiting on you tell me what you’re slowly leading up to. What is it? Are the kids all right?”

“Sure. No, if it was about the kids I would have told you that right off. No, John, this has to do with politics.”

“What? Politics? That’s what landed me the slammer, Debbie, lest we forget. Politics? Whatever are you talking about?”

“Well, let’s start by my telling you that the day before you got home I had some visitors, here at home.”

“Visitors? Who? What did they want?”

“Calm down, John. Let me tell this my way. You get impatient some times, as you may recall my telling you a few hundred times.”

“Sorry. Tell it your way. Who came here to see you?”

“The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Texas Republican Party and the Chairmen of the three largest tea party organizations in Texas. They had with them a person who was introduced to me as a representative of the largest financial contributors to the GOP and the tea party in the last election cycle.”

Of all the things Debbie could have told John Madison, the identity of her visitors was the last thing he expected to hear. For a moment, he couldn’t speak, as he was staring at Debbie to see if maybe an emerging smile might betray a mischievous plan to kid him by pretending to have been visited by such a high powered group. No such smile appeared. After twenty seven years of marriage John knew Debbie well, and he could tell that she was deadly serious.

Finally finding his voice, John asked, “Debbie, what could they have possibly wanted? You of all people know that we’re not able to contribute any money right now until I get back on my feet, go back to work at the insurance company and make some money.”

“No, silly, you think they need our paltry contribution? Even if you were employed? These folks run things in Texas on the conservative side of the political spectrum. No, they don’t want your money, they want you.”

“Hunh? Me? For what? To fund raise for them? I’m not very good at shaking money out of folks, Debbie. I hope you told them that.”

“John, let me get my story told, okay. Patience, my dear.”

“Sorry. Again. Go on.”

“These men and women are convinced that really bad things are going to happen in this country and they want to do something about it. They thi….”

“Going to happen? What about what’s already happened? Over $16 trillion in debt we can’t pay back. Soldiers shooting American protestors. Historical unemployment. The McAlister Act taking away our Constitutional rights. The CCC snooping into our personal affairs. How much worse could it get, Debbie? What are they talking about?

“They mentioned those problems, but they think the US dollar is headed south, that the basic financial and governmental structures will collapse. That as things get worse, much worse, there will be anarchy and a tightening down on average citizens by the government such as we’ve never seen before in this country. Even imprisonment, or worse, of Christian leaders, or just regular Christians.”

“So? I agree with all that. Some of that I talked about in the last campaign in my speeches that got me into so much trouble. What’s their solution?”

“You, John….You.”

“Help me out here, Debbie….I’m not following you too well. Maybe too many months in the joint has softened my brain. I’m the least of people that could help on any of this. I’m a just-released federal prisoner, with no appreciable assets, except you, my dear, and fortunately I’ve kept my health. Why, please tell me, did a group like that come here to Tyler….to talk to you?”

“Simple, really, John. These are smart people. They know that if the spouse isn’t on board with a major political plan it probably won’t happen. They wanted to gauge my reaction before meeting with you and making a formal presentation.”

“You still haven’t told me what they want me to do, I assume because you know I won’t do it. Did you tell them thanks, but no thanks and send them on their way? Politics is what got us in so much trouble, so it’s the last thing either one of us would wa….”

“Let me stop you there, John. I told them we would pray about it and get back to them shortly.”

“What? Why didn’t you just tell them we weren’t interested? We gave at the office, thanks. Nothing here. Move on.”

“Because I think you should seriously think about doing it, John?”

“Doing what? Finally, tell me what you are talking ab….”

“Running for Governor of Texas.”

For the second time in their conversation John Madison was tongue-tied. He couldn’t put together three coherent words, “Wha?.... You…. I mean…. Your…. Saying…. Governor? ….Come on….You can’t….Whew….”

“John, take your time. Think it through. You are the obvious choice, really. In the upcoming election there’s a vacancy in the office, so you wouldn’t be running against an incumbent. Your name ID, they tell me, is higher than any other Texan, except for the retiring Governor and the state’s two sitting US Senators. You’re highly respected when the pollsters ask the ‘do you trust them’ questions. You score high on….”

“Wait. Pollsters? They’ve taken public opinion polls? Who’s paying for all this? Don’t they need my permission to ask people about me?”

“John, you’re no neophyte. Anyone can take any poll they want…without permission. As for whose paying, I don’t know, I didn’t think to ask. I would guess the Party is. They have resources and a pretty obvious desire to grab the Governor’s office. But, you haven’t yet asked the right question, John.”

“Alright, Debbie, what question should I be asking?”

“How could John Madison, as Governor of Texas, possibly make any difference in the national scheme of things, how could you have any impact in a nation that appears to be falling apart? I love you, John, and I personally think you would be a great Governor, but, let’s face it, anybody of medium competence could fill the office and run the state, but what good would that be long term? You’d just be another politician filling a government job. Sorry.”

“No need to be sorry, I agree 100%. Why would you think I would ever want to put us through all that, just to get a job that doesn’t pay all that well, and could get me back in the soup again? You know this President would have a coronary if he thought I might actually get elected Governor of Texas, the state that has the second largest economy in the nation, and, I read somewhere that it’s the 13th largest economy in the world. They couldn’t let somebody like me get elected to run the second larges….”

“What do you think the President would think if you promised in your campaign for Governor to lead Texas out of the Union?”

John Madison normally was quick to speak, but now three times in the same day his wife had stumped him. Debbie began to smile, but John knew this was not her ‘I’m just funning you smile’, but instead her ‘now, finally, you know what I’ve been holding back’ smile.

“John, these folks appear to be serious about re-forming the Republic of Texas, as it was back in 1845, when Texas joined the Union. They’ve been watching you since you got into trouble with the powers that be in DC, and they think you could possibly be the only Texan, who is well known and respected, and who also has the guts to run on a campaign to withdraw Texas from the Union, and then actually lead the fight….once you were elected. Which, by the way, they firmly feel you would be elected, running on such a platform. Their focus groups show a margin in favor of seceding.”

“Humh….Well, there was a Texas Governor not long ago who publically suggested that Texas secede from the Union. He got a lot of high level attention for even suggesting it. I’m not sure if I even favor the idea, to be candid, Debbie. I could see a good argument could be made for returning to the days when Texas was a free and independent sovereign nation, if it’s even legal to do that. Didn’t the Civil War settle that question? We’d need some of the really smart people in this state to thoroughly research the legalities of re-forming the Republic of Texas. And, as for the polls, I don’t doubt its popularity, Debbie. Texans might vote for withdrawal, but that’s not the issue. Here’s the issue, plain and simple. Can you get along without me, again, if I’m thrown back in the slammer? Because I surely would make myself target one, again.”

“We briefly talked about that, John. That’s the main reason they came to see me first. If I had shooed them away, the trembling wife fearful of your being arrested and imprisoned, again, we would have neither one of us ever heard from them again.”

“But that’s not what you conveyed, I take it?”

“No, just the opposite. I told them we would certainly pray about it, but that I’m not automatically opposed to your running.”

“Whew. Well, you certainly know how to get a man’s attention. A week ago I was worried about whether the prison cooks would serve mystery meat again for dinner, and now I’m hearing my wife tell me she’s not against my running for Governor of Texas. Honey, please know that Nelson Mandela I’m not.”

“No, but you are John Madison, whom God has placed in a special position. So don’t walk away from their proposal out of fear for how it would affect me. I made it through before, and if things turn bad, and they figure out how to take down a candidate for the highest office in Texas, which I seriously doubt they will do, I’ll survive the next time too.”

“It would be awkward for the White House to explain arresting me again, that’s true.” John rubbed his temples as he contemplated everything he had just heard. Then he raised his head, looked at his wife and said, “Debbie, we’re forgetting one thing in all of this.”

“What’s that?”

“The kids. Jack and Katie, but mainly Jack, since Katie’s overseas where they can’t do much, if anything, to her. But Jack is already in the cross-hairs. His worship service last week was monitored by several federal employees, those CCC Conservators in the green shirts. The feds have made it clear that they’re looking for cases of so-called hate speech so they can justify all those CCC Conservators running around all over the country. If it becomes known that I’m a candidate for Governor, or even thinking about it, they’ll turn up the heat on Jack. Sure enough they will.”

“Jack was the first person I called after my visitors dropped their bomb and left.”

“Before you even talked to me?”

“Yes. You were in transit and I couldn’t talk to you. I had to talk to somebody and Jack was the obvious person. Plus, once they left and I started thinking and praying about what they had said, I also realized that Jack could be directly impacted if you ran for Governor.”

“Well, I understand….I think. What did he say?”

“He also wants to pray about it, but his first reaction was for you to go for it. Jack was never a fearful child. If anything, he was our biggest risk-taker. He said that if you’re a candidate for Governor it might actually help him, and might scare away the feds from interfering with a pastor who is just preaching the Word, and, whose dad, by the way, is running for Governor of Texas. Jack’s a smart boy, as you know, and not one to shy away from a fight.”

“That’s for sure, Debbie, but I’d first suggest that we go to Dallas and sit down with Jack and Katie and talk this all through. There’s a lot at stake and the four of us need to insure that we know what could happen. I’d like to know what Jack thinks about this Republic of Texas idea.”

“We’re going there this weekend. Arriving on Saturday for lunch. We watch the kids Saturday night so they can have a date night out, then church on Sunday. Jack has started his series on what the Bible says about perversion. We’ll have plenty of time to talk this out on Saturday afternoon.”

“Debbie, you never cease to amaze me. Sounds like a plan.”

Thus, John and Debbie Madison took their first tentative steps down a path that could lead they knew not where, but they were willing, by faith, to step forward.

SEVENTY FIVE

Falls Church, Virginia

Residence of the Commandant

of the U.S. Marine Corps

The two Falls Church detectives assigned to investigate the suicide in their jurisdiction were unsettled.

“Why would the General hang himself? It makes no sense at all. He had the highest job in his branch of the military. He was the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. He was apparently healthy. His wife says their bills were paid and they had savings. It doesn’t compute.”

“Any chance he didn’t take his own life?”

“Why do you ask? Have you spotted something?”

“The pathologists will have to sort it out, naturally, but when they pulled him down I noticed some slightly darkened areas on his wrists. That’s consistent with his arms being held while he was suffocated by hanging, against his will. I’m just asking.”

“That’s up to the lab guys, not us. By the way, his wife says there’s letter on his desk in their den. We need to take a look at what’s in it.”

On the General’s desk the detectives found a sealed envelope. On the crème colored U. S. Marine Corps envelope was typed:

MY CONFESSION ---- OPEN ONLY UPON MY DEATH.

Afterword

In early May, 1970 I accompanied Indiana State Treasurer John K. Snyder, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, for a visit to the White House. The purpose of the meeting, which was held in the East Wing, was to meet with the President’s chief political advisor concerning the Senate primary race in Indiana. To avoid media scrutiny, the meeting was set for mid-morning on a Saturday. At the same time, Vietnam War protestors were loudly making their views known in DC. The protests had built to such a level of concern that DC police had surrounded the White House complex with city buses parked nose to tail, to avoid the White House being rushed by protestors who might then jump the fence and attack the building itself. The President met with a few protestors and then departed DC for the weekend to avoid any elevated confrontation had he been present at the White House.

We were told to come to a narrow gap in the buses parked to the east of the White House, and upon presenting our identification, proceed through the security gate and into the East Wing to discuss politics in Indiana, and what role the President might, or might not, play in the Republican primary. As we walked down East Executive Avenue, which runs between the East Wing and the U.S. Treasury building, we looked towards the Treasury and saw military vehicles. The two personnel trucks were parked on the ramp on the west side of the Treasury building that runs down below the building for parking purposes. What immediately caught our eye was the fact that both trucks were packed full of armed military personnel, all with full battle gear, helmets and each with a rifle held across their chests in what appeared to be a ready for battle position.

Needless to say, we were taken aback when we saw the armed troops. Our May visit to the White House came a week after May 4, 1970, the day that four Kent State students were killed, and nine wounded, after the firing of 67 rounds by weapons-bearing  soldiers, albeit Ohio National Guard troops. Had the protestors, who were thankfully restricting their activities south of the White House in the Mall, rushed the White House and attempted to breach the bus barrier, who knows what would have happened? The United States government was prepared to defend the seat of power from a mob of unhappy Americans. Had such an assault occurred, and had the troops on the parking ramp of the Treasury building fired on the assaulters, history would have been altered. The scene in Chapter 30 is based, in part, on what we saw that fateful day in early May, 1970.

Watch For

THE WARNING

The Second Book in the SECOND TERM Trilogy

·        Will Hilde and Wilbur succeed in their plan to replace the President?

·        Will Pastor Jack Madison be charged and convicted of hate speech law violations?

·        Will talk radio and Fox be shut down?

·        Will Texas secede from the Union?

·        What end times prophecies will be fulfilled in America?

·        Will America support Israel when it’s invaded?

·        Will radical Islamists use WMDs on the U.S.? How will they use them? Where?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Price was for forty years an Indianapolis attorney who was active in political and governmental matters. He now devotes his time to his wife, his grandchildren and his writing. The author may be contacted at:

john@endofamericabook.com or

john@secondtermbook.com

Published Books by the Author

AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS

Repentance or Repression

Christian House Publishing, Inc. 1976

AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS

Tyndale House, 1979

THE END OF AMERICA

3rd Edition, 2012

(Available in print form on Amazon and e-version on Kindle)

SECOND TERM

A Novel of America in the Last Days

For a non-fiction look at America in prophecy:

www.endofamericabook.com

See the next page for a sample from

THE END OF AMERICA

INTRODUCTION

TO

THE END OF AMERICA

© 2012, John R. Price

It was 1976. I had been a Christian just a few years, but I knew that something was seriously wrong in America. Only three years before, in 1973, the nation’s highest Court had authorized the aborting of infants in the womb, even though almost every State then prohibited abortion as a criminal act. By 1976 there had been very little public debate and there were but few books published about the issue. I decided to see what the Bible said. I’ll not soon forget weeping as I read in God’s Word His view of fetal murder, and I’m not normally given to tears.

I then outlined and penned a book, which we originally published as Christian House Publishers entitled “America at the Crossroads: Repentance or Repression”. The book included a brief history of America’s four great spiritual awakenings (1725-1760; 1787-1805; 1857-1865 and 1900-1910) to hopefully give a vision for a fifth great awakening, if America’s Christians complied with II Chronicles 7:14. (“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”). The subtitle of the Tyndale House 1979 edition was “Can America Escape National Decline, Economic Collapse and Devastating Conflict?” This book will answer that question asked thirty years ago.

In “America at the Crossroads” we looked at some key societal issues:

The Economy: “Given the unbridled right to create money, government will do so and eventually cause the destruction of the entire system.”

Banks: “We should anticipate that at any point in time our U.S. banking system could suffer a blow from which it could not bounce back and which would result in government takeover…In whatever way it may start, if it starts, a series of major bank failures would totally alter the nation as we now know it.”

Politics/Government: “We must not confuse cause with effect. God           will heal; that’s the effect. But the cause, the reason He will heal, is our repentance. Just electing Christians to office won’t change the nation and heal its wounds. Instead, we’ll repent and God will then allow godly men and women to be elected to office and He will use them in the healing process. Some well-meaning Christians want to heal the nation by organizing the ‘Christian vote’ and voting our problems away.”

Don’t be too impressed by the last statement, as within a few years of writing it, I ignored my own words, and declared my candidacy for Congress, hoping to heal America from Capitol Hill, though without first witnessing a spiritual awakening. My electoral efforts thereafter were not successful, though not the fault, certainly, of friends and supporters who worked long hours, from a heart conviction to see God heal our land.

Sadly, for almost a hundred years, America has not experienced national repentance, nor a spiritual awakening, and no healing of our nation. After “America at the Crossroads” was published I began to look with some intensity at the role of the United States of America in Biblical prophecy. In studying the possible role of America in Bible prophecy, I soon learned that there were very few authors who had concluded that America was portrayed, or even alluded to, in the Bible, except in the most general sense. Best-selling Christian authors Dr. Tim LaHaye and Dr. Lester Sumrall have stated that view:

“Does the United States have a place in end times prophecy? My first response is no, there is nothing about the U.S. in prophecy. At least nothing that is specific…The question is why? Why would the God of prophecy not refer to the supreme superpower nation in the end times in preparation for the one-world government of the Antichrist?” (Tim LaHaye’s Perspective, August, 1999)

“The absence of any mention (in the end times) of a nation we could say is the United States, therefore, is a cause for great distress among those of us who live in and love this nation. Where will America be at that time? The conclusion we must draw is very sad and sobering, and it should serve as a loud warning to our beloved United States. Simply put, the United States will no longer be a world power in the end times. It will not be a significant enough nation to play a major role in the events of those days – that is the obvious answer.” (Jerusalem: Where Empires Die, Lester Sumrall, Sumrall Publishing).

The only published writer at the time who had concluded that America is set forth in the Bible was C. Franklin Logsdon, who in 1968 wrote “Is the U.S.A. in Prophecy?” (Zondervan, 1968). Logsdon’s little book was an eye-opener, because the author focused on a subject in the Bible not much mentioned by Bible expositors, the “Daughter of Babylon.” (Throughout the book, the name the “Daughter of Babylon” will be used in reference to the end times nation that the Bible also labels as “Babylon the Great” (Revelation 17-18). It’s obvious from the text and context that both titles refer to the same end times nation.)

I pursued studying what the Bible said about the Daughter of Babylon, wrote some limited pages on the subject, spoke in a few churches on the topic, and then, ultimately, concluded that though the verses describing the end times Daughter of Babylon certainly appeared to apply to our nation, there were several pieces that just did not, at that time, seem to fit properly together.

Prophetic interpretative questions at the time included:

a.) America was a world superpower, but not the only “hammer of the whole earth” that Jeremiah said the Daughter of Babylon would be. The Soviet Union was then seen by most as equal to America in military power;

b.) The nations of Europe were not yet united in any meaningful way;

c.) Several Arab nations mentioned in prophecy were without any power or influence; and

d.) Prophetically, the Daughter of Babylon will bring judgment on itself from God for doing things that America had not itself done a third of a century ago.

After some study of the subject, I filed away what I had learned, and moved on to other matters. Along with my wife, we raised four God-loving children (for whom we are eternally grateful) and watched America change over the last three plus decades.

That changed in the summer of 2007 as I began to pray and ponder the prophetic issues of what would become the contents of this book. I gradually realized that what I had researched and studied almost a third of a century ago was now, with changed circumstances in the world, beginning to make perfect sense. So, what had happened over those thirty plus years? Many things, obviously, which are covered herein. But by far, the two most important changes since the mid 1970’s were:

1.) America has changed. It has taken actions that have brought it closer to fulfillment of prophetic end times verses. It is, therefore, now in a position to do other things it never would have done in the past (more on this later); and

2.) The rise to world prominence, and to public attention, of radical Islamic Jihadists who are able, and more than willing, to conquer the world for Allah.

Islam had not been seen by Bible students or commentators in the last century as having any part in end times Bible prophecy. But now the several pieces that didn’t seem to fit in the late 1970’s, quickly began to slip into place. Is it of any importance that Christians, and Jews, understand what Muslims believe? Well, actually, it’s critical that we know what Muslims believe about the end times, because there is an astounding overlap between what the Bible and the Quran say will happen in the end of this last phase of human history.

We are now closer to end times events than in the last century, so we can now discern much more about how these prophecies will be, and are being, fulfilled. We can now, gradually, begin to understand how those formerly somewhat unclear prophecies are now becoming clearer every day. It’s like approaching a light in the night through a fog, the closer one gets, the clearer one can see. As we get closer to the end, we can begin to see that only one group of inhabitants of the earth can fulfill these prophecies in our day.

In this regard, the biggest shock to this writer, in beginning to re-study what the Bible calls the “mystery” of the identity of the Daughter of Babylon, was that, contrary to the formerly prevailing general belief that America is not in Biblical prophecy, America, as it turns out, is a major player on the prophetic end times world stage. A major player, that is, until a prophesied point in time. This, then, is a significant conclusion of The End of America. The Bible contains numerous prophetic verses that, we now increasingly see and understand, can only apply, and do apply, to the United States of America, and to no other nation of the past or present. Those verses have always been there, but it is only now, as we approach their fulfillment, that we can perceive them as such.

What must be emphasized is that this is not just another book about the well-known and often studied end times topics, such as Armageddon, the Antichrist, the Rapture, the Tribulation and other final days world events. Unlike most books on prophecy, we will study in depth those end times prophecies that come before these events that we normally think of when we think of end times prophecies. As it turns out, the Bible contains over 220 verses (and thirty identity clues) that describe a particular end times nation (it’s not Israel) which will be fulfilled before the final days events with which students of the Bible are well acquainted.

So, grab your Bible, and grab your newspaper. As you do, keep in mind that there are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament, and 578 prophecies in the New Testament. Those 1,817 prophecies include 8,352 verses. And because there are 31,124 verses in the Bible, those 8,352 verses are about 27 percent of the total, meaning that over one-fourth of the Bible is prophecy. (Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, by J. Barton Payne). Some of those 1,817 prophecies have already been fulfilled, many are not yet fulfilled, but all will be fulfilled by the end of the end times. Thankfully, God has given us in His Word what will happen before it all happens. Let’s study those prophecies together to learn what God wants us to know, and more importantly, to act on what He has told us to do in the beginning days of the end times. Our very lives will depend upon it.

THE END OF AMERICA

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or in e-version on Kindle (99 cents).

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God bless & thanks for reading,

John Price

Table of Contents

Copyright

AMENDMENT ONE

AMENDMENT TWO

I. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

II.

TWENTY

TWENTY ONE

TWENTY TWO

TWENTY THREE

TWENTY FOUR

TWENTY FIVE

TWENTY SIX

TWENTY SEVEN

TWENTY EIGHT

TWENTY NINE

THIRTY

THIRTY ONE

THIRTY TWO

THIRTY THREE

THIRTY FOUR

THIRTY FIVE

THIRTY SIX

THIRTY SEVEN

THIRTY EIGHT

THIRTY NINE

FORTY

III.

FORTY ONE

FORTY TWO

FORTY THREE

FORTY FOUR

FORTY FIVE

FORTY SIX

FORTY SEVEN

FORTY EIGHT

FORTY NINE

FIFTY

FIFTY ONE

FIFTY TWO

FIFTY THREE

IV.

FIFTY FOUR

FIFTY FIVE

FIFTY SIX

FIFTY SEVEN

FIFTY EIGHT

FIFTY NINE

SIXTY

SIXTY ONE

SIXTY TWO

SIXTY THREE

SIXTY FOUR

SIXTY FIVE

SIXTY SIX

SIXTY SEVEN

SIXTY EIGHT

SIXTY NINE

SEVENTY

SEVENTY ONE

SEVENTY TWO

SEVENTY THREE

SEVENTY FOUR

SEVENTY FIVE

Afterword

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Published Books by the Author

INTRODUCTION TO THE END OF AMERICA