Second Term - A Novel of America in the Last Days (The End of America Series Book 1) (13 page)

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.