Objective- Freedom

by James Huber

  President Curtis was shocked into incoherence. Ray ordered the White House doctor to take the president from the room and watch over him. The doctor took the president to his quarters.

  Ray immediately called the chief of police in the burning city, promising assistance from the National Guard as soon as he could contact the governor.

  “Let the place burn and stay out of harm’s way,” Ray added. He called the mayor and told him he just nationalized the National Guard. The police were now under the command of the senior officer present.

  “Considering the situation, Mr. Mayor, it might be best if you resigned and let someone else handle crises,” he finished.

  Ray called the deputy fire chief and told him to back off, too. “Let it burn. Save your men at all costs.”

  “Yes, Sir.” The deputy chief pulled his forces out.

  As commercials came on, the screaming commentator’s voice was cut off. The sound was gone, but the scene would last forever in many people’s minds.

  Messengers at each state house went to awaken their respective governors. Ambassador Randall was in Albuquerque at the governor’s mansion. When the news came in, he went to the governor’s office to watch it with her. Governor Espada was distraught again.

  “Settle down,” Randall said. “Tell me what the problem is.”

  She pointed to the screen. “Look at what we’ve done. Those people’s blood is on our hands. If we stayed with the United States, this wouldn’t have happened.”

  “Get over it. We didn’t do anything to cause this. It’s the fault of Robert Curtis’s failed policies. That, and the spoiled, coddled, welfare kings and queens.”

  “This has nothing to do with what we said or did. Get hold of yourself. You act as if the world’s sitting on your shoulders.

  We’ve talked about the welfare situation for years. It should come as no surprise that people are being hurt, especially if someone attacks firemen or policemen. You have to be realistic about this.”

  Governor Espada looked at him. “Yes, Elliott. It’s just so overwhelming. I don’t know if I can take any more. What should I do?”

  He looked at her sternly. “Do you remember when you first ran for city council? I told you it could get rough. You told me you could get rough, too. Do it. Get rough. Stand up and make a statement to yourself. This isn’t your fault or mine. It’s the fault of radicals in DC, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. It’s not your fault. Do I have your attention, or do you want to whine some more?”

  Governor Espada stood and looked at Ambassador Randall. “I’m the governor of the State of New Mexico. You will address me as such, and you’ll do it respectfully and with courtesy. You will advise me and counsel me in the actions to ensure the liberty of my state and our new coalition. Is that clear, Mr. Ambassador? Would you like a different career? I don’t have time for overbearing bureaucrats.”

  She paused. “How’s that, Elliott?”

  He smiled. “OK, Your Honor. Now keep it up.”

  As she marched from the conference room, Randall hoped he hadn’t created a monster. If he had, maybe it was for the best.

  That evening, the Coalition governors arrived in Oklahoma City at Tinker Air Force Base, which had been renamed to the Thomas Paine Defense Center as part of a trend to rename bases after heroes of the Revolutionary War.

  In the secure conference room, as they watched scenes of welfare houses burning. No one spoke.

  When the picture changed to other topics, Governor Harris said, “My concern is rather broad. I don’t want to see the United States turn into Lebanon. I don’t want to see us having to continue with that union promoting a welfare state. It almost destroyed us and seems ready to destroy the United States. We need to stay the course and get away from that kind of government. I’ve had reports from my state of Texas that people have no inclination to burn down the places where they live, but we can’t be sure. We’ve been assured that rabble rousers and racist agitators have been neutralized, but we can’t let down our guard. Do you have any suggestions?”

  “We should try to incorporate at least four more adjoining states to strengthen ourselves,” Governor Tate from Colorado said. “I don’t like the idea of being dragged back into that failed union.

  We provided more than our fair share of taxes to a government that didn’t know how to spend it. It’s time to take care of ourselves.

  The Senate and House of Representatives have turned their backs on the citizens. Just last week, they voted themselves another pay raise. I agree that we should entertain motions to accept the four states Ambassador Randall brought to us.”

  Governor John Raven looked at Tate. “Wow, Simon. I thought you were asleep. I never heard you say so many words at one time before.”

  Tate smiled.

  A buzz at the door told them something important was happening. When the door opened, Colonel Roberts, deputy commander of the Texas Rangers, stepped in.

  “Yes, Colonel?” Governor Harris, who was chairing the meeting, asked. “What is it?”

  “Sir. You may want to turn on the TV. There’s some pretty unwelcome news.” He walked toward the door.

  “Wait, Colonel,” General Polk said. “We might need you immediately.”

  General Polk, turning on the monitor, found a news channel.

  The screen was split into six sections, each showing a burning neighborhood. The worst was Detroit. Most of the old train yards and its buildings, and all the welfare housing areas, were burning. The same thing was repeated in Memphis, East Saint Louis, Washington, Birmingham, and Philadelphia.

  Governor Matt Wilson of Arizona first thought it was just a copycat reaction. One group saw someone getting attention, so they wanted attention, too. As the governors watched, they soon saw that the rioting and fires seemed organized, almost synchronized. All the troubles began simultaneously and were confined to only certain areas in each city. Why didn’t the rioters burn down city hall?

  Then he realized what it meant. If the welfare housing areas burned, the states had to give the rioters what they wanted. If they didn’t, the rioters would run rampant and destroy the entire city, creating massive bloodshed and murder.

  “I believe we’re conducting an official meeting, aren’t we?” Governor Wilson asked.

  The other governors nodded.

  “I take it that Governor Tate has offered a motion to the floor. Is that true, Simon?”

  Simon Tate considered that for a moment. “Yes. Since that’s the case, I move we allow the four states that have appealed to Ambassador Randall be admitted to the Coalition under the laws now proposed.”

  “I second the motion,” Governor Raven said, “with the greatest pleasure.”

  “It has been moved and seconded that the four states that have appealed to our ambassador here present be admitted as members of the Southwest Coalition of States,” Governor Harris said. “Is there any further discussion?”

  “While I give my wholehearted support to this motion,” Governor Espada said, “I wish to be assured that the aforementioned states of Utah, Arkansas, Kansas, and Louisiana clearly understand what they’re getting into. My recent doubts have been cleared up.”

  Ambassador Randall looked down and smiled. He knew she’d come back strong.

  “I need to be assured they’ll back us completely even when the going gets tough,” Governor Espada added. “Believe me, it will.”

  Ambassador Randall spoke for the first time. “Will the lady from New Mexico yield?”

  She nodded in agreement.

  “For the last week, General Polk, Colonel Roberts, and I have traveled to each of the aforementioned states and met with their governors. This was accomplished under the power you gave me.

  “All the governors, their directors of public safety, and their various National Guard commanders are behind this effort. They are even more disenchanted by the United States government than we are.”

  “If that was so, Mr. Randall,” Govern
or Raven asked, “why’d it take so long for them to come to us and apply to secede?”

  “There were several extenuating circumstances, Sir, not least of which was they weren’t invited. The five charter governors came to their decision simultaneously. There are more reasons. One is the lack of confidence in any central government. Louisiana, for instance, has a strong sense of independence. Kansas is very staid and won’t jump unless they know they can land safely.

  Arkansas and Utah have areas of sparse population, and it took time for them to reach consensus. Utah was hesitant, fearing they wouldn’t be given the same rights, because they’d be admitted late. I told them our constitution hasn’t yet been ratified, and, when it is, they would be equal to all the others.”

  “Mr. Ambassador, you belong in my chair,” Governor Harris said. “You’ve got this all figured out.”

  “No, Sir. I needed a lot of help. General Polk seems to know as much about statesmanship as I. Colonel Roberts is a master at getting things done through other people. I couldn’t have accomplished this without them. Governor Espada has been an excellent devil’s advocate. The rest of you supported me without question, so you should stay right there, Sir.”

  That lightened the mood. The motion passed unanimously. The other four states would be admitted to the Coalition as soon as the governors could attend the meetings in person.

  “Ambassador Randall,” Governor Harris said, “please convey the news to the appropriate messengers and send them back to their home states. We expect the new governors to meet with us next week at a place yet to be decided.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Governor Espada introduced her guest. When the chairman recognized him, he began speaking.

  “Governors, we have the technology at Holloman Air Force Base to make certain that all telephone, cell phone, and Internet traffic can’t be intercepted by spy devices from the United States. If I’m ordered to activate this technology, I can adjust it to cover any area you direct. It will be based on GPS readings and can ensure secure communications. The only problem is, no signals can be received from outside except through the military net.

  “This will provide us with communication in and around specific areas. We’ve always been able to intercept transmissions from the United States. Until they can duplicate the system we have, there is no chance they can intercept our signals.”

  He sat down.

  “The technological aspects have been presented to me,” Governor Espada said, “and it can be made available to all governors.”

  The others declined, because they weren’t technically educated.

  “I’d like to look through the information so I can become familiar with it,” General Polk said.

  The man gave him a book, which the general placed in his briefcase. It would never be out of his or Colonel Roberts’ sight except when it was locked in a secure safe in the Texas Rangers’ main office.

  “If anyone inquiries about the specifications of this system,”

  Governor Espada said, “he must have good reason, to avoid compromising the system.”

  “Governors,” Governor Wilson said, “I suggest we continue to use messengers until this is a proven asset. They can always carry documents and letters. We trust the technicians at Holloman, but things can go wrong. I hope we can agree.”

  The others concurred. It would save time and money, both of which are essential to proper government.

  The next order of business was the matter of voting and agreement among the council of governors. With the addition of four more states, they needed procedural changes.

  “We’ve maintained the idea of passing all our decisions only after unanimous approval,” Governor Tate said. “This has worked well. With the addition of four more states, we may run into problems. We might have trouble passing anything if we continue to require a unanimous vote. Getting five people to agree was hard enough. Getting nine will be almost impossible. If we keep our current requirements, many bills or laws won’t be enacted. Then we’d end up wringing our hands like that other country and not accomplish anything.

  “I believe a government should be run like a business. The main threat to business is overregulation and decision making. If decisions are held up due to wrangling, we often fail.”

  After discussing the idea, they agreed a simple majority would be sufficient to pass a program or idea. That wouldn’t be an issue once the new constitution was enacted. The governors would simply manage their states as before. The motion passed unanimously.

  The final business of the meeting, and, hopefully, of the convocation, would be to welcome the new state governors. That would happen the following evening at a reception in the formal dining room. Everyone looked forward to light entertainment and conversation.

  The meeting adjourned. The technicians from Holloman Air Force Base worked their magic to have the phone systems and Internet connections secured within a day. They gave all the governors and their aides new cell phones with GPS and image capability.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Vice President Green was busy, though he wasn’t as busy as when he ran the Pentagon. The main items he needed to deal with in his current job were to keep the White House running smoothly and to deflect people from the president. Most who claimed they needed to see him could be dealt with by the vice president or the press secretary. That applied to foreign dignitaries, too. The only foreign dignitary who had open-door visiting rights was Ambassador Catherine Blakely.

  Vice President Green was the first to receive the daily briefing and to pass on appropriate parts to the president. Curtis gave him that authority. He didn’t want to be bothered with an assassination in a backwater republic or an insult from a banana republic. Others could handle those or ignore them.

  Ray Green felt a policy of isolationism creeping into the president’s manner, which would need watching. Ray felt a certain amount of detachment was required. He didn’t want to become involved in any more brushfire wars that would drag on and kill too many young people only to fail. Most countries that were involved in such wars were worse off at the end of them. The United States had too many important issues to deal with at home.

  There were no current wars or assassinations in the briefing that day. No typhoons wiped out people, and droughts and floods were quiet for a time. Ray looked forward to an easy day.

  He made a date with Ambassador Blakely at a very nice McLean, Virginia, restaurant for the evening. He looked forward to it and hoped he could build a relationship with her. He never took the time to develop a romantic relationship before, and he intended to change that.

  Just as he thought of the evening’s menu, the Marine Guards at the door announced a surprise visitor from Fort Meade, Maryland, the home of the National Security Agency. The NSA was tasked with the security of the US by means of cryptographically spying on the airwaves and gathering satellite information. Often information was received from human intelligence, HUMINT. Sometimes that wasn’t reliable, but many times it was the only way to get information out of a country without compromising the security apparatus.

  The messenger was a military man who wasn’t in uniform, though his fitness and general demeanor showed his affiliation. He came directly to Vice President Green’s office and addressed him as General Green. Entering the office, the man opened a secured briefcase, handed Ray an envelope, and stepped back.

  “Please be seated and wait,” Ray said. The man sat down.

  When Ray opened the envelope, it contained the worst possible news: four most states had seceded. He expected it but hoped he could hold it off for a while. The president was walking a political tightrope, and news like that might push him off for good.

  He called in the chairman of the joint chiefs and the director of the NSA, then he thought that the White House doctor should be nearby, too.

  When Admiral Frank Velasco, chairman of the joint chiefs, arrived, Vice President Green handed him the envelope and waited while he examine
d it.

  “I had some forewarning of this,” Admiral Velasco said, “but I didn’t think it would be prudent to watch every governor and meeting held in the Southwest.”

  Ray nodded. “It’s necessary now.” “Yes, Sir.”

  They waited for the director of the NSA.

  NSA Director Lieutenant General Ozzie Burton arrived in a hurry, carrying another message that he handed to the vice president. Ray read it and handed it to Chairman Velasco.

  Ray felt the way the president had been feeling all long. The situation was out of control. He had to stop it, but how? He knew they faced a long haul, one the president wouldn’t be able to handle.

  Without telling the others, Burton brought Federal Judge Wolfe with him, too. He called the man into the room and asked his opinion.

  “Is spying on American citizens a violation of their personal rights?” Burton asked.

  “Yes, it is,” the judge said. Ray, shaking his head, handed the judge the latest message.

  After the judge read it, he slowly removed his glasses. “I guess the constitutionality of spying has become moot. We must think of the good of the many. I didn’t see the original message, just this one, but I must amend my first comment and state that spying on them now would be the same as foreign nationals. The Coalition is considered a separate country. The issue no longer affects the rights of American citizens.”

  Vice President Green looked at him in thanks. “Your Honor, please make yourself at home in my outer office. I think we’ll have use for your services soon.”

  “I do, too, Mr. Vice President. As much as I regret the circumstances, I’ll be here to do my duty.”