by John Price
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 happ
ens 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.”