The Shelter: WAR

by Ira Tabankin

  “General, I’ll agree that we’re screwed. We’ve been on a downward slope for at least seven years and the angle of the downward slope has increased recently. I’ll agree that we need some real change, not the empty words that come out of our dear leader. General, that comment can’t ever leave this room. He doesn’t appreciate his officers speaking poorly about him. I was just cleared in an investigation, I’m not sure I’d survive another.”

  “Do you agree that we’ve never been so split before? I think we’re more split today than we were in the civil war. Then, it was a division based on location, this time, we’re separated by philosophy; right and left. Neither side talks to the other. Congress isn’t following the desires of the people who elected them. They lie to get elected and then turn their heads as this president continues to destroy our constitution. The media isn’t being an honest fourth estate. I don’t believe the new President, whoever it may be, can solve the country’s problems. Whoever wins will have to implement programs which are going to piss one side or the other off. The media will fight any changes that don’t further their agendas. The left wants to keep expanding the government; the right wants it shrunk. One side thinks we’re spending too much; the other thinks we’re not spending enough. There aren’t any areas the two sides agree on. I’m 67 years old, I’ve never seen the country so split. There’s no one running who has the balls to tell the people the truth and to do what’s necessary to get control of the government. It’s grown so large; no one knows what it does. The VA talks bullshit while Vets die, the DHS has employees who are on their own no-fly list. The Treasury is printing money like there’s no tomorrow, HHS is managing a national healthcare program that’s decreasing people’s healthcare while increasing costs. Obamacare was supposed to lower premiums $2,500 a year. The reality is premiums have gone up more than $2,500 a year. Remember, “you can keep your doctor”? Thousands lost the ability to keep their doctors. The President brags that his programs have lowered unemployment to less than 5%, yet we have over 120 million out of work and the lowest participation rate in fifty years. The economy is still in the shitter; it’s been in the shitter for almost eight years. The Democrat front runner can’t change anything. She’s only interested in her own power and lining her pockets. The Republican front runner is a businessman who says he knows how to make deals happen. That may be true. However, the government isn’t a business. In a business deal, both sides want the deal to happen. They’re fighting over a few margin points. When you run a country, each side not only wants to win, but they also want to crush the other side. Many times one side will harm the country if it means their side wins. These conditions don’t make it possible for deals to be cut. Unless the left and right can work together, we’re doomed. From where I stand, the two sides are moving further apart, versus finding ways to work together to improve people’s lives.”

  “Do you think the solution is for the South to break away and form a new country? Do you think starting a second civil war is the way to solve the problem? Won’t you be causing a hell of a lot more grief than we have now?”

  “Captain, please let me continue. The people are angry, they haven’t been this pissed off in many years. They’re against Obamacare and the Congress funds it, the majority of people are against open borders and the Congress funds it. The majority of people want the refugee resettlement program paused or stopped, and of course, the Congress funds it. The people have stopped believing their voice counts for anything! The founding fathers never foresaw a political or ruling class like we have now. The ruling class does what they want, they pay lip service to the people who elected them. Most people believe the government is too large and the government is the problem, not the solution.”

  “Do you really think forming a new Country is going to fix anything? Aren’t you just going to make things worse?”

  “Can it be worse than the current? Consider, there are four hundred million guns in the country, most in the hands of some very pissed off people, people who’ve lost faith in their government. No matter how you look at the picture, it doesn’t look good from where I’m sitting. Captain, I believe we’re screwed. I don’t see any way the country survives the next few years. We’ll never be able to pay back the $22 trillion in debt and the Congress continues to spend like a drunken sailor on shore leave. I read a report that said our debt will reach $30 trillion within ten years. The left and right don’t agree on anything. The left says the top 1% don’t pay their fair share, in truth they pay over 60% of the country’s taxes. Even with record tax collections, the government is running record deficits. The average person doesn’t want to pass this debt to their children’s children. The average person is earning less than $30,000 a year. Incomes have decreased over the previous seven years; many long-time employees have not had a raise in these seven years, the company can't afford to acknowledge the good work their employees contribute. Over 65% of the people think we’re on the wrong path, yet they’re going to elect the same people back into office. We need real change to give our people some true, honest hope.

  Either the left wins the next election and completes the transformation of America into socialist Europe or a third world nation or the right wins and without a super majority in both houses gets nothing done. If the left wins and tries to take the people’s guns, there is a good chance many will rise up to fight the government. Are you willing to go house to house to take the people’s guns away like the administration wants? What happens if the President declares martial law and calls off the next election, what will you do if millions of armed people rise to fight their own government? The people may not have your level of training, but they have the numbers. Are you going to put on a red coat and fight the people you’re sworn to defend?”

  “You know I won’t fire on Americans, no matter which side they’re standing on. I will not shoot innocents. I will not support the administration if they plan to use us to hammer the people into shutting up. We’re not Venezuela or Cuba and I won’t help them turn us into a third world country. I swore an oath to defend the country, not tear it apart. General, seceding isn’t going to solve anything either. All you’ll be doing is replacing one group of greedy morons with another. Why will you succeed this time, what are you going to do to make your new utopia better?”

  “We have some ideas how to set up a new government; first off is term limits for every office. Second, no outside money can be raised to run for office, including foreign contributions and special interest lobbies, nor will a candidate’s personal money be allowed. Everyone running will be given the same amount from the treasury which will be funded by the people’s taxes. That way, no one is indebted to anyone. We’ll break the cycle where the candidate with the most money wins. We’re going to make sure we never have a ruling class making our laws again. Our currency will be based on the gold standard; we’re not going to have a Federal Reserve, who can screw with the value of our currency or give money away without us knowing about it. We’re going to return local issues to communities, we won’t have a national department of education or labor.”

  “That sounds like a good beginning, are you sure you can pull it off?”

  “Yes, we’re going to write it into our constitution. I’m glad we’re in agreement on at least one point. We both agree we aren’t going to open fire on Americans who aren’t terrorists: terrorists in the true sense of the word, not the new definition which means anyone who disagrees with the administration.”

  Captain Black sits across the table from the General, his face a stone mask. His eyes are locked on the General.

  “General, the last time I checked, the Webster’s Online Dictionary defines terrorism as; “The systematic use of violence as a means to intimidate or coerce societies or governments." Isn’t this what you’re doing? Isn’t your Confederacy nothing more than a terrorist organization operating within the borders of the United States?”

  “Captain, the Confederacy aren’t terrorists, we’re fighting for our
people’s rights. Rights that were written into the founding documents of the United States. Liberal activist courts decided if they couldn’t get what they wanted from Congress, they would take it upon themselves to change the laws of the land. We want to return the land to the common sense laws our founders established for us. We don’t want every government agency to have their own militarized SWAT force, or to be considered the enemy by our own government. The President says veterans and gun lovers are potential terrorists. He wants to disarm everyone, leaving us at his mercy. No Captain, we are not terrorists. We don’t want to harm innocents; we don’t fly planes into buildings. We don’t go around killing people because they believe in a different God than we do. We encourage full religious freedom. The freedom to practice your religion, not having to hide it because it might offend someone. We believe in true free speech and freedom to practice your religion unless your religion is teaching that killing innocents is a beneficial outcome.”

  “I think the definition of the word terrorist depends on which side of the line you’re standing on. From my side of the line, it looks like you’re a terrorist. From your side, you think you’re a freedom fighter. I don’t see much difference between you and the Muslims who flew the planes into the World Trade Center.”

  “Then, I’m very disappointed in you. I thought you, of all people, would understand the difference between patriots and terrorists. You fought in the sandbox for three tours and you can’t see the difference between us? That is very sad. I’m sorry I wasted your time.”

  “General, I don’t like the sound of what you’re saying. The country may have some serious problems, name one that doesn’t. If the South moves forward with their plan to secede it will cause a massive bloodbath. The blood flow in the cities will be as wide as the muddy Mississippi. Neighbor will kill neighbor; brother will kill brother. It will be worse than the last time. Your cities will be bombed like the German ones were in the Second World War. No one wins in another civil war. What makes you think the people will trust the new government any more than they trust the current one? Their problems will be worse than they are now. When the civil war comes, other countries around the world will step in and take what was ours. Our friends and treaty partners won’t trust us. Your little civil war could ignite the fuse of a fire that spreads around the world. You’re close to starting a world war by inviting other countries to take advantage of our weakness. General, I’m urging you to stop. Stop before things get out of control and can’t be stopped. Stop before we become enemies. I don’t want to fight you.”

  “I hope you won’t be fighting me, you’ll be fighting militias and the Confederacy’s new military. Would you be surprised to know the majority of the military located in the South have said they will join us? Do you know how many companies have told us they will expand their factories here due to our right to work laws? The country’s currency is falling like a lead balloon, ours is going to rise since it’s backed by gold. Our goal is to build a safe and happy country where our people have a voice in their government. I know you’re going to say the people currently have a say, the election process. How many times have people sent new people to Congress, only to watch them quickly become part of the ruling class? You know the average people don’t have a voice, they’ve been ignored.

  I don’t think when the time comes you’re going to pick up arms against me or the people of the South. I think you’re a good man who understands that something has to change if the American dream is to survive.”

  “What military? You don’t have a military. I don’t think the US military will really change sides.”

  “Do you remember your history? In the civil war, many in the military changed sides. It’s starting to happen again. We’ve promised the military the people and government are going to be totally behind them. We’re going to pay our soldiers enough to be in the middle class, no vet will ever be homeless in the Confederacy. Captain, I’m sorry I wasted your time. I won’t take up any more of it.” General Arthur stands up to leave the conference room.

  “General, there’s no reason to leave. I’m playing the devil’s advocate. I’m not asking you to leave. I want to hear you out. I want to make sure you understand the ramifications of your plan. I agree we need change, I’m not sure yours is the right way. I admit, I like some of what you’ve said. Convince me your plan has a serious chance of succeeding. Tell me who’s going to lead this new country of yours. Show me you’re not going to start with a normal politician as your first President.”

  “The Confederacy will be a country that more resembles the one our founding fathers established; one where people don’t have to ask the government for a permit to exercise their God given rights. One that will have laws in place to prevent it from having a ruling class or people who serve in Congress for fifty years forgetting about the ‘little people’ who voted for them in their selfish quest to be rich and powerful. The founders thought people would serve and return to their regular jobs. Too many people are fed up. Let’s look at the other side of the coin; the pressure for real change is building every day, if it doesn’t happen now, the pressure will keep building. If it happens later, it’s going to be much worse than either of us can imagine. If it happens later, it will happen in an uncontrollable spasm of bloodshed. Millions will die. If it happens now, in a controlled manner, we should be able to save millions of lives and allow both sides to live side by side in peace. We don’t want war, we want our people to be free, we want our children’s children to be debt free.”

  “Do you really think both sides will be able to live next to each other in peace? Have they ever been able to live in peace? The Progressives aren’t happy unless they’re in control of everyone and everything. They always know what’s best for everyone except themselves. I’m not blind, I’ve seen the problems. I’ve been subject to the silly orders coming out of the ‘Puzzle Palace.’ I’ve had replacements sent to me because they wanted to wear the green beanie, yet can’t march ten miles, or they want to dress and be addressed as a woman, even though they’re a man. I’ve been sent gays who hit on the men in their foxholes. I’ve been sent women who complain about carrying their packs. The administration is using the military for social experimenting. To be honest, I dislike what they’re doing. The only people who should be in the field are those who have qualified to be there.”

  “Captain, is it any different than California giving high school diplomas to every senior, whether they passed their exit tests or not? They even gave them out retroactively. It’s going to get worse as the kids who got trophies just for showing up begin to assume positions of power. Think about what the country will look like then. We’re raising an entitled class.”

  “General, I understand what you’re trying to do. In fact, I agree with most of what you want to accomplish. I’m not sure I can support how you’re planning on going about doing it.”

  “What would you recommend we do differently?”

  “Shouldn’t the people vote if they want to secede? If they voted for secession, I’d feel a lot better about it. It would truly be the will of the people.”

  General Arthur smiles, nodding his head, “We plan to hold an election where the people will have the final say.”

  “Before or after you announce your secession? If before, their votes will be meaningless.”

  “Not really, we plan to make the announcement and ask the people to vote in support or opposition to secession. If enough people vote for secession and not everyone wants to live in the Confederacy, those who want to leave will be able to. We’ve run many polls, we’re sure the majority of people want to break away. I can show you the polls if you’d like to see them.”

  “Polls are meaningless to me. I’m interested in seeing the results from the people voting. What’s the cut off for you to move ahead or stop, 50.01%? Are you going to dump anyone who doesn’t agree with your vision of the future on the north? How are you going to help those who want to leave? Are you paying their moving e
xpenses?”

  “We’re discussing that. We are planning on giving those who want to leave something to help them get their new lives started. We don’t want to see anyone hurt.”

  “That’s a surprise. You said your currency is going to be based on the gold standard, how are you going to accomplish it?”

  “We’re going to adopt the Huntsville Plan. We’re going to use gold and silver coins and print paper bills backed and redeemable for gold and silver.”

  “How much time do I have to think your offer over?”

  “How much time do you need? Our time is short. I’d hoped you’d already given it some thought and would be ready to announce your decision when the Governor arrives this afternoon.”

  “Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be back in a couple of hours. General, a question, where does Jay fit into this new world order?”

  “That’s a good question. I think it’s one of the reasons the Governor is coming to meet with him. He hasn’t given me an answer yet. We’ll be right here while you consider what we’ve said.”

  Captain Black smiles turning to face the General and Major, “You know, Jay’s shelter would be an interesting location to base the new government. It might explain why he’s using so much concrete. He’s expanding his shelter to house the new government. Isn’t he?”