The Enemy Within

by Kurt Winans

  When President Harwell announced the specifics of the project, the immediate question within the press briefing room of the White House was how he intended to pay for it. The question was relevant, as the answer would be meaningful to many taxpaying citizens with the election scantly more than two months away. However their collective fears were instantly put to rest.

  The President responded with, “The entire funding for this project, which is necessary if the United States shall continue its claim to be a civilized nation, will be comprised from the holdings of those within the organization who attacked us. Personal items such as homes, vehicles, planes, tracks of land, and bank accounts to name a few that are owned by those who were guilty have already been seized. In addition their respective companies or corporations, whether of a regional nature within Texas or more global reaching, have met the same fate. The intent of the United States is to sell those items at market value and then pool the money toward the aid package to rebuild Syria.”

  A series of follow-up questions ensued, with each member of the media circus in the room believing that they had the most vital inquiry. Sadly each was incorrect, as the common theme among all questions was the quest for asset information about those from the organization who had been captured and found guilty of crimes.

  President Harwell would not reveal what they sought, but he assured them that when all of the assets spoken of had been sold off to create the fund, a listing of what was sold and for how much would be provided to them.

  When President Harwell announced his plan to aid Syria, he had no idea what would transpire before the end of the week. It was true that several members of the organization had been captured and their assets seized, but that was only the beginning. They had each been found guilty by way of trial, and like Samuel Tillman, were sentenced to lengthy terms within various maximum security prisons throughout the United States. On an individual basis each of those events would have been somewhat gratifying, but from the perspective of the President, what happened on the morning of September first as a consequence of the ripple effect from them was even better.

  In looking back the President realized that his decisions to move against Texas in multiple ways had paid off. Each had been risky in their own right, but the combination of what they intended to do had brought Texas to her knees. Although the blockade had already proved to be most effective, and incursions to capture two military bases showed that Texas was either unable or unwilling to retake them, President Harwell thought that the tipping point had come on the morning of June twenty-eighth. That was when the leadership in Austin learned that only hours before being notified of it, the top three people within their government structure had been captured. With that notification they were presented with irrefutable proof as to the treachery that their President Stoddard, Vice President Walker, and the Madam Speaker of the House were guilty of. They, along with Ambassador Pearson and the General in command of the Texas military forces, had been willing and instrumental aspects of a plot against the United States. The notification continued by addressing the fact that the organization they were all a part of, knowingly created a subsequent misdirection of guilt which helped lead to the birth of the Independent Republic of Texas.

  More than two months had passed since that day of impactful enlightenment for the people of Texas, and during that time the pressure applied by forces within the United States to influence their way of life had not let up. In spite of repeated attempts which could lead to the betterment of young people throughout the republic, the NCAA would not budge on their stance. All the universities and colleges within Texas had banded together with a common voice and cited that the city of Toronto Canada had teams in both the NBA and Major League Baseball that were eligible for play in United States based competition. In response the NCAA stated that they had little or no concern at all as to how professional sports were governed, and it was ridiculous for Texas to believe that they would.

  Although the official numbers had not been released for public knowledge, each respective school was receiving fewer applications for admission than in previous years. It was something that would have long-term effects regardless of how it impacted sport. The loss of revenue from tuition and other related student expenses would limit a schools ability to function and churn out the minds of the future.

  There were additional pressures of a completely different nature that the United States applied toward Texas, as America refused to import any products from her neighboring republic. That triggered a catastrophic event, as even though it happened slowly at first, other nations of the world began to show a disinterest in the continuation of trade relations with Texas. The republic that had not long before boasted of its position on the global stage could simply not be trusted to deliver on contractual commitments, so they were high risk at best. Then when added to the harsh reality that Texas had no stomach to defend her land from foreign incursion by her former parent nation, the republic began to be viewed as nothing more than a child in an adult game of poker.

  As a result the value of the Texas dollar slipped far from the mark set the previous summer of 0.92 against the American dollar. At that highpoint in value it required only 92 cents of Texas money to buy an American dollar. Although the value had shifted back somewhat to 0.96 by the dawn of 2028, it had remained at that level of trading until the first of June. Then much like their trade relations with other nations of the world, the Texas dollar began to slip away before plummeting in more recent weeks. Oddly enough the President had seen a report as to the value on the final day of August, and at 1.12 to the American dollar it was twenty cents different than a year before.

  President Harwell did not claim to be an expert on the matter, but there were a team of economists at his disposal who believed the value would continue to move in its current direction. With the chokehold imposed against the export of trade by the blockade, as well as the transportation tariff across portions of the United States which had been initiated on nearly the same day, Texas had no choice but to move their products through Mexico. That option offered minimal rail opportunities, and no sizeable ports for large cargo vessels in close proximity. As a result, it wouldn’t solve the problem.

  With knowledge of all those combined factors and the thought of their next generation of young minds seeking education elsewhere, it was no surprise that Texas arrived at the logical conclusion that it was time to fold their hand. That did not imply they would be folded in prayer, as that motion had little to do with economic forecasts. Texas simply didn’t possess the bankroll or a strong enough hand to stay in with the other players, and no one with any economic savvy would be bluffed, so they would step away from the game.

  The communication that President Harwell received from the acting President of Texas had stated as much, and included another message of a more personal nature. Many representatives within the Texas legislative bodies had been appalled to learn that a handful of the supposed upstanding members of their leadership and citizenship, including the well-respected Samuel Tillman, were actually far from honorable. Those who had been guilty were some of the strongest voices for Texas independence in the past, and had pushed for it vigorously. They had used the pretext of not wanting to financially support a foreign war in Syria as the leverage for fracturing from the United States, which many at the time felt to be valid reasoning. But because they had caused the event which initiated the idea of that war, they were nothing more than organized terrorists set on upending the balance of government to suit their own ambitions.

  The message also stated there were many within Texas who were truly sorry for what had happened, but understood that it would take time before anyone would trust or have faith in them again. The process of healing would be demanding, but Texas was willing to make an effort.

  In closing the temporary President expressed a desire on behalf of those he represented. Texas wanted to become part of the United States again if that would be possible.

  Before th
e former Lone Star state of Texas could be granted at their pleading request to be reinstated into the collective fold of the United States, certain conditions would need to be met. Every member from the House and Senate in Austin, including the people who had temporarily filled vacated positions after others were removed from office, understood what would be required. Although many were not happy with what faced them, it was infinitely better than the alternative of spiraling into the economic status of an impoverished nation. Therefore they grudgingly accepted exactly what those conditions implied.

  Excluding the previous two months due to his capture, the former Ambassador Pearson of Texas had met with the American Secretary of State on the second Monday of every month throughout the previous eighteen. Therefore the Secretary suggested to President Harwell that incorporating the same time slot for the official signing of the documents would be a good idea. Accordingly, an entourage of representatives from the Republic of Texas arrived at the State Department to meet with both men at ten o’clock on the morning of September eleventh 2028. The date on the calendar, if not the year, was symbolic in that it represented one of the worst days in the history of the United States. However it could now also be remembered as a date of victory which led to reunification.

  A few select members of the media were in attendance for the event, and their cameras were all abuzz as President Harwell entered the large conference room in stride with the man who had through Republic of Texas constitutional law risen to the temporary position of President. Although the alterations which were forthcoming had been accepted without exception by the legislature in Austin, it personally made his stomach turn to think that his signature on their behalf would minimize the stature of Texas so significantly. However he had no choice in the matter as without a doubt the republic was the vanquished party, and it would do no good to deny it any longer. As a consequence, before Texas could become a state again, large portions of her land would be taken away from her. Therefore what had previously defined the perimeter of Texas would undergo significant changes, and after the documents on the table were signed, they would be enforced at noon eastern time.

  In the far western reaches of Texas, her neighbor New Mexico would be enlarged via a substantial portion of land which included El Paso and the surrounding territory. The old line which ran north and south between the two states would remain as it was, but the right angle turn to the west at 32 degrees north latitude would no longer exist. Instead the line would continue further to the south until reaching a point just outside of Big Bend National Park. From there it would take a forty-five degree turn to the southeast and run straight on until reaching the Rio Grande River which defined the international border with Mexico. The purpose of extending the state line further to the south, and the slight jog to the southeast, was so that the entirety of the western flange of Texas and the National Park would now become part of New Mexico.

  As the new line would increase the size of New Mexico by roughly twenty-five percent, her legislature had no problem with agreeing to a small concession in return. At the very northeast corner of the state, the line which had represented the boundary of Oklahoma would be moved to the west a few miles so that the north and south running line would be uniform all the way up to Colorado. With no town or measurable human population within that tiny sliver of land, no citizen of New Mexico would become displaced into Oklahoma by the slight adjustment. As for what had been southwest Texas, towns such as Kermit and Pecos would become part of New Mexico while Fort Stockton and Wickett would serve as the first towns in Texas along Interstate-10 and 20 respectively.

  Oklahoma would also benefit from altered boundaries, as the Texas panhandle region containing the city of Amarillo would be lopped off and annexed into the Sooner state. In order for that to transpire, the straight east to west latitude boundary line of Oklahoma and Texas would be moved south. The new line would commence where the Red River, which defined a much larger portion of the boundary between the two, crossed into Texas northeast of Childress. From that point the line would head directly west until reaching the line with New Mexico, and cross Highway-87 and Interstate-27 just north of Tulia in the process. With the combined land gains of the Texas panhandle and the tiny sliver from northeast New Mexico, Oklahoma would increase in size by roughly one-third.

  Not wanting to snub either of the other two states which had suffered as the neighbor of Texas, both Arkansas and Louisiana would be afforded a concession of land as well. In the northeast corner of Texas, the 95 degree longitude line would be adapted as a new eastern boundary. As the line stretched south from the Red River, it would then intersect with the continuation of the already existing east to west boundary line of Arkansas and Louisiana. As a result, the extended section of land for Arkansas would include, albeit barely, the town of Mt. Pleasant near Interstate-30. The gains from Texas by Arkansas would be the least in terms of square mileage, but as she had originally shared a minuscule boundary with her goliath neighbor when compared to the other three, the lessor amount was justified.

  Lastly there would be Louisiana, and she would gain a more sizable section along the eastern boundary of Texas than that of Arkansas. Following the newly established 95 degree longitude line further to the south, good sized towns such as Longview on Interstate-20, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Livingston along Highway-59, and the entire Beaumont and Port Arthur region near the Gulf of Mexico had been annexed to Louisiana. Although Houston would still fall within the confines of Texas, the port of Galveston and several population centers lining Galveston Bay would not. Barely spared to remain within Texas was the NASA Johnson Space Center just southeast of Houston.

  An enlarged map was shown for the media after the documents had been signed, and what had always been instantly recognizable as the shape of Texas no longer existed. Within the next two hours it would be much smaller in size, and when she was readmitted to the union, other alterations would be tended to.

  Those included a constitutional provision which prohibited Texas from ever leaving the United States, as whether under positive or negative circumstances, it was imperative that the nation would not fracture again.

  The next alteration dealt specifically with representation in the United States Congress. Although two Senators from the state would remain the same, the Representatives within the House would change based on the drastic population drop. That figure would need to be estimated for the time being as the next census would not begin for more than a year, but modern technology would provide the means to be reasonably accurate.

  That led to the final condition of reinstatement, as Texas would not be readmitted into the union until after the upcoming November election. In order to receive a simple majority in Congress for that reinstatement, the eight Senators and every Representative from the four neighboring states had demanded that provision as well as the concession of land. California, who had brought up the concept of weakening Texas by subdividing her land, agreed with the assessment and stated they would also cast a negative vote unless the additional provision was met.

  For those paying attention the posture of the west coast state made perfect sense, as the weakening of Texas would serve to strengthen the position and stature of California in the long run. Among other things, she would move up from being the third largest state to the second, and her electoral votes would be further distanced in a positive direction from that of Texas.

  President Harwell believed that argument was a key point, and it represented another reason why he agreed with keeping Texas on the sidelines until after the election. If he, with the help of Congress, could do so, then he would surely earn the trust and loyalty of those citizens within the states who had benefited.

  The drama which may have typically been present for most Presidential elections was absent on the seventh of November 2028, as Jordan Harwell had all but secured his second term in office by his actions throughout the previous several months. However just to ensure that there wouldn’t be a surprise within
the assumption of victory as with other elections of the past, he made sure that the Electoral College map was decidedly in his favor.

  Many of the current forty-nine states would be won, and the west coast was his without a doubt. His home state of Washington, along with the bordering states of Idaho and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest were decidedly in his corner. In addition, the highly populated state of California with its massive amount of votes was his based on two factors. First there was the promise he had fulfilled to diminish the power and size of Texas, and second was that the opponent in the race hailed from New York. Surely there would be those who wouldn’t admit it, but such a distinction would sway the intended vote of many. Although locations within each of the two powerful states at opposite ends of the country had similar lifestyles, generally speaking the mindset of each had been at odds with the other on multiple fronts for decades. Nevada, the state which had briefly considered the thought of splintering off with California to form their own nation after Texas had done so, also preferred President Harwell with a lopsided majority of their votes. Then Arizona, with a voting populace of many who had at one time lived in other regions of the country, followed suit.

  There were a few states that the President lost as expected, but one of three others which could have been in serious doubt sided with him. Those three states were the ones which had been directly impacted by the terrorist attacks two years prior, and each in their own right had reason to be angry with President Harwell. They had suffered loss of life and property damage from the horrifying events, but were not offered any financial retribution when it was ultimately discovered that various people from within Texas were guilty. In the view of some, which others felt to be myopic, funds to rebuild Syria should have instead been funneled toward the three injured states.