The (New) American Way

by Mark R. Adams

  I am impressed with Secretary Latham’s dedication and proclaim, “Thank you again for your help and attitude on this very important process. Now, Secretary Kirkpatrick, let’s attack your problem – Obamacare!”

  Secretary Kirkpatrick spoke up, “The insurance companies are expecting the ACA to go away. They are preparing to return to the way things were before the Obama administration. Most people are confused and waiting to hear your solution to the healthcare dilemma. In fact, I’m rather curious myself.”

  “Secretary Kirkpatrick, let’s brainstorm a bit on this subject,” I said.

  I began, “The middle class in America has been abused by Obamacare. Here’s why: The middle class American family makes too much money to qualify for government subsidies but not enough money to pay premiums four times what they used to pay, and then get higher deductibles on top of that! The system was set up to force people to buy insurance at ridiculous prices, so the government could give free health care away to people who refused to work for it. Of course, the entire thing was a scam from the beginning. Nothing the Obama Administration said about this issue was true—about keeping your doctor, keeping your policy, or saving everyone money. So, what’s happening today is the middle class can’t pay their premiums, they have to drop the insurance and they become one of the uninsured statistics. Unless their employer furnishes their insurance, they have none. And even then, employers must require the employees to pay a higher portion of the premium than ever before - all because of Obamacare. And the thing that galls me the most is the part of Obamacare that requires companies that provide ‘Cadillac’ health insurance plans to their employees must pay a fine. Please tell me what degree of moron thought of this crap?” I was breathing fire again and the two Secretaries were looking at each other laughing. I took a deep breath and started laughing myself.

  Secretary Latham spoke up, “I love your passion and your take on the entire situation. I have never felt so confident that the problems in this nation are about to be fixed.”

  Secretary Kirkpatrick chimed in, “I believe you have a handle on the situation. We are cheering for you.”

  “Cheering may not be enough,” I answered, “but here is how I see this progressing from here forward.” Secretary Kirkpatrick opens a notepad and starts writing. I continue,

  “I have always believed in our free enterprise, capitalist system. The natural progression should go something like this: 1. Jobs are going to be plentiful after I deport all the illegal aliens.” Eyebrows went up after this statement. “All the employers who provide health insurance will help reduce the number of uninsured people. 2. Wages will increase naturally in a tight job market. This will allow workers, not provided health insurance by employers to purchase their own policies. These policies will be more affordable with lower deductibles, and this time you can “keep your doctor” 3. Those who have policies under ACA now, and have a pre-existing condition, will get to keep these policies. The premiums will not be raised based on their condition. If they are unable to work, the government will pick up the tab. 4. We must educate those without health insurance to recognize that they are taking a serious risk. We have to make the uninsured understand that they must take responsibility for their own actions, or in this case, inactions. The government can’t afford to give away health care; it is not a right. If it is the right of a citizen to have health care, why do doctors charge a fee for it from the individual? If it is a right, then doctors would all be working for, and paid by, the government. The only way a single payer healthcare system will work is if the government controls the cost of pharmaceuticals, the salaries of medical professionals, the number of doctors in each area of the country, the cost of hospital stays, surgery, etc. The doctors would not be able to pay back what it takes to make it through medical school in 100 years if they take out student loans. So the number of doctors and nurses would decrease drastically over time. Is this the system the liberal, socialist politicians want for our country? Maybe so, but the American people are smarter than that, and will see through such a catastrophic system as this would become.”

  Secretary Kirkpatrick senses I am done with my rant and says, “You are blessed with more common sense than any 100 people I know. Your ability to find the reality of the situation and the effects and possible repercussions never ceases to amaze me. It is an honor to work in your administration. I will put something together, and get back to you with a plan to end this Obama abomination.”

  “Oh – I like that!” I say, “That’s a good one!”

  I said goodbye and showed them the door. Jerry checked on me but I told him to take a break and be back at 1730 hours. I closed the door and called Cindy. “Hello, sweetheart,” she answered. “Oh, how I miss you.”

  “Honey, I didn’t know how busy a person could be, but I do now,” I said, “and I need you in the worst way.”

  “I want to come there to see you,” she said, “and I’m not taking no for an answer. It’s going to be Christmas in a couple of weeks. I want to see my husband.”

  “Okay,” I concurred. “When school is out for Christmas, bring Natalie and leave Drew with your parents so he can play ball. You will stay at the White House with me. I can’t wait.”

  “I love you, Adam,” she whispered, “and you are my best friend. I really miss you.”

  “You’ll be here soon, and I’ll prove to you how much I love you,” I said with a little chuckle as we hung up.

  I needed to get ready for the 1800 hour nation-wide address. Jerry showed up at 1730 hours and I finished my thoughts about the address

  He went ahead to the makeup people and told them I’d be there in five minutes. Getting makeup to be in front of the camera wasn’t a new experience, but I was never comfortable with it. I took my seat in front of a large mirror, with several bright lights above. It was like watching HDTV and noticing the little things you haven’t noticed on people before. I could see a few wrinkles I didn’t know I had. My makeup artist was a beautiful young lady from Nashville named Ginny Martin. She had worked on some of the country music stars there. At 29 yrs. old, she wasn’t a confirmed conservative or liberal. She didn’t know what to think of me and I didn’t want to bother her while she worked her magic. She always wore perfume that smelled great, and every hair was in place. She took pride in her appearance and her job. Today’s job was to make me look good in front of the camera. As soon as she started, General St. Claire walked in and asked, “Are you prepared?”

  “Yes,” I answered. “It won’t take long, but this should calm everyone down.”

  I walked back to the oval office and sat at my desk in front of the camera. No one was there to ask questions like in an interview. It was all on me. Let’s do it.

  “5, 4, 3, 2, . . . You’re on,” said the director.

  “My fellow Americans,” I began, “Thank you for tuning in tonight and for your patience while adhering to martial law. I hope you have continued to go about your normal lives. I’m speaking to you tonight to assure you that if you are a law-abiding citizen, you shouldn’t even notice there has been a change in Washington, D.C. Daily life will not be affected by martial law, except for the presence of troops. But their orders are to keep the peace, not start trouble by harassing solid citizens. They are on your side. But the criminal element in our society is in real danger. Know this: If you are on the wrong side of the law, you will be met with deadly force, if needed. There are big changes coming within the next 60 days. These changes are being phased in as I speak to you tonight. I expect some backlash, but no demonstrations will be tolerated under martial law.” I paused for a moment and continued, “I will now announce to the country for the first time the new policy for illegal immigrants living in our country. If you are considered a Dreamer by our government, you must report to the nearest immigration office or ICE Agent to receive a new green card. This will allow you and your immediate family to stay in our country and you will be given a path to citizenship. If you do not report to ICE, you w
ill be considered an illegal immigrant destined for deportation. For all other illegal immigrants, you will have 30 days to gather your belongings and exit our country. Failure to do so will qualify you as a fugitive to be captured and forcibly removed. If you resist, you will be met with deadly force. Those who leave quietly may apply at any port of entry for readmission. Any paperwork you can produce, providing you have been employed and you have no arrests while in our country, will help you in being granted a new green card for legal reentry.” I paused again to let everyone digest some of this new information. Now I changed the subject, “Everyone on food stamps or unemployment insurance, or living in government housing knows by now that they must pass drug tests to receive benefits. I expect a million people or so will lose their free ride they’ve been on for years. If anyone is worried that they can’t find a job, notice I just sent about a million illegals back home. I’m sure there are going to be some job openings. My advice to you is to take one of those and support yourself and your family. One of the best places to look for work will be in the sanctuary states and cities. There will be no such thing as long as I’m in charge of this nation’s safety. Any governor or mayor breaking this martial law will be arrested and locked up without bail. I warn you, do not task me on this. I do not bluff.”

  My face was stern and I’m sure the camera was close enough to show how serious I considered this topic to be. I’m sure the nation is shocked and the illegals are cursing me. But this had to be done. I closed by saying, “This nation has been accommodating for way too long. I know we are a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws. We have to decide to enforce our laws, change the laws that don’t work any more, and keep our citizens safe. Thank you for your time and remember: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. May God bless America. Good night.”

  I leaned back in my chair and watch as the cameras are removed from the oval office. I thought I had gotten the point across to the citizens of this great country. More than that, the non-citizens surely got the message: Pack up your things and get out, unless you qualify as a Dreamer. Things were about to get serious.

  Chapter 12

  “MERRY CHRISTMAS”

  IS BACK

  There were certain traditions around Christmas time at the White House. The decorating of the tree and the rest of the rooms was the job of the First Lady. She was in charge of coming up with the style and amount of decorating for all the grounds on the White House property. Maybe the citizens have noticed that there is no First Lady here at the White House. Of course, we don’t have a President either, but we needed to follow tradition. I decided to bring Cindy and Natalie to the Capitol ASAP. I called Cindy and told her to pack and prepare to live in the White House until after the new year. Drew had to stay in school for basketball. He was averaging 18 points a game as a sophomore for the high school team. If I brought him to Washington, DC, the coach would probably try to assassinate me. We couldn’t have that. Drew knew how much I loved watching him play. I coached him through Junior Pro and AAU basketball for many years. He learned the right way to play—unselfish, hard-nosed, determined, and clean. His mechanics on his jumper were pure. His ball handling was excellent. His decision-making was second-to-none. He was a player with a future at the Division One college level. He wanted to be here with his family, but he was loyal to his coach and teammates. I loved him and missed him. Any father would be proud to have him as a son. I was no exception.

  Cindy and Natalie arrived the next day and both were awestruck as they walked into the White House. As soon as Natalie saw me, she ran and jumped in my arms.

  “I missed you, Dad,” she proclaimed.

  “And I’ve missed you, too,” I replied. “Have you grown an inch or two?”

  “Maybe,” she answers, “but do you know what I want for Christmas?”

  “Well, that didn’t take long,” I replied. “Your mother and I will talk about what Santa is bringing you this year.”

  “Natalie, it’s my turn to hug your father,” Cindy said kiddingly. Natalie lets Cindy move into my arms and we hug for what seemed like a longer amount of time than we had ever hugged before. We leaned on each other quite a bit during our 18 years of marriage. We had always shown a united front to our children. I would put our child-rearing skills up against any parents in the country.

  “Cindy, let me show you to your room, and Natalie to hers, and then I’ll introduce you to the people who help me the most on a day to day basis,” I said.

  I put Cindy in my bedroom and Natalie in her own room. However, Natalie wouldn’t leave her mother’s side just yet. She joined us as Cindy unpacked. I explained to Cindy what I expected of her concerning the Christmas decorations.

  “You may think you’re some kind of big shot here in the Capitol, but now I’m here,” Cindy sternly proclaims. She didn’t last two seconds until she burst into laughter along with Natalie and me.

  “Evidently you don’t know who’s in charge around here,” I said, still laughing.

  Cindy knew what she had to do. The White House staff would help her and Natalie continue the tradition of the decorating and lighting of the Christmas tree. We walked down to the oval office and I opened the door and stepped inside.

  “You just walk into the oval office whenever you feel like it?” Cindy asked.

  “You look surprised,” I answered, “but you do realize this is my office now?”

  Natalie was super impressed and she was looking at me like I was some kind of superhero.

  “Dad, you are the man!”

  Of course, General St. Claire was standing in the doorway just as she blurted it out.

  “Yes he is, my dear,” proclaimed the General. “General Scott St. Claire at your service.”

  Natalie’s eyes were wide open, staring at all the medals on his uniform.

  “Are you one of my dad’s soldiers?” asked Natalie.

  “Why, yes I am,” he laughingly replied.

  “Now I’m embarrassed, General; she doesn’t realize.” I said as the General cut me short.

  “Commander, she speaks the truth, and I can handle the truth,” he said in his best Jack Nicholson voice. We all laughed as I introduced Cindy to the General.

  “Oh my,” said the General. “Your wife is far more beautiful than you described her.”

  Cindy gave me a dirty look, turned to the General and said, “Most people say I just settled for Adam.” The General was having a good time and played right along with Cindy. But he finally relented and gave me credit for saying that Cindy was extremely beautiful.

  “Commander Marsh told me only one girl struck him as being more beautiful than Cindy . . . and that was Natalie,” said the General. Natalie blushed and Cindy nodded in agreement as she hugged her daughter.

  “As much as I would like to continue this bashing I’m taking, I need to get some work done,” I said. “If I wanted to take abuse, I would go talk to the press.”

  I had the General introduce Cindy to one of the secretaries to start the decorating process and I went to my desk. The General sat down across from me.

  “General, I need to know something of our capabilities in communicating,”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Do all of our military men have transmitters and receivers on their person, wherever they are deployed?”

  “Yes,” he answered. “It’s standard issue in modern warfare for the most part, but most definitely for special ops.”

  I questioned, “so, for example, I could be in a situation room and have the ability to hear what is happening and to give direct orders to those men or women?”

  “Yes. The satellite link allows you to do that.”

  “That’s going to come in handy in a couple of months.”

  “What do you have on your mind, Commander?”

  “How long have you got?” I asked, laughing.

  “Never mind,” he said. “I need to go take care of some things—Christmas presents for my wife, and yes,
that was plural. It takes more than one for me to get on her good side.” I laughed as he left.

  Jerry walked in.

  “Where have you been all day?” I asked.

  “Sir, you were busy with your family and then the General, so I just ran a few errands.”

  “Were you picking out my Christmas present?” I asked. I couldn’t hold it very long; I had to laugh. Jerry looked very serious when I said it. I thought he might have really been doing that. “I’m just kidding, Jerry. You do way too much for me already. I don’t want you worrying about a gift for me,” I proclaimed. I needed to get some work done, so I sent Jerry to get the Secretary of the Treasury.

  About 15 minutes later Secretary of the Treasury, James Winters, walked in. He had the look of a CPA, a serious gaze through his wire-rimmed glasses.

  “Hello, Commander Marsh. I hear you need to see me.”

  “Yes,” I answered. “Thanks for coming. I would like to know how much I can spend on my wife’s Christmas gift. I’m writing a check out of the big checking account.” I loved the look on his face as he gave in and played along.

  “I’ll have to see what the Federal Reserve interest rate is today,” he said. “Of course, you realize we’re broke?”

  So I told him, “Look, my wife’s present is at least as important as, say, a new tank for our military. Just put it in the new budget.”

  Now we were both laughing, but we got down to business. “Secretary Winters, what is the pulse of the financial markets these days? I’m sure they are apprehensive, but are things progressing the way you think they should?”

  “The nervousness in the market is real, but what the big hedge fund guys are hearing, pleases them for the most part. They don’t think you will raise taxes and if you balance the budget somehow, they feel the Federal Reserve chairman will not raise interest rates. This will help the stock market along with housing starts, company expansions and retail sales.”