American Meltdown: Book Two of The Economic Collapse Chronicles (10 page)

cHAPTER 19

“Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition.”

-Thomas Jefferson

Matt and Karen got up early on Saturday to walk over to Adam’s for breakfast. Miss Mae stayed boroughed under the covers of the bed on cold winter days and only came out briefly to eat and stretch her muscles. Matt patted the small bump in the covers which he knew to be Miss Mae.

The snow still covered the ground, but the sun was out. It was warm on their faces. It felt warmer to be in the natural light than staying cooped up in the house. The snow was just deep enough to make the walk a bit of a work out. The country road that wound around the hill to get to Adam's was completely covered by snow. There was no sure way to tell where the edge of the road was until it was either cleared or melted off.

As they walked through the countryside, Karen stopped to look around. The trees were topped with soft powdery snow. The ground was covered as far as the eye could see. The bright light of the sun reflected off the surface of the snow and made them both squint.

"It is so beautiful
," Karen said. "So clean and pure."

"I knew you would get used to it." Matt smiled as he spoke.

"I didn't say I like being cold. I just said the snow in the country is pretty." Karen had dreaded leaving South Florida. She hated the cold.

"But we stay warm with the stove in the house, don't we?" Matt had done his best to keep her warm since they moved to the mountains of Kentucky.

Karen stopped walking again. She faced Matt and took his hand. "We did the right thing. I knew you were right when we moved. It was hard, but the call from Jack last night made me realize that we might not be alive if we had stayed. You are a good husband."

Matt pulled her close. "And you are a good wife."

When they arrived at Adam’s, the smell of biscuits and coffee lured them to the kitchen.

"It smells great!" Karen exclaimed.

Mandy said, "I made the biscuits."

"I helped." Carissa added.

"She cut them out all by herself." Mandy tried to brush some of the flour off of her jeans.

"I can tell," Karen said with a laugh. Both of the girls were fairly well-dusted with flour.

Everyone sat down around the table and Adam prayed.

"Father God, thank you for this meal. We know that many folks around the country are not so blessed today. Our country has never known want like it’s experiencing today. We pray for those who have less and hope you will provide for them and comfort them. We pray that you will guide our leaders to make the right choices. Your blessings made this country great. We pray that our nation will turn back to you so that you may heal her. Amen"

Everyone echoed
, "Amen."

During breakfast, Matt had several questions about caring for the livestock during the winter. Adam and Wes had been doing this for a while. Matt was realizing just how little he knew. Adam learned most everything he knew from Mr. Miller, an old-timer he often traded with for honey, butter, cheese and livestock. Matt bought his goat and chickens from Mr. Miller when he first moved to the area.

Adam reminded him, "You know you can always go over to Mr. Millers. He loves to teach folks the lost arts of homesteading. He gets lonely over there by himself. I always try to stop by a couple times a month at least. It is mutually beneficial."

After breakfast, the adults gathered around the television. Howe was giving an address. They watched it on CNC.

Howe began
, "Yesterday, rogue military bases around America fired on peaceful protestors that were only asking their state governments to comply with the law of the land. Citizens were murdered or evicted from their own states. These types of actions cannot be permitted. I will be sitting down with the Joint Chiefs on Monday and we will be developing a military response to be conducted at a time of our choosing. I am suspending all Federal aid to the states that have issued letters of rebellion to the Federal Government. This will include FDIC insurance monies to cover lost deposits from the derivatives situation. I am revoking the amnesty period for banned firearm confiscation in those states and enacting the portion of the firearms regulation order which will outlaw all types of firearms in those states. Anyone found to have firearms in rebellious states will be detained indefinitely and without bail. Responsible citizens may turn in their firearms to any Federal agency in those states next Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. After that, you will be arrested and prosecuted under Federal law.

“The governors of Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana will be tried for treason and, if found guilty, they will be executed. Military leaders on bases in those states who are supporting this seditious behavior will also be executed if found guilty. The state leaders of Northern Colorado, Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon who are responsible for separating themselves from the compliant sections of their states will also be held accountable in a like manner.

“I am encouraging all citizens of those states and partitioned areas to leave. We will be setting up FEMA relocation camps in neighboring states to make sure you are kept safe from the horrific violence from the rogue madmen who have taken your states hostage. We will be announcing the exact locations of the camps early next week. I recommend you start making plans to get to the border soon. FEMA will have transportation available at the borders to take you safely to the relocation centers.

“Those citizens who are leaving the rogue states will be issued Federal Ration Notes for food and personal goods in the bank deposit amounts they lost due to the derivatives situation. We will be supplying MREs and several other types of essential items to get your lives back to normal. You will be able to pick and choose the items you would like at the commissaries inside the relief camps by paying for them with your new Federal Ration Notes. This will give you a sense of normalcy as you buy and trade in a safe environment.

“Folks who are relocating will not be permitted to bring any type of weapons. Even the restricted firearms that are permitted in the states you are traveling to will not be allowed until we have established your new residency in the compliant state.

“We are temporarily suspending all types of firearm and ammunition sales until this crisis is behind us.  Effective immediately, ammunition and gun manufacturers and retailers will only be allowed to conduct business with the Federal Government or law enforcement agencies that have been cleared by DHS. This will ensure that much needed resources can be allocated to the men and women who are putting their lives on the line to secure our country.

“Thank you in advance for your support on this very important issue."

The screen switched back to the CNC news room.

Everyone sitting around Adam Bair’s living room was in a state of shock.

Shelly was the first to speak. "What just happened? Is he declaring war on Kentucky and the rest of those states?"

Janice asked, "How can he just shut down firearms and ammunition sales to the public all over the country? I think he just announced that he is taking over the entire industry."

Wesley was a history professor prior to the crash. He said, "I have a pretty good idea what comes next after an announcement like this from a dictator. This is worse than the Soviet Union, China and Nazi Germany combined."

Statements like these had been made comparing America to these oppressive regimes for years now. Up to this point, they were just rhetoric, but now it was a very factual statement. 

Matt was disgusted by the speech. "How did you like that part about 'peaceful protestors?’ Every news station in the country has played the footage of the armed gunmen from the crowd opening fire and killing those two soldiers at the main gate of Fort Hood. That scene has been played over and over. I bet those gunmen were plants. The White House probably put them there or had something to do with arming them. No one, and I mean no one, can possibly believe anything this man says. It’s all blatant lies. I guess the liberals have just decided to go along with the lies."

"Well, boys," Adam said, "sleep tight tonight and tomorrow, because training is going to get pretty rough Monday."

"Don't hurt 'em, Adam," Shelly said.

Karen gave a nod of agreement to Shelly's statement. 

"I don't want to hurt them," Adam said. "I want to give them the skills they need to save their lives."

Matt and Wesley looked at each other. Matt knew Adam's training would be tough, but he knew it was all out of love and it was in their best interest.

Matt could see the look of concern in Karen's eyes. Not about the training, but about what would come after. He quickly tried to change the subject. "So I am curious to see what these Federal Ration Notes look like. They sound an awful lot like Federal Reserve Notes. Howe is going to issue them instead of the deposit insurance money to refugees of states considered to be in rebellion. It almost sounds like it could be an alternative currency."

Wesley agreed
. "And, they’re exchangeable for a specific category of goods. So in a way, they are commodity-backed notes."

Karen asked, "Think they're intended to compete against Paul Randall's gold and silver barter networks? After all, they
’re directed at the people coming from the states that are most likely to have been using gold, silver and other types of barter."

"Howe is a slippery devil," Matt said. "I'll bet you’re right Karen."

"And it’s the only way people from those states can get anything for the bank deposits they lost." Wesley spoke with contempt. "It's a perfect lure into Howe's concentration camps."

"Seriously?" Shelly said, "He
’s going to get those people into the camps where they will have nothing to do except sit around all day and consume the goods the government is going to steal. They'll buy it all with this fake money the government is just going to print out of nowhere."

Janice said sarcastically, "Sounds exactly like the system that just collapsed. What could go wrong?"

CHAPTER 20

"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"

-Patrick Henry

Paul Randall was making regular speeches to keep those standing against the White House up-to-date. He tried to inform them of the plans and progress of Texas and the other Coalition states. At first, FOX News was carrying some of the speeches. After the FCC threatened to take their license, they quickly folded and complied with the demands. They told Randall that they could no longer carry his speeches or any other news that may serve to aid in the secession movement. FOX continued to market their wares to the marginally conservative viewer, but did not dare get involved in any substantive conversations.

Paul Randall’s speeches were now all via the internet. He had several people helping him with internet security and setting up proxy servers around the world. The servers were all connected in a decentralized network that was difficult to shut down. Every time Randall delivered a speech, the NSA went to work finding and shutting down the server which was propagating the feed. As each server shut down, viewers were automatically delivered a feed from a new server. Often, the broadcasts would go seamlessly, almost uninterrupted by the attacks. At worst, there would be a five-to-ten second delay. Paul knew his supporters were committed to getting the information; they would wait for hours if they had to.

The feed went live and Randall began his speech. "America, the President has announced plans to take military action against the Coalition States. As war has been declared against us, we must begin to prepare. We sought only to keep to ourselves and observe the laws of the Constitution, but we will stand to defend ourselves and our sovereign soil.

“The governors and state
legislatures of the Coalition states and territories which include Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon, and Northern Colorado have unanimously appointed me to be the Commander in Chief of what they have agreed will be called the American Coalition. I humbly accept this appointment. I pledge to serve the citizens of the Coalition and defend the Constitution to the best of my ability.

“There are those living outside of those states who also support our cause. I encourage you to continue to let your governors and lawmakers know that you would like your state to join with the Coalition in defending freedom. If you see that goal is not going to be possible, we will do our best to make a place for you here. On the other hand, there are no doubt those
within the borders of the Coalition States who oppose the decision. To them, I will quote Samuel Adams.

'If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.'

“We do not wish you harm, but there is no place for you here in the American Coalition. You will be uncomfortable and may be tempted to aid the enemy. To deter such temptations, the penalties for treason against the American Coalition will be brutal and swift. I implore you to take this opportunity to relocate to another area of the country where your views will be more accepted. There is no shortage of safe havens for those who hold socialist and communist views. These few states that have stood their ground to resist the abolishment of the Constitution are the last bastion of freedom in this once great country. We have been tolerant but not tolerated. This one-way street of compromise has created the dilemma in which we presently find ourselves. From this day forward we will dig in our heels and cling to our beliefs as steadfastly as the liberals and socialists who have demanded that we give up more and more ground while they, themselves have not budged an inch. From this day forth, we will meet force with force, intolerance with intolerance and violence with violence.

“I want to make a special appeal to the patriot men and women serving on
military bases outside of the Coalition States. You should make every effort to make your way to a base located inside of a Coalition state. In doing this, you are not abandoning your post. We are the United States Government acting under the authority of the Constitution. It is the administration in the White House that are the rebels, they are the traitors. It is they who have seceded from the Union and asserted their sovereign will against the law of the land. Those of us in the Coalition States have never left. Our hearts are as true and loyal to this land and the principles represented by our flag as they ever were.

“I pray all those who are listening will stand together with us to defend this great land and the liberty given to us by our Creator.

“We know our days of communicating via the internet are limited, so we will be developing alternative types of communications to keep us all connected. We recommend that you begin to develop person-to-person contacts with which to bring your militias together when needed without conventional communications. The American Revolution was fought without cell phones or internet. The colonists had riders that went from farm house to farm house in a network to call people together to a predetermined position.

“While the enemy we fight speaks the same language as us, while he dresses like us and eats the same foods that we eat,
nevertheless, he is a foreign invader. He has foreign ideas and seeks to destroy our way of life, our freedom, our ability to defend ourselves and our right to worship our God. He seeks to destroy America, our flag and all the things the American flag represents. Let us pray up, gear up, load up, train up and defend it to the last man.

“You will be in my prayers and I ask that you will return that favor by praying
that we, your leaders, will make the right decisions and honor our God.”