Devolution (17 page)

With modern technology, the PM and the major general had little time to prepare before the barrage of phone calls.  Their attempts to divert attention with oblique rhetoric would fail. The evidence against them was overwhelming. The history, too deep.  Still, they had to try.

The prime minister spent the entire night on the phone attempting to heal the wounds with heads of state from every continent:

“Please reconsider.”

“Allow us to explain.”

“We have been allies for decades.  Don’t walk away.”

“This had nothing to do with my administration.”

“If you feel it is best.”

“Give it some time.  I am sure we can work through it.”

“We don’t know who released that information.”

“Anyone could have put that together.”

“Who knows what is true, someone with a grudge did this.”

“Do you really want to end our relationship this way?”

“We’ve been friends for so long.”

“Your constituents are upset?  Ours are as well.”

“So, this is how it ends?”

“It pains me it got to this point.”

“Good day to you, sir.”

“Hopefully, we can settle our differences.”

“Our alliance will one day be strong.”

“I promise we will again earn your trust.”

“You have my word, we will find out who did this.”

“Please calm down.”

“Those responsible will renounce these blatant lies.”

“Yes, it disgusted me as well.”

“There is no need to raise your voice.”

“Great Britain looks forward to continuing the relationship between our two great countries.”

“Europe must unite and look past this nonsense.”

“How can allies exist without trust?  I assure you it is all lies.”

The useless platitudes went on for hours.

For the PM, the task was exhausting. And tomorrow, the start of a new week wouldn’t get any better.

When the stock markets opened Monday, the dire financial situation in the United Kingdom developed into a worldwide crisis.  One could all but hear the sucking sound as victimized nations (which at one point was most all of them) pulled their money out of oppressor countries (which at one point was also most all of them ) sending the global market into an uncontrolled tailspin. Mutual funds, money market accounts, retirements collapsed under the strain of the sell-off.

Jingoism kicked in as nations protected their own assets by selling off foreign-held securities and investing at home. No one knew how to react or how any action would affect global or national economies.  They just knew they had to protect their own companies that had lost massive amounts of capital when foreign shareholders bailed.  If they didn’t, they risked a national uprising, or at best, a crippling depression.

When the initial panic subsided, the market freefall began to stabilize. Now, the attention of the world could focus on the one country that would be blamed for it all. That nation and its people would have a whole new list of challenges, and the concerns of its former allies and newfound adversaries would be a distant thought.

CHAPTER EIGHT

ASCENSION

P
rofessor Nolan’s students shuffled into class as they always did—silent and still drowsy from the early rise. As first-year students, the once-convenient notion of early classes was a mistake none would make again.

Professor Nolan, on the other hand, was wide awake and in great spirits. He strode to the front of the room, placing his briefcase on the empty metal desk. “Good morning!” Gazing out over the sea of dark circles and coffee cups, he jubilantly asked, “Comments?”

The young red-haired, freckle-faced lady in the front row appeared less tired than her peers. “It’s complicated,” she said.

“We’ll work through it,” John said, knowing the material was not simple to digest.

Another girl chimed in, “I like how no
one
person has much power.”

The first male student opined, “It spreads out the risk.”

“There’s a fundamental flaw in humans,” Professor Nolan said frankly. “We crave power. Those who crave it most must be kept in check. Civilization is most efficient when authority is shared, and public officials can focus on an area of expertise. Hence, three departments with their own elections. Local and federal governments must be strong, yet limited in their strength. In my government,” he gestured toward a copy of
Constitutional Correctness
on a nearby desk, “no one person, no one group of people will have significant influence in the nation’s direction. It will move as one.”

“It’s also important to spread out election turnover. Voters tend to follow momentum and make hasty decisions. With only a third of the government up for election every two years, change will be gradual, and less susceptible to fads.”

John jolted himself up from the desk onto his feet. “Come on. What do you think? As citizens, you need to think on this level. These are the issues that control your lives.”

“Voting,” a blond, rugged-looking boy with a protruding jaw blurted out. “Why can’t everyone vote?”

“Everyone
can
vote,” the professor emphasized. “It just requires more than an age and a pulse. Voters must hold the well-being of the nation above themselves.
My
voters will have invested in the nation, since they spend two years in service to it. People who have nothing will often vote for those who promise them something. That system will fail.”

“Redistribution,” the boy blurted out.

John could see the student’s energy levels rise. “It gets politicians elected,” John said. “However, once it starts, it never ends. At first in America, only those who owned land could vote. The nation’s founders knew that people who did not own property would vote for the candidate who would give them someone else’s. And their Constitution did not limit the largesse of politicians.” He paused allowing the accuracy of his words to sink in.

The silence was soon broken.

“Why no political parties?” the brown-haired girl asked, looking somewhat disgusted.

“Political parties are allowed,” John responded politely, sensing her disagreement. “Politicians just can’t be affiliated with one. This eliminates voting blocks and forces people to educate themselves about the candidates. Most importantly, politics are limited when there are no parties to politic for.”

“Everyone in federal office has term limits?” The question came from the far back corner.

“Everyone.” For John this was a vital provision. “Many politicians will do what is necessary to get re-elected, regardless of future consequences beyond their years. Term limits force them to focus on the
present
. Plus, the longer someone is in office the more they consolidate authority, and voting blocks. That is never good.”

As the conversation dove deeper into John’s ideas, the students searched for grievances.

“What’s this about parental rights?” asked a student reading from the passage marked by his finger.

“Parenthood is the basis of human rights,” John stated ardently. “Parents must be able to raise their children in their image, within the law. That law will be determined by the courts’ interpretation of statute. Parents also have the right to information about their children.”

“I like that human rights are consistent no matter your status in society,” said a young Asian student who likely had contradictory experiences.

“Thank you,” nodded John.

“This isn’t actually in the Constitution, but…you talk about cooperative federalism. Can you explain that?” asked one of the older students on the window-side of the room.

“Let’s take the old United States of America for example again,” John said. “It’s the most recent example of what can go wrong. The U.S. started as a dual federalist system where the federal and state governments remained separate, focusing on their own duties in the Constitution. With the civil war and Great Depression, the discrepancies that system created among the states became a problem, and a cooperative federal system developed where the federal government set standards and helped the states achieve them. That system worked well. It brought the states on a level playing field. But the federal government wanted more. The system evolved into new federalism, where Washington acquired as much authority as possible. If the states didn’t cooperate, they were punished with fewer federal dollars, creating major problems.”

John massaged his chin. “There must be a consistent balance between all levels of government and the people. That is why my Constitution has strict mandates. Civilizations with a weak central government fall apart because the people lose their identity. Civilizations with too much central government fail because they become oppressed.”

The professor could see the students’ thoughts turning.

“Things will always go wrong. It is how a nation responds that determines the outcome. If the result is government-based, politicians prefer short-term fixes to keep them popular. If the result is people-based, the fix may be slower, but it will be longer lasting because that is
their
concern. Of course, the latter isn’t good for the politicians, who can’t benefit. However, it’s best for the health of the state.”

“What about
now
?” the freckled girl asked, referring to the current plight of Great Britain.

“Great question,” John said, pleased it had come up. “Last year, when the economy slowed, it felt comforting to hear someone with new ideas say they would save us. But we didn’t need to be saved. We just needed to work our way out of it. Sure, if laws need to change to prevent it from happening again, that should be debated in the legislature. But the government cannot cure a recession any more than it can create prosperity. That can only be done by the people working hard.”

“I feel so helpless,” one girl said.

“
That
is what politicians count on. Listen, no matter what happens in the near future, the people always create their own destiny. So why not start with a government that fosters that outcome, rather than one that reaches it through less favorable means?”

“How will this end, Professor? What will happen?”

“It will end the way we want it to,” John said confidently. “The one thing I know is a nation must have a strong economy first. When the economy struggles so does everything else: military, infrastructure, education, social programs. Then the country becomes vulnerable. The only way to maintain a strong economy is if people work. People must have incentive to work. But the state needs tax dollars to operate. I think I found that balance in this Constitution. Entitlements are the same, though there needs to be a balance. We have an obligation to take care of the less fortunate. However, dependency helps no one. Entitlements should only be for people
truly
in need. That’s why I place a 15 percent limit on government involvement in GDP. It will limit what can be distributed after essential services are funded.” He paused. “Shrewd politicians will use your money to control you.”

“The right to bear arms?” The wheelchair-bound freshman’s question was more of an affirmation.

“The government cannot protect you at all times,” explained Professor Nolan. “Citizens must have the ability to protect their families. Security is vital to a lasting society. But those securities can be limited based on public safety, common sense, and responsibility. Society will determine the limits. Did you guys ever hear the phrase,
‘With guns, we are citizens. Without, we are subjects’?
”

A few of his students nodded. Others looked confused.

“That doesn’t necessarily mean that gun control
subjects
us to the brutality of tyrants—like Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini and Pol Pot, which all favored gun control.” John knew this type of history was not taught in public schools. “It means we become more subjected to terrorists and criminals. Another piece of history that is often forgotten is that the Japanese didn’t invade America after the bombing of Pearl Harbor because General Yamamoto, their Naval Marshal, went to Harvard University. He knew many Americans had guns. How do you conquer a nation when every citizen is essentially part of the army?”

“Judicial review?” asked an Indian girl in the front row.

“The more checks on power the better.”

“No progressive taxes?” The portly, red-cheeked sophomore didn’t even seem to know what that meant.

John handled this topic gently. It was always a touchy subject with the capability to ignite a discussion on class welfare. “All citizens must be treated the same, regardless of sex, race, gender, religion, or income.”

“But why do people have to pay the government for every tax? That seems time-consuming.”

“Only with direct taxes, but a great question.” John was pleased with their concern for what most people their age found meaningless. “First off, a direct tax is one that is levied directly to the person such as income tax or property tax. There are also indirect taxes that are levied on commodities, like sales tax.” The professor stopped to think. “Everyone must know how much they are paying in taxes. It will keep the system honest. When money is taken out of someone’s wages automatically, the impact is not the same.”

“Back to taxes,” another student added. “The government cannot take more than 25 percent of a worker’s income?”

“That is the balance I talked about earlier. Twenty-five percent makes sense. Of course, local municipalities will have their own taxes, but this provision gives the people some protections.”

“What’s a line-item veto?” asked a student in the front.

“That allows the Department Secretaries to nullify specific provisions of a bill without having to veto the entire bill. It makes for stronger legislation. But any veto can still be overruled by the representatives in the departments.”

John was shocked.
Questions about a line-item veto?
While vitally important to a nation’s health, such issues were oftentimes disregarded, especially by youth.

“The federal government does not have that many responsibilities,” he clarified as his students hurriedly paged through
Constitutional Correctness
looking for more topics. “Chiefly, it is only there to protect the citizens from foreign and domestic threats, maintain order, uphold individual rights, and make and pass laws to protect the people.”

“I like the right-to-life clause.” The African exchange student came from a nation where the slightest infraction could cost you your life.

“You’re talking capital punishment, right?”

The student nodded.

“I don’t think the government should ever take a life.”

“What about abortion?”

“Is it in the Constitution?” the professor asked.

“I didn’t see it.”

“Then the individual municipalities should decide via referendum, unless an amendment is passed.”

“The difference between rights and privileges is interesting.” The statement came from a freshman, who only wore jeans and a short, gray pullover.

“There’s a big difference. They had to be defined.”

One of the most important questions came much later than John anticipated. “What do you think the role of the media is?” asked another student. “You gave them special rights.”

“The media is a crucial part of any democracy. It serves as a watchdog. Not an attack dog and not a lapdog, but a watchdog. You may have read that any media outlet cannot do business with the government. That is essential.”

“You limit public sector unions?” the same student pressed.

“With government unions there is no one to effectively bargain on behalf of the taxpayer,” John espoused. “Especially when the union funds the campaign of those writing the contracts.”

“Nor shall private property be taken for public use, or by the State in general, without just compensation,”
the student read directly from the book.

“Eminent Domain. Private property is the foundation of freedom.”

“Why are you so concerned with debt?” asked another student. “You say debt can’t climb above 50 percent of gross domestic product.”

“Debt plays a large role in an economy; the value of currency and the ability to borrow, trade, and invest. The purpose of this document is to place specific limits on government to protect the people. This one is very important.”

Professor Nolan returned to the chair behind his desk. “Just remember one thing as you review this document. There are two quotes I remembered as I wrote this book.” He held up his own copy. “The first is by Thomas Jefferson. You guys know who that is, right?”

Most everyone nodded.

“Jefferson said,
‘A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.’”
He paused, letting that sink in. “The other goes like this,
‘Those who attempt to level, never equalize. They simply concentrate power in their own hands.’
Class, the lack of those two realizations triggered the downfall of a staggering number of civilizations.”