The Smiths and Joneses (39 page)

“Come out and join us.”

“Can’t, Kathy doesn’t like the heat, dry or not, 120 is still 120.”

“Hell, everything is air conditioned. No one goes out when it’s 120.”

“Let’s talk later. How many bags did you bring home?”

“Three. There they are.”

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The broadcast flight lands back at Portland Oregon. Sean says, “I think I can do this trip in my sleep. I’m living in a state of constant jet lag. My body never gets accomplished to one time zone, before we’re up and on our way across the country again.”

Wolf responds, “I agree, I like hosting this program, but, on the other hand, I can’t wait for it to end. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in three weeks. Is there anything special you want to cover this evening?”

“Yes, I would like to dig into the issue of taxes a little more. Income taxes, sales taxes, value added taxes, personal property taxes, taxes on every service, road mileage tax, water tax, rain tax, I think the only thing Bloomberg hasn’t taxed yet is the sunshine.”

Laughing, Wolf says, “Give him a chance. He has time yet.”

Both men laugh.

Chapter 23

“Mr. President, General Arnold, MD, is on line one for you, he said it’s most urgent.”

“General, this is the President.”

“Mr. President, General Arnold at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Sir, we’ve run tests on the sick children, we’ve found that their school lunches the day before they came down ill, had been tampered with.”

“General, are you sure?”

“Yes sir. The chemicals used weren’t in enough quantity to kill the children; they were meant to make the children sick, which is what happened. In the five days since the first child became sick, none has died. All are recovering; even those in the hospital will be sent home today or tomorrow.”

“General, that’s very good news. Do you have any idea who tampered with the lunches?”

“Sir, it would have to have been a school employee in the cafeteria. They would have access and no one would have thought a thing about them being in the kitchen.”

“I want all of the workers in the affected cafeterias held till we get to the bottom of this.”

“Mr. President, the FBI is already handling it. I sent them an urgent message when the results pointed in this direction. I understand the Director of the FBI is on his way to see you.”

“Excellent. General, will the children be OK?”

“Mr. President, there should be no long-term complications.”

“General, that’s the best news I’ve had in a week. Do you have any idea who led the tampering of the food?”

“Mr. President, we have an idea, however before I speak it, I’d like
to
the FBI to gather a little more information for our review.”

“General, if you have an idea, why won’t you tell me?”

“Sir, because I’d rather a war not be on my head. We’ll know for certain in another day.”

“Very well General, please thank your entire team for me.”

“Thank you sir, we’ve worked the past three days without sleep.”

“I’m sure the staff appreciates your very hard work; I can tell you, the country appreciates your team’s sacrifice.”

“Sir, the Director of the FBI will have some additional information for you.”

“General, good day and God bless you.”

Hanging up the phone, President Paul looks at his Chief of Staff, Randy, “When is the Director of the FBI due to arrive?”

“Sir, I just now got word that he’s on his way, he says it’s very urgent he see you.”

“Randy, clear my calendar, show him in when he arrives.”

Only minute later, the Director of the FBI is shown into the oval office. “Mr. President, thank you for seeing me on such short notice.” 

“Director, I cheated. General Arnold called me with the news.”

The Director of the FBI hands the President a sealed envelope, “Mr. President, here’s the results of what we found.”

“Is there anything in here different from what General Arnold just shared with me?”

“Mr. President, the FBI thinks, sir, thinks, the LSA was behind the attack.”

“WHAT? Why do you say so?”

“Sir, there are twelve school workers who have family or close friends that live in the LSA, we think the LSA DepLIES got to these people.”

“Do we have any proof, hard proof, not hearsay?”

“Not yet sir, I’m hoping for a report from our field people within a day.”

“When you have proof then call me. I want to know no matter what time it is. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir. Thank you sir.”

“Mr. Director, good work. I pray it’s not the LSA.”

“Mr. President, why?”

“If it is, we may have to attack them which would be similar to kicking off the civil war President Brownstone tried so hard to avoid.”

“Mr. President they don’t have a military.”

“Mr. President, they have an armed DepLIES and also armed security organizations within other government agencies. Plus they have the Russians as allies.”

“I was hoping we could avoid another war. I wanted to be one of the few recent President’s that didn’t send boys and girls to die.”

“Sir, may I suggest we wait until we see what the final reports from our field agents are?”

“Good suggestion Mr. Director.”

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“President Bloomberg our sources have alerted us that the USA FBI, CDC and US military has figured out what caused the children to get sick. They are getting ready to blame us for the attack on their children.”

“I want a release ready to go denying we had anything to do with the sick children. Offer our hospitals to support the USA. We have some of the most modern hospitals in the world. If the USA needs help, we as a good neighbor open our arms to their poor patients. We can also fly some of our medical staff to their location if that would help.”

“Sir, wouldn’t the press see through our offer?”

“How? Most of their press is on our side.”

“Yes sir, would you like us to contact President Paul with our offer?”

“Why? We’re making the offer for the press, not to help really; President Paul won’t accept our offer.”

“Yes sir.”

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Sitting on the leased broadcast plane, Sean is making a list of the various LSA taxes he knows about, he figures there’s some he forgot or just doesn’t know about. He’s meeting with one of his researchers when Wolf sits down across the aisle from Sean, “Sean, you’re not really going to pursue questions about the LSA tax system are you?”

“Of course I am. I think it’s something everyone is curious about.”

“I don’t know why anyone would be interested in what the Smiths pay in taxes, can I do the same with the Joneses?”

“Of course, we warned both couples that everything they do or spend is subject to on air discussion.”

“No one is going to be interested in what each couple pays.”

“Wolf, there I think you’re wrong.  I think the LSA families are going to be very interested in learning that the Jones family pays maybe half of the taxes as the Smiths pay. Don’t you find that interesting?”

“Of course not. I assume the Smiths pay in taxes, look at all of the additional services they receive. Someone’s got to pay for these benefits.”

“Wolf, I don’t call running the phone company or package delivery service a benefit. Unless these services don’t cost the average taxpayer anything. We already know that’s not true. I think the LSA is taking between 60~65% of the Smith’s income in some form of tax, or another.”

“Sean, no one cares, let’s focus on what they do for fun and on their vacations.”

“I think the tax issue is one more people are going to be interested about.”

“If you go down this ‘rabbit hole’ I’ll pull the discussion sideways.”

“That’s your option. I think you’ll look foolish for trying to pull a childish stunt that everyone will see through.”

“Sean, why don’t we spend some time asking the Smiths how they feel about the ill children in the US?”

“Wolf, no more, ‘how you feel’ questions or comments. Hard facts, no more soft feelings, we got creamed when we spent too much time on how they feel.”

“We only got creamed by your far right wing talk radio which everyone knows is on the very far right wing fringe.”

“Wolf, you haven’t spent enough time in the USA to realize those talk radio programs have some of the highest ratings and most loyal followers. Rash’s program alone is the number one rated radio program.”

“Who’s counting the listeners?”

“Same people who count on your side of the divide. Nielsen.”

“We can play it by ear and see how everything goes when we get there.”

“I’m preparing for a segment on taxes, you can do whatever you’d like.”

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“President Grameniko, our agents have uncovered that President Paul is going to make an announcement soon blaming the LSA and President Bloomberg personally for poisoning the American children.”

“Minister Bradtov, is the FSB sure?”

“Yes Mr. President, we are. We don’t know if they will be able to connect the poison to us.”

“Make sure they don’t.”

“Mr. President, our analysts think President Paul may attack the LSA for retribution. If the USA attacks the LSA, President Bloomberg is sure to ask for our help.”

“If we provide the LSA with troops or weapons we’ll give President Paul cause to attack us. We’re no match for their new weapons. I now understand how Premier Gorbachev felt when he was faced with Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ program. We can easily match the Americans in quantity; we can’t match their technology. I’m not prepared to risk the Rodina for the Jew in Los Angeles.” 

“Sir, if the request comes in, what should we do with it?”

“Ignore it. If Bloomberg calls for me, tell the staff to tell him I’m not feeling well, or I’m in a special meeting and can’t be interrupted. I don’t want to talk with him.”

“Yes sir.”

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              “President Bloomberg, thank you for agreeing to an interview. We realize how busy you are.”

              “It’s my pleasure. I’ve always said the better we know each other, the fewer problems we’ll have. It’s very important those in the USA know about us. Which is why I agreed to allow the current Wolf News and CNN program be filmed in Beaverton, Oregon.”

              “Mr. President, you’ve been without a first Vice President for months now, why did you pick this point in time to appoint a new first VP?”

              “Eric, that’s a very good question. Our government in the LSA is set up differently from what your readers in the USA are used to. We have a President, who as you know is me, I have a staff of one first Vice President, two second Vice Presidents and Directors of various departments.”

              “Mr. President, what happened to your previous first Vice President?”

              Taking off his reading glasses, President Bloomberg looking very sad looks into the camera; he wipes a phantom tear away from his right eye. Our loved first Vice President, who was one of my best friends, forgive me a moment. Pat Quint from the great state of Illinois came down with cancer. He submitted his resignation three times; I turned his request down three times. He worked from his hospital bed every day; he passed on three months ago. I thought I could handle the work load without a first Vice President. However, it’s just too much for one person. I reached out to a very practical ex-Senator who had retired. I asked her to help out for a few months until our next election; I’m happy to announce she agreed. Tomorrow I’ll be swearing in our new first Vice President, Elizabeth Wraant from the great state of Massachusetts. I’m very excited that Elizabeth will be joining my administration.”

              “Mr. President, don’t you think she’s a little old?”

              “Please remember in the LSA we don’t mention age, sex or religion. I have no comment on Ms. Wrannt’s age or anything else personal about her.”

              “Sir, how do you see her helping your administration?”

              “She’ll be spearheading a new set of banking rules.”

              “Sir, can you comment on these new rules?”

              “Yes, the LSA will be taking over all banks, brokerage companies, investment firms and consumer credit companies. The LSA is going to take over all financial companies. I think it’s unfair that our people have to pay high-interest rates that go to very high bank CEO pay. Even after signing into laws that limit CEO pay, these corporate executives have found ways around the law. They give themselves new cars, club memberships, unlimited expense accounts; they charge everything they purchase to bank owned credit cards. The only way to make everyone equal is to ensure we as a country stop these CEOs from going around our laws. The LSA was founded on the premise that everyone is equal; everyone is the same. Everyone is entitled to the same happiness; everyone is entitled to the same benefits. I called Ms. Wrannt to ask her to join my administration and oversee the federalization of the countries banking and lending system.”