

### THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, INC.  
A Work of Fiction and Political Satire

Published by George Abraham Lyndon at Smashwords

Copyright 2016 by George Abraham Lyndon

Smashwords Edition

License Notes

Smashwords Edition

License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied, and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in the complete original form.

### FORWARD

This short story is a work of pure fiction and political satire. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

It is about a potential, fictional history of the reign of a future President of the United States. It is inspired by the televised speeches, interviews, tweets, and comments by the current presidential campaign, plus the nine policy position papers and several announcements on the presidential campaign websites as of September 26, 2032, plus information on United States governmental processes and procedures.

So why did I write this story? The 2016 presidential campaign has become a terrible reality show – yes, I watched the show _Survivor_ for the first three or four seasons, but reality television is just mindless entertainment. One day, I started thinking about what if? What if one followed what one candidate was saying, how would it play out? What happens when people follow the words of the person in charge, blindly or intentionally? Remember, it has happened before, it could happen again.

Remember, this is only a work of fiction. Actual reality is sometimes worse.

### PURPOSE

The Powers Administration, _Volume 1: Key Events of the Powers Presidency: 2033-2038_ , published by the United States Government Printing Office, June 2178

This volume contains a chronology of the events of the administration of Thayer A. Powers as the 51st President of the United States. Volume 1 is part of a 28 volume set documenting the history of the Powers Administration. This work was directed by an Act of Congress in 2167 due to the passing of time and relative secrecy of the time period directed by subsequent presidential administrations, starting with Powers' successor, Peter Lincoln.

The Act directed the formation of a Commission to review all records at the National Archives concerning the Powers Administration and to prepare a comprehensive, factual history of the period. Changes in law from the Peter Lincoln Administration forward restricted the public's freedom of information and access to almost all presidential papers concerning the Powers Administration. The Commission was partly delayed in full research by the need to declassify almost 90% of the existing records first. After a thorough declassification review, approximately 1,500 Commission members researched the federal and presidential papers over the last ten years.

This volume provides an overall but brief executive summary of the events of the Powers Administration, with subsequent volumes providing more details, footnotes to presidential papers, federal records, and other sources. This volume is now in its 16th edition, due to the continued efforts of the Commission members plus recent discovery of other documents at the former Powers residences or in the possession of his great-great-grandchildren. It attempts to best reflect what actually happened during this presidency.

### PREFACE

Dear Reader,

It has been almost 140 years since the administration of Thayer A. Powers as the 51st President of the United States ended suddenly in 2038. As per the law of the land at that time, all federal records and presidential papers were consolidated and transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration. These records were essentially sealed from the public for five to twelve years, with classified information protected for twenty-five years. Subsequent Congressional legislative actions recommended by the Peter Lincoln and subsequent presidential administrations led to the non-disclosure of these records for over a century, to "protect the public" and "avoid causing undue stress and anxiety among the living and the children and grandchildren of the dead."

I have had the honor to lead the Commission created by the Congressional Act of 2167 to write the history of the Powers Administration. In retrospect, it has taken too long to assess the records and make sense of them. It was initially agreed to put together this volume to help guide our research into the presidential papers and place appropriate meaning to them in context with the events of its time. My administrative assistant tells me that this chronology has been updated over twelve thousand times over the last ten years. It is now in its 16th edition, and I do not expect this to be the last, as a reduced Commission staff will continue for the next five years, per the direction of Congress.

My grandfather was in his late twenties when Thayer A. Powers became president. Prior to that, he was an Army Officer who served two combat tours in Mongolia and one in Estonia, earning two Bronze Stars and one Purple Heart. He was retired, partly disabled from his wounds, and went to North Carolina to pursue his Masters and then a Doctorate from Duke University. During the 2032 presidential campaign, he supported the late Senator Amy Andrews in her primary campaign. He was aghast by the general election campaign, and wrote an anonymous book about a potential Powers Administration. He was outed in late October 2033, and he and his family faced much criticism. He suspected that he would be blackballed in his future career, so he changed directions, and decided to quietly fade away into academic life.

After completing his doctorate in 2033, he accepted a position at Liberty University and contributed time to the Powers-created Veterans Support and Advocacy Groups that provided assistance, training, connections, and jobs to our veterans. He told me that he heard the rumors of illegal activities during the Powers presidency, but could not believe that they were happening in our country. He was appalled by the declaration of Martial Law in 2036, but was part of the silent majority that said nothing. In his later years, he expressed much regret for his lack of involvement. But he was busy in his career and life, and raising my mother and uncles. He saw people disappear, but was afraid to ask why.

After the Second Civil War ended in 2038, he was called into a routine hearing about his activities during the Powers Administration. Apparently, writing a fictional book about the Powers Administration, and then benignly supporting it, made him suspect. He spent two years in a re-education camp, and my grandma divorced me, partly to protect herself. Upon his release, he then decided to advocate for the freedom of information for the American public of all government activities, in order to not repeat the failings of the Powers Administration. He re-married my grandmother in 2045, and spent his career in researching government records and advocating for public disclosure of almost everything. His work inspired me to enter this career.

I must have done well, because I was honored to receive the call from President Diane Anthony IV and asked to head the Commission. I gladly accepted this task, though I will admit that I expected a tour of duty of about five years, not twelve. Some have been critical of our efforts in taking too long, but one must realize we first had to find and declassify almost all the presidential papers and realized that the Powers Administration only kept a small fraction of its records. Thank goodness for the first two versions of the internet, others did keep some records – though looking at electronic records from 150 years in the past requires using computer devices with a keyboard and mouse (look that up if you do not know what those are).

We were tasked by Congress to create a detailed and factual history of the Powers Administration. Our Commission members decided to follow that in all the subsequent volumes, and indicate clearly where and when we were not really certain what actually happened, and offer some educated guesses. In this volume, the chronology of the events of the Powers Administration, we realized that this was likely the only work that the public would likely read, so we made it short and interesting, unlike much of our academic work. I will admit, it was the former President's idea to put some "interesting" titles on the chapters to make it more readable, and I fully agreed, so as not to make this volume so stuffy.

We are of the consensus that decisions in the Powers Administration occurred in two basic ways. The first method was when President Powers would hear or read something, assess it like a business transaction, and rapidly make a decision, without consulting his advisors. The second method was where Powers' officials developed a proposal, presented it without much detail to the President, who would again assess it like a business transaction and make a rapid decision. Because of his dependence to consider almost all recommendations through the experience as a very successful infrastructure construction businessman, essentially President Powers attempted to run the executive branch like he ran his own business. For that reason, the Commission members formed a consensus to nickname this volume, "The American Government, Incorporated."

Finally, this was a terrible time in American history. More than half of the population lost their lives, jobs, citizenship, became refugees, or deported to another country. America lost its way and lost its values that it holds dear. Subsequent presidential administrations worked to restore the United States and we the people did that. But the old adage says we are destined to repeat our mistakes. So this volume attempts to make those mistakes memorable to avoid making them again.

Sincerely,

Scott H. Schmidt, Chair, Commission on the Powers Administration History, 2178.

### THE UNORTHODOX 2032 ELECTION CAMPAIGN (June 2015 – November 2032)

Thayer Andrew Powers announced on September 27, 2031 at a campaign rally in Powers Tower in Boston that he was a candidate for the Conservative Party nomination for President. Diane Barbara Anthony announced on October 10, 2031 at a campaign rally at Ohio Stadium in Columbus that she was a candidate for the Progressive Party nomination for President.

##########

Please see the _Wikipedia Plus_ articles, "Thayer Powers presidential campaign, 2032" and "Diane Anthony presidential campaign, 2032" for the actual events and information from October 2031 thru October 2032.

##########

Sometime during October 2033, there was a meeting of several Conservative members of Congress to discuss potential actions regarding the information that the Congressional Committees had received from the FBI regarding its investigation of Diane Anthony's usage of a personal wrist-embedded telecommunications device while she was Secretary of Defense. Aside from the FBI investigation team's decision to not pursue prosecution for gross negligence, their Congressional staff members had not found anything significant.

Someone joked that they ought to release the transmails that were now marked classified by the FBI or the Pentagon to _WikiLeaks_ and claim that they were originally sent with classification markings by Anthony or her staff. Afterward, two members of Congress thought this would be a good idea, and pursued this by making contact with an intermediary of _WikiLeaks_ and providing copies of the classified transmails, all property marked now by the FBI or the Pentagon.

In October, the campaigns continued, pinging from one national event to another, as day by day someone said something controversial. The public was confused about where each candidate stood, polls tightened, polling percentages increased, one candidate was ahead in this state, etc. It was a campaign of change, and unpredictability.

Nation-wide polling up to October 31st showed Diane Anthony with an average 5% lead over Thayer Powers. State-by-state polling suggested she would win between 28 and 35 states and would receive from 330 to 370 votes in the Electoral College, more than enough to get the 270 needed at the time.

At approximate 2 am Eastern Time on October 31st, _WikiLeaks_ posted on their website copies of about 113 transmails that were marked "Top Secret," "Extremely Top Secret," or "Really Secret and the British Can Read It." This group also sent a transmail to several thousand addresses announcing their posting. Approximately thirty minutes later, the copies were no longer available due to a hacker attack that shut down their server. Subsequent postings were quickly hacked or the website shut down. We now know, but the public did not know at the time, that the United States Cyber Command was responsible for conducting the hacking and preventing the disclosure of classified information.

American news networks did take notice of the _WikiLeaks_ transmail within about an hour. Although they had no access to the actual transmails, most of the networks then began to report that additional Anthony transmails from her personal wrist-embedded telecommunications device had now surfaced and that they contained Secret and Top Secret information that was marked. This was in conflict with her Congressional testimony. At about 4 am, Thayer Powers sent a comment via transmail, demanding that Diane Anthony quit as the Progressive nominee for lying to Congress. Anthony's rapid reaction group responded immediately that there was no evidence that such transmails even existed, as no one had access to the actual transmails on the website due to the hacker's denial of service attacks. There was no evidence that either campaign knew anything about how _WikiLeaks_ obtained the transmails or who was involved in the hacking.

The Saturday news cycle was filled with speculation about the transmails, with some news reports even interrupting college football games. Because of previous _WikiLeaks_ disclosures, it was assumed that it had obtained and posted Anthony transmails from her personal wrist-embedded telecommunications device, and that they contained marked classified information. Late in the afternoon, the FBI Director returned from a college football game, and directed his subordinates to conduct an immediate investigation of this situation.

The Sunday morning news shows continued the speculation, now focused on whether Diane Anthony would actually quit the race – since if the disclosure was true, it contradicted multiple statements made by her about the transmails on her personal wrist-embedded telecommunications device. Anthony surrogates focused on the fact that no one has actually seen the transmails in question claimed to be posted by _WikiLeaks_ and suggested this was a cruel hoax. This continued to dominate the news cycles throughout Monday. Spot polling suggested that support for Anthony was being eroded.

Likewise, the FBI investigation also had not obtained the transmails from any website. By chance, an FBI Agent contacted the liaison from United States Cyber Command, and they provided copies of the transmails to the FBI from the _WikiLeaks_ website before it was shut down. On Monday morning, a FBI Agent involved in the original Anthony personal wrist-embedded telecommunications device investigation was asked to review these transmails, and this Agent identified that the transmails were not the actual ones found in their investigation, and the classification markings were added by other agencies to the transmails during the investigation. The startling finding was that these copies of transmails matched the ones provided by the FBI in early August 2032 to the House and Senate Committees looking at the Anthony usage of her personal wrist-embedded telecommunications device.

This finding changed the whole focus of the current FBI investigation, as the Agents then went to the Congressional offices to speak and ask questions of Senators, Representatives, and Congressional staff members who had access to files. Nearing midnight on Monday night, two members of Congress admitted providing _WikiLeaks_ with copies of the classified transmails, falsely claiming that they were originals from Anthony's personal wrist-embedded telecommunications device. This information was relayed to the FBI Director and the Attorney General, who quickly informed President Eric Trump. The President convened a meeting of his key advisors, and at 2 am, the networks were informed that Trump would be speaking to the nation at 3 am.

In the first address to the nation by a President in the early morning that was also an Election Day, President Eric Trump calmly reported the facts as provided by the FBI, without providing the names of the two members of Congress, pending further investigation and determination by the Department of Justice of how to proceed with any criminal prosecution. President Trump stressed, "that citizens should vote for whoever they want for President, but should not let the information on these classified transmails influence their decision, since there is no evidence at this time that any campaign was involved in creating this hoax. There was no leak of classified information by Diane Anthony when she was my Secretary of Defense. There appears to be an unauthorized release of classified information by two members of Congress." The speech drew mixed responses from each major campaign, media network commentators, and each political party's supporters.

### THE ELECTION SURPRISE (November 2-3, 2032)

The Powers Campaign records show that its campaign manager felt that her own internal polling showed a small shift in voters away from Anthony due to the weekend transmail accusation. At best, this might result in moving one or two of the nine battleground states where Anthony had a small lead. She had high hopes of at least getting 200 Electoral College votes. Most of the campaign staff felt on Tuesday that this was their last day working there, and many spent time looking at job postings or communicating with others who might know of some unposted positions.

The Anthony Campaign had gone into the weekend with high confidence of a large Electoral College victory by winning thirty or more states. The data analytics unit was unsure the effect of the hoax except to anticipate that voter turnout might be reduced by the "last straw" for many voters in a crazy campaign. Efforts were redoubled to have state and local operations push to get folks to the polls to counter the weekend setback.

The public polls turned out to be wrong, as did the campaigns' internal polling.

Meanwhile, there were groups remotely associated with the Powers Campaign who planned to stage some sort of fear campaign to depress Progressive turnout at the precincts. One of the most common practices was to post a police car with a uniformed policeman near the polling entrance. There were also at least 300 documented incidents of voter suppression efforts by individuals working in the polls who were accused of not accepting proper identification or failing to find a voter on the registration rolls.

A local television station in Portland, Oregon filmed a man dressed in a suit and tie and wearing an official-looking badge standing outside the precinct entrance and reviewing each person's identification, suggesting to some that they would not be able to vote with that id. A post-election tally identified almost 10,000 instances of voter suppression documented by independent groups, and there were only two prosecution attempts made by authorities, both resulting in no conviction. There were five investigations of voter fraud, four of which led to charges, and two convictions.

The networks re-played President Trump's early morning address to the nation several times during the day, and many stressed that Anthony was a victim of a hoax and that there was no evidence of direct involvement by the Powers campaign. Meanwhile, the Attorney General's office was considering what course of action they would do concerning the two members of Congress, who had been interviewed on Monday night in their hometowns.

The first polls closed at 7 pm (all times were eastern modern time) in Kentucky, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Vermont, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Indiana. Most networks and the Associated Press quickly declared Virginia and Vermont for Anthony while giving Indiana, West Virginia, and Kentucky to Powers. Powers led 24-16 in the Electoral College.

Before 7:30 pm, Anthony was declared the winner of New Hampshire. Powers' lead narrowed to 24-20.

At 7:30 pm, polls in Ohio and North Carolina closed. Nearing 8 pm, most networks declared Powers the winner in South Carolina. Powers now led 33-20.

Polls closing at 8 pm in Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Illinois, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania. Immediately, the networks declared Delaware, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia for Anthony, putting her into the lead for the first time that evening, 44-33.

About 8:20 pm, most networks had reviewed initial results compared to exit polls and made the following predictions of winners - Powers winning Mississippi, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Alabama, while Anthony winning Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, and Rhode Island. This put Anthony in the lead 92-66.

One former television network, _CBS News_ , made a prediction at this time that Anthony won Georgia's 16 Electoral College votes. However, the majority of networks' data predicted a close race with Powers the winner, closing the Anthony gap to 92-82. This was the first state this evening that was a Powers upset over Anthony.

Arkansas' polls closed at 8:30 pm, and almost all networks declared Powers the winner. The networks also declared Maine with all Congressional districts going for Anthony. The Electoral College vote totals tighten with Anthony leading 96-88.

At 9 pm, polls closed in the states of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, and Texas. Within about ten minutes, networks awarded New Mexico and Colorado to Anthony, followed a few minutes later with Louisiana, South Dakota, and Wyoming to Powers. Minnesota was shortly declared to Anthony, making her lead 120-102.

At 10 pm, all polling stations closed in Utah, Arizona, and Iowa. Most networks immediately awarded Utah and Texas to Powers, with him now taking the lead 146-120. During the next half hour, most networks declared Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York to Anthony, while predicting Powers winning Missouri, Kansas, and Montana. Many networks also declared minor upset victories for Powers in Ohio and North Carolina. This put Powers in a very narrow lead of 198-195. Prior to 11 pm, Nevada and all Nebraska Congressional districts were declared for Powers, increasing his lead to 209-195.

At 11 pm, the polls closed in Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii, Idaho, and North Dakota. Networks immediately awarded Washington to Anthony and Idaho and North Dakota to Powers. Powers led 216-207.

Around midnight, networks awarded California to Anthony and declared Powers the winner in Florida and Iowa, both minor upsets. Anthony resumed a narrow lead of 262-251 in the Electoral College. This is when _CBS News_ announced that Diane Anthony had won the election, as they still considered that she had won in Georgia. The _CBS News_ count had Anthony winning 278-235. Individuals at the Anthony national campaign headquarters in Columbus began to celebrate.

Other networks were considering their predictions and the possibility of declaring Anthony the winner. Alaska still had western polling stations still open until 1 am, and was considered a Powers victory. Likewise, Hawaii appeared closer in early returns, but was likely to fall to Anthony. Oregon was also close in early returns, causing a delay in predicting an Anthony victory by most networks. Arizona was considered a toss-up. Most networks internally had Anthony winning with 273-254 with Arizona's 11 votes not having an effect on this victory.

Senior Anthony campaign officials were in contact with the various networks, asking when they would declare Anthony the winner with less than a handful of states undecided. _Fox News_ declared Anthony the victor and immediately played Taps. At 1 am, the last Alaska poll station closed, and the state was declared for Powers, while all networks awarded Hawaii to Anthony. On many networks, the count was 266-254, while _CBS_ and _Fox_ had Anthony at 282 or 273.

At this point, the Powers campaign manager came into the ballroom to make a statement, with this being covered by all networks. She announced that their internal polling indicated that Powers winning in several states declared by various networks for Anthony, and demanding that the networks wait until more results come in before declaring an overall winner; and that they review current returns for each state to potentially reconsider their predictions.

She then surprised the media by opening up to questions. She explained when asked about Ohio that while Anthony had a 154 vote lead at the moment on Fox News, that most of the urban areas were already counted, but several counties in southeastern Ohio still to come in should go strongly for Powers. She continued on explaining her rationale for Georgia, Arizona, Oregon, Michigan, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Nevada, and the one conservative Congressional district in Maine. The final election returns had all these states won by Anthony or Powers by 1% or less of the total vote.

This press conference caused an uproar at each network. _Fox News_ immediately rescinded their declaration of an Anthony victory. Ultimately, _CBS News_ did the same, declaring Georgia as uncertain at this point around 2 am. Around 3:30 am, most networks had awarded Arizona to Powers and confirmed Georgia in his camp, making the Electoral College count, Anthony 266 - Powers 265. It would come down to Oregon deciding who would become the next President.

About 5 am, all networks declared Powers winning Oregon and the election, with a 272-266 victory. As states finalized returns through Wednesday, a total of 16 states were won by a margin of less than 1%, and another 10 states between that and 5%.

At 7 am, Diane Anthony gave her concession speech and congratulated Thayer Powers on his victory. President-elect Powers began his acceptance speech shortly after 8 am, thanking all the American people who voted for him, and promising those who supported him that he would make America powerful and wealthy again.

Thayer A. Powers won 29 states (Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming). Compared to pre-election polling, Powers upset Anthony in Arizona, Oregon, Nevada, Ohio, Florida, Iowa, Georgia, and North Carolina. Exit polling showed about one third of white voters with college degrees voting for Powers had changed their minds in the last day.

There was a 15% reduction in voter turnout from the 2028 presidential election, with only 179.7 million Americans voting. Diane Anthony received 42% of the vote, while Thayer Powers had 39%, while the minor party candidates, Democrat Bill Smith and Republican Cindy Thomas, had 12% and 7%, respectively. There was much analysis conducted in the following year as to the effects that the two minor parties had on who won each state, but most concluded that the election would have not changed had one or the other minor party candidate not been in the race.

The Progressives won five seats and lost one in the United States Senate to make the split between the two parties at 50-50. Conservatives would still hold power due to the Vice President able to break tie votes. The Conservatives majority in the United States House of Representatives was reduced by more than two dozen seats, holding a 224-211 majority.

### THE UN-TRANSITION PERIOD (November 2032 - January 2033)

The Presidential transition or interregnum began immediately after Powers' acceptance speech. Initial planning had begun in April 2032 when representatives from seven Conservative presidential campaigns met in New York City with the Partnership for Public Service to receive four days of training on the transition planning. Powers' campaign manager said that the campaign would begin to implement the recommendations from the meeting. On May 8th, the campaign announced that Idaho Governor Stephen Stevens had agreed to head the transition efforts.

The Agency Transition Directors Council, consisting of the leads of transition planning of the major executive departments, met at the White House on June 3rd to begin transition planning, without the attendance of the Powers or Anthony campaigns. Little was done until late July, when Stevens named his general counsel and Trump's White House Chief of Staff had a conference call on transition with Stevens. The Powers transition team officially opened in early August, using government office space at 1717 Pennsylvania Avenue and started to receive government funding. There were reports of efforts to reach out to previous members of presidential transition teams for lessons learned, advice, and support.

The key responsibility of the transition team is to identify and internally vet candidates for about 4,000 non-civil service positions who serve at the pleasure of the President. Approximately 1,200 positions require the advice and consent of the United States Senate's confirmation process. Due to the slowness of prior presidential transitions and the fact that several new administrations had faced major crisis shortly after taking office, transition planning had been accelerating to begin earlier and to be more thorough. For example, the Powers team was given a goal to completely staff the White House (almost all positions there do not require Senate confirmation) and have at least 50 key positions confirmed prior to January 20th, 100 by April, and 500 by August 2033. The goal also was to fill most of the White House positions before the inauguration.

Other responsibilities of the transition team would be in organizing the White House offices, having leadership teams trained up on the functions of the more than 100 federal agencies, building a full policy platform for the new administration (planned executive actions, budget proposal, legislative proposals, and communication strategies), and developing a 100 to 200 day plan on how to execute policies laid out by President-elect Powers during the campaign.

There is little documentation available in the federal and presidential records that our Commission members examined. Most of our information of this period comes from media reporting and transition team announcements. It appears that the Powers Campaign dedicated only about a dozen personnel prior to the election to work on transition planning. Several media reports estimated only about 200 candidates were vetted with only about 25 receiving and completing initial ethics and security clearances. There was little planning regarding a number of the transition team responsibilities. So there was a slow start with no additional personnel appointed to the transition team until November 27th. This lack of planning would have an impact on the first 100 days of the Powers Administration.

On November 20th, the Trump Administration published about 200 regulations in the _Federal Register_ concerning a wide-range of subjects, including environmental, safety, labor, federal procurements, military discipline, financial regulations, tax audit processing, to name a few. These so-called "midnight regulations" would go into effect just prior to January 20th, and would be designed to counter or complicate policies promoted by the President-elect Powers during his campaign. This is nothing new in presidential transitions, as President Paul Ryan's administration had issued thousands of pages of new rules prior to the transition of President Eric Trump. The Powers transition efforts were caught "flat-footed" and surprised by this action and were slow to react, taking over a week during the Thanksgiving Holiday period to even decide what this was even about.

The Powers transition team tripled its staff literally overnight on November 27th. However, the transition team suffered from two major issues. First, the President-elect expressed no interest in transition issues, suggesting that Vice President-elect Billy Mitchell make any decisions. Powers departed Boston on what he called a Victory Tour on November 4th with large rallies each evening. Second, it appears that the former Powers Campaign headquarters in the Powers Tower was duplicating many of the functions and responsibilities of the transition team for the most senior level positions and the first hundred days planning, and even the headquarters in Boston had divisions and duplicative work. Stevens finally met with Vice President-elect Mitchell on Thanksgiving Day in Atlanta to discuss the transition issues.

On December 3rd at the Mitchell-owned golf course in Tampa, about 150 members of the Powers Campaign, transition team, and other parties met and hammered out an initial action plan for the transition, the draft governance structure, the names of the top 200 potential senior leaders and White House Staff, and their roles of the new Powers Administration. Early Monday morning, the President-elect was briefed on this, decided to drop and add about thirty names from the senior listing, and approved the governance structure.

On December 7th, Billy Mitchell and Stephen Stevens announced in a press conference the new governance structure for the Powers Administration and named many of the key leadership positions (see Volume 4 for details). A short ten minute video from the President-elect proceeded Mitchell's remarks, stating that Powers had approved the governance structure and the unofficial nominations of his senior staff, which would be further explained by Mitchell and Stevens. Powers stated that he was departing from the Chief of Staff structure formulated by President Eisenhower in favor of a lean, mean, business structure with the Vice President acting as the Chief Operating Officer with each Cabinet-level department head reporting to Billy Mitchell. Powers mentioned he would have no more than a dozen policy implementation positions reporting to a Chief Policy Officer who reported to him; and that they would be responsible for coordinating the implementation of his polices, such as on immigration, law and control, and veterans.

The Vice President-elect then proceeded to show how each of the Cabinet secretaries would be reporting directly to himself, and independent agencies, boards, and commissions would likely be reporting to the appropriate Cabinet secretary or thru several Coordinator positions who also reported to Mitchell. Mitchell explained that the transition effort had recommended and the President-elect had approved about 100 members of the White House Staff not needing confirmation from the Senate.

Before naming members of the senior team, Mitchell explained that he would become the chief of the transition team as Stephen Stevens would be nominated as Attorney General and begin preparing policy implementation plans in his areas of responsibility. Mitchell briefly explained the purpose of the transition efforts. Mitchell then announced major nominations for Cabinet-level positions (these being unofficial, until after the inauguration and a Senate confirmation vote), and then Mitchell and Stevens spend an hour answering questions from the press. The Cabinet-level nominees were:

**Secretary of State** – Steve Edward

**Secretary of the Treasury** – Steven Brown

**Secretary of Defense** – Steve Edward

**Attorney General** – Stephen Stevens

**Secretary of the Interior** – Stephen Smith

**Secretary of Agriculture** – Steve Jones

**Secretary of Commerce** – the daughter of the President

**Secretary of Labor** – will not be filled, department will report to daughter of the President

**Secretary of Health and Human Services** – Steve Johnson

**Secretary of Education** – will not be filled, department will report to Steve Johnson

**Secretary of Housing and Urban Development** – son-in-law of the President, also a Stephen

**Secretary of Transportation** – Stephen Walters

**Secretary of Energy** – Steve Thomas

**Secretary of Veterans Affairs** – Stephen Jackson

**Secretary of Homeland Security** – Steve Edward

**United States Trade Representative** – son of the President, also a Steven

**Director of the Office of Management and Budget** – daughter-in-law of the President

**Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy** – will not be filled, but reporting to Steve Johnson

**Chair of the Federal Reserve** – will appoint a new Chair in February 2034.

**Director of National Intelligence** – Stephen Hamilton

**Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency** – will not be filled, department will report to Steve Thomas

**Ambassador to the United Nations** – to be determined

**Chief of Staff** – will not be filled, but the position of the **Chief Policy Officer** would be a Cabinet officer – Stephen Schmidt

Questions at the press conference and in subsequent media interviews centered mainly on two issues – the appointment by the President-elect of four of his children and their spouses plus Steve Edward being triple-hatted as the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Homeland Security. Many people were interviewed and asked if that was even legal, but no one could find anything that said this was not. There was even a question of why so many Cabinet officers, including the Powers son and son-in-law, with the first name Stephen, Steve, or Steven. Public vetting occurred in subsequent news cycles, and several questions were raised about certain nominees.

Over the next several days, announcements came out from the transition team naming members of the White House Staff and several dozen deputies to Cabinet secretaries, the later would be requiring confirmation by the Senate. Transition team members began to coordinate and prepare nominees for their hearings and working with the Senate committee staff on scheduling them as soon as possible. However, President Trump requested Congress to address a few key issues (emergency funding for the eastern coastal seawalls and African Bee Virus) in their lame-duck session, so the majority of confirmation hearings did not begin until January.

On December 15th, a _London Times_ reporter discovered that a Melody Anderson, the maiden name of Melody Powers, had purchased the top ten floors of a luxury apartment three blocks from the American Embassy. After several days of denials by Powers' press secretary, the news was confirmed with the President-elect asking for privacy on this matter. A spokeswoman for Mrs. Powers finally confirmed to the press on December 18th that she had no desire to serve as First Lady and be in the public spotlight, and that she intended to move to London prior to the inauguration. It was decided in the coming month that the Vice President's wife, Tracy Mitchell, would fill the role normally done by the First Lady.

Since the election, the media had asked members and surrogates of the Powers Campaign how the President-elect intended to disengage from the operations of the TAP Infrastructure Corporation. The President-elect when asked after rallies would just respond "we are looking at that." On January 5th, a Powers spokesperson announced that Powers would continue to run the TAP Infrastructure Corporation while President. Reaction was quite negative from Progressive members of Congress and several Conservatives. Powers' general counsel was called before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs and argued that there were no laws or regulations prohibiting a President from not continuing to run his small family business, and that several Presidents continued to run and own their family farms and shops while President in the past. Legislation was considered in both the House and Senate, but decisions by Congressional leaders derailed any further action.

With the United States Senate split 50-50 between the two parties and Vice President Stuart a Progressive, technically the Progressives could have claimed majority leadership at the beginning of the 123rd Congress during the January 4-19 period. President Trump, Vice President Stuart, Senate Minority Leader Senator Vicky Turner, and several other Progressive Senators met in mid-December, according to Trump presidential records, to discuss whether to claim majority leadership and to pursue the confirmation of Mary Chapman as a Justice to the United States Supreme Court and other legislation. Because of Senate cloture rules require two-thirds of the Senators present to vote to end debate or filibusters for a Supreme Court Justice, those in attendance decided not to force the issue. The Progressives quickly let the Conservatives organize the Senate as the majority party.

Senate confirmation hearings started in early January, and there were only a handful of questions about the nominees. Progressive Senators questioned the wisdom of having Steve Edward hold three Cabinet positions, but again, nothing could be found legally to prohibit these appointments. As President Kennedy had appointed his own brother Robert as Attorney General, there was little anyone could argue against the President-elect appointing his own children or their spouses to Cabinet positions. One nominee had several instances in failing to file proper tax returns and withdrew his nomination.

Meanwhile, the FBI recommended to the Attorney General that the two former members of Congress (they had resigned after their names were revealed by _Fox News_ ) who provided copies of classified transmails prior to the election to _WikiLeaks_ be prosecuted for mishandling classified information, rather than charging them with treason. Attorney General James Cannon agreed with this recommendation, and the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia was assigned to pursue their prosecution. On January 18th, charges were filed and the defendants were held without bond.

Under Vice President Mitchell's leadership of the transition team, over 50 positions requiring Senate confirmation had been unofficially nominated to the Senate prior to the Powers Inauguration. The Senate had proceeded with confirmation hearings on these nominations. Almost all White House Staff positions had been filled, and the transition team was working with the nominated Cabinet secretaries in filling lower-level positions.

On January 11th, Mitchell convened a meeting with all Cabinet secretaries and any named deputies, led by the policy implementation heads. Detailed discussions were held on the draft action plan for the first hundred days of the Powers Administration, with decisions made of who had responsibility for each action. There were decisions by legal counsel regarding which method could President Powers use to implement the actions, such as executive orders, legislation, or government regulation. The policy implementation heads classified this action plan, which would later cause problems as more than half of the named senior officials had yet to be granted interim security clearances.

The issue on the security clearances appeared to be confusing to most of the members of the Powers Administration. This was probably due to the lack of training on government policies and procedures by the transition team and the low percentage of staff that had ever been in government. This lack of training would also contribute to the larger number of ethical policy violations that would occur during the Powers administration. The progress in gaining security clearances was hampered by a lack of knowledge, reluctance of the nominees to submit all the required paperwork and records, and lack of cooperation by various individuals that the FBI was required to interview to verify information, according to FBI records when the House reviewed this issue later in May 2033. This slowness to complete security clearance investigations also contributed to the slowness in proceeding to Senate confirmation for nominees below the Cabinet level.

On January 18th, a major snow storm began hitting Minnesota and Wisconsin, and quickly spread to northern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The storm continued eastward, dumping six inches on New York City, a foot on Philadelphia and Baltimore, and six inches on Washington. In the early morning of January 20th, the District of Columbia and surrounding areas were literally closed down due to an ice storm because of a brief warming period. The District of Columbia National Guard, assisted by units from Virginia, was called out at 6 am to rescue individuals and clear roads. Another round of snow hit mid-morning, and all outdoor Inauguration activities were immediately cancelled. There was a news report that the President-elect had called the Mayor's Office to complain.

Almost weekly during the time period of the Powers Administration, there was either a weather-related (floods, tornados, hurricanes, etc.) or natural (earthquakes, fires, etc.) disaster somewhere in the United States, that were significant to require a state Governor to call out the National Guard and ask for a federal declaration, assistance, and aid. Many of these were due to increased incidents of climate change, which the administration refused to recognize as occurring. In areas that supported the election of President Powers, aid and assistance was quickly and readily given. Otherwise, it was slow, unresponsive, or even ignored. We only reported in this volume on about a dozen major disasters that had significant effects on the United States or the Powers Administration.

### THE FIRST ONE HUNDRED DAYS (January – April 2033)

Thayer Andrew Powers was sworn in as the 51st President of the United States at Noon on January 20, 2033 inside the Capitol Rotunda by the Chief Justice of the United States, Samuel Walker. William (Billy) Ronald Mitchell had been sworn in as the 54th Vice President of the United States prior to Powers taking the oath. Only about a third of the invitees were able to make it to the Capitol due to the snow. The event was shown on television lighted by battery powered lamps and candles, as the old Capitol coal plant's equipment had frozen and there was only emergency lighting in the building. Power had been out since mid-morning for most of the District of Columbia, except for a few federal buildings like the White House.

At the beginning of Powers' Inauguration speech, the network connections were cut and Americans were left with a blank screen until network moderators in New York, Atlanta, or Los Angeles appeared. Someone was able to re-connect the audio, and the American people listened to the new President like the public did for Roosevelt over the radio. Because the teleprompter stopped working almost immediately, President Powers pulled out some index cards and continued his speech, repeating many of his policies that he had campaigned on before the election. Afterwards, Powers and his two children, their spouses, and his grandchildren left the Rotunda for one of the House offices, signed the official paperwork, and were driven in a military Humvee convoy to the White House. All remaining inauguration activities were cancelled, including the seven balls. The White House was almost the only building in Washington with light, power, and heat.

President Powers had lunch with his children, their spouses, and his grandchildren, in the residence, and then walked down to the Oval Office about 3 pm. Liz Powers wrote in her memoirs later that her father was greatly disappointed in not having a proper inauguration, but he promised that he would make up for it in 2037. He was greeted by the Vice President and several members of his inner circle (it is unclear who exactly was in attendance), and provided with the paperwork for him to sign his initial Executive Orders and other documents.

It is believed that there was much discussion by legal counsel to President Powers as to the appropriateness of the executive orders compared to other methods to implement policies, such as Congressional legislation or government agency regulations. However, the records retained on the Powers Administration are few, and the subsequent administrations discovered these specific records were destroyed with one paper copy kept at a secret off-sight location in Brazil by the President's general counsel. Scholars and legal authorities, plus the federal courts, would argue for over a decade as to the validity of many of these Executive Orders signed by the President.

The new President signed 101 Executive Orders and about 250 other documents on the afternoon of his first day in office. Some of them were rather typical of any presidential administration, formerly designating who his key advisors are, officially nominating individuals for positions requiring Senate confirmation and those not requiring confirmation, several regarding emergency procedures and reporting arrangements, and appointing individuals to perform required duties or giving them the authority to act for the President. The unique organization of the Powers Administration with the Vice President in charge was addressed in Executive Order #14105. Another change in this administration was that the President was confused by the multiple orders, proclamations, memorandums, and types issued by previous Presidents, especially presidential and national security directives, and personally decided to call everything Executive Orders.

Powers' senior advisors had debated in what order the Executive Orders would be signed, as that would define what number they would be assigned. President Powers ultimately made that final decision, and many of the actual Executive Orders found in the federal and presidential records show Powers made pen & ink changes to numbering when he actually signed them. The Executive Orders signed on January 20th are grouped into several policy areas.

Immigration

Executive Order #14102 directed the Chief of the United States Army Corps of Engineer to start, plan, build, and complete the construction of the Powers Border Wall along the Mexican border over the next six months.

Executive Order #14103 changed 31 CFR 130.121 to redefine "financial institutions" to include "money transfer operations like Western Union" and redefine "account" to include "wire transfers." It also prohibited any person who was not an American citizen from transferring wire money outside the United States, except when authorized by a permit from the Department of the Treasury. This would be used as leverage against Mexico to try to force that country to pay for the wall.

Executive Order #14123 directed the Department of State to suspend the issuance of visas and green cards immediately.

Executive Order #14124 ordered ICE to begin the immediate deportation of any illegal immigrants convicted of any felony not incarcerated. ICE was also directed to review all individuals in jails and prisons as to their immigration status and to put detainers on any illegal immigrants. ICE will work with all federal, state, and local jails and prisons to take custody on them upon release and deport them.

Executive Order #14125 immediately ends any government funding or aid to any country that refuses to receive a deported illegal immigrant.

Executive Order #14126, was classified, due to an immediate and present danger, authorizes the expansion of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations from 5,000 to 15,000 personnel. ICE may request combat and military police from reserve and National Guard personnel to be provided immediately to temporarily substitute for enforcement officers over the next six months.

Executive Order #14127 directs the immediate detention by ICE of any illegal immigrant by any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency.

Executive Order #14128 directs the Department of Justice to identify all sanctuary cities by the end of March 2033, and as of June 1, 2033, no federal funding to non-federal government agencies or organizations with zip codes in those cities. The Department of Justice will monitor all cities for addition or deletion from the listing. After September 1, 2034, no individual federal payments, except Medicare, Social Security, and benefits to American Veterans will be paid to anyone with a zip code in a sanctuary city.

Executive Order #14129 ordered the Department of State to increase the fees for any individual overstaying visas and propose legislation to impose criminal penalties on those doing so.

Executive Order #14130 ordered federal agencies to implement the visa tracking system by end of April 2033.

Executive Order #14131 authorized ICE to work with any federal, state, and local gang or drug enforcement task force. It also ended any illegal immigrant over the age of 18 from using the DACA Directive if arrested for a felony, though they may do so afterwards if not convicted of a felony.

Executive Order #14132 ordered that all federal agencies to utilize E-Verify for all government and contractor employee hires. It requests that all states implement legislation requiring this in their jurisdictions for any employers. It also banned agency and their contractors hiring any illegal immigrant or providing federal benefits, except for veterans.

Executive Order #14141 was classified due to the "clear and present danger" standard and authorized the immediate tripling of Border Agents

Executive Order #14142 was classified and directed the Department of Homeland Security to determine a process for extreme vetting of refugees, potential immigrants, and visa requests, by the end of March 2033.

Executive Order #14143 was classified and directed the Departments of State and Homeland Security to determine the maximum numbers of legal immigrants, work visas, tourist visas, student visas, asylum-seekers, and refugees to be admitted during the Powers Administration. It was also directed both Cabinet departments to develop programs to prevent the smuggling of illegal immigrants, how to deal with fraudulent immigrant documentation, how to deal with the current backlogs at immigration courts, and those over staying their visas.

Executive Order #14144 was a classified order that put a temporary moratorium on the admittance of Muslim individuals into the United States for any reason, except for American citizens or those considered legal immigrants (having a green card). This would also include work, student, and tourist visas and any refugees.

Executive Order #14145 was as classified order that put a temporary moratorium on the admittance of Syrian or Iraqi refugees into the United States for any reason.

Executive Order #14146 was a classified order directing the Department of Homeland Security to develop a program by the end of September 2033 to deport illegal immigrants without any criminal activity back to their native country.

Executive Order #14153 was a classified order directing the Department of Justice to develop legislative recommendations for Congress to make it a federal crime to commit any felony while being an illegal immigrant; eliminate the birthright citizenship for children and grandchildren of all illegal immigrants; allow for expedited procedures for permitting the Powers Border Wall through national forests, federal lands, Native American reservations, state and local owned property, and private land; how to make E-Verify mandatory throughout the nation for state/local governments and all employers; and require businesses and other employers to hire American citizens before legal immigrants.

Executive Order #14154 was a classified order directing the Department of the Treasury to develop legislative recommendation for Congress to implement the campaign's changes to tax laws, prohibit illegal immigrants to take any tax deduction or credit.

Executive Order #14161 directed the Department of State to raise the prevailing wage for H-1B visa holders.

Executive Order #14162 directed the Department of State to terminate the J-1 (youth) visa program.

Executive Order #14166 ordered the Department of Homeland Security to modernize the immigration process.

Trade Reform

Executive Order #14104 was a document that declared the People's Republic of China a currency manipulator and outlined authorized actions by law by the Department of the Treasury and other federal agencies. This was originally to be #3, but Powers changed it to #4 because it is a number considered unlucky in Chinese culture and nearly homophonous to the Chinese word for "death."

Executive Order #14109 ordered federal agencies to identify any country violating any trade agreements and propose raising tariffs not later than the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14134 directed the United States Trade Representative to notify Canada and Mexico of the United States intention to enter into renegotiations of the NAFTA over the next six months per its Chapter 52, and if such negotiations are not successful, the withdrawal from such by the end of 2034.

Executive Order #14135 directed the United States Trade Representative to notify eleven countries that the United States was withdrawing from the current Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and would be pursuing trade negotiations with each individual country instead.

Executive Order #14136 directed the Department of Commerce to coordinate with all federal agencies to identify illegal export subsidies, lax labor and environmental standards, and document instances of piracy, counterfeiting, and theft of trade secrets by the businesses and government of the People's Republic of China by the end of May 2033.

Executive Order #14137 directed the Department of Commerce to identify proposed tariffs on Mexican imports by the end of April 2033.

Executive Order #14138 directed the Department of Commerce to identify proposed tariffs on Chinese imports and to propose legislation to stop unfair and unlawful practice of forcing American companies to share proprietary technology with Chinese competitors in order to enter the Chinese market by the end of April 2033.

Executive Order #14139 directed the United States Trade Representative to notify the World Trade Organization of the United States' request to terminate the membership of the People's Republic of China, and if this is not considered and acted upon, the notification that the United States will withdraw from the WTO in the next three years.

Executive Order #14153 was a classified order directing the Department of Justice to develop legislative recommendations for Congress for additional tools to respond to trade violations.

Executive Order #14154 was a classified order directing the Department of the Treasury to develop legislative recommendation for Congress to implement the campaign's changes to tax laws, dismantle the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, reduce the minimum wage to $5, tax foreign subsidiaries, decrease the corporate rate to 15%, and reduce the repatriation tax to 10%.

Executive Order #14168 appointed trade negotiators to examine and re-negotiate all current trade agreements beyond NAFTA and TPP Expanded.

Executive Order #14169 directed the United States Trade Representative to immediately file trade relief cases with the World Trade Organization.

Executive Order #14174 directed the Department of Commerce by the end of May 2033 to coordinate with all federal agencies to determine the value of intellectual property stolen by the People's Republic of China from American businesses and individuals and for the Departments of State and the Treasury to send a bill to the Chinese government by the end of June 2033.

Gun Rights

Executive Order #14106 provided the policy of the Powers Administration regarding the Second Amendment. It specifically outlawed any policy or regulation that created gun free zones (even at schools, religious institutions, employment, bars, etc.), to identify the improvements needed to effectively implement a background check system for sales from any source, implementation of concealed carry permits across the nation, empower gun owners to defend themselves, eliminate prohibitions on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, inhibit gun controls, expand gun rights, etc.

Executive Order #14153 was a classified order directing the Department of Justice to develop legislative recommendations for Congress to improve background checks, make it a federal crime punishable a mandatory five-year sentence for usage of a gun in a felony; make it a federal crime in the killing and injury of a police officer and mandatory capital punishment for the death of a police officer; authorize American citizens to defend themselves in their homes from intruders, except law enforcement personnel; and develop a 28th Amendment (for marriage, pro-life, outlaw abortions, allow military to carry weapons on military reservations and recruiting stations, and prohibit any gun control measures (such as assault weapons ban, large capacity magazines, allow concealed carry nation-wide, except to improve background checks)).

Economy

Executive Order #14107 put a temporarily moratorium on all agency regulations submitted or finalized after January 19, 2025 by the Eric Trump Administration. It directed all federal agencies to prepare a listing of regulations that they had imposed on businesses since 2025 not later than May 31, 2033, ranking them in priority regarding how these regulations and rules hindered or harmed business operations, employment, or produced costs on the American public.

Executive Order #14110 directed the Department of Labor to reform its reporting of unemployment numbers to include any American citizen over the age of 18, who was not disabled, hospitalized, or retired.

Executive Order #14111 re-established the basis of the dollar would now be the gold standard.

Executive Order #14115 directed the Department of Transportation by the end of March 2033 to develop and provide an infrastructure plan for the construction and improvements of America's roads, railroads, public transit, high-speed rail, air, and other transportation systems.

Executive Order #14117 rescinded all prior decisions, rules, or policies that prohibited the construction of the Keystone XL Plus pipeline, and directed the Department of State and other agencies to issue proper permits and authorizations for its construction to the TransExxon Corporation.

Executive Order #14119 directed the Department of the Treasury to design a program to refinance the national debt.

Executive Order #14120 directed the Environmental Protection Agency to prepare a closure plan and to determine how it would transfer its functions to the states.

Executive Order #14121 directed the Department of Labor to prepare a closure plan and to determine how it would transfer its functions to the states.

Executive Order #14122 directed the Departments of Treasury, State, and Commerce to identify all businesses who moved their headquarters or more than $1 billion (or 25%) of its operations to outside the United States since January 1, 2020; and prepare appropriate regulations or legislation to collect import subsidies or other penalties from these businesses.

Executive Order #14133 ordered the Department of the Treasury to conduct and complete an audit of the Federal Reserve by the end of September 2033.

Executive Order #14153 was a classified order directing the Department of Justice to develop legislative recommendations for Congress to implement the right to work across the nation; eliminate the Departments of Labor and transfer all functions to the states; eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency and transfer all functions to the states; how to make E-Verify mandatory throughout the nation for state/local governments and all employers; prohibit family leave; legalize gender pay gaps; allow for employees who are pregnant to be fired; allow for the use of eminent domain by any federal agency; eliminate Indian casinos; eliminate net neutrality; and require businesses and other employers to hire American citizens before legal immigrants.

Executive Order #14154 was a classified order directing the Department of the Treasury to develop legislative recommendation for Congress to implement the campaign's changes to tax laws, dismantle the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, allow American citizens to take a tax deduction for health care insurance, allow everyone to use Health Savings Accounts, reduce the minimum wage to $5, repeal the estate or death tax, eliminate the carried interest loophole, tax foreign subsidiaries, decrease the corporate rate to 15%, implement the three tax levels, prohibit illegal immigrants to take any tax deduction or credit , and reduce the repatriation tax to 10%.

Executive Order #14159 expanded drilling on all federal lands, suspended temporary all environmental regulations that limit oil and gas production, prohibited cap & trade for air emissions, rejected climate change, canceled the Paris Climate Agreement, eliminated all foreign aid to developing countries, established programs to reestablish the coal industry in the United States, established programs to promote fossil fuels, eliminated rules that protected endangered species during federally declared droughts, stopped all federal funding and research on global warming or climate change, set a goal for energy independence by 2045 by developing all oil and gas resources, permit drilling of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, prohibited state bans on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for natural gas exploration, suspended all permits that allowed for killing of eagles by power production facilities, expanded ethanol mandate in blended gasoline, reduced any bureaucracy and regulations that inhibit energy innovations, made land on the outer continental shelf available for oil and gas exploration, and end the Department of Interior moratorium on coal mining permits.

Executive Order #14163 directed the Department of Health and Human Services to end welfare abuse.

Health Care

Executive Order #14112 authorized the Department of Health and Human Services to provide Medicaid to each state as a block grant. It authorized that Medicare would start negotiating with prescription drug companies for Part D.

Executive Order #14153 was a classified order directing the Department of Justice to develop legislative recommendations for Congress to outlaw vaccinations outside the recommended schedule since these cause autism, legalize the usage of medical marijuana, authorize federal quarantine zones for communicable diseases and infections, provide veterans with free health care at any health care provider that accepts Medicare, and develop a 28th Amendment (for marriage, pro-life and overturn Roe v. Wade, outlaw abortions and punish anyone except the mother from performing an abortion, and prohibit any gun control measures).

Executive Order #14154 was a classified order directing the Department of the Treasury to develop legislative recommendation for Congress to implement the campaign's changes to tax laws, allow American citizens to take a tax deduction for health care insurance, and allow everyone to use Health Savings Accounts.

Executive Order #14155 was a classified order directing the Department of the Health and Human Services to develop legislative recommendation for Congress to repeal and dismantle the Improved Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Trumpcare), implement a free-market health care system, require price transparency of all health care providers, eliminate the individual mandate, allow health insurance companies to operate and compete across state lines, allow consumers access to imported drugs, eliminate any health care for illegal immigrants, and raise the eligibility for Medicare to 70 years of age.

Executive Order #14156 was a classified order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to study how to privatize Medicare and Social Security by 2036.

Executive Order #14157 prohibited all federal agencies to fund the Planned Parenthood organizations.

Executive Order #14160 directed the Department of Health and Human Services to expand mental health treatment, systems, programs, and facilities throughout the nation.

Veterans

Executive Order #14153 was a classified order directing the Department of Justice to develop legislative recommendations for Congress to provide veterans with free health care at any health care provider that accepts Medicare, eliminate the GI Bill education benefits; require businesses and other employers to hire American citizens before legal immigrants; and develop a 28th Amendment (for marriage, pro-life, allow military to carry weapons on military reservations and recruiting stations, and prohibit any gun control measures).

Executive Order #14158 directed the Department of Veteran Affairs to expand mental health care benefits and programs for veterans, increase job training and placement services, business loans, and education support, add special programs to support women veterans, develop programs to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse, develop program to modernize medical equipment and facilities, and to establish a process where the President will answer a veteran's call each day.

Security

Executive Order #14101 was a classified document that provided the steps for releasing nuclear weapons. Unlike prior precepts, this document authorized the release by the President, any Acting President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of Defense, or the Director of National Intelligence.

Executive Order #14114 was a classified order that directed the Department of State to identify by the end of February 2033 all countries considered to be anti-American, and propose reductions in or eliminations of foreign aid, military aid and weapons, visas, and other benefits to them. (An overlap or duplication of EO#14140)

Executive Order #14140 directed the Department of State to determine which countries are supporting terrorists or have a history of terrorism by the end of February 2033. (An overlap or duplication of EO#14114)

Executive Order #14148 was a classified order directing the Department of Justice to investigate the Black Lives Matter organization to determine if it is a terrorist organization and other appropriate legal actions.

Executive Order #14149 was a classified order that directed the FBI and NSA, assisted by other federal agencies, to conduct covert surveillance of Muslims, mosques, and the Black Lives Matter organization.

Executive Order #14153 was a classified order directing the Department of Justice to develop legislative recommendations for Congress to repeal the Military Commissions Act to allow American citizens to be subject to military tribunals, allow for the use of eminent domain by any federal agency, require businesses and other employers to hire American citizens before legal immigrants, and develop a 28th Amendment (for marriage, pro-life, allow military to carry weapons on military reservations and recruiting stations, and prohibit any gun control measures).

Executive Order #14167 ordered the Department of Defense to double the size of the deployed naval and other forces in the east and south China Seas.

Executive Order #14170 issued an outline of the Powers foreign policy. It stated that the new policy would focus on what benefits the economic interests of the United States and the protection of American citizens. It called for a reassessment of who America's friends are and are not. For America's allies, it would entail usage of the nuclear deterrence and armed forces if the country entered economic and other agreements that were beneficial to the United States. America would no longer be the world's peacekeeper. It would not blindly guarantee any other country's borders. All treaties, agreements, and commitments would be subject to review in the coming months, and potential re-negotiation or termination. The United States would no longer advocate for human rights outside its country.

Executive Order #14171 was a classified order that declared that those advocating Islamic Sharia law to be applied in the United States to be a terrorist.

Executive Order #14172 was a classified order that determined that Islamic terrorism is a clear and present danger to the United States, and that the President would be asking Congress to officially declare war on any organization or country to find, fix, and destroy these alliances of tyranny, dictatorships, and traditional Islamic regimes. It specifically named the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC) and others as Islamic terrorist organizations and enemies of the United States and its allies.

Executive Order #14173 was a classified order directing the Department of Justice to determine necessary enhanced interrogation techniques and combat tactics against terrorists and their associates and families, including any proposed legislation, in close coordination with the Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security.

Executive Order #14175 was a classified order that directed the Department of Defense to recommend plans for ground forces in Afghanistan for the next four years, by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14176 was a classified order directing the Departments of State and Defense by the end of June 2033 to consider all the activities by the People's Republic of China as to whether we should ask Congress to declare war or introduce legislation to authorize actions short of war.

Executive Order #14177 was a classified order that directed the Department of Defense to recommend not later than June 2033 proposed staffing, organizations, technology, and weapons systems to recover from the disaster of the Trump Administration and Congressional implementation of Second Sequestration.

Executive Order #14178 directed the Department of Defense to recommend plans for to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14179 was a classified order that directed the Department of State to recommend plans to implement a strong diplomacy to restore respect for the next four years, by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14180 was a classified order that directed the Department of State to recommend plans for renegotiating treaties and agreements for the next four years, by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14181 was a classified order that directed the Department of Defense to identify the costs for defending all current allies over the next four years, by the end of February 2033. The Department of State was tasked to identify plans to negotiate payments by wealthy countries to pay for American defense efforts.

Executive Order #14182 was a classified order that directed the Departments of State and Defense to identify a plan to have Saudi Arabia contribute ground troops to Syria and other Muslim countries, by the end of June 2033.

Executive Order #14183 was a classified order that directed the Departments of State and Defense to identify areas where the United Sates can reduce involvement and troops overseas by the end of June 2033. This would include withdrawing from NATO countries, Japan, South Korea, Estonia, Nigeria, Mongolia, Kuwait, Gulf States, and other countries.

Executive Order #14185 was a classified order that directed the Department of State to reconsider our relationship with the Russian Federation, including recognition of Crimea voluntary joining Russia, lift sanctions on Russia, end of American involvement and support for Ukraine, cooperation with Russia to defeat the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC), and related matters, by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14186 was a classified order that directed the Department of Defense to develop plans to enable the shut off of internet access in specific countries by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14187 was a classified order that directed the Department of Justice to recommend plans on how to send terrorist suspects to Guantanamo Bay, by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14188 was a classified order that directed the Department of State to identify the impacts of withdrawing from the Iran International Nuclear Agreement, resume sanctions, or to re-negotiate the deal, by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14189 was a classified order that directed the Department of State to recommend plans for negotiating a peace between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14190 authorizes United States funding to support the construction of Israeli settlements beginning in June 2033 if the Palestinian National Authority does not agree to begin peace negotiations with Israel and unconditionally recognize the right of Israel to exist.

Executive Order #14191 authorizes United States to move its Embassy to Jerusalem in June 2033 if the Palestinian National Authority does not agree to begin peace negotiations with Israel and unconditionally recognize the right of Israel to exist.

Executive Order #14192 was a classified order that directed the Department of Defense to identify all critical headquarters locations of the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC) to be subject to non-nuclear electromagnet pulse and low-level nuclear demolitions to destroy them, by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14193 was a classified order that directed the Department of State to recommend plans for pressuring the Chinese government to reign in North Korea, by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14194 was a classified order that directed the Department of State to determine when President Powers will meet with the head of the North Korean government, by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14195 was a classified order that directed the Departments of State and Defense to study the effects of a nuclear Japan and South Korea, by the end of June 2033.

Executive Order #14196 was a classified order that directed the Departments of State and Defense to study the effects of a nuclear Saudi Arabia, by the end of June 2033.

Executive Order #14197 was a classified order that directed the Departments of State and Defense to study how to eliminate Pakistan nuclear weapons, by the end of June 2033.

Executive Order #14198 was a classified order that directed the Department of State to recommend plans for improving relations with India for the next four years, by the end of February 2033.

Executive Order #14199 was a classified order that declared Snowden as an enemy of the state without American citizenship, and authorized his termination with extreme prejudice.

Executive Order #14200 was a classified order that directed the Department of Defense to recommend plans for to invade Syria and Iraq to eliminate the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC) and secure all oil facilities to be run by Exxon, by the end of February 2033. American and Arab ground troops would be used.

Executive Order #14201 was a classified order that directed the Department of State to develop strategies to restore American leadership in the United Nations activities and organizations for the next four years, by the end of February 2033.

General and Other

Executive Order #14105 was used to organize the executive branch under the Powers Administration, showing who reported to whom. All Cabinet-level departments reported to the Vice President. There were a dozen policy implementation heads who reported through the Chief Policy Officer to the President, as well as a number of traditional positions, like the general counsel, Director of National Intelligence, Press Secretary, and Executive Secretary.

Executive Order #14108 was declared that all Executive Orders approved by President Eric Trump since November 1, 2032 were no longer in effect. It directed the Department of Justice to review all Executive Orders issued by all prior Presidents by the end of May 2033 to determine whether they should still be in effect or had been rescinded. Classified directives by all prior Presidents were also asked to be reviewed by multiple federal agencies by June 2033, led by the Department of Homeland Security (internal) or the Department of State (external).

Executive Order #14113 directed the Attorney General to prosecute Diane B. Anthony for improper handling of classified information, receiving improper compensation from the Anthony Foundation, and other crimes discovered.

Executive Order #14116 directed the Department of Education to inform all educational institutions and students that it would no longer be involved in student lending after June 1, 2036. The department was also directed to develop its closure plan to transfer all functions to the states.

Executive Order #14118 moved the Office of Civil Affairs at the Department of Education to the Department of Justice.

Executive Order #14147 directed the Internal Revenue Service to change the rule to allow for non-profit 501c(3) and religious organizations to spend up to 50% on lobbying and political activities.

Executive Order #14150 directed the Department of Justice to investigate voter fraud throughout the United States.

Executive Order #14151 was a classified order directing the Department of Defense to plan for the elimination of females in the armed forces, starting in 2035.

Executive Order #14152 was a classified order directing the Office of Management and Budget to determine how a federal employee could be terminated for cause in less than thirty days.

Executive Order #14153 was a classified order directing the Department of Justice to develop legislative recommendations for Congress to expand libel and defamation laws to be applicable to the press; eliminate the Department of Education and transfer all functions to the states; ability to arrest protesters who refuse to leave; repeal the Military Commissions Act to allow American citizens to be subject to military tribunals; eliminate same day voter registration; allow police officers to stop and frisk; make it a federal crime punishable a mandatory five-year sentence for usage of a gun in a felony; make it a federal crime in the killing and injury of a police officer and mandatory capital punishment for the death of a police officer; authorize American citizens to defend themselves in their homes from intruders, except law enforcement personnel; more laws against child pornography; granting statehood for the District of Columbia; national-wide right for school choose; outlaw Common Core; allow for the use of eminent domain by any federal agency; and develop a 28th Amendment (for marriage, pro-life and overturn Roe v. Wade, outlaw abortions and punish anyone except the mother from performing an abortion, allow military to carry weapons, and prohibit any gun control measures).

Executive Order #14164 directed the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a program for American foster children in urban areas to relocate them to rural areas.

Executive Order #14165 directed the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a jobs program for inner city youth.

Executive Order #14184 was a classified order that directed the Department of Justice to immediately begin an investigation on the Anthony Foundation for criminal behavior.

Several proposed Executive Orders were not signed by President Powers. One would authorize federal law enforcement to use harsh drug war tactics. Another would outlaw specific rights, benefits, and privileges to individuals due to their sexual orientation and would authorize discrimination based on an American citizen's religious or personal beliefs. A third would authorize complete government funding for campaigns for federal offices. One order would outlaw political correctness. The other was to oppose legalization of marijuana throughout the United States. Powers wrote on each document - "Unclear, Rejected & Revise."

President Powers had planned to sign several Congressional bills into law on January 20th, but because of the snow storm, these would be delayed a few days. So after signing the various documents, he went into the residence and had dinner with his daughter Liz and the Vice President and his wife Tracy. Due to the weather, the Vice President and his wife slept in the Lincoln Bedroom. Powers then watched several news shows, saw a movie in the Presidential Theater with an order of KFC Chicken, bowled two games with a Secret Service Agent, and finally retired around 4 am (the new President no longer had access to his android super XXL smart phone).

Another snow storm hit the Washington region in the middle of Friday morning. The President wanted to go out and visit neighboring disaster areas, but the Marine Corps declared helicopter operations to be un-safe and the Secret Service decided that ground transportation would be troubling, so any trips away from the White House were prohibited over the President's objections. Powers instead called his key construction managers of the TAP Infrastructure Corporation in Boston, and ordered them to fly on his private helicopter to the White House. Approximately 9 pm, the helicopter crashed near Dover, Delaware, killing all aboard. The President was informed about the crash and then when the deaths were confirmed was quite upset, immediately calling every spouse or next of kin of his employees that night. One bit of good news was that only three of the seven construction managers had been located or were available to fly down to Washington.

Senate Majority Leader Bud Thomas had planned to hold a short session on January 20th to confirm most of the Cabinet-level and deputy positions that had completed committee confirmation hearings. The storm starting on Monday disrupted completing these hearings and prevented having the official vote on Friday afternoon. It would not be until Monday, January 25th, that the Senate officially confirmed the top Powers Administration officials.

Major legislation efforts by the House and Senate during pre-inauguration January were affected by the confirmation hearings in the Senate and a lack of agreement by House Conservative leaders with Powers' White House senior staff, including Vice President-elect Mitchell. The only common agreement was to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Trumpcare), which the House did on January 15th and sent it to the Senate. Not wanting to have President Trump immediately veto it again, Senator Thomas decided to hold off until Friday to allow President Powers to sign it on his first day in office. Again, this would not be attempted until January 25th.

By Saturday, it appears from Powers' administrative assistant's diary that he was bored. The Secret Service continued to prohibit any travel away from the White House. Powers had asked Stephen Walters early that morning, who had still not resigned as Governor of New Hampshire, to order his Army National Guard to transport his four construction managers to the White House. About 9 am that Sunday, Powers called the Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers, Lieutenant General Sam Graves, to come immediately to the White House to discuss how to quickly build the Powers Border Wall. Graves was the great-grandson and grandson of famous Army Engineers. Graves lived on Fort McNair, and finding out that the roads were closed, walked the slightly 1.5 miles in the snow to the White House.

Powers and Graves met for about five hours, breaking for lunch, before the TAP Infrastructure Corporation construction managers arrived in two Guard Blackhawk helicopters. The President directed Graves to work with his four managers to quickly develop the concept plan for the Powers Border Wall, with the idea to begin initial construction in less than three weeks. Graves ended up issuing a sole-source contract to the TAP Infrastructure Corporation for engineering and construction management, calling up most of the Army active, reserve, and guard engineer brigades and battalions in the continental United States, and having the traditional shovel ceremony on February 12th.

Powers left the Graves meetings to direct his (acting) Secretary of State Steve Edward to immediately notify the Mexican Ambassador to the United States of Executive Order #14103 change in wire transfers. Before 9 pm, the Mexican government had called the Deputy Chief of Mission of the American Embassy in Mexico City (the Trump ambassador had already returned back to the United States) to receive a protest. Edward responded immediately, stating the Executive Order #14103 would not go into effect in 30 days if the Mexican government paid $15 billion by February 26, 2033. He also included an invoice he created through _Advanced QuickBooks_.

On Sunday, January 24th, President Powers spent the day visiting disaster areas. Vice President Mitchell met with all Cabinet-level officers plus the policy implementation heads. Mitchell provided each with the unclassified Executive Orders, and for those with temporary security clearances (about 15 in the room), the classified Executive Orders. His assistant provided a calendar of deadlines based upon the President's orders. Mitchell also reminded all that they were officially not confirmed and sworn in yet; an event he hoped would occur Monday or Tuesday this week - so any official things they could not sign - that he would sign for them until they were official. The remainder of the meeting discussed the lack of progress in naming and vetting deputies and other Presidential appointees requiring Senate confirmation.

On Monday through most of Wednesday, President Powers met with TAP Infrastructure Corporation construction managers and Corps of Engineers leaders on the Powers Border Wall. The electronic _Federal Register_ published the unclassified Executive Orders on Wednesday. By Wednesday afternoon, the media began to notice the Executive Orders in the electronic _Federal Register_ and began asking the White House staff questions. The Press Secretary and her staff were given limited information on these orders by the Vice President's assistants. The staff gathered up and consolidated these questions, and provided them to the Press Secretary. She worked with the Vice President's staff on proposed answers through the evening. She announced that she would have a Press Conference at 9 am on Thursday morning to address the new Executive Orders, but this was overcome and cancelled by events.

Also on Wednesday, Senate Progressives tried to filibuster the confirmation of the Powers Cabinet, asking for individual votes, but discovered the Senate Rules had been changed. The Senate was able to vote on about 25 conferees Wednesday evening, and the Vice President had the Chief Justice swear them all in about 9 pm in the East Room.

The Senate Majority Leader, Senator Thomas, had decided to change the Senate Rules regarding cloture (the requirement to have sixty votes to close off debate on a specific bill) to one of majority vote. Senate Rules can be changed after a cloture vote of two-thirds of the Senators present, which occurred on the evening of January 20th. The Senate was technically in session on Monday and Tuesday, but few Progressives noticed it, and the Conservatives voted to change the rules on Tuesday morning. Now cloture would be implemented with only 51 votes, and these would end filibusters. This decision by Thomas would come back to haunt him.

Even with the reduced number of Senators needed to close off debate, Thomas was unable to pass a cloture vote to bring the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (Trumpcare) to a vote. Three Conservative Senators broke ranks to question what would happen if the act was immediately repealed and the sixty million who might lose health care insurance coverage. This debate continued for several weeks.

About 5 am on Thursday, January 28th, the Director of National Intelligence woke President Powers and the Vice President and briefed both in the Situation Room that three divisions of Russian troops had crossed the Ukrainian border. In his memoirs, Edward reported that Powers asked everyone if he should ask for the nuclear football and send some cruise missiles down on the Soviet divisions. There was a lively discussion of possible responses, and Secretary of State Edward was ordered to provide the Russian Ambassador in Washington with a "strong" protest about invading a neighboring country. Edward completed this before noon, by then, the invasion of Ukraine was all over the news networks, as then ABC News reporter Kate Hudson was in the Ukraine and briefly reported that Ukraine and American forces were moving out to defend against the Russian attack. The nation would not hear anything from her for over a day.

Not brought up in the Situation Room discussion and overlooked by the civilian senior leadership (there were no members of the Joint Chief of Staff invited), was that an American brigade combat team (the 3rd Cavalry Regiment) was in the field training with three Ukrainian divisions, and the combined corps defended against the Russian divisions with American, Ukrainian, and Baltic Nations air support. This caused the Russians to stop, and the remaining forces retreated back into Russia, with the counter-attacking forces in hot pursuit. A cease fire ended 18 hours after the Russians attacked.

After the cease fire, Hudson provided a more complete picture to the American public and the world. Ukraine forces had received intelligence on Wednesday of Russian troops moving combat formations towards the border, and the training force was combat loaded from secret stores that the United States had established over the last few years - taking on live ammunition, fuel, and rations and issuing anti-tank and other weapons to Ukrainian forces. These forces established a blocking defensive position with the three Ukrainian divisions forward with the American brigade combat team as its reserve. After two Russian divisions tried to break through a Ukraine infantry battalion, the American ground forces were committed with air power to stop this and counter-attacked. They were successful, and the defenders than went on the offensive.

The Russian forces then tried to execute an orderly retreat, but whole companies were captured by the combined corps. Hudson claimed that some Ukrainian commanders wanted to pursue across the border, but the combined corps said that it never considered this, though supporting air forces certainly crossed the border to pursue Russian aircraft and provide air cover to the ground forces. The Russian Federation liaison officer at NATO headquarters in Belgium asked for an immediate ceasefire, but the NATO command said they were not in hostile operations against Russia. This request was finally issued by the Russian troops who found they were blocked from returning to Russia, and a cease fire went into effect 18 hours after the Russians crossed the Ukrainian border. The captured Russian general was flown to Kiev to appear before a press conference with the Ukrainian President.

American and Ukrainian forces reported three months later that the three Russian divisions (about 15,000 combat troops) suffered 40% casualties or were captured. Sixteen Americans were killed in action, with twenty one wounded. Ukraine had almost 500 soldiers killed and lost three aircraft.

The Russian Federation claimed that they were invited by certain Ukrainian leaders to assist them in re-joining Russia, plus the Powers Administration had issued policy statements that they would not defend Ukraine. The Powers Press Secretary vigorously denied this on a belated Friday press conference at the White House, and the post-conflict situation discussions continued for several weeks, until Powers had Edward send a bill to the Russians for damages to America ($652 million) and another invoice to the Ukraine for defending their country ($32.6 million). There is no record if Russia ever paid this, but Ukraine made a progress payment in April 2033.

During the Invasion of Ukraine crisis, President Powers was very upset at his staff for not knowing that an American ground force was in that country - and had several hard questions to his Secretary of Defense of who was in charge of the military. Edward tried to calmly explain to his boss (technically it was the Vice President) that American forces always have the right to defend themselves if attacked, and that the situation was so fluid and quick, that you saw the power of America in action. Edward also identified that the brigade combat team mission in Ukraine had been briefed in the daily Presidential briefings a few times during the first week, and the details were in the daily security briefing books - and mentioned in his memoirs that he doubted if the President ever really understood much of the daily briefings or read the books provided each day. Powers was still mad, and directed Edward to conduct an extreme vetting of every American General and Admiral, as they should have asked permission first before attacking Russians. Edward would conduct a review of all 634 admirals and generals over the next six months, and would recommend that about 75% should be retired to the President.

At the same Friday Press Conference, after briefing on the Invasion, the Press Secretary opened up for questions about it. After about ten questions about the military operations, the questions shifted to ones about the Affordable Care Act repeal and Executive Orders. She referred questions on building the wall to the Corps of Engineers. She reported that ICE was starting to staff up and was working on identifying the illegal immigrants who had been convicted of crimes or were in jail. Yes, the Powers Administration might end foreign aid if a country bulked at receiving back their citizens. The administration was in negotiations with Mexico on paying for the wall. Treasury was determining what actions to take on China for being a currency manipulator. No more federal funding to Planned Parenthood. Sure, folks are going to sue us, let's see what the courts say. Yes, we are a little behind in filling some lower level positions, plus the Senate is working through confirmation hearings. The Progressives are not helping anyone get things done.

Yes the President has directed the departments to identify countries violating existing trade agreements. The State Department will be identifying those countries supporting terrorists, and there will be consequences for being on that list. Our trade folks are beginning to work on renegotiations of NAFTA and if the Pacific countries are interested, TPP Expanded. Everyone should start using E-Verify; it will soon be required by everyone. You will have to talk to the Pentagon about any changes they have going on overseas. We understand that they had some soldiers put in for Medal of Honor awards, but they have a process, it takes some time. We are real proud of the cavalry soldiers' accomplishments. We are sorry for the loss of those sixteen soldiers, plus the men and women who were wounded. Yes, we are going to close down the EPA, plus the Departments of Education and Labor, those all need to be done by the states, not the federal government. We have the departments planning to implement the President's policies and plans, which we will be announcing in the coming weeks.

The President left the White House late that Friday afternoon (January 29th) for his Tennessee winter home to stay for the weekend. Vice President Mitchell and the White House staff continued to process several items, including working vetting issues of potential appointments, talking with Congressional leaders on potential legislation, talking to heads of the Cabinet-level departments on their rapidly approaching deadlines, etc. President Powers attended the AFC Conference Championship in Nashville (it was rescheduled due to last week's winter storms), watching the Steelers beat the Titans. The President returned from Tennessee by first stopping in at Powers Tower in Boston on Monday to discuss his TAP Infrastructure Corporation business operations, then attending the memorial service at Dover Air Force Base for the return of the soldiers killed in Ukraine on Tuesday morning, finally returning to the White House that afternoon (February 3rd).

During the month of February 2033, many of the Cabinet departments had deadlines to complete tasks directed by the January 20th signed Executive Orders. Some activities we clearly know when they happened, while other events occurred over several days and weeks, and the presidential papers are unclear what exactly happened when.

The President attended the Super Bowl on February 7th and watched the Steelers beat his beloved Bears for their tenth title. He spent most of the month monitoring the activities about the Powers Border Wall, including attending the shovel ceremony on February 12th south of San Diego. Powers also met and started to become personally involved with a group from the Department of Transportation with his construction project managers from the TAP Infrastructure Corporation on his proposed infrastructure plan. Powers also spent the last two weeks at what was now being called the Nashville White House, as he became disgusted with the Washington weather.

Mexico announced on February 15th that they would make no payments for the Powers Border Wall. The Secretaries of the Treasury and State responded that the rules prohibiting wire transfers by illegal immigrants would go into effect on February 28th. Western Union reported an upsurge in wire transfers to Mexico before then. Mexican media predicted this will cause severe economic problems in Mexico.

Presidential Chief Policy Officer Stephen Schmidt provided Presidential Powers with an Executive Order that he signed on February 17th that provided presidential clemency (pardons or commutations) of 318 individuals, all of whom were declared nationalists. This list was not vetted with the Department of Justice or approved by the Attorney General. These were initially classified, but when petitions for release of convicted criminals were processed, this led to several organizations filing a Freedom of Information request being made in late March 2033, and the public release of this Executive Order (#14114) in May 2033.

On February 17th, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff presented a detailed SJMC war plan to the President and Vice President. Powers rejected the plan and asked for the resignation of the Chairman, who refused, and was fired immediately. The four service chiefs also resigned in protest, but the reason why was not revealed to the public. Powers and Edward worked on their own war plan over the weekend, and issued it to United States Central Command to commence 72 hours after Congress declared war on the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC). The Commanding General of the Central Command sent a back channel message to all four and three star commanders about his reason for resigning from his position and retired. On February 22nd, President Powers, in a televised speech to the nation, asked Congress to declare war on Islamic Terrorists. Congress continued to debate this request, without resolution, through February. These activities also delayed the development of a new strategy on Afghanistan.

During February, ICE and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies began to arrest illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds and started deportation proceedings. ICE had to expand or have built several detention facilities to handle them. ICE also began to put detainers on known illegal immigrants in jails or prisons. ICE requested the Department of Defense to call us reserve military police units to assist them in this effort. No actual deportations occurred, as the process bogged down due to limited detention facilities and the limited resources of the immigration courts. ICE secretly sent about fifty illegal immigrants with violent criminal pasts to Guantanamo Bay without any media or public notice.

The media began to investigate reports of Muslims being denied entrance to the United States with visas or legal immigration documentation – most of these were occurring at European airports rather than when they arrived in the United States. The ACLU made a couple legal filings about specific individuals, intellectuals, or students denied entrance into the United States for conferences or studies. There were also reports of Syrians, Iraqis, and others from the Middle East being denied entry, even though they were Christians or Jews. A small outcry occurred in February, but this would grow in the coming months.

The State Department efforts to develop plans on India and the United Nations got bogged down in its bureaucracy. There were major arguments on what the approach should be tried to achieve a new peace between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority. China rebuffed quiet approaches from the American Embassy to put pressure on North Korea, and these actions put an end to any talks to hold meetings between Powers and the North Korean leader.

Because of the number of agencies needing to be involved, the efforts to identify countries supporting terrorism, violating trade agreements, and being anti-American (intense debates on what that means), who and what to negotiate what with, confusing approaches to what to do about existing trade or defense agreements, identifying how much it is costing to defend each country, and even trying to determine how to gain "respect" got bogged down and produced conflicting and confusing efforts during February.

On February 25th around midnight, there was an unsuccessful attempt to kill Edward Snowden at his Moscow apartment by criminals, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry and Russian media reports. They claimed that these criminals were backed by the CIA and the Powers Administration. The White House Press Secretary denied any American involvement.

During late February, Native American tribes and environmental agencies protested the proposal filed in the _Federal Register_ to authorize Keystone XL Plus pipeline. TransExxon Corporation, who had planned and then canceled the pipeline after Presidents Obama and Trump denied the permits, reported in its quarterly earnings that it had no plans to resume this effort. The Department of Energy said that if TransExxon did not build it, that American energy companies would be offered to bid to build it.

The Powers Administration made more progress on its proposed 28th Amendment. At first, White House Staff felt that there was a need to have separate amendments to define marriage between a man and a woman, make pro-life the law of the land, eliminate birthright citizenship for children of non-citizens, and eliminate gun controls. However, they felt that one amendment covering all of these would be one that 38 state legislative bodies and Congress could all unite behind, rather than battling each issue in separate efforts. On February 25th, the proposed language was approved by President Powers, submitted to Congress, and announced by his Press Secretary, receiving much outcry across the media and many Progressives. Lincoln and Thomas announced that this would be assigned immediately to the appropriate committees to have a quick hearing, hoping to clear Congress by the end of March.

State and Commerce Department talks with the signing countries of the Iranian Nuclear Agreement met with a negative reaction for all, with an unwillingness to pursue any re-negotiations with Iran. A cross-agency group began looking at legal justifications to unilaterally withdraw from the agreement and impose economic sanctions.

The ending of federal funding of Planned Parenthood by Executive Order caused opposition by Senate and House Progressives and many of its supporters for women health care. Senators were able to hinder almost all legislative actions supported by the Powers Administration, bogging even confirmation progress. Several national PACs prepared and aired commercials showing the non-abortion activities of Planned Parenthood and what women think about the organization. An Alt-Right organization countered this with true and false claims about its abortion activities.

Because of the Ukrainian invasion, the Powers Administration put their efforts to establish a new relationship with the Russian Federation on hold.

In a top secret briefing, the President and Vice President were briefed on American capabilities to shut down a country's or city's internet or cause an electric power outage. Powers requested a small test to demonstrate this capability to be done. This information came to light years later in the Peter Lincoln Administration, and explains (maybe) why St. Petersburg suffered the massive power failure on March 2-4 during a major snow storm and Tunisia lost internet access during the first week of March.

Near midnight on February 28th, the plane carrying two United States Senators (both Conservatives) with several Department of Energy senior officials, crashed in Alaska, killing all aboard. They had been visiting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge exploring how to open it up for expanded oil and gas exploration. They came from two states where the Conservative Governor was prohibited from appointing someone temporary to the Senate seat until a special election could be held. This would take almost ninety days before their replacements were elected and sworn in as Senators. During this time, Progressives now controlled the United States Senate with a 50-48 majority and Vicky Turner became Majority Leader. Confirmations and legislation favoring the Powers Administration's policies came to a near halt.

On March 1st, the Secretary of Defense announced new appointments for almost every four star command and the entire Joint Chiefs of Staff. Buried in the press release were almost two hundred retirements of flag officers and proposed appointments of several Lieutenant General and Vice Admiral positions. All of these would require Senate confirmations. The Department of Defense over the coming months would announce retirements and appointments for hundreds of flag officers.

President Powers gave a national speech on March 9th to a meeting of the American Legion, demanding that the Senate confirm his new generals and admirals and the Senate promptly consider the declaration of war on the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC) passed by the House of Representatives. The Progressives in the Senate, with seven Conservatives, voted the declaration down on March 10th.

The Border Patrol reported on March 12th that it had stopped about a dozen attempts to smuggle cash into Mexico, in line with the restrictions implemented to prohibit wire transfers by illegal immigrants. Press reports originating late in March showed the effects on family members in Mexico from no longer receiving cash payments from the United States. The Mexican government continued to insist that they would not be paying for the Powers Border Wall.

The Departments of State and Commerce established a cross-agency team to re-negotiate NAFTA with Canada and Mexico. They set a meeting with both countries in Mexico City on March 16th, but neither country showed up to the meeting. Powers' general counsel determined that Congressional legislation would be needed for the United States to walk away from NAFTA. Vice President Mitchell's assessment is that Powers lacked support in the House and Senate to terminate NAFTA. The situation regarding TPP Expanded was more a little more clear, because Congress had not yet approved it. President Powers submitted a proposal to walk away from this trade agreement. Both houses voted against it on March 10th.

Powers' son was really struggling with all his trade assignments. Everything planned was getting bogged down, including challenging the WTO to expel China, developing a strategy to renegotiate other trade agreements, or pursuing trade relief cases with the WTO. The President decided to tutor him and accompanied him on several assignments.

The United States Navy deployed two carrier task forces in the South China Sea, as directed by the President.

At the end of March, both the Department of Labor and the Environmental Protection Agency missed their deadline to submit a closure plan to the White House. Since the President had not appointed anyone to either agency, he had no one to drive his policy to transfer functions to the states. Vice President Mitchell suggested to the President that he appoint a person to lead both agencies in order to get them closed.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced rules on March 12th to transfer Medicaid funding to the states as block grants. On the same day, the Department of State issued increases in visa fees, new rules to increase the prevailing wage for H-1B visa holders, and elimination of the J-1 visa program. The Department of Transportation quietly announced that it had signed a competitive bid contract with the TAP Infrastructure Corporation to develop a comprehensive transportation infrastructure plan, though no one could recall any announcement of a request for bids.

The State Department continued to be bogged down in developing proposed approaches to improving relations with India, achieving a new peace between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, and developing a listing of countries being un-American and supporting terrorism. President Powers called in all his State Department appointees to chew them out during the weekend of March 20th in a long meeting at the Nashville White House. Two assistant deputy secretaries resigned from the Powers Administration in protest. Powers ordered Edward to get off the pot and get his people in line with the administration.

During mid-March, there were several news articles reporting that ICE had hired the TAP Infrastructure Corporation to build a dozen detention centers for illegal immigrants. The White House Press Secretary would not comment on grounds of national security. Meanwhile, ICE continued to send about fifty illegal immigrants a month to Guantanamo Bay. Several reports also focused on the call-ups of reserve military police units to run detention centers and the appropriateness of these efforts.

Congress voted on March 22nd against legislation proposed by Powers to require E-Verify to be used for all hiring decisions outside the federal government, such as private sector employers and state and local governments. Likewise, a vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Trumpcare) was voted down in the Senate on the same day. In response to several Conservative Congressional concerns, the House began working on an alternate health care program to replace Trumpcare.

The Attorney General provided the Vice President with several proposed legislative proposals, regarding a large number of subjects. Due to the loss of the Senate, Mitchell decided to hold these until after the special elections for the two Senate seats. This would delay the House from starting to consider many key initiatives of the Powers Administration – changes in tax laws, repeal of Dodd-Frank law, trade violations, penalties for overstaying visas, allowing defamation lawsuits against the press, etc.

The Department of Homeland Security developed processes for extreme vetting and how to identify persons supporting the institution of Sharia law in the United States. The Office of Management and Budget on March 22nd proposed new rules that would allow any federal civilian employee to be terminated for cause within thirty days. A public outcry started when San Francisco filed suit on March 26th in a federal District Court saying that the federal government was failing to make required payments to the city because it was a sanctuary city.

More press reports during March focused on the apparent ban of Muslims, Syrians, Iraqis, and individuals from several countries from entering the United States on previously authorized immigration and visa documentation. The White House Press Office continued to refuse to answer any questions on this on the grounds of national security. The ACLU and other organizations filed a Freedom of Information Act request asking for records concerning what the United States policy now is.

A cross-agency group led by the Departments of State and Homeland Security developed extremely reduced numbers of legal immigration under the grounds that the United States needs to first secure its border with Mexico. This would be used to continue the temporary suspension of issuing legal immigrant documentation. The Department of the Treasury also provided the White House with its plan to refinance the federal debt, which the President approved on March 30th to implement.

The House conducted hearings on the proposed 28th Amendment. The House leadership decided to delay any vote on the floor until the Senate was back in Conservative hands.

On Sunday, April 4th, North Korea launched an unarmed ballistic missile towards a splashdown in the North Atlantic, flying over the continental United States. The United States North American Command went on high alert and prepared to shoot down the missile if it were to fall short of its target. The missile did slightly miss its target, landing near, and slightly damaging a Liberian freighter in the Atlantic.

Since now North Korea had intercontinental capable missiles, this activated a National Defense Directive issued by President Eric Trump to prepare to execute an immediate attack on North Korean national command, nuclear weapons storage locations, launch sites, and related support facilities. A FLASH message from the Commanding General of the United Nations Command/United States Korean Command was then received by the Secretary of the Defense. Edward brought the message to President Powers at the Nashville White House. Powers told Edward he would think about it, and the military should stand down for now.

The North Koreans announced a new test into the North Atlantic four days later. Unlike the unarmed missile of the last test, this one contained a twenty kiloton nuclear bomb. The test on April 8th would demonstrate to all North Korean's capability and entry into the nuclear nationhood. Unfortunately, the missile fell short in a remote area of Alaska, and then was found by a special military recovery team, who to their surprise found an undetonated nuclear device. They immediately alerted their chain of command, and Edward again met with the President at the White House. Powers and Edward went over the detailed strike plan, and Powers substituted nuclear weapons for conventional ones and entered the authorized codes in the nuclear football. The attack was ordered to strike at 9 pm eastern modern time on Monday, April 12th, about halftime of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game. Meanwhile, the United States flew in United Nations and European nuclear inspectors to the Alaskan crash site to let them independently confirm that North Korea had fired an armed nuclear missile at the United States. Their reports on the incident were released to the public at 9 pm on April 10th.

About 8 pm, the White House Press Secretary informed all networks that the President would be speaking at 9:15 pm to the nation on an emergency national security situation. At 8:45 pm, North Korea lost access to the internet and then suffered a country-wide power failure. 51 low-level nuclear cruise and other weapons fired at 9 pm eastern on key North Korean sites. Ten minutes later, South Korean military crossed the DMZ on a humanitarian mission. President Powers spoke for about seven minutes, announcing the nuclear strikes on North Korea in retaliation of its abortive attack on the United States, and that South Korean forces would execute rescue, recovery, shelter, medical care, food, and other support to the now leaderless North Korean peoples.

Two weeks later, South Korea announced the reunification of the two Koreas into the new United Republic of Korea. Shortly afterward, Powers told a reporter that "he should get the Nobel Peace Prize immediately for solving a world problem that has haunted the world since the 1950's and that MacArthur, Eisenhower, Reagan, Ryan, and Trump had not even fixed."

The Progressive Senate continued to slow down any progress on confirmations and legislative initiatives of the Powers Administration during April. The Department of Transportation was awaiting Congressional approval to provide funding on many of their infrastructure plan projects. The House completed hearings on the proposed 28th Amendment and NAFTA termination.

The Army Corps of Engineers announced that they had completed 25% of the Powers Border Wall. The Department of Homeland Security announced the opening of ten new detention centers. The Mexican economy was in a crisis due to the loss of cash payments home by many illegal immigrants. Small riots began to start in many Mexican cities due to the lack of jobs and food. ICE continued to detail illegal immigrants, even those without any criminal activity, and put them into over-crowded detention facilities. Legal immigration had come to a standstill, while Europeans had to cancel vacation plans to the United States when they could not get visas. Tourism industry officials lobbied members of Congress about this to no avail.

The Department of Energy announced on April 19th that a subsidiary of the TAP Infrastructure Corporation had won the unannounced bidding to build the Keystone XL Plus pipeline. This pipeline was completed in late 2036, and the TAP Infrastructure Corporation sold it to an American energy company for $12.5 billion.

Around April 26th, the Department of Commerce notified the Vice President that they would need more time to meet their month-end deadline to develop proposed tariffs for Mexican and Chinese imports and legislative proposals to prevent American companies from illegally turning over intellectual property in order to enter the Chinese market. Given the situation in the Progressive Senate, Mitchell approved a one month delay. The Department of Homeland Security did say that the visa tracking system would go live on April 28th. At this point, certain countries were granted tourist and student visas.

During the early days of the Powers Administration, the economy continued to grow at about a 1.5% monthly rate, consistent with the last six months of the Trump Administration. There was not much change in the stock market, as the two war activities were so brief as to not cause any significant drops. Unemployment continued to be around 4.5%. Like many prior administrations, Powers' got a slow start in its inability to first identify and obtain confirmations for many of its below Cabinet-level presidential appointments, a continuation of the disorganization shown by the Powers Campaign, lack of clear legislative priorities, lack of expertise beyond Vice President Mitchell in working with Congress, and opposition by Progressive and Conservative Senators to Powers' proposals.

The President was becoming impatient of the lack of progress by Congress to approve his declaration of war on the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC). He talked to Edward late on April 27th about maybe initiating an attack on his own accord, since he had received little backlash for eliminating North Korea. Edward reminded Powers that the Korean targets had almost no adjacent civilian populations, except those close to the government headquarters in the Korean capital, and was much unlike the situation with SJMC being imbedded within civilian population centers. After the Chicago Bears traded away their star quarterback and the suspected terrorist attack in Ohio on April 29th, Powers overreacted to this news by ordering Edward to initiate a secret attack on SJMC on May 1.

Ali Mohamad Al-Zahabi was an angry 18 year old when he awoke on Saturday morning, April 29th. Ali had lost by a yard a close race in his Mile Run event on Friday afternoon to his high school's bitter rivals, and then his girlfriend of six months decided to break-up with him that evening. He returned home, and about two dozen white nationalists had bombarded his social media profile for being a loser to a superior Aryan athlete. This online bullying had started during the Powers Campaign, emboldened by the candidate's calls against Muslims and Syrian immigrants and refugees. Ali was popular in his high school, top of the class academically, and a good athlete in soccer, wrestling, and track. He was mildly disappointed in not being admitted to Harvard and Yale, but he had accepted admission to the Air Force Academy, one of the things his former girlfriend cited for their break-up.

Ali was the son of legal immigrants from Syria, two doctors who spent five years in the early 2010s to come to the United States and were admitted in 2015 and moved to Dayton, Ohio. Ali was born there in 2017. His parents became naturalized citizens in 2022. His mom worked at the hospital at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, while his father had joined one of the leading practices in the Dayton area. Both were active in the local Conservative Party and medical circles. Ali had looked at several extremism websites over the last year, only to gather information for his classroom papers and to argue with other Muslim youth in his mosque with facts. Ali's mom was going to the weekend farmer's market, and asked her oldest to come along to help carry the fruits and vegetables she intended to purchase.

Investigators were never able to find any evidence of terrorist intent on Ali's computer, in fact, there were social media postings and transmails that were strongly anti-terrorist and anti-SJMC. They do know that a local farmer had left his 28-foot air conditioned truck open with the motor running to allow the back to stay cool. Someone at the market had slurred him as a young raghead, but his mother told him to brush that off. Ali passed by the truck several times, and then on impulse got into the cab, put the truck in gear, and hit the gas. The truck ran down dozens of people, tents, displays, children on one side of the marketplace. Ali then turned the truck around, and drove it over people and tents on the other side. On the second pass, an off-duty Sheriff fired a shot into the driver's side, hitting Ali in the forehead and killing him instantly, and the truck rolled to a stop. Thirty-seven people were killed in the attack, and over 150 injured.

Initial network news reports called this a terrorist attack by the son of Syrian immigrants. A small group of white nationalists from southeastern Ohio drove immediately to Dayton, and found the Al-Zahabi home and set it on fire, hurting five police investigators inside. Police immediately cleared remaining protestors from the neighborhood. A late Saturday press conference by the mayor, police chief, and the FBI failed to confirm any Islamic terrorist connections to the attack, but noted that Ali had been subjected to a tremendous amount of online bullying over the last year. School officials admitted that Ali had quietly reported several students from his school for bullying, but they were not able to confirm anything and no actions had been taken.

On Friday, Powers called the Russian President to inform him of the pending nuclear attack on the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC) in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Sinai, Algeria, Nigeria, Philippines, and Libya. Russia agreed to make several similar attacks on SJMC related terrorists in Chechnya and Dagestan. Powers did this because Edward had received calls from several nuclear powers about not being informed prior to the use of these weapons on North Korea. Edward would contact China, France, and Great Britain in the hours just before the attacks. Edward forgot to call Israel, nor were there any warnings of coalition partners with military forces in Syria. We do have information that the Russians had informed the Syria government about six hours before the scheduled attack to take precautions – some of the Syrian military leaders leaked this information to terrorist cell leaders, so about a dozen were able to leave the targeted zones.

Within six hours of the call to the Kremlin, the Russian Embassy in Washington provided Edward with a hard copy of their suspected SJMC locations in Syria, which he forwarded to the Pentagon. There was some delay, as the watch officers failed to notice that the Russians were using their GLONASS coordinates instead of GPS. A FLASH message from the commander of American Special Forces in Syria to Edward demanded that these additional Russian targets not be attacked, as they were all American supported rebel forces with no evidence of the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC) being located there. In fact, these Russian targets included the locations of all Special Forces units. At his war crimes trial in 2040, Edward told the startled judges that he "just decided to ignore that Colonel's message because he intended to replace him anyway."

Thus Powers' first hundred days ended, and a period of rapid events began.

### THE SUMMER OF CHAOS (MAY 2033 – SEPTEMBER 2033)

In the early hours of May 1, 2033 (local time), the United States attacked actual and suspected SJMC positions in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Sinai, Algeria, Nigeria, Philippines, and Libya, while Russia attacked positions in Chechnya and Dagestan. All Russian attacks used conventional weapons, while much of the American attacks used low-yield nuclear weapons. The attacks began with combinations of loss of electric power, loss of internet access, and a small scale (100 miles in diameter) electromagnetic pulse powered by non-nuclear sources.

The attack on the town of Al-Raqqah in Syria, the defacto capital of the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC) was typical. Five low yield (ten kiloton) nuclear cruise missiles hit known or highly suspected headquarters targets. They typically killed everyone immediately within 250 meters of the strike, unless they were surrounded by concrete walls. Even those individuals were likely to receive high doses of radiation that they would succumb to in a matter of days. The blasts also called substantial damage to buildings out to an average of 500 meters, depending upon terrain. After battle damage assessments, there were likely several follow-up smart conventional munitions conventional by drone and other weapon systems attacks during the next couple days. If the location was subject to an electromagnetic pulse, much electronic and computer equipment was now useless.

The American-developed target list tried to minimize civilian deaths and infrastructure damage. Still, there were medical and other facilities that the American military would not normally target that were in the blast zones of the nuclear attacks. Some of this was caused by elements of the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC) being co-mingled in a populated area. Investigations afterward showed that the American targeting kept civilian deaths to below 200 in each town targeted. There were similar results in Yemen and Libya, and few civilian related deaths (mostly family members of SJMC terrorists) killed in other countries.

The situation with the Russian-developed targets in Syria was much different. 76 American special operations forces were killed and 17 wounded, over 90% of the deployed force. Over 6,000 Syrian rebels and Arab coalition military were killed. The United Nations estimated later that over 55,000 civilians were killed, and a total of 750,000 Syrians were homeless immediately. There was a universal condemnation of the United States and Russia for their actions across the world. Voices in Congress joined this, and several Representatives proposed that impeachment proceedings be commenced against the President. After receiving classified briefings by the Secretary of Defense, who omitted several key facts, the House leadership did not pursue any impeachment efforts, though a bi-partisan effort in the Senate opened up an investigation.

The result of these attacks eliminated the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC) as a significant terrorist organization, though it would take law enforcement efforts over the next several years to round out active cells outside the areas of attack and the few that were able to escape. The attacks confirmed upon a large group of young Muslims in the Middle East, Indonesia, and the world, that the West was not their friend, and spurred the creation of the new extremist terrorist groups, like the terrorist group The League in the Palestinian territory. It also caused Saudi Arabia and Iran to put aside their historic and significant religious differences, signing a secret treaty around August to fight Israel and the West. But the actions of the Saudis and Iranians were more to do about an unfortunate and unanticipated action of the American and Russian attacks in the Middle East.

Israel quickly detected the nuclear strikes in Syria, Iraq, Sinai, and Yemen with great alarm, as they were unsure who was attacking who. Their immediate calls to the American military and diplomats went unanswered. While some targets were clearly against known Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC) locations, the other locations against even American military locations confused them, and they made assumptions that Saudi Arabia and/or Iran aided terrorists were behind some of these (or even these countries), or this was led by Russia.

Four Israeli missiles were launched; two apiece at Saudi Arabia and Iran, one to each country's capital and another to their major military headquarters, and fifty kiloton nuclear strikes killed an estimated 100,000 and 350,000 in Saudi Arabia and Iran, respectively. After the launches, the Americans then called the Israelis, and eventually the Russians, Egyptians, Saudis, and Iranians, to cease these attacks or any counter-attacks. Iran initiated an air strike of ancient F-4 jets on Israel, all of which were shot down by the Americans over Iraq. Israel eventually paid reparations in the billions to the two countries for this attack, paid for in part by increased American foreign military aid to Israel by the Powers Administration.

Conservative House members used the Al-Zahabi truck attack as their argument for keeping the repeal of native-born birthright in the proposed 28th Amendment. On May 4th, the special election to fill a vacant Senate seat in North Dakota elected a former Conservative Governor after a strong effort by his Progressive opponent. Oklahoma's special election would not occur until May 25th. Senate Majority Leader Turner decided to begin confirmation hearings of all remaining Powers nominees. In light of this opening, President Powers announced that he was nominating Stephen Forman for the vacant Supreme Court Justice position. In early May, the Department of Commerce identified about $12.4 billion in intellectual property stolen by China from American businesses, and a bill was sent to be paid by the end of June. China never paid a dime.

The economic crisis in Mexico had reached a breaking point, and its federal government leadership collapsed. A temporary group of three former Mexican Presidents called for new elections in August. At a speech to the National Guard Association, Powers again called on Mexico to pay for the wall. A _NBC News_ crew was given access to the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities by the local commander, and discovered over 600 illegal immigrants housed there. After the May 6th telecast, dueling Senate and House Committee hearings grilled the ICE Director. He revealed the existence of secret Executive Orders on immigration and visas. Edward, the Secretary of Homeland Security, testified the next day, and also announced a new ICE Director that the President would be nominating.

The multiple nuclear attacks by the United States caused many students to field protests at graduations and other events. Popular Senator Amy Andrews, a former Progressive presidential candidate, was invited to provide anti-nuclear speeches at several universities. China convened a United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss the nuclear attacks, and on May 13th, Secretary of State Edward (as there was yet to be a confirmed United Nations Ambassador) vetoed the resolution condemning the actions of the United States, Israel, and Russia.

On May 29th, President Powers gave a three hour speech on the state of the world during the graduation ceremony at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He stressed that the United States will no longer be the world's peacekeeper, it would look out for its interests first, it would seek out new relationships with countries willing to give it respect, and it reserved to utilize all of its military and economic power to grow, protect itself, and protect the interests of its allies.

The special election in Oklahoma was not called until Thursday morning on May 27th. A Conservative was elected to the United States Senate by 45 votes, and Powers flew him immediately to Washington to be sworn in shortly after midnight on the 28th. Bud Thomas again became Majority Leader of a Conservative Senate, split 50-50 with the Vice President breaking any ties. On May 28th, the Senate approved a resolution supporting the attacks on the Salafi Jihadist Military Caliphate (SJMC), with three Progressives breaking ranks. It also confirmed in mass about 600 presidential appointments and promotions to flag officers.

In a special weekend session, the Senate passed many bills previously approved by the House of Representatives – terminating United States participation in NAFTA; defunding Planned Parenthood; withdrawing from the Iran Nuclear Agreement; imposition of new economic sanctions on Iran by the United States; appointment of 286 new immigration judges (doubling the authorized number); and most of the legislative items submitted in accordance with Executive Orders #14153 and #14154.

Bills were approved to made it a federal crime to commit any felony while being an illegal immigrant; eliminated the birthright citizenship for children and grandchildren of all illegal immigrants; allowed for expedited procedures for permitting the Powers Border Wall through national forests, federal lands, Native American reservations, state and local owned property, and private land; required every employer to use E-Verify before hiring anyone; required businesses and other employers to hire American citizens before legal immigrants; improved background checks on all gun purchases; made it a federal crime punishable by a mandatory five-year sentence for usage of a gun in a felony; made it a federal crime in the killing and injury of a police officer; instituted mandatory capital punishment for the death of a police officer; and provided American citizens the right to defend themselves in their homes from intruders (except from law enforcement personnel who identified themselves and were in an official capacity).

Other bills were approved to implement the right to work across the nation; eliminate the Departments of Labor and Education and transfer almost all functions to the states; eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency and transfer all functions to the states; prohibit family leave; legalize gender pay gaps; allow for employees who are pregnant to be fired; allow for the use of eminent domain by any federal agency; eliminate Indian casinos; eliminate net neutrality; outlaw vaccinations outside the recommended schedule since these cause autism, legalize the usage of medical marijuana, authorize federal quarantine zones for communicable diseases and infections; provide veterans with free health care at any health care provider that accepts Medicare; eliminate the GI Bill education benefits; repeal the Military Commissions Act to allow American citizens to be subject to military tribunals; expand libel and defamation laws to be applicable to the press; allow for the arrest of protesters who refuse to leave; eliminate same day voter registration; allow police officers to stop and frisk; add more laws against child pornography; grant statehood for the District of Columbia; allow American citizens a national-wide right for school choose; and outlaw Common Core in public and private schools.

These bills included provisions prohibited illegal immigrants to take any tax deduction or credit; dismantled the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; reduced the minimum wage to $5; taxed foreign subsidiaries of businesses; decreased the corporate rate to 15%; reduced the repatriation tax to 10%; allowed American citizens to take a tax deduction for health care insurance; funded the transportation infrastructure bill; allowed everyone to use Health Savings Accounts; repealed the estate or death tax; eliminated the carried interest loophole; added penalties for overstaying a visa; made it a federal crime for any business to give intellectual property to a foreign government in order to do business in that country; expanded the ability to combat trade violations; and implemented the three new tax levels for those filing personal income taxes.

The final bill considered by the Senate was the proposed 28th Amendment. The amendment passed by the House addressed four central issues – life at conception and abortions; marriage; citizenship; and gun rights. It defined that life begins at conception and that termination of any American life after hearing a fetal heartbeat was illegal, except through capital punishment authorized due to a conviction of a felony or high crime. It specifically directed legislation to punish any individual assisting a mother in terminating life prior to birth, providing exceptions for rape, incest, and health of the mother. On marriage, it specified that this was between one woman and one man and all rights provided by governments to marriage are not transferable to any other type of partnership between individuals. It defined that other types of civil partnerships could be authorized between members of the same sex by any state and that said partnership would be recognized throughout the United States, except where it violates an individual's rights under the First Amendment.

American Citizenship was defined as a privilege granted at the age of 18 years or older by several means. It no longer recognized those born in the United States or those born of citizens elsewhere as being citizens. It grandfathered all who have been granted citizenship by birth in the United States or abroad to American citizens, if they held a valid passport as of the date of the passing of this amendment by the 39th state (due to the District of Columbia now becoming a state). One of the means to become a Citizen would be a Citizenship Test given annually on a designated weekend (near July 4th) to all who have turned 18 years old or legally immigrated into the United States who have earned a high school degree in the last year. Another means was an honorable discharge from the armed services, or continuous honorable service for four years in the armed services. The final means would be a petition to a member of Congress that was passed in an annual Congressional resolution.

The final part of the amendment dealt with gun rights. It stated that "every citizen has the right to bear and own arms, guns, pistols, rifles, or any other weapon of any size or capability. This right will not be restricted in any matter, except that any transfer or sale of such will be through an authorized gun dealer who will be required to conduct a background check through a federal database and state governments will require training and a background check for a concealed carry permit, which will be recognized throughout the United States like a driver's license. No other forms of gun control, like restricting the purchase of tanks, assault weapons, and large capacity magazines; and prohibiting entry into a bar, school, government building, military base, or employment; are prohibited."

Late on Sunday afternoon, May 29th, after six hours of debate, the United States Senate passed the 28th Amendment by a vote of 68-32 and sent it and the other bills to the desk of President Powers. The Senators then departed home for the Memorial Day holiday.

On June 7th, the Department of State published a listing 78 countries it considered either assisting terrorism or having a lack of controls to manage terrorists in the _Federal Register_. It would zero out the number of immigrants or refugees from these countries. New rules were published regarding the granting of visas from citizens of these countries and the implementation and use of the new visa tracking system. ICE was directed to begin arresting anyone who overstayed their visa.

The President and Vice President received the comprehensive list and descriptions of all Executive Orders from prior Presidents considered still in force sometime in early June, and recommendations on them as to whether they should be rescinded or be kept in effect. The pen & ink decisions were provided to the Attorney General sometime in late August, and subsequent Executive Orders were written to rescind or confirm them.

Likewise, the Vice President presented a large notebook on agency regulations implemented by the Trump Administration, with his, the White House staff, and Cabinet-level Secretaries recommendations, to the President in mid-June. Sometime in early August, Powers told Mitchell to implement all recommendations.

On June 16th, a 55-year old white man walked into a black church in Houston and began firing into the congregation with an assault-style weapon. He was tackled by two off-duty policemen when he stopped to change his magazine and his weapon jammed. 17 men, women, and children were killed, while 48 were injured. The shooter told police he did this under the direction of President Powers to eliminate all people of color.

Mitchell also provided the President with a supplemental Budget request for the budget year beginning October 1, 2033. This started a series of detailed reviews that Powers and Mitchell had with each Cabinet Secretary. At the end of each review, Mitchell would submit that department's supplemental to the Speaker of the House for action.

On June 23rd, the Attorney General met with Powers and Mitchell to recommend what criminal charges would be filed against Diane Anthony. Powers expressed some disappointment in having so few charges, but agreed to have the Department of Justice proceed. On Sunday morning, Anthony was arrested by the FBI and arraigned with a federal magistrate. At the same meeting with the Attorney General, Powers approved enhanced interrogation methods and combat tactics against terrorist family members. A few days later, the New York City Police and the FBI took down an SJMC-directed gang who had stolen medical grade isotopes from several area hospitals and were attempting to build a home-made dirty bomb. Five young men were initially arrested, all born in the United States to Catholic or Protestant parents who had been radicalized.

On June 29th, President Powers announced on a two hour address to the nation that the United States would immediately fund the State of Israel to complete construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, if the Palestinian National Authority did not enter into peace negotiations with Israel by first unconditionally recognizing its existence, by September 1st. On that same day, the United States Embassy in Israel would open in Jerusalem.

During the first week of July, there were a series of police killings of African-American teenagers, some with videos and questionable tactics. For the next three weeks, there were growing weekend centered peaceful protests in major cities. On July 24th, a large group of white nationalists clashed with the peaceful protests in Minneapolis, resulting in massive riots throughout the city, requiring the Governor to call out the National Guard. August saw a continuation of riots in about a dozen cities. On July 30th, the Corps of Engineers reported that the Powers Border Wall was now 50% completed.

During the month of July 2033, the nation was gripped by a massive heat wave, with many states' temperatures exceeding 90 degrees each day. The week of July 19th produced over 100 degrees throughout the Midwest. The heat wave was a contributor to the unrest in urban areas, and killed over 2,600 Americans during the month.

On August 1st, three pickups containing white nationalists entered a Native American reservation during a summer festival in Arizona, opening fire on the crowd of about 5,000 people. 137 men, women, and children were killed and 332 wounded. The nationalists were able to escape into Mexico. Two months later, President Powers pardoned them of any crimes, upon the recommendation of his Chief Policy Officer.

In early August, the United States began secret negotiations with the governments of Japan and Korea regarding a new defense agreement that would require these countries to pay the Americans and to consider arming them with nuclear weapons to counter China. During August, there was a five-day top secret American defense conference headed by the Vice President to develop the new Powers security doctrine. The Departments of State and Defense were directed to provide detailed planning to present to the President by October 1st for implementation in October 2034.

On August 13th, a federal court in northern California ruled that the United States was authorized to withhold federal payments to cities such as San Francisco who were sanctuary cities. The city of San Francisco appealed this decision to the federal appeals court in September, but the court refused to hear the issue. The United States Supreme Court eventually refused to hear the appeal from the city.

During August 2033, the first states began to address the proposed 28th Amendment. Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Montana, Wyoming, and Kansas legislatures ratified it. The legislatures of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, District of Columbia, Delaware, and Maryland voted against ratification. The amendment would need ratification from 39 states.

Elections on August 29th in Mexico were held to mass accusations of voter fraud and miscounting votes. The federal government there continued to be in crisis until early October, when a strong leader pulled together a government with his slogan, "Mexico stands strong against Powers." Over the next three years, this new leader would work on opening Mexican goods to Europe and the Far East, and eliminating almost all trade with the United States.

Sometime in August 2033, President Powers approved a Department of Defense plan to enter Pakistan by a small force to capture all nuclear weapons in September. Concurrently, he sent his son (the United States Trade Representative) with State, Defense, and Commerce Department support to India to negotiate a new defense, economic, and trade deal with India if the United States solves its Pakistani problem (his son had no knowledge of the military attack nor did any staff members on the trip). On January 4, 2034, the United States signed a comprehensive treaty with India.

On August 29th, the United States published a listing of business, companies, and corporations that had moved headquarters or operations outside the country since January 1, 2020, and proposed legislation, penalties, import subsidies, etc. to Congress to address this anti-American behavior. On August 31st, the Attorney General announced he had laid off all but one employee of the Department of Justice's Civil Rights division during the month. On the same day, the United States Senate confirmed the nomination of Stephen Forman to the Supreme Court. He was sworn in by the Chief Justice on September 8th.

On September 1st, the Secretary of State reported that there had been no progress with the Palestinian National Authority on peace talks with Israel. The United States provided the State of Israel with $5 billion to fund construction in the West Bank. A small notice in the _Federal Register_ said that the Department of State had hired a subsidiary of the TAP Infrastructure Corporation to coordinate these construction activities with Israel. The United State Embassy in Jerusalem opened for business on that day.

On September 2nd, a covert military force entered Pakistan territory to find, secure, and evacuate the 130 nuclear warheads in the country. Other forces attacked to destroy the plutonium reactor at the Khushab nuclear site, centrifuges at Kahuta, and other key sites. An electromagnetic pulse from a conventional source was fired at several cities and military bases before the attacks began, and the internet, telecommunications, and electric power failed during the attacks. Within 18 hours, all nuclear weapons were secured and being transported to outside the country (mostly to CIA sites in Afghanistan or aircraft carriers in the Indian Ocean). There were lingering questions of whether the attacks destroyed enough infrastructure to eliminate or set-back the Pakistani nuclear efforts.

President Powers announced the securing of the Pakistani nuclear weapons to protect them against an attack by Islamic terrorists during the halftime of a Labor Day college football game. No mention was made about the other attacks on nuclear infrastructure. The Pakistani government announced that the Americans had attacked its country, accused India of cooperating with the Americans, and showed pictures of Powers' son meeting with Indian officials. Five Pakistani armored brigades then attacked across the Indian border, but Indian forces repulsed the attack aided by American air power. By September 8th, the Pakistanis entered into a cease fire with India.

On September 8th, an immigration judge ordered the deportation of 25 illegal immigrants, all men aged 21 through 34 years old with criminal backgrounds. These men were loaded into a prison bus at their detention center in western Texas on Saturday morning, shackled on their wrists and ankles, with a chain between the shackles, only allowing them to waddle at a slow pace. The bus proceeded towards the border, but suddenly veered onto a farm road and stopped about a mile from the Mexican border. The two guards and driver told the detainees to get out and walk in the direction of the border, into a box canyon. The guards and driver stayed with the bus. Three groups of detainees began to drift left or right, and the two guards fired several warning shots and directed them back on the path to the border.

About a half mile to the north of the bus on a nearby hilltop, there was a gathering of about 120 men and older teenagers. They were with a group of white nationalists who had gathered for a hunt for mountain lions. The group had gathered in the morning, having breakfast and some morning hangover drinks, and were preparing to leave on all-terrain and four-wheel drive vehicles for the hunt. They heard the rifle fire, and peered down into the box canyon seeing a prison bus, and groups of orange-glad individuals moving towards the border. A few minutes later, a local Deputy Sheriff pulled up in his police SUV, and almost out of breath, told that the crowd that illegal immigrants were escaping, that they were rapists and murders, and he needed a posse. He swore them all in as temporary deputies, and told them that the escapees were considered armed and dangerous, and they could shoot to kill after giving them a verbal warning to stop and surrender.

The mob quickly hopped into their vehicles to pursue the escapees. By this time, some of the illegal immigrants had nearly reached the border, finding their way blocked by a 50-foot wide ditch that was about 200-feet deep and stretched between the walls of canyon about two hundred yards. Some tried to climb the walls, and then turned north to seek another escape. Shots began to be fired, and in about ten minutes, all the immigrants had been shot dead. Two hunters were also killed by friendly fire. At this point, some construction workers appeared, dragging bodies, and throwing them into the ditch. The mob helped out, and then the crowd watched as equipment was started up. About five feet of concrete was poured into the bottom of the ditch, covering the bodies, including the two dead hunters. Suddenly, food trucks appeared, and the hunters were treated to a Texas BBQ dinner and alcoholic drinks. The nationalist group agreed that this was a lot of fun and planned to have monthly hunts like this one in the future.

Carlos Gomez watched all of this unfold from a hidden overhang on the canyon walls. He was an able free climber, and when the detainees were released from the bus, he found a hard rock to break his shackles on his wrists and ankles, and this delay was worth it because it allowed him to quickly get to the border area ahead of the other 24 men. He surveyed the situation of the large ditch, and made the immediate decision to climb. A couple other immigrants arriving later saw him climbing steadily up the wall, tried to climb the canyon walls, but were hindered by their bonds and chains, and the hunters quickly shot at them, causing them to fall to the ground. Gomez hid behind some rocks, out of sight.

Gomez was a lifelong theft, but he shot a store clerk dead who swung a tire iron at him and he fired in self-preservation mode. He watched three efforts by the hunting party to count all the bodies, and they kept coming up with 27, apparently one person had been shot so many times his body split into two when it fell into the ditch, and that was why they counted incorrectly. He was horrified by the pouring of the concrete, thinking that fate had intervened his being down there. After everyone left, Gomez resumed climbing, and crossed the Mexican border at night, deciding not to return home but to go to Mexico City under an assumed name. Sometime in early 2037, Brown or Jones or Smith found him, and heard his story. The President of Mexico's staff also found him in October 2037, and this enabled the President to form a Latin American coalition military force.

We now know from a review of presidential papers and the classified transcripts of the war crime trials that Stephen Schmidt had a say in the appointment of many of the detention center commanders in ICE, and that at least five detention centers containing illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds began to have similar monthly hunting parties. It was estimated at trial that over 4,500 were killed over the next two years (the detention centers kept very few records of their activities).

On September 13th, _The New York Times_ published a study on violence on peoples of color by suspected white nationalists. It was able to document over 415 instances since January 20th killing or injuring over 2,000 victims. It also cited that crime was down nation-wide by 15% so far in 2033.

On September 15th through 17th, a hurricane hit the western coast of Florida and the Mobile Bay area of Alabama. A dozen folks were killed due to high winds, flooding, automobile accidents, or large tree limbs falling, with damages estimated close to $2 billion. About ten newly opened detention centers were completely flooded, drowning about 300 immigrants who were abandoned in their locked basement cells. The detention centers were bull dozed and demolished within five days after the storm, and there were no media reports of the deaths of immigrants.

Two days later, on September 19th, Detroit, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo and northern New England were subject to an early lake-effect snow storm, producing three feet of snow and iced highways for three days. States had to call out their National Guard to free stranded motorists and evacuate those without power or heat to emergency centers. Over twenty were killed due to this storm, and it caused almost $500 million in damages.

On September 29th, the Departments of Labor and Education, and the Environmental Protection Agency, closed down, laying off 11,700, 4,400, and 15,400 employees, respectively. The DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics (2,500 employees) transferred to the Department of Commerce. The DOL Mine Safety and Health Administration (1,000 employees) merged into the DOL Occupational Safety and Health Administration (2,200 employees) and transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services. States were directed to pick up any necessary federal functions.

On the same day, the Department of Defense said that they would no longer recruit females into the armed forces. Females with over 15 years active or reserve duty would be honorably discharged and provided full retirement benefits. Other females would be given ten years of additional 401K retirement benefits and honorably discharged in the next six months.

### IMPLEMENTATION (OCTOBER 2033 - MARCH 2034)

On October 4th, the Department of Health and Human Services announced several new programs. New mental health services would be opened up in Veterans centers and clinics and would be available to anyone eligible for Medicare or Medicaid as well as Veterans. Eventually, mental health services would be expanded to the general public over the next year. The Department also announced a program of funding relocations of foster children from urban areas to rural areas. It also announced its new jobs programs for urban youths.

On the same day, the Department of Homeland Security announced that ICE had detained 4.7 million illegal immigrants with criminal or suspected criminal or terrorist activities. Due to backlogs in immigration courts, only about 3,500 had been deported outside of the United States. Few countries were accepting them, and the United States was cutting off foreign and military aid to them. Unfortunately, China followed this activity and began to offer aid in similar or higher amounts for favorable trade agreements.

ICE also announced that they would now begin detaining other illegal immigrants. The _Federal Register_ reported on October 2nd that a subsidiary of the TAP Infrastructure Corporation had been awarded a competitive bid to build 1,200 more detention centers. Presidential records reveal a transmail from the chief financial officer of the TAP Infrastructure Corporation informing President Powers that this would generate $114 billion in profits over the next three years.

On October 6th, the Department of Transportation announced distribution of grants to each state, a total of $983 billion over the next several years to fund improved roads, bridges, railways, and airports. The Pennsylvania and Ohio state transportation departments had three dozen projects underway by the end of the month.

On October 18th, the Department of Justice announced charges against the current and formal Board of Directors of the Anthony Foundation for receipt of illegal contributions from foreign governments. The Attorney General announced that Diane Anthony's trial would begin on November 8th and televised. He also announced charges in Salt Lake City against the terrorist group Black Life Matters and the arrests of about two dozen individuals. Forty five individuals were also arrested for committing voter fraud during the November 2032 elections.

On October 24th, the Department of the Treasury announced a plan to refinance the national debt with China and other nations. The Stock Market lost 15% of its value that day and continued to have major losses for weeks. The American middle class lost almost 35% of the value in their retirement funds through the end of 2033. The Department also announced its plans to put the United States back on the gold standard by the end of 2034. Treasury said that they had completed an audit of the Federal Reserve and would be recommending to Congress some legislation to fix issues.

In late October, Congress debated the idea of privatizing Social Security and Medicare. AARP and other groups raised a major public campaign against this bill. After about three weeks of this, Congressional leaders decided to terminate any efforts to privatize these government programs. The Army Corps of Engineers reported at the end of October 2033 that the Powers Border Wall was now 60% completed.

In September and October, the state legislatives of Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina ratified the 28th Amendment. However, the legislatives of California, Oregon, Washington, New Hampshire, and Vermont voted it down. With 13 states disapproving the amendment, it would never be able to obtain approval from 39 states, though additional states did continue to ratify it until 2040. The amendment was considered inoperative and rendered moot.

As we now know from reviewing presidential records, the FBI and NSA began a massive and covert surveillance of Muslims, mosques, churches, Hispanics, and Black groups during late 2033. White nationalists were told of these efforts by members of the Powers Administration, and began to report on these groups, much of it not true. This led to dozens of arrests for suspected criminal behavior due to this private citizen reporting.

The televised trial of Diane Anthony began on November 8, 2033. The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia presented eight criminal and two misdemeanor charges. For the next two weeks, the prosecution presented their case against Anthony. After it rested, Anthony's defense attorney asked the judge to dismiss all charges. The judge ruled against the defense. After a break for the Thanksgiving holiday, the defense spent five days with their witnesses. On December 6th, the federal judge found Diane Anthony guilty of gross negligence in the handling of government records and sentenced her to six months' probation. On December12th, another federal judge dismissed charges against the Anthony Foundation due to the lack of any credible evidence in violating federal laws.

In December, the Secretary of Defense met with his counterparts in NATO of the United States desire to renegotiate the treaty in 2034 if any country in the alliance failed to spend 2% of its gross national product on its defense. Edward presented a list of what the United States had calculated the cost of defending each country in NATO on average over the last five years. He was grilled on the valuation of nuclear deterrence. Talks would commence and carry on for the next 18 months.

Secretly during late 2033, Saudi Arabia and Iran began to purchase modern warplanes, artillery, and tanks from China and Russia. The Saudis ended its long-running cooperation and training with the United States Air Force and Army National Guard and began training pilots in China, as did Iran. China secretly sold about fifty nuclear weapons and mid-range missiles to Saudi Arabia. In early 2034, the two countries approached Pakistan to join their coalition. Afterwards, Pakistani scientists were working in Saudi Arabia with Iranians to expand the group's nuclear capability. These planning activities continued through the beginning of 2035. Israel picked up some indicators of these efforts, but American intelligence had few human assets and had not picked up any of these activities. The Americans persuaded the Israelis that what they saw were innocent activities or coincidences.

On January 31, 2034, the Army Corps of Engineers reported that the Powers Border Wall was now 70% complete. Economic reports released in February showed that the American economy was slowly declining in many metrics. The Senate was routinely confirming nominees for vacancies in federal courts, most of the names approved by the President as recommended by his Chief Policy Officer, Stephen Schmidt.

In March 2034, the secret negotiations with Japan and Korea continued. Both countries told the United States that they had no desire to possess nuclear weapons, were prepared to determine various levels of security that the United States desired to provide, and negotiate how much that would cost. Talks continued.

### BATTLES WITH THE COURTS (APRIL - OCTOBER 2034)

Various organizations had filed tens of thousands of legal suits in federal district courts to challenge the new Powers laws and regulations, or his usage of (known) executive orders. Several were declared unconstitutional by district courts, but then reversed at either the appeals court level or at the Supreme Court.

But sometimes, the Supreme Court would agree with lower court findings and declare something unconstitutional. Three key findings by the United States Supreme Court were to invalidate the law allowing libel and defamation suits against the press, the executive order to put the United States back on the gold standard, and the executive orders and laws rolling back regulations and rules of the Clean Air and Water Acts.

We in 2178 find it strange that there were no court challenges on the banning of Muslims from immigration and visas; the surveillance of Muslims, blacks, and other groups; and the usage of military commissions to try terrorists. This is probably due to the usage of security classifications by the Powers Administration to prevent or limit public knowledge of these abuses. Looking back, the courts were anemic in challenging many acts of the President or Congress during this time period; that would be later declared unconstitutional in later years or suspended by the next administration. We will say that the number of legal cases occurring were unprecedented and consumed millions of dollars and hours by the Department of Justice and other federal agencies, and much of the President's and Vice President's time.

On April 28, 2034, the Army Corps of Engineers reported that the Powers Border Wall was now 80% complete. The Border Patrol reported the detention of border crossers in the dozens each month from [its claims] previous numbers in the thousands. We know that illegal border crossings had severely declined during the Eric Trump Administration.

On May 12th, economic reports were issued citing the transportation infrastructure projects with creating over 215,000 new jobs and adding $35 billion into the economy. However, the American economy had suffered over the last year due to higher federal deficits, lowered trade, a 7% unemployment rate, lower wages, a decline in manufacturing productivity, a scarcity of skilled labor that had the required technical skills, and a 15% increase in those living in poverty. Employers were pleading with the Administration and Congress to reverse the support in higher and technical education. The coal industry was almost dead except for mining to support specialty steel making. Most coal power plants were receiving fuel from coal shipped from other countries, because it was much cheaper.

During May, there were suspicious fires started against black churches, mosques, Native American community colleges, and synagogues. The FBI had leads on several small white nationalist groups, but then the Department of Justice deputies requested FBI leaders to reprioritize resources to the massive surveillance activities underway. An article in April 2035 by the _Washington Post_ estimated over two thousand attacks in 2034 on non-white places of worship or education institutions, with many of the attacks supported or instigated by secret white nationalist groups, based upon statements on their websites.

Three young men, journalism majors at Boston University, noticed this article and one in 2033 from _The New York Times_. Finishing their studies and graduating without full-time jobs, they began researching on the activities of the white nationalists and similar groups suspected of being involved in attacks on minorities. They were stringers to separate newspapers in their home cities, but kept in touch after graduation. All three were classic Aryan youth, blonde, blue eyes, around six-foot tall. During an online conversation in late 2035, someone suggested they quietly and covertly infiltrate separate nationalist groups to find out what was going on. It took Smith, Jones, and Brown, their alias they reported on, as we never found out who they really were, about six months to over a year to be fully vetted with the nationalist groups they joined. They kept secret notes of their activities, day by day, while remaining undercover until May 2037 when they published their stories.

On July 31, 2034, the Army Corps of Engineers reported that the Powers Border Wall was now 90% complete. As the Mexican government refused to pay for the wall, this expenditure merely added dollars to the national debt, except for the few import duties paid for Mexican goods.

In August 2034, the United States provided information on three levels of security and what each level would cost each country, through its negotiators in secret talks on the security of Japan and Korea. Talks continued, with the countries asking for details on the proposed levels of security.

On September 28, 2034, the Army Corps of Engineers reported that the Powers Border Wall was now 95% complete. The Department of Transportation reported that it had issued grants for 85% of the funding to all states, and that these generated almost 400,000 jobs and added $65 billion to the economy. Unemployment had jumped to 9%, and wages continued to stagnate. The last coal mine in the United States closed and over 150 coal power plants shut down. The electric power industry had grown with natural gas powered plants plus wind and solar farms, so there was still adequate power supplies.

The Department of State announced that it had issued 2 million visas and allowed 25,000 legal immigrants into the United States during the last fiscal year. This compares to almost 15 million visas and two million legal immigrants in 2032. The Department of Justice reported that the number of sanctuary cities had declined from 61 in 2030 to six in 2034 (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Berkeley, San Jose, Santa Anna, and Oakland, all in California).

On October 15th, a tropical storm hit New Orleans with minor damage, and then traveled up the Mississippi River valley towards Minnesota before moving eastward. Four days later, cities in Iowa were hit by flooding, killing 17 and causing $400 million in damages.

### PERSONNEL REPLACEMENTS AND ANOTHER NUCLEAR WAR (NOVEMBER 2034 - APRIL 2035)

President Powers was very happy with the elections of November 8, 2034. Because of the large number of Progressive Senators running for office, the Conservatives were able to gain four seats while losing only one, thus making the United States Senate's Conservative majority 53-47. The House of Representatives lost a net of two seats, though the Conservatives still had a majority of 222-213. The number of Alt-Right supported candidates elected expanded in the House to 172.

The Vice President was somewhat happy, as this would make it easier to pursue legislation in Congress. But he was hearing from many of the Cabinet Secretaries of their unhappiness. Some were frustrated by leading a large government bureaucracy and the lack of urgency in leadership and management ranks, as most of them came from the business world. Others were not happy with some of their Alt-Right leading deputies that Stephen Schmidt had thrust on them, as they had been pursuing policies that disenfranchised minorities. Others were suffering from the low government salaries ($415,700) and the restrictive conflict of interest rules that technically prevented them from financially benefiting from being in government, though several media reports suggested that most had little regard for conflicts of interest.

But the major reason was the President himself, who took credit for literally every success made by anyone in his administration, and promptly bragged publicly of how he and only he could get things done. Mitchell had spoken to the President on this issue, but Powers blew him off in thinking that he could always get others to fill his Cabinet. The Vice President had warned for over a year that some Secretaries would likely be leaving soon, as had the Secretary for Health and Human Services (Dr. Steve Johnson was actually fired by Powers as the presidential papers revealed years later) after the defeat of the privatization efforts for Social Security and Medicare.

Meanwhile, covertly during 2034, Iranian and Pakistani military capability grew by utilizing bases and funding in Saudi Arabia. To divert attention from spying eyes of Israel, the Saudis secretly funded and encouraged the development of group of terrorists called The League in Palestine. This group started a series of attacks on Israel and Israeli-held settlements in the West Bank. American intelligence had not noticed this threat in Palestine or connected it to the Saudis. Nor had any intelligence agency noticed the nuclear activities, though the British began to be concerned about the increase in conventional weapon systems.

On December 29, 2034, the Army Corps of Engineers reported that the Powers Border Wall was now 99% complete at a cost of $15.2 billion. Memoirs by Powers' son claimed that the TAP Infrastructure Corporation made $1.5 billion profit on their work for the wall. The Mexican government still refused to pay anything for the wall. Import duties for Mexican goods were now at 35%, with Mexico imposing similar trade tariffs. Trade between the two countries was nearly zero.

In early January 2035, the Powers Administration announced that several Cabinet Secretaries had chosen to leave office, led by the Attorney General, and including Agriculture, Interior, Treasury, and Energy, and about a dozen key deputies. Stephen Schmidt used this opportunity to propose to Powers and Mitchell that the Departments of Energy, Interior, and Commerce should be eliminated. Since Powers' daughter was running Commerce, the President decided that only Energy and Interior would be axed. Schmidt provided the President with a listing of names to replace these positions, many of which Mitchell objected to as being unqualified for, but Powers approved these as nominees, and Mitchell submitted their names to the Senate for confirmation. The Senate quickly confirmed all but one nominee, who had been convicted in 2024 for hate crimes (and was part of the first pardon list made by Powers).

There was a 6.7 earthquake centered in Beverly Hills, California on February 19,, 2035, on President's Day. There was $1.2 billion in immediate damage and 130 killed. President Powers immediately flew into the area, disrupting rescue and recovery efforts because of the size of his security detail. The Progressive governor of California got into a shouting match with Powers, accusing him of trying to generate his own press on the top of fallen buildings and buried lives, and delaying execution of a declaration of emergency for the affected area. The media cited this incident as the spark that started the presidential campaign of the Governor to unseat Powers. Powers refused to approve any Congressional legislation to provide disaster relief to California and never issued a federal disaster declaration, preventing any federal aid to California.

On the same day, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan launched 90 nuclear missiles at Israel from secret sites in Saudi Arabia. Israel's Iron Dome III defense defeated about 50% of these attacks or caused high altitude nuclear explosions. The remaining missiles hit every Israeli city. Israel was able to shoot nuclear missiles at Saudi Arabia as well as sending jets to bomb that country. The United States Strategic Command could not get in touch with President Powers, who had flown to Scotland from California on the new hyper jet. Vice President Mitchell finally gave the authority to launch a counter-strike on Saudi Arabia. Unknown aircraft, missiles, and drones attacked United States Naval Forces in the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Persian Gulf, and the Americans identified Saudi, Pakistani, and Iranian involvement. Nuclear and then conventional strikes were then aimed at military and government targets in Iran and Pakistan, including airfields, armed forces headquarters, refineries and oil wells, shipping terminals, major naval ships, etc.

It is estimated that over 4 million Israelis, 25 million Saudis, 12 million Iranians, and 45 million Pakistanis were killed in the nuclear exchanges, with at least that many injured. Millions died of radiation-related diseases over the next five years. After the nuclear missile exchanges, China and Russia demanded an immediate cease fire by all participants. Israel, Palestine, and much of Saudi Arabia became completely uninhabitable due to the high levels of radiation, as were significant parts of Pakistan and Iran.

The Pakistan and Iran governments collapsed and Chinese and Indian troops deployed peacekeepers there for humanitarian purposes, occupying these countries for the next ten years. The United States lost a dozen aircraft, one aircraft carrier, and two missile cruisers, with about 1,234 sailors and marines killed. Two days later, Powers demanded reparations from Pakistan and Iran, and confiscated all financial holdings ($2 trillion) in American banks. Federal land in Utah was donated to the surviving 500,000 Israel refugees to form the New State of Israel. The OAE relocated the remaining 400,000 Palestinian refugees to clean areas of the former Saudi Arabia kingdom, taking control of its non-radiated territory.

In mid-February 2035, a breakthrough occurred in the secret security talks with Japan and Korea because of the attack on Israel. Each country choose one of the three levels of security offered, and the talks were able to make headway with how much each would pay the United States per year. Concurrently, all three countries agreed on a free trade agreement that would eliminate import or export duties on products and services, equalize tax treatments of all businesses, and other economic items. On February 27th, President Powers flew to Tokyo and then Seoul to sign security and economic agreements. On March 29th, the United States received its first monthly payment from Japan, with Korea's payment coming in on April 3rd.

In March, Stephen Schmidt was promoted to a position called Chief Presidential Advisor and was paid what the unfilled Chief of Staff position would have received. A secret presidential Executive Order modified #14105 had all White House staffers reporting to Schmidt, except for Mitchell's assistants, with Mitchell and Schmidt reporting to the President. The Cabinet-level Secretaries would continue to report to Mitchell as a Chief Operating Officer. Schmidt would now assume Congressional liaison responsibilities, with Mitchell concentrating on operations of the federal government.

In April 2035, Congress passed legislation to close down the Departments of Interior and Energy by September 2035. The Bonneville, Southeastern, Southwestern, and Western Area Power Administrations would be sold off to public power entities by the end of 2036. The Energy Information Administration would be transferred to the Department of Commerce, while the Advance Energy Research Agency would go to Defense. Certain nuclear functions were transferred to the Department of Homeland Security or Defense. The Bureau of Indian Affairs would go to the Department of State. The National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Fish & Wildlife Service partly went to the Department of Homeland Security while states would be responsible for federal land management.

### CALM BEFORE THE STORM (MAY - AUGUST 2035)

While it was mostly a quiet summer, attacks on synagogues, black churches, and mosques continued by suspected white nationalist groups. Occasionally, a group might be stopped for other reasons by local and state law enforcement. Efforts by the FBI to investigate hate crimes had ceased in 2034.

Congress opened some hearings regarding the American intelligence failure of identifying the secret activities of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan in preparing to attack the former State of Israel. Unfortunately, few records survived the nuclear war as did few senior leaders of these four countries. The NSA determined and testified in classified hearings that the three countries use non-electronic means to communicate and perform much of their work, the old fashioned paper, typewriters, and person to person couriers. This evaded most American collection efforts.

Possibly one reason for this calm period was that President Powers sent more time on his TAP Infrastructure Corporation activities than being President. He traveled abroad to promote various infrastructure construction projects, while his company was receiving millions in fees from investors in these foreign countries to sponsor other projects. Powers expressed in his transmails the desire to have a construction project in every country throughout the world, and even build something in Antarctica.

In concert with this foreign travel, Powers' son was concurrently conducting trade negotiations with these same governments. Five years later, a Pulitzer Prize winning analysis revealed a strong correlation between these trade deals and TAP Infrastructure Corporation activities. There was also a Powers effort over the last two years to expand internationally the National Football League to thirty-two foreign cities, which was formerly announced in April to be implemented in September 2035. Powers owned the London team (so he could visit his wife), and had minority interests in five others.

### FOOTBALL CURES ALL EVILS (SEPTEMBER 2035 - FEBRUARY 2036)

The National Football League doubled the number of teams that opened its season in September 2035. Half of the teams were in the United States. There were four teams in China, two in Russia, and one in the OAE. There was no teams in Mexico or the rest of the Middle East. Stadiums were filled to maximum capacity at every international venue, which according to presidential records, many built under TAP Infrastructure Corporation direction. TAP Infrastructure Corporation foreign financial partners owned 28 of the 32 international teams. The 2035-2036 professional football season was considered a success, though no international team made it to the conference championships or the Super Bowl. The London team would lose by a field goal to the Steelers in the 2037 Super Bowl though.

Concurrently, the nation was also gripped with a highly entertaining college football season. Navy's 6-foot six-inch option quarterback, Andy Jett, won the Heisman Trophy, the Sullivan Award, the individual and team rushing titles, and led his team in winning the national championship game against Ohio State.

The Department of Justice announced that legal action during the year eliminated any city ordinances that hindered detaining illegal aliens (sanctuary cities) in California (there were six cities in September 2035). The Department of the Treasury's plans to refinance the federal debt had failed because of the lack of interest by China and other countries, and from the $22.1 trillion budget deficit ran up during the 32 months of the Powers Administration. At the end of September, the Departments of Interior and Energy closed down.

On October 11, 2035, the Department of Transportation announced that over 35% of all infrastructure projects had been finished over the last two years. These had employed almost 900,000 individuals and generated over $250 billion to the economy. This was the only bright spot in the economy. Unemployment was now at 11%. Most states had closed 25% of their public universities and colleges. Real wages were now less than those in 1990.

In accordance with a top secret protocol in the American-Japanese-Korean defense agreement, a combined naval force steamed into the South China Sea on January 6th and marines from all three countries landed on the artificial islands built by China on January 10th. Chinese forces on the islands were captured without causalities, and then these prisoners of war were flown through Taiwan and repatriated to China two days later. China protested this action at the United Nations Security Council, with Russian and the United States vetoing two resolutions. Tensions rose for several months, with some saber rattling by the Chinese military. In April 2036, Japan and Korea paid $23 billion to China for the purchase of the islands with all infrastructure and buildings, and agreed to use their Coast Guard forces for local security and law enforcement, with America providing overall security.

### THE CAMPAIGN THAT NEVER WAS (FEBRUARY - SEPTEMBER 2036)

The Governor of California announced in June 2035 that he was running for the Progressive presidential nomination. During the next six months, five other Progressive candidates announced they were running. The Californian won the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary with 60% of the vote, and most his opposition dropped out by April. The Governor was officially confirmed as the Progressive nominee at their convention in San Francisco in August 2036.

On the Conservative side, four individuals announce in late 2035 that they were challenging the President for the nomination. Most challenged the incumbent as reckless in foreign policy and the usage of nuclear weapons. However, Powers received 70% of all votes in the initial primaries, and his re-nomination was never in doubt. The Conservative Convention in Boston was a giant info commercial of how his administration had improved America's security, economy, and its way of life.

On June 2, 2036, the United States ended its involvement in student loans for higher education, as well as ending veteran benefits for education purposes. A number of private companies had entered the market over the last three years as government funding was slowly reduced to zero. It was estimated that the average student attending a public university would now graduate with a debt of $650,000 after five or six years. Student enrollment had declined by 15% over the last two years, and almost all for-profit institutions had closed or defaulted. A public study said that higher education was now out of reach for about 65% of all Americans.

On June 20, 2036, extremely high temperatures in Alaska due to climate change caused much flooding to dozens of communities, mostly Native American, killing 55. President Powers refused to declare a national disaster declaration due to problems with the submitted paperwork and the fact that people should not be living so close to the rivers. This caused a media stir, but little else. Powers vetoed every bill to provide federal aid to Alaska through the remainder of his administration.

A major hurricane on August 18, 2036 hit northern Florida and the coastal areas of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and then Texas over the next two days. It caused $3.6 billion dollars to damage and much disruption in oil supplies and energy industry functions. Only 13 people were killed. President Powers immediately issued disaster declarations, and signed a $5 billion recovery act before the end of August.

In its September issue, the _Economist_ published an assessment of the Powers Administration's efforts regarding China. Chinese trade had increased over 35% during the nearly four years, while United States imports to China had declined by 15%, primarily due to the implementation of duties by both countries. Americans wanted Chinese goods, and were willing to pay for them, compared to inferior American competition. China became the world leader of foreign and military aid as the United States ended partnerships to almost all countries, except with the United Kingdom, India, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, eastern and central Europe, and Argentina. Still, the United States economy was twice what China's was, due to its internal demand for goods and services.

Unlike the 2032 campaign, there was little campaigning during the remainder of the primary season due to the lack of competition for the nomination. The two conventions were not watched my many Americans and generated little interest. Powers decided that there would be no debates in September or October with his Progressive challenger. Public polling after Labor Day showed Powers with a sold 15% lead nationally and in command with a significant majority of the Electoral College. Americans appeared to favor a retreat from the international stage and were disinterested in things unrelated to their paychecks and quality of life. The Progressive challenger was making positive progress in areas with significant poverty or unemployment during September. National and state polls in late September showed the race closing rapidly and a toss-up in the Electoral College.

### MARTIAL LAW BEGINS (OCTOBER 2036)

During the first five days of October, there were 76 separate suspected terrorist attacks in the United States, killing 1,946 Americans and injuring almost 5,000. Almost all of the incidents were bombings, though there were about a dozen drive-by shootings. The FBI received information on 213 individuals involved in these incidents from anonymous sources and arrested them and known associates. They found bomb-making materials in their homes and apartments, computers filled with transmails, social media, and histories of searches to make bombs, ties to The League, and Islamic terrorist literature. And they were all Muslims, legal immigrants who were naturalized citizens prior to 2032. What we now know in 2178 is that while a few arrested may had some leanings towards committing terrorism, almost all were set up by white nationalist groups and framed, thanks to the undercover reporting of Brown, Smith, and Jones.

President Powers' reaction was swift. He ordered the first fifty arrested to be tried by military commissions immediately. The first trials began on October 9th, over the objections of defense attorneys. The military justices, most of whom were sworn in days before into the military (because every Staff Judge Advocate in the armed serves refused to serve on these commissions, and were therefore immediately discharged by the Secretary of Defense), carried out swift justice. On Columbus Day, Powers presided over the execution live on television of the first six men. This ignited major protests in almost all large cities. Governors called out the National Guard. Media and private citizens filmed on their smart phones execution style shootings of peaceful protestors who failed to disperse.

On October 16, 2036, the Department of Transportation announced that over 65% of all infrastructure projects had been finished over the last three years. These had employed almost 1.4 million individuals and generated over $375 billion to the economy. Manufacturing jobs had continued their long decline. Unemployment had been reduced down to 9%. Gasoline prices had risen as several shale plays started to bottom out. Housing prices had fallen by 12% since 2032.

Over a four day period of October 16 through 19, 2036, there were an additional 36 bombings, killing another 213 people and injuring almost 1,000. Again, the FBI was directed to about 45 suspects, who were immediately arrested with evidence planted about their involvement. This doubled the mostly peaceful protests in the streets, and Powers called up active duty Army and Marines to assist the Governors and Mayors, under an initial Martial Law declaration on October 20th. About one or two bombings continued every day over the next week.

The first Martial Law declaration focused on the use of curfews at night, ability to temporary detain individuals for 96 hours in terrorist investigations, requirements for local governments to issue permits for assemblies involving more than twenty people (except dining, drinking, sporting, theaters, entertainment, churches, and funerals), confiscation of bomb making materials, and increased surveillance measures.

The Attorney General provided on October 21st a listing to the Vice President of white nationalist groups that should gain special status as they had made major contributions to the intense surveillance efforts of the last several years. The Vice President sent to Congress a proposal for selected civilian organizations to be allowed to operate with law enforcement and military during the Martial Law period. Congress passed the bill and the President enacted it into law on October 23rd.

On October 28th, President Powers, after consulting with Congressional Conservative leaders, instituted a far-reaching Martial Law order across the nation. It required that all American citizens would be issued a national identification card. It suspended concealed carry permits by civilians, and authorized the suspension of habeas corpus. Certain civilian groups (almost all of whom had suspected connections to white nationalist groups) were now authorized certain law enforcement powers to supplement police in identifying suspected criminals. ICE increased its efforts to identify and detain all illegal immigrants.

During October 2036, Powers, Mitchell, Schmidt, Edward, and several aides sat down to figure out what to do with all the illegal immigrants being detained by ICE. The estimate was now that they would eventually detain almost 26 million people. Detention centers in existence were overcrowded with the 5 million detainees with criminal or suspected terrorism backgrounds. Guantanamo Bay now housed 1,500 of the most dangerous illegal immigrants. The construction of more detention centers would add a capability to house another 13 million. The doubling of immigration court judges was now beginning to produce almost 5,000 deportation orders a month. However, most countries were now refusing to receive anyone, despite the American policy to cut off foreign and military aid. Powers challenged his advisors to find a solution.

### THE ELECTION OF 2036 (NOVEMBER 2036)

Due to the institution of federal martial law, the Powers Administration announced on October 29th that the voters would have to show their new national identification cards in order to vote on November 5th. Federal troops opened up processing centers with state officials on Friday, and through Monday, issued about 75 million identification cards to American citizens. Media reports were prevalent about discriminating against anyone without a birth certificate without a raised seal and birth in the United States, requiring naturalized citizens to have certified papers from a federal judge with inconsistent reviews and standards used throughout the processing centers, local law enforcement checking for criminal records and warrants for any minorities, and other practices. Interesting, little effort was made by the Powers Administration to issue national identification cards to citizens after the election.

On November 5th, 65 million Americans voted, the fewest who had voted in a presidential election since 1956. An estimated 25 million others tried to vote, and were denied by not having a national identification card. Legal challenges were ignored by most state and federal courts on Election Day, and little was accomplished over the following months.

President Powers was re-elected with 52% of the popular vote and 282 votes in the Electoral College. In 26 states, the margin of victory was less than 2%. The Progressive challenger decided not to challenge the election results. There was a massive election night party at the Powers campaign headquarters in Boston.

In November 2036, the Secretary of State engaged in secret negotiations with the Argentine Republic about the possible re-location of American illegal immigrants. The Argentines agreed for a payment of $75 billion, and with part of the money they would build infrastructure to host the estimated 10-12 million immigrants without criminal backgrounds in La Pampa province. The President agreed to this deal, though he reduced the payment down to $50 billion by offering to have the TAP Infrastructure Corporation build the facilities for free to the Argentines - few knew that a special appropriation authorized by Congress would pay his company for their work about $88 billion. The first "town" was completed three weeks later (mostly a tent city) and flights began between the United States and Santa Rosa on November 29th, with the United States Air Force flying ten flights of C-17s each week (about 1,000 passengers a week). A fleet of twenty older 747s were contracted by the TAP Infrastructure Corporation to expand the exodus to 11,000 per week. The Department of State then entered into negotiations with Indonesia and several African countries on the potential deportation of other minorities.

The post-election question now moved to what to do with the 4.7 million illegal immigrants with criminal or terrorist backgrounds. The solution chosen by unknown parties came from a New Mexican lab under contract with the CIA to develop a deadly communicative virus (codename Mortifero) with a known vaccine to protect security and administrative personnel at detention centers. A review of presidential papers reveal no documentation of any discussions in the White House or who made the decision to exterminate this population, we only know about the general events by the testimony of several detention center commanders at their war crime trials.

### THE SOUTHERN DEMILITARIZED ZONE (DECEMBER 2036 - JANUARY 2037)

On December 7, 2036, the Mexican Army attacked portions of the Powers Border Wall, mainly along the border with Arizona and New Mexico. There were 105 sections demolished, with gaps between 50 to 200 yards in the wall. 232 Border Patrol and military personnel were killed, and about 1,200 injured.

President Powers immediately ordered a counter- attack into Mexico, to clear out a zone of at least ten miles south from the border. The California National Guard was federalized and entered Mexico on December 8th, with five active duty Army brigades attacking across the Arizona and New Mexico borders the next two days. Six active duty Army brigades plus the federalized Texas and Oklahoma National Guards crossed bridges over the Rio Grande River at about a dozen places on the Texas border. A Marine Expeditionary Unit secured the rear for the California troops in the city of Tijuana. These forces pushed out into an exclusion zone that was from ten to twenty-five miles south of the United States – Mexican border, with all Mexican forces defeated or captured by December 28th.

At this point, President Powers announced that he was establishing the Southern Demilitarized Zone inside Mexico to protect the United States. He ordered out all American civilian citizens back into the United States, and the expulsion of all other people by January 15th. American forces and contractors began to remove people and personal belongings to outside the southern border of the SDMZ, an estimated 12.6 million Mexican citizens. This ended up taking until February 15th to complete.

Afterwards, the American military demolished all buildings in the zone except for those useful for observations and control, dug ditches, installed mines, barbed wire, and other barriers, put up warning signs, and other measures inside the zone. They also detonated seven nuclear weapons to irradiate areas that were deemed susceptible to illegal entry. The Powers Border Wall was rebuilt. Still, almost 15,000 military personnel were committed to securing the zone for the next two years. Most countries condemned these actions by the United States, and the American Ambassador vetoed five separate Security Council resolutions in the United Nations over a six month period.

In late January 2037, the Mortifero vaccine was administered to all security guards and administrators at the detention centers. Selected detainees were injected with the Mortifero virus and released into the general populations at the detention centers holding only criminal illegal immigrants. Within ten days, 80% of the population was dead. After three weeks there were only 14,000 illegal immigrants who survived. The government announced on February 19th that an unknown illness had infected the detention centers with criminal illegal immigrants, and that it was establishing a quarantine to prevent its spread to the nearby civilian populations. The bodies of the dead were burned and then buried in massive deep pits in the Southern Demilitarized Zone. About three hundred civilians or military personnel were unintentionally infected with Mortifero, and their bodies were burned and buried with the dead criminal immigrants.

At Guantanamo Bay, the detention center military commander discovered the plot to infect illegal immigrants. He ordered everyone at the base be given the Mortifero vaccine, and the virus irradiated and then burned. He was killed in the process, and the newly appointed commander ordered trials by military commissions. Over the next three months, all detainees were tried, convicted, and executed.

On January 19, 2037, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond were hit by a blizzard. Again, the inauguration of President Powers was disrupted, similar to what happened in 2033. This time, the President issued a delay to hold all events on January 27th. Powers was officially sworn-in on the 20th in the Oval Office. On the night of January 26th, Washington received six inches of snow, and inauguration activities were cancelled.

### ADIOS UNITED NATIONS (FEBRUARY - MAY 2037)

During the November 2036 and April 2037 period, a secret administration study completed in June 2037 documented 46 separate terrorist bombings, killing 243 and wounding another 1,200, of which 84 individuals were arrested and immediately tried and executed by military commissions. We know now that only four individuals arrested were involved in bombings, suspected traitors in the nationalist group ranks, while the other eighty persons, all persons of color and/or Muslims, were set up.

Foreign relations continued to deteriorate after the Mexican invasion. Ambassadors and foreign ministers from the core group of American allies had discussions with the Secretary of State or the Vice President in February and March, requesting that the United States adhere to international norms of behavior. The United Kingdom, plus sometimes Russia and China, would help control any actions by the United Nations Security Council. However, there were growing discussions in the General Assembly to take significant actions or even economic sanctions against the United States.

Relations with China were rocky, especially in view of the Japan and Korea security agreements and capture of the artificial islands. However, the economic relationship was strong because of the large amount of trade between the two companies. China had replaced American leadership in many countries because of Powers' desire to deport illegal immigrants to various countries, with those protesting losing American foreign and military aid, with the Chinese willingly jumping into the void.

Russia - American relationships were confusing. In certain areas, there was cooperation between the two countries. American had not withdrawn from NATO, but the Russians knew that the Powers Administration was negotiating to receive payments from individual NATO members for security by threatening to withdraw troops, training, military aid, and the security of the nuclear umbrella. Russia still desired to return Ukraine and the Baltic States to greater Russian control, as well as divide NATO and the European Union with increasing its influence in eastern and central Europe.

Regarding Ukraine, the United States had rotated about 10,000 troops in and out of this country since the 2033 invasion. NATO had similar forces in the Baltic States, one being led by the Americans. Russian diplomats felt that the Powers Administration was beginning to waive on defending Ukraine, so the military put into motion plans to establish a land corridor to Crimea through Mariupol in mid-March.

On March 22nd, the Russians crossed the Ukrainian border. Ukrainian and American troops and air power responded to this attack. This surprised the Russian commander, who had been told that the Americans would not oppose his attack. His forces were quickly surrounded, cutting off a retreat back into Russia. The Russian forces, numbering about 12,000, surrendered. A small group of Arkansas Army National Guardsmen were with Ukrainian Internal Forces supervising about 5,000 prisoners. This Guard unit had a group of white nationalists embedded and found similar nationalist leanings with the Ukrainians. Together, they massacred the Russian troops.

Tensions escalated between the United States and Russia over the massacre and the invasion. An Army Inspector General on the ground was able to communicate with the Pentagon that American participation in the massacre involved at best fifty individuals, all of whom were now in custody of American military police. Senior leaders in America and Russia were able to de-escalate the situation, only because a military coup in Moscow removed and replaced the Russian President.

However, international outrage of the Americans' conduct grew. With the Security Council useless, dozens of European, African, and Asian countries introduced proposed economic and other sanctions against the United States, with minor actions on Russia. The President was outraged, and on March 31st, the United States withdrew from its membership in the United Nations. All American payments to United Nations agencies immediately ceased. Due to the high percentage of American support, several of these agencies were unable to continue operations during the next year.

Hearings in Congress multiplied in April and May, questioning the foreign policy of the Powers Administration. Conservatives and Progressives were almost united, but senior Conservative leaders, influenced by the Alt-Right caucus, prevented any actions besides loud speeches to occur.

During the week of May 25th, President Powers held a three-day meeting with most Governors to review the internal security situation in the United States. There was much discussion on the current Martial Law situation, with opinions divided on whether to increase measures or reduce them. What Powers, Edward, and Schmidt took away from the meeting was to apply more restrictions to tighten down on illegal activities.

The Governors of California and Texas had been disturbed by the previous Martial Law orders plus all the trade restrictions around the world. California, by itself, was the fourth leading economy in the world. Texas, due to the demise of much of the Middle East oil production, was now second only to Russia as the world's leader in exporting oil, and its economy separately would have been seventh largest in the world. California was perhaps one of the most liberal states, while Texas one of the most conservative. An accidental conversation between the Governors at the event in May led to continuing conversations between the two and a common viewpoint. Both saw the activities of the Powers Administration as a threat to the nation and their own states.

On May 26, 2037, the Department of Transportation announced that over 80% of all infrastructure projects had been finished over the last three years. These had employed almost 1.8 million individuals and generated over $565 billion to the economy. Unemployment was now at 12%. Wages had fallen again by 7%. More than 95% of the country's wealth was held by 1% of the population. Many service industries struggled to fine technically qualified individuals. American math skills were rated below half of the countries in Africa.

### DETENTION CENTERS MY ASS (JUNE 2037)

Brown, Jones, and Smith had been undercover for more than a year with white nationalist groups. After the execution of four associates turned on by the nationalist leaders, they thought that they may be vulnerable and accused of treason within these groups. They had seen the operations of the detention centers, with one of them receiving the Mortifero vaccine. They had followed how each person was set up to take the fall for so-called terrorist bombings. They had witnessed many burnings of houses of worship or schools. They saw how the groups had informed to the FBI and local law enforcement on American citizens, not doing anything wrong, but because of the color of their skin or how they worshipped. And one of them witnessed the death of nearly every criminal illegal immigrant at the detention center due to Mortifero virus.

So Brown, Jones, and Smith wrote together a series of ten detailed articles, each with detailed notes of who, when, where, and how the activities unfolded. The final article outlined how the white nationalists groups planned to expand from the expulsion of the mostly Hispanic illegal immigrants to eventually deporting all persons of color (all Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, Native Americans, Muslims, and Jews) from the United States. In a sense, these articles were like this generation's _Pentagon Papers_ , as they would blow the cover on the Powers Administration's and their allies' deepest secrets. The three contacted quietly the _Washington Post_ , who decided to organize a group of ten newspapers across the nation, and split the ten articles to each focus on events in their region, with the _Washington Post_ providing national coverage. They were published all at once on June 15, 2037.

The Powers Administration immediately denied each and every charge, and said that no government official was involved with any group or had done criminal acts against Americans. FBI agents entered the ten newspapers and searched for information on the articles, finding only the detailed documentation. Despite calls from her FBI superiors to ignore this, a rogue FBI Special Agent organized a dozen experts to check these out, almost immediately confirming that these appeared accurate.

She held a press conference on June 22nd, telling the world that her agents had confirmed most of the articles just by analyzing the financial records of the nationalist organizations involved, and their interaction with several administration officials. As she was concluding her remarks outside a federal courthouse, three SUVs came by and shot at the crowd, killing several prominent media reporters and critically wounding the FBI Special Agent. Local police cornered the vehicles and killed all ten individuals inside, all of whom were identified as being with a local white nationalist group.

The nation was in shock. One major network's evening news moderator told the American people, "What we have seen in these reports, that appear to be true and factual, is a systematic process of illegally imprisoning and murdering Americans and those living here. They call them detention centers, I'm sorry, I cannot call them detention centers, my ass; they are something out of the 1940s." Public demonstrations occurred every evening in almost every major city, demanding action by Congress or the courts. Only a few individuals resorted to violence, and local police arrested them. Concurrently, there were a series of terrorist bombings, sometimes in the middle of peaceful demonstrations.

Over the next several days, Congress began to organize impeachment proceedings against the President, Vice President, and several Cabinet Secretaries. Before these could be organized, Powers asked the networks to speak to the nation on Tuesday night.

The Governors of Texas and California met sometime in June 2037 with the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, an Air Guard four-star general, about their concerns if the internal national situation became worse. The general agreed and he quietly ordered much of the Air Guard units and aircraft to move to California or Texas for various exercises during late June. Army National Guard units were less flexible to move, but combat brigades and divisions in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oregon, and Washington had quietly moved into Texas or California by June 29th for similar exercises.

While this would provide a significant military force to the two Governors, there was much fear that President Powers might attack any states succeeding with nuclear weapons, given his track record of using them. The two Governors worked through their National Guard commanders to discuss potential options with active duty forces in their states, plus some quiet talks with other Governors.

President Powers on June 29, 2037, issued his third Martial Law order to the nation. This restricted travel to within twenty-five miles of a person's legal residence (as stated on their national identification card); directed local governments to restrict residency among certain classes; allowed administrative detentions and expulsions of suspected terrorists; allowed active duty Navy and Marines to issue instructions and orders to civilians; allowed local authorities to close down offices, schools, camps, and factories; allowed local governments to suppress meetings and assemblies,; banned certain organizations labeled as terrorist by the Attorney General; limited freedoms of movement, expression, press, speech, and religion in areas of terrorism, questioning government activities, loyalty of individuals, and other situations as determined by local authorities; froze wages and forbid strikes; closed all higher educational institutions; and expanded federal definitions of what constituted terrorism.

Later that evening, the Conservative Governor of Texas and the Progressive Governor of California immediately and jointly declared that their two states would no longer abide by the acts of the Powers Administration since 2033 and would not recognize any federal authorities and authorizations reference the three Martial Law acts, literally succeeding from the United States. The second Civil War had begun.

The Governors also sent representatives to the United Kingdom and France after the two states succeeded, to propose that they support these efforts and potentially come under their nuclear umbrellas, but they received little interest from the two countries in getting involved in an internal American matter.

### THE SECOND CIVIL WAR (JULY 2037 - MAY 2038)

A few minutes after midnight on July 1, 2037, the Vice President and about half of the Cabinet Secretaries, met to discuss the President's Martial Law order and the reaction by Texas and California. The Vice President revealed that six months ago, the head of the Secret Service had approached him with concerns about the mental state of the President, and the Secret Service had utilized three Secret Service physicians in the protective detail to observe the President. The three physicians recently concluded that President Powers may no longer be mentally competent to hold his office. Mitchell had not invited the Alt-Right Cabinet Secretaries and Powers' children who were Cabinet Secretaries to this meeting. Those present were not convinced of the physicians' conclusions and hesitant to proceed. There was further discussion of what the procedures were to invoke Section 4 of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution. The meeting broke up after four hours, to be resumed on July 6th.

The Vice President and part of the Cabinet met again on July 6th. They agreed that the entire Cabinet needed to meet and vote in a majority to invoke Section 4. The Vice President called a Cabinet meeting to be held at noon on July 9th for the reason to consider whether or not to declare the President disabled. The Secretary of State/Defense/Homeland Security and Powers' children provided a copy of the meeting transmail to President Powers within hours.

The President ordered the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff to have military police arrest the Vice President and any Cabinet Secretaries involved for treason if they met at noon. Vice President Mitchell and the Secretaries of Veteran Affairs, Transportation, and Treasury, Chief of the Federal Reserve, the United Nations Ambassador, and the Director of National Intelligence, were all arrested by military police in front of Powers' children and the remaining Cabinet Secretaries and Chief Presidential Advisor. Our consensus is that the efforts by the Vice President were doomed from the start because the children and Alt-Right Cabinet officers outnumbered others by nine to six.

The White House Press Secretary announced on July 14th that the Secretaries of Veteran Affairs, Transportation, and Treasury, Chief of the Federal Reserve, the United Nations Ambassador, and the Director of National Intelligence had offered the President their resignations, and that the President would be nominating individuals for these offices, except the ambassadorship, in the future. No one was ever nominated for these positions. There was no mention of their arrests, and nothing was mentioned about the Vice President.

On July 28th, there was an explosion at Andrews Air Force Base. The Press Secretary immediately announce that this was a suspected terrorist attack, and that the Vice President was in the vicinity and missing. A few hours later, the White House announced the death of Vice President Mitchell. A state funeral occurred five days later. The FBI identified a group of five Americans affiliated with The League suspected in the bombing. Local police in Maryland stopped them at a traffic stop and killed all five. There is no information in the presidential records of the fate of the other Cabinet officers arrested; it is assumed that they died in the explosion at Andrews or by other means. On that same day, Stephen Schmidt was named White House Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer. All White House staff and Cabinet officers reported to Schmidt.

During the early days of July, the inner advisors for the President debated what to do about the actions of the California and Texas Governors and the impacts it would have on the federally-imposed Martial Law. At first, they assumed that there would be no effects on the military chain of command and active duty military units. However, the Martial Law situation had made it difficult for the Pentagon to understand what was going on with the National Guard. They discovered by mid-July that 70% of the Air Guard and eleven Army Guard combat brigades were now under the authority of the Governors of the Republics of Texas or California. Also, active duty federal military units in these two states had surrendered to the new Republics, the equivalent of six combat brigades and 25% of the Air Force.

More than half of the United States Army was overseas, as was about 40% of the Air Force. Naval and Marines were similarly deployed. The inner group recommended that these troops return to the United States immediately. The President decided in late July to only have military units in Europe return. He wanted to keep his military's presence in the western Pacific and did not want to recall the 50,000 troops in Afghanistan.

On August 4th, President Powers ordered the withdrawal of all American troops in NATO and their immediate return to the United States. When the NATO allies protested, Powers responded by sending classified transmails to each saying they were no longer under the protection of America's nuclear umbrella unless they paid an annual fee for protection. Because of fear of an almost immediate Russian attack, the countries of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Greece, Turkey, Lithuania, Norway, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, plus non-NATO Ukraine, paid for security to the tune of $1.3 trillion (we think it was this much, though there is some evidence that the TAP Infrastructure Corporation took a cut of these payments). Powers notified the Russian Federation's new leaders of the new defensive pact and that the United States was no longer a member of NATO. This new defensive pact did not lead to any American military forces leaving Europe until November 2037.

The quiet period of the second Civil War continued into August. For purposes of clarity, we will call military forces under President Powers as Federalist, while those under the control of the succeeding states as Republic.

We know from historical sources that five more Army Guard combat brigades moved in August to the Republics, as did three significant Air Force or Air Guard units. On August 10th, the President ordered Federalist military forces in the western Pacific to return to the United States, and put the Federalist forces in Afghanistan on notice to move back to the United States. The Federalist naval forces steamed to Pearl Harbor or flew into Hawaii by August 29th.

In late August, websites began to question if the Vice President was killed in a terrorist attack, by suspected nationalist groups, or directly by the Powers Administration. It was believed that a possible source of this information was Brown, Jones, and Smith, who probably recognized that the Andrews bombing was right out of the white nationalist playbook. This led some Governors to consider joining the Republic side. It also led to increased civil disobedience in Federalist controlled areas under Martial Law.

On August 31st, the Governor of Hawaii announced he was joining the Republic movement and that Federalist forces had surrendered and were under control of the Republic of Hawaii, including the recently arrived forces from the western Pacific. This prompted the Governor of the State of Washington to declare the Republic of Washington on September 1st. She was a retired Navy ballistic missile submarine commander who was purged when women were kicked out of the military.

Both of these actions gave the Republics possession of some nuclear weapons, but not the nuclear codes. It was at this point, the Commanding General of the United States Strategic Command, a Navy Admiral, declared that his command would remain neutral between Federalist and Republic forces. American nuclear attacks could be ordered by both the President and Washington's Governor only for foreign threats. There would be no authorized use of nuclear weapons onto American soil.

With the technical institution of hostilities against the United States (Federalist), Japan and Korea were required to offer aid in accordance with the 2035 security agreement. We found in the presidential papers urgent requests from both the Departments of State and Defense to their Japanese and Korean counterparts, but no responses from the two countries. After Powers moved western Pacific forces to Hawaii in August 2037, it should be noted that both Japan and Korea reduced their monthly security payments in half, and then after November, to about 20% of the original amount, citing that the United States had failed to provide the agreed upon conventional levels of security to each country.

On September 5th, the Secretary of Defense ordered air attacks on the Governors' offices in Austin, Honolulu, Olympia, and Sacramento on Labor Day. The attacking Federalist jets instead defected to the Republics, reluctant to fire on Americans. The Defense Secretary had several Federalist military commanders arrested and shot. Someone reported this onto a website. The Governors of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon joined the Republics on September 7th, including with them National Guard and Federalist forces in those states.

On September 8th, the National Football League announced it would not have any professional football games in the United States during the season, and all its 64 teams had relocated to international cities. It had to make money. Because of the closure of all colleges and universities, there was no college football season. Major league baseball had shut down after playing the All Star Game in July.

The Secretary of Defense still had firm control over Air Force world-wide drone operations in Nevada. He flew out to Nellis Air Force Base to ensure they followed his commands. Unknown to him, the drone operators substituted training tapes to make it appear they were attacking the Governors' offices or residences. Edward observed what he thought was conventional and successful drone attacks on September 12th. He was then arrested by the military commander for treason when he could not produce any proof of a Presidential order to attack the Republics. For some unknown reason, he was transported to the California border, and turned over to Republic forces as a prisoner of war.

President Powers was infuriated by the turn of events. He directed Schmidt and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to provide plans to attack the Republic by conventional needs within thirty days. They returned to the Oval Office with a request to recall Federalist forces from Europe and Afghanistan. The President approved this recommendation. These forces started to arrive into the United States in early November, and did not complete their deployment until mid-December.

At this point, actual hostilities between Federalist and Republic forces had been almost non-existent. Local military commanders were reluctant to fire on any civilian targets. There were a handful of minor incidents during Federalist surrenders to state authorities, almost all of these individuals with some nationalist backgrounds. Pentagon records from November 16th of their estimated order of battle showed that the Federalist and Republic land forces (Army and Marines) were about evenly split when counting the returning overseas forces. The Federalists controlled almost all the non-nuclear Atlantic Fleet, while the Republics controlled the Pacific Fleet, with the Gulf of Mexico not controlled by either. On air power (including naval and marine air assets), the Federalist forces controlled only 30% of tactical aircraft. Strategic Command continued its firm control of ballistic missiles, missile submarines, and strategic bombers. One clear advantage the Federalist forces had was logistics and supplies – they had the bullets, beans, and fuel to fight for a long time.

During November, the Federalist forces began to gather in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana to attack west and south into Texas. By this time, Schmidt, the Acting Secretary of Defense, had replaced all military commanding generals with trusted nationalists. However, the chain of command was not that deep, and many companies were reluctant to attack Americans. A smaller force was organized in Utah near Salt Lake City to attack northern California across Nevada, which was considered a badlands not controlled by either group. Another force of three combat brigades was organizing in Iowa and Nebraska to potentially attack into Minnesota and the Dakotas. Unknown to the Federalist chain of command, the Republics had formed a unified command at Fort Lewis, Washington in control of all Republic forces.

In late November 2037, a coalition of Latin American countries attacked into the Southern Demilitarized Zone; completely overwhelming the remaining 5,000 military and Border Guards providing security. On November 28th, the force began to approach the Powers Border Wall along the borders of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

On December 1st, President Powers ordered his Federalist forces to move into Texas to travel to the Rio Grande Valley to defend the United States from the Latin American attack on its border. It was unclear what his forces were to do about the intervening Republic forces. And the National Guard units had erected some effective defensive barriers on the northern and eastern Texan borders. Schmidt had convinced the President that the Republic forces would provide safe passage for the Federalist forces. The Republic forces would not allow Federalist forces entry into Texas. A stalemate occurred for nearly two weeks, with only a handful of accidental shootings.

On December 15th, the Governors of California and Texas invited the Latin American coalition forces into the United States to provide security and protection to about 19 million Americans living within 50 kilometers north of the original border. This freed Republic troops for other operations. The coalition, with some Republic and local civilian help, began to demolish the Powers Border Wall.

On December 17th, under the advice and influence of Schmidt, President Powers cited the cooperation of the Republic Governors with the Latin American coalition forces as treason against the United States, and declared war on all succeeding states, citing as precedent President Abraham Lincoln's own declaration of war (which was a falsehood). All Federalist forces in Utah, Iowa, and Nebraska began to move to attack California, Minnesota, and South Dakota. The forces crossing Nevada were harassed by Republic special operations forces and air power, and finally stopped near Reno on December 30th. Likewise, air power kept the forces in Iowa and Nebraska from moving into the Republic states, plus the two combat brigades that poised to defend against them.

Ten Federalist combat brigades (including one Marine Expeditionary Unit) attacked into Texas against seven Republic brigades on the night of December 17th. These were the first significant causalities of the second Civil War. For the most part, the Republic's defensive forces and barriers, combined with air support, held their ground. One veteran Federalist brigade fresh from Afghanistan was able to breech the lines and attacked towards Galveston and Houston. As it approached the suburbs of Houston, the fight went house to house and began to bog down. Also, stay behind Republic forces began attacking the lines of supply and communications of the brigade in Texas and Louisiana. Finally, the situation stalemated around December 23rd, and Federalist commanders called for a Christmas Eve and Day truce, which the Republic accepted. The truce was extended until January 5th by both sides. At this point, the conflict had cost the Federalist forces with 2,614 killed in action with 11,055 wounded, while Republic forces had lost 718 killed and 3,573 wounded.

During late December, the Latin American coalition forces entered the border towns and were greeted as heroes to protect Hispanic peoples. There were minor incidents with Federalist forces in Arizona and New Mexico, until a combined Republic and Latin American operation captured the cities of Phoenix, Tucson, and Albuquerque on December 29th. During the month of January, the coalition forces demolished the entire Powers Border Wall and began clearing out mines and other barriers in the former Southern Demilitarized Zone.

On December 30th, Schmidt fired the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and appointed Steve Edward as Commanding General of the Federalist forces. But Edward was still a prisoner of war at the San Diego Naval Station that morning. By the afternoon, the Republic Governors had jointly agreed to release him for a ransom of $5 billion dollars in gold, as authorized by the President. Early morning on New Year's Eve, Edward arrived at the Pentagon to assume his new post.

Edward spent the next five days reviewing the situation, examining the entire chain of command and making replacements for men he did not trust. He had his intelligence sections draw up a list of military, government, and significant civilian targets to attack by air, cruise missiles, or drones. Land commanders were ordered to not get bogged down in urban areas and fight in the countryside. He reorganized the attack plans and ordered an attack at 4 am on January 4th, violating the cease fire then in effect.

The sudden land and air attack by the Federalist forces caught some Republic sectors by surprise. The Governor of Minnesota, his wife, and six children, were killed in his residence by a drone attack. About 30% of the air attacks were successful, but Federalist air losses were staggering against air defenses and Republic Air Guardsmen. The Federalists were able to enter about twenty miles into Minnesota, South Dakota, and California before being held around January 15th. Two Republic brigades retreated to just north of Dallas and Fort Worth, when the attacking forces went west and east around them. The Republic central military command committed its reserve, the 1st Cavalry Division (four combat brigades), to defeat them in brutal counterattacks in Abilene and Longview. The remainder of the Federalist attacks into Texas bogged down by the end of January.

At this point, nationalist groups gathered up the families of Republic National Guardsman in Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana and placed them in formerly vacant detention centers. On February 9th, Schmidt, in a national announcement, declared the detainees as illegal combatants who would be executed within 48 hours if the four combat brigades did not immediately surrender to Federalist forces. The Governors of these four states were outraged and protested to the President. The Governor of Oklahoma was shot and killed, while Mississippi's Governor was arrested and her family was put into the Jackson detention center. Only about two dozen Guardsman surrendered. On live national television on February 14th, an estimated 5,000 civilians were initially lined up against walls and shot at four detention centers. The next day, the shootings continued at the same pace.

On February 13th, the 45th Oklahoma Army National Guard brigade attacked up I-35 through scattered Federalist forces into Oklahoma and surrounded the Ardmore detention center that afternoon. The several hundred nationalist criminals surrendered without incident, freeing up almost 20,000 civilians. The head of this nationalist group claimed that Schmidt had ordered the detentions and executions under Presidential authority. On the same day, the Army National Guard brigades of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi attacked towards their detention centers, and five days later captured the nationalists and saved thousands of lives.

On February 25th, Schmidt reported that Edward had narrowly avoided assassination by Republic forces, but was hurt and should survive. Our review of the presidential papers suggested that Edward tried to commit suicide but seriously wounded himself. Schmidt announced that President Powers had appointed him as the new Commanding General of Federalist forces. Since the Federalist attacks had bogged down again, Schmidt decided to spend a few weeks working with leaders of nationalist groups on a new strategy.

Pentagon records from March 4, 2038 of estimated military strengths showed that the Republic land forces (Army and Marines) had about ten effective combat brigades compared to six for Federalist forces (other records shown the line-up as twelve against five brigades). The Federalists continued to control almost all the non-nuclear Atlantic Fleet, while the Republics controlled the Pacific Fleet, but the Republic now had control over most of the Gulf of Mexico. On air power (including naval and marine air assets), the Republic now had control of the air, though Federalist forces had a number of cruise missiles and drones. Strategic Command continued its firm control of ballistic missiles, missile submarines, and strategic bombers. The Federalist forces had significant logistics and supplies for over 18 months, and estimated that Republic forces would start having shortages by the summer of 2038.

The change from the mid-November assessment (besides the loss of forces due to combat) was the defensive nature of the March report. There was a focus on air defenses, due to the loss of air power, and protection of critical government, military, and civilian assets. All sites were vulnerable to cruise and drone attacks, but the Republic had few of these, mostly located at naval bases in California, Hawaii, and Washington. Because of the successful counter-attacks by the Guard brigades, the Federalist had lost eastern and central Oklahoma, all of Arkansas and Louisiana, and southern Mississippi. Federalist forces south of Houston (two brigades) were essentially surrounded, but forces in west Texas had lines of communications and supply to New Mexico and Fort Bliss in El Paso.

The combat situation during most of March remained static until the final week. On March 28th, the two Federalist brigades near San Antonio surrendered. The Republic was attacking the one remaining brigade in west Texas with two brigades from the 1st Cavalry Division. Federalist forces held the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, and much of northern New Mexico and Arizona. A Federalist brigade occupied southern Minnesota while another operated freely in eastern South Dakota. The Federalist brigade operating from Reno was considered combat ineffective. The Republic Guard brigades from Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi were pursuing retreating Federalist forces in northern Mississippi and into Alabama and Tennessee. The Oklahoma brigade had attacked a major nationalist training center near Wichita and was now turning towards securing eastern Kansas. Schmidt's strategy briefed to the President during this time was to use his remaining land forces to slowly give up ground.

Schmidt's analysis of Edward's plans was that one who utilized land and air forces but failed to appreciate the power of naval forces. Up to this point, little activity on the seas had occurred, except for some Republic forays against naval forces in the Gulf of Mexico. Schmidt ordered Atlantic surface and sub-surface forces to transit the Panama Canal and attack the California coastline, while defeating any Pacific Fleet combatants. Except that the ships were met by a sizeable naval force on the western approaches to the Canal, and surrendered in mid-April in mass.

During the last week of April, the Republic military command launched a major attack along the I-90, I-80, I-15 to I-70, and I-40/I-59 to I-81 corridors. By May 10th, forces were just west of St. Louis, Chicago, and south of Nashville. Most Federalist resistance was crumbling. Calls were made by the Republics for President Powers to surrender, but they were ignored. Schmidt organized a final defense consisting of the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions (active) with the Virginia (29th) and Pennsylvania (28th) Army National Guard Divisions in western Virginia to protect the capital. President Powers secretly went to the New Hampshire around May 15th, and left Schmidt defending Washington.

### END OF DAYS (MAY 22, 2038)

On the morning of May 17th, elements of the Utah Army National Guard's 19th Special Forces Group (now under Republic control) confirmed that President Powers and much of his family were on the grounds of his summer home north of Manchester, New Hampshire. A battalion from Oregon was immediately flown in from a staging area in Ohio. Their orders were to capture but not kill them. Powers was defended by a Ranger battalion from Georgia that was mostly made up of nationalists. The Republic was able to establish communications with the battalion commander, who refused to surrender. Utilities were then cut off, as well as telecommunications and internet, except a connection to Strategic Command. The Rangers called for Federalist reinforcements from Massachusetts and Maine, but these Federalist forces formerly surrendered when they arrived on May 19th to the Republic forces commanding general. The general plan was to secure the facility and wait the President out.

On May 21st, the President, with his children, their spouses, and his grandchildren, gathered around the table for a formal dinner. Powers spoke about his successes during his Presidency, and how disappointed he was in the cowardice of the California Governor, who had lost the 2036 presidential election and decided to conduct a civil war. He was also disappointed in Texas for allowing foreign countries to occupy our southern border. The children's memoirs mention that they collectively thought their father was quite depressed, but were not worried about anything, as the staff had estimated that they had enough to hold out until mid-July. Certainly, clearer heads would prevail, and the cavalry would come to the rescue.

The very large house (on a 50 acre estate) was surrounded, but no efforts had been taken by Republic forces to attack and enter it. About 4 am on May 22nd, there was a small explosion inside the house heard on the perimeter by the Republic forces. An accountability inspection was immediately done, but no Republic forces were missing and no one had fired any weapons. About 11 am, a staff member came out the front entrance holding a white flag. He carried a note from the Powers children that they would surrender at 3 pm to a member of the FBI. The Republic forces were able to find a senior FBI Special Agent, and accepted the surrender of the Powers children, their spouses, and their children, at 3 pm. About 150 staff members then streamed out and the forces escorted them to a holding facility.

Just before 4 pm, the Ranger battalion commander came out of the front entrance under a flag of truce. He laid down his arms, and went to his knees with his hands up. He announced that the battalion was now surrendering to Republic forces. These forces all walked out of the entrance without weapons and their arms held high. Again, the Republic forces escorted them under armed guard to holding facilities. The battalion commander told the Republic commanding general that the President was the only one left in the house.

Two detachments were sent into the resort, and in about ten minutes, their Captain called for the general to come to Powers' presidential office. The two officers found the President dead lying on the floor near his desk. A grenade had exploded in the office, but it was questionable whether that was the cause of death. Medical personnel were immediately called, and Powers was officially pronounced dead at the scene.

Two Republic officers, senior detectives in the Salt Lake City police department, secured the room as a crime scene. An autopsy was performed by ten military and civilian physicians that evening, but the results were sealed at the time. We know the President suffered a minor heart attack and his head struck the edge of the desk when he fell, probably causing a concussion and unconsciousness, with his head wound causing him to bleed out. As for the grenade, which had been given to him by one of the Rangers three days before, his fingerprints were the only ones on its fragments, but it was unclear why the pin was pulled and how it ended up on the other side of the room and exploded. See Volume 27 for more information on what we know about the death of the President.

The general left to call back to the Republic central military command, who then contacted the Commanding General of United States Strategic Command. By the provisions of the Constitution, since the Vice Presidency was vacant, the Presidency passed on to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, if he was still alive and could be found. The head of Strategic Command then informed Stephen Schmidt, the White House Chief of Staff, and inquired as to the location of the Speaker. He was informed of his location, and the general ordered the backup Air Force One aircraft (as the primary was at Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire) there, with tactical aircraft escorting it.

### AFTERWARDS, THE LINCOLN RESTORATION (MAY - JULY 2038)

Congress had been in session on June 29, 2037 when the President announced his third Martial Law order. With the announcement of the succession of California and Texas that night, their representatives formerly resigned and flew home. Congress continued to meet for about three days a week in July. On July 26th, Congress went into recess for the month of August. Most members of Congress were supposed to have been flown by the Air Force to their home towns as a security measure, while those within driving distance driven by the military escorts. The historical record shows that all members of Congress, except two, were taken to Andrews Air Force, and flown to Guantanamo Bay and interned there for their own protection until May 22nd. The two not there disappeared.

The Commanding General of Strategic Command contacted the base commanding officer of Guantanamo Bay base about the situation of the passing of President Powers. The Rear Admiral got one of the military judges and they went to Peter Lincoln's quarters, and swore him in as President of the United States.

On May 23rd, Air Force One and two other special 747 jets flew Congress back to Washington, including the Speaker of the House. Their arrival at Andrews was televised, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court officially swore the former Speaker of the House, Peter Lincoln, in as the 52nd President of the United States. He was the first person to succeed the President who was not previously a Vice President. On the same day, the Governors of the various Republics formerly declared that they were rejoining the United States. For the most part, all military operations halted immediately at noon on May 24th.

President Powers' body was returned to the capital on May 25th. It remained in the Rotunda until Saturday, with only televised and internet viewing, when it was transported to an unknown grave. There was no public or private ceremony, as the Powers children (and their spouses) were under arrest in Boston.

Since Martial Law was technically still in effect, President Lincoln ordered the arrests of all presidential appointees of the Powers Administration, until the FBI could complete investigations and federal court proceedings could determine criminal charges. Lincoln extended this arrest order to include civilian nationalist organizations and others involved in the supposed terrorist bombings and atrocities against Americans, immigrants, and other people.

On July 12, 2038, the Department of Transportation announced that over 90% of all infrastructure projects had been finished over the last four years. These had employed almost 2.2 million individuals and generated over $725 billion to the economy. Unemployment was now at 26%. It was estimated that 12% of the population were refugees due to the war. Over half of the American citizens lived in poverty.

On July 26th, the United States signed a formal peace treaty with Canada and Mexico, and restored the NAFTA trading pact. Mexican trade resumed, with a stronger Mexican economy receiving almost five million Americans who immigrated there due to highly paying jobs. Other Americans were moving to Canada, United Kingdom, China, or Australia.

It took almost three months for the new Peter Lincoln Administration to nominate and obtain confirmations for its new Cabinet officers, other presidential appointments, and begin to reverse executive orders of the previous President. On July 1, 2038, Lincoln formerly ended Martial Law throughout the United States.

Four month later, the trials began, as documented in volume 28. Many were convicted of war crimes. Lincoln decided to commute all execution verdicts to life imprisonment without parole. The United States government paid benefits to civilians and military killed or injured in the second Civil War and by acts of the Powers Administration, whether in the United States or abroad.

It would take more than a decade to restore the respect for the United States.

### ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This book is written under a pseudonym. I used the first names of the three Presidents I most respect – George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Lyndon Johnson.

I am a citizen of the United States who was born in a southern state and grew up in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I went to West Point and graduated as an Army Officer, serving almost thirty years in active and reserve positions before retiring. I have worked in the business world for over 25 years in senior positions in a company that provides an essential service to the public. I served in Iraq, earning the Bronze Star for my service. I have always been active in my community and support numerous charities.

My heritage is German – Czech. My dad served in the military during Vietnam and was killed on active duty. My mom carried on and raised my brothers and sisters, all of whom went to college. My mom instilled in me that character is the most important factor in a person and in a relationship. West Point instilled on me their motto, Duty, Honor, Country.

I have been a life-long Democrat with independent leanings. But in my first election, I did vote for Nixon. I probably regret that one vote. I was torn between Carter and Reagan, and maybe my great bias against Navy made me vote for another Republican. So I do vote for Democrats and Republicans for President. I have always voted for the woman or man running who I think would serve our country or state or city better than the other person.

