Hope for the Future

After the Greater World Depression of 2025-2029, it was obvious policies and laws had to change. The self-absorbed “leader” of the US with an insatiable thirst for power and rage revenge was overthrown by the military junta. The militia were following all the tenets of the US Constitution which they were sworn to uphold. When 47 spoke of ways he could become “president for life,” a bipartisan tribunal was formed to address the situation and wrest control back from the tyrant and his cronies. A Third Constitutional Convention was convened to manage the crisis.

The Supreme Court’s interpretation of this move determined that it was in the best interest of the Republic; America’s Constitution was created because the colonists didn’t want a king. The first event of business was to restore democracy directly back to the people. Part of this plan was to enact compulsory voting for every citizen of the age 18 and over. The election couldn’t be declared until 100% of the eligible vote was counted.

“How many do we have, William?” Christine asked the tribunal leader. “Is there enough to call it?”

William Garrison pondered the results and saw a tiny setback. “We have 99.999%. Florida isn’t let the population of their prison system vote.”

“How many people could that be?”

“Believe it or not, but that .001% amounts to about 350,000 people. That’s why it’s so important for everyone to vote. In the 20s, many people didn’t vote because they thought their vote didn’t count.” He paused for moment. “They were terribly wrong.”

Christine Quiya, second in command in the tribunal. “I’m on it.” With the military on their side, they scrutinized the sanctity of the election process to ensure that there were no more established parties as the Founding Fathers originally intended. They also found an easier method to determine winners of the presidential election. The person with the most votes became president, and the second most became vice president. It was the fairest system they could put together.

“Christine, let me know when you get the prisoners’ ballots,” William said. “We can call it after that.”

Requiring everyone to vote made the choices and will of the people clear. For example, prisoners, once released, needed a say in how their lives and rehabilitation were managed. The next step was repairing the damage left behind after a vacuum of leadership, and the list of blunders seemed endless. Millions of people were displaced, murdered, or simply went missing. Civil rights were abandoned. The infrastructure was deteriorating. The atmosphere of the country was a combination of 1984 and A Handmaid’s Tale until the people revolted.

After the central government was peeled apart by an unqualified and narcissistic business owner, the bare bones of the federal establishment could be reconstituted in the next administration using fresh eyes and addressing the glaring lack of foresight and innovation. Pieces could be put back together in ways that benefitted all citizens and pushed the country forward into the future.

~

It was a bright summer day in 2040. The mistakes of the 20s were almost completely reversed, restoring intelligence and dignity to the country’s leadership. The return to “the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness” had fomented a culture of peace and prosperity.

Although Christine had been retired for a while, she volunteered at local schools and libraries tutoring students in reading and writing. After serving on the tribunal, she realized how important each person’s contribution was to the fabric of society. The rise in volunteer service, accountable charities, and endowments had brought about such positive change, allowing the US to once again become a beacon of hope.

Christine noticed that people displayed more empathy today than before. In the 20s, empathy was described as a weakness. She often wondered if the fact that 85% of Congress was female could be why compassion and humanitarianism became widespread. She couldn’t identify any single cause, but she knew the younger generation finally saw opportunity, felt hope, and looked forward to a future full of choices and freedom.

~

“Mr. President, have you considered our idea about allowing indigenous people dual citizenship?” cabinet member Sarah Usde asked. As a member of the Cherokee Nation, she represented the interest of the natives. “They’ve asked to be considered citizens and not just domestic dependent nations. They feel as if their voices are never heard in the land their ancestors once held.”

President Buttigieg nodded. “I’ve considered the ramifications of the entire issue, and I feel their request should be granted. They can retain both their tribal positions in their territories and citizenship in the greater land that houses the reservations. However, we need to hammer out how taxes and military opportunities will manifest. There are so many details involved with this arrangement. It’s not an annexation or a merger; it’s something unique.”

“Thank you, Mr. President,” Sarah replied. “They will be deeply grateful to hear this.”

William Garrison spoke up. “I can begin researching and drafting that document, Sir.”

The President smiled. “Thanks, Bill. You’ve been instrumental in the rebirth of this country.”

President Pete Buttigieg had installed his cabinet when he was first elected in 2036. He required each of his cabinet members to be an expert in his or her field, and every ambassador and envoy had to have thorough knowledge of the countries they wished to represent. Every position was filled with intelligent, respectful people, none of whom had felonies. The 28th Amendment, passed in 2030, guaranteed no one person shall be president for more than 8 years, and no government leader can have a felony on their record; a felony committed during an administration required immediate removal. This helped increase the integrity of the government and reassured its citizens.

One key piece of the Buttigieg administration was that only marginalized people should hold leadership positions, down to county and township involvement, for at least two administrations. He felt this would help reverse some of the injustices of the past. At first some groups felt this itself was discrimination, but then Buttigieg reminded them that DEI had been outlawed, ironically, by 47 himself. In turn, this actually made DEI unnecessary as diverse representation changed how citizens viewed one another – as equals. There was no more need to “force” people to recognize the value in others around them.

Those who were kept down were lifted up; those who were unhoused found group homes with free education and training. Those who needed help, received help and chose to repay through community service. This allowed the US population to grow stronger and become better workers and thus turning the wheels of industry in the right direction. The employment rate was 98.7%, the highest it had ever been. Even many of those with disabilities became gainfully employed, contributing to the overall increase in personal dignity as well as GDP. It took several years, but the damage inflicted by 47 was slowly being repaired. Tiered taxes from the ultra-wealthy and mega-corporations provided the needed funding for these transitions.

The President was holding a cabinet meeting. “Mr. President,” Nadia Velasquez commented, “Your approval rating is the highest it’s ever been. Prosperity is at an all-time high, and we have the trust and backing of the democratic countries around the world.” Nadia was Secretary of Health and Human Services. Cabinets were re-established as the same ones that existed under the Obama Administration.

President Buttigieg replied, “Thank you, Nadia. We still have a lot of ground to cover to restore this country back to its former glory and yet remain humble in the understanding that other parts of the world still need our help.”

The US had become a pleasant place to live. The stress that citizens had been living under had melted away once Project 2025 was declared unconstitutional, and those behind it were prosecuted. Project 2025 sought to divide the nation and dictate and normalize which people retained power over others. Now bigotry, racism, and sexism were slowly being banished. This had a domino effect on other countries, ushering in an age of intelligence, pride, and novel and collaborative solutions to problems.

The national park system began to flourish like Mt. St. Helens did after it erupted in 1980. Animals on the brink of extinction started to repopulate without requiring genetic modification as the failed dire wolf experiment in 2025 revealed. Most amazingly, the climate became more temperate, which then reduced the number of natural disasters across the country from wildfires to hurricanes. Glaciers stopped melting, seismic activity was greatly reduced, and the rivers and air were no longer polluted.

Solar and nuclear power made the country energy independent. Because of this, relations with countries in the Mideast improved greatly because the US was no longer beholden to the Saudi family’s whims on the price of crude. Cars, engines, and machinery that once guzzled oil were designed to use less energy, created by engineers who had college paid for by the government.

Another move that President Buttigieg instituted was hiring ethical hackers to find data leaks and the origins of scammers. The hackers found a nest of various networks in Russia and China, and one smaller one in the Philippines. Interpol stepped in intercepting the operation and returning millions of dollars to the victims of the scamming. Around the Capitol, the hackers identified weak spots and ineffective hardware and suggested ways to fix them. Data became private again.

The fortification of the nation’s digital centers and sensitive infrastructure rebuilt the country’s communication pathways. Newer satellites were smaller and more efficient making the internet and other connections lightning fast. The pace of business transactions became effortless, and everyone now had free access to the internet and the information it provided.

Christine enjoyed living in a country that respected humans as humans. She noticed a great reduction in crime rates as poverty was nearly eliminated. This felt like a utopia where everyone had access to healthcare, people were free, and respect was a rule of law. People chose to be nice to one another; it didn’t have to be forced. She no longer felt pangs of fear and dread when she read the news.

However, those who formerly held power were gnashing their teeth as their billions were reduced to mere millions. All those poor millionaires in their mansions, still fighting tiered taxes. These mostly older white males felt powerless as they watched the “poor people” become productive members of society. These oligarchs filed grievances and lawsuits stating their constitutional rights were being denied. They hoped perhaps some of the judges they bought would overturn some rulings in their favor.

One such oligarch named Ashmore Worthington tried to rally his friends. “Don’t you see? We’ve been knocked down to this horrible level of poverty. I couldn’t even afford another yacht this year. I’m down to five. It’s ridiculous.” He’d invited colleagues over for another bitch fest. “First Husband. What a farce.”

“I had to let one of my servants go. She wanted to go to college, she said,” Johnson Dullard said, mocking her. “College. Can you imagine? What would she do with a college degree? I swear it’s gotten out of hand.”

At the end of the table Harry Losero spoke up. “My family’s legacy has dwindled down to $680 million. I agree that all this nonsense is preposterous.” He sipped his bourbon, and mused, “Once the cure for cancer was developed, my stocks for the other medicines that didn’t work immediately dropped. Since that cancer medicine was government-subsidized and made free to all, I lost a small fortune.”

The men angrily typed on their laptops for the next hour, scribbled on notepads, and called in favors from friends they’d helped over the years. An empty bottle of bourbon lay on the table. They were insistent that something should be done. They detested Buttigieg for everything he represented, and their anger grew more fervent.

Johnson said, “Maybe…”

The other two men paused and looked up at him. Ashmore said, “Maybe what?”

“Maybe we should have invested more prudently, perhaps taking better care of human resources, reinvesting capital. Maybe-”

Ashmore got up and escorted Johnson to the door. “I can’t believe you’re suggesting that we did something wrong. Good-bye. You’re no longer one of us.”

The two men continued to plot, to analyze, to find a loophole somewhere. Papers were scattered all over the table. A smile slowly erupted on Ashmore’s face. Looking at his phone, he said, “I have one more ace up my sleeve.” He began to dial an international call.