American Meltdown: Book Two of The Economic Collapse Chronicles by Mark Goodwin Read Free Book Online Page B

international law continued to change the procedure used to grant loans and reduce the sovereignty of nations. Now, accepting loans from the IMF was tantamount to selling your soul to the devil. Klauser already had a list and Howe knew it. Klauser would have never initiated the call unless he knew the terms he was going to dictate to Howe.
    "First, you must cut your spending across the board by 50%. Your economy has collapsed and you will soon have no tax revenue whatsoever ," Klauser said.
    "So another 35% on top of the 15% cuts made last year?" Howe asked.
    "No!" Klauser shot back somewhat annoyed. "50% from current levels."
    The audacity of the IMF Director infuriated Howe. "There is no way I can cut military spending, social security, government payrolls, health care, and government assistance programs by 50% in one swipe, Stanley!"
    There was silence on Klauser’s end. Howe had just yelled at the only person who could help him and in front of his staff to boot.
    "Then descend into chaos, Mr. Howe and let the vultures lick up the scraps! Good day!" Klauser yelled as he hung up the phone.
    No one in the Oval Office said a word. Melinda Chang helped herself to a glass of brandy from the decanter on the shelf. No one noticed. Not even Howe, who would have usually sent a staff member home for drinking his brandy without it being offered to them. 
    Howe yelled at his staff , "Don't you people have something to do?"
    The room cleared in less than 15 seconds without anyone saying a word.

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 10
     
     
    “The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die."
    -George Washington
     
    Paul Randall called Texas Governor Larry Jacobs. "Larry, are you issuing a statement about martial law?"
    "I Informed the National Guard that federal troops or agencies were not to be allowed to take any action in the state," Larry said. "I drafted a letter to the White House telling them that Texas will not surrender semi-automatic firearms.  I also informed them that federal troops or agencies taking action to disarm Texan citizens would be arrested. If they resist arrest, they’ll be fired upon. The National Guard is coordinating with militia to set up perimeters on border roads leading in and out of Texas. I am placing a couple of Guardsmen with each militia group to relay my orders regarding the borders and action against federal troops. That will free up the Guardsmen to help secure civil unrest inside the state. I don't want militia getting involved in policing right now. Protecting our borders will keep them busy enough. I’m sure we’ll see quite a mess by evening.
    “This is going to be a battle on two fronts. We’ll have massive rioting and looting in our cities by sundown and we will be fighting to keep the US military from marching on our streets and enforcing this unconstitutional gun ban. I won’t have our citizens disarmed at the time they need their weapons the most."
    "Have you floated this by any other governors around the country to see if anyone else is with you?" Randall asked.
    Governor Jacobs said , "South Carolina Governor Hayden Nicholas is sending an almost identical letter to D.C.  Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are coordinating their own styling, but the three of them will be sending one letter that represents the intention of all three. It is being termed the Northwest Coalition. They have invited North and South Dakota to join.  eastern Washington and eastern Oregon have filed for an emergency partition vote to separate from the western halves of their two states. They are threatening violence if the partition is not granted.  The liberals on the west coast have fought the partition for years, but they may be willing to grant it now. The irreconcilable differences are a bit more