Molon Labe! (78 page)

The Oval Office

December 2020

Think of it this way, Mr. President. Wyoming is only asking for what the 13 original states enjoyed two hundred years ago
was the Wyoming Secretary of State's opening comment to Melvin Connor and his cabinet heads.

After a series of extremely discreet and often rancorous talks with the Preston administration, President Connor bitterly allowed Wyoming to pursue a Taiwanesque course of muted
de facto
secession. The terms are not to be publicized, but it's easy enough to "connect the dots."

Its Army and Air National Guards will be transferred to full state control. Warren AFB and Camp Guernsey are to be phased out within two years, as well as the Naval Petroleum Reserve Number 3 at Teapot Dome. All BLM and National Forest land will be transferred to Wyoming. Yellowstone and Devil's Tower will remain National Parks, though to be removed from the UN's World Antiquities Heritage jurisdiction.

All federal warrants for Wyoming persons, including Governor Preston and his staff, are vacated. All federal law enforcement field offices in Wyoming will be closed, leaving only an FBI liaison presence in Cheyenne. Wyoming agrees to assist the Government only in interstate criminal matters of violence, theft, or fraud.

Travel in and out of Wyoming will not be hindered. International flights will be allowed directly to the new large airport being constructed just northeast of Casper, though passengers must still go through US Customs and Immigration. (It was that, or force the Government to place checkpoints outside all Wyoming border crossings.)

Wyoming will remain in the Union, although under a strict "hands off" policy. Her internal affairs, including oil and gas drilling, mining, manufacturing, education, individual rights, banking, and system of government, will not be interfered with. Hemp crops, firearms, ammunition, R-12 Freon, and the like are not to be sold out of state, though enforcement of this provision seemed nearly impossible given the open borders. The feds will likely have to heavily patrol the six contiguous states for Wyoming contraband.

Not that Connor believes Wyoming's independent course could continue for more than a year, since the nukes would surely be found by then. But, as his single term under the 22nd Amendment will end on 20 January 2021, that is his successor's problem who was stupefied when informed of the Wyoming accords. His first emotional inclination was to publicly disavow them in January and occupy Wyoming, but the threat of three 300kT nuclear warheads current address unknown made him "see the light."

Better that than to "feel the heat" of 1,000,000° Centigrade.

Pretty soon I'll no longer be the "First Prisoner,"
Connor muses.

Montana and Idaho are beginning to clamor for the same deal that Wyoming got, causing Connor to wonder if all three states each got a nuke.
What a mess! Not even a Republican president deserves this!

Governor Preston did not negotiate directly with Connor's staff, but sent a note after the stormy talks finally concluded with a signed agreement. It contained only a quote. The words were nearly 219 years old, spoken by Thomas Jefferson during his first inaugural address to calm Federalist New England horrified by Jefferson's election which agitated to secede from the Union. Connor inexplicably finds himself rereading the quote almost daily.

"If there be any among us who wish to dissolve the Union or to change its republican form, let them stand undisturbed, as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it."

President Melvin Connor refolds the heavy bond paper and pockets the furry edged note. He looks again at his desktop calender. January 20th is just six weeks away.
This job is way overrated!
, he concludes.

No president ever more anxiously awaited his retirement.

___________

1
   CONtinental US

2
   Direct Action, a Special Forces mission involving a short, intense raid to seize, capture, recover, or destroy specific hostile personnel, equipment, or facilities.

3
   Operation Security

4
   Forward Operating Base

5
   Operational Detachment Alphas (previously called "A Teams") are highly trained and versatile 12 man SF teams led by a captain.

6
   Operational Detachment Bravo, an SF Company HQ unit controlling multiple ODAs in the field.

7
   Army National Guards

8
   Maneuverable Re entry Vehicles, which can be, unlike mere MIRVs, steered to penetrate ABM defenses during a second strike retaliatory role.

2021

Wyoming life

2021

The discomfort of regulatory pressure, like back pain, is never fully realized until it is relieved. With nearly all federal restrictions deactivated, the subcurrent of government-induced stress evaporates, causing business and social life to burst with vitality. People are free to live their lives without fear, and it is a heady experience — one not felt for over a hundred years.

Montana, Idaho, and South Dakota begin to institute Prestonesque reforms. They have to, or else lose their best people to Wyoming. Colorado, Utah, and Arizona are also feeling similar pressure. The libertarian ripples from the Wyoming stone are affecting the entire American West. Time will tell if a Western stone will send ripples across the American pond.

Sheridan, Wyoming

Summer 2021

Inside, the café is jammed with people so Kristi Ryan steps outdoors to the wood-decked patio. Being a sunny day, it is crowded also, but she searches for an empty chair. Having lived in Europe for many years, Kristi likes the continental fashion of sitting with strangers when space is tight.

She spots a two-top table with a man sitting alone sipping coffee and casually reading the paper. There's no place setting opposite him. He's well-dressed in a tan blazer and navy blue Oxford shirt. No wedding ring, but he doesn't appear to be sizing up skirts as a womanizer would do.

She walks up and says, "Excuse me, but would you mind if I shared your table? It's awfully crowded this time of day."

He looks up pleasantly, smiles and kindly waves his hand at the empty chair. "Not at all, Miss. Please do."

He actually rises from his chair as she sits down.

"I hope I'm not interrupting your reading," she ventures.

"No, of course not. I'm glad for the company."

She smiles, relaxing. After she orders they make small talk for a while. He is an engineering consultant; she manages a retail clothing store. As they chat she finds herself liking him. He hasn't made a move on her, and he doesn't stare down her blouse. Seems to have some class. Matthew Walling has an easy way about him, and she really likes his deep chuckle.

Her espresso arrives and she takes a luxuriously long sip.

"
Mmmmm
. They don't make it this good in Montana."

"Montana?"

"Yeah, I just drove back from visiting my sister in Billings."

"Oh, she lives there?"

A dark mood shadows her lovely face. "Well, sort of."

Seeing his questioning look of concern, the dam breaks. "Lisa was arrested three months ago on federal charges of money laundering because she only accepted cash at her home business. She just got convicted last week. Her trial was a sham! Five years for refusing to have a bank account and give up her privacy! And she's the widowed mom of a two-year old."

Walling frowns. "What a raw deal! And how was it the
government's
business if she took cash instead of checks? The feds are so paranoid."

Kristi smiles. It's always refreshing to meet a stranger who understands, though this is becoming quite common. "Paranoid is right! You should have seen the federal judge. You'd have thought he was working for the prosecutor! I heard later that defense attorneys call him 'The Aussie.' None of my sister's motions or objections were allowed."

"'The Aussie?'"

"Yeah, for his kangaroo court. The DEA and FBI and ATF love him."

He nods his head, but his eyes begin to glaze over.

Oh, damn, now I've gone and bored him!

Just when she is about to really berate herself, he says, "This was in Federal District Court in Billings?"

"That's right," she says, relieved.

"What was the judge's name?"

"Mott. Judge Clarence P. Mott."

She catches the faintest of smirks on his face. "Why, do you
know
him? Are you from Billings?"

"Nope, never heard of him. And I'm not from Billings, either. Actually, I just moved to Wyoming. I'm still getting used to no license plates on cars out here, and how everybody wears a pistol. What a marvelous state!"

"Oh, you just moved here? From where?" she asks, genuinely interested. Such a nice man, and so handsome, too. He has a calm authority about him. He makes her feel safe. She would like to know him better.

"From the east coast. A place called Durants Neck. North Carolina."

"Then welcome to Wyoming, Matthew. I hope you like it here."

"Thanks, Kristi," he says, smiling. "I think I already do."

The End

WYOMING
REPORT

November 2002

INTRODUCTION

This Wyoming Report is the result of a leisurely five year feasibility study beginning in August 1997. Its purpose was threefold:

1)   To bring into sharper focus the concept before us.

2)   To identify any states which could serve such a concept.

3)   To recommend the most suitable state for implementation.

This we have done. First, some background material.

DIAGNOSIS

Where liberty dwells, there be my country.

— Benjamin Franklin

'Tis the same to him who wears a shoe, as if the whole earth were covered with leather.

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

The above two quotations hint sufficiently at the gist.

After authoring
Hologram of Liberty — The Constitution's Shocking Alliance with Big Government
, Kenneth W. Royce came to ten conclusions regarding the predicament of Liberty:

1)   At least 50% of Americans do not
want
to live free and responsible lives, and will resist any political attempts to be made responsible.

2)   Our political masters fully understand and encourage this, as it constitutes a powerful vested interest for both ruler and ruled.

3)   Even if ⊇ and ⊄ were not true, America is experiencing an accelerated philosophical, political, religious, and racial polarization. This was amply evidenced by the 2000 Elections.

4)   
"There's small choice in rotten apples."
— Shakespeare The two-party system was designed, and is maintained, to prevent the emergence of any victorious 3rd party. Only billionaire candidates (
e.g.,
Perot, DuPont) have the horsepower to reach the general public.

5)   America has become (at least) two
de facto
separate countries, and she is now much too populous and diverse to govern as one nation. Many Americans are beginning to publicly discuss the likely (though desperate and vaguely distasteful) solution of secession.

6)   Translation of the above: Libertarians cannot possibly retake the entire USA through a political/philosophical renaissance. Even if the contrived 3rd party obstacles were removed, no majority of voters will slough off their socialist/fascist proclivities, even if all of them were required to read
Atlas Shrugged
.

7)   Conclusion: While Libertarians cannot retake their country, it
is
possible that they can "liberate" several counties, or even an entire state
if
they will geographically concentrate themselves under the mutual goal of a political
reconquista
.

8)   There are many examples of a certain class of people descending upon an area (usually a city) resulting in their substantial control of that area's moral tenor and social climate. Some examples: