Speaker Fultz ran the party with an iron fist, carrying out Stein’s vision and keeping members in line with the FP agenda. The FP was not for sale, and Fultz ensured its members stayed honest or they were out. George was 6’4”, muscular, and possessed a commanding presence when he walked into a room. As a young officer he had served in the second Iraq War just as President Stein, so they had that shared experience in common.
“Well, I do not believe we need to raise taxes; we just need to establish a process that effectively collects the taxes due. That is what this new code will accomplish. The average person and corporation will pay less in taxes, but the government will bring in substantially more income, simply by ensuring corporations are not using an overly complicated process to cheat the system.”
“If you all will grab the blue folder; we will move towards the jobs program. Monty, please walk us through this next initiative,” said the President, nodding towards Monty.
“Certainly. Moving towards the jobs program…we have a large workforce that is currently unemployed, we are going to start putting them to work. We have bridges that need to be repaired, we have an energy infrastructure that needs to be upgraded, and we have roads and schools that need to be serviced. We are also going to begin immediate work on establishing high-speed rail throughout the country. So, taking a page out of FDR’s playbook, we are going to start government work gangs to put people back to work.”
“There will be a government bid for one hundred American companies to manage these projects; the pay for these contractors will be set in line with the government pay grade system of WS-7s, WS-9s, WS-12s, and WS-13s. Let me also emphasize these are not government positions; these are contractor positions with pay that is equivalent to those government pay bands. The President envisions this work plan having a ten-year shelf life, with positions gradually being eliminated as the program heads towards the ten-year mark and the projects are completed. The number of people employed will surge through the first six years with close to twenty two million people, and then decline during the final four years until it ends at the end of the tenth year,” Monty said as he guided the group towards the next section of the program.
The President interjected briefly to say, “While attending Oxford, I studied Program Management. This work program is going to be the largest major program ever conceived and executed in our country’s history, and perhaps the world. Because of the scope and size of this program (along with the price tag of $2.6 Trillion dollars), I have spoken with the director of the Oxford Center for Major Programme Management Studies, and they have agreed to assist in the management of this program. I am confident that bringing in an outside and world-renowned group to head up this project, we will see tremendous success. Sorry for the interruption; please continue Monty.”
“Yes, Mr. President. If the infrastructure projects are not completed and the program needs to go beyond the ten years, then it will have to be approved by the Congress and the President. This is not meant to be a new long-term government program or entitlement program; this is designed purely to put people to work on necessary infrastructure upgrades.” Monty paused for a moment to take a drink of his coffee before he continued.
“Make no mistake, people in this program will work and work hard. The Army Corp of Engineers, along with the Oxford Group, will manage the overall program for the government. This program will help give people a reason to wake up in the morning and will be the first step in rebuilding this country and putting people back to work. As things begin to improve, more and more people will leave this work program to go to work for other businesses. The program will be paid for by shifting monies from personnel currently employed at the IRS and other government departments as we continue to trim the government down to become more efficient and lean. The American First Corporation’s profits will also be incorporated into paying for this public works program. Before anyone asks me about that last part, we will discuss it shortly.”
Monty paused long enough to look at the President, and then continued. “Until such time as the long-term overarching goal of having people employed by the private sector can be realized, we need to do something to help stimulate the economy and put people to work.”
The President interjected at this point and said, “I refuse to pay people welfare and not have them work; people will be fed and taken care of, but they will work for it. Our nation has unfortunately created a nanny state where people believe the government has all the answers and will take care of everyone. This ideology has been implemented and tested for the last 70 years and it has failed. Particularly the last 40 years…people do not know how to do basic tasks such as balance a budget, plan a meal or work a 40-hour work week. 25 % of the country can no longer support the other 75 % — nor will it under my watch. Under this plan, there will be jobs for people to be able to work (both through the public works program and through America First Corporation), and unless they are physically or mentally unable to do so, they will.” Senator Landrew cleared her throat, a little too loudly. “Excuse me, Mr. President, but it seems to me that you will be taking people in the welfare system and throwing them out onto the streets. I mean, seriously — giving them one hundred and twenty days to transition? How can you do that?”
The President knew Landrew would be difficult and could throw a lot of hurdles to hold up his reforms, but he also knew that she had concerns similar to his that she wanted to address. Because of this, he knew they could find common ground and work within those areas, giving her something her branch of the party wanted in exchange for something he needed.
The President had prepared for this response. “If you will go through to page 23 of the packet in front of you, you will notice that we will provide something which should have been nationalized a long time ago — education on basic job and life skills. People leaving the government subsidy system will know how to balance a check book, create a budget, plan a family menu that is not dependent on fast food, go to interviews, write resumes and perform the functions of being an employee with the basic consideration that most supervisors would consider to be a minimum standard of efficiency. People will not just be thrown into a different way of life without being taught the necessary skills to survive in the world. There will also be ample job opportunities for them through this new jobs training and work program.”
Ms. Landrew interjected, “—but Sir, can you really expect a few months of education to change a lifetime of being under a broken system that has created entire generations who have never worked?”
The President paused for a minute before responding, collecting his thoughts. “I am sure there will still be some problems with those who have been under the welfare system for multiple generations, and I do anticipate some violence in the beginning from those who feel they are entitled to a free lunch. However, it is time for people to wake up. There is no money for the country to keep paying those who are capable of working but choose not to do so. That said, we need to foster an environment where they can find work, and that is what we are intending to create through the new tax code and the America First Corporation.”