Opening the Floodgates by msboy8

Codes:
Fantasy

This story is a work of fiction, and friction, any resemblance to living, dead, or undead people is merely a coincidence. This story may not be used for wrapping fish or any other commercial endeavor without the author's expressed permission.

Originally published in Pleasures from the Pen

Edited by doppleganger. All mistakes are mine and not his.

This is another story in the 'What If' series. Many stories these days are based on 'What if', and rightly so. Just because the story is not in this series doe not mean that the authors are not asking themselves 'What If'. These stories will be on a grand scale, involving counties, worlds or the natural order of things.

Opening the Floodgates

Maybe it was the wars. Maybe it was the once robust economy hitting the skids. Whatever it was, the American people wanted a change in their fortunes. Thus it was that Hilary Cliton became the first woman President of the United States and Congress was flooded with Democratic Senators and Representatives.

Many 'special' bills to take care of the social injustices perpetrated on the 'innocent' huddled masses were passed and signed into law. National Healthcare, REAL Social Security, and many other expensive, but necessary, programs were fully funded. The Tax-and-Spend Liberals were in charge. Even before a full year of her first term had passed, the country was in trouble. Inflation was sky-rocketing, the wars were in a hopeless quagmire and nobody was really happy. The President called upon her political advisors for a plan to help turn the unfortunate tide.

The President was working late when a knock sounded on the door to the Oval Office. Normally people had to go through one of the Presidential Personal Assistants to get an appointment, and then be routed through various offices and functionaries to ensure that the President's time was not wasted. But Hilary was in trouble and she wanted ANY solution, NOW.

- - - - -

A nervous low-level aide was admitted by one of the on-duty Secret Service agents. He stood in front of the ornate desk shifting from foot to foot. Hilary noticed his nervous presence and said "What?" He mumbled something and she raised her steely gaze to his. "Why are you here? Do you have any ideas that can save my presidency? If so, speak-up; I probably won't bite your head off." The smile she affixed to her face didn't inspire confidence, but he knew that it was time to put-up or shut-up.

The aide uttered one word in a clear and forceful voice, "Legalize".

"Legalize? One word; that will solve all my problems? That will cure all the nation's ills? Don't mess with me boy!"

The young aide continued on with a confidence he didn't really feel. "Legalize Ms. President. Start with drugs. You'll take the power from the narcotics traffickers. They will never be able to match the prices the government can set once drugs are legal. That will be the end of power for the Taliban in Afghanistan; the opium growers will become suppliers to the US Government and will not support the Taliban. If any opium grower does, you can just freeze him out. With cocaine legalized, he will have no other place to sell his opium. You'll be able to tax the, now legal, product. Instead of drugs being a major drain on the economy, it will help support it."

"If you legalize prostitution and gambling as well, you will eliminate most of the organized crime in the country. Less crime means less money having to go for Law Enforcement. The prisons will start to empty, less illegal things, less crime. How much money is going to stop the activities that will be made legal? The answer is a staggering amount.

Also, you could change the legal age of consent to sixteen, expanding the tax base. Of course being a President that's for-the-people, some of the taxes received would go for programs and clinics to help with drug-addictions, unwanted pregnancies, etc. You know as well as I do that the people need to have a government that will take care of them. Individuals, for the most part, are unable to live orderly, safe lives without assistance."

The President assumed a thoughtful pose and muttered to herself. "It could work and I'll be the most popular President ever. I'll be the force for change in this country, perhaps the world!" Thus was born a new America.

© msboy8 2007

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