Political Pies is free

I first published Political Pies, my collection of short stories with a political theme, in the early fall of 2012.  Besides hoping that people would buy it and I’d make some money off of it, is the hope that my stories would spark an idea and readers would reexamine some of their political beliefs.  Therefore, it made sense to get copies to as many people as possible.  Which is why since then I try to have it free to download on elections and the Fourth of July.  I think sometimes I forget, but I try to have my free promotions linked to some political/national event.  Which is a long winded way to say that to mark the Inauguration tomorrow, you can now download the Kindle version of Political Pies through Sunday.  So if you haven’t already, grab your free copy now.

An energy question

Let’s suppose there are only two energy sources.  We’ll call them Energy Source A and Energy Source B.  Pound for pound – if that makes any sense since these two are very different – you can get ten times as much energy from A than B.  A lot of people would then say, “We should use Energy Source A then,” without looking any further into the matter.

But those who do look further note a few things.  A vital component of Energy Source A – the fuel, a special metal needed for the power plant, something – is located at random areas around the globe.  This means that if your country didn’t win the geography lottery and has this vital component, you have to import it.  Meaning that foreign elements could disrupt your supply of it.  Also, some countries may go to war to secure a supply of it, only to disrupt the global trading of it.  On the other hand, you could set up an Energy Source B power plant pretty much anywhere.  Does the added cost of securing the supply of the vital component of Energy Source A diminish its superiority?

Also, the normal size of an Energy Source A power plant supplies enough power for an entire city.  You could build a massive Energy Source B power plant to supply power to a city, but you could also build smaller plants that supplies power to a suburb, or a handful of neighborhoods in the city.  Some people would say that Energy Source A is clearly better because you can supply more people with more power from one plant.  But what if something goes wrong, such as a mechanical failure or even a terrorist attack?  If it happens to the A power plant, you knock out power to an entire city.  But if it happened at a B power plant, you just knock out power to a few neighborhoods. 

Given these scenarios, is Energy Source A still better than B?

The problem with banning flag burning

I first wrote this story back in 2006.  I revised it for my collection of politically themed short stories Political Pies in 2012.  And now, thanks to Trump, it’s relevant again.

“Star-Spangled Ploy”

Slamming his fist on his podium, Senator Conant exclaimed, “And that is why I voted for a Constitutional Amendment to ban flag burning.”

This was met with uneven applause from the packed auditorium. 

“Thank you, Senator Conant.” The Moderator then turned her head slightly towards the Senator’s opponent.  “Mister Drake, same question.”

Drake smiled.  “I agree with the Senator that it is a shame,” his hand slapped his podium, “that we can’t send our kids outside without a burning flag being crammed down their throats.  I believe ….” He pointed at the audience, then brought his finger to his lips and tapped it a few times.  “I believe I’ve never actually seen a flag being burnt, other than on TV when foreigners – outside US jurisdiction – were protesting America.  Have you, Senator?” Without waiting for an answer, he looked to the audience.  “Has anyone here?” After a slight pause he asked, “Yet how many of you are struggling with obscenely high energy bills?” Drake raised his hand, which was joined by scores more.

Drake took a deep breath.  “For those of you pained by the thought of a flag being burned, I understand and respect your sentiment.  But amending the Constitution to ban flag burning is not the solution.  If anything, it will make matters worse.”

Holding his hand out, as if to silence any remarks, Drake said, “Let me explain.  A few flags are burned each year in this country in protest.  I repeat, a few.  Very few.  I don’t have the exact number, but I would bet it is less than a hundred.  Now, if this amendment passed, a date will have to be set for when the law takes effect, say January 1st.  Do you know what would happen on December 31st?  Thousands, tens of thousands of Americans would gather in Washington, D.C. and in cities large and small across the nation.  And just before the stroke of midnight, they would light thousands upon thousands of flags on fire.  Your options are to either know that a hundred flags are burned each year, or watch as thousands are burned before your eyes.  And it would not end once January 1st came.  People will take pieces of cardboard, draw a flag on it, and burn that.  Unless the ban is Draconian in its description of what constitutes an American flag, such an act would be perfectly legal.  And I suspect that people will line up before the White House, and the Supreme Court, and in thousands of other places and burn these cardboard flags day after day after day until the Amendment is repealed.” Drake shrugged.  “The simple truth, a Constitutional Amendment banning flag burning will only result in hundreds of thousands of flags and flag-like objects being burned.  Period.  That’s the only thing that will happen.”

Drake jabbed his podium with his finger.  “Now, of all the problems facing America today, flag burning is number 3,714.  Call me crazy, but I think the first 3,713 problems are far more important.  Problems such as: Social Security, health care, national security, education, immigration, gas prices, crime, incompetent leadership, the deficit, the environment, unemployment, racial tensions, rogue nations, poverty, decaying infrastructure, bigotry, foreign and domestic terrorism, drug abuse, invasions of privacy … I could go on and on.

“You may ask, given all these problems, why is flag burning such a big issue?  Well, I have a theory.  I believe flag burning is a ploy being used by certain elected officials to mask the fact that they,” Drake looked directly at Conant, “have accomplished nothing.” Drake pointed at a random audience member, “Nothing for you.” Pointing at more people he continued, “Or you, or you, or your child who can’t afford to go to college, or your grandfather who has to go to Canada to get his medication, or your wife whose job was outsourced, or all of us when we pay an arm and a leg at the gas pump.”

Pounding his fist on his podium, Drake raised his voice, “We have wasted enough time on this diversion.  Let’s get back to the real problems of America: yours!”

The auditorium shook from the applause.