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Saturday

America 2.0 Chapter 15

They called themselves the Army of Progress. They demanded that all the old government programs be brought back like, immediately. Things like welfare and food stamps and lots of government jobs.

They demanded that things like going to the doctor, school and money were human rights and the government had to give this stuff to everyone free of charge. And the government needed to force people to share with those who had less or nothing.

Most of all, they wanted the military to go away and turn the control of the government over to the people.

They felt that the military had ruined the reputation of the United States with the rest of the world and they were the cause of misery here and around the world.

Finally, they said the Army of Progress would fight with force and violence until they got what they wanted.

The fight in New York was the beginning and anyone who did not stand with them was an enemy of the people and would suffer the consequences.



This Army of Progress sounds like a bunch of crybabies.

First up, why should my family have to share our mobile home with anyone else? We lost our house and my mom and dad work their tails off every week to pay for our house on wheels!

They say they want the school system to be like it used to be. Who are they? My old school, before The Reboot (that's what we call the big mess) had a bunch of fat old hags for teachers. All they did was complain about how little money they made and they were just glorified babysitters.

I like my new school. My new math teacher used to be an engineer. My Spanish teacher worked in Mexico for an oil company. My English teacher used to write books. My chemistry teacher did not even finish college! She worked for a makeup company and used to be a professional chef. I have learned more real stuff than I ever learned from my old "professional" teachers.

My parents pay the teachers now and if I don't learn they don't get paid. And if I don't go to school or act up in class, the teachers can fire me and kick me out of the school. And if my parents don't participate, the school can kick me and my brother out.


They want free doctors? My mom says we pay less to see the doctor than we did before the Reboot and we don't even have insurance. I went to the dentist the other day and it cost 3 NuBux for a cleaning. Who can't afford that? A bum that's who.

My parents say that since the doctors and dentists are not paid by the government or insurance, they now have to charge what their patients can pay. Nobody can afford twenty thousand dollars for simple operation so the doctor charges less. Also, we only go to the doctor when we need to because we pay for it ourselves.


Finally, who cares what the rest of the world thinks about us? I am in high school and these Progress people sound more insecure about popularity than kids I know.



Yesterday, when the shooting happened in New York, there was this big fat guy in a baseball cap getting everyone riled up.

Dad said that fat guy used to be famous and since the Reboot, nobody really listens to him anymore. Now he is just a mean old fat guy I guess. Funny how he got everyone mad but when the shooting started, he ran away and let other people get shot. What a loser.

The Army came on TV the next day and said that some people were killed in New York and some got wounded. They caught one of the shooters. He was this nerdy guy who used to work for the government in some department which got closed. Guess he was pretty sore about it.


Either way, my dad says we probably won't see any of those Progress Army people down where we live. But he said they will probably make a mess in some of the big cities up East. Who knows?

31 comments:

  1. I like your story but I don't think it is over yet.

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  2. Not hardly. Lots more to come

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  3. Sure sounds like a possible future to me. Funny that its actually kinda positive in some ways....
    I loved the "I have a gun to so what?" at the checkpoint. IF I thought most gov agents would say "keep yours holstered and I will do the same" I would be more willing to let them know.

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  4. Is there another chapter anywhere?
    Good story to :).

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  5. Sara,

    It's coming. Mike, Chuck and Curtis were more demanding than our good friends the Andersons and got my attention for now. But Sophie is still my favorite and will be making her presence known soon.

    Thanks for reading and your kind comments,

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  6. What a great story and style of telling it. Thank you.

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  7. I just sat and read the whole story at once. It's AMAZING! I love it! I am so sick and tired of econ. collapse or PAW stories where the protagonist is the lovechild of Bruce Wayne and Rambo.

    This story is exactly what I was looking for! I cannot wait until the next chapter.

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    1. Cassandra,

      Thank you for reading. Please check out my new story, The Burnout, for something similar.

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  8. Read thru all of your stories during the last day. Really enjoy your style of writing. Keep up the good work.

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  9. Another good story. Glad to hear that you've got updates planned for this one. Thanks.

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  10. Thanks for this story, read it on recommendation while awaiting further chapters of the burn out. YOu have talent! Good job!

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  11. Hi! Really enjoying your stories, although I hope you finish them...

    One comment/question I have for you is this - your new world is a tax free libertarian haven, a user-pay society where there are no taxes and people have to pay immediately for the things and services they want, right? Well, who exactly is paying for and funding the massive military and police presence that is keeping order? Soldiers and cops gotta get paid too, don't they?

    Aside from that question mark, I am really enjoying your work - keep it up!

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    1. Anon,

      Actually, I mentioned taxation in the chapter describing
      how "spec shops" worked in Chapter Nine:

      "A pair of Levi 505 cost twice what a pair of California produced Strauss 606 jeans cost even with the 20% commodity tax to the manufacturer and the 5% finished good tax to the buyer."

      This taxation pays for essential services which were laid out by the military when they took over all government functions.

      There are also some other fees and taxes floating around, but basically, all taxes are based upon consumption and based upon simply existing.

      Thanks for reading and commenting,

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    2. Oops.. meant to say [taxes] are NOT based upon simply existing as they do today.

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  12. JD, love it. Keep more coming.

    Joel

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  13. Excellent story as usual, thank you.

    Bob BHOFM

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  14. Excellent story as usual. Thank you.

    Bob BHOFM

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  15. This is great. Just what the US needs!! Thank you and looking forward to more of this and now I'm going to read your other things.

    Diana

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  16. More....More...More... I need more! I've read all you have posted and really enjoy yoru stories. Especially this one!

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  17. When will there be more of this story. The waiting is KILLING me!!!!!

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  18. Enjoyed the read. I'm guessing the fat guy is Micheal Moore. A weakness, possibly, is what about all the welfare folks in the cities? I doubt they would have been passive through all of these changes. I liked the commodity based monetary system, and especially having the Chicoms upset that we violated intellectual rights.

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  19. Great story.

    Idaho Homesteader

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  20. Hi. This is a great story. Is there more?

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  21. Awesome story line ! I was hooked on the first chapter ! Thanks for sharing these stories !

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  22. I sure hope you write more of this, it's a great story and I can see the beginnings all around these days...

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  23. JD, i hope you keep up the writting, i really like your style. I woud love to see more when you get a chance.

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  24. Sat and read throughout the day, nice story!

    I also read 'some fat guy' and thought Michael Moore. *chuckles*

    Hope you get back to it some day, it was an interesting angle. :-)

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  25. JD, just found our site and have finished several of your writings this evening....
    Keep up the great work....
    Texican....

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  26. Really enjoyed the story. I read the whole thing tonight. I as really dying for more chapters! Thanks and keep up the great writing!

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