Making Old Things New

Can one man make a difference?

“What made you think you could start your own country?” the reporter asked the man who owned America and was giving it up to the masses.

Ed Turney, trillionaire many times over, paused for a moment to reflect on the thought. “Two colliding trends. First, the two main political parties had things so polarized, there was the threat of imminent civil war. The second was the fact that the nation had devolved into a rich man’s money scramble for who could use corruption to get more than their fair share.”

“So you played them against each other to become the richest, most powerful man in history. Usually the result is an egomaniac whose thirst for more never stops. What made you different?”

“You want to know the truth? It was always a game to me. When I won, I was ready to stop playing.”

“What was the pivotal point when you knew you had it made, when the big players sold out and caved in?”

“They bled the country dry. I blocked their international contacts. They had to come begging to me to keep themselves from becoming bankrupt nobodies. It’s surprising how suddenly humble, thankful, and wanting to please that made every one of them, influencers, the politicians and their bankrollers.”

“They sold out and left. You acquired the mess they left behind.”

Ed Turney smiled. “It wasn’t the first time. Much of the thirteen colonies wanted to stay with England. It felt more stable and secure than becoming a new country. It is why I tricked the states into making me king in absentia and offered up my wealth to keep things from falling further apart."

“You had the resources and time to get the right people in the right places to get a true democracy in place.”

“It wasn’t just me. I attracted like minded people. There was almost an oversupply. Once the ball got rolling it only needed a little direction to get us where we are today.”

“You created a country and gave it away. Now, what are your plans that you are effectively broke and out of the power broker business?”

“Oh, I have a few contacts left encouraging me to try it again. There is a small eastern block country called Russia that we have in mind. It may be time to make a new country out of it.” Ed Turney smacked his lips in anticipation.

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