Lethal Trajectories - Michael Conley [148]
“De-facto rationing, though unfortunate, is underway, Mr. President. With pump prices averaging over ten bucks a gallon, poorer people have been rationed out economically. People are panicking. They’re topping off their tanks whenever they can find gas. As a result, spot shortages are occurring everywhere, reinforcing their fears of shortage. Paradoxically, when we start releasing reserves from our strategic petroleum reserve on Wednesday, we’ll have almost as much oil in the system as we did before the Saudi embargo.”
Rationing was a topic they loved to hate. The ensuing discussion on the mechanics of gas rationing and its impact on the financial markets was heated.
“Elizabeth, what’s the latest at state?” Clayton asked, making a note to visit her later to talk about the flack she was getting from Collingsworth on her VP nomination. We’ve got to stifle that little worm, he thought.
“Our allies are most supportive of our stand against the Saudis, Mr. President, and particularly pleased that China has joined our coalition. They’re still wrestling with the mechanics and impacts of global oil rationing, but everyone has signed on, at least in principle.
“It’s a different story with the third-world countries. They almost universally feel that they’ll get rationed out of their share of oil. In addition, the massive crop failures that have plagued them over the past three years will be severely aggravated by energy shortages and the cost of energy. We can expect them to petition America for an increasing amount of assistance. They see oil rationing as the typical zero-sum game, where they get the zero while others get the oil.”
One more thing that needs to be dealt with fast, Clayton thought as he turned to Secretary Thompson. “Thurmond, what’s the latest at the DOD?”
“The American military is now on a DEFCON 2 alert, Mr. President,” Thompson replied, scrambling for his notes, “and massive deployments to the Middle East have begun. We’ve identified National Guard and reserve units to be called up and will have our completed requests on your desk for approval by Wednesday. We’ve instituted oil rationing within the armed forces to get the biggest bang for the buck, but the military will soon call on the strategic petroleum reserve to fuel major operations now underway. We are also working with China on joint military plans and exercises, and our top officers have been pleased with the progress thus far.”
Following a lengthy discussion on troop call-ups and deployments, Clayton decided to close the meeting.
“Thanks much for your excellent work, folks. I had a chance to watch most of you on the Sunday news-show circuit, reinforcing our Safe Harbors strategy, and I want to congratulate you on a first-rate job. I think you drove home our message that this would be a long crisis requiring a monumental effort, but you also pronounced that there is hope at the end if we all work together. At least that’s what I heard.
“I also talked to other world leaders, including China and Israel, and our new coalition seems to be gaining traction. Domestically, the verdict’s not in, but congressional leaders have advised me their members will at least be cautiously supportive until they get a better read on voter temperament. The hard-line faction in the Senate, led by Senator Tom Collingsworth, is already aggressively opposing our plan, and I’m sure that Tommy Boy will be working with his buddy, Wellington Crane. We’ll see.”
On the walk back to the Oval Office with Jack, Clayton said, “You know, I can see a few glimmers of hope in the way things are starting to shape up. I think there’s a better-than-even chance the American people will rally around rationing and the things we’re trying to accomplish to weather the storm.” Jack nodded.
Of course, Tom Collingsworth and Wellington Crane had an entirely different interpretation, and they were already taking aggressive steps to prove the president wrong.
54
Myrtle Beach, SC
24 October 2017
Wellington Crane’s chickenhearted