Heinlein, Robert A – Expanded Universe

vote who do receive money from some unit of government (aid to dependent children,

Supreme Court justices, not growing wheat, removing garbage, governors of states,

whoever) exceeds the number eligible to vote

but receiving no pay or subsidy of any sort from any unit of government.

Have you read the Federal Register lately? Have you ever read the Federal

Register? Under powers delegated by Congress certain appointed officials can publish

a new regulation in the Federal Register and, if Congress does not stop it, after a

prescribed waiting time, that regulation has the force of law-it is law, to you and

to me, although a lawyer sees nuances. I have vastly oversimplified this

description, but my only purpose is to point out that “administrative law” reaches

into every corner of our lives, and is the major factor in the enormous and

strangling invasion of the Federal Government into our private affairs.

I can’t see anything in the Constitution that permits the Congress to

delegate its power to pass laws.. . but the Supreme Court says it’s okay and that

makes my opinion worthless.

I’m stopping. There are endless other gloomy things to discuss-the oil

shortage, the power shortage (not the same thing), pollution, population pressure, a

projected change in climate that can and probably will turn the problems of

population and food into sudden and extreme crisis, crime in the streets and

bankrupt cities, our incredible plunge from the most respected nation on Earth to

the most despised (but we are nonetheless expected to pick up the tab). Bill Gresham

was right but he told only half of it: you not only don’t get rich peddling gloom;

it isn’t any fun.

So now come with me- “OVER THE RAINBOW-”

The new President had not been in office ten days before it became clear to

his own party as well as to

the “loyal opposition” that he was eyen more of a disaster than the defeated

candidate had predicted. Nevertheless the country was shocked when he served even

fewer days than the ninth President-killed in a crash, his private plane, himself at

the controls; dying with him his three top aides: White House chief of staff, press

secretary, appointments secretary.

No U.S. or Canadian news medium said a word about alcohol or incidents in

the dead President’s past; they treated it as a tragic accident. Papers and TV

reporters elsewhere were not as reticent.

The Speaker of the new House saw the ex-Vice President first (even before

the oath of office) as the Speaker’s seniority in line of succession enabled him to

do. He came right to the point. “I am ready to take this load off your shoulders. We

both know that you were picked simply to support the ticket; no one ever expected to

load you down with this. Here’s how we’ll do it: You resign at once, then we’ll meet

the press together-after I’m sworn in. I’ll do most of the talking. I promise you,

it won’t be a strain on you.”

“I’m sure that it won’t be. You’re excused.”

“Huh!”

“You may leave. In fact I am telling you to leave. I thought you had come to

stand beside me as I take the oath.. . but you have something entirely different in

mind. You would not enjoy staying; I would not enjoy having you stay.”

“You’ll regret this! You’re making a mistake!”

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“If a mistake was made, it was made at the Convention. By you and five

others, I believe; I was not present. Yes, I may regret it but this is what I

undertook to do when I accepted the nomination for the Vice-Presidency. Now get out.

Pronto!”

The new President sent for the Director of the Budget forty minutes after

the swearing in. “Explain this to me.”

The Director hemmed and hawed and tried to say that the budget was too

technical for anyone not in public life before-

-and was answered, “I’m accepting your resignation. Send in your deputy.”

It was almoSt a week before this call was made: “Admiral? This is the

President. If I come to your home, do you feel well enough to see me?”

There was a tussle of wills that the Admiral won only through pointing out