Solomon's Private File #175
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 22 in this story, in the Summer of 2048.
Solomon's Private File #175 "Supreme Court Shakeup"
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The American President asked to see me. He said, "I'm annoyed you
didn't say I pushed for the Congressional Crystal File System." I said,
"I wondered when you would tell me that, as if I didn't know how you
would feel. Now you get to tell me why you are telling me." He growled,
and we laughed. I said, "You know I can't be seen to be political, and
I can't lie about it. Frustrates me, too." He said, "That makes it
better." My turn to growl. Chuckles. He said, "The Chief Justice is
going to retire soon. Early for one of them. Do you know why?" I said,
"He hasn't told me. In fact, we haven't communicated about anything
since I gave them the Crystal File System, and that was just his
thanks." He said, "Speculation?" I said, "Got nothing."
He said, "My chief candidate is controversial." We grinned at each
other. He said, "Making her the Chief Justice, or just trying to, could
really shake up Washington." I nodded and said, "Convulsions."
Chuckles. He said, "What I want to do, is to make one of the associates
the Chief, and the new appointee an associate in his place." I said, "I
think that would be best, but the Constitution is clear. They are
appointed to their positions for life or impeachable misconduct. But
one could resign and be reappointed to another position. Has to be
approved by the Senate, where you do have a major majority. But will
all go along with it?" He said, "If I tell them in confidence, the
alternative." I said, "That could help. Could be some serious
challenges to the whole thing, all over. Quite a controversy, even in
your own party. Supreme Court might have to rule on it, but the
consult for official legal advice." He said, "I do. My next step. Think
I should tell the interested parties?" I said, "If you want some good
laughs." Chuckles. I said, "But you WILL need their full agreement to
even start the process." He said, "Your opinion on all of this?" I
said, "That's not fair. You know I want her on the Bench any way it can
happen, mostly for entertainment. She'll do well, but it's HOW she'll
do it that's going to be a lot of fun to watch." Chuckles. I said, "And
she knows it. So does your last appointee, who feels the same about
her. And she's been preparing for this since I did her approval. Tough
restraint." He nodded. I said, "If she makes it, gonna be a WILD
party!" Chuckles.
His legal advisor said there was nothing in law that was against what
he had in mind, but advised against it, anyway. He met with the
principles together, and they laughed in his face, and he did the same.
They agreed to go along with it, if they didn't have to give their
opinions on it in public. Then the President met with the Senate Dems.
What a circus! Some didn't want her on the Bench at all, and some
didn't want the ploy he proposed, but he said he was going to nominate
her, and only her, so they had no choice in that part. And then, did
they want her to be the Chief? That got them to thinking. I had a
private meeting with the principles at their request. They wanted to
know what I thought of the whole thing. I said, "I don't have a private
or public opinion on the proposed procedure. But you know I would love
to see some new er, life on the Bench, any way it can happen, purely
for the entertainment value." Grins and chuckles. I said, "There are
two serious issues in this, which puts it in the negative. The one who
resigns, might not get back in. And then there is the precedent. People
in power seem blind to the fact that the tactics they invent can be
used against them by others, and probably WILL be, and more
effectively. Supreme Court shuffling could be a new major sport in the
future. Look what happened with the filibuster." He said, "I've had
those thoughts." She said, "But they wouldn't approve of me as the
Chief." I said, "Would you prefer that position?" She said, "Actually,
no. It doesn't fit who I am. I would have to use too much restraint.
I'm not saying I would turn it down, but you asked what I preferred."
I said, "My approval will likely be mentioned." They nodded. I said,
"I might be called before the Nominating Committee to testify. I can
claim privilege in two ways, but I did send the President my report. I
or he might have to give them that. No, there's nothing bad in it. They
are likely to ask my opinion on the whole thing. I can't lie." She
said, "I'm confident you will say and do what is best for all." I said,
"Oh, thanks a LOT." Chuckles.
The resignation happened. The President's plan went public. His
justification was that he thought it best to have a more experienced
sitting Supreme Court Judge be the Chief Justice. That caused a women's
rights issue. The Nominee said, "This isn't anything about Women's
Rights. I fully agree with and support the President's decision and
plan, partially because I agree with his reason, and another reason he
hasn't mentioned. The approval process may go more er, smoothly this
way. Some Senators might not want to approve me for Chief Justice, but
would be more likely to approve me for the Associate position. In truth
at this time, I would feel most comfortable as an Associate Justice,
and I request that I be considered for that position." That impressed
people more than some expected. And that's what happened. The Senate
approved the appointee switch. It was close, though, but not without
some drama. The other side complained, but just on basic principle,
because they couldn't find anything real they could object to.
The Committee did ask me to appear before it. I was sworn in. One
said, "Did you do an approval for the Candidate?" I said, "I did." He
said, "Please give us a copy of that." I said, "Please be more
specific. Are you asking for the report I gave to the President? Or a
transcript of the session?" He said, "The transcript." I said, "I must
refuse. Privileged communication." He said, "Clergy, therapeutic, or
legal?" I said, "I was not a member of the Bar, but I do claim clergy
and therapeutic, having credentials in those areas, and my approval
sessions almost always had some aspects of those things in them. Well,
it happens because that's who I am. I help people." He looked at the
other committee members, and they nodded to each other. He said,
"Accepted. The report?" I said, "That is in the possession of the
President." He said, "You don't have a copy?" I said, "I have only what
is in my memory. I was acting as a temporary unpaid employee of the
President. He owns the report, not me. You will have to ask him. Before
you do that, consider what that does for precedent. Has any nominating
committee before this ever demanded to see the private personnel
records of nominees? Would you like that to happen to you, or your
children? Would those who write in them, not be honest because of this,
fearing public exposure? Nominees don't know what's in them. How many
then will risk that, and go through this?" They conferred among
themselves. He said, "I withdraw my request." I said to him, "I will
speak to you in private after this, for something that is private to
you. This waste of my time and yours will be discussed. To all here, be
careful of what you demand of me. If I dislike it, I am likely to share
that with you." That really woke them up. Some were looking more than a
little uneasy, even after I was dismissed and had ported away.
Mom and I exchanged some fierce grins. So did Hawk, after porting in.
Galya was organizing the mental cheering sessions I was receiving from
our people. That committee session was shown live on TV, and it caused
a LOT of comments, most in my favor. Some negative ones asked, "Who
does he think he is, to speak like that to Congress?" They were told
who I am, The Prophet of God, and that shut them up in a hurry. The
news media loved it, and supported what I said with big grins, even
Fox. And not just because I had said that to Liberals.
I ported to the Senator's office. I said, "What were you thinking?
Would you have done that to the Pope or the Dalai Lama? Ask them about
that, and see what they say. You almost had my mother jump down your
throat!" She said in the air, "Can still do that." I said, "Right. Not
to mention what your opposition is going to do with this." He gulped
loudly. I said, "You've put yourself in a bind. If you don't do the
approvals as the President wants now, without a fuss, everybody will
think you are just trying to make trouble with and about me, and the
whole process. Your reelection might be in doubt, and your whole party,
next term. Your party might think that's bad for the country, but for
me, that just gives me more people to fix, that I don't really feel
advice. Watch yourself closely, or you'll make it worse for everybody."
He looked really sick. He said, "Please advise me on the immediate." I
said, "Good you asked. A very simple public apology to me, is the first
step. The rest is keep a low profile for month and do your job well. If
you show you have learned from this, and ask for my approval before
your next election, you might have it." He looked hopeful and said,
"Thank you, Solomon. I was wrong." I nodded, and offered to hug him. We
did it, and I helped him sit down, and I ported back to my office in
the Bureau to replace my working image there, right in the middle of an
evaluation, and he never noticed it.
I went out to the main part of the office after the interview, and
the office people tried not to grin at me. They kept talking about what
I had said that morning to the committee. Most of it was high approval,
even from those waiting to be interviewed. One of them said, "He's
interfering in government again." One said, "They don't deserve it?" He
said, "That's not the point. It upsets the balance." One said, "You're
a Democrat?" He said with a grin, "How did you know?" Chuckles. I
indicated to the sec that I wanted that man next. I went back into my
office, and he was sent in. I said to him, "What balance do you refer
to, with what Solomon said?" He looked very cautious and said, "Are you
a supporter?" I said, "Athletically, maybe." He was a little confused,
and then had to chuckle. He said, "He usually stays out of politics." I
said, "Seems like it, but CAN he, really?" He said, "I see what you
mean. Politics won't let him alone." I said, "Look at history. Prophets
and Saints were used and abused for political gain all the time. It's
almost like what they're for. Major tools to use in power contests." He
said, "Right. But this one has a sting." I said, "And a forceful
mother." He grinned and said, "Absolutely! Thanks for your insight. I
like that more than I thought before. I withdraw my complaints about
him." I said, "I wasn't going for that." He said, "Then what?" I said,
"Evaluation starts as soon as you walk through our Department door." He
said, "Oh!" We did some tests. Then I said, "So, what was the purpose
of our opening discussion?" He said, "I see now it was about how well I
could think, and change my opinions after better thinking, and this now
is part of the evaluation, too." I said, "Yes." He said, "Do you do all
this with everybody?" I said with a smile, "No. We have different
levels of approval and disapproval." He said, "Wow!" I said, nodding
vigorously, "We have that, too." He laughed. He left, highly approved.
I went out with him, to hear the Senator make his apology to me.
He said, "I apologize most sincerely to Solomon. I was wrong. He has
met with me in private as he said he would, and I am a better man for
it, and I will continue to improve in all ways." He didn't answer
questions. A client said, "Raked him over the coals." Laughter. A sec
said, "He DOES improve people." Another sec said, "Might be almost
worth it to make trouble, to have him do that." A client said, "Not for
me!" Chuckles. I wanted him next. The sec who directed him to my
office, couldn't contain her grin, which he noticed. He said to me, "Am
I in trouble?" I said, "What for? For saying you wouldn't do what it
takes to personally improve, in a psychology center?" He said, "Er,
that, yes. You're the boss?" I said with a grin of my own, "Sure am!"
He said, "So I'm wasting my time?" I said, "Would I do that?" He said,
"Right. Sorry." We did the tests. I said, "Please expand on the comment
you made out there."
He said, "I'm not in favor of passive aggressive behavior." I said,
"I see. Why?" He said, "Not ethical." I said, "Good thing you aren't
applying to the CIA." He grinned and said, "I get it." I said, "Are you
concerned that we won't live up to your standards?" He said, "So you
caught that. I think so." I said, "And what some might think of you,
for your standards?" He said, "That, too. I see you really know your
job." I said, dryly, "Thanks." He started to apologize, and noticed my
grin. He stopped and said, "You're good!" I gave him a little bow. I
said, "Nobody's perfect. Can you live with that?" He said, "I
understand. I will. Well, I have, but perhaps not in environments such
as I would encounter here." I said, "And it's important. Internal
conflicts can get bad AND good people killed, unintentionally." He
said, "Yes. Important. I will do my best." I said, "And your best is
very good." He looked hopeful. I said, "If you're approved, there is a
long waiting list. I don't know where you would place on it." He said,
"Thank you." He left, approved.
A man came in. I said, looking at his file, "Interesting. A private
investigator. I see no other job experience here. Born that way?" He
grinned and said, "Actually, yes I was. My father's business." I said,
"Let's do some tests." We did, and then I said, "What do you think the
tests showed us about you?" He sighed, and said, "That I'm a lone
wolf?" I said, "Isn't that why you quit your father's firm?" He said,
"You're good!" I said, "Here, absolutely!" He thought that over, and
said, "Another reason I'm applying. I said, "We hear that a lot. Long
list. What can you tell me that could shorten it for you?" He told me
about some of the jobs he was on. I said, "You weren't completely
honest about the cross-dresser case. Give." He said, "I er, punched him
out. I know you want to know why. I was disgusted and angry." I said,
"Not the real reasons. You felt threatened in your masculinity by who
he was. Your aggressive emotions were an ego induced disguise of that."
He looked surprised, and said, "I think you're right!" I said, "Problem
is you acted on it. Did he really deserve that?" He said, "No he
didn't. I'm ashamed of what I did."
I said, "We males involuntarily respond sexually to images, in which
our understanding of them is limited to our perception of them. He
looked like a woman, and so you responded in feelings appropriate to
his appearance. Then you discovered he was a male. You couldn't handle
that surprised horrific reaction of thinking you might be a homosexual,
so your ego protected you. That wasn't a completely conscious thing.
Next time?" He said, "I'll probably laugh at the situation then. It's
not his fault that he's that way. Now that I know, I won't have any
problems with that again. Actually, I feel stupid about it." I said,
"Good. Motivation to improve." He said, "I didn't expect this!" I said
with a grin, "Even better." He chuckled. I said, "If you're selected,
you're going to have a problem with the Academy. It's more intensive
than the usual police academy, which you would also have trouble in.
Very regimented." He said, "I understand." I gave him my best evil
grin, and said, "No, you don't." He had to laugh. I said, "You're going
to have a tough time there. If you're selected. Still want to apply?"
He said, "I do." I said, "Please take this back to personnel." He said,
"Am I approved?" I said, "We like to avoid the er, results of telling
people either way, here." He nodded. I said as he was going through the
door, "You'd better work your ass off, there!" He didn't look back, but
I knew a big grin was almost splitting his face in half while he was
nodding. Highly recommended.
I received a lot of nice comments in my mind about that one, and a
lot of love, too.
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Grant
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