Big Guns by Steve Israel (author)

Author:Steve Israel (author) [Israel, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788544283
Amazon: 1788544285
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 2018-04-05T00:00:00+00:00

Speaker of the House Frank Piermont and Senate Majority Leader Horace Binslap cut their secret deals in plain sight: on an open balcony off the West Front of the Capitol with a sweeping view of Washington. That’s where they met this sultry July evening, jackets off, ties loosened, sleeves rolled up. They reclined on wrought-iron patio chairs covered with plush green-striped cushions. Piermont puffed on cigarettes and sipped a merlot procured from his private stock. Binslap savored a fat Cohiba obtained from the U.S. ambassador to Cuba. Binslap, of Miami, despised Cuba. He waged his own legislative Bay of Pigs against the Cuban government, hitting them with waves of amendments to defund diplomatic relations. Cuba was evil, totalitarian, rapacious, and godless. Cuba was, to borrow a phrase from Trotsky, consigned to the ash heap of history. Meanwhile, he’d just have to enjoy its ash.

Tonight they discussed the fate of AFFFA.

The entire city lay at their polished wing tips. Lights twinkled against a pink-blue sky. The illuminated Washington Monument rose majestically in the distance. About one mile behind it glowed the Lincoln Memorial, and just beyond were the lights of Rosslyn, Virginia. They could hear the soft rumble of planes at Reagan National Airport, just a few miles southwest. Far below, knots of curious tourists stared at them, pointing at these two lonely figures on the Capitol balcony, assuming they had to be important.

Very important.

They were the kings of this Hill. Mr. Speaker and Mr. Leader. (In this Congress, Jills didn’t make it up the Hill.) They met here weekly. Sympathizing, empathizing, commiserating about the ceaseless attacks from their own Members while pulling sharp objects out of each other’s backs, like primates. They planned the legislative calendar, a complex minute-by-minute schedule of looking busy while accomplishing nothing and preassigning blame. It was alternate side of the street blame. Some days the House blamed the Senate. Other days the Senate blamed the House. Every day both blamed the president who blamed both in return. The bald eagle was being replaced by a scapegoat. Of course, all that finger-pointing required the appearance of discord between Speaker Piermont and Leader Binslap. So they dramatically played the part of congressional combatants defending their respective chambers. But this was Washington. In the city of mirrors, objects were closer than they appeared.

“Cheers,” Piermont said, holding up a glass of merlot, clasping a cigarette between two fingers.

They clinked, then leaned back in their chairs, sighing contentedly.

Piermont opened with: “My Leadership agreed to bring that ridiculous gun ownership bill to the floor after the August recess.”

Binslap scowled. “A horrible law.”

“It’s nuts.”

Binslap expelled a heavy gust of former Cuban soil. He studied the smoke wafting lazily over Piermont.

Piermont asked, “How about you? Senate gonna pass it?”

Binslap shrugged. “Probably.”

They fell silent.

“Well, one of us should kill it,” Binslap said.

Piermont sipped, then said, “Damn thing saved me from a coup. Truth is my crazies are all fired up over it. Looks like it’s up to the world’s greatest deliberative body to stop it.

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