The People's Party

Are you one of the 80,000,000 non-voters who are fed up and don't feel it's worth their effort to vote for politicians who say the right things to get elected and once in office do the wrong things (or do nothing)? Do you feel they just keep kicking the same old can of greed and self interest down the same old political road? If so, then this story will interest you. It about what could happen if that can they keep kicking hits a solid brick wall composed of the will of all of the fed up voters. Marc Maillett is a well traveled young professor in the Political Science Department at Stanton University. He has undertaken an a-political project of researching the causes of, and possible cures for, the deterioration of the electoral system. In the course of the project he became alarmed that in the last presidential election more than 52% of citizens who registered to vote did not do so because they were either disgusted, disillusioned or disappointed with our political system and its politicians. To conclude the project he seeks and is given a grant to conduct a study of the upcoming presidential election by directly participating in the campaigns of the major candidates. He hopes to see and define how the special interest groups trade big money and/or votes for legislative commitments - most of which are counter to the voter’s best interest. Harry Stennis is a fourth generation Texan who has twice been elected one of its U.S. Senators. Harry is using his substantial family fortune to self-fund a unique presidential campaign as an independent and thereby avoid having to sell his soul for campaign money. He is driven by his consuming desire to form a government “of the people, by the people and for the people”. His slim chance of winning hangs on his ability to motivate those disillusioned citizens to go to the polls and vote. 'The People's Party' is a timely novel which factually portrays how we arrived at today’s broken electoral system which serves the special interests groups rather than the will of the people. It demonstrates what could happen if the disillusioned and or the disenfranchised voters found someone they could believe in and trust. It is factual enough to be believed and entertaining enough to be enjoyed.

Marc Milllett, an intelligent, well traveled, young professor of political science at Stanton University, has spent four years researching the evolution of the U.S. political system into its present day, voter-unresponsive state (‘The Project’). His research shows that voter apathy has grown alarmingly - more than 52 % of those eligible do not vote. In order to find the cause of this disenchantment he has arranged to monitor the campaigns of the major candidates in the upcoming presidential election - one of which is Senator Harry Stennis. Harry is a charismatic fourth generation Texan with more than enough money to self-finance his independent party campaign ('The People's Party'). He is driven by a strong need to give back by returning the government to the people. Harry has selected a young go-getter campaign manager, Jerry Hogan, who is committed to running a campaign based on serving the needs of the voters by promising to deal with the real issues. Marc and Harry gradually develop a personal relationship which blossoms into an invitation to appear on national TV as part of a town meeting Q&A session set up by Jerry Hogan. After assuring himself that his part will be limited to explaining The Project Marc accepts and he scores with the viewers. Because of his stage presence and the recognized need for The Project he becomes a sought after talk show guest and a beacon of hope to the disenchanted voters. Harry’s main competitor is Republican Senator Claude Hankings, a self made man from rural Ohio. Claude’s campaign is based on giving something to get something. He has an old-school Washington campaign manager who knows who to give it to and what to get back. Claude easily wins his primaries and leads by 8 points in the polls with only 10 days left before the vote. The only options which would give Harry an outside chance to pull off an upset win are: to make a deal with the big labor unions and accept the strings attached which would violate his campaign pledge to the voters; or, to make a last ditch, all-out effort to motivate those disenchanted non-voters. After much soul searching, Harry decides to make a sincere appeal to the apathetic non-voters and try to convince them that if they voted for The People’s Party they would be electing a government “of the people, by the people and for the people”. Jerry Hogan has saved three ten minute national TV slots for a final push. Harry uses those slots to explain his reasons for running; to introduce his selection of those who would serve as his cabinet members; and to let the man he has selected as a running mate speak for himself. At noon on voting day, Claude Hankings leads by 4%. Harry and his team Can only wait and watch as the TV reports the vote count. "The People's Party" is a timely novel factually portraying how the U.S. arrived at today's broken electoral system which produces governments answering to the moneyed special interests groups rather than the will of the voters. It is factual enough to be believed and entertaining enough to be enjoyed

Richard L. (Dick) Flowers was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1930. He grew up there and attended Louisiana State University graduating with a BA degree in Petroleum Engineering. He served as a lieutenant in the Corp of Engineers during the Korean War. After returning home and working for an oil company, Dick started his own oil field service company, Creole Production Services, Inc., which grew into a worldwide organization with offices in 17 different countries. After 27 years of operation, Dick sold the company and retired to realize his lifelong ambition to become an author. He has written several short stories and magazine articles and this is his first book. Dick and Shirley celebrated their 60th year of marriage recently. They have five children and seven grandchildren. They reside in Houston, Texas.