The Second Civil War

An atomic weapon is used on Pakistan by India, prompting an international plan to relocate refugee orphans to Idaho. NewsNet embeds a reporter on the transport plane and airs footage of crying Pakistani children to boost ratings. The plan accelerates the crisis and polarizes public opinion across the country.

Idaho Governor Jim Farley orders the Idaho National Guard to seal the state borders, citing public safety and the massive refugee influx. He remains preoccupied with personal affairs while the crisis deepens. The action sets a hard line at a crucial frontier.

A live translation of Los Angeles Mayor's speech declaring a reconquest of old Spanish lands is interrupted by an assassination attempt from Black Angelenos. The chaos underscores the volatility of the political climate and the media’s role in amplifying it. Farley’s mistress, translating the speech, grows increasingly unsettled by the situation.

The President proves indecisive, delegating most decisions to advisers. His unofficial chief advisor, Buchan, presses a public image strategy and even substitutes quotes, trying to guide the President to be decisive. He orders Farley to open Idaho’s borders within 72 hours, later shortening the deadline to 67.5 hours to maintain a soap opera’s schedule.

As deadlines loom, both the Idaho National Guard and the U.S. Army are deployed to the border. The unit commanders are bitter rivals from the Gulf War, and their personal enmity accelerates the sense of national fracture. The border becomes a flashpoint for a broader conflict.

Media coverage continues to focus on refugees for ratings, while polarization widens. The Governors of Montana and North Dakota dispatch their own National Guard units, and pro-immigrant rioters bomb the Alamo, a provocative act that galvanizes competing factions. The nation teeters on the brink of civil conflict.

After Alabama reneges on funding Sikh gurdwaras post-attack, the President pivots to other constituencies. The Governor of Rhode Island sends National Guard support to Farley, while a White House deal with the Nation of Islam and its leader Nkomo seeks Black-controlled electoral votes. The administration’s election calculus reveals a nation divided by identity politics.

In a bid to shore up support among Korean Americans, the President considers granting visas to two million Koreans. The plan underscores a frantic attempt to salvage political capital as demographic calculations fail to deliver reliable votes. It also foreshadows the unraveling of traditional party loyalties.

Anti-immigrant terrorists retaliate for the Alamo bombing by destroying the Statue of Liberty, proclaiming that they reject 'huddled masses' altogether. NewsNet’s coverage of the event intensifies public fear and bitterness, further eroding trust in leadership. The nation grapples with the symbolism of the fallen monument.

Exhausted by nonstop crisis coverage, NewsNet staff question their impact on public conflict. On-air arguments erupt as they debate whether their reporting fuels violence or informs the public. The newsroom embodies the very skepticism casting doubt on the media’s influence.

Farley’s girlfriend becomes pregnant, complicating his position and intensifying pressure to de-escalate. He resigns, but the political machine’s momentum proves too strong and too late to avert further turmoil. Personal life and public duty collide with devastating effect.

Mutinies erupt as soldiers rally against authorities, and a televised plea to 'kill America' underscores the breakdown of national unity. The Joint Chiefs confront an impossible supply chain: replacement parts are manufactured in Taiwan that has embargoed them after a dispute with the President. A clash escalates into a major battle between the U.S. Army and Idaho National Guard, triggering the invasion of Idaho and the onset of the Second American Civil War.