Beware the Demagogue!: Rogue or Savior?

By Edward John Mastronardi

The primary purpose of the three-part fictional story in this book is to graphically illustrate, on the one hand, the dangerous impact that can occur in their lives should the old and the young allow themselves to be politically seduced by the plaudits, promises , and entreaties of those power-hungry individuals demanding their support for their own selfish, self-serving reasons. In this book, an explanation is given on how one originally well-meaning, extremely wealthy individual evolved into becoming such a personality and what happened to him and others around him as a result.

On the other hand, it outlines how such wealth in the right hands can effectively benefit both the unemployed and underemployed members of North Americas increasingly multicultural society. This has been effectively illustrated in the United States by the unbelievably generous gifts of incredibly wealthy individuals, such as the world-famous founding guru of the Microsoft computer empire, William Bill Gates.

Past examples of the destructive impact of the first type of demagogue are legendary, as amply demonstrated by Huey Long, the governor of Louisiana in the dirty thirties, whose power-hungry march to the United States White House dramatically ended with his assassination. His appeal to the numerous underprivileged voters in his state was effectively created by his repetitively preaching catchy phrases like Youre a hick, Im a hick who will look out for you! Also in the world depression thirties, theres Adolph Hitler promising Germans a return to world power of a world war one reparation paying bankrupt Germany and Benito Mussolini promising Italians a return to the glory days of Rome.

Today we have a prime example of the use of vast sums of money as an economic weapon by a money rich but natural resource limited recently established economic giant. Its granting of huge loans seemingly established it as an instrument of its foreign policy, providing governments in need with incredible-sized debt repayment obligations. In one classic case, it helped raise its national debt to a staggering level of trillions of dollars. Added to this is, its buying up vast amounts of other countries natural resources, property, even entire industries.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 29, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524513603

Edward John Mastronardi

Edward Mastronardi spent eighteen years in the three Canadian military services (the navy, the army, and the air force), four years in the Canadian aerospace industry, followed by twenty-one years working for the Canadian federal government. He earned the Military Cross for Valor by Great Britain, investiture into the Order of Saint George, the Canadian Forces Decoration in Canada, and the Order of Military Merit by the Republic of Korea, its highest military award for valor and courage. Now retired, he is also the author of Government Policy-Making and Issue Management in 1988, Mock the Haggard Face: A Canadian War Story in 2014, Dancing around the Hill in 2015, and Stories of Life in January 2016.

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by Edward John Mastronardi.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2016910534

ISBN:       Hardcover       978-1-5245-1362-7

       Softcover       978-1-5245-1361-0

       eBook       978-1-5245-1360-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 07/28/2016

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Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 The Birth and Early Years of James Ellington Brooks

Chapter 2 James Brooks-A Big Business Tragedy Norman McCall, Trevor Hargreaves-Failed labor Dreams

Chapter 3 Restructured Lives and the Future; DeMarais, McCall, Hargreaves

INTRODUCTION

A Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of a Demagogue is a leader who makes the use of popular prejudices, false claims and promises in order to gain power.

In ancient times a leader championing the cause of the common people.

The primary purpose of the three part fictional story in this book is to graphically illustrate, on the one hand, the dangerous impact that can occur in their lives should the old and the young allow themselves to be politically seduced by the plaudits, promises and entreaties of those power hungry individuals demanding their support for their own selfish, self serving reasons. In this book an explanation is given on how one originally well-meaning extremely wealthy individual evolved into becoming such a personality, what happened to him and others around him as a result.

On the other hand, it outlines how such wealth in the right hands can effectively benefit both the unemployed and under employed members of North America’s increasingly multi cultural based society. This has been effectively illustrated in the United States by the unbelievably generous gifts of incredibly wealthy individuals such as the world famous founding guru of the Microsoft computer empire, William ‘Bill’ Gates.

Past examples of the destructive impact of the first type of Demagogue are legendary, as amply demonstrated by Huey Long, the Governor of Louisiana in the ‘dirty thirties’ whose power hungry march to the United States White House dramatically ended with his assassination. His appeal to the numerous underprivileged voters in his state was effectively created by his repetitively preaching catchy phrases like, You’re a hick, I’m a hick who will look out for you! Also in the world depression thirties, Adolph Hitler, promising Germans a return to world power of a World War one reparation paying bankrupt Germany; Benito Mussolini promising Italians a return to the glory days of Rome.

Today we have a prime example of the use of vast sums of money as an economic weapon by a money rich but natural resource limited recently established economic giant. Its granting of huge loans seemingly established as an instrument of its foreign policy, providing governments in need with incredible sized debt repayment obligations. In one classic case helping raising its national debt to a staggering level of trillions of dollars. Added to this is it’s buying up vast amounts of other countries’ natural resources, property, even entire industries.

In most cases they had a target. In yesteryears, for Long it was the Louisiana political establishment; Hitler, the Jews; today, for such a person, Mexicans, Women and Muslims. Tragically many young and older Americans as well as Canadians, ignoring the lessons of the past, refusing ‘Being careful of what they wish for’, are in danger of paying a heart breaking price for valuing irresponsible promises and narcissism based popularity above sincerity, substance and political honesty. By readily accepting the borrowing of huge amounts of money by their governments, they don’t appear acknowledging it as a debt that must eventually be paid, no different from an individual having to pay off a credit card debt at the end of each month, not doing so incurring high interest charges on the balance owing.

PART 1

The Birth and Early Years of James Ellington Brooks

The Toronto birth of James ‘Jamie’ Ellington Brooks was an auspicious event orchestrated by his wealthy politically ambitious father, Phillip, a bitterly disappointed man over his two painfully failed, expensive attempts winning the leadership of Canada’s right wing Party. The elder Brooks, whose long suffering wife Christina, a member of the socially prominent old Canadian Toronto family, the Ellington’s, when her family experienced serious financial difficulties, she reluctantly entered into a marriage of convenience with Phillip Brooks in an effort helping her financially beleaguered mother and father.

Whereas Phillip Brooks had made a fortune on the stock market, the unfortunate Charleston Ellington had lost one. For Phillip Brooks’ working class background, the marriage provided him an entry into the ultra Conservative Canadian gentry establishment, at that time, essential for anyone with major political ambitions having any chance of success. His political aspirations having failed, he decided concentrating on increasing his fortune, becoming one of the most successful stock market investors in recent memory.

Although resentfully accepting his political failure, vowed it would be entirely different for his son James, resulting on one occasion his saying to a younger, wealthy close friend and loyal political supporter, Brandon Jarvis, Bran, although I may have failed politically, I’m going to make damn sure my son doesn’t and hope you’ll help me in that regard when that time comes.

Unhesitatingly Jarvis replied, You know you can count on me, Phil!

James Brooks’ early years paralleled those with wealthy parents, involving a private school based education with special tutoring whenever considered necessary, summer vacations at an architect designed and built cottage resembling a rustic mansion, with every imaginable convenience, built on a huge Muskoka Lakes’ property bordering a private lake reserved for the very rich During the year spending leisure days at a family fishing, wild fowl and shooting lodge on the eastern edge of Lake Ontario. He enjoyed horsemanship introduced to him by his horse racing loving father; together they followed the international competitions held in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States. In his teens he participated in Polo matches with his father carrying his love of riding horses into adulthood.

Over time James developed a friendship with Gordon Dobson, the son of the man who looked after the extensive Brooks’ property often assisting his father in his work. James envied the their warm father-son relationship often being included in their lunch breaks from work sharing their sandwiches, an experience he never enjoyed with his father who was too preoccupied making money.

On one occasion during a school holiday, as his father read the financial news at breakfast, James asked, Dad I have a good friend who I’d like to have stay with us for a few days. Would that be alright?

Thinking it was one of his son’s private school friends the elder Brooks replied, Yes James, I think so. I’ll ask your mother. By the way, who is this friend?

It’s Gordon Dobson Dad.

Dobson? I don’t believe I know him James?

Yes you do Dad, he’s the son of the man who looks after our property.

Oh! In that case I don’t thinks so Son.

Why not Dad?

I thought he was one of your school friends. Really James, I’m sure he’s a nice boy but not the type you should socialize with. He’d feel very out of place in the house, sitting at our table. It wouldn’t be fair to him. I’m afraid not, Son. Then Brooks went back reading his paper, checking on the latest stock market results.

As he grew older he enjoyed trips to Europe or an occasional winter cruise to the West indies staying at Brooks’ owned summer retreat on the island of Santa Lucia. It was there he experienced his first serious love affair involving the daughter of an immensely wealthy oil speculator from Houston Texas, Melody Francis. The two attractive looking seventeen year olds met during a ‘Get acquainted millionaires only party’ at his father’s lavish oceanside estate. James, a shade under six feet, with naturally waved black hair, sky blue colored, eyes, a firm cleft chin and firm build; Melody, a medium height raven colored hair green eyed beauty were attracted to each other at their first meeting. This twosome was heartily endorsed by both his parents after they had insisted he end his brief friendly relationship with a wealthy Hotel owner’s daughter. Although attending a nearby private girls school James seeing her was frowned upon by his social equality obsessed parents feeling she simply didn’t measure up to their exacting standard for James.

Although James Brooks had not as yet had a real sexual experience with a girl outside of heavy breathing necking, such was not the case for the voluptuous man-wise Melody Francis after being seduced by the married horse trainer at the racing horse stables owned by her father in Houston. This occurred in a small ante-room to the stables when the his stable manager and racing horse trainer, Royal Croydon, encouraged by her positive response to his sexually laced overtures, enticed her into the room with a small desk, chair and single bed. Thinking he only wanted to kiss her as he locked the door, readily gave in to his embrace.

When he started fondling her, she leaned back against his powerful embrace saying angrily, Royal! What in heaven’s name are you trying to do? grabbing at his hand trying to pull down her riding breeches.

Not stopping trying to pull down her breeches, in a voice thickened with passionate desire he replied, Stop being naive Melody. You know very well what I’m going to do! He then threw her roughly down on the bed, quickly undressing Melody, forced her legs apart, thrusting himself inside of her.

She shrieked, ‘Don’t! Stop! Please don’t! Stop! Then giving a low moan, grabbed at Royals’ buttocks with both her hands, changed her cry to an emotional, Don’t Stop, don’t stop, For god’s sake don’t stop now!" She had willingly surrendered her virginity to this dominating ruggedly handsome man.

Their regular intense sexual interludes ended suddenly a month later when missing her period, thinking falsely she was pregnant, sobbing hysterically told her shocked embarrassed mother. When she told her husband, he not only fired Croydon, charged him with contributing to the delinquency of a minor resulting in his former stable manager being divorced by his wife. This was not Melody’s last sexual experience with an older married man, others followed included a serious relationship with a business associate of her father.

Melody introduced a hesitant James Brooks to the world of intense sexual experiences late one night on a beach blanket within the soft surfing sound of the Caribbean sea. This was followed by several weeks of his family’s approved dating relationship with Melody, their swimming and riding together at all hours.

On the night before she was to return to Texas with her family, James asked, Let’s stay in contact. We could meet during holidays. I could fly down in my father’s jet or you fly up in your Dad’s. I really care for you Melody and so do my parents.

Melody, replied to a shocked extremely disappointed Brooks, James, I don’t think so. You’re a very nice boy and I enjoyed meeting you.

Melody I don’t understand. I thought you really cared for me after what we have done together?

Oh! That! James, being with you, teaching you about love-making was very nice but I prefer being with men who are older and more experienced. I’m sorry.

After returning to Toronto James sought out his father’s friend Brandon Jarvis who over the years had become a mentor and surrogate uncle for James, his father never seeming to have time for him. One day while they were lunching at the exclusive Grovenor Club, James hesitatingly told the receptive sympathetic Jarvis about his disappointing experience with Melody Francis.

He finished by saying Oh Uncle Bran, I feel such a fool.

Come come, James, you’re not a fool at all just human. Look, I’ve experienced similar disappointments in my life with the opposite sex; In fact it’s the main reason I’m a confirmed bachelor. Mind you, I enjoy the company of women but I never take them seriously. not mentioning such company consisted of a bevy of beautiful married women which unknowingly to both James and his father had on one occasion included James’ sex deprived mother.

You’re just about to start your first year at University where you’ll meet lots of girls. I strongly recommend you restrict yourself to that, at least for a little while. You can amuse yourself with them, even use them, never take them seriously.

James Brooks’ bitter experience with Melody Francis, on Brandon Jarvis’ advice, left him wary of girls except for a good time and only that. On a professional note, he heeded his mentor’s recommendation, taking courses qualifying him for a degree in financial administration and business management, a specialization in demand by many large corporation owners including Brandon himself. During his University first years the academic demands of his courses allowed him little time for outside activities except for football, a sport he had excelled in at his private secondary school as a forward pass receiver, only managing to make the University team as a substitute, which he and his father found demeaning. However it enabled him meeting a truly cute looking cheerleader, Bonnie Reilly, only one of a succession of girlfriends he entertained himself with.

Bonnie, a short, vivacious close cropped honey colored hair athlete whose gymnastic ability was a crowd pleaser at the University’s football games. Although sought after by some of the team’s stars, she was attracted by the often ignored team pass receiving substitute, James ‘Jamie’ Brooks. At the end