Rude Awakenings — Keith M. Donaldson

In 2013, Mike Macdonald is inaugurated the first Centrist President of the United States. He expected fierce budget battles with Congress, now politically split into thirds. However, a ground level nuclear device vaporizes Detroit and Windsor, with Canada forcing him into a larger battle. Generals and intelligence officers, instead of economists and financiers, poured into the White House, while his Vice President, Bryanna Dudley, a former mid-western governor, flew out on Air Force Two to take over the heart-wrenching search and recovery mission. In Washington, Macdonald, a Marine, Rhodes Scholar, PhD in finance, and high-powered currency trader, elects to reverse the country's wasteful spending and downward spiral into third world status. He begins two daunting recoveries with questionable resources and no enemy to attack, while allaying the fears of a panicking nation. With the military at DEFCON 1, Code Red, the world stands riveted - what will this new president do? Will there be another bomb? How far will the US dollar sink? Macdonald appears proactive, but will that be enough to save the US?