Deadline 2 Weeks Prior To The Camp: Fill & Download for Free

Michael Cohen’s Days in PrisonIntakeMichael Cohen will self report and surrender to Federal prison on May 6, 2019. Most probably no later than 2 PM. If he misses the deadline, he will be considered a fleeing felon. US Marshals will come after him with a warrant.Most likely, he will step in through the front door of the Federal Correctional Institute in Otisville, New York. FCI Otisville was requested by Cohen’s attorneys and recommended by the Judge in Cohen’s sentencing memorandum.Otisville is a Medium Security Prison with a detention center, and an adjacent Minimum Security Satellite Prison Camp, which is home to about 117 men. The Camp is where Cohen will serve his time.Traditionally, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) was not bound by Judges’ requests. But typically they would honor a Judge’s recommendation. The First Step Act, signed into law in December of 2018, now actually requires the BOP to assign a convicted felon to a facility within 500 driving miles of home.It is possible that due to his close association with the current President of the United States, and for his safety, the Bureau of Prisons may decide to assign Cohen to another facility rather than Otisville. We shall see.If Cohen ends up at Otisville, from my personal experience, there will probably be many lawyers serving time there. As well as doctors, politicians and business executives. Michael Cohen should have plenty of company and feel right at home. He’s going to be with a lot of people just like him.FCI Otisville meets the needs of a Jewish inmate population, offering Seders in the cafeteria among other accommodations. In general, Low Security Prison Camps are not as restrictive as higher security prisons. But contrary to popular belief, they are by no means “Club Fed”. In the final analysis, it’s a Federal prison.Doors are locked and Cohen doesn’t have the key.Cohen will probably enter through the same door visitors and guests use to enter the prison. He will have to surrender any jewelry and other personal effects, except for a wedding ring, and religious artifacts such as a mezuzot, and for Christians, a chain with a cross. Other religious artifacts, such as kufis, headbands, yarmulkes and other materials will be available for purchase in the prison commissary.But what he can bring in, including money, will be entirely up to the particular prison and intake corrections officer (CO). That will be Cohen’s first encounter with BOP authority and rule. Nothing after this first encounter has to or will make any logical or humanistic sense. It just has to make BOP sense. Or even more restrictively, CO sense.Now, according to the FCI Otisville Inmate Handbook, Cohen is:INTRODUCTION — You are now in the custody and care of Federal Bureau of Prisons staff of the Federal Correctional Institution, Otisville, New York.Once he is escorted from the non-secure waiting room, through the heavy, imposing security door that can only be unlocked by COs behind bullet proof dark glass, his life changes. He moves from the free world, to a world where he has lost the vast majority of his freedoms.Many of the niceties of life, the little things he once enjoyed will be gone for the length of his stay. He may have researched all of this himself, or have been counseled by his white-collar crime specialist attorneys. Or he may have even purchased or been given a copy of The Federal Prison Handbook.Any and all of those sources will give you some idea of what is in store for you. But the fact is, you don’t know what you don’t know, and won’t, until you actually know.The proof is in the serving and living of a jail sentence…The rest of Cohen’s intake will go down like this:Fingerprinting, Photograph/Mug Shot, DNA SwabDisrobing — his clothing and shoes will be returned to a person and address of his choice — in my case my wife received the package with my clothing and shoes. She left the package unopened for 33 and 1/2 months. She could not bear to even look at it.Body search and cavity check. They don’t touch you, but you have to “drop trou’” and spread. A humiliating episode. The first of many.Assignment of ill fitting temporary clothing and shoes, plus bedding, towel and toiletries. He may not actually get any toiletries. They seem to “miraculously” disappear from intake.Otisville winters are cold. So the clothing may be warmer than a thin white t-shirt, skimpy pants and thin-soled sneakers like those issued during my intake. This temporary clothing will be all Cohen gets until the next time the Camp laundry opens, and until he is able to establish a prison account and purchase commissary items.Cohen will receive a cursory orientation and will be referred to or may even be provided a copy of the FCI Otisville Camp Admissions & Orientation Handbook. Click on that link for some interesting reading.After his intake process is completed you will be able to look up Michael Dean Cohen in the BOP Inmate Locator and find his inmate (Register) number, Prison location, age, race, and sex, and that all-important estimated release date. The actual date will be based on a number of factors that will play out during his sentence.You can look him up now, but this is what you will see:Michael Cohen’s BOP Record Locator Search ResultsHow do I know that is his actual record? The last 3 digits of his Register Number are for the Southern District of New York. And the number 86067 is an indication that he is a relatively new assignee. 86,066 have gone before him.Plus he is not in BOP custody yet, and his release date is unknown. Until he self surrenders and is processed, he won’t be in BOP Custody and his release date will remain “unknown”.With respect to his release date, the First Step Act provides for credits an inmate can earn while serving time. These credits can be used for early release to a Half Way House or to Home Confinement. It remains to be seen how this will impact Cohen’s sentence.After processing, Cohen will take his bedding and other things he was given, and will be walked over to the minimum security Camp by the CO where he will be assigned a bunk and left on his own. Now it will be up to him and his new “bunk mates” as to what happens next.Typical Living and Sleeping Accommodations in a Federal Minimum Security Prison CampFirst Afternoon and CountCohen will likely be assigned a bunk before the 4 PM daily count. He will have to learn how to make that bunk bed properly. It varies prison by prison. In the camp where I served the majority of my time the Warden insisted on “hospital corners”. Why? Recall what I said about BOP rules and logic. Just because.Here is more about daily counts from the Otisville Camp Prison Handbook:“Ordinarily, there are five counts during the week, and six counts on weekends and holidays. During the week, counts are held at 12 midnight, 3 AM, and 5 AM, 4 PM, 10 PM. On weekends and holidays, a 10 AM count is added. Notwithstanding this schedule, additional counts may occur at any time.”This is how the BOP determines that every one of the inmates they are responsible for is present and accounted. They count noses as their “fail safe” method ensuring no one has escaped. It is a manual count. No clickers, iPads, handhelds or anything even closely resembling the 20th or 21st century. No writing anything down until the entire count is complete.Yep. The CO goes down the rows of bunks counting, with index finger extended, out loud or under their breath: One, two, three. Sometimes they hold a pencil to point and count with. This is why you can’t talk during the count, lest you confuse the counting CO. It is easy to confuse COs. They are easily distracted and confused.During my stay with the BOP there were many counts that had to be redone in mid-count. Because the CO got confused or lost track. Maybe he or she (yes there are female COs in Male prisons) was thinking about all those inmate toiletries they had squirreled away in their locker and they lost concentration.I saw some recounts as well, after the total count, when the actual numbers didn’t match what was expected. As a result, the whole count had to begin from scratch. Pissed COs, and the inmates are pissed as well.So to provide the right “environment” for the COs you must stand for most of the counts, and remain totally silent. The midnight and 3 AM counts are the exception, since they are taken while you sleep. But your head must be uncovered and visible.What happens if you talk during a count? Besides confusing the CO? It will probably get you a strong warning and may even earn you a “shot”. This a black mark on your record. Shots are tracked by the BOP Prison Counselor.Too many “shots” and you end up in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) which is a much more restrictive area. It is indeed a special place.Too many of those SHU visits and you may end up being transferred to a higher security even more restrictive facility.Understatement: This would be a really bad thing!More on the special’ness of the Special Housing Unit later.Once the 4 PM count is over, Cohen will be able to have his first prison meal at the Camp Cafeteria. It will behoove him to have made some cursory acquaintances by then. Because there are inmate rules and norms, especially kitchen, cafeteria and food related. For instance, where you sit, and who you sit with.These are best learned from other inmates and by first hand careful observation. Not from having inadvertently and unknowingly violated them.Meals and FoodMeals at Otisville are served at the following times:Monday — FridayBreakfast 6:00 am Lunch 11:00 am Dinner 4:15 pmSaturday, Sunday, and HolidaysBreakfast 7:00 am Lunch 11:00 am Dinner 4:15 pmSupposedly the food at the Otisville Camp is “good”.I’ve eaten at 7 different prisons. Federal and State. I’m not a hardened criminal or anything like that. I just got to travel a lot BOP style. Did a lot of undesired travel on “Con Air” with US Marshal escorts toting shotguns and automatic weapons.The US Marshals are no laughing matter…As a result of my travels, I got a chance to sample the fare at many prison facilities. And I also got to eat quite a few bologna sandwiches.I’m not sure what other people’s definition of “good” is. I wouldn’t exactly label any of the Prison food I ate as “good”. Passable is as far as I would go. In some cases, the food is downright inedible.A rare exception was the food at the Strafford County Department of Corrections in Dover, New Hampshire, a privately run prison where I served 4 months. The food was surprisingly good. And plentiful.And the issue with prison food is not just the ingredients. It’s also the way the food is prepared. A few examples of both types of issues…Undersized chicken sold cheaply to the BOP because no other food distribution outlets will accept itBoiled canned collard greens, unseasoned and bitter. Served regularly. To this day I can’t even look at collard greens without gaggingMystery meat. No further comment neededWatery, unsalted canned green beansWatery coffee, often with grounds. In the camp I was in, coffee was made in a big stove top boiler and then siphoned off into plastic dispensersOn the plus side of food, prison breakfast is usually good. Cereal, oatmeal, and eggs on the weekend. Sometimes pancakes.Fruit is always a popular item. Bananas are highly prized, although not always offered on a daily basis. Apples are a regular offering. Oranges are frequent. At one prison where I served time, we had a 4 week run of Peaches that were huge, juicy and outstanding, I thought I was in heaven.And milk. Milk is always available. A good source of protein. I would drink 3 or 4 glasses a day for the protein. Especially important when I began to work out regularly and lose weight.Those inmates that can afford it, supplement cafeteria food with purchases from the commissary. They become Masters of the Microwave and can prepare tasty, if not downright elegant meals. Rice. Beans. Chicken. Salmon. Tuna. Mackerel. Beef.There is a Prison combo microwave meal called “Batch”, which is made up of rice, beans, a protein, such as chicken, beef or fish, and whatever spices can be purchased from the commissary or “borrowed” from the kitchen. It’s tasty.Some inmates make and sell “burritos” from the Batch. Price? One pouch of Tuna or Mackerel. Tuna and Mackerel pouches are prison currency. As are stamps.A haircut is usually one pouch of Tuna or Mackerel. Want your bed made up nice? With those hospital corners? A pouch.By the way, the burritos are awesome!Inmates without the culinary inclination and with the means, may “hire” another inmate to cook for them. Often times these meals made from commissary items are supplemented with contraband items either smuggled in to the prison or stolen from the cafeteria. Onions. Peppers. Chicken. Tomatoes. And the ever popular bananas.Though I was never inclined to hire a prison “Chef”, and could not afford one even if I had been, I’ve tasted meals cooked up by these entrepreneurs. Unbelievably good. Actually, incredible. I had a piece of prisoner made Flan once that rivaled any I’ve had in good Miami restaurants.Once during my time at FCI Miami, an inmate who was a former Chef at a well known Miami restaurant made me a meal to thank me for help I provided him. It was INSANELY good. I couldn’t believe what he had accomplished with just the Microwave. Even the presentation was great.Just to make clear though, I much prefer to dine on excellent food as a free man, at an actual restaurant, and with loved ones…First NightAfter Cohen eats his first BOP provided meal there will be a few hours for recreation, personal hygiene, hobbies, phone calls to family, letters, reading or sending emails, reading scripture, attending classes, listening to music, or engaging in personal reflection before the 10 PM count and lights out.However most likely, he will be too disoriented, unfocused and confused. Plus, his available resources will be severely limited to engage in any meaningful activity.As an example, since a portable radio is required to listen to Camp TVs, he will not have access to one unless someone lends it to him. Possible, but unlikely.He won’t be able to call anyone, including family members for at least several days. No telephone account and codes will have been established for him yet. And he won’t have any money in his account with which to pay for calls. Even if he brought cash with him, it was taken, to be deposited into an account under his name.Feeling altruistic? You can send money to Cohen’s account. He can buy Tuna and Mackerel pouches and get a haircut or have his clothes pressed for visits.Perhaps due to his “celebrity” status, many Camp inmates will seek Cohen out. Just to talk. Size him up. Or exploit and intimidate him. He’s going to be a hero to some, a goat to others, and an anti-Christ to the Trump supporters.He’ll have to eventually reconcile with all of this. Most assuredly, he will. It’s inevitable. Soon the celebrity status fades, and then Cohen will be old news.Tonight though, he is merely trying to make sense of it all. And to survive his first day and night. He is “trying on” this new persona. And slowly learning how to act, talk, adapt, behave. He is slowly processing and defining who THIS version of Michael Cohen is right now, and who he will become in the months to come.When the 10 PM count is over, the lights go out, he lays on that ridiculously thin mattress, and his head hits that BOP-issued poor excuse for a pillow, he will most likely have trouble falling asleep. He will stare at either the ceiling above if assigned the top bunk, or the bunk bottom directly above him.Reality has set in. And In prison, reality is a true and relentless bitch…First Wake UpHas Michael Cohen been an early riser throughout his life? Well, he is now.The day at Otisville Camp begins with a 5 AM count. Rise and shine. Stand at your bunk. Mouth shut. Until the count is over.Establishing a sustainable morning routine is essential. Typically you would want to have one for weekdays, and one for weekends. In my case, on weekdays, I was up, hygiene tasks done, dressed, out the door, and in line at the cafeteria. Not the first in line, but definitely not in the last 3/4 of the line.The weekend would necessitate a slightly different schedule, for reasons I will elaborate below.Breakfast at Otisville Camp starts at 6 AM. If there are bananas or other highly coveted items, you’d best be in line and in the cafeteria before they run out.Stand in line. File in once the doors are open. Walk your tray through the line. Get your breakfast. Sit with your usual crowd. Finish up and get out. Time for a few minutes to get the day together in your head and it’s time for “work”.Cohen’s WorkThe prison work day starts at 7:30 AM. Cohen most likely won’t have a job on his first day at the Otisville Camp. Jobs are assigned by Counselors. A Counselor is a glorified CO. I met very few Counselors that I would actually consider the counseling type. For the most part, in my experience, Counselors were arrogant, rude, ignorant, and mean spirited. But they wield immense power. Don’t piss off a counselor.So Cohen will most probably be given some busy work, such as policing the grounds, until the counselor is able to assign him to a work detail. Typical first work detail assignments for a newbie would be in the camp cafeteria.Entry level cafeteria tasks would include preparing the room for meals, washing trays and dishes, and cleaning up after meals are served. No cooking or meal prep at first. That is left to more experienced kitchen-assigned prisoners. Besides, Cohen doesn’t seem the type to want to cook.Cafeteria duty is not all bad, if the right CO is in charge. You tend to eat more and better than your fellow inmates. Although the early shift typically begins at 4 AM, to get the prep done. And that takes some getting used to.In my case, the FCI Miami Cafeteria CO was sadistic and cruel. And he treated the inmates in accordance with his mean streak. I could not wait to fulfill my cafeteria duty, and then move on to other prison jobs. Maybe Cohen will be lucky and get to skip that whole ordeal.First WeekCohen’s first week will be more of the same as his first day. Except that he will probably get issued his regular prison clothes (a nice Khaki color in Otisville), undergarments, shoes, and standard bed roll consisting of two sheets, 1 pillowcase, 2 towels, and 2 wash cloths.The undergarments leave a lot to be desired. Tin Miami, they were threadbare and stained. With worn out elastic. And plenty of holes. Maybe Otisville will be more fashion-conscious.Cohen will be well advised to purchase a few T-Shirts, underwear, socks and a towel at the Commissary. I could not afford to buy any of these until family and friends were able to put together funds and deposit them in my account.As such, I used the prison issued underwear and towels for about 6 months. This experience molds and shapes you. Especially if you have become accustomed to expensive clothing, custom shirts and suits, silk ties, bespoke shoes and the like.Cohen’s focus for this first week should be to settle in, get his financial account established and funds deposited so he can purchase essentials at the Prison commissary, make phone calls and send emails.He will have to establish phone privileges as well. This means he will have to list and register the numbers he wants to call with the Camp Counselor.Cohen will be allowed 300 calling minutes per month which can be used for either direct or collect calls. Any minutes remaining at the end of the month will not carry over to the next month. Extra minutes are given during months with major holidays.There is a 15 minute maximum per call and you must wait 30 minutes between calls. There is usually a line to use the telephones. After a call, it could be several hours before you can use the phones again. The cutoff is 10 PM every night. So typically, you are going to get one chance at a call per day.All calls are recorded and monitored by Prison administration so Cohen must be careful what he and the people he calls, say to each other. You don’t talk to your lawyer on a regular prison phone. Those calls are made with permission and in the counselor’s office.Cohen must track his phone time carefully. Once he exceeds the monthly 300 minute limit, he can make no more calls until the following month.Do the math…300 minutes per month in a 30 day month is 10 minutes of calling per day. It’s not hard to use up your time quickly, especially at first when separation anxiety sets in and you want to speak to many family members.By the way, each call Cohen makes is announced to the recipient as a call originating from an inmate at a Federal Correctional Facility. The called party must acknowledge and accept that call.If the recipient rejects the call, either by accident or on purpose, the called telephone number is taken off the allowed call list. Getting it re-established in the system will require a trip to the counselor’s office.First MonthBy now, Cohen will be receiving visits from people on his approved visitors list. He will need to place people on his list and request they be approved by the Camp Counselor. There is a limit. As I recall, no more than 12 visitors. The BOP will perform a background check and will vet the requested visitors before approving. This is a hassle for potential visitors.The whole VISITING experience is a big hassle.You’ve got to really want to visit someone who is serving time in a Federal prison to put up with the hoops you must jump through…Cohen will be allocated 12 visit points per month. A weekday visit is one point. weekend or holiday visits are 2 points. He must alternate weekend days, and can have no more than 4 weekend visits at 2 points each for a total of 8 points. That leaves 4 points for weekday visits. Cohen must keep track of this as well.You can’t just show up to visit someone in Federal prison as the mood strikes you…The BOP has no flexibility when it comes to these rules.That first visit will be a big milestone of Cohen’s prison stay to date.These are the FCI Otisville visiting hours. But as mentioned earlier, not both Saturday and Sunday. Prisoners are assigned a day that alternates. One week, it’s Saturday, the next week its Sunday, and so on.Monday 8:00 am — 2:45 pmFriday 8:00 am — 2:45 pmSaturday 8:00 am — 2:45 pmSunday 8:00 am — 2:45 pmHolidays 8:00 am — 2:45 pmIf Cohen is going to be like most inmates I served with, he will make sure to look his best for visits. Well groomed, Hair cut and combed. Clothes clean and pressed. With a small application of prison-approved fragrance oil (no alcohol, naturally).The goal is to put your loved ones at ease when they realize you are taking care of yourself and you exhibit a positive frame of mind.MailNo surprise, there are many rules. As you might well imagine.The most important rule to know — All mail, incoming and outgoing, is opened and read by a CO.This is how they control contraband, illicit photographs, questionable materials, and how they “snoop” on you.Mail is distributed at a daily/nightly mail call.If you are not there, you don’t get your mail until the next mail call. Some COs will relax these rules, and give you mail outside of mail call. Or even let someone collect it for you. I wouldn’t count on that, until you see it consistently practiced.What you can receive is tightly controlled.No surprise, there is an 8 page Bureau of Prisons policy on incoming publications. You can find it HERE . In most cases, certain types of publications, such as books and newspapers, and some magazines, can only be received if they are sent directly from a publisher or distributor.From the policy:At all Bureau institutions, an inmate may receive hardcover publications and newspapers only from the publisher, from a book club, or from a bookstore.The BOP states:Publications determined detrimental to the security, good order, or discipline of the institution or that may facilitate criminal activity, or are otherwise prohibited by law, will be excluded from Bureau facilitiesAnd their policy goes on to state:The Warden may not establish an excluded list of publications. This means the Warden shall review the individual publication prior to the rejection of that publication. Rejection of several issues of a subscription publication is not sufficient reason to reject the subscription publication in its entirety.Mail is important in prison, It is a vital way of keeping in touch with loved ones. And an important part of staying connected to what is going on in the outside world, through newspapers, periodicals, and books. And a major factor in staying busy, productive, educated and fulfilled.Suffice to say, Cohen won’t be able to assume he will be able to “legally” receive and read whatever he wants. There will be limits. Just one more in a long list of freedoms lost.Cohen’s “Permanent“ Prison JobMost certainly by this time, Michael Cohen will have landed his full time prison gig. He will be paid anywhere between 0 (yes, zero. Some jobs pay NOTHING) to 40 cents per hour, based on the job and where he is assigned.Although there are a few prisons that have Industry jobs that pay higher.Did you know there is a BOP policy for Inmate Work and Performance Pay? Of course there is.Cohen will most probably change jobs multiple times while serving his sentence. It is pretty common, especially since the first job or two is usually in one of the less desirable work environments.Suffice to say, he won’t be “making ends meet” in the style to which he is accustomed on Federal Inmate prison pay.Medical CarePerhaps I should title this section Lack of Medical Care. Although I found that most of the health care employees that work in the BOP have good hearts and want to do the right thing. The issue is, their hands are tied by policy and a lack of freedom, scarcity of medication, and very few actual treatments they can prescribe and dispense.The psychologists and drug program counselors that I met and worked with, were extremely dedicated and competent. So if Cohen has to address any of these types of issues, and the prison he is eventually sent to is staffed with these people, he will be in competent hands.However some of the doctors I encountered in the BOP are just plain hacks.Cohen should be careful what kinds of diagnoses he receives and remedies he is prescribed by BOP doctors.Run of the mill issues like hypertension and diabetes are dealt with in a pretty straightforward manner. Although I did see some diabetics experiencing wild swings in their blood sugar levels and being rushed out of their cells suffering from hypo or hyperglycemia.And the BOP does a decent job of ensuring that those inmates that suffer from dependency to substances get their daily doses of methadone or whatever other medication they require. These are strictly controlled during “sick call”.If any other serious health issues are experienced by an inmate, they will usually be sent to a local hospital, clinic or specialist. This the rare exception, and is not easy to get accomplished. It usually takes persistence and consistent “noise” on the part of the inmate until the BOP doctor agrees.Some inmates who suffer from chronic conditions that are not treatable in a regular BOP prison medical facility may be transferred to a BOP special medical prison, such as Butner in North Carolina.Butner “is the Bureau’s largest medical complex, which operates a drug treatment program and specializes in oncology and behavioral science.[1]Among its inmates is Bernie Madoff. — from WikipediaButner, NC Federal Medical ComplexAt least at these types of facilities, an inmate can expect a higher level of medical care than they can get at a regular prison.Suffice to say, Cohen should do any and everything in his power to stay healthy and not require medical treatment beyond the more regular types of ailments. He should also look to the commissary for over the counter medications that are allowed for purchase and use to address any specific minor ailments.First YearThe first year tends to crawl by slowly. In Cohen’s case, with less than 3 years to serve, it will seem to move more quickly. Although each missed set of holidays while in prison tend to cause one to experience the slow ticking of the clock.As such, it will behoove Cohen to not “count the days”. Counting days is “counter productive” in prison. Not at all recommended. Your experienced and senior fellow Cons will tell you that immediately if they see you counting.You serve your sentence one day at a time. But you don’t count those days…If Cohen stays busy, occupying his waking hours with interesting and worthwhile activities, time will move briskly for him.Unless…he messes up…The SHUIf Cohen commits any violations, or earns enough “shots” even for minor infractions, he could serve time in the Special Housing Unit. This is a place akin to Solitary Confinement, although you will typically share a confined cell, complete with it’s own toilet and sink, with a fellow inmate.Just think for a brief moment about the logistics of a small, confined cell with a shared toilet which is out in the open and connected to the wash basin.2 Inmate SHU — It is Indeed SPECIAL!Private SHU Accommodations!A stay at the SHU also comes with a resplendent and complementary orange jumpsuit to differentiate Cohen from the regular population.No TV in the SHU. And a very limited supply of well worn paperbacks wheeled by once a week. You must select no more than two books through the pass through in the door.No magazines or newspapers are allowed.And you get a choice once a week between a shower, or recreational time. One or the other.But not both.Recreation time is an hour confined to chain link holding cells with no roof, within a concrete structure. You get to see a piece of sky while pacing back and forth.And the shower? Supervised the whole time by a CO. No privacy.The food is similar but not the same as the regular prison food. Plus it is cold by the time it gets to those in The SHU.I spent 2 weeks in the SHU. Needless to say, not at all an enjoyable experience.If Cohen stays within the rules, he will never experience the friendly confines of the Otisville SHU.He will fall into the rhythm of regular Federal prison life and just do his time.Perhaps he will begin working on that book we all know he is going to write!Fast Forward to the Last YearThat last year is a longish seeming stretch of time. Again, not focusing on time itself is a wise ting to do. If Cohen listens to his more successful fellow felons, in this last year of his sentence, he will intensify efforts towards activities, perhaps even involving himself in a few new ones.A new hobbyLearning a new skill (musical instrument, for example)Taking some additional coursesPicking up some additional books to readStepping up his exercise and physical activitiesPreparing a Life Plan — what to do with the rest of his lifeAs before, the trick is, to fill those days to the brim with stuff to do.Idle hands are the devil’s workshop…Last MonthIf Cohen has kept his nose clean all this time, he is in the home stretch. His good time calculation has reduced his sentence by a certain percentage, and he is not having to serve the entire 3 years. Soon, Prison staff will call him in to the office and provide him with a calculated release date for the halfway house. At this time, they will also tell him what facility he will be assigned to.Now he should be focusing on the following release-related activities:Preparing a plan for the immediate next 6 monthsLining up potential employmentFilling out required formsArranging for personal property to be mailed back — on his dimeDeciding what personal property to leave behind and give away to his inmate buddies — food, clothing, toiletries, headphones, radio, etc.Last DaysIt will be hard to focus as the magical date nears. Again, executing the items on his release To Do list should be his entire focus.Cohen needs to concentrate and keep his eyes focused squarely on the prize —Which is his RELEASE!Last NightI couldn’t sleep the night before my release. Understandable, right?This is probably the night Cohen gives away all his stuff.He will also say all of his goodbyes, and pledge to keep in touch.Except for a few rare exceptions, he most probably won’t.I have kept in touch with a handful of people I met during my time. We were there for each other, and I saw and continue to see them as reformed, contrite and positive people who have turned their lives around. It will be up to Cohen to make the decision as to who is worth keeping in touch with, and who is worth forgetting about forever.Day of ReleaseThe day of release is a whirlwind of activity. Cohen will probably be ready to go even before lights-on in anticipation of his departure from Otisville.He will bathe, and dress in the clothing he will wear to the half way house. Strip his bed and take it to the on duty CO. Empty his locker if he hasn’t already done so, and wait for his name to be called over the PA system, or for a CO to come get him.I distinctively remember how that went for me:“Fiallo. Report to the Main Building for Release.”Sweet music to my ears…Slaps on the back. Shaking of hands, and a short walk to the same place where the original intake was done. As I walked those steps, I never looked back. Cohen will probably do the same.Once in the main facility, the CO performs the following ritual:Form to be signedInstructions for reporting to the halfway house, including how much time you have been given to get thereInventory of anything you are taking with youEscorting to the main entrance by the CO, where it is verified that you are who you are supposed to beThen that massive iron door is opened, and you step outAnd Cohen is finally out…Again, I never looked back, and most probably, neither will Cohen.Whoever is picking him up will meet him in the parking lot where a happy reunion outside the confines of the BOP, will take place. And he is off to the half way house.In my case, I had enough time to first stop home and greet family before the eventual trip to the halfway house.Releases vary from prison to prison. A lot will depend on Cohen’s actual and specific circumstances. But how I described is probably how it will go down.Half Way HouseHalf-Assed House, or Prison Lite, is what I’ve heard these facilities called by the residents.I’m honestly trying to be very objective here.Half Way Houses are designed to facilitate re-entry from the stark reality of prison to the “real” reality of street life.They go by other fancy names as well. Such as Residential Re-entry Facility.An Actual Residential Re-Entry FacilityFrom Wikipedia:In criminology the purpose of a halfway house is generally considered to be that of allowing people to begin the process of reintegration with society, while still providing monitoring and support. This type of living arrangement is often believed to reduce the risk of recidivism or relapse when compared to a straight release directly into society.From the artificial reality of prison life to the real reality of normal life…In reality, the Half Way House is not that much different than prison. In fact, you can argue that it is worse, because in many cases, the people having dominion over you are for the most part, minimum wage employees who can’t get any kind of real law enforcement jobs. And there is little to no real or valuable support and assistance for residents to aid in their re-entry.Some of the workers lord their positions over the residents constantly and treat them like second class citizens. I would submit that this is counterproductive to creating an environment where someone who has served their sentence can successfully re-enter society.That being said, I don’t know how Michael Cohen will fare with his half way house experience. I am sure there are some half way houses in this country that do a great job. In my experience, talking to many inmates and looking at the facts as objectively as possible, many do not.Typical Half Way House Sleeping ArrangementsThis is probably what Cohen will experience:His entire stay will be closely monitored. That, they do a great job atLeaving for work, arriving at work, leaving work to return, and arriving back will be tracked and loggedCohen will not be allowed any stops to and from work, without express written permissionHe will not be allowed to go out to lunch while at work. He will take a lunch packed and provided by the halfway houseCohen’s work supervisor at his first job, will be initially interviewed and will also be periodically asked how Cohen is doingHe will be periodically checked up on at the job by a halfway house employee, in personCohen will have an assigned Half Way House work detail, in addition to his regular day job — kitchen detail, cleaning bathrooms, general cleaning, yard work, etc.He will eat three square meals a day at the Half Way House until he is placed on home confinementCohen will have to get permission and formal approval for any other “excursions”, such as — haircuts, doctor’s visits, trips to the DMV or Social Security Office — the time it will take to get there and back will be calculated and Cohen will be tracked and expected to call in when he arrives, and when he leaves to returnCohen will have to “drop urine” on demand. Even after home confinement, when called, he will have a prescribed amount of time to return and “drop”Cohen will be subjected to breathalyzer tests — usually upon returning. Alcohol is strictly forbidden while under Half Way House jurisdictionCohen will experience random searches for contraband, which is any item or material not allowed in your possession by the Half Way House. His locker will be “tossed” while he is away.Most likely, Cohen will not be allowed to have a cell phone while at the Half Way House. His specific facility may have relaxed this ruleA monthly financial statement will need to be prepared and submitted by Cohen, detailing income and expenses. The Half Way House takes 20% of his gross pay every weekFamily visits will be administered similar to when in prisonCounseling sessions will most likely be prescribed and are mandatoryCohen won’t be allowed to drive unless his license is current and he has a clean record. He will have to show proof of insurance, and that he owns the vehicle, or that the owner has allowed him to use it. The car will be thoroughly inspected, and will undergo random inspections as wellCohen will meet with his probation officer at least once during his Half Way House timeOn the plus side, the food in the halfway house will most probably be good, although not necessarily plentiful. After all, there are many mouths to feed.A Half Way House Food Line — this one was good!Residents BewareAny violations of rules may result in his Half Way House term being violated and he will be returned to prison to serve the remaining time.One Saturday morning, as I was having breakfast at the Half Way House before being released to home confinement, the US Marshals showed up. They took one of the guys at our table back to prison, in handcuffs, to serve out the remainder of his sentence. The Marshals were not happy campers and showed it. They’d much rather be chasing fugitives ala Tommy Lee Jones…His violation? He had stopped on his way back to the Half Way House from work to buy an ice cream cone.They mean business…Home ConfinementSoon after arriving at the Half Way House, Cohen should be doing all he can to receive “home confinement” status. Assuming his family agrees to take him back in the home (not always a slam dunk), this should be Cohen’s primary objective in order to reclaim some semblance of normalcy in his life.Half Way House time sucks. Big time.The quicker you leave, the better off you are.A job is the primary requirement to earn home confinement status. If he has one already lined up before he arrives, then he is “half way” home (excuse the intended pun).The other requirements are:Continue to obey all Half Way House and BOP rules. One needs to remember, even while at a Half Way House, you are still under BOP jurisdiction. You are serving out the last 6 (or less) months of your sentenceStay clean and soberAttend prescribed individual or group counseling sessions if applicableMaintain your work statusInstall a separate land line in your home with no call forwarding, so that the Half Way House can always reach you. And you can’t “fool” them by forwarding that line to wherever you may “unauthorizedly” beReport to the Half Way House immediately when called for any reasonAnswer the separate land line when they call — in my case, they would call at least twice a day, every day, with one at 2 AM every morningPay the Half Way House 20% of your pay once you start a job, for the duration of your termContinue to submit monthly financial statementsDo not associate with anyone having a criminal record. Report any encounter to the Half Way HouseReport any encounter with law enforcementDo not drive a motor vehicle unless you have been authorized to do soRequest written permission for any time to be away from home or work — including haircuts, attending religious ceremonies, or doctor visits. Once granted an excursion, you must abide by the times allotted for the trips. And you must call when you leave, call when you arrive, call again when you are departing for home, and call when you arrive homeAll of these restrictions and requirements continued for me even after I was put on home confinement. For the whole 6 months of my term. It’s possible that rules have changed or have been relaxed by the time Cohen begins his home confinement.Back to the Real worldMichael Cohen was disbarred by the New York state Supreme Court in Manhattan on February 28th. Having lost his law license, he will most probably never get it back and will no longer be able to practice his trade. He could try, but chances are, he will not prevail.I know many disbarred attorneys under similar circumstances, that have tried to get their licenses reinstated. Despite obtaining many letters of support from other attorneys and people in the community, they have not succeeded.Life after a felony conviction is different. Obvious, right? There are many things you most definitely won’t ever be able to do, and others that you can’t do, either temporarily, or until some action is taken to remove the restriction.For example:Voting — some states allow felons to vote, others require a petitionOwning a gun — at the present time, only a Presidential pardon or commutation can restore this Constitutional rightHolding certain offices — I don’t know the specifics of his sentence, but he may not be able to run for, or hold certain offices. The terms of my conviction bar me from ever becoming a Corporate officer or serving as a member of the board for a public companyBeing hired by certain companies — some opportunities will be forever closed to you. Some companies maintain a policy of not employing convicted felons. Period.Some will tell you that a felony conviction does not immediately disqualify you, but the reality is, you get nowhere when you try to seek employment with these companiesRejection by social or community groups, associations, and clubsDisapproval for certain financial transactions or for creditAs he faces these, and encounters other difficulties related to the stigmatization associated with being a convicted felon, he will be serving the other terms of his conviction.Being snubbed by former acquaintances and “friends” is something else Cohen should be prepared for. There are people that were close “friends”, of the fair weather variety, while you were flying high. Now they won’t have anything to do with you. For the most part, Cohen will be better off not having these kinds of people as “friends”.The terms of Cohen’s sentence includes a probationary period where he will have to report weekly to a parole officer, more commonly, a Probation Officer.Missouri Department of Corrections — A PO Meeting With a ParoleeAnd let’s not forget about the $1.39 million in restitution, $500,000 in forfeiture and $100,000 in fines. Those are obligations he must meet, if he hasn't already.By the way, during the time he is BOP custody, Cohen will most assuredly have to make agreed upon restitution payments. These will be taken out of his commissary account.Cohen’s probationary period was set at three years of supervised release. This time will be overseen by Cohen’s assigned US Probation Officer. It is likely that he will have different POs during his supervised release period.He may have community service to perform as well. I was sentenced to 200 hours of community service which took me a year and a half to complete.At the end of the first year, if he has kept all the rules and the Probation Officer has no objections, Cohen could apply for a shorter Probationary Period. There are no guarantees of getting that approved.During the probationary period, Cohen will continue to file financial reports, and must also report any encounter with law enforcement and with other convicted felons. He may also be required to attend prescribed group or individual counseling.To maintain good standing with his “PO” during the entire period, he will have to continue to be gainfully employed.It’s important to note that a violation could land him in jail, potentially to serve out the rest of his probationary period. For example, if Cohen were to lose his job, he would have to find alternative employment rather quickly or risk violating the terms of parole, and ending up in prison again.Cohen should do every and anything he can to stay on the narrow path and on the good side of his PO.Where the Rubber Meets the RoadFor Cohen, this is complete transition time now. The end game.A new life. Unless he forgot all about what earned him a prison sentence in the first place, he will have made or at least begun the transition from high flying huckster lawyer/fixer to convicted felon while serving his sentence.If he didn’t change his ways, his prison stay definitely will afford him the opportunity to keep shucking and jiving, bragging, wheeling and dealing, continuing to be a total asshole, and to actually refine and hone these skills.If he has the right attitude and resolve, the full transition he has to make is from Federal Inmate to regular human being.Is he capable of that?We are all capable. But for numerous reasons, some of us succeed and some of us fail. We continue the same foolhardy mistakes over and over.Groundhog day…Given the high rate of recidivism among Federal Felons (anywhere from 16% to over 80% depending on factors such as age, education and type of crime), some fall again. And they return to the warm, cozy confines of jail.It will be up to Cohen, and Cohen alone which way his life goes, and which path he decides to take.In the end, perhaps now, Michael Cohen will find peace.Finding that peace is totally up to him.Just like it was to me…“It is the bungled crime that brings remorse.”― P.G. WodehouseThis is how Michael Cohen will experience prison…Visit my blog at Enrique Fiallo – Mediumor my web site at The Way - Practical and Simple Life Coaching

To be absolutely sure, I feel like a true revolution in the US is a remote possibility even under the most volatile conditions. The American people have over 225 years of experience with respecting democratic traditions and the principle of laws above men, to include a bloody Civil War to look back on if ever in doubt of the consequences of failing to resolve differences peacefully (as well as a bloody Revolution that left America devastated, but that aspect of our fight for freedom does not get taught in schools as much).In short, Americans vastly prefer to resolve issues at the ballot box rather than with the ammo box.However, the question does not ask whether a revolution is likely (that’s elsewhere), or whether it would be successful, but what might trigger it. So that’s what I have limited my response to. Although the following scenario might not be probable, I feel it’s the most plausible for what could trigger a revolution in modern America.It’s 2020, and Americans have had it with the two-Party system. Two decades of “Do Nothing” Congresses fighting with successive Administrations, who have turned increasingly to governance by executive decree rather than by law, have left America with no clear domestic agenda while economic and social pressures mount.For decades, major polling firms have tracked the plummet of Americans’ attitudes towards and confidence in their government, and in recent years their moods have been at record lows. At times, even “0%” confidence has been within some polls’ margins of error.Meanwhile, gerrymander-protected Congressmen cushioned by generous campaign donations continue to protect those with access rather than advocate for the nation as a whole. “We’re just responding to the will of our constituents,” they say, even though ever more of them run in decreasingly competitive elections.The disputes in domestic policy are no longer ideological – it is no longer a matter of parties disagreeing with their vision for America – but truly the advantaged versus the disadvantaged. Wealth inequality has transformed from a topic of conversation to something people confront on a daily basis.The 2016 election was one of the most uninspiring in most Americans’ memories, with voter turnout at an historic low and enthusiasm gone beyond the Parties' truly faithful.Two years after the election, faced with still more of the same, the American people decided to make their frustration more apparent, and their resolve channeled into several victories for dark horse, third-party candidates in the 2018 Midterms. It was only a handful of members, but enough to reduce the Republican majority in the House to single-digits. Third-party wins in New England Senate races denied both Parties a majority in the Senate.Political observers expressed their hopes that the voters’ clear message of frustration with the lack of progress in government would force the parties to be more compromising in their agendas, but it did not come to pass. The president, too, did not back down in the face of the independent victories, and continued to use Congressional paralysis as reason to govern by executive order.Going into the presidential election, a charismatic, independent candidate who promises to take the fight to the established Parties grows a large following. His campaign is dubbed “Shock Therapy” for a “flat-lining” America.Despite rising support in the polls over the spring, the Commission on Presidential Debates, controlled by the Democratic and Republican Parties, goes on record as saying that it will exclude the candidate from the debates. This sparks outrage from multiple quarters – not just the candidate’s supporters – and after a demonstration outside the first debate turns violent, the CPD extends the Independent an invitation for the subsequent two debates.The Independent shines on the national stage, eviscerating the Democratic and Republican contenders, who come across as tired advocates for the status quo, unable to rise above ideology for the good of all. He surges in the polls, money and volunteers flood his campaign, and by October there are projections that he could, against all odds, secure an electoral victory.Party stalwarts and pundits, however, cast off these projections as wishful thinking, and claim that their internal polls show no signs of a mass defection towards the Independent.For the remainder of the month, Americans are bombarded with campaign rhetoric that oscillates from combative to panicked, with partisan commentators going well out of their way to demonstrate just why their candidate is all but assured of victory and what that will mean for the country.November 3, 2020Voter turnout in 2016 was down dramatically from 2012, as neither Democrats nor Republicans were particularly enthusiastic about their candidate – to say nothing of the independents’ thoughts – but early signs are that this year’s election has surged to 2008’s level, if not higher.The first polls close at 6 p.m. Eastern time, but it is not until 7 p.m. that results can be announced for certain States. Whereas in elections past the networks are easily able to declare a slew of winners at this hour, the only state they call with certainty is Vermont for the Democratic candidate.It is not necessarily a cause for alarm, though, the pundits say. Voters should be used to the traditional battlegrounds of Virginia, Ohio, and North Carolina being called later in the evening. They gloss over that the reported vote tallies are alarmingly low for the traditional Parties. After some nail-biting, however, Kentucky and West Virginia are sorted into the Republican column soon after 7:30.When 8 p.m. rolls around, normalcy appears to return to the electoral landscape. The traditional Northeast, Democratic strongholds roll over to the Democrats. Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Oklahoma are called for the Republicans. Battleground states Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Missouri are too close to call, but as the pundits stated before, this should not be unexpected.But when a wave of votes comes in from Virginia, the status quo narrative comes to an abrupt end.The Independent candidate has won the Commonwealth with over 40 percent of the vote. At 8:30, when Arkansas predictably goes for the Republican candidate, North Carolina and Georgia are called for the Independent.Then Ohio goes.Then Florida.Commentators try to remain confident as they make projections about what the rest of the country might do, but it becomes apparent in just a matter of minutes that the electoral math is not looking good for the major Parties. Most concede that the Republican candidate will be unable to get the 270 votes needed to win the election, but surely the Democrats will hold Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, among others, and have a narrow victory.However, too many States remain in play, and the uncertainty grows the longer they remain uncalled.Late in the night, the math becomes clear: In order for the Democrats to win the election outright, they must take at least eight of the twelve outstanding States. Their window narrows once it appears that Missouri will be a toss-up between the Independent and the Republican. More results come in, and New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Colorado fall convincingly for the Independent.There’s no way around the reality of the election’s results anymore. Bewildered pundits declare an event that has not happened in the United States in almost 200 years: Nobody has won a majority of the Electoral Vote, and so the election will have to be decided by the next Congress.On Wednesday morning, the final results are even less comforting to any American who went to bed hoping the election would be settled definitively.Americans split their vote almost perfectly three ways, but the Democratic candidate edged out a slight victory in the popular vote: 35.8 percent against the Independent’s 32.3 and the Republican’s 31.9. The Independent candidate, however, appears to have prevailed with the electoral vote, earning 198 votes to the Democrat’s 186 and the Republican’s 154.Down ticket, a wave of third party candidates have been elected to the House of Representatives, but still nowhere near enough to secure an outright majority. Republicans, still benefiting from the redistricting that followed the 2010 Census, while no longer in the majority, control the most seats.Only one more third-party candidate is elected to the Senate, but the chamber’s edge is to the Democrats.Across the country, the Parties mobilize armies of lawyers and volunteers to dispute the election results before the States can certify them. Yet even if the Democratic and Republican Parties won all of the legal contests where there’s the best chance of victory, the Independent still won too many States indisputably for either of them to secure a majority in the Electoral College. It’s obvious to all that the best they can do is weaken the Independent’s position before the matter is taken up by the incoming Congress.The legal battles continue through December until, as happened 20 years prior, the Supreme Court forces the States still in contest to end their recounts and certify winners so that the incoming Congress can perform its Constitutional duty and elect the next heads of government.The result of their decision causes Missouri to flip to the Republicans, while New Mexico and Michigan edge to the Democrats. This causes the Independent to fall to second place in the electoral count, to only 3 above the Republicans, with the Democrats climbing to above 200.A week following the Supreme Court’s decision, the electors of the Electoral College meet in their respective State capitals. Throughout the week, many commentators have used their respective media platforms to urge the Independent’s electors to be faithless, believing that he will have no mandate to lead, and spare the country the agony of having Congress decide the election.Between having lost the lead in the Electoral College through partisan, acrimonious recounts and a Supreme Court ruling and being bombarded daily by pundits who believe their candidate should simply concede, the tens of millions of Americans who voted for the Independent begin to stitch a narrative together that the Parties are conspiring to nullify the impact of their votes. If anybody should bow out of the election, they say, it should be the Republicans, who placed third in both the electoral and popular votes.There are faithless electors in late December, but not from the Independent camp – and not many. Only one elector from each of the major Parties casts a vote for the Independent, which is not enough to skew the expected outcome: The Democrat leads, but not enough for victory.Americans now get a sobering lesson in the little-regarded Twelfth Amendment.With none of the candidates receiving a majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives will be given the task of selecting the President of the United States. The Senate, the Vice President. But whereas each Senator is given the power to vote, in the House, each State Delegation gets a single vote. Moreover, the Twelfth Amendment restricts the selection of Vice President to the candidates who received the two highest numbers of electoral votes, thus eliminating the Republican candidate from consideration. In the House, all three leading presidential candidates are eligible for consideration.The Independent won the most electoral votes before the recounts, but there are only a handful of senators unaffiliated with the major Parties, and are no third party-dominated Delegations in the House. The Democrat won the greatest share of the popular vote before leading in the Electoral College, and the Democrats have the most Senators; but the Republicans, who lost both the popular and electoral votes, control an outright majority of Delegations in the House.January 4, 2021The new Congress convenes and immediately passes a resolution to meet in two days to count the electoral votes. Knowing the electoral situation, the House adopts rules for the counting of ballots that are identical to those passed in 1824, to respect the historic precedent and ensure consistency. After these votes and the recess of Congress, quietly, the Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders meet to discuss a compromise.The leaders agree that nobody wants to see the Independent candidates secure high office, but the question is how to block this from happening without upending the other Parties.In the Senate, the Republicans are urged to support the Democratic candidate for Vice President, as theirs is ineligible for consideration anyway. Republican leaders balk at the proposal, but are eventually persuaded to provide enough support for the Democrats to secure a one or two-vote victory – provided there are no Democratic defections.But what do the Republicans get in return? Democratic support in the House for the selection of the Republican candidate as President? The Democrats reject this. The Republicans trailed too far in the polls for that to be a legitimate possibility.Then what?If the Republicans in the House support the selection of the Democrat as President, then the Democrats will, in turn, support the election of the Republican Speaker of the House. In turn, the Vice President will resign – perhaps in exchange for a high profile cabinet position – and the then-President will select the Speaker as the new Vice President – the Speaker then replaced by another Republican. This would give the Republicans control of House leadership and tie-breaking capacity in the Senate which, given its narrow divide, would not be insignificant.The Republicans are less than convinced and offer no promises.January 6, 2021In the days since Congress convened, it appears to be ever more apparent that House Republicans are poised to select their candidate as President. Even though they came last in the election, they retained control of a large majority of State Delegations in the House. While only a few Republicans have gone on record with their express intent to vote for the Republican candidate, others point to the rules laid out in the Constitution and the necessity of honoring the law.Some Democrats and independents flirt with the possibility of a walkout unless Republicans agree to choose between the leading two candidates, but they simply do not have the numbers to deny the Republicans a Quorum and stall the vote.Tens of thousands of Americans have descended on Washington and Capitol Hill, demanding that their votes be respected. But as the demonstrators come from all camps, and the pressure on Congress already enormous, the protest does not appear to be a particularly persuasive force for those in the Capitol’s halls.A few minutes after 1 p.m., the joint session of Congress convenes in the House of Representatives to verify and count the electoral votes for President and Vice President. As expected, the result is206 for the Democratic candidates169 for the Independent candidates163 for the Republican candidatesThe joint session concludes, and the Members of Congress return to their respective chambers to select the President and Vice President.The Senate is first to go, not as a matter of custom – when the Senate was called upon to select the Vice President in 1836, the Presidential contest was not in doubt at the same time – but because it is easier to organize the roll call necessary to elect the Vice President than it is for the House to take the roll of Members, appoint Representatives as State tellers, cast and tabulate its ballots.By the time the House has confirmed that all 435 voting Members are present, the Senate has, by a larger than expected vote of 78-22, supported the Democratic candidate for Vice President. The news is instantaneously received in the House as its Members mull over their votes.One by one, Members hand their ballots into the Deans of their Delegations, each of whom then proceeds to quietly tabulate the States’ votes with another Member observing. They then wait for the Clerk to call the roll by State.As each State is called, the Sergeant-at-Arms carries two boxes to Delegation, wherein are placed two, identical ballots which declare the States’ selection. He carries one box to each side of the Rostrum, and once all boxes have been collected, 100 Members, two from each State, divide equally to tally and verify the vote of the House.The Republican candidate has prevailed.The presiding officer struggles to bring order to the Chamber as Democrats and independents loudly protest the result. Democratic leaders corner their Republican counterparts to demand answers, but are stonewalled. What are they going to do? Reveal their conspiracy to the public?Outside the Capitol, the scene is even more raucous, and several protesters are detained over the next several hours as many attempt to strike out at Members or otherwise make their disapproval known more physically. Many more protesters are hospitalized as fights break out between rival camps.On the airwaves, commentators and pundits try to play down the shock and anger. “This is how the system works,” they say. “Who should be surprised? Shouldn’t we be relieved that the Constitution has prevailed through this crisis?”Mere hours after Congress’ selection, the President and Vice President-elect hold a joint press conference in which they pledge to help bridge partisan divides and work for all Americans. “We have heard you,” they say. “Now it’s time to move forward.”In other days, these arguments might have prevailed, but Americans no longer believe in “the system.” The system has sheltered the advantaged while doing less and less for those trying to get ahead or scrape by. The system is defending its stagnation and the status quo. The system has obliterated tens of millions of votes for new representation and handed the government over to the minority.Nor do they believe that those in power are capable of bridging partisan divides. They have heard this rhetoric before, and ad nauseum, for far too long and with far too little to show for it to believe it this time.The Independent candidate, though incensed by him and his running mate being shut out by Congress, tries to appeal to people to respect the rule of law and challenge “the corrupt bargain” in coming elections. He promises to form a stronger Party to secure electoral gains in the years ahead and forever shatter the current system.Americans, by and large, are not having it. They no longer want to wait for the next election, or the next, to sort things out. Their anger is real, in the moment, and on the surface.On social media, a passage from America’s most sacred document goes viral:We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.It is soon, and then often, accompanied by an amalgamation of quotes from revered Founding Father, Thomas Jefferson:Every constitution then, and every law, naturally expires at the end of 19 years. If it be enforced longer, it is an act of force, and not of right. . . . It might be indeed if every form of government were so perfectly contrived that the will of the majority could always be obtained fairly and without impediment. But this is true of no form. . . . Various checks are opposed to every legislative proposition. Factions get possession of the public councils. Bribery corrupts them. Personal interests lead them astray from the general interests of their constituents.The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.January 20, 2021Seven-hundred thousand people are in the nation’s capital to attend the country’s 58th Inauguration, but it is hard to find the relatively few people who are there to celebrate if not the incoming leaders, the nation’s tradition of peaceful transfer of power. In cities around the country, millions more have gathered in public areas in protest to the incoming administration.At noon, when the President begins the oath of office, he is almost drowned out by the rise of jeers and curses from the crowd. These persist through his very short address to the agitated masses, in which he seems to be begging them to believe that a new age of unity is at hand that will benefit all Americans.When he and the Vice President retreat into the Capitol at the conclusion of the ceremony, their security advises that they forego the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue. The number of arrests has already hit triple-digits, and the crowd moving from the Mall to the route threatens to overwhelm the security in place.They dismiss the recommendation – cowering in the Capitol might only provoke further anger – but they agree to delay the start of the parade, in the hopes people will surrender to the bitter cold and begin to disperse, and to remain in the limousine.The parade was supposed to begin around 2:30 p.m., but does not commence until an hour and a half later. The strategy of hoping the combination of cold and impending sunset would help disperse the crowds has worked to an extent, but it has meant that the devoted demonstrators still lingering are even more riled up.As the motorcade makes its way down Pennsylvania Avenue, the protesters’ response is intense, but mostly vocal – at first. Farther down the road, crowds begin to push against the barricades as the motorcade comes in sight, only to be pushed back by police.Between 9th and 10th Streets, eggs and, in defiance of the cold, shoes are thrown at the presidential limousine, and the motorcade begins to accelerate. But before the President and Vice President can make it to the safety of the White House, a protester becomes the spark that ignites the conflagration.At 13th Street, the corner of Freedom Plaza, as the barricades fail, a man is able to break through the police line and charges at the presidential limousine, rock in hand. He lets it fly, managing little more than to scratch the limousine’s paint, but in a fraction of a second is tackled by a combination of police and Secret Service.That alone might not have been enough to enrage the witnessing crowds, but the law enforcement officers, themselves riled by the hours of confrontation they have endured, break discipline and launch into a brief but brutal assault on the president’s assailant. It looks less like the protester is being arrested and more as though he is receiving a summary punishment.More protesters break free of the barricade in order to rescue their comrade, only to in turn be tackled and assailed. Pushing and shouting gives way to punches, and in minutes Freedom Plaza and the avenue are the site of a melee.Media outlets try to avoid broadcasting scenes of the violence to reduce the risk of provoking the millions watching at home; but as law enforcement and crowd control units rush down Pennsylvania Avenue to contain the violence, those who had remained after the limousine had passed take advantage of the thinning police lines and spill out onto the parade route.There’s no hiding the crumbling security situation anymore, and the nation’s capital is plunged into rioting not seen since 1968.Across the country, most of the crowds dispersed soon after the President was sworn in, but many remain in lasting protest, and are mostly peaceful. Once violence erupts in the capital, however, many local law enforcement agencies attempt to preempt the risk of disorder in their own cities and move in to clear the crowds.In all cases, their plans backfire. City after city witnesses the emergence of riots, until soon there’s hardly a State untouched by the anger spilling out from a fed-up population.Road to RevolutionThe Inauguration Day Riots are mostly quelled by week’s end, with isolated incidents lingering through to the end of the month. The final toll is comparable to a natural disaster. Dozens have been killed, with thousands more seriously injured. Property damages surpass one billion dollars.Although the violence has subsided for now, most recognize that Pandora’s Box has been opened. Grievances against the government are spilling out from all quarters, and respect for lawful authority has plummeted. More and more rallies turn violent at the merest hint of a crackdown, which creates a feedback cycle: Law enforcement arrives to the subsequent rally in bigger numbers and with more gear, convincing the protesters that their rights will not be respected, agitating them to violence, provoking a larger response, and so forth.Eventually, jurisdictions begin denying all demonstration permits in order to ease tensions, but this only sparks a rise in illegal protests and acts of civil disobedience.Congress, in the meantime, has ground to a halt. Democratic leaders, still chaffed by the Republican rejection of their compromise offer, refuse to support any scrap of the Republican agenda in the House and use an array of tactics to stall business in the Senate. Moreover, they refuse to confirm any of the Republican President's Cabinet nominations without concessions, leaving the whole of government starving for leadership. The handful of third party Representatives and Senators have given up on attempting to bridge the divide, and instead serve as conduits of public anger at the intransigent government.Meanwhile, down Pennsylvania Avenue in the White House, the President and Vice President often quarrel on the rare occasions where they speak, and the Administration has yet to put forward a clear agenda for moving the country out of its crisis of confidence.Americans’ largest, collective disapproval of their government comes in April, as a record number individuals “fail” to file tax returns. Recognizing the tax revolt, in a rare act of bipartisanship, Congress first passes a law to extend the filing date to the end of June with no penalties for those who did not file by April 15 – but with increased penalties thereafter.The June deadline, however, is not met with an increase in tax returns being filed, but a several-million strong protest on the National Mall. It is the first protest since the Inauguration Day Riots that articulate national demands for changes to the government. There are calls for a Constitutional Convention.Their demands are met with regurgitated rhetoric.In August, after a summer of news about tax evaders being arrested, redistricting favoring incumbents, and the failure of bipartisanship to make meaningful progress in Congress, the electorate’s anger erupts again as Members of Congress, on recess, duck and dodge at town hall meetings and other public events. Several events turn violent. Eventually, Congressmen stop appearing in public altogether.When Congress reconvenes in September, there are angry crowds at Capitol Hill to demand why the Congress has failed to act on an array of measures, with bills to approve a Constitutional Convention among them. Physical confrontations are rare at first – the police are quick to isolate and remove troublemakers – but the thin veneer of peace does not last long against the storm of discontent.On the afternoon of Friday, September 17, as Congress tries to rush through morning business so they can head back to their districts, protesters are successful in surging past the police lines and force their way into the Captiol Building, storming the House Chamber. The Floor is empty, as it usually is during business hours, but their occupation is a major victory in its symbolism and effect.Energized by the scene of their compatriots in command of the halls of Congress, protesters across the country storm and occupy their State assemblies, forcing legislatures in most States to follow in Congress’ footsteps and hastily adjourn.The message is clear: Americans no longer support the rules of the status quo, and no amount of rhetoric will be sufficient to placate them. Two centuries after the end of its first revolution, the American people have risen up again to revoke their consent to be governed under the ruling order.The Second American Revolution has begun.

No, not if you like the books. The movies are so different from the books, it’s not just a few things are changed. In no particular order:The ages. In The Lightning Thief, Percy and Annabeth are both 12 years old (Grover is technically 28, which makes him about 14 in ‘mortal years’). Sea of Monsters, they’re 13, and their ages increase by a year up until Last Olympian, in which Annabeth has turned 16 and at the end Percy is 16. However, in the movies, both Percy and Annabeth look to be much older, about high school age.Percy and Annabeth: Capture the Flag. In the books, Annabeth and Percy are on the same team, the Blue team, they win, etc. But in the movies, Annabeth is on the Red team, and Percy’s team wins (?) after he beats her in a swordfight. (Also, in the comments it has been pointed out that Annabeth doesn’t even use a sword, she uses a dagger. Thanks, Milena Shan.) This also doesn’t make sense. In the books, Annabeth is shown to be an exceptional fighter, since she’s been training for about 5 years at that point, and Percy not even a few weeks. Annabeth also says “I trained, and I trained, and I trained…you need me.” in the movies, but if Percy beat her with about two hours of training and it took her 5 years to get that good, why does he need her?The claiming. Once Percy arrives at Camp Half-Blood, it takes him about 2 seconds to figure out who his dad is, and to have a cabin. This is the movies. In the books, he’s stuck in Cabin 11 and then it’s not revealed until he is fighting Clarisse and a few of her cabinmates from Ares in Capture the Flag. When Annabeth realizes water is what gives him strength, she mutters that she thought it would be Zeus, and it wasn’t what she expected. Percy doesn’t understand what she means, and doesn’t have time to figure it out, before a hellhound attacks, and only after that ordeal is he claimed by Poseidon.Persephone doesn’t appear at all in the first book, but in the movie she does. In the books, when Percy, Annabeth and Grover go to confront Hades, Percy “glanced at the empty smaller throne next to Hades’. It was shaped like a black flower, gilded with gold. [I] wished Queen Persephone was here. I recalled something in the myths about how she could calm her husband’s moods. But it was summer….Persephone would be above…” Since the deadline is the summer solstice, the entire book is set in the summer, so Persephone would not be in the Underworld. The movies show her with her husband, Hades, in the Underworld, however.Physical appearances. First movie, Annabeth has straight, dark brown hair and more blue-ish eyes, while in the books it says she has curly blond hair and gray eyes. Second movie, they fixed it. Percy’s movie self looked to be better, other than the ages.Persephone’s pearls. A large portion of the Lightning Thief, the movie, is focused on retrieving 3 of Persephone’s pearls so they can escape from the Underworld after recovering the lightning bolt. They are planted across America. In the books, however, Percy aquires them from a Nereid (a sea nymph). This brings me to my next point.Medusa. In the movies, Percy, Annabeth and Grover go to Medusa’s lair to search for the pearls, and are ambushed. In the books, Medusa invites them in, feeds them, and asks for a ‘picture’ before Annabeth (she realized first) realizes what is going on and they all manage to defeat her. Not much of a change, but still a change.Ares (and Clarisse). Ares is a big part of the 1st book, with it being revealed that after Luke stole both Zeus’ lightning bolt and Hades’ Helm of Darkness at the Winter Solstice, Ares caught him, but did not force him to give the items over. Instead, Ares decided to keep the items hidden for a while longer in favor of a war starting between the Olympians. However, in the movie, Ares is pretty much left out. Clarisse is a part of the 1st book as well, yet she doesn’t appear until the 2nd movie, and really isn’t explained what her character is.The Sea of Monsters has the remaining 4 books squashed into 1 movie. So many things are left out or mixed up. Circe’s Island? How the engine blows on the ghost ship? How Grover was actually taken captive prior to the events of the book? No one finds out that Silena Beuregard was a spy until The Last Olympian, yet during the sneaking-on-Princess-Andromeda scene Annabeth (or Percy?) whispers that one of the people talking is Silena Beuregard. Percy defeats Kronos at the end of the movie, yet it takes him another few books before he defeats Kronos. The Oracle’s prophecy is revealed in the second movie, yet in the fifth book, and the line was changed from One child of the eldest gods shall reach sixteen against all odds to One child of the eldest gods shall reach twenty against all odds.