Passion and Politics

Although most threats were considered a hoax, security for Senator Bellardi was not taken lightly. He had two full-time bodyguards. Volunteers were solemnly briefed about the possible dangers of being associated with the campaign, and a few of them had decided to leave the office. Others, like Stevie, strengthened their resolve to serve in view of the high stakes of securing North California for decency. She was in this for her kids, and she was not about to bail out now and forfeit their future to invisible troublemakers.

Stevie had learned a lot during her first month in Senator Bellardi's campaign headquarters. The honeymoon was definitely over, and the romance of working for a nationally recognized political leader had long since been replaced by the cold reality of weekly deadlines, tension among coworkers, and budget crunches. But Stevie had not been dissuaded. She felt a large weight of responsibility for heightening public sentiment in support of the traditional values of morality, voluntary prayer in schools, no-parole sentences for convicted drug dealers and sex offenders, and mandatory capital punishment for convicted first-degree murderers.

She also hoped to raise public ire against legalized marijuana, abortion, euthanasia, minority rights for homosexuals, and pornography. Indeed, the Prayer Fax and Fax-O-Gram were allowing her to tackle all of these areas, one article at a time. This had become her passion; and coaching her new apprentice, Wes Bellardi, was an added delight.