Many powerful groups bitterly opposed taking the United States into a new world government. There was even more vocal opposition to massive disarmament followed by merging the remaining forces of the United States into a multinational peacekeeping force. To complicate the matter even further, the president was having to deal with vocal and sometimes dangerous domestic discontent. Incumbent administrations get blamed when things go wrong, and things were certainly wrong all over the world. The so-called “misery index” dipped so low that it could scarcely be measured. The president’s approval rating fell to a non-electable 40 percent.

Mark Beaulieu scheduled a major television address exactly four months and twenty-nine days after the beginning of the torment that had been driving the earth mad. After his usual promise of peace, economic security, full equality, and world brotherhood, he made a stunning announcement. “I know of your suffering and your pain. I have prayed for you—for each citizen of America, and each citizen of the world. My god has assured me that, as a token of his favor, he will cause the curse to be lifted off the world at my command.

“Therefore, I command that at one minute past midnight this very night, all spiritual forces that have been tormenting the earth shall return from whence they came. I command them to set you free.” He opened his right hand toward the camera, and the red dot glowed brightly, as before. He then closed his right hand into a fist, and the light was apparently extinguished.

At precisely one minute past midnight on the thirtieth day of the fifth month, all demonic torment ceased. God, not Satan, had been blamed for the torment. And for this great deliverance, Mark Beaulieu received all the praise. He was hailed as a righteous man, a holy man, a powerful and compassionate leader. Overnight, the polls showed that his approval rating had soared to 90 percent. His election was assured.

But, Tauriq Haddad still wanted more. He wanted control of the United States Congress. He wanted to replace many of the incumbents with his own hand-picked people. Tauriq organized what he called “Truth Squads” to travel to each congressional district and to demonstrate face-to-face to incumbent congressmen how undesirable it would be for them to continue in high public office. The majority saw the “truth” right away and announced their plans for retirement.

In addition, the news was widely circulated of sitting members of the House and Senate who were severely wounded while being robbed at gunpoint by juvenile criminals. In some cases, their automobiles malfunctioned at high speeds. Some were arrested for dealing in narcotics. Photographs were widely circulated of other members accepting bribes from known criminals.

By October, less than a month from the fall elections, roughly half of the incumbent members of both houses of Congress had declared their intention to resign.