Power Rangers: Public Enemies
Chapter 8: The Ranger Act- Precursors
(Taken from the Daily Trumpet, November 13, 2039)
The following is a glance over the many precursors and circumstances that led to the Ranger Act of 2011.
As far back as the Second World War, America has been protected by a large number of people with 'extraordinary' abilities. Although there are documents of some 'super powered' or 'especially gifted' individuals throughout Man's history, these are too few and far in between. Indisputably, it was the Cold War that brought a surge of 'Super Heroes' across the world.
Back then, thanks to the efforts of Senator Joseph McCarthy, the United States Government had managed to create a 'Super Registration Act'. In the year 1949, just a year after Ludwig von Schroeder was finally killed, the United States of America found herself with a surplus of 'Super Powered Beings', including the Human Shell (Who could be fired out of a cannon and not suffer the least bit of damage), the Silver Gust (Who had Super Speed) and Atom Woman (Who could fire lasers out of her eyes). The reason for this surplus of meta-humans was simple: to topple the Third Reich's latest weapon, the Ubermensch, a colossal robot the size of five houses stacked on top of each other. When the Silver Gust was (falsely) accused of being a spy for the Soviet Union, McCarthy used this as reason to enact the Act, forcing all super powered beings into registering with the Government. It worked, too.
During the 50's, the United States of America enjoyed some relative peace, mostly due to the fact that the Supers worked for the Government in its entirety. However, then came the year 1959, and every Super Human died inexplicably. The reasons are still being investigated to this day.
With no champions left to defend her, America seemed doomed to a Soviet attack. However, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy brought the world a 'new' kind of hero: a team of five un-powered heroes, wielding technology beyond anything the world had at the time. They were dubbed 'Power Rangers', after the legendary 'Wild West Rangers'. Scholars these days usually refer to them as the Power Rangers of the New Frontier.
From 1961-1969, the Power Rangers, hereby referred to as the PRNF, served the US Government loyally. However, there were times when their loyalties were severely questioned. Ken Song, yellow Ranger of the PRNF, conscientiously refused to service in Vietnam, earning him the scorn of the people. Norma Jean, Pink Ranger of the PRNF, was a strong advocate of the Women's Rights movement. Many people tried to defame her and her beliefs by implying she was a lesbian (This was later proven to be true, but that is beside the point). Perhaps the most shocking of all (at the time) was the Green Ranger, Henry Iron's affiliation with the Civil Rights movement. None of the Power Rangers received as many death threats as he did, not before, not since. However, these Rangers stayed on duty due to their Red Ranger, John Hill's, word of recommendation. It was his reputation which kept the Power Rangers out of the black list from the Government. The PRNF was disbanded in the year 1969, when John Hill lost his life in a heroic sacrifice to save the Earth from a coming meteor.
Nowadays, you mention the PRNF, most people will not know what you are talking about. However, the name John Hill resonates into History, and even his grave is marked by the name most people remember him by: The Power Ranger.
The Cold War, as we know, ended in the year 1989 with the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. By then, people wanted to just relax, never again worrying about wars or monsters. The year 1991 saw the collapse of the Soviet Union. It seemed that never again would the world see the need for super powered beings. Then, in the year 1993, Rita Repulsa attacked.
We know what happened then. What few people paid attention to, however, was the Government's reaction to this threat, as well as the arrival of the new Power Rangers. At the time, the only Senator willing to distrust the Power Rangers was Senator Ernest McCarthy (no relation to Joseph McCarthy). His position was that, due to the fact that the Power Rangers never gave away their identities, and that they acted outside the law, that they were vigilantes. Although his claims fell on deaf ears, his second proposal, to create their own team of Power Rangers, is what helped pave the way for the Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue and the Power Rangers of Operation Overdrive.
From 1993-1997, the Government saw little reason to invest in creating their own teams of Power Rangers. President Clinton once said, to quote "These fine people, the Power Rangers, do this great country a greater service, protecting us from evil, asking for nothing in return."
The Countdown to Destruction of 1998 was the true catalyst to creating Government run Rangers. Suddenly, the idea that the Power Rangers might NOT be enough to defend America, if not the World, from the forces of Evil seemed very real. Ernest McCarthy himself once again proposed the creation of man made Rangers. The end result of this Project was Lightspeed.
However, Lightspeed cost too much money to be able to repeat successfully. At a cost of 55 Billion, the Project was deemed too steep to be carried by tax payer money. This fact is widely attributed to have cost Al Gore the 2000 election.
From 2001-2005, the US Government debated what to do in case the Power Rangers could not be counted on. Many believed that, because there were no more 'forces of evil' as threatening as the ones from the Countdown, that the need for Power Rangers had come and gone. Then came the Crisis of 2005, a subject far too extensive to revise here. Needless to say, that crisis changed the tune of every politician in America.
The year 2007 saw a glimpse of hope in the eyes of the Government. Hartford Industries managed to create its own team of Rangers. Suddenly, the future seemed bright. The answer, according to President George Bush, was finally found: Rangers that are privately funded.
This turned out to be easier said than done. Zord creation and maintenance comes at about fifty five million dollars apiece. Creation of Ranger suits and gear also reached the eight digits. Few, if any companies could afford to do such an ambitious venture without risking bankruptcy. And the world still needed Power Rangers.
2009 evidenced the need for there to be a consistent team of Power Rangers present and on duty, 24/7. All across the world, several villains were foiled merely by virtue of coincidental Ranger presence. This fact worried the Governments of the word. That was when newly elected President Patton Oswald gave a small suggestion: Keep old Rangers on duty, restoring their powers if necessary. This proved to be not just cost effective, but also far more convenient for everyone. There was just one problem: No one in the Government knew the identity of over three quarters of every Ranger in existence. Once again, the Vigilante problem is addressed. This time, its taken seriously.
Allowing the Rangers to act without giving away their identities is often considered to be on of the Twelve Blunders of Patton Oswald. Giving them full freedom of authority during the Crisis of 2010 is another.
When reports of Power Rangers using excessive force (Not all these claims were false) reached the Government, Ernest McCarthy once again voiced his proposal for a Registration Act. This Act eventually passed through Congress, opposed only by three votes. It was signed by President George Sears on September 18, 2011.
Written by
Sigfried Adam Smith
The Author is a Historian, essayist and Professor of US History at New Angel City University.