Wars over food. Legions of homeless. Dwindling resources amid a growing, out-of-control population. The American dream of prosperity could be the death of us as early as 2020.

At least that's what Maj. Stone Rogers must believe-and what he must convince others to believe. His mission? To find a way to make suicide seem patriotic-to make the ill and troubled truly believe in dying with dignity, to believe that their willful deaths will help their nation thrive.

When Maj. Stone hires the famous advertising agency of Abbott and Hastings to make the pitch to the people, it falls upon...