Chapter 610 - 286: Connecting to Washington

"It’s time to call in some favors."

"Even if we can only pull a few votes, even if we can only get them to take a bathroom break at a critical moment, that’s still a win for us."

Cres was silent for a long time.

"Leo, you’re forcing me to use strategic reserves to help you fight a tactical battle."

"Is it worth it?"

"It is."

Leo’s reply was decisive.

He started painting a grand picture for Cres.

"Marcus, think about it."

"If this bill passes and drug prices in Pennsylvania really do come down..."

"Whose achievement would that be?"

"Of course, I’ll say it was my achievement."

"But I’m still a Democrat."

"My victory is the Party’s victory."

"You can package this as a prime example of the Democratic Party’s ability to govern. You can tell voters all across America: ’Look, only the Democratic Party can handle the greedy pharmaceutical companies. Only the Democratic Party can make your medicine affordable.’"

"This would be a model."

"If we succeed in Pennsylvania, you can expand this model to Michigan, to Wisconsin."

"This will become our biggest trump card in the general election."

"We can use it to hammer the Republican Party."

"We can say that the Republican Party only cares about corporate profits, while we care about people’s lives."

Leo’s voice was full of temptation.

"This isn’t just a bill, Marcus."

"It’s a victory in the war of narratives."

"Do you really want to miss this opportunity? Or do you want to watch the Republican Party use the Democrats’ incompetence as a weapon to uproot our foundation in the Rust Belt?"

The sound of a lighter came from the other end of the line.

Cres lit a cigarette and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. Even from hundreds of kilometers away, Leo could feel the frustrating silence on the other end.

"Leo, you hear a dozen pretty speeches like that in Washington every day."

Cres’s tone became listless.

"You talk about public opinion, the future of the Rust Belt, the dignity of the Party."

"It all sounds nice, but it’s meaningless."

"Do you know who’s calling me right now? The CEO of United Health, and lobbying teams from several top insurance companies. Their political donations account for fifteen percent of our fundraising committee’s total."

Cres’s fingers tapped heavily on his desk, making a dull thudding sound.

"What you’re offering isn’t enough. You want me to piss off the donors who decide our TV ad time in the general election, all for your one local bill? Do you think I’m that stupid?"

Cres’s words were blunt.

Leo gripped the receiver, his brow furrowed.

’He’s trying to drive the price down.’

Roosevelt’s voice echoed in Leo’s mind.

’Leo, don’t be fooled by his business-like tone. He is under pressure from the donors, but he’s more afraid of losing power.’

’For people like him, donors are just tools; votes are life. If the Democratic Party loses Pennsylvania, his time as chairman is over.’

’He wants more guarantees. He wants you to mortgage the chips you’re holding directly to the Democratic National Committee.’

Leo responded in his mind, ’What should I give him? I can’t compromise with the insurance companies. That’s my bottom line.’

’You don’t need to compromise with the capitalists. You just need to make a trade within the Party,’ Roosevelt guided him. ’Tell him your Industrial Revival Alliance isn’t just a few mayors. It’s future delegate votes. You can solve that internal rebellion problem that’s giving him his biggest headache.’

Leo took a deep breath, adjusted his posture, and his gaze turned ice-cold.

"Marcus, let’s talk about something you’re actually interested in."

"I know preparations for the party’s national convention have already begun. I also know you’re worried about how to handle those independent delegations representing Pennsylvania and Ohio. They don’t listen to the Democratic National Committee; they only listen to the Unions."

"Now, I’ll give you a promise."

Leo’s finger drew a line across his desk.

"As long as this bill passes without a single word changed, I won’t just bring back the blue-collar votes in Pennsylvania. I will have all the member mayors of the Industrial Revival Alliance collectively endorse the presidential candidate slate designated by the Democratic National Committee during the primaries."

"I will help you gather up those scattered delegate votes, stack them neatly, and deliver them to your desk."

The breathing on the other end of the line stopped.

This was real hard currency.

Compared to tens of millions of US Dollars in donations, this kind of organizational power—the power to directly decide the fate of the party’s nominee and quell internal factional struggles—was what a party bureaucrat like Cres craved most.

"Are you serious?" Cres’s tone finally wavered. "You can control those delegates?"

"I control their livelihoods, so I control their votes."

Leo’s voice was devoid of any emotion.

"Marcus, the insurance companies’ money will still be there later. But if you lose face in Pennsylvania this time and let the Republican Party tear open a breach in this state, how long do you think you’ll last in that chairman’s seat? Will those donors back a loser?"

"I won’t change the bill. It’s the tool I’m using to win over the public."

"You don’t need to explain anything to the insurance companies. You just need to tell those lawmakers in Harrisburg: this is the will of the Party’s top leadership, and it’s necessary to secure our base for the general election."

Leo added a final point, "I’m still a Democrat. My Mutual Aid Alliance is an achievement for the Democratic Party. If you support me, we win together. If you obstruct me, I’ll bring the entire Rust Belt with me and deliver an unforgettable surprise for you during the primaries."

A long silence came from the other end of the line.

Cres was weighing his options.

On one side were the angry insurance companies; on the other, tangible control over the election.

The donors were important, but if he lost control of the party’s internal mechanisms, his position as chairman would be reduced to that of a fundraiser who could be replaced at any time.

"Damn it."

Cres swore.

"You kid, you really hit the nail on the head."

Cres stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.

"Fine. I’ll issue a top-priority directive to the Democratic lawmakers in Harrisburg. I’ll make them understand that anyone who dares to play games with this bill will be considered an enemy of the entire Democratic National Committee."

"As for the insurance companies, I’ll deal with them personally. I’ll tell them this is just a necessary strategy to deal with local populism, and I’ll find a way to appease them."

"As for the Republican Party..."

Cres hesitated.

"I’ll try, but I can’t make any promises."

"That’s your battlefield, Leo. You’ll have to tackle the biggest part yourself."

"That’s enough."

Leo breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as the Democratic Party didn’t fall into chaos, as long as the base was secure.

Add to that his targeted takedowns of wavering Republican lawmakers.

His odds of victory were ninety percent.

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman."

"Don’t thank me yet." Cres paused, his voice turning icy. "Leo, remember your promise."

"We’ve seen you pull off too many miracles, but this time is different."

"This is about the general election, about the future of the entire Party. I won’t allow any more tricks, and I won’t allow any surprises."

"I understand." Leo’s voice held a rare sincerity. "Rest assured, this time, I promise, the entire process will be conducted in the open. We are allies, not enemies."

Cres heard an unusual gravity in Leo’s tone. The young man seemed to have truly realized the importance of the matter.

"A pleasure doing business with you, Leo." Cres hung up the phone.

Leo stared out the window at the pitch-black night, his face showing no sign of post-victory elation.

In the game of power, every gain meant another kind of loss.

Once you gained Washington’s support, you had to play by Washington’s rules. Once you had the power to change the system, you first had to become a part of it.

In this country, there was no unclaimed land; all power had long since been carved up.

The idea of building a new world from scratch existed only in fairy tales.

You could only build a teetering new house on the ruins of the old world, using old bricks stained with rust and blood.

This was reality.

A reality Leo didn’t want to accept, but had to.