Chapter 638 - 297: First, Let’s Pretend We Have a Chicken

"This control system of yours currently only covers that small fraction of companies who have accepted your orders. What about the big corporations that haven’t taken your money? What about the major conglomerates with deep-seated connections in Philadelphia and Washington, the ones who disdain even fighting for a slice of this pie?"

Ron stared at Leo.

"They can still write massive checks to state representatives, and they can still exploit existing legal loopholes to fight your executive orders."

"If this system of rules can’t cover all of Pennsylvania’s industrial chains, your influence over the State Assembly will be diluted to the point of being negligible."

"In the end, you’ll just be playing games in your own little sandbox, while the world outside still belongs to them."

"It’s meaningless."

The mayors in the conference room began to murmur. Ron’s question had hit a raw nerve.

Leo straightened up, taking his hands off the table.

"Ron, you’re underestimating the infectious nature of a system like this."

Leo’s voice was brimming with confidence.

"It’s true that ten billion dollars can’t buy all of Pennsylvania, but I never planned on buying everyone out."

"I just need to use this ten billion to create a black hole in the system—one that’s impossible to ignore."

He drew several circles on the whiteboard, labeling the one in the center "10 Billion."

"The most important part of this ten billion is the demonstration effect."

"When the companies that join the system realize that while we may hold the reins of management, their accounts receivable are cleared ten times faster, their loan interest rates have dropped by thirty percent, and their labor costs have plummeted thanks to the Revival Alliance..."

"Those still on the outside will start to panic. It’s a panic that comes from seeing their competitors grow stronger and more efficient."

The tip of Leo’s pen pointed to the smaller circles surrounding the central one.

"This ten-billion-dollar project isn’t an isolated event. Every prime contractor has hundreds of second- and third-tier suppliers behind them."

"I will require prime contractors to force their supply chains to connect to our real-time monitoring platform. You want a piece of this ten billion? Fine. Hand over your data feeds."

"We will use capital to have them expand this system for us."

"Next is the establishment of an unofficial standard."

"We’re going to use the media and the Unions to promote our Health and Production Committee’s seal of approval statewide."

"We will make voters and workers come to a consensus: only a factory with this seal is safe, provides security, and is truly ’Made in Pennsylvania.’"

"The old-guard conglomerates that refuse to join will find they can’t hire the most skilled workers or buy the cheapest raw materials. They’ll find themselves being marginalized by an intangible, unofficial standard."

A glint appeared in Leo’s eyes.

"And the final step is legislation."

"When all of us here use this leverage to control more than half the members of the State Assembly, when their political careers become completely dependent on the modular benefits we distribute, we won’t need administrative contracts anymore."

"We will directly introduce compulsory legislation in the State Assembly. We are going to write this entire system of regulations for capital and evaluation standards for workers into the laws of Pennsylvania."

"We’re going to make breaking our rules the same as breaking the law."

"And we’ll make this model the only legitimate game in town."

Leo slapped his palm hard against the whiteboard.

"That’s my path: from pilot program demonstration, to mandatory supply chain penetration, to establishing the industry standard, and finally, to codification into law."

"This ten billion is just the start-up capital. We’re going to use this ten billion to leverage the hundreds of billions in value produced by the entire state of Pennsylvania."

"So, this ten billion dollars isn’t money."

"It’s bait. It’s a chain. It’s a weapon."

"Once we establish this system, once we lock the factories, the workers, and the votes into this closed loop..."

"The politicians in Harrisburg will only have two choices."

"Either join us and take their share of the spoils..."

"...or be crushed by it."

"Now."

Leo looked at the mayors, who were utterly stunned.

"Tell me."

"Do you want to keep being beggars, pleading for scraps?"

"Or do you want to join me and become the masters of this state?"

The sound of the mayors’ breathing was clearly audible in the conference room.

They were stunned by the blueprint Leo had described, a vision that contained not just money and control, but a terrifying power capable of overthrowing the existing order.

But Ron Smith didn’t get carried away.

This old fox, who had spent twenty years clawing his way through the political mire of Erie City, quickly regained his mayoral calm and pragmatism after a brief moment of excitement.

"Leo, your vision is perfect."

Ron began, "Using administrative power to control capital, and then using organized labor to control the politicians... in theory, it’s a perfect, unbreakable loop."

Ron walked to the whiteboard and picked up a black marker.

"However, this loop has one prerequisite, a single, most fragile starting point."

He tapped the tip of the marker hard against the box in the center of the whiteboard representing the "Ten-Billion Infrastructure."

"The orders."

"All of our power—our leverage over capital and our ability to mobilize workers—is built on a single foundation: our ability to continuously place orders with the factories."

"And orders require money."

Ron turned to face Leo.

"This system you’ve described is like a massive engine. Once it gets going, it can indeed generate enormous power."