Chapter 13: The Politician

"Mr. Lee, when did your romantic relationship with Miss Gadow start?" This question directly assumed their involvement, a tricky path if one isn't careful.

"Miss Gadow, is it true that Mr. Stallone will join 'Fast & Furious 8' and might play the main villain?"

"Miss Gadow, what aspect of Mr. Lee's charm attracted you?"

"Mr. Lee, reports say you're investing in a new Miramax film. Are you planning to enter the film industry?"

These reporters were relentless, bombarding them with a barrage of questions. However, Bruce didn't give them much opportunity this time.

"Miss Gadow and I are very good friends; we are not in the romantic relationship everyone imagines. As for the other questions, I'm sorry, but today is about Ms. Caroline Drake's charity event for her clean water project, aiming to provide clean water to families worldwide. I hope everyone can focus more on this issue."

After addressing the media with these words, he nodded at them, pulling Gal to proceed into the venue. Just then, a voice interjected.

"This work is also thanks to charitable souls like Bruce Lee for their support and generous help."

Bruce and Gal turned towards the voice and saw a woman with shoulder-length golden hair and a gold dress walking towards them with a smile. Caroline Drake—the organizer of today's charity event and head of the clean water project, well-connected with many political elites and a renowned Los Angeles philanthropist herself.

"Excuse us for a moment," Bruce said, wrapping his arm around Gal, sharing a smile with Caroline and nodding at the media as they turned and walked inside.

"Thank you for your generous help, Bruce, you are a true philanthropist," Caroline Drake said as she led them, her tone warm and appreciative. Despite being over forty and the fine crow's feet at her eyes, she remained strikingly beautiful.

Indeed, before attending today's charity event, Bruce had generously donated half a million dollars to Caroline Drake's clean water project. He was bound to spend a bit more today. He had met her through a state legislator, adhering to the rule of the circle: once you're in, you keep expanding your network. Clearly, Bruce was doing well in this respect.

"Come now, Caroline, what I've done is nothing compared to your efforts. I can only offer a little help in this way, and to be honest, it's quite embarrassing," Bruce said, his words more a formality than a genuine sentiment. It's all about mutual flattery, a 'scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' world. But if you don't know how to play the game, you'll find it hard to fit in.

"Ms. Drake, I'm a great admirer of yours and hope to be able to help as many people as you have one day," Gal interjected at the right moment, greeting Caroline Drake who returned the gesture with a modest smile.

"Mr. Lee, may I introduce Senator Alex Lopez to you?" They entered the hall where many elegantly dressed men and women mingled, engaging in light conversation. A tall, imposing man approached them with a few others, catching Caroline's attention, who promptly introduced both parties.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Lee," said Alex Lopez, a typical American politician with a warm demeanor and good looks, very likable at first glance. In just a few words, he managed not to neglect anyone and even praised Gal. "This must be Miss Gal Gadow. My daughter Jasminum is a super fan of yours. She would probably ban me from the house if I met you and didn't bring back an autograph."

"It's an honor, Senator Lopez. If you don't mind, my assistant brought some signed posters and CDs. We can give some to your lovely Jasminum later," Gal replied carefully, with a fittingly modest smile.

"Wow, that's fantastic! I'll have someone pick them up," Alex Lopez laughed heartily, clearly very pleased.

"Pleased to meet you, Senator Lopez. Your reputation precedes you," Bruce responded warmly. The man in front of him was a real power player, worth cultivating a relationship with.

Here's a brief explanation of the American political system. The United States is a federal nation with a separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Modeled after the federal government: legislation belongs to Congress, execution to the President, and judiciary to the Supreme Court.

For the purpose of checks and balances, the national legislature also adopts a bicameral system, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The concept of checks and balances essentially means: one branch proposes, another approves. The President makes treaties and appointments, which the Senate approves; both chambers pass bills that need the President's signature; the House impeaches the President, but the Senate must approve.

The Senate possesses some powers not granted to the House of Representatives and considered more prestigious, as outlined in the U.S. Constitution (Amendment I). One of the most important is that the President must take the Senate's advice and consent for treaty ratifications and significant appointments.

From this, it's clear that the Senate wields more power than the House. In fact, the Senate is recognized as more cautious and less partisan than the House. The Vice President serves as the President of the Senate but doesn't have senatorial qualifications due to the balance of power. He only votes to break a tie, generally not exercising voting power.

In terms of numbers, there are significantly fewer senators than representatives. With 50 states, each has 2 senators, totaling 100, while the House's 435 members are divided by population into numerous and potentially re-divisible districts. Senators serve six-year terms with a third elected every two years, while representatives serve two-year terms with entire re-elections every two years.

Importantly, there are no term limits for these officials. Hence, in the U.S., it's common to see senators serving for decades. Even the President must be somewhat deferential and welcoming towards these influential senators, a frequent occurrence indeed.