Chapter 19-20

Chapter 19: The So-Called Factions

Obama's campaign promise was healthcare reform, though the process was anything but straightforward. Despite numerous setbacks, he managed to get the bill passed, but implementing it proved to be another challenge altogether.

His approach to reform was actually quite simple: the inefficiency of American healthcare stemmed from the fact that medical and insurance institutions were privately owned profit-making entities. Introducing non-profit insurance companies and medical facilities into the mix to compete with existing private enterprises was supposed to help reduce premiums and healthcare costs.

But then, where would the money for these health insurances come from? Without funding, the so-called act was essentially a non-starter. And the gun control legislation? It didn't even pass. The president of what claims to be the most powerful country in the world only managed to legalize same-sex marriage during his eight years in office.

Bruce thought this situation was beyond words. And there were two other issues. If they could help Obama tackle those, why bother courting him so desperately?

Of course, it's not entirely Obama's fault. It's also hard to label him a do-nothing president who's all talk.

From the beginning, it was a journey fraught with pessimism. Obama was like an athlete weighed down by lead balls, with the media, voters, staff, political rivals, autonomous states, and the opposing parties in Congress all pulling him in every direction, making it impossible for him to exert his strength. He was taking one step forward and two steps back, unable to reach his goals on time.

"When you can't find a way out, you should try turning back and looking for another path instead of banging your head against a wall." Bruce generally trusted his two aides, so he simply gave them a slight knock on the head and left it at that. "Since we can't win Obama's support, we need to consider what other forces we could rally to our cause."

"Free your minds. Don't let habit lead you by the nose. Sometimes, when you're too close to something, you can't see the whole picture. You need to step back to get a better view. Sheila thought Obama could be a great help, so she compiled a lot of material in that area. But we already know that path is a dead end, or rather, the costs outweigh the benefits. It's clearly not worth it. Now, we should consider what Sheila hasn't thought of, or what she has but didn't find the right opportunity to do?" Bruce said, tapping his cigar-laden hand, the ash fluttering down into a fancy crystal ashtray.

"You mean the Republican Party?" Tim Lapira clearly caught Bruce's drift, his eyes lighting up with thought.

"What? The Republican Party?" Fowler was a bit slower on the uptake, but he quickly caught on. "Divide them from within?"

It's not that they were too slow; their perspectives were just different. As native Americans, Fowler and Tim Lapira had a deeply ingrained perception that the Democratic and Republican Parties were irreconcilably opposed, natural enemies locked in a life-or-death struggle.

Since 2011, nearly all of Obama's major reform initiatives faced strong resistance from Congressional Republicans, with each piece of legislation requiring tough negotiations. Both Democrats and Republicans focused on amassing political capital for elections, catering to their base voters, and frequently clashed over raising the debt ceiling, reducing the deficit, and balancing the budget.

This left Obama powerless on domestic issues and also hindered America's economic recovery. Public support for Congress once fell below 10%, the lowest in history.

This is the result of long-term intensification of party opposition, to the point where now no Republican lawmaker wants to be seen in public with a Democrat, and vice versa. This illustrates the extent of their opposition.

Such sharp conflicts naturally formed a fixed image in Fowler and the others' minds: Democrats and Republicans could never get along.

Bruce, however, didn't see it that way. Nothing is absolute, and there can never be unbreakable alliances. If even parents and children, spouses and lovers can argue, separate, and turn against each other, how much more so for so-called factions? Fowler and the others were simply blinded by nearly three decades of intense opposition between the two parties.

"An interesting question—how many parties do you think there are in the United States?" Bruce pondered for a moment but didn't answer directly. Instead, he posed a question that took Tim and Fowler by surprise.

Everyone knows about the Democratic and Republican Parties. Of course, they automatically ignored minor parties like the Green Party, which don't even compare to the Democrats or Republicans. If someone else had asked this question, Fowler and Tim might have spat in their face in disdain. But facing Bruce, a boss who always commanded great respect, they started to seriously consider the meaning behind his question.

Chapter 20: Eternal Interests

"I believe there's only one party in America, not the Democratic Party or the Republican Party, but the Constitution Party," Bruce said, casting a glance at the two of them. Seeing their thoughtful expressions, it was clear they were beginning to grasp his meaning.

"What's the real difference between the so-called Democratic and Republican Parties? The difference between liberalism and conservatism? Give me a break! Essentially, there's no difference between them!"

The core of power in the United States is the Constitution, which includes three pillars of authority: the judiciary, the legislature, and law enforcement. The judiciary comprises courts, prisons, and the military; the legislature is embodied in the parliamentary system, which involves enacting administrative laws, approving administrative organization and budgets, and inspecting administrative personnel; law enforcement includes the President, the State Department, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

This is what Bruce wanted to convey: there is only one real party in the United States, the Constitution Party. The Democratic and Republican Parties are just two factions within this one party. Membership in these parties is not fixed; whoever you vote for in the elections is considered your party. 

You could vote for the Republican Party this time and switch to the Democratic Party next time. Party affiliation is insignificant, and it's common for party members to change their allegiance—of course, he's talking about the Constitution Party in a broad sense, not to be confused with the small party that shares its name but has an extremely conservative stance, originally named the U.S. Taxpayers' Party.

"Imagine a small town where, one day, two new stores open up directly across from each other on the bustling main street, their doors facing each other, both selling very similar goods," Bruce didn't delve further but instead started to tell a story that seemed unrelated. However, Fowler and his companion, now used to his abrupt changes in topic, listened intently.

"What happens then? The two stores, facing each other, naturally engage in fierce competition. The owners often accuse each other of being despicable, selling fake goods, cutting corners. They shout insults, and sometimes even come to blows, creating a constant buzz on the street.

"The townsfolk come to watch the spectacle, keen to see what new antics are unfolding. One day they rush to the store offering a one-cent discount, the next they flock to buy red buckets, and the day after, they scramble for jeans.

"Everyone thinks it's great. Since these two stores opened, the shopkeepers have been bending over backwards to win their favor, providing entertainment and better deals, which makes the people feel valued.

"As more and more people shop at these two stores, the other businesses on the street see less foot traffic and eventually close down. In the end, to everyone's surprise, these two stores have monopolized the town's business," Bruce said, exhaling smoke and spreading his hands. "In the end, who really loses in their fierce competition?"

"Americans love to have choices. Coke or Pepsi? McDonald's or KFC? IBM or Apple?" Bruce didn't give them time to think, listing examples with a mocking tone, then clapped his hands, looking at them. "People get the democracy they wanted, and businesses profit. Isn't everyone happy?"

It's like a team game where each side has ten people facing each other; the side with more people wins. You can pull people from the other team to yours, and even if you can't add them to your side, just removing them from the opponent's team is progress.

Even the current president keeps a safe distance; why wouldn't the gentlemen of the Republican Party play their games? In a mixed group with moderates, radicals, and conservatives, there's plenty of room to maneuver.

"Nothing in the world is constant; it all depends on the cost."

After concluding, Bruce went silent, puffing on his cigar, giving them time to digest the information.

The American presidential election is not a true popular vote but involves electing delegates from each state who then vote for the president. Thus, Democratic delegates vote for their candidate, and Republican delegates vote for theirs.

This means the election is really about choosing delegates; the side with more delegates wins the presidency, with interests often tied to party affiliation. This is the blind spot for Tim and his team—how could members of the same party vote for the opposition?

But Bruce never believed in absolutes; with enough leverage or motivation, there are always those willing to switch sides. Internal betrayal is the hardest to guard against; it's all in the execution.

"I'll see what opportunities I can find on Capitol Hill," Tim Lapira had fully caught on, momentarily confused but now clear-headed thanks to Bruce's clarification. For someone as experienced as him, finding an angle to work was natural.

"That's your problem; I just need to know the outcome," Bruce said, setting aside the documents highlighted with names like Citibank, J.P. Morgan, and Goldman Sachs. Under Citibank, two lines were boldly drawn.

Sheila sending these documents meant two things: first, she had greater expectations of Bruce, hoping for assistance through him;

 second, her situation was dire, worse than expected, necessitating the use of any available help.

"How's our donation to Jeb going?" It seems Jeb Bush put considerable pressure on Sheila, and this Bush was no pushover.

"It's going well, but under the company name," Fowler answered.

"Don't be blinded by so-called party loyalty. Only interests are eternal," Bruce nodded, flicking ash from his cigar, standing to look out the office's floor-to-ceiling windows at the bustling streets and opulent buildings below, reminding his subordinates once more.