Chapter 530 - 246: Initiative
Taylor was thinking.
Leo knew his words had struck a nerve.
"The Democratic Party’s power in Pennsylvania is too great right now."
Leo continued to up the ante.
"They have an ironclad voter base in Philadelphia, administrative resources in Harrisburg, and their traditional Union network in Pittsburgh."
"It’s a fortress."
"You can’t breach this fortress with your conventional campaign tactics, your slogans about tax cuts and God."
"Of course, I’ll admit I deserve some of the credit for that," Leo said with a smile.
"So, you need a demolitions man on the inside."
"You need someone to plant explosives inside their fortress."
Leo’s voice dropped, full of temptation.
"I am that demolitions man."
"I can fracture their solid Unions, paralyze their once-unified administrative system, and force their Governor to resign in disgrace over a scandal."
"I can turn Pennsylvania from a solid, deep-blue state into a chaotic ruin."
"That is what you truly need."
Taylor picked up his glass, using the motion to conceal his thoughts.
After a long pause.
"Interesting."
Taylor finally spoke again.
"Leo, talk is cheap."
"I believe you when you say you can throw the Democratic Party into chaos. The work you’ve done these past few months has been impressive."
"But destruction is easy. Building something up is the hard part."
"How can you guarantee that when the dust settles, those ruins will belong to us, the Republican Party?"
"How can you guarantee that the voters you’ve agitated will end up casting their ballots for us?"
"After all, your supporters are the most radical of the workers."
"Getting them to vote Republican? That sounds like a joke."
"I can’t give you their votes."
Leo admitted frankly.
"If I promised you that I’d bring tens of thousands of steelworkers to join the Republican Party en masse, I’d be lying to you, and I’d be lying to myself."
"It’s not believable."
Taylor snorted. "Then what value do you have?"
"My value lies in..."
Leo’s gaze grew profound.
"I can make those votes... disappear."
"What?" Taylor froze for a second.
"Disappear."
Leo repeated.
"I can’t make them vote for you, but I can stop them from voting for the Democratic Party."
"As long as you work with me, as long as we take down Campbell and prop up Monroe, the Democratic Party will be plunged into endless infighting and scandal."
"The traditional Democratic Party voters, the moderates, the young people who still hold idealistic views about politics."
"They’ll be disgusted and disillusioned."
"They’ll feel that both parties are rotten apples, not a single good one among them."
"On election day, they’ll choose to stay home."
"They’ll give up on voting."
"I will ensure at least twenty percent of the Democratic Party’s traditional voters stay home during the next election."
"That’s my deal."
"I give you a fractured Democratic Party and a Pennsylvania with historically low voter turnout."
The answer Leo offered was voter suppression.
This was typically a tactic the Republican Party excelled at, using various laws and regulations to restrict minority voting.
But Leo was proposing a different kind of suppression.
Psychological suppression.
Making an opponent’s base disintegrate on its own by manufacturing political disillusionment.
For the Republican Party, this was more cost-effective than directly drumming up votes.
Because the Republican Party’s base—the Evangelical Christians, the rural conservatives—had an extremely stable voter turnout. They would show up rain or shine.
As long as the Democratic Party’s turnout dropped, the Republican Party would win.
"Compared to empty promises, I believe you’ll prefer a solution that follows the simple inertia of politics."
Leo leaned back in his chair, his voice steady.
"Because promises can be broken, but once a chain of interests is forged, it’s as irresistible as gravity."
"As long as I’m in Pennsylvania, and as long as I want to maintain my base, I have to constantly create friction with the Establishment Faction. That friction is the very oxygen you need."
"The logic is perfect, Leo."
There was a scrutinizing tone in Taylor’s voice.
"We do appreciate this kind of deduction based on mutual interest. But you have to understand what we’d be paying. The presidency of the State Senate and the political credibility of the state’s attorney general."
"And what you’re giving me, so far, is just words floating in the air."
"How am I supposed to trust you?"
Taylor paused, a leading quality entering his tone.
"What if you go back on your word tomorrow? Or what if you just use us and then turn around and make peace with the Democratic Party?"
"We need some assurance."
"A tangible piece of insurance that we can hold in our hands."
"For example..." Taylor’s voice grew soft. "Why don’t you repeat what you just said—about how to throw the Democratic Party into chaos, how to depress voter turnout—one more time, completely and clearly. If only to reassure our committee members."
Taylor tapped the tabletop a few times.
It was a signal.
’He wants a recording,’ Leo thought coldly.
"Of course."
Roosevelt’s voice echoed in his mind.
"Refuse him."
"But Mr. President, if I don’t give him something, this deal will fall through," Leo’s mind raced. "He needs a pledge of loyalty."
"Then give him his pledge, but not a recording."
Roosevelt’s tone turned hard.
"You need to seize the initiative, Leo."
"In this business, whoever holds the leverage is the master. You can’t let him have leverage over you. You need to show him action."