Chapter 1297: Chapter 1296: Fragrance
Today, a lot of people have come, many local capitalists, and some government officials of various levels. The new governor still commands considerable respect.
Even if these mayors are not interested in Ms. Trish, the female governor, they must show their willingness to follow her leadership at this moment; otherwise, some matters can become quite troublesome.
Also present were some local film stars, a few local celebrities, and a handful of social activists.
Near lunchtime, the Party Whip of the Progressive Party arrived.
"Congratulations, Ms. Trish... ah, no, I should say Governor Trish!" Douglas retained his usual demeanor. He just employed a rhetorical device that seemed like a good-natured joke.
But if you look at his face and listen to his words, it’s hard to think it was just a joke; rather, you feel he genuinely misspoke.
The Party Whip of the ruling party holds a high enough position and has significant power. If anyone can represent the entire ruling party at this moment, besides the party leader, it might be the Party Whip.
The Whip is the most positive representation of a party, and not easily showing emotions is part of his "job." Being too easily joyful or sorrowful can be seen as lacking stability.
And the Whip, precisely, is a position that requires steadiness.
After being stunned for a second and still not figuring out whether it was a joke, Ms. Trish treated it as a joke, gripping Mr. Douglas’s hand. "I appreciate you coming in person. I have already submitted a written report to the committee."
She gave a speech in Bupen titled "The Song of the Times," which some say sounded the horn for women’s rights to pursue greater balance. It is both a war and a victory!
Some see this as a demarcation line in the equality movement. Previously, feminist activists fought against discrimination against women.
But on this day, they can already say they have achieved a phased victory, beginning to seek women to take on more significant responsibilities in society.
Ms. Trish’s victory indeed added a splash of color to the Progressive Party. According to the messages from the Progressive Party’s Development Office, after Ms. Trish’s victory, more outstanding women actively expressed their wish to join the Progressive Party.
Four years ago, the Progressive Party could recruit fewer than a hundred women annually, but after Ms. Trish’s victory, over ten thousand applications were submitted!
This is also a very strong force!
She then organized a portion of the election materials and sent them to the committee for archiving.
This is why opposition parties and wild politicians can never compete with those organized politicians. These seemingly insignificant reports, when gathered, form a database.
When they decide to deal with someone, they can find information on this person, from his every election strategy to his changes in governance philosophy, all in great detail.
Defeating someone with virtually no secrets is not difficult, at least within the party; these people are not completely unknown.
Every election, whether a mayoral, gubernatorial, parliamentary, or presidential race, is an essential process of updating information.
As a member of the Progressive Party, Ms. Trish must also contribute her strength to the party.
"We have received the materials, thank you for all you have done for us," Douglas’s words were concise without many superfluous words, yet you could feel the power in his speech.
This is also the momentum cultivated over the past two years. For Douglas now, aside from the Party Committee Chairman, he has no other limitations.
Anyone who does anything uncivilized, anything that might tarnish the Progressive Party’s image, he can grab them by the collar and spray their face with spittle.
His authority is vast. Holding such power for a lengthy period, whether naturally or unnaturally, his voice becomes powerful.
It is a misconception, much like some people say, "Rich people always speak loudly."
It is not that rich people really speak louder, but because you know they are wealthy, when such people speak, you listen more intently, which is why you think rich people speak loudly is the real reason.
Mr. Douglas speaks similarly.
Ms. Trish was somewhat intimidated by Mr. Douglas; they did not continue to chat idly, and then she began introducing some of the more heavyweight guests to Mr. Douglas.
Starting with local officials, at least at the mayoral level, followed by her father and his uncle.
Especially his uncle, the district Shepherd, Mr. Douglas chatted with him for about two minutes, the atmosphere between them very congenial.
Seventy-five percent of the citizens in the Federation are members of the church, which also means that politicians can leverage religious power when influencing voters.
Then came a few capitalists, mostly introducing themselves briefly before moving on, until...
"Someone said you are quite good at making friends. At first, I didn’t believe it, but now I do!" Mr. Douglas’s face showed a bit more of a smile as he shook Lynch’s hand, not letting go just after a brief shake like before.
The hands of these politicians are almost the same: soft and warm, aiding to elevate people’s favorable impression of them.
Mr. Douglas’s words were not mere pleasantries; many people inside the Progressive Party still speak highly of Lynch. This is the influence of wealth on politics.
As long as politicians want to climb higher—if there is a higher rung to climb—they must have capitalists who can support them.
Not only must they have someone to support them, but they must also avoid offending those capitalists, especially the large ones.
Lynch is very wealthy and has enough status; many people take pride in knowing him.
Unknowingly, Lynch has reached another level; no one opposes befriending wealth, nor do politicians.
Ms. Trish is not a traditional politician; she is a feminist activist. Her ability to invite Lynch shows her relationship with him is not ordinary.
This also reflects Lynch’s broad range of friendships: he is friends with capitalists, politicians, and non-profit non-political organizations.
Mr. Douglas hadn’t seen such an impressive young person in decades.
He alone suppressed an era’s young people.
Being born in the same era as him is a misfortune, as no matter how hard you work and force yourself to shine, it’s just a dim flame next to the sun for someone like Lynch right now.
But likewise, it is also a good era for all young people; they can witness the birth of a legend with their own eyes, which greatly influences and helps their future.
A person like this, throughout the history of the Federation, is extremely rare.
Mr. Douglas’s words came from the heart. Lynch is now the main supporter of two governors and also the President’s main supporter.
Plus, as Landon is trying to secure a Congress Senator position, he maintains very close cooperative relationships with at least four senior party members.
With his influence continuing to expand, this number will only increase!
To the obvious praise from Mr. Douglas, Lynch humbly smiled, "I like making friends. Every time we gain a friend, it means there’s one more possible solution when we encounter troubles."
"Aren’t we also friends?"
Upon hearing this, Mr. Douglas’s smile became more pronounced; he used his other hand to pat Lynch’s hand on the back, "You’re quite right, we are indeed friends."
"Are you heading to York State later?"
The old governor of York State successfully sought re-election, with educational reforms and the newly established private university allowing him to narrowly defeat his opponent in this state election.
Whenever a governor wins an election, the Party Whip must meet them, offering support, affirmation, encouragement, and at the same time a warning not to become so arrogant as to forget that this world requires reverence.
This was an invitation. Lynch mentioned a time, and Mr. Douglas had no objections, suggesting they could head to York State together.
Since there were no scheduling issues, Lynch agreed to go along.
He felt Mr. Douglas had something to discuss with him.
His guess was not wrong at all—the leader of the new party would soon retire.
That was also an elderly person, already seventy-two years old, feeling his health decline, wishing to put an end to the job.
The current question is who will take over?
This issue has been puzzling the top echelons within the Progressive Party. It’s not that everyone wants to take over, but rather, nobody wants the position.
The position of party leader seems impressive at first glance, embodying the party’s will, but in reality, the party leader, though high in status, does not hold much power.
This position isn’t as good as the Party Committee Chair or the Party Whip, and some high-ranking officials; yet, the party leader is often selected from among these senior members.
The Party Whip is also an important consideration.
Compared to becoming an emblem, a spiritual representative, Mr. Douglas still prefers his "iron-faced life."
Although he maintains a stern face daily, at least he holds real power in his hands.
Tangible power!
Mr. Douglas still doesn’t wish to be displayed around—they would print the party leader’s portrait on a diamond-shaped piece and hang it in the Progressive Party Committee office building.
Once your image goes up, it means a new emblem has appeared.
The two briefly chatted a bit more and then released each other’s hands.
People didn’t mind much about Mr. Douglas talking with Lynch for a slightly longer time; they all maintained what they believed to be the most suitable smile, watching and waiting for the two from the sideline.
After Mr. Douglas ended his conversation with Lynch, the looks people gave Lynch contained some indefinable extra something.
Wealth, power, and the sweetest essence of the Federation intertwined, always exude an alluring fragrance...
