Chapter 438: Chapter 205: Internal Tally
"This means we don’t need the Republican Party’s cooperation. We just need our own unity."
Creston’s gaze swept across the room.
"I want to confirm, do we have fifty-one votes?"
"Of course."
Sanders was the first to speak.
"This bill has undergone rigorous analysis by the Congressional Budget Office. It not only creates jobs but also reduces the deficit. It’s a win-win. There’s no reason to oppose it."
Sanders looked around, his expression one of confident expectation.
"This is our moment to show unity within the party."
"As soon as we press the ’yea’ button, two billion US Dollars will flow to the places that need it most. That’s our promise to the workers."
However, no one else spoke up in agreement.
The room fell into an awkward silence.
Some people lowered their heads, pretending to cut the beef on their plates. Others picked up their water glasses to hide their awkward expressions.
Leo, sitting in the corner, sensed something was wrong.
’Mr. President,’ Leo thought, ’is this what you call a rational choice?’
Roosevelt’s voice echoed in his mind.
"Just watch, Leo."
"The show is about to begin."
"In Washington, unity is just a fairy tale for children."
"When the benefits aren’t distributed evenly,"
"your so-called allies are the ones standing behind you with a knife."
Just then, a voice broke the silence.
"That’s *your* unity, Daniel."
Halfway down the long table, a woman set down her fork.
Senator Christo, from Arizona.
She was wearing a vibrant magenta suit, which stood out glaringly among the men in their dark suits.
She crossed her arms, leaned back, and fixed Sanders with a look that was almost a challenge.
"Not ours."
Christo said coldly.
"I wish we could be united, too, but this bill is too expensive."
"Two billion US Dollars?"
She scoffed.
"My constituents are worrying about gas prices at the pump and cursing the rising price of milk in the supermarket. They don’t want to hear that Washington has approved another massive spending bill, even if you say it will reduce the deficit."
"The voters in Arizona don’t believe in the complex mathematical models from the Congressional Budget Office. They only believe in the feeling of their wallets shrinking."
"I don’t think now is the time to expand government spending."
"We should be tightening our belts."
Sanders was stunned for a moment.
He hadn’t expected Christo to openly challenge him on this occasion.
"Christo, this is an investment in infrastructure, not welfare spending," Sanders tried to explain. "It will increase efficiency and, in the long run, reduce inflationary pressure..."
"That’s *your* theory."
Christo cut him off, showing no deference whatsoever.
"My theory is: stop printing money, stop spending money. That’s the message I’m taking back to Arizona."
"If I vote yes, my constituents will think I’m in league with those spendthrift liberals, and my re-election next year will be in jeopardy."
The atmosphere in the room grew even more tense.
Creston’s brow furrowed even more deeply. He drew a question mark next to Christo’s name on his list.
But this was only the beginning.
At the other end of the long table, a man who had been silent the whole time stood up.
Joe Mannheim.
The Senator from West Virginia.
He was the Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, the staunchest defender of the fossil fuel industry within the Democratic Party.
Mannheim adjusted his tie, his gaze sweeping across the room before finally landing on Sanders’s face.
"Daniel."
Mannheim’s voice was steady and deep, betraying no emotion.
"I’ve also read the bill. It does have some good things in it, like the plan for the Inland Port."
This referred to a "strategic coal transit corridor" that Leo had specifically included in the bill for West Virginia.
It was blatant pork-barreling, designed to buy Mannheim’s vote.
Logically, Mannheim should have accepted this gift with a smile.
"But I cannot support it."
Sanders’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"Joe? Why? This is hugely beneficial for West Virginia’s coal exports! That’s hundreds of millions of US Dollars in infrastructure investment!"
"Because of inflation."
Mannheim gave a catch-all excuse.
"Last month’s CPI was 8.8%, the highest it’s been in forty years. American families are suffering from inflation."
"At a time like this, any action that increases federal spending is just pouring fuel on the fire."
"Even if the Congressional Budget Office says it can reduce the deficit, that’s ten years from now. Inflation is happening now."
"My people can’t afford gas anymore, Daniel."
Mannheim looked at Sanders.
"As a Senator, I must be responsible for the nation’s fiscal security. I cannot support such an irresponsible spending bill."
"No matter how many sugar-coated bullets are inside, no matter how beautifully it’s packaged."
"As long as it increases spending, I will vote no."
With that, Mannheim sat down.
Leo sat in the corner, watching this scene unfold.
He saw the shock on Sanders’s face, and also the fleeting coldness in Mannheim’s eyes.
"He’s lying."
Leo thought.
"Of course he is," Roosevelt’s voice rang out. "That clause about the coal transit is worth hundreds of millions of US Dollars. There’s no way he isn’t tempted. Inflation is just an excuse."
"This is a power struggle."
"Mannheim isn’t opposing this because of inflation or the deficit."
"If this were a bill to give tax cuts to oil companies, he’d be the first to jump up and support it."
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