The Land Of The Free: An American Political Roleplay (IC)

[Nikaton]

"That's a good idea - I can see us working on a lot of different legislation, what do you see in particular?"

“Well Ever since law school improving education has been both my job and passion. I’m writing a law at the moment that would increase teacher pay nation wide. It’s the best way to improve schools don’t you know? Atleast according the the US Dept of Ed policy office. But anyways if you could take a look at a draft it would be much appreciated. I can send it to you tonight and your support would be welcomed”

[Nikaton]

From the official account of Representative Brett Thomas (NC-4)

From: Brett Thomas
To: Kathleen Nez

Dear Representative Nez,

Hope you're weathering the current political climate well. I'm looking to make a big entry here as a junior congressmen and you seem like one of the key people to get to know here in D.C.. If you want to do some work together here is a bill I've been working on, which could be a big boost for a democratc like yourseld but could use some experienced oversight.

I'm attaching the bill below for your consideration and support. Let me know what you think.

Best,

Brett Thomas
United States Representative for the North Carolina 4th District

[spoiler]
Bill Proposal Sheet

Official Name: Teacher Increased Pay ActNickname: TIP Act

Overview: Education is an essential right to participating in democracy. It allows Americans to grow their minds and prosper in ways that benefit us all. Taking this baseline as an absolute, it is essential that we as lawmakers strive to grow and improve this education system which reaps massive benefits upon the American economy, culture, and society.

Section 1: The United States, once the foremost nation of the world, has fallen behind many nations in its quality of education. Studies from the United States Department of Education have investigated ways to improve and restore our global standing as a leader in K-12 education. The primary conclusion from this 2018 study which focused on several states, was that increased pay for teachers was the most cost-effective solution for increasing overall educational benefit.

Section 2: The constitutional spending clause and doctrine authorizes Congress to provide conditional funds to state governments upon the meeting of precedent conditions. This power shall be used to give participant States spending money that shall be used to increase the salary and bonus pays of teachers throughout public K-12 school systems

Section 3: Funding for the participant State objective to increase K-12 teacher pay shall originate from a 1% reallocation of funds from the current military budget or alternatively in the form of a one timer wealth tax if a national emergency is to emerge.

Section 4: This act shall benefit the national education system which fundamentally benefits all Americans

This bill is then honorably presented to the House of Representatives for consideration in order to increase K-12 teacher pay to improve the United States Law and education system and is backed by Brett Thomas on (insert date)

Do Not Remove: 1337

[/spoiler]

FROM: [Representative Nez]
TO: [Representative Thomas]

I definitely like to concept, however, it definitely has a few structural problems. If you're free, I'm more than willing to walk you threw it.

Ahehee,
Kathleen

FROM: Representative Thomas
TO: Representative Nez

I’d be happy for the help. I know it’s near the end of the day but would around 6 work?

[Gordano and Lysandus]

Governor Jonah Prendergast Jr
Friday 29th March
Ohio

The Governor followed up his West Virginia rally and his visit to industrial Pennsylvania with a visit to Ohio. Madison County was a Republican stronghold on the outskirts of the Columbus metropolitan area, a perfect place to coalesce rural Republican base voters, the industrial dispossessed new to the Wolf camp, and the long frustrated urban Republicans in the heart of the Democratic stronghold that was the state’s capital city. Perhaps some of the visits he was making after his formal announcement were shorter than during the exploratory committee stage, but he was having to commit increasing amounts of time to manning phone-banks, planning future events, preparing for television and radio interviews, helping to make adverts, and writing policy papers, a draft of which he was hoping to lay out sooner rather than later.

However, whilst he was in London, he’d set about visiting two production facilities of two particular industries in London - a branch of Stanley Electric, who made electronic components for the motor industry, and a production facility for Hikma Pharmaceuticals. Sure, Big Pharma had its issues, and he’d doubtlessly have to cover them in the general election, but you couldn’t begrudge the lower level line technicians. It’d be those blue collar workers in both sites he’d talk to. It was the usual routine, showing warmth and grandfatherly affection, hearing out their concerns about the sustainability of their businesses, and reassuring them that he would fight for a warm future for them. Safety from the predation of the Green New Deal and other Democratic policies. He gave them a voice, a conduit to power. He wanted to provide to them a warmth and sense of empowerment that establishment Republicans and Democrats had failed to do. Populism was at its peak, and it would be a fool’s errand to try to play the campaign as if you could just polemicize on the television.

Like in Pennsylvania, he continued his listening candidacy with a town hall. Opting for the Central Community Center in London, he could host a healthy 500 people in this venue on a good day, and his staff had once again done the regular work, seeking to fill it with plenty of people who he could talk to and give a warm experience. Associating those warm experiences with his bright personality and striking campaign colors, he hoped, would stick him in their memory as a preferable candidate, and allow a positive perception to spread by word of mouth.

”Good evening to you all here in London, Ohio. I must say, you guys all make me so proud. If any state really shows how America has woken up to the Dirty Democratic Dodgy Deal, it’s Ohio. You are the kind of decent, honest people that Rundown Rashid, Crazy Clifford, and now people like Executioner Erika have wanted to take advantage of.

But none of you here have let them take advantage of you. You’re proud. Noble. A damn sight more noble than people like Dirty Douglas, huh? Today, coming to your community, I spoke with people who help sustain the automotive industry that helped keep America great in the 20th century, and now made America great again. I got to know technicians who work on the medicines that help keep our families healthy. Your work here is vital to America, and your heroism so often uncredited. It brings me pleasure, then, to be able to come here and thank you. President Kennedy said ‘Ask not what America can do for you, ask what you can do for America’. I’d like to turn that on its head, because frankly, you’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty here. What can America do for you? What can I do for you? What do you want me to take to Washington? What is the earnest and solemn demand of London, Ohio, and its decent people, of their government?”

The floor would be open to questions, it’d be targeted at about an hour and a half in length, the usual contact and campaign details would go out and all-in-all, a holistic attempt to build his coalition, his staff, his contacts, and his donor base.

Once the town hall was over, again like Pennsylvania, Jonah sought to rub shoulders with more businessfolk of his nature. He was, by now, getting a little sick of champagne, and leaned towards mineral water in his dealings as he headed into Columbus and gathered at the home of a wealthy industrialist, huddling with figures from Huntingdon Bancshares (one of America’s largest bank holding companies), Mission Essential (a defense contractor supplying translators), Nationwide Mutual Insurance (self explanatory) and Worthington Industries (a major steelmill). His message to them was unequivocal. The Wolf deregulatory zeitgeist would continue under Prendergast. Business would continue to boom. As few concessions, if any, would be made to Democrats about the state of the economy. He would be their shield. And, to his benefit of course, he was one of their own. A big businessman. A baron. One of a brotherhood, in contrast to Richardson’s comparatively smaller past holdings. He hoped this would stand him in the right stead when it came to big money donations.

[New Cobastheia]

FROM: [Representative Nez]
TO: [Representative Thomas]

I definitely like to concept, however, it definitely has a few structural problems. If you're free, I'm more than willing to walk you threw it.

Ahehee,
Kathleen

FROM: Representative Thomas
TO: Representative Nez

I’d be happy for the help. I know it’s near the end of the day but would around 6 work?

FROM: [Rep. Nez]
TO: [Rep. Thomas]

---

Oh that would work just kind, see you then.

[Dentali]

"Well.." Malcolm said straightening up "Just a necessary disclaimer..." Malcolm explained and exhaled "You're doing well, Medicare public option is a great move... enough for people in the swing districts to accept you and frankly you've raised an impressive amount of money for not having corporate donors..." Malcolm took a few more second to regard the man.

"To be completely frank its extremely early in the campaign and you're the frontrunner, of course people will be taking shots at you. It gets their name in the papers and media attention is a valuable currency in our line of work. If you want my advice when someone takes a shot at you, don't always fire back... it makes you look petty, such base insults should be beneath you. I think it was (not Mario Cuomo) who said 'you only shoot backwards in cowboy movies'"

"As for policy over politics... You should know as well as I do that people vote with their gut more than their head. And if it comes down to a contest between you and Murphy... You're the beer track candidate and they're the wine track candidate, people recognize that. And for being the wine track candidate, Murphy doesn't have many friends in 'the swamp' so that will only get him so far."

"My best advice is don't burn your bridges... I understand you're the hotshot progressive shaking up the system. Thats just fine, just keep that a general argument and don't go after specific people. Do that and you will be acceptable to the party, we just want to know you won't burn the house down in order to win everything."

"Play nice, prove youre a party person... A team player. Someone who can get things done and still shake up the system. It'll be hard because everyone has decided to run for President all of a sudden, half the allies i'd recommend to you are running. Maybe look to Senator Doyle of Oregon. A bit extreme but has a certain appeal. Congressman Brett Thomas of North Carolina... Campaign not just in the early states, biggest issue for Democrats is 'electability' campaign in the frontline house seats we won in '18, meet with those congresspeople that flipped the house. Got to the Baharia-Wolf districts and draw a crowd. Show people you can connect."

Tim slowly nodded in agreement. Say what you will about the ruthless nature of the speaker, but he had good advice to give. As for not burning bridges, this very meeting was an important first step in Westra acknowledging the party establishment.

"I'm with you on all of that...I'll see if I can squeeze in a meeting with the Congressman or Senator Moore. And I'll definitely scale back the personal attacks on fellow Democrats, I've shifted gears towards focusing on the special interests and the Republicans. And I'll be keeping contact with the party. No more voting Green or any bullshit like that!" Tim chuckled.

"Oh, one more thing...this meeting, do you have any qualms with me publicly mentioning it? Or perhaps a selfie for the social media? I'm happy to show folks that I'm in touch with our party leaders...but obviously, it might cause discomfort for you to be publicly seen with a presidential contender, might start up some unnecessary rumors. Whatever you wish."

“Sure mention it whenever you want just be aware if you imply this meeting is anything more than it is then I will say so. I’d rather not do the selfie though, not my style.”

[Gordano and Lysandus]

The Prendergast campaign would inaugurate the big boost in their output, in readiness for the month of April and the challenges ahead, by launching its first set of policy papers - four white papers, covering issues that more than 60% of Americans highlighted as important to them in the 2018 midterms under Gallup polling. These were hot button issues that Jonah and his staffers were sure to get attention, and their number would only accumulate with the criminal justice joint policy paper he was working on with Senator Anderson, and the foreign policy joint policy paper he was working on with Senator Slater. It was a mammoth effort, but one that he and his staffers didn’t shy from. He needed to show he was just as assured and professional in his policy ideas as Richardson was, or any of his Democratic opponents.

---

Prendergast 2020
Guarding a Greater America

Immigration that serves our Greater America

It would be laughable to suggest that America’s borders are safe. Whilst the Wolf Presidency has made them far safer, the obstructionism of the Democratic Congress has denied us the ability to have a holistic and complete immigration system, their budgetary constraints exercised through mendacious constitutional trickery means that we have put plasters on an open wound. The Wall is only half-built. This is something a Prendergast Presidency would hope to rectify.

Ensuring the future prosperity of the United States, and especially the great American workforce, requires an immigration system that is designed to prioritize Americans. As such, the wholesale importation of cheap labor - something both Democratic and Republican voters view not only as a dereliction of our duty to put America first and as a manifestation of modern slavery - must end. Migration into the United States should be reformed on the basis of merit, such that factory workers, like those struggling in the Midwest and New England, are not pushed aside. Immigration should serve to fill gaps in the labor market that cannot be filled by American workers, or are in such urgent need that limited exceptions can be made. As such, incoming prospective migrants should be graded and assigned points on the basis of their skills, and their ability to integrate into American society. Those who don’t make the grade, don’t get in - it’s that simple.

This also means a definitive end to chain migration. Whilst a Prendergast Administration could hardly be said to be against keeping families together - family values are profoundly important to the Governor and his coalition - allowing the system to foster family unity to be abused, to bring in distant relations who lack their own basis of merit, is another abandonment of our obligations to the America First doctrine, and will end.

America will continue to be a world leader on providing support to refugees, by ensuring that not only are refugees suffering from religious persecution (like Syrian Christians or Iranian Jews) given additional support, but that they are homed in communities that ready and able to host them - model communities like Erie, Pennsylvania - rather than randomly assigned to areas that may be too poor to host them. Counties will be asked to positively confirm their readiness to receive refugees from State Department resettlement programs, so that no community is overworked or overstrained.

Governor Prendergast is not oblivious to the needs and contributions of DREAMers, and has no desire to initiate mass deportations, despite the protestations and hysteria of some talking heads on the left, who have sought to misinform the public. Republicans from Reagan to Wolf to the Governor himself have long sought to bring migrants who contribute into the fold. However, immigration reform must be a holistic, well-rounded program, and thus, any deal for DREAMers must be comprehensive with the other immigration reform measures, along with forming an impenetrable, impermeable barrier along our southern border. Governor Prendergast remains ready, willing and able to sit down and broker an honest deal with Democrats that can fulfil both a pathway for DREAMers and an immigration system that serves our Great America. He will do this from a position of strength, and he will not surrender to a weak deal.

Speaking of the Wall, Governor Prendergasts understands that the Wall alone won’t stop violations and invasions of our southern border. However, he is firmly in agreement with President Wolf that it is a vital and necessary part of completing border security, and that without it, our borders will not be safe. As such, in order to fulfil the promises that the Republican Party made to the American people in 2016, confirmed by the landslide result in that year’s presidential election, a future President Prendergast will mobilize all the available resources of the Presidency to see the Wall completed in his term. And not only will the physical wall be built, but with wholesale expansions of the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the enhancement of the physical wall with drone technology, K-9 units and high-tech C.C.T.V. systems, there shall exist a secondary wall, a virtual wall, fortifying the physical. America will be safe again.

On a final note regarding resolving the immigration system in our Greater America, it cannot be ignored that certain state, county and city jurisdictions have sought to nullify federal law by instructing, through local ordinances, their local police forces to refuse cooperation with federal law enforcement agencies. Americans, rightfully, see this as an abandonment of their duties to keep the American people safe, and it constitutes a dangerous perversion of the intended purposes of the 10th Amendment. The Framers never intended the apportionment of powers to the States to be used to deliberately undermine and effectively nullify the punishment and resolution of federal legal violations. The Framers knew that, paramount over many of the duties of government, the safety of the people could not be ignored so readily. A Prendergast Administration would seek to expand and intensify punishments, via restrictions on federal invesment and other programs, on jurisdictions that attempt to nullify federal law and create safe havens for dangerous illegal immigration.

If you have any questions regarding this JPJ4USA white paper, please send us an email to policyquestions@JPJ4USA.com.

---

Prendergast 2020
Guarding a Greater America

Guarding our Greater America through our Second Amendment rights

Protecting the Second Amendment is important to Governor Prendergast. Whilst he has deep sympathy to those who have suffered from firearm violence and crime, and will pursue policies to be tough on crime, and tough on the causes of crime, he deplores the opportunistic abuse of American tragedies and the loss of American lives to push an agenda to strip Americans of one of their most basic and most fundamental rights.

The Framers outlined the right to bear arms as the ultimate protection against tyranny. We have seen from some of the statements from Democrats as of late that their understanding of civil political society and the constitutional boundaries of executive power raise serious questions. If Americans are to be denuded of that ultimate protection also, then we run the risk of sleepwalking into a constitutional set of circumstances that would permit terrible abuses of power, and this would be intolerable to us as a society.

Similarly, the Governor understands that firearms have a multitude other vital uses to American citizens. Whether it’s fending off dangerous wildlife, feeding their families or sustaining their livelihoods through game hunting, or protecting their hearth and home from criminals, firearms play a vital role in our Greater American society. To try to rip them out, leaf and stem, from that social ecosystem would be devastating.

A Prendergast Administration has no intention of furthering or promoting any policies which would seek to undermine the right to bear arms. To restate this, a future President Prendergast will veto any legislation that comes before him that constitutes a danger to that fundamental constitutional right. Jonah Prendergast will never nominate any justice to any federal court that is inclined to exceed the limitations of their authority in legislating over the authority of the Bill of Rights. The Greater American courts will be pure of corruption, completing the work of President Wolf in nominating and confirming a record number of justices loyal to our constitutional order.

Firearms violence has common denominators - gang violence, drug crime and mental illness - these are the cancers on our society that must be purged if we are to conquer firearms violence. Persecuting innocent people is not the way. Any administration which espouses persecuting innocent people by stripping their Second Amendment rights is unjust and un-American, and Jonah Prendergast will fight them wholeheartedly.

If you have any questions regarding this JPJ4USA white paper, please send us an email to policyquestions@JPJ4USA.com.

---

Prendergast 2020
Guarding a Greater America

Remodeling the Greater American revenue system

Taxation in the United States is unduly complex, unfair, and too much of the burden lays on income and industry, when surely it makes sense to target consumption (especially excess), and to form tax laws organically. The purpose of tax is to raise revenue, not to punish people on ideological grounds. Unfortunately, Democrats of all factions and inclinations have wholesale embraced tax raises. Senator Jillian Dayton wants to raise income tax, and she’s meant to be the ‘pragmatic’ option!

Governor Prendergast believes in solidifying the Wolf Tax Cuts, making permanent those changes which have put money back in the pockets of ordinary American citizens, ordinary American workers. As the old adage goes: “Americans know best how to spend their money.” Taxation on income must be reduced, not merely to ensure that more of your paycheck remains in your pocket, but to continue to reward aspiration. Work needs to pay, and a big part of that is making sure that workers are paying less tax.

Taxation on corporations is a hot-button issue, and there is a temptation from the far left to surge corporation tax. However, all the evidence shows both here and in other developed nations that corporation tax receipts can go up when corporation tax rates go down. A Prendergast Administration will lower corporation tax until it finds the optimal level, promoting and protecting business, promoting and protecting jobs and promoting and protecting American livelihoods, rather than pursuing an agenda fuelled by spite - that’s all the Democratic position is: spite.

Similarly, we have to recognize that serious questions need to be asked about the impartiality and reliability of the Internal Revenue Service to do its job. Many Americans have been let down by the I.R.S. Governor Prendergast is also not satisfied by the work of the F.B.I., which had a clear anti-Wolf lean in the 2016 election, to investigate the I.R.S. for the deliberate targeting of conservatives and conservative groups in the past decade. This constitutes a grave threat to our democracy. Our republic. A future President Prendergast would instruct the Attorney General to appoint a special counsel to investigate the Internal Revenue Service for its anti-conservative bias, which is surely and definitively illegal and an attempt to corrupt our political process.

Furthermore, Governor Prendergast’s proposed administration will take a serious and considered look at working with Republican members of Congress to look at where the Internal Revenue Service is fit for purpose, or should be abolished and replaced with a more suitable agency, or network of localized agencies, to more efficiently and cost effectively serve the role of America’s taxmen.

America deserves a fair deal on tax. That means lower taxes for longer, and for a tax authority that doesn’t treat the American people like criminals to be controlled or cattle to be herded. That is Governor Prendergast’s promise.

If you have any questions regarding this JPJ4USA white paper, please send us an email to policyquestions@JPJ4USA.com.

---

Prendergast 2020
Guarding a Greater America

Protecting our Greater American elections

The security of American elections must be preserved against all threats, both foreign and domestic, and serious threats exist from both within and without these United States. Fraudulent voting pushed by special interests and attempts by hostile foreign powers like Russia and China must be stopped.

As such, a Prendergast Administration would do everything in its power to help secure our elections from foreign interference.

Voter identification laws do not compromise the privacy of the ballot, whilst ensuring that each ballot cast is verified to belong to a single American citizen. A broad basis of identification documents will be accepted to ensure that voting remains accessible, not merely limiting voting to driver’s licenses, but also including U.S. passports, state I.D. cards, college I.D.s and other identification documents of similar credibility and validity. A Prendergast Administration will promote this by lowering the cost of acquiring U.S. passports, and promoting budget initiatives to support the provision of new I.D. systems in the individual states, conditionally on those states adopting high standards of election security laws.

Furthermore, a Prendergast Administration will expand support for the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency and National Reconnaissance Office to work together to provide a comprehensive intelligence safety net around our elections. We must identify misinformation and act firmly to stamp it out. President Rashid Qadaffi Baharia was not quick or strong on this, and it has led to confusion and difficulty in our elections seeded by foreign threats.

On top of that, a Prendergast Administration would promote the use of paper ballots, with permanent markers, to ensure that ballots are inviolable and cannot be hacked or erased, to ensure that American elections are safe from whatever anarchists, Marxists, domestic terrorists, Islamist foreign enemies or rival foreign powers might seek to disrupt or damage our election process.

In our Greater America, and under the leadership of Jonah Prendergast, the Republican Party will prove yet again that it is the small-d democratic party.

If you have any questions regarding this JPJ4USA white paper, please send us an email to policyquestions@JPJ4USA.com.

[Gordano and Lysandus]

Governor Jonah Prendergast Jr
Saturday 30th March
Iowa

The Governor’s return trip to Iowa was this time going to be focused around Howard County. A Baharia-to-Wolf swing area, it was in these areas he needed to distinguish himself if he was going to be able to counteract Richardson’s electability narrative. Prendergast needed to show that he could carry the same charisma, the same chaotic, disruptive energy that Wolf had shown. His coalition of Wolfite radicals like Anderson and Slater needed to be enhanced by the support of establishment figures, and as much as Volker had given him his support in person, that had not yet translated to a public presence. He also hoped to impress former Governor Laura Dunn, who remained uncommitted and whose support could greatly enhance his chances in this particular Midwestern state that was his most important target for the big four early caucuses.

Howard County centered on the city of Cresco, a city of less than 4,000 people, but nonetheless the heart of a county that contained over 9,000. Agriculture was the beating heart of this region, with food processing making up the majority of any industry. Cresco, Iowa also happened to be the hometown of Norman Borlaug, an agronomist of some notoriety, whose Green Revolution in the 1960s supercharged agricultural production and helped lift vast tranches of the Third World out of food poverty - by all regards, an all-American hero, and certainly a local one. There was no escaping it - agricultural policy would be the theme of today’s ‘presentation’.

He would make a mild detour to New Oregon Township nearby first, to take a look at their Polygonal Barn. A banal distraction by all accounts but he had perfected the ability to simulate interest, and he was sure that anything that local farmers were proud of was surely of value to him. He took a look around, asked some questions about the barn, and then about the cattle which were shown there. Once more, showing an interest in the minutiae of American agriculture, making them feel important, making them feel intelligent and appreciated, this was the true value of this exercise.

He would go on to visit some of the local farms, cattle or arable, the distinction mattered little. What was important was being seen to help with some minor tasks, to be seen as at-one with the farmers of this area, this state, this nation. Something he took relish in. Once more, he spoke about their anxieties. What made things difficult for them. He didn’t want those things to persist. He spoke warmly, he spoke gently, and he spoke sympathetically. America’s farmers, the men who keep America fed, deserved better, and whilst agriculture might be getting marginally better under Wolf, a lot needed to be done, and he acknowledged that. He asked them to make lists of what they needed and to send it to his campaign staff. The theme was constant. Jonah Prendergast listened.

Alas, another city, another town hall. Howard County wasn’t overflowing with locations that suited such an exercise, and so he had to settle for somewhere a little higher brow than he typically aimed for (he often endeavored to come down to the level of the average American rather than talking down to them from on high). Cresco Country Club would host the gathering this time, and despite the rurality, he’d still have sent out staffers ahead to make sure he had a good cluster of locals to talk with.

”Good evening, Cresco and Howard County! This place is truly charming. Truly wonderful. It’s one of those places, so far from the distractions of the urban elite. So far from the politicking of Washington. There’s just truth here. Your truth. An honest, American way of life from which all Americans could stand to learn. I am humbled for having been here, and seeing the issues you contest with.

In the 1960s, your native son Norman Borlaug changed agriculture across the world. India, which had been starving through the ‘40s and ‘50s, became a net exporter of wheat. But what is good for the goose is good for the gander, and the technologies he pioneered allowed America to become more food sovereign than ever. Our ability to export huge amounts of dairy, of soy, of wheat, of rice, of cranberries, of every other great American crop, is rooted in a revolution that began here in Cresco.

That legacy lives on through you, continuing to do the backbreaking labor of the fields to see that Americans continue to be fed. That your families continue to have a future. I admire and respect you all deeply, and as I’ve said before in town halls, it should be people like you invited to fine White House galas, not overindulgent sports stars and celebrities.

But what Washington needs isn’t your presence, it’s your ideals. Your wisdom. Your common sense.

You voted for Baharia in 2008, and in 2016. Yet somehow, those promises never really reached you, did they? High minded ideals aren’t compatible with common sense. What America needs is sensible leadership, not the pseudo-academic will of people who think they know better.

Let me hear your stories. Your concerns. Your anxieties. As I have promised every man and woman I have spoken to on this campaign, I will remember them and I will take them to Washington. I will make them listen. And they will finally pay what is due. What they owe to communities like you, here in Cresco.”

And so the cycle repeats - a town hall, an hour to hour-thirty, and then making haste to a large city. Returning to Des Moines was never a bad idea as far as Prendergast was concerned, and he was glad to be here in Iowa now that Chambers was making such waves here. He made a note to hit Nebraska next week - like Richardson, he was dead set on demonstrating that he wasn’t afraid of his competition.

In Des Moines, it was time for another little fundraising party, like all of those he had racked up before. In Des Moines, he could rub shoulders with executives from the Wells Fargo branch headquarters, along with the subsidiary Berkshire Hathaway Energy - he spoke energy very well - but their parent company was based out of Omaha and so they could prove useful allies in Nebraska, along with cosying up to executives from the Meredith Corporation. The Meredith Corporation was a huge media conglomerate, covering print media to television, and with their broadcast television stations reaching 11% of American households, they were definitely the kind of folk he should be courting, making attractive promises regarding keeping the F.C.C. sufficiently declawed. The final focus would be on the Krause family, who owned the Kum & Go convenience store chain. He spoke about protecting them from any repetition of the spurious racial discrimination suit from 2004, lest that ugly beast rear its equally ugly head again, along with the usual spiel about dismantling onerous regulation. All in all, the usual pitch - “I’m one of you guys, do you want me sticking up for you in the White House or someone who’s got more principles?” A convincing pitch to the corrupt upper crust of America, one would hope.

[Von Markstein]

April 4th
Grand Island, Nebraska

Barely fresh off his trip to Iowa, Governor Chambers arrived back to Nebraska and decided to address his own state again at a rally in the town of Grand Island where he planned to make the controversial but necessary decision to express a policy that would put him in major contrast to the Wolf Administration.

Hello and thank you so much for coming here today, your support these past two terms has been phenomenal and I hope I can have it going forward as your next president.

There is a lot we can change and improve on in this country, and that includes from the Wolf administration. Not every person or their policies is perfect. Like a machine or crop it can be fine tuned or modified to be improved. Our state has suffered in some ways from his policies and I want to remedy that

I read a Forbes article released on April 2nd that discusses the tariffs levied out by President Wolf. Did you know for example, that consumers lost $1.4 billion in income for 2018. This number came from economic experts and federal banks who work with these scenarios everyday, people far smarter than myself or any of the candidates.

Did you also know that there’s a 25% tariff by China on Soy? Well of course many of you did! Bc we grow most of the soy in this nation! And I am sick and tired of farmers stuck with spoiling crops they can’t afford to sell. I spoke with a man named William a few weeks back who told me he had to take out a second mortgage bc of the tariffs and that his neighbor was forced to outright sell his family generational farm to a mechanized big Corp.

Natural Gas is another major state industry that is being cut out and hampered by the China tariff war. We need to be able to export these goods to grow and stimulate our economy naturally.

But let’s think of something that affects 99% of us, and that’s cars. If president Wolf passes the proposed auto part tariff it could raise the average value of a new car by THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS, and will kill over THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND JOBS per the Center for Automotive Research

I understand that something needs to be done about overseas job and faulty Chinese business practices but this form of Chemotherapy used by President Wolf is NOT the answer. Rather than kill ourselves with the cancer, we need to take a more surgical approach which comes to a beneficial solution for all parties. It’s time we came to the bargaining table and negotiated, not hammered, a deal.

Much of this campaign will be hard truths. Truths that Washington and many Americans will need to hear. All I ask is that you atleast hear me out, and if what I say does resonate with your ears, then come this time next year, vote for me as your candidate for president.

Thank you and God Bless America

[Dentali]

Nathaniel Richardson
@GovernorRichardson

Governor Chambers is a good man, I do not believe him using the term 'chemotherapy' to negatively describe the President's policies was an intentional reference to the President's cancer battle. All the same he should clarify, apologize and not use the language in future campaign events.

[Agarntrop]

Barry Anderson
@MissouriPeoplesSenator

Anyone who compares a personal cancer battle to a policy is not fit to run this country.

[Von Markstein]

Jack Chambers
@Governor Chambers

America I offer my deepest apologies for my comments at a rally. The analogy given was in a no way a comment in relation to the president’s current condition. His health, and the health of every American with cancer is a grave concern and Wolf and all cancer stricken americans have my deepest prayers and sympathies. Going forward my words will be more sensitive to the health of millions of Americans and I hope perhaps we can still work together to fight cancer and other health issues. In sorrow I am hearby donating a million dollars to cancer research.

With deepest sympathies,

Jack Chambers

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

Erika Goldman
@GoldmanConnecticut

I may be opposed to President Wolf and his policies in the most fervent ways possible, but even I know that it is shameful for @JackChambers to compare trade policies to a life-threatening disease. @NebraskaGOP primary this man in his next election!

[Von Markstein]

The door to the private office at the Governor’s mansion In Lincoln slammed shut behind the seething entrant. The Governor jabbed fingers into the office phone and screamed:

Who the f**ck wrote that! Was it rick, Daniel, no was it f***ing Linda! What do you mean it wasn’t the speech write! Oh f**k me I did it off the cuff. Sorry Sorry

The Governor hangs up the phone. He grabs the nearest state bill on his desk from an Omaha Democrat and stamps an vicious veto on it four times in quick succession. He places his head in his hand and moans.

My f***ing own aunt had brain cancer and I’m over hear making a foolish jack*** of myself

He says almost inaudibly.

A nervous staffer knocks which opens the door since it had slammed so hard it bounced slightly open. The stagger gives a nervous squeak;

Umm sir, i think we should do damage control

Jack doesn’t even look up from his hands as he replies;

Yes yes, get PR we’l make a tweet and then first thing in the morning I’ll give a public statement at the Capitol building, spread the word

The staff replies:

Yes sir

he then stands there for a bit before Jack looks up

Nothing else, go away now

The staffer quickly scurries away. Jack goes into his desk and pulls out a bottle of whiskey and pulls out a book to read, hoping to get his mind off the speech. But no matter what he can’t stop thinking about how this gaff May have cost him an election

[Azekopolaltion]

“Sure mention it whenever you want just be aware if you imply this meeting is anything more than it is then I will say so. I’d rather not do the selfie though, not my style.”

Tim nodded in agreement. "Alright, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. I know a busy man, I don't want to take up too much of your time. It was nice seeing you. Good luck with your work."

He stood up to take his leave.

---

FROM: Office of Senator Rebekah Sharansky
TO: Democratic Senators

Good morning,

Senator Sharansky would appreciate if you read over her bill to reduce prescription drug prices. If you would like to cosponsor, please read out to the Senator. The bill is attached. To summarize, it permits the Dept. of Health and Human Services to terminate patents for high-cost drugs to increase the supply of generics, allows for the importation of drugs from Canada to increase competition and reduce prices, and permits HHS to negotiate Medicare Part D rates with drug producers, and caps cost-sharing costs for Medicare beneficiaries as a fallback option to failed negotiations.

Official Name: Prescription Price Package Act of 2019
Nickname: PPP Act

Overview: The United States has the highest per capita spending on prescription drugs in the world, spending over twice the amount spent by citizens in the U.K. and France. American citizens are not significantly more reliant on prescriptions drugs when compared to European counterparts. Americans use fewer prescription drugs, and when they use them, they are more likely to use cheaper generic versions. Instead, the discrepancy in costs can be traced back to one issue plaguing the entirety of the U.S. health care system: prices. This bill seeks to alleviate the concern of skyrocketing prices through several common sense measures that will keep drug prices at similar levels to the rest of the world.

Section 1: CURBING EXCESSIVE DRUG PRICES

a) Establishes that the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall determine the price of any brand-name drug as "excessive" if the domestic price exceeds the median price charged for that drug in 5 reference countries, those countries being:

1) The United Kingdom
2) France
3) Canada
4) Germany
5) Japan

b) Establishes that the price of any brand-name drug may also be deemed "excessive" by the Secretary with respect to the following factors:

1) The size of the brand-name drugs consumer base;
2) The development costs of the drug;
3) The value of the drug's health benefits;
4) Any price increase of that brand-name drug during the annual quarter that is greater than the increase in the consumer price index.

c) Establishes that the Secretary shall waive or terminate any exclusivities provided by the government to that drug, including but not limited to patents;

d) Establishes that the Secretary may grant non-exclusive licenses for the generic production of such a drug.

Section 2: PERMITTING THE SAFE IMPORTATION OF AFFORDABLE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

a) Directs the Secretary to recommend the implementation of necessary regulations to permit the importation of prescription drugs in accordance with the following standards:

1) Importation privileges will only be extended to certified pharmacies with licenses in the nation of Canada;
2) Any imported drugs must comply with Canadian quality control regulations and U.S. regulations.

Section 3: MEDICARE PART D REFORM

a) Establishes that the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall negotiate the with pharmaceutical manufacturers the prices for discounts and rebates that may be charged to Medicare benficiaries covered by part D;

b) If said negotiations fail after the applicable period, then beneficiaries would pay the lower of the following:

1) A $250 monthly cap on cost-sharing for part D;
2) The average of the prices available for the 5 reference countries.

We would appreciate your support in reducing the cost of necessities like pharmaceutical drugs for our constituents.

Best,
Office of Senator Rebekah Sharansky of Illinois

FROM: Senator Tim Westra
TO: Senator Rebekah Sharansky

Please come see me when you have time, my team has some possible additions and edits we can make to strengthen this. Also, we'd love to have you back on the campaign trail when you get the chance. Call me.

- Tim

[New Cobastheia]

FROM: [Rep. Nez]
TO: [Rep. Simone]
SUBJECT: Meeting?

---

Hi Carrie,

Just wondering if you free later today, I wanted to talk to you about your upcoming bill on the docket and the caucus chair election.

Ahe'hee,
Kathleen

[Agarntrop]

Erika Goldman
@GoldmanConnecticut

I may be opposed to President Wolf and his policies in the most fervent ways possible, but even I know that it is shameful for @JackChambers to compare trade policies to a life-threatening disease. @NebraskaGOP primary this man in his next election!

Retweeted by @JohnAtangNY3

[Gordano and Lysandus]

FROM: [Rep. Nez]
TO: [Rep. Simone]
SUBJECT: Meeting?

---

Hi Carrie,

Just wondering if you free later today, I wanted to talk to you about your upcoming bill on the docket and the caucus chair election.

Ahe'hee,
Kathleen

FROM: [Representative Caroline Simone]
TO: [Representative Kathleen Nez]

Hi Kathleen,

I can always make time for you, do swing by whenever is convenient for you.

Yours,

Carrie.

[Gordano and Lysandus]

Governor Jonah Prendergast Jr.
@JPJ4USA

---

@Governor_Chambers set a new moral low in presidential campaigning today. I like to think that neither Nate and I, nor any of the Democratic candidates, would dare say anything so vulgar, predatory and cruel. The American people reward decency and civility. We have not seen those qualities reflected with this disgusting 'chemotherapy' remark.

[Von Markstein]

April 5
9:30am
State Capitol

Governor Chambers came in that morning to address the assembled legislature, crowd and media in person after the cancer gaff. He looked down as he walked to the podium then straightened himself with a look of contrition and spoke;

Health is an essential necessity of life. It’s important that we address the right for the millions of Americans to be able to choose how they treat their health and that we combat the number of health epidemics in our country, from opioid abuse to cancer.

Cancer is why I am here today. My comments yesterday were unintentional but nevertheless out of line and insulting to the millions suffering from cancer. I don’t ask for support, I take full blame for my words. Going forward I’ll address health in a serious and meaningful way, from insurance to drug issues, rather than using it as a metaphor that insults millions.

I once again apologize and offer my support to cancer research in this country.

Jack quickly leaves the stage without taking questions from the hungry media present

[Dentali]

Nathaniel Richardson
Arlington, Virginia
Americans for Prosperity



Richardson spent the night in Virginia after his retail and got up early at his hotel. He exercised and took his time meeting as much as the staff as possible in the early morning before he went to the main event of the day. A meeting with the Americans for Prosperity.

During his time in Congress Richardson enjoyed an A+ rating from the organization and while they did not focus on Governors he still enjoyed generous support and a strong relationship with the organization, often asking for their recommendation for who he should campaign for. With over 3 million members and hundreds of millions to spend they were among the most influential groups in politics today. He was fairly confident in gaining their endorsement given his substantial ties to the organization, long history being supported by them and in turn his support getting people involved in the organization.

Nate began the meeting discussing Criminal Justice Reform. An odd choice given the priorities of the group but it was an issue they still cared about and one where they probably knew the least about his stance. Richardson maintained his strong support for the First Step Act and supporting rehabilitation of prisoners and matching them with jobs and opportunities. He contrasted this with his equally strong support for a federal crackdown on repeat violent offenders and trigger pullers who were responsible for the vast majority of murders and general gun violence.

This led Richardson into a greater pitch on urban renewal, highlighting his support from minority communities in his home state and his recent campaigning in minority neighborhoods and urban areas. As well as his joint initiative with Senator Little, and removal of confederate monuments which opened many doors for him. He discussed Urban Renewal through opportunity zones and welfare reform that rewarded work such as reworking TANF and food stamp programs.

He also vehemently advocated for making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, as its permanence alone would help a market that valued stability. He also touted his strong fiscal conservatism record, taking North Carolina from a large debt to one of the largest surpluses in the nation while making the economy boom. They all knew this about him though, and his success record couldn’t be argued with.

He promised to double down on the regulatory reforms of the Wolf administration, increasing transparency and efficiency throughout all departments. He even gave a rough draft of his idea of an ‘innovation czar’ citing the city of Louisville’s success with the concept. From occupational licensing to repealing Davis-Bacon and the Jones Act, Richardson was committed to reform and cost saving measures.

Richardson made sure to highlight (in the most humble way possible) that he was the only Republican with any semblance of a plan for healthcare reform and any record of reform. Not only had AFP advocated for and assisted him in writing Carolina Choice Care but they were well aware that healthcare was the number 1 issue of the election.

Nate was also positioning himself as a high tech candidate, focusing on 5G and cyber warfare as well as private public partnerships to foster innovation and infrastructure investment. His commitment to private public partnerships also set him apart from Wolf’s infrastructure plan which was essentially a massive stimulus bill. To a lesser extent Richardson reminded AFP of his successes improve trade and infrastructure in North Carolina and combating the corporate welfare tendencies of most states.

Richardson finally outlined his trade package and the number of trade agreements he wished to negotiate as President. He voiced his private distaste for tariffs and trade wars, disagreeing with the President on the subject although qualifying that with his opinion that getting tough on China was an absolute necessity. He gave a major caveat that given the current political climate he would need to commit to a more protectionist rhetoric on the trail but his trade policy had been made public in a previous white paper.

Following a 3 hour meeting and Q&A session where he spoke candidly, Richardson shook hands and left the meeting once again confident in his performance.

[Alozia]

Vice President Richard G. Tawney
@RickTawney

---

The statements made by @Governor_Chambers have no place in politics, no matter how dirty. To make light of the President's very serious condition, especially when the president in question gave new life not only to the party the Governor seeks to represent, but also the country as a whole is disgraceful. There are no words to fully express my anger and frustration. The Governor is a disgrace to our country, his state and party.

Vice President Richard G. Tawney
@RickTawney

---

@Governor_Chambers I consider myself a man of high personal culture, but your apology was cowardly. Throwing money around to cover up your buffoonery will not fix the issue - you are classless and absolutely unqualified to represent our country.

Vice President Richard G. Tawney
@RickTawney

---

This is the very same man that recently said - and I quote - "So when it comes time to succeed President Wolf, remember Iowa, that Jack has your back.".

If this is the best our party has to offer in the primary, then I might have to change that very soon.

[Dentali]

Senator James Moore
@MichiganMoore

(Video of Chambers addressing church)

"I've allowed the positive aspects of my faith to guide my hand as governor, ensuring peace in the community, encouraging charity, and protecting all life, even from the moment of conception. And now I've decided after great prayer, that I'm going to run for president. God may be taking away a good man early in President Wolf's resignation, but I want to make sure that even with him gone, our faith can have a place."

A follower sent me this video, Governor Chambers seems to say the President resigned? Last time I checked he was still in office.

[Gordano and Lysandus]

Vice President Richard G. Tawney
@RickTawney

---

The statements made by @Governor_Chambers have no place in politics, no matter how dirty. To make light of the President's very serious condition, especially when the president in question gave new life not only to the party the Governor seeks to represent, but also the country as a whole is disgraceful. There are no words to fully express my anger and frustration. The Governor is a disgrace to our country, his state and party.

Vice President Richard G. Tawney
@RickTawney

---

@Governor_Chambers I consider myself a man of high personal culture, but your apology was cowardly. Throwing money around to cover up your buffoonery will not fix the issue - you are classless and absolutely unqualified to represent our country.

Vice President Richard G. Tawney
@RickTawney

---

This is the very same man that recently said - and I quote - "So when it comes time to succeed President Wolf, remember Iowa, that Jack has your back.".

If this is the best our party has to offer in the primary, then I might have to change that very soon.

All liked and retweeted by @JPJ4USA.

[Dentali]

Vice President Richard G. Tawney
@RickTawney

---

The statements made by @Governor_Chambers have no place in politics, no matter how dirty. To make light of the President's very serious condition, especially when the president in question gave new life not only to the party the Governor seeks to represent, but also the country as a whole is disgraceful. There are no words to fully express my anger and frustration. The Governor is a disgrace to our country, his state and party.

Vice President Richard G. Tawney
@RickTawney

---

@Governor_Chambers I consider myself a man of high personal culture, but your apology was cowardly. Throwing money around to cover up your buffoonery will not fix the issue - you are classless and absolutely unqualified to represent our country.

Vice President Richard G. Tawney
@RickTawney

---

This is the very same man that recently said - and I quote - "So when it comes time to succeed President Wolf, remember Iowa, that Jack has your back.".

If this is the best our party has to offer in the primary, then I might have to change that very soon.

All liked and retweeted by @JPJ4USA.

Nathaniel Richardson sees the tweets liked by Prendergast and comments to his wife "Does he realize the last tweet insulted him too?"

[Gordano and Lysandus]

Governor Jonah Prendergast Jr
Sunday 31st March
Missouri

The Governor was visiting Missouri and Arkansas this week in order to reward and respond to the glowing endorsements he had received from Senators Anderson and Slater. The first of those visits would be Missouri which - being inherently closer to Iowa - was easiest for him to hop to after his last day of campaigning.

Springfield, whose metropolitan area stretches across Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk and Webster counties, was a fabulous contradiction of the usual pattern. Urbanized and hosting three universities, it was - nonetheless - the largest part of Missouri to vote for a Republican in the last midterm elections. A populous Republican hotbed, making an impression here would stand Jonah in good stead for winning this state down the line.

He began his day with another series of visits to industry and business - and that’d actually start with something which other candidates might have seen as mundane or beneath them. He went to Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart served Springfield as its third biggest employer, employing over three thousand in the metropolitan area, and so it was a prime target to show he was on their side. He cleared his activities with managers first, before going to help some shelf-stackers with their work, letting them vent their anxieties about their work. Pay came up often, and he made a note that - if he won the primary - pay would be something he’d have to tackle. Pay would win him the election, he was reasonably certain. Nonetheless, showing her could come down to these people’s level (even if he struggled to competently fulfil the physical element of that) was another exercise in his humility and understanding with ordinary American workers.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a true Prendergast visit without taking in some heavy industry. The Springfield Remanufacturing Corporation was worth $400 million a year, and employed 1,600 personnel. Rebuilding and tuning up high performance engines, it was interesting to see the minutiae of their mechanics, along with rubbing shoulders with its workers. The automotive industry swept across the whole of the Midwest, and Jonah had gone to lengths to identify himself with these people, encouraging them, listening to them, and all-around being that grandfatherly figure once more.

After this, he would hold a small rally at Missouri State University with Senator Anderson, who would be given time to give a speech of his own and introduce him before he spoke, addressing a rough grouping of the more conservative-leaning, Wolf-supporting student brethren. A rare breed, perhaps, but not one he couldn’t hunt down. Anderson’s presence was helpful in this endeavor, he had the local pull to support this sort of thing. He was, of course, also prepared for the inevitable blowback of liberal protestors on the campus - whether it was on climate or other political issues - but he was sure he could be marshalled safely into the venue of his rally.

”Hello there, Missouri State. Gosh, look at you all. The liberal consensus on college campuses sure must hate you. It’s good to see you all, pushing against that stereotype. It’s good to know that there still exists diversity of thought on some of our college campuses. Freedom of speech, freedom of thought, was the first and most fundamental of the rights that James Madison drafted in the Bill of Rights. An open, honest, frank political conversation is what allows us to mature as a political society. It is not just insulting, but infantilizing, the way that special interests, Democrats, and to a degree, mob rule have sought to dismantle the First Amendment so that they don’t need to face true scrutiny, true debate over their ideals.

You have fought back, espousing that all-American tradition of revolution, and I couldn’t be prouder of you. You have displayed leadership and moral courage by refusing to be subsumed into groupthink. I think, in this room, we may have future congressmen, future governors, future senators. This is the caliber of leadership that America deserves, not hacks and cheats like Douglas or Windsor.

The Federal Government should be doing less in general, but what it should be doing more of is supporting college conservatives who have been silenced by a hostile culture. The thing is, it’s not just bad for your political development, it’s bad for academia. Being unable to have open, considered debates on topics does not allow us to explore any subject, whether it’s ruminations on Greek poetry in the one hand or dissecting the respiratory tracts of cattle in the other. How can you explore a subject properly, comprehensively, if we refuse to talk about it properly? What kind of intellectual discourse is that? We must liberate our college campuses if we are going to be able to stay ahead! It’s plain and simple.

You know who doesn’t allow the safe space and censorship culture onto their campuses? Japan. A country of tremendous industry, and tremendous intellect, and tremendous advancement. Why are we sliding back towards a European neoliberal stagnation rather than embracing that warm, open, capitalist promise we see in the East? It’s obscene that we should so resignedly accept American decline. I know that President Wolf does not. And neither do I.

I promise you all that not only will I keep the economy bullish and strong to serve you all with good, well paying jobs to return your investment in coming to college, but I will fight the war in the trenches to keep colleges free. That’s the policy I stand on. The hill I’ll die on if needs be. You’ve been done a disservice, a grave disservice, that doesn’t just make the grounds outside this hall into hostile territory for you, but devalues the quality of the education you have paid for. You deserve better!

Nevertheless, it’s been a pleasure to have you here as an audience, and you’re the kind of steel spined real Americans I’d love to have aboard my campaign. If you’re interested in donating or volunteering, head onto JPJ4USA.com and register with us, or talk to my staff after this talk. Thank you so, so much.

After delivering the rally talk, he’d go to shake hands and have chats with the students, stoking their enthusiasm for conservative politics as a mass movement, before he’d eventually go on towards his early evening engagement, the town hall. Springfield had another Holiday Inn, hurrah! And that would comfortably host him in a not too shabby but not too upper crust environment for him to hold his town hall. The usual preparations had been made.

”Hello Springfield, Missouri!

This is my first time in your beautiful city, but I have to say that it is a truly heartwarming experience. You’re all fantastic, fantastic people, and it brings me such pleasure to be able to come into your workplaces and meet real Missourians, doing real work, in real life. If more of the Washington fossils came out here and saw it, maybe they’d get a short, sharp lesson in what real Americans look like.

I’ve had a fantastic welcome here, both from the workers I’ve met today working across your city, and from the M.S.U. students I met with Senator Anderson earlier today. I am so touched by the affection and warmth I’ve received here. However, I’m not here to see what you can do for me, I’m here to see what you need me to do for you.

There’s a lot at risk in this coming election. A terrible, all-encompassing risk to your livelihoods, but that doesn’t mean that this election should just be run as an attempt to control the potential damage of the next Democratic administration. We have our ambitions, to improve the lives of ordinary Americans and make real, decent, sustainable progress for you.

So I’m here to listen to your concerns, your anxieties, your truth. The truth that I will take to the White House. The truth on which future policy will be based. Talk to me, Springfield. Let me hear you.”

And to cap off his visit to Missouri, after an hour to an hour and a half of answering questions at the town hall, he once more went to another fundraiser, though thankfully having spent enough days sober to spare himself the displeasure of more champagne, he was in a drinking, convivial mood once more. Flying out to St. Louis, he’d be able to have another broad based, big money fundraiser with figures from some frighteningly large businesses - 9 Fortune 500 businesses were based in St. Louis, though of particular interest to him were the large agribusiness Monsanto, who he needed to reassure his agricultural plans wouldn’t leave them in the dust and would serve to continue to boost their profits, and Peabody Energy, whose mines he had visited before and shared his brotherhood in hydrocarbons. There was also Emerson Electric, whose electrical engineering touched a broad variety of businesses across the United States - his message to them was clear - I’ll keep the markets open and I’ll keep businesses going - that way, Emerson will always have a burgeoning clientele to supply to. These big money fundraisers were panning out well for him, and getting one fit into the end of each visit might attract some negative press attention, but it’d give him long term resources.