Chapter 30 Let you do a day's work, and you're selling out your country on the side?

America has a simple and classic institutional framework.

Separation of powers, with the legislature, the president, and the supreme court, each wielding legislative, executive, and judicial powers.

For decades, under the advocacy of a powerful public opinion machine, this model of America has been regarded by many as the epitome of top-level national design.

But stories are just stories.

Exemplary is relative, and this model is not without its flaws.

When establishing this system, the founding fathers did not possess timeless wisdom and left behind a fatal loophole.

The regulatory design of the election process is insufficient.

For many, their first real understanding of the American electoral process came during the 2020 presidential election.

It was also from this controversial election that many first realized that America wasn't really that perfect.

It's not like elite Americans haven't noticed the institutional flaws in the electoral process.

Throughout history, various patches have been applied around the election.

But those who code understand that each software update brings new bugs.

Sometimes applying one patch leads to a bunch of new bugs.

Writing software allows for gradual bug fixing, but fixing bugs in the election process is too troublesome.

Over time, with patches applied to the bugs in the electoral process, they were ultimately never perfected.

All candidates running for office in America establish their own campaign support organizations.

Such as campaign committees, campaign offices, and so on.

But besides these legally permissible campaign support organizations, candidates also need some 'special' services.

They need to hire professional teams to do things that are inconvenient for them.

A mere gang that can only do rough work is obviously inadequate. This is where Eris comes in.

Eris is not a native-born American; he hails from the western Balkans and grew up in a family associated with a local influential group.

After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, in order to adapt to the rapidly changing globalized era, he chose to leave his hometown and study advanced experiences in America.

The enterprising young man met a land full of opportunities in America.

As an immigrant with a special background, he was not accepted by the upper circles in America.

But opportunities are for those who are prepared.

With the help of his family's resources, at the age of thirty, he successfully helped a college classmate become a local councilor, skyrocketing to fame.

Many aspiring candidates on the West Coast who are eager to serve the American people have heard of his name and are willing to believe in his past success.

This time, it was the same when he took the helm for a stubborn Republican candidate.

He didn't join the candidate's campaign office.

It's not that he didn't want to join. In fact, being independent allowed him to offer much more help to the candidate than if he were inside the campaign office.

"I like your idea, but I need to know your background. Don't try to fool me, understand?"

Sitting on the chair in the coffee shop with his legs crossed, Eris spoke, his beard moving with his lips, and his sharp eyes giving off an intimidating aura.

He pointed to his eyes, asking about the background of Chan.

Not intimidated by Eris's question, Chan replied calmly.

"As I said, I come from Hua Nation, an illegal immigrant. Today, I'm just here to earn some cash. I thought this idea might help you."

There are tens of millions of illegal immigrants in America, and California is a sanctuary state with even more illegal immigrants. In California, admitting to one's illegal immigrant status doesn't pose any legal risk, and Eris obviously wouldn't threaten Chan's personal safety over eight hundred dollars.

"An illegal immigrant? Alright, your idea does seem interesting, but it's not worth two thousand, and there's no one else besides me who needs it."

Putting down his arm that was rubbing his beard, Eris began bargaining directly.

"Eight hundred dollars, that's the highest price I can accept."

"Deal!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Chan agreed on the spot.

Unlike Lisa, the strength of bargaining for cooperation with Eris is different.

As the head of a team specialized in serving candidates, Eris is not easy to get along with.

Perhaps Chan agreed too quickly, and Eris was a bit caught off guard.

He even regretted it a bit, regretting that he had set the price too high.

He had expected fifteen hundred dollars, buying silence.

But now he got it for eight hundred dollars, and it was done without any bargaining.

This made him feel a bit strange.

As if he had been swindled?

But then again, he spent only half of what he had expected to pay, so it couldn't really be considered getting swindled.

Just... swindled?

Shrugging, Eris didn't dwell on it too much and instructed.

"Don't talk to anyone else about this idea, understand? Once this idea is sold to me, it belongs to one of my clients. Don't cause trouble for me."

Hearing Eris's words, Chan frowned slightly and replied.

"When ABC came to do an interview during today's protest, I told the reporter about it. Does that have any impact?"

He still didn't know that the so-called interview was live, and ABC's subscribers had already seen the entire process of the interview on TV.

"Was it live?"

Eris's expression darkened at Chan's words.

Today's protest was ostensibly in support of this Republican candidate for local council, and with his manipulation, Chan's words could be seen as the candidate's viewpoint.

But doing so didn't fit Eris's intentions.

This kind of explosive idea should at least be sold to a congressman or senatorial candidate. It would be a waste if it were spent on this stupid local council candidate.

"No, the reporter explicitly told me it wasn't."

Shaking his head, Chan replied.

"As long as it wasn't live, it's fine."

Eris smiled, but his smile was just a false social smile.

"I have many friends on the West Coast. I'll talk to the people at ABC. You're a smart guy, understand what I mean?"

Taking the money handed over by Eris, Chan nodded in agreement.

"I understand what you mean. Add a bald eagle, and I'll come directly to you if I have any more ideas like this in the future."

High-end connections don't just appear out of thin air, and if there's an opportunity, one must seize it.

Chan never lets an opportunity slip away.

"I like smart people, Chan."

Leaving the coffee shop, Chan smiled at Sani, who was getting impatient.

"Sani, I want to invite you to dinner, to thank you for introducing me to this opportunity to make money."

Rolling her eyes, Sani had a question she really wanted to know before dinner.

"Did he really give you two thousand? You're selling out your country for two thousand?"

Sani's way of asking was indeed lacking in manners.

Who insults someone to their face?

Chan replied helplessly.

"I only sold it for eight hundred, but why do you think I'm selling out my country?"

"I may not have been to school, but I'm not completely clueless!"

"Sani, you really don't understand."

Chan opened his phone and studied the bald eagle emblem of Eris.

"Let's not dwell on this. Let's choose a restaurant. Anything under fifty dollars is fine."

Seeing Chan's indifferent attitude towards selling out his country, Sani selected the restaurant with a fierce determination.

You sellout, I introduced you to do day labor, and after doing the labor, you still have the nerve to sell out your country.

I'm going to eat heartily!

Her symptoms were just like Lisa's.