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Chapter 177:
In the brief but enthusiastic greetings, Mr. Adlai sat at the center of the conference table.
It was hard to imagine that someone without a specific official position, merely bearing the title of a Progressive Party member and serving other politicians, could have such stature or status.
He sat at the center of the conference table, not State Senator Mr. Grimm, not Mayor Langdon of Sabin, and certainly not Lynch, but a principal aide without an "official title."
But no one was surprised because the governor trusted this principal aide greatly. Many policies issued by the state government actually came from the governor’s aides.
Sometimes the truth didn't feel real, because often the governor's words, his attitude, his stance, and his expressions in front of the public were all pre-designed by these people, and the governor just executed them.
This wasn't to say that the governor was a puppet. It was just that his aides were very capable, which reduced a lot of his workload. This gave people a reason to respect Mr. Adlai.
After all, he was an important person who could directly influence the governor's attitude.
"Thank you all for coming here despite the bad weather. I sincerely thank you all." Adlai said with a smile. He spoke in a gentle voice, not sharp, and his speech was not very fast. Every word was pronounced very clearly and completely.
Different regions might have their own accents, and some words may have specific regional pronunciations, but Adlai’s speech lacked any regional accents. Each word he spoke was so precise that he could easily be a broadcaster.
It was hard to feel any animosity towards such a person, especially when he was so polite.
"Currently, we are facing situations similar to the bad weather outside. Starting this month, all local governments in our state will begin issuing food stamps, but we still face a huge shortfall."
"The average unemployment rate across the state has exceeded 13%, with some cities having even higher rates. From the data I have seen..." he couldn't help but laugh, "it's actually the less industrialized places that are coping better with the severe economic downturn."
This issue was something people had only recently discovered. After people excessively concentrated in cities, some towns ended up less severely affected, especially agricultural towns.
Every household had its own land and livestock, and their lives hadn't changed much from the best of times. It was like now was the worst of times, yet their lives were still the same as before.
Self-sufficiency quickly became a new topic. Some believed this method could reduce some burdens, but such obviously erroneous statements didn't have the chance to form a scale before being quietly suppressed.
"We have been paying close attention to Sabin's second-hand goods exchange activities recently, and I have to say, this method is indeed very effective." He took some documents from his briefcase and said "excuse me" before putting on his glasses.
He leaned back slightly, pulling the document away to read clearly, "We conducted a survey, asking some ordinary citizens who participated in the auction and made purchases about their thoughts on the exchange. Their responses were reassuring."
"Buying what they always wanted but also essential for living with less money saved them some money for other expenses, reducing their living burden."
Adlai took off his glasses. "Almost everyone thought so. Langdon, you did very well on this matter."
The mayor nodded, his mood unclear. Adlai continued, "I believe a tree will not bear only one good fruit. That's why we are here. The governor needs you to express your thoughts freely. Perhaps salvation is hidden in these clashes of ideas."
"A tree will not bear only one good fruit" was a federal proverb often used to describe a series of good things or a hope for the best.
The mayor didn't speak and just looked at his notebook seriously. Lynch also remained silent; it wasn't his turn to speak.
Their silence didn't mean others would remain silent. This was a great opportunity to get acquainted with the governor. If some of their ideas were adopted, they would have a connection with the governor.
There were countless capable people in this society. For example, Lynch's new manager Arthur was not only capable but also had the right qualities, but before meeting Lynch, his situation wasn't good.
Having ability was one thing, but having a stage to display that ability was another. Many people had the former but lacked the latter.
If they had the chance to connect with the governor, it was like having a stage.
With a stage, would there be a lack of people who could dance on it?
People began expressing their ideas to help the situation, some more credible, like a suggestion to implement dual tax standards, exempting all kinds of taxes for the lower class and only charging insurance fees.
This could alleviate some people's emotions but didn't hold much value for the big picture.
There were many credible and incredible ideas, and people discussed some views intensely. Throughout the process, Mr. Adlai maintained a spectator's stance, constantly taking notes.
He didn't show any obvious preference for any viewpoint, only occasionally throwing out some questions.
The butler came twice to open the windows and disperse the smoke, and time unknowingly approached eleven o'clock.
Everyone in the room remained excited, not feeling tired and unaware of the passage of time.
After a discussion ended, Adlai cleared his throat. The arguing voices in the room immediately quieted down.
He looked at the mayor, "You've listened for so long, do you have any good ideas?"
The mayor shook his head. He wasn't defying Adlai; it was because he had heard these people’s viewpoints before. If there were any useful ones, he would have used them already.
Adlai wasn't surprised; he also thought these people were talking nonsense, but he didn't show it. Then he looked at Lynch sitting next to the mayor.
"Mr. Lynch, I've noticed you haven't joined our discussion from the beginning. Do you have some mature ideas?" With this sentence, everyone's eyes focused on Lynch.
Facing these possibly hostile gazes, Lynch remained unfazed. If these looks could unsettle him, he wouldn't have gotten locked up in the solitary confinement.
He smiled slightly, "Of course, Mr. Adlai. In fact, I had already discussed some methods to solve our current predicament with the mayor."
He glanced at the mayor, who happened to look at him too. Their eyes met for a second or two before Lynch looked away, "The mayor thinks my ideas have some immature points, but since you asked, perhaps discussing them here can make these ideas more perfect."
Those slightly hostile gazes turned gentle, revealing their softer side.
Adlai looked at Lynch with interest. When he first learned that Mayor Langdon's policies and plans came from a nearly twenty-one-year-old young man, his reaction was similar to others.
He thought this young man must have a close relationship with Langdon, possibly a relative or a political heir, but after investigation, they found they had no connection.
Now, watching Lynch smoothly resolve some atmosphere issues again, making those unfriendly eyes at least restrain their hostility, he found it remarkable.
If an old man had this subtle ability to change others' attitudes, it would be normal, but Lynch was too young.
So young that it seemed unreal.
Adlai snapped out of his daze, nodding, "Maybe you are right. Let's hear your methods."
Lynch smiled and began to speak about his ideas. He was very comfortable in such an environment and atmosphere. Persuading others had been his primary job for the past thirty years, and it continued in this world; he was not only familiar with it but had become even more adept at it.
"We all know that the economic downturn mainly stems from two problems: first, our products have no market, and second, our manufacturing costs are increasing."
People around nodded. This was a problem everyone knew and faced. Lynch continued, "As long as these two problems are solved, the company will be able to earn sufficient profits, operations will become healthy, and we will be able to continue running smoothly. There will be no closures, no bankruptcies, people will have stable jobs and incomes, and everything will return to how it was before."
When he mentioned returning to the past, a brief nostalgia and distraction appeared in people's eyes. That was indeed a good time, a golden age.
Adlai slightly adjusted his sitting position in his seat. He was getting older, and unlike young people, he couldn't stay glued to his chair for long periods, "We all know these problems need solving, but the question is how to solve them. Do you have mature ideas?"
Lynch's smile became more amiable, "When I was in school, my astronomy teacher told me not to let our vision be confined by mundane things within the atmosphere."
"And to solve our current problems, the simplest way is 'not to let our vision be confined to the domestic market’."
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