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Chapter 26: The Essence of Power
Leo sat at the dusty desk.
He had been in office for three days.
During these three days, he had gone through the mountain of old reports piled up in the office.
The titles of those reports were all similar.
"Feasibility Study on the Renovation of the Industrial Zone South of the Monongahela River."
"Preliminary Concept for Revitalizing the East Liberty Neighborhood of Pittsburgh."
"Proposal to Develop Urban Tourism Routes Using Abandoned Railways."
Each report was written with grand aspirations and filled with beautiful visions.
But at the end of every report lay an approval document from the city treasury department.
The content was always the same:
"The project is well-conceived, but due to tight municipal budget constraints, it will not be considered at this time."
Leo tossed the last report back into the cabinet.
For three days, no one had come to see him, nor had any new documents required his signature or attention.
His only task was to arrive and leave work on time each day.
Gloria, the secretary, did make him a cup of coffee every day—but it was so weak it tasted like dishwater.
Leo felt a pang of frustration.
He began to doubt whether his initial choice had been wrong.
"Mr. President, I feel trapped," he said. "This commission has nothing."
Roosevelt's voice echoed in his mind, stern and clear.
"You’re absolutely right, child. It’s time for you to understand the essence of power."
"Remember, Leo, power isn’t the title printed on your business card, nor is it the size of your office or the view outside your window."
"Power is your ability to legally, effectively, and unimpededly control resources. Specifically, there are three types of resources: money, personnel, and information."
"Now take another look at this commission you’re in."
"Mayor Cartwright doesn’t give it a single penny in special funding—so it has no money."
"He’s transferred all capable staff away, leaving behind only a secretary waiting to retire—so it has no personnel."
"No important meetings or documents from City Hall are copied here—so it has no information."
"An institution that cannot control any resources naturally becomes an empty shell."
"And the first thing we need to do is load our first bullet into this empty ammunition depot."
Leo’s spirit rekindled.
"You said we could bypass the city government and apply directly to the federal government for funds."
"Yes, theoretically that’s correct," Roosevelt replied. "But you must understand, the money in Washington doesn’t grow on trees."
"Hundreds of Rust Belt cities like Pittsburgh across the country have mayors and legislators trying every trick in the book to extract money from the federal government. Every year, they send their most professional lobbying teams to Capitol Hill, the White House, and federal agency offices to plead poverty."
In Leo’s mind, a vision of Capitol Hill appeared.
Lobbyists dressed in expensive suits, representing the interests of major cities, moved between the offices of congressmen, submitting beautifully worded reports and attending lavish banquets.
"Now tell me, Leo," Roosevelt’s voice turned serious. "Why would the senators holding budget approval power on Capitol Hill, or the bureaucrats at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, bypass the elected mayor of Pittsburgh and allocate a significant sum of money within his jurisdiction to an obscure executive commissioner earning $33,500 a year?"
This question left Leo speechless.
He knew it was impossible.
He had no political capital, no connections—he was nobody in Washington.
"Don’t be discouraged," Roosevelt said. "We aren’t without value. We hold a card they desperately need. Do you remember the most valuable thing you gained during the battle for the community center?"
Leo thought for a moment.
"Public opinion?"
"Exactly. Public opinion."
Roosevelt began guiding Leo to reassess the resources he currently possessed.
"Your YouTube channel, The Heart of Pittsburgh, is now one of the most trusted voices among the working class in western Pennsylvania."
"Journalists and politicians from mainstream media? Workers don’t believe a word they say. But they believe you because you won them a visible battle."
"You represent the most neglected voices in this country. Your support—or opposition—is worth its weight in gold to certain politicians in Washington."
"That’s our first card."
"The second card lies in your area of expertise."
Roosevelt guided Leo to open his computer and access a vast database of federal laws.
"In the search bar, type in The National Industrial Recovery Act."
Leo quickly found the act.
This was one of the most controversial pieces of legislation from Roosevelt’s New Deal era.
It granted the federal government unprecedented power to intervene and coordinate national industrial production.
"I know this act," Leo said. "Its main provisions were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1935."
"Yes, the main body was abolished," Roosevelt explained. "But any large piece of legislation comes with supplementary clauses and detailed regulations. They’re like the roots of a tree—complex and intertwined. While the trunk was cut down, many roots remain buried deep in the soil, forgotten."
"Now find the supplementary clause about ‘supporting key strategic worker communities’ in this act."
Following instructions, Leo searched through the labyrinth of legal texts.
Finally, he uncovered that long-forgotten passage.
It was a temporary supplementary clause added before the act was repealed, intended to appease worker communities that had made significant contributions to the defense industry.
The clause stipulated that for communities that were once critical strategic industrial bases but had fallen into decline due to economic restructuring, the federal government bore responsibility to provide necessary funding and policy support to help them transition and preserve their historical heritage.
"This law, over the decades, has undergone numerous congressional revisions and reauthorizations, becoming increasingly complex—and increasingly ignored," Roosevelt explained. "It’s like an old gun hidden in the Pentagon’s armory. Everyone forgot it exists, but it can still legally fire."
"And Pittsburgh, as the heart of America’s steel industry, fully meets all the prerequisites defined by this law."
Leo looked at the century-old clause on the screen, hope reigniting in his heart.
Roosevelt outlined the specific direction for Leo.
"Our goal is to apply to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for a federal grant called ‘Transformation and Historical Preservation of Traditional Industrial Communities,’ based on the aforementioned legislation."
"But," Roosevelt warned him, "finding the legal basis is only the first step in our battle. Next, you’ll face a bureaucratic labyrinth in Washington a hundred times more complicated than City Hall."
"And you’ll also face a species a hundred times tougher than Alan Wexler."
"What?"
"Congressmen."
Roosevelt’s tone carried a hint of sarcasm.
"You can’t get the money just by submitting an application. You need an ally on Capitol Hill who is willing to speak for you and fight for your interests. To gain such an ally, you must first show him that cooperating with you will benefit his own political career."
"Get ready, Leo."
"We’re just getting started."
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