[Chapter 708: The Dark Side of Old Bush's Heart]
November had come to an end, and after several key economic reports were released, Bush Sr. and the Elephants found themselves at a loss for words -- only able to mutter, "What the hell?"
"What kind of sick joke is this? You people are saying the economic growth exceeded expectations now, but what were those three rating agencies saying just two months ago?"
With the downturn in the economy becoming a foregone conclusion, the situation in the U.S. wasn't looking too bright either. It was laughable how everyone suddenly turned optimistic; didn't they care about the president's position at all?
"Dad, it wasn't just William White who was betting on a comeback; those bastards had a clue all along."
Bush Sr. smiled and shook his head. "Son, you have to look ahead. If they'd been honest, how could those vampires still pick up cheap stocks? As for William White, he doesn't give a damn about what others think."
"Ha! He might have sensed something was off; that guy's quite clever."
"Son, no one achieves success by sheer luck. A bunch of old foxes couldn't outsmart him. If everything was simple, that would be something else entirely. The only real issue is that his foundations aren't strong enough. Why can't this guy just settle down for a decent marriage?"
Young Bush fell silent. He had seen enough chaos from William White firsthand; even if the guy got married, chances were it would end in a quick divorce.
Typically, outgoing presidents felt a bit more relaxed. No one was throwing dirt on them at this point. For the sake of a comfortable retirement, a president generally didn't want to offend anyone.
...
Even though people were optimistic about Clinton, William White didn't feel the need to cater to him. There were simply too many issues with that family; keeping a distance was wiser.
Lack of foundation was something you either had or you didn't; it couldn't be learned. William White knew all too well that he wasn't just dealing with one zipper gate. Various scandals had never ceased to emerge.
Fortunately, he truly understood the economy.
Well, one could argue it was a case of "the ones who plant the trees enjoy the shade." For a considerable time ahead, the U.S. economy would be fantastic -- though you couldn't give all the credit to those planting trees.
As a politician, he was quite adept at compromise while still holding on to his views. That's no small feat. If it weren't for the later zipper gate, the term "great" would have been rightfully earned.
His private life, however, left much to be desired; that zipper gate had drawn in other scandals. This man's certain abilities were indeed remarkable.
The guy had a solid record, though it seemed the bullets he used weren't the best.
"C'mon, where did his daughter even come from?"
Well, that was a different scandal altogether. It appeared that the wealthy heiress he married was no simpleton either; this poor kid clearly hadn't impressed her.
The real scapegoat for Bush this time wasn't Clinton. It was Ross Perot. For someone with no political experience, his performance had been stunning. If he hadn't been so headstrong, perhaps he could've formed a whole new faction -- let's just call it the Reformist faction.
His legend wasn't over yet; who would've thought that after being ousted from a party he founded, he would choose to start another entrepreneurial venture? In just a few short years, he earned billions.
Whether he had a special edge or not, he definitely had a keen eye for people. When Steve Jobs was at his lowest, he received strong backing from Ross Perot. Ridiculously enough, he still had a following.
So how about that?
His family ended up doing quite well, engaging in Internet of Things services.
Look at the industry he chose -- it seemed off in every way. If he weren't very smart, you could seriously think he fell through a time portal or something.
Well, encountering such an extraordinary character -- Bush Sr. wasn't exactly lucky. If he could have brought that guy on board in time, the odds of winning would have been significantly better.
Watching the impassioned speech on television, William White felt a twinge of irritation. From penniless to billionaire overnight -- that was what happened to you, wasn't it?
Yes, thanking your voters was all well and good. Traditionally, wasn't there supposed to be some kind of praise for the predecessor? It was way too early to discuss your plans.
Clinton imposing a luxury tax? Not a good idea. Encouraging wealthy folks to spend more would be much more reasonable.
There was a rich-people envy everywhere; the U.S. was no different. Once poor folks had their moment of self-satisfaction, they'd realize their jobs might be on the line.
Nobody was buying yachts anymore, affecting countless related industries. The middle class would suffer too; senior salespeople would lose jobs, and bank loan managers would find themselves unemployed.
The government's impulse to fleece the wealthy led to no real loss for them; it just meant they didn't need to buy a yacht they never needed in the first place.
William White found Bush Sr.'s impatience somewhat amusing. Here was Bush Sr. still at his post, after all.
What were you in such a rush for?
If you needed a luxury tax, then next year meant cutting expenses. Now would be the time to stock up on jewelry and trinkets. Everyone else was saying he was a spendthrift; he might as well lean into the absurdity of it all. Oh, and he had to make some preparations -- it was quite troublesome indeed.
...
"Filson, this is William White. We need to expand our legal team. Our think tank needs to grow too."
"Sure thing, sir. By how much do you want to expand?"
"At least by 50%. Find more excellent financial people. I don't want to pay any wealthy taxes. That guy has gone nuts; I have no idea how to assess this situation. Right, I need to start spending money now, so figure out what to buy."
"Got it, I'll take action right away."
He wasn't the only one taking such measures. As news of the tax increases spread, the wealthy class was of course furious. Predictably, various forms of noncooperation would arise.
The things spoken during the campaign were usually just for show. Now, it seemed that this guy truly intended to follow through.
The biggest headache, however, was not those folks. It was the welfare state that genuinely worried them.
Europe was notorious for its high taxes and high benefits, which limited their competitiveness. The U.S. had low taxes and low benefits, benefitting businesses tremendously.
Laziness was human nature; if reliance on welfare could lead to a comfortable life, then what about those who worked hard?
Increased retirement ages in European and American countries signaled society footing the bill for the lazy among them.
In Europe, you'd find many such people; their main job was simply to have children. If you managed to have ten or so in one go, congrats -- you might not make it to middle class, but your living conditions would still be quite nice.
Many new immigrants struggled in Europe, prompting everyone to compete in childbirth. It might take just a few decades until you had to be 75 to collect retirement; society's support was being devoured by the slackers.
European nations were small, with limited populations. Such a Ponzi scheme could barely hold on -- at worst, retirees would have to wait until they were eighty.
The U.S., however, faced a lot more trouble. If you tried pulling this in the U.S., you wouldn't be retiring at eighty; you'd still be working.
The mess in America was ridiculous enough, and if it transitioned into a welfare state -- well, besides mass printing of U.S. dollars, they had no other choices. If the dollar devalued and their national debt failed to sell, the benefits of today were nothing more than illusions.
*****
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