novelnext Chapter 99 Political Carnival
Chapter 99 Political Carnival
Chapter 99 Political Carnival
While Washington's anger is still brewing, Pittsburgh's public discourse has already erupted.
In the past, whenever the name Leo Wallace appeared in the news, he was always met with a barrage of abuse from conservative media.
But today, the sun seems to have risen in the west.
Leo sat in his office, watching Ethan switch to the news channel on TV.
In the video, a conservative pundit known for his sharp tongue is facing the camera with a smile that could even be described as "kind."
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have to commend a Democrat today."
The host exaggeratedly spread his hands.
"Yes, you heard right. Although Leo Wallace is a radical leftist, and although his economic policies have been nothing short of a disaster, just a few days ago, this young mayor of Pittsburgh did something that even those hypocrites in Washington wouldn't dare to do."
A huge headline appeared at the bottom of the screen: "Finally, a Democrat Admits: The Government Is Garbage."
"He pointed to the city hall building and told everyone: Our bureaucracy is passing the buck, our parliament is playing power games, and our government can't even fix a hole."
The host excitedly banged on the table.
"This is the truth! This is the truth we Republicans have been telling for decades! Mayor Wallace proved it with his own experience. Even a leftist who wants to get things done can be overwhelmed by the huge, bloated Democratic Party itself."
The corrupt bureaucratic machine drives people mad.
"Well done, Leo. Although I don't agree with your ideology, I admire your honesty. You're much better than those old politicians who spout platitudes about morality but secretly just raise taxes."
Ethan held the remote control in his hand, looking at Leo with an extremely complex expression.
He wanted to tell Rio Washington his true stance, to tell him that the current situation was no longer just an internal power struggle in Pittsburgh, but was affecting the entire Democratic Party's midterm election campaign.
But seeing Leo's calm face, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
Leo stared at the screen, his eyes cold and stern.
"They're putting me on the hot seat."
"That's right."
Roosevelt's voice echoed in Leo's mind.
"They're trying to pull you off the Democratic Party."
"When your enemies start applauding you, it often means you are harming your own camp."
Leo turned off the TV.
This praise from an opponent is more deadly than Moretti's obstruction.
It would strip him of his legitimacy within the party, turning him into a complete political orphan.
But he can't care about that now.
Because once Pandora's box is opened, what flies out is not only disaster, but also revelry.
A nationwide carnival that completely shattered political apathy.
A change is taking place on the streets of Pittsburgh.
Normally, except in election years, ordinary citizens have no interest in the tedious budget arguments that take place in city hall.
Nobody cares who repaired the hole, and nobody cares who approved the funding.
Politics is boring and boring.
But "the mayor led the way in suing the government on behalf of the sanitation workers"?
This is so exciting!
It's full of dramatic tension, full of the kind of individual heroism you only see in Hollywood blockbusters.
The first to revel in the celebrations were the legal profession in Pittsburgh.
Those personal injury lawyers who would fight tooth and nail to win a car accident case suddenly found themselves with a huge windfall.
And the mayor personally fed them the food.
On Grant Street, several paralegals in cheap suits were frantically handing out flyers.
Leo looked out the window at the scene below.
The flyer was extremely poorly designed, with a bright red and yellow color scheme that was visually striking.
At the very top of the flyer was a photo of Leo angrily criticizing the city hall at a press conference.
Below is a line of bold text: "Potholes in the road? Car damaged? Slipped and injured while walking?"
"Don't just give up! The mayor wants you to come and collect your money!"
"Under the Pennsylvania Political District Tort Claims Act, you have the right to claim compensation from the City Council! No matter the amount or the time elapsed! If the injury occurred in a public area, we can help you get your money back!"
"First consultation is free! No success, no fee!"
These lawyers became Leo's most unexpected and most effective ground promotion force.
Driven by their commissions, they conveyed Leo's political intentions to every citizen in the most accessible and stimulating way possible.
They translated obscure legal documents into the most straightforward temptations of profit.
If the lawyers' celebration still had a utilitarian aspect, then its spread on the internet has completely transformed into a subcultural feast for young people.
Sarah pushed open the door and walked in, carrying her tablet.
Her expression was complex, a mixture of excitement and a hint of amusement.
"Boss, you need to take a look at this."
Sarah handed the tablet to Leo.
"We went viral on social media, not because of policy-related discussions, but because of memes."
Leo took the tablet.
The screen displays an image that has gone viral on X and TikTok.
That's a photo of Thomas Moretti holding an Italian meatball sandwich, his mouth covered in ketchup.
It's unclear who took this photo; perhaps it was taken secretly by an intern and leaked.
But now, it has become a laughing stock across the internet.
Someone photoshopped Moretti into a picture of a fire scene.
The background shows a building engulfed in flames, firefighters running, and victims weeping.
Moretti sat in the foreground, eating his sandwich with an indifferent expression.
The caption read only one line: "City Council: This is an emergency fire."
Moretti: This is a delicious sandwich.
Leo swipes the screen.
Next one.
Moretti sat at the bow of the Titanic, still holding the sandwich in his hand, with the iceberg about to collide with him in the background.
Caption: "Mayor: There's an iceberg ahead!"
Moretti: We need to set up an iceberg verification team and conduct an investigation for six months.
This humorous deconstruction of power is spreading like a virus on young people's phones.
The memes about Leo, however, have a different style.
The photo of him angrily rebuking someone in front of the deep pit has been turned into various memes.
Leo pointed at the pit, his expression furious.
Caption: "This is the future we're going to."
There's another one where Leo is photoshopped into an action star wearing sunglasses, with explosions behind him but never looking back.
The background is a collapsing city hall, and Leo is holding a lawsuit titled: "I'm Suing Myself."
In the comments section, young people were celebrating.
"It's chaotic, but it's so cool."
"This is the mayor we want! When he goes crazy, he'll even hit himself!"
"I don't usually care about politics, but this season of Pittsburgh is better than any Netflix show."
"Punk, this is definitely cyberpunk."
Sarah looked at Leo and pointed to the data.
"The party elites are criticizing us, and Washington is probably furious."
"But, Leo, your approval rating among voters under 35 years old has not only not declined because of this chaos, but has actually increased by five percentage points."
"They think you're very genuine."
"They feel that you have broken that false sense of decorum."
"You've become a kind of anti-hero."
Leo looked at the absurd pictures and the sarcastic comments.
He simply felt a profound sense of absurdity.
He was waging a serious political struggle for road construction, for the welfare of the elderly and children, and for the survival of the city.
But through the lens of the internet, all of this has become a massive entertainment show.
People are laughing, sharing, and liking.
Do they really care about Mary Gellert who broke her leg? Do they really care about the stalled revival plan?
"Don't be too harsh, Leo."
Roosevelt's voice rang out at the opportune moment, carrying a hint of comfort.
"In this age of entertainment to the death, being noticed is a power in itself."
"You broke the apathy of politics."
"You've made young people who usually shy away from the city hall doors start to feel that this is all relevant to them."
"It may seem ridiculous, but this is modern mobilization."
Leo put down the tablet.
He stood up and walked to the window.
Down on Grant Street, several lawyers were still handing out flyers to passersby.
Further away, several young people were taking selfies with their phones, pointing at the city hall building and mimicking Leo's gesture of pointing at the crater.
confusion.
It's really chaotic.
His chaotic attack shattered the entire political order of Pittsburgh.
But he could sense that beneath this chaotic surface, a new order was beginning to emerge.
Moretti's impenetrable defenses have begun to crack.
Those voices that had been suppressed for so long were now bursting forth through these cracks.
"All right."
Leo straightened his tie.
"Since they think it's cool."
"Then let's keep being cool."
"Ethan, prepare the second batch of litigation documents."
"Sarah, start a campaign on social media called 'Take a picture of the potholes around you.'"
"Let the citizens take pictures of all the potential hazards they discover, upload them to the internet, and then call on Speaker Moretti."
"We want to turn this revelry into a flood that overwhelms them."
Leo turned around and looked at his team.
He was no longer worried about Washington's reaction, nor about criticism from within his own party.
Because he holds the most powerful weapon in his hand.
That is the people's concern.
As long as the spotlight is still on him, as long as people are still talking about him and sharing his memes.
He was then invincible.
And at this very moment.
A black sedan was speeding out of Pittsburgh International Airport and heading towards City Hall.
In the back seat sat Congressman John Murphy, his face ashen.
Just before boarding the plane, he was still on the phone trying to smooth things over with Sanders on behalf of Leo.
But then, House Whip Montoya called.
The phone call was filled with harsh questioning and warnings; Montoya then sent several reports from right-wing media outlets to his phone.
Murphy then realized the seriousness of the situation.
He looked at his phone screen.
On X's trending topics list, the hashtag "Mayor sues himself" is still gaining popularity.
News anchors are hailing Leo as a "hero exposing the incompetence of the left-wing government," while young people online are celebrating, deconstructing this serious political crisis into countless hilarious memes.
"They're insane," Murphy gritted his teeth. "They're all insane."
He knew that he had come to put out the fire.
But deep down, even he himself wasn't sure.
Can this wildfire, which has already spread throughout the city, be extinguished?
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