Chapter 1187: Chapter 1185: Irreconcilable Beliefs

Over the weekend, polling stations appeared on various squares in Sabin City, with many people queuing early in the morning.

Federation citizens, especially those from the middle and lower strata of Federation Society, have a passion for political elections that might be the greatest in the world, especially during the general election.

Every election year, activities belonging to the voters become the most lively and common events in the Federation.

Even capitalists will relax their demands on workers at this moment, allowing them to stop work during weekdays to participate in various campaigning activities.

Some people have become friends because of voting for the same candidate, while others, even friends and family, have come to blows over supporting different candidates.

This is actually quite amazing and hard to imagine for people from other countries.

Perhaps only Federation citizens can feel this way, because from the city legislators to the President, everyone is elected by the voters and their ballots.

That’s what they believe.

The sense of involvement might not be as strong when electing the President, but when electing city legislators or mayors, it is very intense.

Their every vote can determine whether a politician has the opportunity to realize their ambitions and political ideals, deciding who can become the next "big person."

This is actually a very complex system, deeply involving people to fulfill their yearning to partake in significant events through the perspective of ordinary individuals.

Everyone has a hero dream, and everyone believes their vote will be the decisive one.

Across the entire Federation Society system, there are indeed many similar affairs, enabling ordinary people seemingly, at times, to possess the opportunity to determine the fate of major figures—at least it appears so.

No society is absolutely fair and just, and the Federation is no exception. In this nation that worships freedom, people’s lives are not necessarily satisfying or happy.

They face various problems and troubles in their lives.

Narrow houses, strained financial conditions, worrying job prospects, too many things torment them.

They need to vent, and they need fulfillment; otherwise, like a bomb, they’ll explode under continuous pressure.

The politicians know this, and so do the capitalists.

Hence, there are various cheap foods to satisfy their cravings for food—items in supermarkets high in starch, oil, and sugar are scandalously cheap!

Take popcorn, for instance. Those overly sweet treats cost less than buying the corn and making them yourself.

Some say this is an industrial miracle, large-scale production and supply chains reducing costs, but in actuality, it is merely a part of the entire "plan." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Then there’s the array of crude TV dramas, paired with nearly free sugary drinks along with the cheap high-sugar, oily foods.

A family only needs to spend two to three dollars to enjoy a whole night of satisfaction!

It might not be joyful, but it certainly is satisfying!

Lying on the sofa, watching TV programs alongside gifted service content or buying a TV promising certain free services for a limited time, while stuffing mouths with things that offer satisfaction.

They laugh loudly, sometimes shedding tears; they may be poor, but they are never short of empathy, perhaps the only thing they’re rich in.

Food and simple forms of entertainment enable them to forget some troubles and anger, complemented by elements of "tolerance," "magnanimity" in mainstream media, making people less prone to anger.

If these merely superficially satisfy the physical and emotional needs of the social lower strata, then giving them the right to vote fulfills them greatly from psychological, spiritual, and soulful aspects!

Satisfaction brings stability; this is a magical formula.

When a dreadful politician emerges in the Federation, such as the previous President.

Voters who let the former President into the office through "voting" won’t make too much fuss because it was their choice; they only awkwardly apologize to those around them, admitting that they "slipped up" and chose the wrong person.

If given the chance, they will never give their votes to that fool again.

As these words escape their mouths, it’s as if not voting really would make everything happen according to their imagination.

And those voters who didn’t elect the former President seem to have obtained a great victory, pointing at colleagues, friends, or even family members with opposing political stances, speaking about how excited they were during voting, now how foolish they are.

It seems any event can lead to frequent marches in the Federation—vegetarians, feminist activists, the working class.

Yet, seldom does anyone frequently initiate demonstrations as "voters," which is strange.

This is the Federation’s game rules, everyone deeply embedded within these rules, becoming part of them.

Just like this morning!

Just past six, these people who usually don’t wake before half-past seven all year round had already woken by a little past six.

Not only did they wake up, they brought breakfast to the square and waited in line to vote.

At eight o’clock, the polling stations began work, gun-bearing police guarding around them, potentially backed by militia in some swing states during election years.

There’s no shortage of those who rob stores, banks, and naturally, polling stations.

"Hi, who are you planning to vote for?"

A young boy noticed a similarly-aged girl in the queue and approached her.

He scratched his hair shyly, he’s liked this girl for a long time. They’ve spent time together alone, almost becoming a couple, just shy of someone stating the obvious.

The girl’s eyes also brimmed with sweetness as she looked at him.

Both were high school classmates, started working after graduation, with the boy doing tough work in a factory.

Though the work is tough, life is manageable given his youth and willingness to work hard.

The girl works as a waitress in a restaurant, earning quite low wages; restaurant waitresses typically don’t get paid as much as factory workers who work ten to twelve hours a day.

Restaurants often only operate for a few hours a day, providing the waitresses the lowest hourly rates, who need to find ways to earn tips if they want more.

In the current social situation...it’s evident that earning tips isn’t easy.

No matter how exhausting life is, they always spend time together.

Watching TV, movies, or going out shopping, they are seen as a sweet couple, inevitably bound to marry.

The girl thought for a while, "I plan to vote for Catherine and..." She named a few others.

Sabin City is a small town, and according to relevant provisions in the Federation election law, the number of city legislators depends on a city’s total population.

Some small places may only have a few city legislators, whereas Bupen, a large city, might have a city legislator team of hundreds.

Voices have suggested reforming the city legislator system, like not determining the number of legislators comedic by population, but based on city administrative district planning.

But this touches upon the interests of many city legislators, and even party interests, hence the reform has not passed.

Under current methods, Sabin City will produce eight city legislators in total, but there are nearly twenty people participating in the election, with two-thirds merely accompanying the run.

The boy frowned upon hearing the girl’s list of names, "They all support education reform."

The girl nodded, "Don’t you care about education reform?"

"If education reform comes early, maybe we could attend university, leading to higher starting points and better lives."

"Although we can’t catch up..." The girl’s face flushed more, "But our children can, which is important for both us and them."

The boy didn’t catch the keyword "our children" in the girl’s words, his focus remained on education reform, proposing differing views.

"Education reform is undoubtedly important, but I think the social security system and providing more job opportunities are more crucial for us now."

"I heard the President, once intended to lower the thirty-year pension insurance payment years to twenty, do you know what that means?"

Without waiting for the girl to respond, the boy shared his thoughts, "It means we can save ten years of fees, enjoying the benefits others enjoyed after thirty years."

"We can even attempt a grade raise, but resistance is strong now. If we can make more Congress politicians feel our power, perhaps we can succeed while still alive."

The boy’s choice differed from the girl’s, she looked at him in disbelief, "I thought your choice would align with mine..."

The boy frowned, "Education reform and such are too far away, even for children born this year, especially for us."

"A policy that takes ten or twenty years to benefit us is far less significant than changing now!"

The two began arguing endlessly over this, each with their own ideas and reasoning, ultimately the girl, looked at the boy disappointedly, "Let’s break up, although we haven’t really started, it’s already over!"

Watching the girl switch queues, as the boy began questioning whether he’d erred, a thirty-something man turned, smiling at him.

"You did right, young man!"

"If they can change the current work environment, provide more promotion opportunities, maybe we can let our children enjoy higher education without education reform!"

The boy clenched his fist; he didn’t think he was wrong.