"There are two types of congressional hearings. One is legislative, which is the role of experts in the consulting industry for a certain legislation. The other is called supervisory hearings, which are to supervise a certain person or a certain matter.
matter, whether any government department violated legal requirements.
Oversight hearings are more legally enforceable and are more like a super-large grand jury in a way. Lying at such a hearing, or refusing to attend, can lead to contempt of Congress charges.
Legislative hearings are less compulsory, and usually there will be no mandatory legal consequences if you fail to attend."
When he arrived in Washington, D.C., Ronald's personal lawyer Lindsay Dole had been telling him some important things about attending the congressional hearing. While Ronald was listening, he munched on DC's specialty half-smoked sausage hot dog (Half-smoke
). This kind of hot dog is larger than ordinary, half beef and half pork, plus DC's unique sweet and spicy "mambo sauce", and it can be said to be very enjoyable when paired with the "Dr. Pepper" drink.
"Wait a minute, since it's legislative, why might my subpoena face legal consequences?" Ronald took a hard bite, and the sauce overflowed, and he was holding the napkin in a hurry.
"Well, there are no absolutes. This hearing on China's most-favored-nation status involves the interests of many industries and companies, so Congress is very cautious about it. In addition, the president is faced with lobbying from many interest groups and is hesitant, so Congress is
Hearings are very important.
So you have to swear an oath just like going to court, and if you commit perjury, you may face a series of consequences, etc."
"Shxt!" The red-orange mambo sauce fell on Ronald's pants. Although he wiped it off immediately, there was still a small stain left. There was a stain on his perfect image, but luckily it was on his pants.
, sitting and answering questions during congressional hearings will not be filmed on TV.
"Hahaha, kid, the lawyer lady is talking about some legal stuff. What really matters is politics. I'll have a good chat with you in private..."
The person on the other side was Roger Ailes. He kept laughing while listening to Lindsay Dole's words, and even laughed out loud when he heard the words "There are no absolutes in this world."
"Hey, Roger, do you think women can't understand your political theory? So you have to teach it alone?" Lindsay Dole has endured Roger Ailes's machismo and looming remarks along the way.
Discrimination against women has been going on for a long time, and now it is finally showing up.
"Ronald?" Roger Ailes looked at him as if he was asking whether this person was trustworthy.
"I am a Harvard Law School graduate and a named partner who has practiced law in New York for twelve years..." Lindsay Dole thought that Roger Ailes still didn't trust her professional standards and machine-gunned her resume.
Listed out.
"Roger, I trust Lindsay's loyalty as much as I trust yours...if not more..."
"Giggle, good, the loyalty of political consultants is questionable..." Roger Ailes laughed, glanced at Lindsay Dole, who had just reacted, and expressed his opinion.
Ronald is not the kind of entrepreneur who starts off relying on the patronage of politicians, but he has helped and donated a lot to politicians, reaching the upper limit of donations to promote a certain social issue (such as women's equal rights, increasing funding for disease research and popularizing knowledge)
.If it exceeds this number, it is a request for a more special reward.
Politicians can be said to like this kind of donor very much. They are measured and within the comfort zone of both parties. The only thing they can worry about is that the donor has something beyond the scope of normal law that needs to be "solved" by politicians.
"...
In this way, the relationship between the two parties is strengthened through the continuous cycle of donation and feedback, and when the critical moment comes, the reward is required. This is the most annoying "surprise" for politicians.
At this hearing, representatives from several interest groups will debate this issue from different perspectives, and their attitudes towards witnesses will also be very different.
For example, there is lobbying for Eastern Europe to accept the transfer of low-level production capacity, for Japan to ease trade constraints, for Mexico to join the North American Free Trade Agreement to eliminate competitors, and for various non-economic reasons, such as certain regions and some religious groups based on human rights.
Confluence of reasons, etc.
The biggest support force is panda enthusiasts - large companies that have set up joint ventures or wholly-owned branches there (such as Coca-Cola and AIA). And those who watch Japanese and Korean companies and panda enthusiasts make money there
And large multinational companies are ready to take action.
"So what you have to do is to be consistent with a few of the favorite ideological creeds of the American Congressmen. We are the most powerful country in the world, we have the best system in the world, and we are the liberal and democratic West.
As protectors of the world, we stay consistent with our allies, take precautions when doing business with neutrals, confront bad opponents, and protect the safety of our allies..."
"We are the most powerful. If you stick with us, we will protect you from the bad guys... It's like Popeye, the bad guy is Bruno, and the ally is Oliver..."
"Haha, very accurate. Now I'm going to ask you the key question, Ronald..." Roger Ailes put his hands forward, stretched his head over, his eyes were bright, "In your closet
How many skeletons are there?”
Ronald was a little stunned by his momentum, but he quickly calmed down his expression and answered with a smile, "I think it's probably nothing, except for some personal matters that are relatively conservative by Hollywood standards, such as...
…”
"Girlfriend? Have you ever done anything particularly embarrassing, such as photos, videos, or anything that would cause embarrassing coverage in the pages of serious media?"
"I can say, no..." Ronald shook his head.
"Very good, keep this trusting expression. If you look more cute, you can win support votes in the parliament with your personal charm like the commander-in-chief. Remember, the first impression is everything. Here, you
It doesn't matter what you have done, it is what you think you have done that matters...
If you really have a problem, don't panic. Remember the rules that people in Congress like to hear. If you're not sure, ask me about politics and Miss Dole about law. Plus your sense of humor, you can delay the time until that point.
After the members’ questions are over, you can apply for a break until your protector appears on the scene.”
"Who is my protector?" Ronald said hello to little George before he came, but he really didn't know who in the parliament would act as his protector.
"When you have questions, he will show up. If there are no questions, it will be just an ordinary interview... This is the list of members to question tomorrow. They may not all use up the time. You will know after looking at it..."
…
"Mr. Li, please go here..." When it came time to ask questions, Ronald passed the strict security check and arrived at the House of Representatives. Many people were already waiting there, including the Foreign Affairs Committee, Appropriation Committee, and Trade Committee of the House of Representatives.
Members of the committee are questioning the witnesses called in turn.
"Oh, Mr. Ronald Lee..." The door opened with a bang, and executives from Coca-Cola Company came out. This time, representatives from Boeing, the American Chamber of Commerce, Motorola, General Electric, etc. were all invited to give hearings and provide evidence.
professional advice.
"Ha, I'm so happy to meet you here..." Ronald recognized that this was the Coca-Cola employee who went to the other side with him last time and found a way to build a bottling factory there.
"I'm also very happy to meet you. Now our sales in China are growing very fast. If we can drink Coca-Cola and watch the latest Hollywood movies in the cinema there, that will be our success..."
"Who says it's not..."
After waiting for a while, the senior executives from Boeing also came out. Ronald walked in and followed the guidance to the three seats facing the rostrum. Ronald sat down with two assistants and looked around.
Depending on the camera's position, it's natural to put your hands on your legs.
Ronald's two assistants were behind him. Roger Ailes pulled him and whispered to a few people who had exclusive chairs on the other side, "That is the new eighth district of California in the House of Representatives."
Representative, Nancy, is one of the congressmen who strongly opposes MFN treatment..."
"Why is she here?"
"Gentlemen, welcome. I am Lee Hamilton, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. I am now a famous Hollywood director and producer. Mr. Ronald Lee is accepting the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Economic and Trade Subcommittee.
When summoned to testify, each member can have five minutes to ask questions. If important issues are involved, I will increase the time...invite witnesses..."
A staff member came over, handed over a Bible, and said quickly, "Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and God bless you?"
"I declare..." After finishing speaking, Ronald leaned back again. This was the first time he had appeared in a parliament of this level, and he was inexplicably nervous.
"I am Bill Archer, Congressman from Texas. Mr. Li, what do you think of the openness of the film and television cultural market on the other side of the Pacific?"
"America is the strongest..." Lindsay Dole reminded him, and found relevant information and handed it to Ronald.
"Mr. Congressman, the import quota has been liberalized. If there are Chinese backgrounds involved, the review of co-produced films will be smoother and faster. However, not all Hollywood films are allowed to be imported because there is no classification, so our
Exports are also subject to content censorship, and account-sharing contracts in other Asian markets are not yet valid there. An important reason is the movie ticket prices there..."
Ronald looked at the Texas Archer and smiled at him as he asked questions. He immediately understood that this was an ally of the George family. The questions raised by the other party were closely related to the film market, importing Hollywood movies, and the various encounters he encountered.
He asked very professional questions about non-tariff restrictions, and he really regarded Ronald as an expert with a deep understanding of the Chinese film market. There were also other congressmen in the audience, who often nodded slightly to this, C-SPAN
The photographer finally found a witness that the audience might be interested in. The camera kept focusing on Ronald, and finally there might be an audience watching...
"I am New York State Representative, Charles Rangel. I would like to ask Mr. Li, what is the market situation of imported TV series from the other side of the country? Are American TV series treated the same as other imported TV series?"
"America is the best..." Lindsay handed over the output information of the TV series again.
"Mr. Congressman, the Chinese market uses dubbing instead of subtitles for imported TV dramas, so the work progress there is very slow and the import volume is not very high. However, some of our family life TV dramas are highly rated, such as the previous one.
After several years of growing pains, and last year's bravery, the young people there are yearning for the American lifestyle..."
"Can I ask what details of American life are attractive to young people?" Charles Rangel is a congressman from Harlem, Manhattan. This black congressman also tries his best to say nice things. After all, he has a bit of love.
"A sense of humor..." Roger Ailes thought this was a good opportunity to show off Ronald's charm.
"For example, GM or Ford cars, GE refrigerators, large houses, and Coca-Cola..."
"Hahaha..." he replied humorously, causing laughter to spread from the scene. Charles Rangel was very considerate, and finally added, "On behalf of the black people in America, I would like to express my gratitude to you for your correctness in the black characters in movies and TV series."
Thank you for the response…”
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Thank you, Mr. Congressman..."
Soon, several members of the Economic and Trade Subcommittee had finished questioning, and it was time for a break. Lee Hamilton, who supported the questioning, also announced a ten-minute break.
"Ronald..." Several senators came outside. The questions later today will be combined between the two houses, mainly targeting Ambassador to China Winston Lord and Secretary of State Warren Christopher.
Question.
The main problem with this MFN review is that some members of Congress are intent on linking the MFN status with human rights issues, so heavyweight government officials have also been summoned to testify about the human rights situation.
"Senator Bose..." Ronald recognized Barbara Bose, a senator from California and one of the panda lovers, and greeted her quickly.
"Be careful of the congresswoman from California's 8th District, she is very tough on China..."
"Thank you..." Ronald looked in the direction of his finger. He saw a middle-aged lady with heavy makeup that was inappropriate for her age. She looked at the witness with a mean expression on her face.
"Although she is not a member of the committee, she can still ask questions according to the regulations..." Barbara Boser chatted with Ronald for a few words and then left. She also came to meet this person who brought her important information.
Friends of Political Resource Panda, give him support and advise some congressmen not to act recklessly.
Then it was almost time to rest, and Ronald saw that the congresswoman from California's 8th District also walked out without any intention of staying to question her, which made Ronald feel much relieved.
"Bang bang..." Lee Hamilton knocked the hammer, preparing to resume questioning.
At this moment, another man dressed as a senator hurried in.
"What's he doing here?" Roger Ailes suddenly spoke.
Ronald looked up and saw that it was an old acquaintance, the Japanese Senator of Hawaii, Daniel Inoue. With one sleeve empty, he came over to shake hands with him and signaled to Lee Hamilton, "Ronald and I know each other."
It's been a long time. We've known each other since we were filming Long Wei. I'm here to say hello to him..."
Mr. Chairman expressed respect for the senior senator and signaled to the next member of the House of Representatives to ask questions.
"George asked me to tell you, watch out for Dan..."
Just when Ronald and Inoue were hugging, Inoue whispered in his ear, and then patted Ronald's shoulder heavily with his only remaining hand. Ronald exchanged looks with him, and Inoue signaled
The man on the stage.
"I am Congressman Burton from Indiana...I have a few questions for Mr. Ronald Lee." Burton began to ask before Inoue could completely walk out of the room.
"Mr. Congressman..." When Ronald saw that Dan Burton was on his name tag, he immediately understood that it was him whom Inoue wanted him to be careful about, and looked back at Roger Ailes...
"Toughen up, use a sense of humor..." Roger Ailes mouthed to him. Ronald's heart moved, and he turned to look at Lindsay Dole.
"I can't remember..." Lindsay Dole also heard Inoue's words and prompted an answer to a difficult question.
"Mr. Li, are you of Chinese descent? Do you have any relatives in China?"
"Huh?" Ronald's hair stood on end. How could this Dan Burton ask me this?
He looked back at Ayers and Dole, both of whom also looked confused. Why did they mention this again?
"Mr. Li, are you?" Burton raised his voice and repeated aggressively.
"I'm just asking if I heard correctly, of course not, I am a citizen born in America."
"You don't have any relatives in China?"
"No……"
"I want to remind Mr. Li that you are still testifying before Congress under oath. If you lie, you will be prosecuted for perjury..."
"Wow..." Other congressmen in the audience began to whisper to each other, and the broadcast staff of C-SPAN, a boring TV station, also began to cheer up and take close-ups of both sides.
"Tough Up!" Roger Ailes stared at the red-necked congressman from Indiana, wrote "TOUGH UP!" in capital letters and handed it to Ronald.
"Mr. Congressman, I don't know why you ask. My birth certificate clearly states that my father is from Massachusetts and my mother is from New York State. However, I don't have it with me right now. If you need it... I can
Send someone to get it..."
"Hahaha..." Laughter came from below again.
"Bang bang..." Lee Hamilton started banging the hammer again.
Dan Burton sneered, looked directly at Ronald, and said in a very determined "I caught you" tone, "I want to remind you again, perjury in the House of Representatives..."
"Mr. Congressman..." Ronald sat up straight, no longer softening his body with humor, and responded directly, "I don't know the purpose of your question. Are you implying that I need to disclose more about my family background?
?If that is the case, I can answer directly, Mr. Congressman. My father served in the Marine Corps, and my grandfather was a fighter pilot in the Air Force in World War II. He unfortunately passed away while defending bombers against the Nazis over the Atlantic Ocean..."