America: My Time

Chapter 779 John's Scheme

Chapter 769 John's Scheme
“But California has always been the territory of the donkeys, and the Kennedy family has controlled California for so long, how could they not have controlled the power of California!” Little Bush said doubtfully. In his opinion, the Kennedy family should be able to control the power of California and control the political arena in California.

"It's not as simple as you think. For small states, being controlled by a few families isn't a problem, but it's impossible for a large state like California. Just like Texas, it's impossible for one family to control it. The Kennedy family can only be said to have a lot of influence; they're far from completely controlling California. Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and so on—which of these can they control? Do you think the California Consortium would give them such an opportunity? John dares to stand up to the Donald and ignore the Donald's pressure because he's not afraid of the Donald at all. If he angers the Donald, Hollywood will split up directly. Silicon Valley will also be affected. John has enough power to overturn the table, so he's not afraid to stand up to the Donald at all."

"No way, his strength has actually increased this much, it's unbelievable!"

"Nothing is impossible. He's a prodigy, and what I'm saying is just the tip of the iceberg of his abilities. Why do you think those old guys are so wary of him? It's because he's too monstrous. In such a short time, he's achieved so much. From finance to arms, high technology, pharmaceuticals, mining, energy, and so on, he's reached the top of every industry. Just how powerful do you think he is? And many of his companies are overseas, which is why those old guys are so wary of him."

“I understand. It’s precisely because John is such a prodigy that those old guys are secretly supporting him in taking over Oregon, draining his energy and resources, and slowing down his development. As long as John focuses his energy on Oregon, it will require a huge investment of money and a lot of effort. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for him to control the entire state of Oregon.”

“Indeed, you haven’t disappointed me. That’s exactly what those old guys are thinking. If John wants to control Oregon, he will have to pay a huge price and will inevitably slow down his expansion in other industries. Under such circumstances, even if he has the energy, he will be affected. Moreover, this time, John, that little fox, has already seized the initiative and gained the advantage in the layout in Japan. It can be said that he will reap a lot of money. How can those old guys not be afraid?”

"Dad, since John has developed to this extent, why would those donkeys be stupid enough to oppose him? Even if it means falling out with oil capitalists, it doesn't matter. I don't understand why they made such a decision!"

"You're right not to understand. You think the donkey really wants to be John's enemy, and you think the oilfield capital can make them completely compromise. But the real reason is the demands of those old guys. They need the donkey to hold back John, this little fox, so they have no choice. If I'm not mistaken, these old guys must have given the donkey some irresistible benefits, or I might be kicked out of office by them in the next election."

When Old Bushi finished speaking, Little Bushi was shocked. He couldn't believe that those old guys could manipulate elections so easily. It was terrifying and insane.

"Isn't it shocking? This is America. The power of conglomerates is beyond your imagination. Don't be fooled by the fact that John is now part of a conglomerate and has the approval of those old guys. His foundation is far inferior to theirs. That's why John chose to take control of Oregon. Compared to those old guys, John is far behind in this aspect. He needs time to make up for it, and the best way is to control the power of a state on his own."

"Isn't he afraid of being schemed against by those old guys? If he really takes control of Oregon, those old guys will have reasons and excuses to target him. Even those oil capitalists will jump out, after all, it's the power of an entire state!"

"No, at least not for a long time. And do you think John would be so foolish as to truly control the entire state of Oregon? He won't do that. He'll leave a portion of his power for Donald. He won't completely control Oregon, only a majority, holding the most important areas and absolute control, not total control." There was one more thing Old Man Bu Shi didn't say: the National Guard, which the state controls, will definitely be under John's control, and firmly in his grasp. But this couldn't be said aloud; it could only be understood implicitly!
John isn't that crazy as to think the whole country can control Oregon. If he did, the consequences would be severe. However, the armed forces must be under his control. As for the Donalds' power in the legislature, it would also be affected, but the problem wouldn't be too big. At least it wouldn't completely drive the Donalds out of Oregon.

While the old men and sons were discussing John, John was also communicating with Middle Eastern tycoons. The moment John and Morgan reached an agreement, the Middle Eastern tycoons were notified to send representatives to the United States for negotiations.

"Mr. John, are you sure our plan can proceed smoothly? MGM is a Hollywood giant, and are you sure the media acquisition will be successful and won't be targeted by those oil-rich capitalists?" The representative of the Middle Eastern tycoon couldn't believe it was true; after all, John's promises were too astonishing!

"You can rest assured, there will absolutely be no problems. I can guarantee that. To be honest, those oil giants are going too far with their capital plays, which has drawn a lot of dissatisfaction, and I am one of them. Morgan is also on our side, and they will provide sufficient support. However, there are some things I need to clarify first. If you take over, you must be prepared for losses. Sony and Panasonic in Japan didn't get out of trouble before, and there are many reasons for this. Also, a premium is needed to complete the acquisition smoothly, and I believe you understand that!"

"We have no problem with that. Losses are not a big deal. As long as we can withstand those damned guys' slander against us, everything is fine. The king has already agreed to this. As long as the acquisition is successful, money is not a problem!" For Middle Eastern tycoons, money is indeed not a problem. What they want is a voice.

"I know you all don't care about any of this, but I must make it clear that I can't ruin my reputation. I still need to fulfill my duty as a friend! I can't let people think I'm intentionally ripping you off. Hollywood is different from other countries, and so is the American media industry. Hollywood and the American media are controlled by oil capital. Although Phoenix Media and Legendary Entertainment can maintain their position in Hollywood, they can't say they can overpower oil capital. The media industry is even more so. Those guys control most of the American media, whether it's newspapers or other media. You should all know this. So, to successfully acquire these assets, you'll have to pay a high price. Not to mention the oil capital secretly obstructing us, even those guys in the US will ask for exorbitant prices. After all, no one can resist the temptation of money."

Acquiring the US media industry at a premium is inevitable, and Middle Eastern tycoons are well aware of this. However, they don't care about the small premium. For them, as long as the acquisition is successful, any price is worth paying. At least they will no longer be smeared by oil-rich capital, and they will have the ability to fight back.

“Mr. John, if it’s about the acquisition funds, you don’t need to worry at all. We have no objections. After all, we are old friends and we understand your character. Our presence here is enough to prove our sincerity. We understand your good intentions in giving us this invitation.”

"Alright, if the acquisition price isn't an issue, then I have nothing more to say. I've already entrusted Morgan with the acquisition of MGM, and I believe there won't be any problems. MGM's price will be around a billion dollars, at most no more than 1.5 billion dollars. Although it's cheaper than other Hollywood giants and the easiest to acquire, it has a major problem: high debt, and some assets have already been emptied out. However, its production capabilities are not a problem, and its distribution in the US is also not an issue; it's just that its overseas distribution capabilities have long since disappeared. As for the newspaper business, there are two directions: one is to directly acquire influential newspapers, and the other is to start with tabloids. The former directly grants influence, while the latter requires time to develop. However, once the acquisition is completed, there is a high possibility of being poached by the other party. Of course, if the acquisition is successful, you can also spend money to poach their people. I won't say much about that; it's up to you to decide. Morgan will provide you with the greatest assistance!"

John was only helping the Middle Eastern tycoons complete the acquisition of MGM. He didn't concern himself with the newspaper acquisition. As long as they could acquire MGM, nothing else mattered. After all, MGM was one of the Hollywood giants, and the impact of the acquisition was self-evident. Expanding with MGM as the core was naturally not a big problem. With the Middle Eastern tycoons' funds, there was no issue at all. Once the acquisition was underway, it would be somewhat inappropriate for him to interfere.

Phoenix Group and Legendary Entertainment are already quite powerful. If they were to get involved with MGM, it would bring a lot of unnecessary trouble. Therefore, under these circumstances, John could only back down and not get involved, so as not to attract the hostility of those oily capitalists. Although these bastards had long been at odds with him, John still had to be careful!
(End of this chapter)