America's Road to Wealth

In early March, a big event happened in the American automotive world.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, announced that Volkswagen Group and BMW Group were involved in unfair competition against U.S. companies, and said it would launch an investigation into the two automobile groups.

Soon after, the U.S. Office of Economic Sanctions Policy and Implementation (SPI) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) also announced their intention to investigate the BMW Group and the Volkswagen Group.

At the same time, the U.S. Department of Justice also came forward, claiming that the two automobile groups may have violated the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Helms-Burton Act.

As soon as these news and news came out, BMW and Volkswagen were stunned.

There is no doubt that this is the so-called "long-arm jurisdiction" that the United States plays very smoothly.

Companies or countries that have been affected by the "long-arm jurisdiction" of the United States include both the United States' own allies and countries that are hostile or have tense relations with it.

The world police are so lenient in their control.

What's more, it's still 2002, an era when America draws its sword and looks around in confusion, fighting invincible opponents all over the world.

If Americans say they want to play long-arm jurisdiction, then they really do it.

There was nothing anyone could do.

This time it’s BMW and Volkswagen’s turn.

BMW and Volkswagen were shocked after learning the news.

At first, I associated this matter with General Motors and Ford.

After all, these two American automobile groups are their two biggest competitors in the global automobile industry.

These two companies also have the ability to cause trouble for them in the United States.

Fortunately, BMW and Volkswagen have been cultivating the global market for a long time, and they attach great importance to the largest automobile market in the United States.

It has very strong connections and energy in the United States.

Among their shareholders, many are even Americans.

The senior management of the two companies, Byrd and John Wieland, who had met with Abel, also quickly set off for the United States.

Before the two men's planes arrived in the United States, their company headquarters had already figured out through its connections and channels in the United States why the White House would target the two of them this time.

John Wieland and Byrd, who had just gotten off the plane, soon received the news.

"It's that shameless Smith!! Sure enough, Americans are so shameless."

When leaving the terminal of Dulles International Airport in DC, Bai Ruide of the BMW Group couldn't help but whisper to John Wilander.

"Be careful what you say."

John Wieland immediately reminded: "Don't forget where this is."

No matter what, it is irrational behavior to criticize Americans in their place.

Byrd came to his senses, nodded and said, "Then follow the arrangements from the headquarters and go find those vampires first."

"That's the only way it can be for now. We need to be clear about the strength of the enemy we face this time." John Wilander said.

The two Germans left the airport, got into a vehicle sent by the branches of the two major groups, and set off directly to "K Street".

K Street, which is located between Capitol Hill and the White House, runs from west to east across northern Washington.

This is the famous "lobbying street" in the United States.

It has gathered a large number of think tanks, lobbying groups, public relations companies, civil society organizations, international headquarters, and the World Bank.

The International Monetary Fund is also located here.

If Wall Street is the international financial center.

Then "K Street" in Washington is the center of ever-changing international politics.

The lobbying companies here are like any other American company.

They are all guys who are mothers if they have a girl.

As long as they are willing to pay, they will still help even if they are foreigners.

Both BMW Group and Volkswagen Group have huge markets in the United States.

Of course, the two of them have regular and strong collaborators on K Street.

This can ensure that they will not be swallowed up by rude and rude Americans in the US market.

The two companies' channels in this area were originally separate.

But this time the two families faced off against the British and Abel.

They had to stand together and hug each other for warmth to resist the pressure from the world's richest man.

Even when they came to K Street to find someone, the two major automobile groups jointly contributed money and effort to find a well-known figure in the American lobbying industry, Jack Abramoff, known as the "godfather" of the American lobbying industry.

Jack Abramoff is a senior Elephant Party member. In his early college years, he served as the chairman of the College Republican Alliance.

He is the eldest cousin of little Laura, the position he currently holds.

For this reason, Jack Abramoff established very good personal relationships with many upstarts in American conservative politics at the time.

With this relationship, he entered the industry in the 1990s and prospered.

John Wieland and Bai Ruide came to him, so they came here because of his reputation.

"Hey, two friends from Germany. I have to say that this job is quite difficult this time."

As soon as they met, Jack Abramov gave the two Germans a threatening opening speech.

"We all know who is targeting you this time. We also know what the surname of this future wife is."

"So, gentlemen, you should probably be mentally prepared."

Faced with Jack Abramoff's unceremonious opening statement.

Bai Ruide said nothing, but John Wieland smiled and said:

"This time the cost is five times, Mr. Abramov, this time we are willing to pay you five times the price."

Jack Abramov was startled, and the expression on his face began to become warm.

"ha--"

He smiled and said: "Although the difficulty is very high, you have found the right person. Believe me, if even I can't handle it, no one in the entire K Street can handle it."

Byrd is not as easy to talk to as John Verlander.

Look at Jack Abramoff, he's starting to soften his tone because of money.

Baird immediately said: "Mr. Abramov, it seems that you are willing to take this job. Then I would like to ask, what should be done next? BMW and Volkswagen will fully cooperate with your work."

Jack Abramov pondered for a moment and said softly:

"The best way now is of course to satisfy him. We all know that when a lion starts hunting, it is because the lion is hungry. As long as the lion is full, then you don't have to face the lion's fangs and claws."

Byrd and John Wieland looked at each other.

Both Germans knew why the good-natured Americans came to target the two of them.

It's all because of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Group!

The question is, are the two of them willing to give up the Rolls-Royce and Bentley that they have already talked about?

Not willing at all!

BMW Group and Volkswagen Group have spent five years trying to acquire Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

You have spent so much real money, how could you give up so easily now?

What Jack Abramoff calls the simplest method is simply impossible for BMW and Volkswagen to do.

Byrd said angrily: "Mr. Abramov, we are willing to pay five times the price to hire you because we hope you can help us solve the problem. Not solve us."

"Ha ha--"

Jack Abramoff laughed again.

"Okay, okay, I know. Then, my work will begin. Believe me, two gentlemen, even if I face the white house and that person, I will definitely satisfy you. I I want you to know what value for money means!”

Jack Abramoff played confidently.

The reason why he has this confidence is that he has very good relationships with conservative political leaders such as Tom DeLay and Newt Gingrich.

It’s also because even on the Donkey Party side, today’s lobbying industry bosses also have some powerful collaborators.

These factors make Jack Abramoff one of the out-and-out K Street bosses.

Plus this time BMW and Volkswagen gave us too much.

Even though he knew it was extremely difficult, Jack Abramov was still willing to give it a try.

What's more, now I'm facing two customers, for the sake of the fragrant dollar bills.

With his professionalism, even if he was pretending, Jack Abramoff had to pretend that everything was very simple.

Look how confident Jack Abramoff is.

The two Germans, who had no intuitive sense of someone's influence and connections in the United States, were also exaggerated by Jack Abramov's confidence.

The anxiety and nervousness I felt when I came from Germany gradually relaxed.

Then, before Bai Ruide and John Wieland could finish visiting the DC bosses related to the BMW Group and the Volkswagen Group in Washington.

On March 15th, they received a piece of news that caught them off guard.

A few days ago, the confident Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist hired by BMW and Volkswagen, was exposed by multiple media outlets as being involved in three felonies of conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion.

When the two contacted Jack Abramoff, they were scolded by the latter and announced that they would sever their cooperative relationship.

John Wieland and Bai Ruide had an intuitive understanding of someone's influence in the United States.

And when two Germans conveyed their experiences and situations they faced in the United States back to Berlin.

Abel is still in San Diego, California.

San Diego is a great place, famous for its warm climate, beautiful coastline and numerous beaches. The world's top university, the University of California, San Diego, is also located here.

It is also the third most economically powerful city in California, second only to Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Abel originally had two companies here.

One is Qualcomm, the founder of CDMA and communications giant.

The other was the original Sempra Energy, later Pacific Energy.

But now, he has a third company in San Diego.

That's the energy group also headquartered here, California Pacific Gas \u0026 Electric, one of the largest utilities in the United States.

Abbreviated as PG\u0026E.

Abel originally held only 50.9% of PG\u0026E's shares and was the company's chairman.

But due to some local snakes, as the chairman, many of his powers are very limited.

Fortunately, not long ago, due to the explosion of the substation, there was also an attack on him.

PG\u0026E's local shareholders had no choice but to retreat when faced with Abel, who stood on the high ground of public opinion.

This turns him, the chairman, into a truly powerful chairman.

It also allowed his shares in PG\u0026E to increase to about 70% after spending billions of dollars.

Since then, California Pacific Electric has been declared to be in his possession.

A few days ago, California Pacific Electric announced that it would merge with Texas Pacific Energy Company to form a new American Pacific Energy Group.

On March 15th, Abel came to San Diego to inspect the headquarters of the two companies that were about to merge.

At the same time, we will do some preparation work before the merger of the two energy giants.

Mainly doing preparation work for PG\u0026E Company. After all, Pacific Energy has already completely taken on his shape.

California Pacific Electric has been a rebel to Abel for a long time.

Since he is a traitor, of course he should be beaten hard if necessary.

In the PG\u0026E chairman's office.

"BOSS, the current layoffs, don't you seem a little impatient?"

The chief consultant of Smith Thinking Group carefully considered his tone and spoke softly to his boss.

"There will be no large-scale layoffs. We will just use the substation explosion to use the company's loss of billions of dollars in market value as an excuse to kick out some stumbling blocks. Otherwise, how can we put our people in?"

"I have always insisted that only middle managers are the cornerstone of a company. If we want to control a company, we must master this cornerstone. Okay, let's go, don't let others wait too long, Allen, I believe It’s not a big problem for me.”

Abel said confidently.

Because he knows that his power in California Pacific Electric has been limited, and the most important reason is those local snakes.

It is a Northern California group mainly composed of Jerry Brown and others.

Now this group of people has retreated and chosen to become one of the new shareholders of Pacific Energy Group.

Then PG\u0026E naturally loses the confidence to face Abel.

It has reached the point where he can make it round if he wants to, and flatten if he wants to.

Soon, in the conference room of Pacific Electric headquarters in California.

After the normal opening remarks.

Sitting on the boss's chair, Abel, as chairman and largest shareholder, announced the news of layoffs.

"...I checked the personnel information of the group company and found that the number of personnel in each department team is a bit too many."

"At present, the energy industry in the United States is affected by the war and the economic downturn, and the market is in a slump. In order to increase revenue, reduce expenditure, and reduce losses, various departments will be laid off before the two major groups are integrated and merged..."

Abel had a warm smile on his face, but his words gave everyone present a shuddering cold feeling.

Everyone immediately started talking in low voices. Although the dozen or so people present were all important management personnel, there was a high probability that this fire of layoffs would not reach them.

But after all, they are all subordinates who follow them. It is a difficult decision to decide who to lay off and who not to lay off.

"Let me tell you what I mean first. Layoffs are inevitable. The entire energy industry is downsizing. There is no way around it. Also, front-line energy workers and low-level technicians will not move this time. 32 global offices , except for technicians and local managers, everyone else is being laid off!"

As Abel finished speaking, the entire conference room was in an uproar.

The lower-level workers and technicians will not be laid off. Now that the two groups are merging, for the sake of stability, there is a high probability that they will not be laid off at the top.

Then the big knife of layoffs this time will definitely hit the middle managers.

After hearing the news, the company's CEO Shoups, who was originally a local slut and lackey, looked relaxed.

The faces of the vice presidents became very gloomy.

CEO Shoups was originally Jerry Brown’s “protégé.” He worked as Jerry Brown’s secretary for one year when he was the governor of California.

Logically speaking, after Abel takes over, the first person who should be kicked out is Shoups.

But Abel did not.

This is because some time ago, shortly after the substation incident occurred.

The smart Shopus chose to jump ship...

So Shoups can be very relaxed now, but several vice presidents cannot be as relaxed as him.

But the vice presidents also knew that they couldn't twist Otsutsuki with their arms.

Even Jerry Brown and other local gangsters chose to hand over PG\u0026E.

The life and death of these wage earners were naturally held tightly in Abel Smith's hands.

"This layoff is not just a random one. Business capability assessment and screening will be conducted, and a special team will be established soon. You are all the cornerstones of the larger Pacific Energy Group and the future. I hope you can cooperate with the work of the special team when the time comes! "

“I very much hope to see you all again at future Pacific Energy Group meetings.”

Abel changed his warm smile, his eyes were sharp, and he looked around the group of executives with a cold expression, saying words that were both comforting and warning.

The meeting ended quickly, and everyone except CEO Shoups left the meeting room with a solemn expression.

Shoups was left behind to talk to Albert for a few more words.

Then I happily accepted the task of being responsible for the entire assessment task and reviewing the layoff list.

Abel looked at the departing back of the happy CEO Shopus.

He just smiled faintly, knowing that the news of layoffs would soon be received by Jerry Brown and others.

However, what will disappoint many people is that the old guys will most likely be indifferent.

Maybe even happy to see it work but not necessarily.

In China, this is called one emperor and one courtier.

As soon as he took control of California Pacific Electric, he launched a series of personnel changes in the company, which naturally aroused some conflicts among the company's top executives.

It is conceivable that the local media and people in California will not evaluate it very well.

But this is originally a game of power in the business world.

Layoffs, purging, eliminating dissidents, killing chickens to scare monkeys, breaking inherent alliances, creating conflicts between old employees and old bosses, worsening the relationship between the parties, and other means.

They will be realized one by one in Abel's campaign, which is ostensibly to reduce the company's financial losses, but is actually a purge.

After the cleansing, new people were added, people who belonged to him, Abel Smith.

After the integration, California Pacific Electric can merge with Pacific Energy cleanly and become the energy carriage in Abel Smith's commercial troika.

Some people will lose their jobs, which will lead to a series of life difficulties.

Or the resentment and curse of former employees who were laid off, that is not what Abel cares about.

Well, he was sorry.

But, understand, gesticulating·JPG:

"This is reality, this is life."