‘Expedient’ which means ‘characterized by concern with what is opportune; especially: governed by self- interest’, fits the first blank. ‘Fold’, which means ‘a group of people or institutions that share a common faith, belief, activity, or enthusiasm’, fits the second blank. Flock may seem appropriate but does not fit the tone of the passage as it is an informal word. Moreover, the correct idiomatic expression is ‘to bring into the fold’. Use of ‘flock’ in the blank would be idiomatically incorrect.