Meppo
Anticommunist Mole
- Location
- Default City, Russia
- Pronouns
- he/him
like the Iron Dimon?
nice to know that they have reunited
-
Hi Guest!
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Lists of Heads of Government and Heads of State
- Thread starter Mumby
- Start date
like the Iron Dimon?
nice to know that they have reunited
allthepresidentsmen
Oh fuck I might just be gay š³ļøāš
- Pronouns
- he/him
Less pathetic nationalist panders, more green energy.like the Iron Dimon?
- Location
- Municipal Commune of Bourne
- Pronouns
- He/Him
very confused by the presumed conservative lib dem merger resulting in... the 'Tory Party'
i feel like some more significant rebranding would be demanded
i feel like some more significant rebranding would be demanded
allthepresidentsmen
Oh fuck I might just be gay š³ļøāš
- Pronouns
- he/him
Walpurgisnacht
It was in the Year of Maximum Danger
- Location
- Banned from the forum
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Crossposting my last list challenge entry. Just a reminder that the current one is themed around Horror, and you've still got a little less than a week to enter!
1999-2005: John Perry Barlow (Cyber National Party)
def 1999: "The Mentor" (Hack The Planet)
2000 poll: 89% RETAIN
2001: Physical HQ established at Cyber Ranch, Wyoming
2001 poll: 87% RETAIN
2002 poll: 95% RETAIN
2003 poll: 96% RETAIN
2004 poll: 95% RETAIN
2005 poll: 97% RETAIN
2005-2009: Nick Bostrom (Cyber National Party)
def 2005: "Fyodor" (Hack The Planet), "Falkvinge" (Information Wants To Be Free), Jim Bell (Cyphernomicon), George Dvorsky (Radical H+)
2005: Physical HQ moved to Cybernetic Institute, San Francisco, following the Leadership Council AGM.
2006 poll: 68% RETAIN
2007 poll: 60% RETAIN
2008 poll: 54% RETAIN
2009 poll: 53% REJECT
2009-2012: "brokep" (Information Wants To Be Free)
def 2009: Nick Bostrom (Cyber National Party), "Satoshi Nakamoto" (Cypher Current), Gian Piero de Bellis (Panarchist)
2010 poll: 77% RETAIN
2011: Physical HQ moved to Fora Cafe, Stockholm, following United States vs Domscheit-Berg ruling.
2011 poll: 52% RETAIN
2012 poll: 54% REJECT
2012-2017: "Dread Pirate Roberts" (Information Wants To Be Free)
def 2012: Adam Back (Cypher Current), "Tflow" (2 Hack 2 Planet), R. U. Sirius (Cyber National Party), Gian Piero de Bellis (Panarchist)
2013 poll: 54% RETAIN
2013: Physical HQ moved to Cybernetic Institute, San Franciso, following member poll.
2014 poll: 99% RETAIN [disputed]
2014: Non-Anglo members of Agora secede, forming the Pirate Republic.
2015 poll: cancelled
2015: Physical HQ officially disestablished due to raids on Cybernetic Institue.
2016 poll: cancelled
2017 poll: cancelled
2017-2017: suspended following mass arrests
2017-2018: Adam Back (Cypher Current)
2016: Physical HQ moved to New Cyber Park, Palo Alto, as part of R-e-constrcution.
def 2017: "Psychedelic Warlord" (2 Hack 2 Planet), Scott Siskind (Cyber Rationalist), Wrye Sentenia (Cyber National Party)
2018 poll: 61% REJECT
2018-XXXX: Chad Elwartowski (Cypher Current)
def 2018: Adam Back (Neo-Futurist Tendency), Scott Siskind (Cyber Rationalist), "Psychedelic Warlord" (2 Hack 2 Planet) [disputed]
2018: "Hacktivist" members of Agora secede, forming Free Agora Movement, with Pirate support
2019 poll: cancelled
2020 poll: 57% RETAIN
2020: Physical HQ moved to Fort Blockchain, San Salvador, due to monetary disputes.
2021 poll: 61% RETAIN
2021: Physical HQ moved to MS Jim Bell, El Salvadorean territorial waters, as part of Seasteading Project.
2022 poll: 64% RETAIN
Many people have asked, "What is freedom?". For me, that's not an important question. We all know what freedom is. The real question is, "Which freedoms are the most important freedoms?", because not all freedoms are created equal.
We have freedom of association--the freedom to leave a totalitarian regime for a free one and start a political movement for democracy, or the freedom to ally with dictators or hide from justice in some legal bolthole. Freedom of information--the freedom to denounce the massacres of a brutal government and expose a corrupt religion as a sham, or the freedom to yell "Fire!" in a crowded stadium and send your mother a picture of a distended anus. Freedom of enterprise--the freedom to invent a whole new field of manufacturing and sell the fruits of your labour to the whole world, and the freedom to traffic in the sale of death and dope people into scams.
Agora, the first nation born not in physical but cyber space, was a great experiment, one devoted to the exploration of these freedoms. Now is a good time to examine the results against our initial hypotheses, and draw a conclusion.
The Declaration of Online Independence--the foundation of our nation--was laughed at, at first. Our nation was here, with a flag, a constitution, even a capital out in the Wyoming badlands, but it wasn't quite clear that that was what it was. Most of the initial coverage called it a stunt, and our cherished principles were written off as something silly for nerds to hang in their offices. Then, the Pentagon was rather more thoroughly exorcised than Rubin and Hoffman's attempt--what, too soon?--and America went mad hunting the perpetrators.
Soon, this tiny band of hackers and phreaks were leading the fight against surveillance and censorship on the nascent Web, and some of them, like Lawrence Lessig, payed with their lives. Barlow entered the fight against U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T as some wacky Deadhead, and exited it an elder statesman and symbol of freedom. A symbol that he knew was too powerful for Agora's nascent democracy. He had to constrain his freedom of association, so that others might be left with theirs.
The only problem was, Agora had changed in the years since he'd set it up, tendancies pushing and pulling at the edges of what was once a unified space. The main tension was over professionalisation. Bostrom, who inherited the project, had a mandate to make Agora a...not quite a nation, but whatever it was, something that could sit at the table with world powers in a nice suit and look sensible, since after all, the war was over. The new userbase, often European or African, who saw the fight against U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T as just another front in the war for free information, and older members, mostly American, who saw this as trampling on their beloved free enterprise, pushed back. Their victory would decisively solidify what Agora was.
Unlike Barlow, who didn't believe in solidifying visions, and Bostrom, who couldn't square the circle of respectability and democracy, brokep's vision was clear. Agora was a nation, free from any other, one and indivisible, devoted to all forms of freedom, but especially freedom of information. And woe betide anyone who sought to challenge that.
Nations and private companies that had cheered on Agora's fight against the tyranny of U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T were suddenly shocked and appalled by Agora's fight against the tyranny of the DRM system. brokep sought to use Agora's state powers to shield anti-copyright activists, but quickly found that those powers existed only with the consent of the international community. Attempts at building a case for extraterritoriality of the site's servers faltered, and members across the Atlantic were pissed at the lack of progress. They wanted someone to take action, action that required Zevon's holy trinity--lawyers, guns, and money--and a little online marketplace was happy to provide them...
I won't go into what happened next. I don't need to. We all know. Under the guise of freedom, Agora made a direct alliance with criminality. Freedom of enterprise for Agora's users was finally secure--all it took was their freedom of association, their freedom of information, and their freedom of life and limb. Our nation's flag went from being wrapped around political prisoners to being wrapped around bags of coke, our standing army went from hackers to hitmen. I can't overstate how apocalyptic that was for our nation. When they dragged the Dread Pirate out of a Thai shipping container and into the light, there was a real danger that the dream of Agora was now in chains with him, over for good.
In some ways, it is. The "crypto" movement is, right now, at the helm of Agora--a pretty damn literal helm, for that matter. Allegedly, this is just another phase of the digital economy, untetherting Agora from central banks and making it easier for our pirates to do business. Which I could almost believe, if they weren't hiding like rats in El Salvador under the wing of a shitposting dictator. It's clear that, for the crypto clique, freedom of enterprise only applies to their freedom to make out like bandits and leave the rest of us holding the bag. Freedom of association, and of information, can go hang as long as their pockets are full, and their pet opposition get their fill of skull calipers. There's a reason why so many of their former citizens are joining our movement, and it's not because of the free buffet.
That's why I'm here. Here to ask you to help us. I know we've had our differences with Washington in the past, but it's essential that freedom and democracy on the web is preserved. Any support you give will...
...man, what am I doing here?
No, seriously, what am I doing here? I mean, c'mon! Standing up in front of Congress, pressed suit, fancy tie, calling for military intervention in a wartorn nation--what is this? Am I some kind of fucking international statesman, now? Another cog in the machine? Jesus...if I saw this, now, in the Nineties, if you told me that I'd be trying to, what, get a Learjet to bomb some asshole scammers? I'd walk right out of that basement and tell Beto to never call me again.
Y'know, the Agoran dream, the big experiment, was that we could seek freedom on the web, in a way we couldn't do in the real world. That the internet would provide us with a blank canvas, a new space, where we could make the world over again, do it right this time, but...but you bastards followed us there. No, we brought you with us, in our heads. We were never going to avoid you, because your greed, your egos, your need for control, all of that shit--all of it!--we're soaked in it just as much as you.
Cyberspace doesn't lie beyond your borders, any more than a newspaper or a book or a fucking scroll, or, or whatever. It's not a frontier, and it was never meant to be. It was always just a place to make the same old money, play the same old power games, and all the shit that goes down on there is really happening out here, like it always was. We never really owned it. It's not a place you can found a country on, because without the real world to fill it, it's empty. Hollow.
Nothing but a series of tubes.
The Air That Chokes Is The Air Under Wings
Premiers of Agora:
1999-2005: John Perry Barlow (Cyber National Party)
def 1999: "The Mentor" (Hack The Planet)
2000 poll: 89% RETAIN
2001: Physical HQ established at Cyber Ranch, Wyoming
2001 poll: 87% RETAIN
2002 poll: 95% RETAIN
2003 poll: 96% RETAIN
2004 poll: 95% RETAIN
2005 poll: 97% RETAIN
2005-2009: Nick Bostrom (Cyber National Party)
def 2005: "Fyodor" (Hack The Planet), "Falkvinge" (Information Wants To Be Free), Jim Bell (Cyphernomicon), George Dvorsky (Radical H+)
2005: Physical HQ moved to Cybernetic Institute, San Francisco, following the Leadership Council AGM.
2006 poll: 68% RETAIN
2007 poll: 60% RETAIN
2008 poll: 54% RETAIN
2009 poll: 53% REJECT
2009-2012: "brokep" (Information Wants To Be Free)
def 2009: Nick Bostrom (Cyber National Party), "Satoshi Nakamoto" (Cypher Current), Gian Piero de Bellis (Panarchist)
2010 poll: 77% RETAIN
2011: Physical HQ moved to Fora Cafe, Stockholm, following United States vs Domscheit-Berg ruling.
2011 poll: 52% RETAIN
2012 poll: 54% REJECT
2012-2017: "Dread Pirate Roberts" (Information Wants To Be Free)
def 2012: Adam Back (Cypher Current), "Tflow" (2 Hack 2 Planet), R. U. Sirius (Cyber National Party), Gian Piero de Bellis (Panarchist)
2013 poll: 54% RETAIN
2013: Physical HQ moved to Cybernetic Institute, San Franciso, following member poll.
2014 poll: 99% RETAIN [disputed]
2014: Non-Anglo members of Agora secede, forming the Pirate Republic.
2015 poll: cancelled
2015: Physical HQ officially disestablished due to raids on Cybernetic Institue.
2016 poll: cancelled
2017 poll: cancelled
2017-2017: suspended following mass arrests
2017-2018: Adam Back (Cypher Current)
2016: Physical HQ moved to New Cyber Park, Palo Alto, as part of R-e-constrcution.
def 2017: "Psychedelic Warlord" (2 Hack 2 Planet), Scott Siskind (Cyber Rationalist), Wrye Sentenia (Cyber National Party)
2018 poll: 61% REJECT
2018-XXXX: Chad Elwartowski (Cypher Current)
def 2018: Adam Back (Neo-Futurist Tendency), Scott Siskind (Cyber Rationalist), "Psychedelic Warlord" (2 Hack 2 Planet) [disputed]
2018: "Hacktivist" members of Agora secede, forming Free Agora Movement, with Pirate support
2019 poll: cancelled
2020 poll: 57% RETAIN
2020: Physical HQ moved to Fort Blockchain, San Salvador, due to monetary disputes.
2021 poll: 61% RETAIN
2021: Physical HQ moved to MS Jim Bell, El Salvadorean territorial waters, as part of Seasteading Project.
2022 poll: 64% RETAIN
Many people have asked, "What is freedom?". For me, that's not an important question. We all know what freedom is. The real question is, "Which freedoms are the most important freedoms?", because not all freedoms are created equal.
We have freedom of association--the freedom to leave a totalitarian regime for a free one and start a political movement for democracy, or the freedom to ally with dictators or hide from justice in some legal bolthole. Freedom of information--the freedom to denounce the massacres of a brutal government and expose a corrupt religion as a sham, or the freedom to yell "Fire!" in a crowded stadium and send your mother a picture of a distended anus. Freedom of enterprise--the freedom to invent a whole new field of manufacturing and sell the fruits of your labour to the whole world, and the freedom to traffic in the sale of death and dope people into scams.
Agora, the first nation born not in physical but cyber space, was a great experiment, one devoted to the exploration of these freedoms. Now is a good time to examine the results against our initial hypotheses, and draw a conclusion.
The Declaration of Online Independence--the foundation of our nation--was laughed at, at first. Our nation was here, with a flag, a constitution, even a capital out in the Wyoming badlands, but it wasn't quite clear that that was what it was. Most of the initial coverage called it a stunt, and our cherished principles were written off as something silly for nerds to hang in their offices. Then, the Pentagon was rather more thoroughly exorcised than Rubin and Hoffman's attempt--what, too soon?--and America went mad hunting the perpetrators.
Soon, this tiny band of hackers and phreaks were leading the fight against surveillance and censorship on the nascent Web, and some of them, like Lawrence Lessig, payed with their lives. Barlow entered the fight against U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T as some wacky Deadhead, and exited it an elder statesman and symbol of freedom. A symbol that he knew was too powerful for Agora's nascent democracy. He had to constrain his freedom of association, so that others might be left with theirs.
The only problem was, Agora had changed in the years since he'd set it up, tendancies pushing and pulling at the edges of what was once a unified space. The main tension was over professionalisation. Bostrom, who inherited the project, had a mandate to make Agora a...not quite a nation, but whatever it was, something that could sit at the table with world powers in a nice suit and look sensible, since after all, the war was over. The new userbase, often European or African, who saw the fight against U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T as just another front in the war for free information, and older members, mostly American, who saw this as trampling on their beloved free enterprise, pushed back. Their victory would decisively solidify what Agora was.
Unlike Barlow, who didn't believe in solidifying visions, and Bostrom, who couldn't square the circle of respectability and democracy, brokep's vision was clear. Agora was a nation, free from any other, one and indivisible, devoted to all forms of freedom, but especially freedom of information. And woe betide anyone who sought to challenge that.
Nations and private companies that had cheered on Agora's fight against the tyranny of U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T were suddenly shocked and appalled by Agora's fight against the tyranny of the DRM system. brokep sought to use Agora's state powers to shield anti-copyright activists, but quickly found that those powers existed only with the consent of the international community. Attempts at building a case for extraterritoriality of the site's servers faltered, and members across the Atlantic were pissed at the lack of progress. They wanted someone to take action, action that required Zevon's holy trinity--lawyers, guns, and money--and a little online marketplace was happy to provide them...
I won't go into what happened next. I don't need to. We all know. Under the guise of freedom, Agora made a direct alliance with criminality. Freedom of enterprise for Agora's users was finally secure--all it took was their freedom of association, their freedom of information, and their freedom of life and limb. Our nation's flag went from being wrapped around political prisoners to being wrapped around bags of coke, our standing army went from hackers to hitmen. I can't overstate how apocalyptic that was for our nation. When they dragged the Dread Pirate out of a Thai shipping container and into the light, there was a real danger that the dream of Agora was now in chains with him, over for good.
In some ways, it is. The "crypto" movement is, right now, at the helm of Agora--a pretty damn literal helm, for that matter. Allegedly, this is just another phase of the digital economy, untetherting Agora from central banks and making it easier for our pirates to do business. Which I could almost believe, if they weren't hiding like rats in El Salvador under the wing of a shitposting dictator. It's clear that, for the crypto clique, freedom of enterprise only applies to their freedom to make out like bandits and leave the rest of us holding the bag. Freedom of association, and of information, can go hang as long as their pockets are full, and their pet opposition get their fill of skull calipers. There's a reason why so many of their former citizens are joining our movement, and it's not because of the free buffet.
That's why I'm here. Here to ask you to help us. I know we've had our differences with Washington in the past, but it's essential that freedom and democracy on the web is preserved. Any support you give will...
...man, what am I doing here?
No, seriously, what am I doing here? I mean, c'mon! Standing up in front of Congress, pressed suit, fancy tie, calling for military intervention in a wartorn nation--what is this? Am I some kind of fucking international statesman, now? Another cog in the machine? Jesus...if I saw this, now, in the Nineties, if you told me that I'd be trying to, what, get a Learjet to bomb some asshole scammers? I'd walk right out of that basement and tell Beto to never call me again.
Y'know, the Agoran dream, the big experiment, was that we could seek freedom on the web, in a way we couldn't do in the real world. That the internet would provide us with a blank canvas, a new space, where we could make the world over again, do it right this time, but...but you bastards followed us there. No, we brought you with us, in our heads. We were never going to avoid you, because your greed, your egos, your need for control, all of that shit--all of it!--we're soaked in it just as much as you.
Cyberspace doesn't lie beyond your borders, any more than a newspaper or a book or a fucking scroll, or, or whatever. It's not a frontier, and it was never meant to be. It was always just a place to make the same old money, play the same old power games, and all the shit that goes down on there is really happening out here, like it always was. We never really owned it. It's not a place you can found a country on, because without the real world to fill it, it's empty. Hollow.
Nothing but a series of tubes.
- Location
- Sandford, Gloucestershire
- Pronouns
- She/They
One Nation works
Progressive Conservatives maybe . Or Liberal Conservatives if you want something cringe worthy
>Bo Xilai
>Reformist
this has gotta be one of the top 10 anime in twists in human history
theflyingmgoose
Well-known member
"F@ck you neoliberal shitheads we're doing the universal healthcare"
WHAT IF BILL CLINTON GOVERNED LIKE A LEFTIST?
42. Bill Clinton/Al Gore (D): January 20, 1993-January 20, 1997 'The Pendulum Swings Back'
1992: def. George H.W. Bush/Dan Quayle (R), Ross Perot/James Stockdale (I); 370-168-0 EV/43.0%-37.5%-18.9% PV
Though controversial as President, public opinion of Bill Clinton (at least of his time in the White House) has evolved into a competent executive merely ahead of his time. The 1990s were a very conservative era, which makes his presence at all somewhat of an enigma. Clinton was ruthless in his fight for progressive and liberal causes, nuking the filibuster and using his immense intelligence to get more for Americans. During his first year, legislation establishing three months of paid parental leave, free community college, and a minimum wage increase of '$6 by 1996' were signed. But this was only the beginning.
Throughout 1994, the White House aggressively pushed for and got healthcare reform (seen as an 'American version of universal healthcare', or more often compared to the Swiss version), a carbon tax, and a massive investment in infrastructure passed. However, this energized conservatives, who turned out strongly for Republicans in the 1994 midterms. The 1994 elections gave the GOP 57 Senate seats (OTL along with Hawaii and California) and a solid 235 House seats.
While an improving economy and a bill restricting government shutdowns helped the President, the victory of Albert Makashov in the 1996 Russian Presidential Election and other issues allowed Republicans to cast Clinton as a closet communist plotting a takeover of a country he already ran. Clinton pulled out every single trick in the book, and the campaign bombarded TVs across the country with ads. But it wasn't enough.
Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and Associate Justice Antonin Scalia narrowly won the 1996 Presidential Election. Clinton conceded gracefully and appointed Merrick Garland to Scalia's vacant seat before retiring to New York with the First Lady.
43. Bob Dole/Antonin Scalia (R): January 20, 1997-January 20, 2005 'Rage For The Machine'
1996: def. Bill Clinton/Al Gore (D); 272-266 EV/49.5%-47.9% PV
2000: def. Gray Davis/Barbara Lee (D); 332-206 EV/51.3%-44.5% PV
President Bob Dole took office with a significant trifecta in both Houses. But this was still a disappointment to Republicans. While many a conservative dreamed of a filibuster proof majority, a Democratic overperformance in Congress (caused by both President Clinton's redirecting of resources in his belief that he'd lose and voters wanting a check on the powers of Dole, who was viewed as almost certain to take over) meant that the GOP was stuck at 57 seats (Oregon and New Hampshire went the other way ITTL). In addition, the presence of Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Michael Huffington, Pat Saiki, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Arlen Specter, John Chafee, Jim Jeffords, and John Warner meant that the filibuster wasn't going to be nuked.
Instead- much to the consternation of the right- President Dole moved ahead with what he actually could get done. The top tax rate was immediately cut from 42.5% to 37.5%, along with other deductions. Democrats filibustered any attempt to tamper with their now-popular healthcare system, so Dole decided to instead make a deal with moderates to reform social security (cutting benefits by an average of 15%) and increasing military spending and research (including a missile shield).
Because of this bipartisan popularity, the Republicans suffer minimal losses in the 1998 midterms (the only races that go the other way are Moseley-Braun and Baesler winning, giving the GOP 55 seats). A balanced budget and decreasing poverty put the President in a good spot for re-election. However, many conservatives were dissatisfied with Dole. So, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell announced a primary challenge. McConnell would sweep the south, but Dole would be renominated.
His popularity ensured a large victory in the general election, despite a third party bid by Pat Buchanan, and despite the Democrats gaining 3 seats in the Senate (Abraham, Huffington, and Saiki hold on). His second term began with further tax cuts (including a negative income tax for low-earners) and further action on many conservative policies. This was, of course, upended by 9/11. The collapse of the World Trade Center's south tower and the collapse of Trump Tower (which was accidentally hit) along with the attack on the Pentagon was a wake up call for the country. Dole had boots on the ground in Afghanistan within 48 hours and the Taliban overthrown within 96. With his newly-found 94% approval rating, the President signed the National Aid Act, which designated $50 Billion into rebuilding Afghanistan. The President finished his term with decent approval ratings.
44. John McCain/Elizabeth Dole (R): January 20, 2005-January 20, 2009 'Continuity Boredom'
2004: def. Barbara Lee/John Kerry (D); 279-259 EV/49.1%-47.9% PV
From the beginning, it was clear Vice President Antonin Scalia would not be running in 2004. He took nearly a hundred personal days due to poor health. Looking at the popularity of Dole, the Republicans nominated another relatively moderate, elderly war veteran in John McCain. McCain won an unexpectedly close election against Representative Barbara Lee, and entered the White House in January of 2005. It was clear from the onset the moderately conservative centrism would be continued.
But there would be an exception to that. President McCain would sign a massive overhaul of campaign finance laws, heavily restricting corporate spending and setting a limit on individual contributions. But this middle-of-the-road attitude did nothing when the financial crisis rolled around. McCain was extremely strict on bailouts, leading to the mass failures of several corporations and a spike in unemployment to 10%. Despite this, his personal popularity enabled a decent re-election defeat.
45. Al Gore/Bernie Sanders (D): January 20, 2009-January 20, 2017 'The Middle-Age Man And The Rising Sea'
2008: def. John McCain/Elizabeth Dole (R); 298-240 EV/ 49.8%-46.3% PV
2012: def. Newt Gingrich/Paul Ryan (R); 303-235 EV/ 50.7%-46.5% PV
After twelve years, the American people had again rejected the status quo. Former Vice President Al Gore was swept into office with a large mandate. Immediately the Democrats approved a $1.5 Trillion stimulus for the economy, along with an increase in the top tax rate from 36.8% to 42.5%. Gore also signed the Dodd-Frank financial regulation bill (which is even more aggressive than OTL) and raised the minimum wage from $9.75 to $14.00 by 2012.
But the crowning achievement of the President's first term was undoubtedly his massive environmental bill. The carbon pricing index was increased to $65/MT, environmental fines were increased, and the 'Net Zero By 2025' goal was implemented. Further expansion of healthcare (reducing premiums and increasing the number of Americans who didn't have to pay anything from roughly 1/4 to nearly half).
Gore was easily re-elected, and presided over an increasingly prosperous Afghanistan and an increasingly well-run America. By 2015, it was abundantly clear that the successor to Gore would be a Democrat. It was unclear who that would be. But Bernie Sanders' heart attack put the biggest frontrunner out of the running. Eventually, Barack Obama (who came in second in 2008) won the nomination and coasted to victory in the general. Gore retired to Tennessee with a high approval rating.
46. Barack Obama/Tom Steyer (D): January 20, 2017-May 2, 2020 'Biting The Bullet Of Change'
2016: def. Paul Ryan/Sarah Palin (R); 347-191 EV/ 50.2%-45.1% PV
Most often a great leader is succeeded by someone less successful. Bush, Major, and others come to mind. But other times said leader is outshown by one that is truly once in a generation great. Barack Obama fits into the latter category. Assuming office on January 20, 2017, the nation's first Black chief executive was immediately faced with a crisis.
North Korea threw around nuclear threats all the time, but their launching of a missile that blew up only a few miles off the coast of Japan was the last straw. President Obama immediately entered diplomatic negotiations, which proved futile. The White House had Tomahawks launched and impacting key weapons sites within two hours.
Then the Chinese intervened. President Xi Jinping immediately deployed Chinese forces into the rogue state. The country stared down the barrel of another Cuban Missile Crisis. Until the President intervened. President Obama won a diplomatic victory for the US, which boosted his popularity. He also passed several popular policies, including an extremely high-quality universal school meal program and making community college tuition free.
The Democrats were rewarded with an expanded majority in the midterms. Obama signed legislation reducing the top tax rate from 42.5% to 40.0%, in exchange for the implementation of a 'two cent tax' on billionaires. The COVID pandemic (slightly more deadly than OTL) caught everyone by surprise, but the White House sprang into action. A nationwide lockdown was implemented beginning in early March, while the borders were closed. President Obama's approval ratings torched 85% as the rest of the world buckled.
Unfortunately, some people were mad about the lockdowns. A dissatisfied former veteran took the initiative and sniped the President from long-range as he descended from the steps of Air Force One. President Obama was immediately moved to the Margaret Craighill Armed Forces Hospital (Basically the new Walter Reed but renamed). Only the hospital's status as indisputably the best in the world (President Gore threw $1.5 Trillion over several years at the VA, so this of course was inevitable) prevented the President from dying. Still, he was clearly not well enough to be President. He announced his resignation on June 9, 2020, propelling Tom Steyer to the White House.
47. Tom Steyer/VACANT (D): May 2, 2020-June 11, 2020
47. Tom Steyer/Joe Biden (D): June 11, 2020-January 20, 2021
47. Tom Steyer/Kamala Harris (D): January 20, 2021-Present 'Dr. Thomas Fahr Steyer PhD HRES, Populist Hero'
2020: def. Ted Cruz/Tina Forte (R); 425-113 EV/ 57.2%-39.8% PV
Tom Steyer's career is perhaps one of the most interesting of anyone to occupy the Oval Office. What is clear, however, is that he was a highly successful Governor of California who was picked by then-Senator Obama for racial and political balance. In that regard, they succeeded- a progressive billionaire white guy with experience in the executive branch and a more moderate black man from the midwest with legislative experience- and the Obama/Steyer ticket coasted to November.
President Steyer handled COVID just as well as his predecessor, and cruzed (haha get it?) to victory in the general election against a ticket that included Texas Senator Ted Cruz and raving-lunatic-who-won-a-special-election-in-New-York-and-was-a-Congresswoman-for-five-months Tina Forte. He begins his second term with an overwhelming mandate.
PRESIDENTIAL RANKINGS:
Bill Clinton (1993-1997), #14/47
Bob Dole (1997-2005), #17/47
John McCain (2005-2009), #39/47
Al Gore (2009-2017), #8/47
Barack Obama (2017-2020), #4/47
Tom Steyer (2020-Present), #11/47
WHAT IF BILL CLINTON GOVERNED LIKE A LEFTIST?
42. Bill Clinton/Al Gore (D): January 20, 1993-January 20, 1997 'The Pendulum Swings Back'
1992: def. George H.W. Bush/Dan Quayle (R), Ross Perot/James Stockdale (I); 370-168-0 EV/43.0%-37.5%-18.9% PV
Though controversial as President, public opinion of Bill Clinton (at least of his time in the White House) has evolved into a competent executive merely ahead of his time. The 1990s were a very conservative era, which makes his presence at all somewhat of an enigma. Clinton was ruthless in his fight for progressive and liberal causes, nuking the filibuster and using his immense intelligence to get more for Americans. During his first year, legislation establishing three months of paid parental leave, free community college, and a minimum wage increase of '$6 by 1996' were signed. But this was only the beginning.
Throughout 1994, the White House aggressively pushed for and got healthcare reform (seen as an 'American version of universal healthcare', or more often compared to the Swiss version), a carbon tax, and a massive investment in infrastructure passed. However, this energized conservatives, who turned out strongly for Republicans in the 1994 midterms. The 1994 elections gave the GOP 57 Senate seats (OTL along with Hawaii and California) and a solid 235 House seats.
While an improving economy and a bill restricting government shutdowns helped the President, the victory of Albert Makashov in the 1996 Russian Presidential Election and other issues allowed Republicans to cast Clinton as a closet communist plotting a takeover of a country he already ran. Clinton pulled out every single trick in the book, and the campaign bombarded TVs across the country with ads. But it wasn't enough.
Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and Associate Justice Antonin Scalia narrowly won the 1996 Presidential Election. Clinton conceded gracefully and appointed Merrick Garland to Scalia's vacant seat before retiring to New York with the First Lady.
43. Bob Dole/Antonin Scalia (R): January 20, 1997-January 20, 2005 'Rage For The Machine'
1996: def. Bill Clinton/Al Gore (D); 272-266 EV/49.5%-47.9% PV
2000: def. Gray Davis/Barbara Lee (D); 332-206 EV/51.3%-44.5% PV
President Bob Dole took office with a significant trifecta in both Houses. But this was still a disappointment to Republicans. While many a conservative dreamed of a filibuster proof majority, a Democratic overperformance in Congress (caused by both President Clinton's redirecting of resources in his belief that he'd lose and voters wanting a check on the powers of Dole, who was viewed as almost certain to take over) meant that the GOP was stuck at 57 seats (Oregon and New Hampshire went the other way ITTL). In addition, the presence of Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Michael Huffington, Pat Saiki, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Arlen Specter, John Chafee, Jim Jeffords, and John Warner meant that the filibuster wasn't going to be nuked.
Instead- much to the consternation of the right- President Dole moved ahead with what he actually could get done. The top tax rate was immediately cut from 42.5% to 37.5%, along with other deductions. Democrats filibustered any attempt to tamper with their now-popular healthcare system, so Dole decided to instead make a deal with moderates to reform social security (cutting benefits by an average of 15%) and increasing military spending and research (including a missile shield).
Because of this bipartisan popularity, the Republicans suffer minimal losses in the 1998 midterms (the only races that go the other way are Moseley-Braun and Baesler winning, giving the GOP 55 seats). A balanced budget and decreasing poverty put the President in a good spot for re-election. However, many conservatives were dissatisfied with Dole. So, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell announced a primary challenge. McConnell would sweep the south, but Dole would be renominated.
His popularity ensured a large victory in the general election, despite a third party bid by Pat Buchanan, and despite the Democrats gaining 3 seats in the Senate (Abraham, Huffington, and Saiki hold on). His second term began with further tax cuts (including a negative income tax for low-earners) and further action on many conservative policies. This was, of course, upended by 9/11. The collapse of the World Trade Center's south tower and the collapse of Trump Tower (which was accidentally hit) along with the attack on the Pentagon was a wake up call for the country. Dole had boots on the ground in Afghanistan within 48 hours and the Taliban overthrown within 96. With his newly-found 94% approval rating, the President signed the National Aid Act, which designated $50 Billion into rebuilding Afghanistan. The President finished his term with decent approval ratings.
44. John McCain/Elizabeth Dole (R): January 20, 2005-January 20, 2009 'Continuity Boredom'
2004: def. Barbara Lee/John Kerry (D); 279-259 EV/49.1%-47.9% PV
From the beginning, it was clear Vice President Antonin Scalia would not be running in 2004. He took nearly a hundred personal days due to poor health. Looking at the popularity of Dole, the Republicans nominated another relatively moderate, elderly war veteran in John McCain. McCain won an unexpectedly close election against Representative Barbara Lee, and entered the White House in January of 2005. It was clear from the onset the moderately conservative centrism would be continued.
But there would be an exception to that. President McCain would sign a massive overhaul of campaign finance laws, heavily restricting corporate spending and setting a limit on individual contributions. But this middle-of-the-road attitude did nothing when the financial crisis rolled around. McCain was extremely strict on bailouts, leading to the mass failures of several corporations and a spike in unemployment to 10%. Despite this, his personal popularity enabled a decent re-election defeat.
45. Al Gore/Bernie Sanders (D): January 20, 2009-January 20, 2017 'The Middle-Age Man And The Rising Sea'
2008: def. John McCain/Elizabeth Dole (R); 298-240 EV/ 49.8%-46.3% PV
2012: def. Newt Gingrich/Paul Ryan (R); 303-235 EV/ 50.7%-46.5% PV
After twelve years, the American people had again rejected the status quo. Former Vice President Al Gore was swept into office with a large mandate. Immediately the Democrats approved a $1.5 Trillion stimulus for the economy, along with an increase in the top tax rate from 36.8% to 42.5%. Gore also signed the Dodd-Frank financial regulation bill (which is even more aggressive than OTL) and raised the minimum wage from $9.75 to $14.00 by 2012.
But the crowning achievement of the President's first term was undoubtedly his massive environmental bill. The carbon pricing index was increased to $65/MT, environmental fines were increased, and the 'Net Zero By 2025' goal was implemented. Further expansion of healthcare (reducing premiums and increasing the number of Americans who didn't have to pay anything from roughly 1/4 to nearly half).
Gore was easily re-elected, and presided over an increasingly prosperous Afghanistan and an increasingly well-run America. By 2015, it was abundantly clear that the successor to Gore would be a Democrat. It was unclear who that would be. But Bernie Sanders' heart attack put the biggest frontrunner out of the running. Eventually, Barack Obama (who came in second in 2008) won the nomination and coasted to victory in the general. Gore retired to Tennessee with a high approval rating.
46. Barack Obama/Tom Steyer (D): January 20, 2017-May 2, 2020 'Biting The Bullet Of Change'
2016: def. Paul Ryan/Sarah Palin (R); 347-191 EV/ 50.2%-45.1% PV
Most often a great leader is succeeded by someone less successful. Bush, Major, and others come to mind. But other times said leader is outshown by one that is truly once in a generation great. Barack Obama fits into the latter category. Assuming office on January 20, 2017, the nation's first Black chief executive was immediately faced with a crisis.
North Korea threw around nuclear threats all the time, but their launching of a missile that blew up only a few miles off the coast of Japan was the last straw. President Obama immediately entered diplomatic negotiations, which proved futile. The White House had Tomahawks launched and impacting key weapons sites within two hours.
Then the Chinese intervened. President Xi Jinping immediately deployed Chinese forces into the rogue state. The country stared down the barrel of another Cuban Missile Crisis. Until the President intervened. President Obama won a diplomatic victory for the US, which boosted his popularity. He also passed several popular policies, including an extremely high-quality universal school meal program and making community college tuition free.
The Democrats were rewarded with an expanded majority in the midterms. Obama signed legislation reducing the top tax rate from 42.5% to 40.0%, in exchange for the implementation of a 'two cent tax' on billionaires. The COVID pandemic (slightly more deadly than OTL) caught everyone by surprise, but the White House sprang into action. A nationwide lockdown was implemented beginning in early March, while the borders were closed. President Obama's approval ratings torched 85% as the rest of the world buckled.
Unfortunately, some people were mad about the lockdowns. A dissatisfied former veteran took the initiative and sniped the President from long-range as he descended from the steps of Air Force One. President Obama was immediately moved to the Margaret Craighill Armed Forces Hospital (Basically the new Walter Reed but renamed). Only the hospital's status as indisputably the best in the world (President Gore threw $1.5 Trillion over several years at the VA, so this of course was inevitable) prevented the President from dying. Still, he was clearly not well enough to be President. He announced his resignation on June 9, 2020, propelling Tom Steyer to the White House.
47. Tom Steyer/VACANT (D): May 2, 2020-June 11, 2020
47. Tom Steyer/Joe Biden (D): June 11, 2020-January 20, 2021
47. Tom Steyer/Kamala Harris (D): January 20, 2021-Present 'Dr. Thomas Fahr Steyer PhD HRES, Populist Hero'
2020: def. Ted Cruz/Tina Forte (R); 425-113 EV/ 57.2%-39.8% PV
Tom Steyer's career is perhaps one of the most interesting of anyone to occupy the Oval Office. What is clear, however, is that he was a highly successful Governor of California who was picked by then-Senator Obama for racial and political balance. In that regard, they succeeded- a progressive billionaire white guy with experience in the executive branch and a more moderate black man from the midwest with legislative experience- and the Obama/Steyer ticket coasted to November.
President Steyer handled COVID just as well as his predecessor, and cruzed (haha get it?) to victory in the general election against a ticket that included Texas Senator Ted Cruz and raving-lunatic-who-won-a-special-election-in-New-York-and-was-a-Congresswoman-for-five-months Tina Forte. He begins his second term with an overwhelming mandate.
PRESIDENTIAL RANKINGS:
Bill Clinton (1993-1997), #14/47
Bob Dole (1997-2005), #17/47
John McCain (2005-2009), #39/47
Al Gore (2009-2017), #8/47
Barack Obama (2017-2020), #4/47
Tom Steyer (2020-Present), #11/47
- Pronouns
- He/Him
1994-1999: Leonid Kumacha (Independent)
1994 def. Leonid Kravchuk (Independent); Oleksandr Moroz (Socialist), Volodymyr Lanovyi (Independent)
1999-2002: Oleksandr Moroz (Socialist)
1999 def. Leonid Kumacha (Independent); Petro Symonenko (Communist), Yuriy Kostenko (Ukraine Peoples)
2002 Constitutional Referendum: Yes 47%, No 53%
2002-2004: Anatoliy Kinakh (Independent)
2004-2013: Yevhen Kushnaryov (Party of Regions)
2004 def. Stanislav Nikolaenko (Socialist); Viktor Yushchenko (Peopleās Union), Ivan Kyrylenko (Fatherland - Ukraineās Choice)
2005 Federalisation Referendum: Yes 64%, No 36%
2005 Parliamentary Reform Referendum: Yes 57%, No 43%
2009 def. Yulia Tymoshenko (Fatherland - Ukraineās Choice); Yuriy Lutsenko (Socialist), Oleksandr Omelchenko (Unity - Omelchenko Bloc)
2013 Impeachment of the President: Yes 57%, No 43%
2013-2019: Viktor Yushchenko (Our Ukraine - Peopleās Union)
2013 def. Serhiy Tihipko (Party of Regions); Oleh Liashko (Ukraine - For The People), Roman Romanyuk (Open Ukraine), Vitaliy Dudin (Social Movement - The Left Bloc)
2018 def. Oleh Liashko (Ukraine - For The People); Natalia Korolevska (Ukraine ā Forward!), Sviatoslav Vakarchuk (Holos), Olena Shevchenko (Social Movement - The Left Bloc)
The 1997-1998 Economic Crisis had many victims, from relatively stable America to the increasingly chaotic democracy of Japan and Russia to the autocracy of Indonesia, the Crisis would damage the confidence of investors and signal the ultimate power of the financial markets had over governance in the run up to the 21st Century. Amongst the victims of the Crisis would be Leonid Kumacha.
Elected in 1994 on the back of promises of Market Reforms and increased Democracy, Kumacha had instead allowed the formation of Oligarchs who continued the plundering of the Ukrainian State Assets for the own gain. Faith in the democratic systems collapsed, corruption became commonplace and Kumacha was known for his authoritarian actions in dealing with opposition.
But the economic shock broke the finely balanced system Kumacha had in place, and in a weakened state was more vulnerable than before. Protests, Strikes and Civil Disobedience would occur often across 1998 into 1999, and in the midst the message of Oleksandr Moroz struck with those in the West most effected by Kumachaās reforms and his eventual austerity measures brought in under the IMF.
Originally a devoted follower of Marxist Socialism, he had shifted towards a more European style Social Democratic message though still couched in the imagery and ideas of Marxism. It was fair to say that Moroz came into the 1999 election as Kumachaās main opponent.
Leonid Kumachaās attempts to rig the system would fall flat though, as tape recordings of his corrupt dealings became public and the near death of Viacheslav Chornovil in a car crash was blamed upon an attempted assassination by the Kumacha. These dealings drew the ire of the West and Russia who under President Sergei Stepashin agreed with the West that a Civil Unrest or even a Civil War happening in Ukraine would be bad for the stability of the already fragile economy of Russia.
Observers were sent over and Kumacha was forced to fight a more honest campaign than he would have liked. Even with attempts to rig votes for the Communists to get them to the run off, or to bank roll other Left Wing candidates to split the vote, or every possible trick that Kumachaās Western Spin Doctors could pull to even the odds, in the end, Moroz would win by a slim margin.
Kumacha pondered disputing the vote, indeed tension came across the land, akin to 1994 all over again as people pondered if Ukraine would collapse after 8 years of Democracy. But the oligarchs, the West and Stepashin forced Kumacha to concede. The oligarchs decided that Kumacha was a busted flush and they would scout future candidates to support and undermine Moroz using there holdings within the media landscape.
For Moroz, initial adulation rapidly soured. He was still forced to concede to IMF demands (otherwise the currency would collapse), his ideas to bring in European Social Democracy would Ukraineās debt heavy nature and he was unable to bring the still powerful oligarchs to heel. Indeed Parliament was useless in comparison to the power that the oligarchs had.
Moroz spent several years governing unable to do much and railed against the oligarchs and systems that stopped his government from being able to actually govern. Behind the scenes he planned a referendum that would increase the Parliaments and Presidentās power to ensure that he would able to form his social democracy he wanted. Whilst the welfare state was improved and after 2000, more money spent, the various former Ukrainian owned companies were still in the hands of the oligarchs.
When the 2002 election allowed the Socialist government to at least form a minority coalition, he put his referendum to the people. Whilst Moroz wasnāt as popular as he once was, the offer of increased sovereignty did seem initially tantalising to Ukrainian both Left or Right. But the oligarchs went into action, with support from new Russian President Yury Luzhkov, went about using there Media ownership, Bribery and supporters within the Government to torpedo Morozās referendum.
Losing by a slim majority, Moroz went on the attack, decrying the establishment that had kneecapped his attempts and conducting rallies decrying Russia, the IMF and the Oligarchs. Painting Moroz as a āreborn Soviet leader in the waitingā, the slim minority coalition in parliament was toppled and Moroz would be impeached.
Early elections werenāt called, Anatoliy Kinakh stated that whilst instability was occurring they wouldnāt occur. Whilst this happened the oligarchs pondered who there next champion could be, as Kinakh oversaw a crackdown on protestors and supporters of Moroz.
Victor Pinchuk and Serhiy Tihipko of Labour Ukraine Party and Oligarchs in there own right would be the first to propose Yevhen Kushnaryov. A competent Mayor of Kharkiv, a former advisor to Kumacha and the current Governor of Kharkiv Oblast having won on a Regionalist message, he been one of the founders of the Party of Regions political party and itās chief ideologue.
Kushnaryov would rapidly gain support, particularly from former supporters of Kumacha with his support for making Russian the second language of Ukraine and more autonomy to Ukraineās regions, but he would also gain support from former Moroz supporters due to his message of Social Democratic reform and increased Welfare. Indeed now that the economy was recovering, Kushnaryov could afford to be generous.
His main opponent, Stanislav Nikolaenko, the brief former Socialist Prime Minister was certainly a fearsome opponent, but after the instability of past few years and with Kushnaryov striking a conciliatory tone and some vote rigging, Kushnaryov would win handily.
Kushnaryov is often remembered in a mixed manner, whilst he did oversee seeming good times, as Ukraineās and the Worldās economy was healthy alongside his palling around with Luzhkov and Ivanov helping ease Ukraine-Russian relations and a stable economy. But Kushnaryov would also oversee a steady crackdown on opposition, opposition figures either died or were injured in mysterious ways and the oligarchs were still incredibly wealthy and free from retribution.
Kushnaryov though was fairly popular in 2009, his federalisation program and Parliamentary reform plans had gone fairly well and he was presiding over seemingly steady growth and a putting lots of money into the wealth system. Indeed, many figures pointed out that Kushnaryov could have actually won the 2009 election fairly if he wanted to, the opposition was divided and whilst Yulia Tymoshenko was charismatic, there were plenty of skeletons in her closet that Kushnaryovās misdeeds seemed minor in comparison.
Kushnaryovās second term started stable enough, but in 2010 the world economy yet again went into worldwide recession thanks to the collapse of Enron. As austerity measures were implemented, the corruption that had been easy to hide before was once again revealed, as people finding themselves suffering protested against the luxuries and financial gains that friends and colleagues of the Presidentās had amassed.
Kushnaryovās reactions to protests were harsh, no longer able to buy off voters he resorted to using state power against them. In 2012, a series of protests over financial aid became a protest against the Kushnaryov Presidency, with figures like Tymoshenko, Moroz and Lutsenko protesting the inaction. Kushnaryovās response was riot police and mass arrests amongst them the three mentioned. Out of those three, only Moroz would return alive from there prison cells.
Whilst the official explanation was that the deaths had been accidental, some believed that they were deliberate. Whilst the Minster for Internal Affairs, Vitaliy Zakharchenko would be forced over this, it didnāt stop the protests who now had some martyrs. As protestors demanded an end to a austerity, further integration with Europe and an end to Kushnaryovās Presidency, the Parliament saw the writing on the wall and the President would be impeached.
The elections of 2013 were contentious, whilst Serhiy Tihipko tried to fight a good fight, the Party of Regions and everything connected to it was tainted. Instead, long time Liberal Politician, Opposition Figure and the āNelson Mandela of Eastern Europeā as one Guardian Article would cringingly call him, Viktor Yushchenko would become President, campaigning on a refrain of āBandits will go to jail!ā which caught on as it indicated the vast web of oligarchs, politicians and officials who had plundered the state and had overseen the crackdown.
Yushchenko was blessed in several respects that despite the political instability, Ukraine still had stable economy, that Russia, now under Gudkov was more concerned with internal matters over enforcing there will over the Ukraine and the worldwide crisis had died down allowing for the European Union to be more accepting towards interacting with Ukraine.
Itās now 2022, Viktor Yushchenko is now the second most unpopular President in recent memory. Whilst Ukraine has enjoyed relative stability, especially in recent years, due to an surge in a need for gas, Yushchenkoās dithering political nature, inability to root out corruption and poor judge of character has sapped up any good wills that he originally had.
Whilst the possibility of formally joining the EU could be on the cards before the year is out, few doubt it will help whoever Yushchenkoās successor is to Our Ukraine.
Indeed the future of Ukraine seems to be between the Nationalistic Populism of Oleh Liashko, who proclaims heāll finish what Moroz has started (though Liashko is not by any stretch a Socialist) or the Russophile Social Democracy of Natalia Korolevska, an incredibly wealthy businesswoman and former opposition figure whoās found that palling up with the former Party of Regions crowd could be her ticket to higher office.
As election looms, and threats of instability and fighting linger, some are pondering someone new or different. From the E-Democracy message by former rock star Sviatoslav Vakarchuk to the Pro-European Reformism of former boxer Vitali Klitschko, the hope that maybe Ukraine could have a President who isnāt the two likely ones burns brightā¦
I know all Ukrainian Presidents are technically independents upon reaching office but actually implementing that would be confusing, so there.
1994 def. Leonid Kravchuk (Independent); Oleksandr Moroz (Socialist), Volodymyr Lanovyi (Independent)
1999-2002: Oleksandr Moroz (Socialist)
1999 def. Leonid Kumacha (Independent); Petro Symonenko (Communist), Yuriy Kostenko (Ukraine Peoples)
2002 Constitutional Referendum: Yes 47%, No 53%
2002-2004: Anatoliy Kinakh (Independent)
2004-2013: Yevhen Kushnaryov (Party of Regions)
2004 def. Stanislav Nikolaenko (Socialist); Viktor Yushchenko (Peopleās Union), Ivan Kyrylenko (Fatherland - Ukraineās Choice)
2005 Federalisation Referendum: Yes 64%, No 36%
2005 Parliamentary Reform Referendum: Yes 57%, No 43%
2009 def. Yulia Tymoshenko (Fatherland - Ukraineās Choice); Yuriy Lutsenko (Socialist), Oleksandr Omelchenko (Unity - Omelchenko Bloc)
2013 Impeachment of the President: Yes 57%, No 43%
2013-2019: Viktor Yushchenko (Our Ukraine - Peopleās Union)
2013 def. Serhiy Tihipko (Party of Regions); Oleh Liashko (Ukraine - For The People), Roman Romanyuk (Open Ukraine), Vitaliy Dudin (Social Movement - The Left Bloc)
2018 def. Oleh Liashko (Ukraine - For The People); Natalia Korolevska (Ukraine ā Forward!), Sviatoslav Vakarchuk (Holos), Olena Shevchenko (Social Movement - The Left Bloc)
The 1997-1998 Economic Crisis had many victims, from relatively stable America to the increasingly chaotic democracy of Japan and Russia to the autocracy of Indonesia, the Crisis would damage the confidence of investors and signal the ultimate power of the financial markets had over governance in the run up to the 21st Century. Amongst the victims of the Crisis would be Leonid Kumacha.
Elected in 1994 on the back of promises of Market Reforms and increased Democracy, Kumacha had instead allowed the formation of Oligarchs who continued the plundering of the Ukrainian State Assets for the own gain. Faith in the democratic systems collapsed, corruption became commonplace and Kumacha was known for his authoritarian actions in dealing with opposition.
But the economic shock broke the finely balanced system Kumacha had in place, and in a weakened state was more vulnerable than before. Protests, Strikes and Civil Disobedience would occur often across 1998 into 1999, and in the midst the message of Oleksandr Moroz struck with those in the West most effected by Kumachaās reforms and his eventual austerity measures brought in under the IMF.
Originally a devoted follower of Marxist Socialism, he had shifted towards a more European style Social Democratic message though still couched in the imagery and ideas of Marxism. It was fair to say that Moroz came into the 1999 election as Kumachaās main opponent.
Leonid Kumachaās attempts to rig the system would fall flat though, as tape recordings of his corrupt dealings became public and the near death of Viacheslav Chornovil in a car crash was blamed upon an attempted assassination by the Kumacha. These dealings drew the ire of the West and Russia who under President Sergei Stepashin agreed with the West that a Civil Unrest or even a Civil War happening in Ukraine would be bad for the stability of the already fragile economy of Russia.
Observers were sent over and Kumacha was forced to fight a more honest campaign than he would have liked. Even with attempts to rig votes for the Communists to get them to the run off, or to bank roll other Left Wing candidates to split the vote, or every possible trick that Kumachaās Western Spin Doctors could pull to even the odds, in the end, Moroz would win by a slim margin.
Kumacha pondered disputing the vote, indeed tension came across the land, akin to 1994 all over again as people pondered if Ukraine would collapse after 8 years of Democracy. But the oligarchs, the West and Stepashin forced Kumacha to concede. The oligarchs decided that Kumacha was a busted flush and they would scout future candidates to support and undermine Moroz using there holdings within the media landscape.
For Moroz, initial adulation rapidly soured. He was still forced to concede to IMF demands (otherwise the currency would collapse), his ideas to bring in European Social Democracy would Ukraineās debt heavy nature and he was unable to bring the still powerful oligarchs to heel. Indeed Parliament was useless in comparison to the power that the oligarchs had.
Moroz spent several years governing unable to do much and railed against the oligarchs and systems that stopped his government from being able to actually govern. Behind the scenes he planned a referendum that would increase the Parliaments and Presidentās power to ensure that he would able to form his social democracy he wanted. Whilst the welfare state was improved and after 2000, more money spent, the various former Ukrainian owned companies were still in the hands of the oligarchs.
When the 2002 election allowed the Socialist government to at least form a minority coalition, he put his referendum to the people. Whilst Moroz wasnāt as popular as he once was, the offer of increased sovereignty did seem initially tantalising to Ukrainian both Left or Right. But the oligarchs went into action, with support from new Russian President Yury Luzhkov, went about using there Media ownership, Bribery and supporters within the Government to torpedo Morozās referendum.
Losing by a slim majority, Moroz went on the attack, decrying the establishment that had kneecapped his attempts and conducting rallies decrying Russia, the IMF and the Oligarchs. Painting Moroz as a āreborn Soviet leader in the waitingā, the slim minority coalition in parliament was toppled and Moroz would be impeached.
Early elections werenāt called, Anatoliy Kinakh stated that whilst instability was occurring they wouldnāt occur. Whilst this happened the oligarchs pondered who there next champion could be, as Kinakh oversaw a crackdown on protestors and supporters of Moroz.
Victor Pinchuk and Serhiy Tihipko of Labour Ukraine Party and Oligarchs in there own right would be the first to propose Yevhen Kushnaryov. A competent Mayor of Kharkiv, a former advisor to Kumacha and the current Governor of Kharkiv Oblast having won on a Regionalist message, he been one of the founders of the Party of Regions political party and itās chief ideologue.
Kushnaryov would rapidly gain support, particularly from former supporters of Kumacha with his support for making Russian the second language of Ukraine and more autonomy to Ukraineās regions, but he would also gain support from former Moroz supporters due to his message of Social Democratic reform and increased Welfare. Indeed now that the economy was recovering, Kushnaryov could afford to be generous.
His main opponent, Stanislav Nikolaenko, the brief former Socialist Prime Minister was certainly a fearsome opponent, but after the instability of past few years and with Kushnaryov striking a conciliatory tone and some vote rigging, Kushnaryov would win handily.
Kushnaryov is often remembered in a mixed manner, whilst he did oversee seeming good times, as Ukraineās and the Worldās economy was healthy alongside his palling around with Luzhkov and Ivanov helping ease Ukraine-Russian relations and a stable economy. But Kushnaryov would also oversee a steady crackdown on opposition, opposition figures either died or were injured in mysterious ways and the oligarchs were still incredibly wealthy and free from retribution.
Kushnaryov though was fairly popular in 2009, his federalisation program and Parliamentary reform plans had gone fairly well and he was presiding over seemingly steady growth and a putting lots of money into the wealth system. Indeed, many figures pointed out that Kushnaryov could have actually won the 2009 election fairly if he wanted to, the opposition was divided and whilst Yulia Tymoshenko was charismatic, there were plenty of skeletons in her closet that Kushnaryovās misdeeds seemed minor in comparison.
Kushnaryovās second term started stable enough, but in 2010 the world economy yet again went into worldwide recession thanks to the collapse of Enron. As austerity measures were implemented, the corruption that had been easy to hide before was once again revealed, as people finding themselves suffering protested against the luxuries and financial gains that friends and colleagues of the Presidentās had amassed.
Kushnaryovās reactions to protests were harsh, no longer able to buy off voters he resorted to using state power against them. In 2012, a series of protests over financial aid became a protest against the Kushnaryov Presidency, with figures like Tymoshenko, Moroz and Lutsenko protesting the inaction. Kushnaryovās response was riot police and mass arrests amongst them the three mentioned. Out of those three, only Moroz would return alive from there prison cells.
Whilst the official explanation was that the deaths had been accidental, some believed that they were deliberate. Whilst the Minster for Internal Affairs, Vitaliy Zakharchenko would be forced over this, it didnāt stop the protests who now had some martyrs. As protestors demanded an end to a austerity, further integration with Europe and an end to Kushnaryovās Presidency, the Parliament saw the writing on the wall and the President would be impeached.
The elections of 2013 were contentious, whilst Serhiy Tihipko tried to fight a good fight, the Party of Regions and everything connected to it was tainted. Instead, long time Liberal Politician, Opposition Figure and the āNelson Mandela of Eastern Europeā as one Guardian Article would cringingly call him, Viktor Yushchenko would become President, campaigning on a refrain of āBandits will go to jail!ā which caught on as it indicated the vast web of oligarchs, politicians and officials who had plundered the state and had overseen the crackdown.
Yushchenko was blessed in several respects that despite the political instability, Ukraine still had stable economy, that Russia, now under Gudkov was more concerned with internal matters over enforcing there will over the Ukraine and the worldwide crisis had died down allowing for the European Union to be more accepting towards interacting with Ukraine.
Itās now 2022, Viktor Yushchenko is now the second most unpopular President in recent memory. Whilst Ukraine has enjoyed relative stability, especially in recent years, due to an surge in a need for gas, Yushchenkoās dithering political nature, inability to root out corruption and poor judge of character has sapped up any good wills that he originally had.
Whilst the possibility of formally joining the EU could be on the cards before the year is out, few doubt it will help whoever Yushchenkoās successor is to Our Ukraine.
Indeed the future of Ukraine seems to be between the Nationalistic Populism of Oleh Liashko, who proclaims heāll finish what Moroz has started (though Liashko is not by any stretch a Socialist) or the Russophile Social Democracy of Natalia Korolevska, an incredibly wealthy businesswoman and former opposition figure whoās found that palling up with the former Party of Regions crowd could be her ticket to higher office.
As election looms, and threats of instability and fighting linger, some are pondering someone new or different. From the E-Democracy message by former rock star Sviatoslav Vakarchuk to the Pro-European Reformism of former boxer Vitali Klitschko, the hope that maybe Ukraine could have a President who isnāt the two likely ones burns brightā¦
I know all Ukrainian Presidents are technically independents upon reaching office but actually implementing that would be confusing, so there.
1941 - 1949: Robert H. Jackson / Sherman Minton (Democratic)
defeated, 1940: Thomas Dewey / John W. Bricker (Republican), Charles Lindbergh / Burton K. Wheeler (Independent)
defeated, 1944: Thomas Dewey / Bruce Barton (Republican), Homer Adkins / Josiah Bailey ('Dixiecrat' Independent)
1949 - 1953: Lucius D. Clay / Charles Halleck (Republican)
defeated, 1948: William O. Douglas / Leon Henderson (Democratic), Homer Adkins / various ('Dixiecrat' Independent)
1953 - 1961: Adlai Stevenson II / Sheridan Downey (Democratic)
defeated, 1952: Lucius D. Clay / Charles Halleck (Republican), Harry F. Byrd / Strom Thurmond (Dixiecrat)
defeated, 1956: Richard Nixon / John F. Dulles (Republican)
1961 - present: Scoop Jackson / Kingman Brewster, Jr. (Democratic)
defeated, 1960: Richard Nixon / Happy Chandler (Republican)
Basic thought experiment comes from some other writing I'm doing, namely that FDR doesn't run in 1940 and that one of his preferred successors (in this case, Robert Jackson) successfully succeeds him over someone like Jim Farley or Cordell Hull. Thus begins decades of 'New Dealer' ascendency, as American democracy slowly falls into the grip of a clique of liberal with a capital L, Ivy League-educated academics and lawyers who create a technocratic deep state inured against the wailings of Congress and the conservative lower courts. Even the GOP adopts this technocratic style, backing a renowned administrator like Lucius Clay over the more radical General MacArthur in 48, and then anti-communist suit Richard Nixon. The Southern Realignment happens decades earlier but Presidents Stevenson and Jackson weather the storm by presiding over the largest peacetime economic expansion of any country in human history, making sure (almost) every American has access to a home, healthcare and basic human dignity. America gets its robust European social democratic state, civil rights before 1964 and all other kinds of social goodies, all while U.N. peacekeeping missions across the globe stamp out indigenous insurgencies and ensure that American businesses have access to any market they so desire.
Could either be read as making the crackpot conspiracies of the American right circa ~1960 a reality or a Third Worldist's worst nightmare depending on your politics. Wanted a different pick than Jackson for 1960, but really blanked on anybody who worked better - just imagine the nerdiest, most egghead-ed hawk imaginable instead if you want.
defeated, 1940: Thomas Dewey / John W. Bricker (Republican), Charles Lindbergh / Burton K. Wheeler (Independent)
defeated, 1944: Thomas Dewey / Bruce Barton (Republican), Homer Adkins / Josiah Bailey ('Dixiecrat' Independent)
1949 - 1953: Lucius D. Clay / Charles Halleck (Republican)
defeated, 1948: William O. Douglas / Leon Henderson (Democratic), Homer Adkins / various ('Dixiecrat' Independent)
1953 - 1961: Adlai Stevenson II / Sheridan Downey (Democratic)
defeated, 1952: Lucius D. Clay / Charles Halleck (Republican), Harry F. Byrd / Strom Thurmond (Dixiecrat)
defeated, 1956: Richard Nixon / John F. Dulles (Republican)
1961 - present: Scoop Jackson / Kingman Brewster, Jr. (Democratic)
defeated, 1960: Richard Nixon / Happy Chandler (Republican)
Basic thought experiment comes from some other writing I'm doing, namely that FDR doesn't run in 1940 and that one of his preferred successors (in this case, Robert Jackson) successfully succeeds him over someone like Jim Farley or Cordell Hull. Thus begins decades of 'New Dealer' ascendency, as American democracy slowly falls into the grip of a clique of liberal with a capital L, Ivy League-educated academics and lawyers who create a technocratic deep state inured against the wailings of Congress and the conservative lower courts. Even the GOP adopts this technocratic style, backing a renowned administrator like Lucius Clay over the more radical General MacArthur in 48, and then anti-communist suit Richard Nixon. The Southern Realignment happens decades earlier but Presidents Stevenson and Jackson weather the storm by presiding over the largest peacetime economic expansion of any country in human history, making sure (almost) every American has access to a home, healthcare and basic human dignity. America gets its robust European social democratic state, civil rights before 1964 and all other kinds of social goodies, all while U.N. peacekeeping missions across the globe stamp out indigenous insurgencies and ensure that American businesses have access to any market they so desire.
Could either be read as making the crackpot conspiracies of the American right circa ~1960 a reality or a Third Worldist's worst nightmare depending on your politics. Wanted a different pick than Jackson for 1960, but really blanked on anybody who worked better - just imagine the nerdiest, most egghead-ed hawk imaginable instead if you want.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
Robert McNamara picks up the phone. Joke aside, this is a fun list, nice to see a New Deal America that is kind of āGlass Half Fullā for America but āGlass Half Emptyā everywhere else.
theflyingmgoose
Well-known member
SocDem American imperialism is best American imperialism.
Blackentheborg
Dennis Skinner's molotov
- Location
- Grand Hotel Abyss
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Love this, just one nitpick: Gray Davis and Barbara Lee are from the same state
theflyingmgoose
Well-known member
Oh forgot. Davis is retconned with John Kitzhaber.
Antipodes Based on @Thande ās excellent TL.
2009 - 2017: Barack Obama / Joe Biden (Democrat)
2008 def: John McCain / Sarah Palin (Republican)
2012 def: Mitt Romney / Paul Ryan (Republican)
2017 - 2021: Hillary Clinton (Democrat)
2016 (Coalition) def: Donald Trump (Patriot), Bernie Sanders (Progressive), Ted Cruz (Constitution), John Kasich - Marco Rubio (Republican), (Republican-Constitution Fusion), Gary Johnson (Libertarian-Green Alliance)
2021 - 2021: Donald Trump (Patriot)
2020 (Coalition) def: Hillary Clinton (Democrat), Bernie Sanders (Progressive), Ted Cruz - Nikki Haley (Republican-Constitution Fusion), Evan McMullin (Alliance)
2021 - 2022: Donald Trump (Patriot minority)
2022 - 0000: Anthony Fauci (Independent coalition with Democrats, Progressives, and Republicans)
To many on the right their suspicions of the new electoral system being created to benefit the Democrats were only confirmed with Clinton and Sandersā victory in the 2016 election. The Democratic-Progressive coalitions had a comfortable majority in the House, and the death of the Senate and filibuster meant that there was little the Republicans, and their split-offs, could do against āAmericaās most progressive governmentā, as Bernie Sanders called it.
The new 1000+ members of congress immediately went to work, and passed further improvements upon the Affordable Care Act, and further electoral reform within the first hundred days. This was quickly followed by universal preschool, legislation that further closed the gender pay gap, immigration reform, and the enshrining of same-sex marriage into law. Her first real challenges came with, ultimately successful, attempts for Wall Street reform, and the defeat of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Up to that point, the entirety of the Democratic and Progressive party worked together in unison, though by late 2017 the most moderate Democrats became more and more public about their opposition to the āsocialismā of their coalition. This became an even bigger problem when the first defections to the Republican and National party started. There was never really and chance of Clinton losing her majority, but this new development, along with her falling polling numbers, mostly to the benefit of Trumpās Patriots who started to poll in first place, convinced her to slow things down, and attempt to win back the centre. This sudden shift became apparent in 2018, as her and Sanders clashed over fracking and the appropriate approach to the increasingly worsening crisis between Israel and Palestine, though there was never really any danger of the coalition falling apart.
Contrary to Clintonās hopes, this pivot to the centre did not improve her numbers, with 2018 being characterized by Progressive victories in multiple high profile urban district by-elections. Even after Clinton and Sanders rivalry cooled down again, they never found their mojo again, as 2018 and 2019 were much more quiet years, with police- and tax reform being their most notable achievements.
Initially, 2020 looked to become largely the same as the two parties reached a compromise on environmental protection and paid family leave. However, the arrival of the covid-19 virus re-inspired close cooperation between the two, as a gigantic stimulus was passed, as well as monthly aid to struggling business owners and workers. More notable, were the clashes between the President and āred stateā governors over the governmentās lockdown measures, which quickly came to dominate the 2020 election.
While the new government passed bill upon bill, the opposition hardly stood still. Donald Trump officially became āOpposition Leaderā, though this position had little actual power, and the opposition remained mostly divided throughout Clintonās presidency, as their strategies to oppose her administration differed significantly. The Republicans mostly proposed āfiscally responsibleā alternatives to Democratic-Progressive proposals in order to both inspire moderate Democrats to rebel against the majoritiesā proposals, and not seem obstructionist like the Patriots, who attempted to form a cordon sanitaire around the government, even opposing free trade reform bills, simply because they were proposed by the wrong party. The Constitution party attempted to find a balance between these two approaches, collaborating with the Republicans more often on fiscal policy, while being closer to the Patriots on social policy.
Few people were truly sure of how the 2020 elections would pan out, pollsters had underestimated the Democrats in 2012 and 2016, and there were serious fears among those on the right that 2020 would be more of the same. Nevertheless, Democratic polling numbers were much worse than in 2016 or 2012, and the party fought for second place with their coalition partners, who started to embrace an even more radical message, as the pandemic made the worsening of the state of the middle-class increasingly apparent.
On the right, the Republicans and Constitution Party fully embraced fusionism, after already having done so in some states in 2016. This move mostly came on the back of declining polling numbers, as well as fears of Trump cementing his position as the āleaderā of the right, though Nikki Haley made it clear that she was much more willing to cooperate with the orange menace than her 2016 counterparts. The Alliance Party on the other hand saw its two main components, the Libertarians and Greens, split off. Amusingly, the only Alliance members of parliament were Mormon moderates in Utah and Idaho, and transformed the party into a progressive conservative Mormon party with the absence of those radicals.
Nevertheless, the single biggest name in 2020 was still Trump. His party had gained multiple big figure defections from other right-wing parties throughout Clintonās presidency, and was polling in first place ever since 2018, aside from a brief fall immediately after the start of the lockdowns. It were said lockdowns that the Trump campaign dominated their message around, as the Patriots rallied against these measures, with many even questioning the realness of the pandemic, as well as dabbling in numerous other conspiracy theories.
Despite Trump arguably being even more dangerous than 2016, the media and American public had once again underestimated him, as he finished with a big plurality, with the Democrats only barely gaining more seats than third-placed Progressives. There were a variety of theories to explain this development, though vote-splitting on the left, while the right was mostly dominated by the Patriots, is the easiest explanation for Trumpās victory. Nevertheless, he held no majority and had to enter coalition talks with the Republicans and Consitutionists. These talks only finished days before the legal end of Clintonās term, and after multiple Republicans, confirming Trump as the 46th President of the United States, and the first not from one of the two major parties since the mid-19th century.
Trumpās government immediately went to work, slashing multiple pieces of legislation made by Clinton, as well as slashing the tax rates on the wealthiest 1%, though things went much slower than anyone on the right had hoped, as the government was even more split than the previous one in its worst years. One of the main issues was free trade, as many Republicans simply refused to go along with Trumpās proposals. The disagreements between the two only became more apparent when Mitt Romney was elected leader of the Conservative Party over less anti-Trump rivals, and the party ended its close cooperations with the Constitutionists, who had almost completely embraced Trump.
The Patriot-Conservative-Constitution government would survive for a few more months, with Trumpās militaristic reaction to the anti-police brutality riots of 2021 spelling the ultimate end of the government, as Romney pulled his Conservatives out of the coalition, leaving Trump with a minority. Despite some hopes of the Conservatives reaching a compromise with the left, and forming a new government, Romney made it clear that his party did not want to re-enter government any time soon, though he already had to walk back those statements after a few months.
The catalyst for the establishment of a new coalition did not came due to domestic reasons, but from the Democratic partyās biggest enemy, as Vladimir Putinās Russia invaded the Ukraine. Even Trumpās biggest opponents did not expect him to come out in favor of the invasion to such a degree, and multiple MPs of the Consitution Party defected to the Conservatives. A few days later the Democrats, Progressives and Conservatives passed a motion of no confidence against Trump, and replaced him with an unpartisan pick that the three could unite around.
Unsurprisingly, Trump and his supporters were not pleased with this new development, and for a time there were fears that Trump would refuse to leave the White House, though the eventual reaction from the far-right would be much worse, as Trumpists attacked the Capitol when it was voting on Fauci, though a small miracle led to no members of congress being hurt during the attacks. Hours later Trump left for Mar-a-lago, vowing to return soon.
The Fauci government has so far proved to be a divisive one, its components agree on little more than their opposition to Trump, and their investigation into him seems unlikely to halt his attempts to run for the presidency again. Furthermore, the Russian invasion proved to be much less successful than expected, especially with American weapons flooding into Ukraine. It was thus that the Republicans called for general elections in November 2022.
The various parties represented in congress have already started with their plans for the 2022 election, with the Democrats and Progressives, scared of a repeat of 2020, agreeing to running a join-ticket, as party leaders Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders put Elizabeth Warren forward as their presidential candidate. Trumpās patriots have nearly completely cannibalized Cruzā Constitution party, as theyāre also effectively running on a joint-list, though one much more favorable to Trumpās Patriots. Lastly, Romneyās Republicans are running on their own, though the party is doing worse in the polls than ever before, even losing some of its MPs to the Forward Party.
The Forward Party was created by Andrew Yang, formerly a Progressive MP, as a party based primarily on his proposal for UBI. Over the past 12 months the party has attracted politicians and voters from various political backgrounds, ranging from McMullinās Alternative, anti-imperialist leftists, post-Trumpists, and moderate Republicans who are personally opposed to Romney. The party is currently tied with the Republicans in third place.
2009 - 2017: Barack Obama / Joe Biden (Democrat)
2008 def: John McCain / Sarah Palin (Republican)
2012 def: Mitt Romney / Paul Ryan (Republican)
2017 - 2021: Hillary Clinton (Democrat)
2016 (Coalition) def: Donald Trump (Patriot), Bernie Sanders (Progressive), Ted Cruz (Constitution), John Kasich - Marco Rubio (Republican), (Republican-Constitution Fusion), Gary Johnson (Libertarian-Green Alliance)
2021 - 2021: Donald Trump (Patriot)
2020 (Coalition) def: Hillary Clinton (Democrat), Bernie Sanders (Progressive), Ted Cruz - Nikki Haley (Republican-Constitution Fusion), Evan McMullin (Alliance)
2021 - 2022: Donald Trump (Patriot minority)
2022 - 0000: Anthony Fauci (Independent coalition with Democrats, Progressives, and Republicans)
To many on the right their suspicions of the new electoral system being created to benefit the Democrats were only confirmed with Clinton and Sandersā victory in the 2016 election. The Democratic-Progressive coalitions had a comfortable majority in the House, and the death of the Senate and filibuster meant that there was little the Republicans, and their split-offs, could do against āAmericaās most progressive governmentā, as Bernie Sanders called it.
The new 1000+ members of congress immediately went to work, and passed further improvements upon the Affordable Care Act, and further electoral reform within the first hundred days. This was quickly followed by universal preschool, legislation that further closed the gender pay gap, immigration reform, and the enshrining of same-sex marriage into law. Her first real challenges came with, ultimately successful, attempts for Wall Street reform, and the defeat of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Up to that point, the entirety of the Democratic and Progressive party worked together in unison, though by late 2017 the most moderate Democrats became more and more public about their opposition to the āsocialismā of their coalition. This became an even bigger problem when the first defections to the Republican and National party started. There was never really and chance of Clinton losing her majority, but this new development, along with her falling polling numbers, mostly to the benefit of Trumpās Patriots who started to poll in first place, convinced her to slow things down, and attempt to win back the centre. This sudden shift became apparent in 2018, as her and Sanders clashed over fracking and the appropriate approach to the increasingly worsening crisis between Israel and Palestine, though there was never really any danger of the coalition falling apart.
Contrary to Clintonās hopes, this pivot to the centre did not improve her numbers, with 2018 being characterized by Progressive victories in multiple high profile urban district by-elections. Even after Clinton and Sanders rivalry cooled down again, they never found their mojo again, as 2018 and 2019 were much more quiet years, with police- and tax reform being their most notable achievements.
Initially, 2020 looked to become largely the same as the two parties reached a compromise on environmental protection and paid family leave. However, the arrival of the covid-19 virus re-inspired close cooperation between the two, as a gigantic stimulus was passed, as well as monthly aid to struggling business owners and workers. More notable, were the clashes between the President and āred stateā governors over the governmentās lockdown measures, which quickly came to dominate the 2020 election.
While the new government passed bill upon bill, the opposition hardly stood still. Donald Trump officially became āOpposition Leaderā, though this position had little actual power, and the opposition remained mostly divided throughout Clintonās presidency, as their strategies to oppose her administration differed significantly. The Republicans mostly proposed āfiscally responsibleā alternatives to Democratic-Progressive proposals in order to both inspire moderate Democrats to rebel against the majoritiesā proposals, and not seem obstructionist like the Patriots, who attempted to form a cordon sanitaire around the government, even opposing free trade reform bills, simply because they were proposed by the wrong party. The Constitution party attempted to find a balance between these two approaches, collaborating with the Republicans more often on fiscal policy, while being closer to the Patriots on social policy.
Few people were truly sure of how the 2020 elections would pan out, pollsters had underestimated the Democrats in 2012 and 2016, and there were serious fears among those on the right that 2020 would be more of the same. Nevertheless, Democratic polling numbers were much worse than in 2016 or 2012, and the party fought for second place with their coalition partners, who started to embrace an even more radical message, as the pandemic made the worsening of the state of the middle-class increasingly apparent.
On the right, the Republicans and Constitution Party fully embraced fusionism, after already having done so in some states in 2016. This move mostly came on the back of declining polling numbers, as well as fears of Trump cementing his position as the āleaderā of the right, though Nikki Haley made it clear that she was much more willing to cooperate with the orange menace than her 2016 counterparts. The Alliance Party on the other hand saw its two main components, the Libertarians and Greens, split off. Amusingly, the only Alliance members of parliament were Mormon moderates in Utah and Idaho, and transformed the party into a progressive conservative Mormon party with the absence of those radicals.
Nevertheless, the single biggest name in 2020 was still Trump. His party had gained multiple big figure defections from other right-wing parties throughout Clintonās presidency, and was polling in first place ever since 2018, aside from a brief fall immediately after the start of the lockdowns. It were said lockdowns that the Trump campaign dominated their message around, as the Patriots rallied against these measures, with many even questioning the realness of the pandemic, as well as dabbling in numerous other conspiracy theories.
Despite Trump arguably being even more dangerous than 2016, the media and American public had once again underestimated him, as he finished with a big plurality, with the Democrats only barely gaining more seats than third-placed Progressives. There were a variety of theories to explain this development, though vote-splitting on the left, while the right was mostly dominated by the Patriots, is the easiest explanation for Trumpās victory. Nevertheless, he held no majority and had to enter coalition talks with the Republicans and Consitutionists. These talks only finished days before the legal end of Clintonās term, and after multiple Republicans, confirming Trump as the 46th President of the United States, and the first not from one of the two major parties since the mid-19th century.
Trumpās government immediately went to work, slashing multiple pieces of legislation made by Clinton, as well as slashing the tax rates on the wealthiest 1%, though things went much slower than anyone on the right had hoped, as the government was even more split than the previous one in its worst years. One of the main issues was free trade, as many Republicans simply refused to go along with Trumpās proposals. The disagreements between the two only became more apparent when Mitt Romney was elected leader of the Conservative Party over less anti-Trump rivals, and the party ended its close cooperations with the Constitutionists, who had almost completely embraced Trump.
The Patriot-Conservative-Constitution government would survive for a few more months, with Trumpās militaristic reaction to the anti-police brutality riots of 2021 spelling the ultimate end of the government, as Romney pulled his Conservatives out of the coalition, leaving Trump with a minority. Despite some hopes of the Conservatives reaching a compromise with the left, and forming a new government, Romney made it clear that his party did not want to re-enter government any time soon, though he already had to walk back those statements after a few months.
The catalyst for the establishment of a new coalition did not came due to domestic reasons, but from the Democratic partyās biggest enemy, as Vladimir Putinās Russia invaded the Ukraine. Even Trumpās biggest opponents did not expect him to come out in favor of the invasion to such a degree, and multiple MPs of the Consitution Party defected to the Conservatives. A few days later the Democrats, Progressives and Conservatives passed a motion of no confidence against Trump, and replaced him with an unpartisan pick that the three could unite around.
Unsurprisingly, Trump and his supporters were not pleased with this new development, and for a time there were fears that Trump would refuse to leave the White House, though the eventual reaction from the far-right would be much worse, as Trumpists attacked the Capitol when it was voting on Fauci, though a small miracle led to no members of congress being hurt during the attacks. Hours later Trump left for Mar-a-lago, vowing to return soon.
The Fauci government has so far proved to be a divisive one, its components agree on little more than their opposition to Trump, and their investigation into him seems unlikely to halt his attempts to run for the presidency again. Furthermore, the Russian invasion proved to be much less successful than expected, especially with American weapons flooding into Ukraine. It was thus that the Republicans called for general elections in November 2022.
The various parties represented in congress have already started with their plans for the 2022 election, with the Democrats and Progressives, scared of a repeat of 2020, agreeing to running a join-ticket, as party leaders Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders put Elizabeth Warren forward as their presidential candidate. Trumpās patriots have nearly completely cannibalized Cruzā Constitution party, as theyāre also effectively running on a joint-list, though one much more favorable to Trumpās Patriots. Lastly, Romneyās Republicans are running on their own, though the party is doing worse in the polls than ever before, even losing some of its MPs to the Forward Party.
The Forward Party was created by Andrew Yang, formerly a Progressive MP, as a party based primarily on his proposal for UBI. Over the past 12 months the party has attracted politicians and voters from various political backgrounds, ranging from McMullinās Alternative, anti-imperialist leftists, post-Trumpists, and moderate Republicans who are personally opposed to Romney. The party is currently tied with the Republicans in third place.
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AnActualFam
Well-known member
- Location
- Somewhere at Sea
- Pronouns
- He/They
Wow, you somehow managed to make, intentionally or unintentionally, I don't know, America with the modern-day political situation of Israel. Fantastic stuff overall.
I was personally thinking that it would be more akin to Turkey or Italy, with overtime electoral alliances replacing joint-lists. Unlike Israel, or other countries with a simple dāhondt system, the Thandean system is still not all that great for smaller parties, though certainly a whole lot better than the current one, and thus I canāt see total balkanization happen, and instead weāll have 2-4 electoral blocs (centre-left, far-right, centre-right, etc.)
AnActualFam
Well-known member
- Location
- Somewhere at Sea
- Pronouns
- He/They
Oh I was more talking about in the political sense, anti-Bibi/Trump coalition, needing conservatives and progressives, the conservative party falls to utter ruin, people waiting on a trial to finally end, etc. It has a lot of the same beats.
Oh yeah, the anti-Trump coalition was kind of based on the anti-Bibi/Erdogan alliances, as well as Italyās various technocratic governments.