Japhy's HoS&G List Thread

[Japhy]

This isn't some sort of discontent at the main thread which is shaping up fine but I'm going to on some slow work days pull up old lists I've made elsewhere on the web, fix them up a bit and store them here. Obviously people can ask about them or critique them too, especially as more then a few don't stand up to the modern standard and deserve that as well as being reworked.

 

[Japhy]

Go with one of the recent ones first, since I can just pretend there aren't any rewrites necessary.

It Almost Happened Here: The Rise, Fizzle and Fall of American Fascism

So I'm working on my second collection of WWII Vignettes, and, well lets call this list a preview for one of the upcoming shorts. If anyone can guess what the Vignette is going to be specifically about after this I'll be immensely impressed. Also any other comments too, because comments are cooler than likes.

1921-1924: Warren G. Harding / J. Calvin Coolidge (Republican)
1920: James M. Cox / Francis B. Harrison (Democratic)[1]
1924-1925: J. Calvin Coolidge / vacant (Republican)
1925-1926: J. Calvin Coolidge / Henry C. Wallace (Republican)[2]
1924: Franklin D. Roosevelt / Charles W. Bryan (Democratic)[3]
1926-1929: J. Calvin Coolidge / vacant (Republican)
1929-1933: J. Calvin Coolidge / Charles Curtis (Republican)[4]
1928: William G. McAdoo / Thomas J. Walsh (Democratic), William E. Borah / John J. Blaine (Progressive)[5]
1933-1941: Alfred E. Smith / John N. Garner (Democratic)[6]
1932: Charles G. Dawes / Herbert C. Hoover (Republican), Floyd B. Olson / George R. Lunn (Popular Front)[7]
1936: H. Styles Bridges / W. Franklin Knox (Republican), Burton K. Wheeler / Robert R. Reynolds (Unionist), James P. Cannon / Daniel W. Hoan (Popular Front)[8]
1941-1942: John W. Davis / Wendell L. Wilkie (Democratic)[9]
1940: Herbert C. Hoover / Charles L. McNary (Republican), Norman M. Thomas / John W. Ford (Popular Front), Walter W. Waters / Raymond C. Moley (Unionist)
1942-1944: John W. Davis / vacant (Democratic)
1944-1945: John W. Davis / Fiorello H. La Guardia (Democratic / Independent)[10]
1945-1949: John W. Davis / Adolf A. Berle (Democratic)[11]
1944: Herbert C. Hoover / Edward M. Dirksen (Republican), James P. Cannon / Robert M. La Follette, Jr. (Progressive Coalition)

[1] The death of Josephus Daniels in the winter of 1916-17 opened up a prime position in Woodrow Wilson's cabinet that couldn't be wasted on someone who's main basis was talent. While there was much talk about appointing Theodore Roosevelt to the job, the president avoided that by offering the post of Progressive Bainbridge Colby to the job. When the United States entered the First World War, a snubbed, annoyed and Glory hunting Franklin Roosevelt resigned as Assistant Secretary of the department and went to command a Battalion of Marines on the Western Front, where he was decorated for bravery but assured that in the Post-Armistice Wilson administration and its paranoia that he was persona non grata. In spite of this running with his war record and with the cautious support of Governor Al Smith and the quiet neutrality of his Uncle-in-Law he was elected Senator from New York.

[2] Warren Harding had begun an major push to Reform and purge his administration as the Teapot Dome Scandal took over, in the end firing the majority of his cabinet and rehabilitating his reputation partially before his death shortly before the start of the 1924 Primaries. In his leftward shift his Vice President gained major credibility with the GOP Right, and faced no challenges from them as he assumed control of the administration, instead it was an annoyed, disappointed and ascendant Left that had to be appeased, leading to the nomination of one of Harding and Coolidge's more hardline reformers, who in a sad irony would die like his old boss, before completing his term in office.

[3] The 1924 Convention was a battle to the death (or at least exhaustion) between two rough factions that almost aligned with a divide of Rural, Dry and Conservative versus Urban, Wet and Liberal. William G. McAdoo the son in law of Woodrow Wilson and candidate supported by the rapidly growing and terrifyingly empowered Ku Klux Klan steamrolled Anti-Klan Segregationist Oscar Underwood while Tammany Hall former Ward Healer and noted Catholic Al Smith tried to hold the party left together. In the end it took over 100 ballots for the party to find its man in compromise. FDR, War Hero, Senator and Patrician had given the opening address at the New York Convention and been well received. While personally he was disgusted by the Klan and had arrived at the convention intending the passively and with personal regret support Smith, he was convinced to simply remain quiet on the Klan issue, pick the kid brother of William Jennings Bryan as his VP and shout from the rooftops about how the Republican Government was so corrupt the last President had worked himself into the grave trying to confront it. The most hardline elements of the Klan were displeased by this, but most of those Klaverns that had sided with the Democrats delivered, though it was not enough to turn the election around for the Democrats.

[4] While Secretary of Commerce and Undersecretary of Everything Else Herbert Hoover had hoped that 1928 was finally to be his year, in the end Calvin Coolidge, possibly boosted by watching the long drawn-out recovery from blood poisoning and fever of his son Calvin Jr finally end in triumph, chose to seek a second full term and become the longest serving president in American History. While at the time the massive, record breaking victory he had achieved seemed to show that things would only keep getting better, the Credit Bubble, the Farm Slump, Benjamin Strong's incestuous policies with his European Counterparts, the long term repercussions of the loss of the Russian Market, the Florida Real Estate Bubble, and of course the madness of the Stock Market saw it all come crashing down.

As the Stock Market crash turned into the Great Depression Coolidge's legacy was shredded apart as he followed the most hardline of old-school economics, as supported by his long term embattled but supported Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon. Working to cut federal spending and refusing to even subside state-level efforts or a number of purely Republican or bipartisan proposed actions as one in four American Men found themselves out of work. His discussions with General Douglas MacArthur the morning that the Bonus Army Marchers was attacked by the US Army have long been a point of conjure and contention but to most served as the final disgrace, ending any credibility.

[5]After the compromise of Franklin Roosevelt the Democratic Right, convinced in their strength and in the face of that Pre-October of '29 unstoppable economic triumph, were able to take the party, with McAdoo finally getting the nomination he had so long sought. Socialist, Farmer-Labor and other Left wing efforts in the 1920's having failed though, the "lack of option" in 1928, which the late Robert LaFollette had insisted was the litmus test of 1924, the McAdoo nomination did see Progressive deserters, the Socialist Party of America and other factions unite behind a Progressive run by dissident Senator William E. Borah doing well enough in the West that for the next for years various left-wing movements and parties would keep talking in the face of Economic Armageddon.

[6] In the lead up to 1932 there was no question about Governor of New York Al Smith running, his right wing opponents were discredited, the economy of New York had been strong enough that he had been able to launch a number of Liberal Reforms in directions of mass action different then the Progressiveism of the Roosevelt-Taft-Wilson-Harding years with the positive impacts to prove their worth. Furthermore he had a Brain Trust and a Kitchen Cabinet uniting the great minds of the country with the best men of the backrooms of the Democratic Party (And Tammany Hall). John Nance Garner the Speaker of the House had united the South behind him and became the only viable alternative and his selection as Vice President and quiet agreements to see him sitting actively in the cabinet and as the point man for legislation saw Smith easily being able to brush aside Favorite Sons, a Quixotic run by Franklin Roosevelt and strange talk on the furthest left of the party to win a massive landslide.

Over the next few years Smith and his Fair Deal programs would redefine the relationship of the American people and their government, with the creation of numerous relief organizations, work programs, including but not limited to the Works Progress Administration, the half dozen River Valley Authorities, and the Social Security Administration. Men like Robert Moses, James Farley and Joe Kennedy came to national prominence with their efforts though facing intense limits with the Smith administrations firm hold towards the Individualism of Older Progressive thought which was at odds with the younger generation of "Whiz Kids" such as Rexford Tugwell and Raymond Moley who would be forced out of office in the midterms. Easily winning a second term with a comfortable majority, Smith would keep on, battling the United States Supreme Court but avoiding more awkward proposals as offered by some of his Brain Trust, capping off his dramatic terms with the Second Social Security Act, elevating the SSA to the Cabinet and expanding its mandate to include National Health Insurance and legislation to help place Labor Union Representatives on Corporate Boards. For the rest of his life he would insist his greatest accomplishment was the repeal of Prohibition in the first year of his term.

[7] The Progressive Party run and "United Fronts" of the last Coolidge Years ended with a pact between half a dozen parties creating the Popular Front of various Socialist, Communist, and other Radicals in top level ticket. Selecting the Farmer-Labor Governor of Minnesota and the first Socialist Mayor in the United States (Turned radical Democrat, former Lt. Governor of New York and permanent enemy of Al Smith) the Popular Front would horrify much of the country when it won nearly one in ten votes.

[8] The depths of horror of the Coolidge Years and the depression that followed afterwards would see not just a turn towards the Left, but also more radical and populist movements. Farmer-Labor, Non-Partisan League, A New Populist Party, Evangelical Political forces, and countless Independents into office. Huey Long, Fr. Charles Coughlin, and John R. Brinkley being only some of the more prominent figures in this movement. A common thread in these radical right forces was that they initially were supportive of the Smith Administration but inevitably turned against it due countless varied, and often contradictory reasons. Proposing massive populist transformation and often leaning on undemocratic political alliances and machines, and heapings of force to maintain their positions they flirted, as many did in the political mainstream that perhaps Democracy had gone too far. In 1935 and 1936 Huey Long, his Share Our Wealth program in hand began to unite these forces in the Union Party. Bonus Army Radicals, American admirers of Mussolini and Hitler, Social Crediters, Radical Veterans Organizations, Klan Holdouts, and others were quick to join the party as well, naturally drawn to the right-radical nature of its programs and the near-dictatorial centralized nature of the Unionites. In 1936 though its paramilitaries could be written off as modern Wide Awakes, and its program could still be seen as purely reformist, Progressive discontents provided a veneer that allowed it to win four states in the election, as well as numerous lower offices.

The Popular Front on the other hand had begun a decline, dropping down to 6% of the popular vote with the gains of Fair Deal taking many back to the political mainstream. The Popular Front nomination had been offered to the Governor of California but Upton Sinclair had refused and EPIC, the End Poverty In California/In the Country was ensured a permanent Social Democratic component of the Democratic Party (In California the Anti-Poverty Democratic Party is the official name of the state party to this day). That said numerous Mayoralities, Congressional seats and a pair of Senators would remain in Popular Front hands for years to follow, the fact that these offices were generally held by the least radical parties in the front having little impact on national paranoia, and the boosted IWW which was a component couldn't help itself but act as it had a generation ago.

[9]Al Smith heading towards the door, there was talk of Franklin Roosevelt or Herbert Lehman taking the job in 1940, in the end though Smith agreed to support the Border State moderate John Davis, who had served as his Attorney General, rather then seeing what appeared to be a wide open race with few strong options. President Davis, partnered with a Smithite Progressive Ally who had served as head of the National Valley Electrification Board and as the first Secretary of Social Security, won comfortably by generally pointing to the Coolidge legacy and taking advantage of the disarray of the Union Party as "The Kingfish" fled first to Havana and then Paris in 1939 just ahead of the FBI over serious questions of finance and taxes. War was already underway in Europe and the Davis/Wilkie administration took an active role in stepping up support for the Western Allies, pushing beyond Smith's Cash and Carry policies. Opposition for this was strong with the Union Party outright denouncing it and Broad-based Isolationists like the America First Committee and the Keep America Out Of War Committee showing a less reactionary opposition. This though came to an end, first slowly after several violent confrontations between the US Navy's neutrality patrol in the Atlantic and then Immediately with the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor bringing the US into the War in December of 1941. Leftist Opposition to the War would see dramatic political changes on the far left as the more Moscow Oriented factions followed the Moscow line and Zigged from August of 1939 to June of 1941 and Zagged on orders after.

The country nearly entirely closed ranks, except for the Union Party. Membership in a large part plummeted but the remainder was centrally focused on the Defense Committees, State and National Guards. Tapping into a (Actual IOTL) strong national sentiment that didn't conflict with their support for Berlin and Rome they would take the stance that the US War in Europe was unnecessary and that a ceasefire with the Reich and the rest of the European Axis must be secured to defeat the only true enemy: Japan. Paranoid ramblings about Jews and Bankers took away from this but the stream of thought would find a disturbingly secure line of support until Operation Torch just before the 1942 midterms. In February of 1942 the bombing of an Alcoa factory in Upstate New York would begin a year of ever more violent action by the Conestoga Guard: The fascist underground resistance spawned out and supported by much of the Union Party. After years of perpetual duty the National Guards of several Unionist Party stronghold states were considered some of the best in the country and few in the Army high command felt that breaking them up would see much benefit. The tragic result being the attempted Coup of June 1942 in Washington DC.

Doomed by an ideology that was convinced that they had mass US popular support and needed only to decapitate a Marxian-Jewish-Finance conspiracy a small band of National and Conestoga Guards attempted to seize key points in Washington, and to kill various national political figures. Governors Herbert Lehman and Upton Sinclair, Norman Thomas, Bernard Baruch, Supreme Court Justices Benjamin Cardozo and Felix Frankfurter, Ambassador at Large William C. Bullitt and Vice President Wilkie being the most prominent victims of the death squads. There was combat on the lawn of the White House and at the Pentagon. There were several small scale mutiny attempts in the fleet, and one squadron of Dive Bombers attacked random targets in New York City. The coup failed within hours and horrified the nation. The idea that President Davis would "see the light" if only the putsch could "show him the truth" was so far from reality as to have made the whole effort pure madness. For the remainder of the war, there would be a low-level insurgency of Conestoga remnants, mostly limited to terrorizing the Mountain West. The last substantial combat action on the American Front was completed in the Spring of 1945 when the 555th Airborne Regiment (Colored) did a combat drop on a compound in Sonora, Mexico where Conestoga Guard Commander-in-Chief Robert W. Welch was killed in action. Other leaders of the movement and the Union Party having either gone into exile, or been imprisoned or exiled for some time. With the death of Welch what remnants of the Conestoga Guards either disintegrated or went underground with rare attacks in their name occurring as late as 1966.

The American Front would be deemed to have had a negligible impact on the war effort.

[10] In the aftermath of the coup and the murder of Vice President Wilkie an effort was put underway rapidly, with bi-partisan support to establish a means of filling a vacancy in the office and protocol for the incapacitation of a sitting president. With its passage early in 1944 President Davis selected a Progressive, Former Republican who had once brushed up with the Union Party in 1936 before becoming one of its sharpest critics as Mayor of New York. Vice President La Guardia's time in office is seen as a prime example of that Unity Spirit that took over the United States after the coup and would carry on though to V-J Day in December of 1945 with a legacy long after the fact.

[11] There was considerable talk in the country in the lead up to the 1944 election to see a Non Partisan Unity Ticket. Wendell Wilkie would have been the obvious man to lead such a ticket according to Herbert Hoover who had after several years of wartime service as a Special Ambassador been ready and willing to bring the GOP into such a coalition on the bottom of the ticket. Instead the Democratic Party left pushed hard for one of its own young radicals to take the job. Wits noted that there would never be another man on an American ticket named Berle, but the GOP and the organized remnant of the Far Left that had survived Molotov-Ribbentrop and the changing winds of Moscow declined to run with the obvious gift. The 1944 elections would see a level of collusion as the Democrats and the Republicans quietly worked together to ensure that any Independents who were deemed too close to the Union Party were wiped out. No effort at Social Credit or any other such ideology deemed as code for Neo-Fascists would be permitted to make gains in the country for decades to come. A post-war spate of political violence against "Government by Sheriffs" in the former Insurgency heartlands and in some portions of the American South following the trend of the fabled "Battle of Athens" being a topic of concern for years to follow before the "threat" of Servicemen's Non-Partisan Organizations faded with the "reintroduction" of Democracy to the affected areas.

 

[Japhy]

This one is my slow, often undramatic showing of a rather minor incident in the Civil War becoming a giant long term problem for the country. I might come back to this later, version 3.0 would have a more diverse cast for sure.

The Long Decline (2.0)

1861-1865: Abraham Lincoln / Hannibal Hamlin (Republican)[1]
1860: John C. Breckinridge / Joseph Lane (Constitutional “Southern” Democratic), John Bell / Edward Everett (Constitutional Unionist), Stephen A. Douglas / Herschel V. Johnson (National “Northern” Democratic)
1865-1865: Abraham Lincoln / William S. Rosecrans (National Union / Republican)[2]
1864: George McClellan / James W. Denver (Democratic), Francis P. Blair, Jr. / Thomas A. R. Nelson (Unconditional Unionist)[3]
1865-1868: William S. Rosecrans / vacant (National Union)[4]
1868-1869: Benjamin F. Wade / vacant (Republican) [Acting][5]
1869-1873: Ulysses S. Grant / Samuel C. Pomeroy (Republican)[6]
1868: Horatio Seymour / John A. McClernand (Democratic), John Cochrane / John Baxter (Unconditional Unionist)[7]
1873-1875: Ulysses S. Grant / Henry Wilson (Republican)
1872: David Davis / B. Gratz Brown (Liberal Republican / Democratic)[8]
1875-1877: Ulysses S. Grant / vacant (Republican)
1877-1881: Ulysses S. Grant / George Opdyke (Republican)[9]
1876: Winfield S. Hancock / Thomas A. Hendricks (Democratic), Edward P. Allis / Brazillai J. Chambers (National Independent)[10], William S. Groesbeck / George W. Julian (Liberal Republican)
1881-1885: Alphonso Taft / James L. Alcorn (Republican)[11]
1880: Samuel J. Tilden / James R. Doolittle (Democratic), Hendrick B. Wright / Solon Chase (National Independent)
1885-1889: Richard Olney / Allen G. Thurman (Democratic)[12]
1884: Alphonso Taft / James L. Alcorn (Republican), Jesse Harper / Henry George (Greenback Labor)
1889-1893: James A. Garfield / Levi P. Morton (Republican)[13]
1888: Richard Olney / Stephen M. White (Democratic), James B. Weaver / Charles E. Cunningham (Greenback)
1893-1897: James A. Garfield / Robert T. Lincoln (Republican)
1892: John G. Carlisle / Adlai E. Stevenson I (Democratic), James H. Kyle / James G. Field (Anti-Monopolist)[14]
1897-1901: Charles W. Foster / Henry C. Evans (Republican)[15]
1896: William F. Vilas / William C. Whitney (Democratic), Richard P. Bland / Marion Butler (Anti-Monopolist)
1901-1902: Charles W. Foster / Theodore Roosevelt (Republican)[16]
1900: Winfield S. Schley / John W. Daniel (Democratic), John R. Rogers / Charles A. Towne (Anti-Monopolist), Albert R. Parsons / Job Harriman (Socialist)[17]
1902-1905: Theodore Roosevelt / vacant (Republican)[18]
1905-1906: Theodore Roosevelt / Robert R. Hitt (Republican)
1904: William J. Bryan / Bird S. Coler, Milford W. Howard (Democratic / Anti-Monopolist), Max S. Hayes / Charles E. Russell (Socialist), William J. Stone / George B. McCellan, Jr. (National Democratic)[19]
1906-1909: Theodore Roosevelt / vacant (Republican)
1909-1913: Theodore Roosevelt / John M. Parker (Immediate Reformist / Official "Roosevelt" Republican)[20]
1908: William J. Bryan / George Turner (Democratic / Anti-Monopolist), William D. Haywood / Voltairine de Cleyre (Socialist), Henry Cabot Lodge / Charles J. Bonaparte (Lincoln Republican)
1913-1917: T. Woodrow Wilson / John Burke (Democratic)[21]
1912: John M. Eshleman / Homer D. Call (Official "Roosevelt" Republican), Eugene V. Debs / Ross Winn (Socialist)
1917-1918: T. Woodrow Wilson / Nicholas M. Butler (National Union / Democratic)[22]
1916: Elihu Root / Bainbridge Colby (Republican)[23], Robert M. LaFollette / George W. Norris (Progressive)[24], William J. Bryan / Burton K. Wheeler (Constitutional “Peace” Democratic)[25], Allan L. Benson / C. Kathrine R. O’Hare (Commonwealth)[26]
1918-1921: Nicholas M. Butler / vacant (National Union)[27]
1921-1925: William G. McAdoo / A. Mitchell Palmer (Democratic)[28]
1920: [Warren G. Harding] Herbert C. Hoover / Edward L. Jackson (Republican)[29]

Notes

[1] - The decisive crisis for the Republic during the Civil War came not on the battlefield where defeats were unfortunately common and casualties high, or the riots in cities like Troy, Boston and New York, but in the halls of Congress in December of 1863. For between 15 and 6 months members of Congress had been elected or waited to be elected for the new body, and were for the first time that winter to meet and present the credentials and certifications of their election for the new term. But a plot, hatched by Southern Unionists who had not been permitted seating on July 4th 1861's emergency secession, Democrats of the "Moderate" and Copperhead Factions, Western "Free-Soil" Republicans and their proxies in the border state Unionist and Unconditional Unionist parties, saw a coup take place the day of certification.

Tennessee Opposition Emerson Etheridge, an ally of Andrew Johnson, who had been appointed Clerk of the House in 1861 for his loyalty to the Union at the loss of his state and home, had crossed over to join the Conservative discontents who sought to force Lincoln to compromise and seek an end to the war via negotiation. With this intent in mind he surprised the Congress in what would have been his final official act before being renewed to the post by declaring invalid the Republican returns in several Midwest and Eastern states on technical grounds, while validating those of Unionists sent from Virginia and Tennessee. In the immediate aftermath of this the Pro-Peace majority under the banner of the "Conservative Coalition" nominated and elected Samuel S. "Sunset" Cox, an Ohio Copperhead as Speaker of the House and then fought off an immediate attempt by the Republicans to nominate counter to him, Elihu Washburne as a replacement Speaker.*

In the aftermath of this Congress would pass several bills and resolutions, calling for investigations against the Republican administration, calling for states to refuse to raise further forces for the Union Army, and beginning proceedings to impeach President Lincoln. This was only brought to an end when under the orders of the President and various members of his cabinet arrests were made of Etheridge and several members of the Peace Democrats. In the resulting chaos the Republicans regained the Clerks office, accepted all of the previously rejected certifications of those Republicans denied seats and elected Washburne, as the Senior most Republican in the House to be Speaker. Thus ended the Pro-Peace Revolution in the House and began another charge of Lincoln's quest for dictatorship. Units of the Union Army were kept close at hand for the rest of the war, in the event that extra-legal means were required to maintain the Union.

[2] - In the year following the Etheridge Coup, the Pro-war Republicans put much effort into redeveloping ties with the Unionist, and Unconditional Unionist Parties and to rebuild connections with the Western Republicans and Southern Unionists. The mixed success of the effort was capped with the nomination of a Popular General among these groups (Also a darling of the War Democrats who he often found favor with), William Rosecrans to be Lincoln's second Vice President. Being as Rosecrans was doing nothing at his home at this point thanks in no small part to being the only Union General to abandon their Army in the field, there was no drastic impact of this on the war effort. The effect was useful in that most of the opposition Republicans and their allies were brought back to the fold for election day and the War Democrats showed their loyalty as well, helping secure Lincoln his victory.

[3] - The opposition found itself both empowered and further weakened after the week long Speakership of Sunset Cox. On one hand the Democratic Party found itself able to win back the state of New York in the election. On the other hand it only won Kentucky, Delaware and New Jersey in addition to that. Opposition votes actually outnumbered the Republicans in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and in all of the Border States but the refusal of the Blair Family machine to join in a united ticket with the Democrats meant that Unconditional Unionist votes split with the Democrats, winning for that party only the state of Missouri, and in turn assuring Lincoln a second term.

[4] - The price of a National Unionist Victory in 1864 though came due in April of 1865 with the assassinations of President Lincoln and Secretary of State Seward. Having assumed the Presidency by the Assassins bullets, Rosecrans at once sought to swiftly move the nation past the war. By as rapidly as possible seeing the end of reconstruction and the reentry of the Southern political elites into the political union. This in turn would see him rapidly clash with the Radical members of Congress. While Congress fought for ascendancy the representatives of the three former Confederate States that Rosecrans had seen brought back into the Union (Tennessee, Virginia, and Louisiana) undermined their operations. Rosecrans would eventually be seen as the "Veto" President as he time and again sought to prevent Radical Republican agendas to be enacted.

At the same time he began to work with Francis P. Blair and several other Unconditional Unionists and Democrats to try and turn the National Union Party which had elected him Vice President in 1864 into being a real, meaningful National Party.

[5] - Conflict came to a head when in December of 1866 Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act after Rosecrans fired all Lincoln cabinet members with the exception of Edwin Stanton and Gideon Welles. Under the law, Congress would have to authorize their removal. Passed over the President's override, Rosecrans sought to remove both men from their posts anyway while Congress was out of secession the next spring. When the new Congress came into secession in March the reaction was swift. When with Congressional authorization Stanton moved to resume command of the War Department, he was removed by Rosecrans' chosen replacement General Lorenzo Thomas with a company of provost guards who occupied the War Department via force. The standoff continued for several days as troops under Thomas took control of key points in Washington, and many feared the start of dictatorship was imminent. The panic lasted two days until General Grant arrived on scene to order as General-in-Chief the standing down of forces. For this he was in turn sacked by Rosecrans, but only after Pro-Congressional Officers were mustered in the city to command the troops there, after many confused conferences, conflicting orders and tense standoffs the ersatz Secretary of War Thomas was arrested either under the orders of William T. Sherman or George H. Thomas depending on ones legal perspective, and the troops that had followed his orders were mustered out of service. The firings of Senior Generals Grant and Sherman from their commands were later annulled by Congress.

In the aftermath of this crisis though, with "politically reliable" units on hand, Congress impeached the President and saw the President pro tempore of the Senate, Benjamin Wade assume the office of Acting President. The nations reaction was divided, in circles in the Democratic cities of the North East came calls for a March on Washington to re-enthrone the deposed President or install a Democratic-allied tin pot. In the South there were in fact waves of increased violence by the Redshirts, KKK, and other such groups. By and large though in much of the country the reaction was loud but calm, and the Constitutionality of the Wade administration was accepted once the Chief Justice approved of it.

[6] - Not even a provisional incumbent could stop Ulysses Grant from winning the Republican Convention of 1868. The Hero of Donaldson, Vicksburg, Appomattox and defender of the Constitution also could not be stopped from securing a massive that November. Work at once was underway to redevelop the Freedmen's Bureau, to roll back the excesses of Rosecransian non-Reconstruction and to secure Civil Rights for African Americans. In 1870 this would be put to the test as Nathan Bedford Forrest commanded his army of white robed Klansmen in rebellion against the state government, in an attempt to overthrow the regime. Federal Troops rushed to the state under the command of Philip Sheridan who would fight three battles with Forrest's army at Nashville, Shelbyville and finally at Hoover's Gap where the daring of Colonel George Custer at the cost of his life assured that, the rebel army was finally forced to surrender.

While Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee had gotten off lightly in 1865 neither Grant or the Union had much interest in letting a second time offender go, Forrest was executed in Memphis two months after his surrender. Martial Law declared across Tennessee and with the acquiescence of the Brownlow government the state became the sight of some of the most radical reconstruction efforts.

[7] - Unconditional Unionist efforts to win in the South in 1868 contributed massively to the development of the "New Departure" as Southern Conservatives sought to turn the party into an acceptable alternative to the Secessionist Democrats whose elections would continue to see non-acceptance by Republicans and the Republican party which none could stand voting for.

[8] - In 1872 Unconditional Unionists, Democrats, and those old Free Soil Republicans who felt that Civil Rights was a wasted effort came together to unite under a Populist, Civil Service Reform based platform against Grant. David Davis' wins in the South though were not matched with gains in the big Northern States needed to win the election, though appeals to the working class would have long term effects on the nations political divisions.

[9] - Between the Crisis of 1868, the Tennessee Campaign of 1870 and the battles that developed between Redeemer groups and the new bi-racial regimes of Reconstruction states that saw continued troop deployments throughout Grant's second term, it could be said the Civil War was far from over in 1876. Ulysses S. Grant in agreement, allowed for the Republican Party to renominate him for an unprecedented third term, the efforts of Democrats decrying the End of American Democracy not being enough to stop him.

Grant's third term would start with the first visit by a sitting American President to California, via the newly completed Transcontinental Railway. It would be defined in the popular memory as an era of cracking down on the Corruption that had developed in his Government, as he sought to develop Civil Service reforms with the help of Senator Roscoe Conkling and Attorney General Taft. For time spent on the issue though, the term would be as defined by the efforts of Reconstruction as his previous two though, as massive RNC political support was poured into cementing Republican power in Southern States and with Military Power being used to keep voting rights on the table for African Americans. The result in 1878 would be "The birth of the New South" where Republican candidates could assure in general, at least a third of the vote for themselves, and gains beyond that regularly which could add up into any number of elected offices, both State and Federally. Grant would leave office with four Southern Republican Senators, Two Governors and numerous Congressmen as well as state officials.

[10] - In the aftermath of the Economic Panic of the 1870's Pro-Inflation Political movements took off in the United States, where hopes for easy wiping away of debts were tied in with labor agitation, and for Civil Service Reform. The National Independence Party would manage with a platform catering to all of that to get 5% of the vote, many ballots cast just as much in protest though of Grant's third term. The numbers though, did secure the party long term legitimacy.

[11] - Grant, tired and often ill at the end of his third term could not be talked into another run. But he did talk the Republican Party into nominating the Great reformer of his administration. Alphonso Taft in office would oversee the end of Reconstruction. The complex web of compromises which oversaw the agreement between Southern Democrats and Southern Republicans to have peace in the midst of all of the departure was ignored by the Federal Government, who with a country tired of the Civil War, and in trying to maintain the rights they had hoped to see entrenched for the Freedmen, set new standards for ignoring unconstitutional actions in the American South.

[12] - Quiet backroom compromises or no, the "Solid South" --- which was in fact quite leaky --- was enough to help see in 1884 the election of the first Democratic President in 24 years, and the last for another 24 to follow. Olney, a former Governor and part of the newly ascendant Bourbon reformers of the Party. Tariff Reduction, and the the Income Tax Amendment were major issues. Along with the passage of the Sherman Silver Act which subsidized Western miners by calling for limited Federal Coinage of the metal. Hopes that he could actually do things with the Income Tax law when it came on the books though were dashed by his failure to secure reelection following the panic of 1886 which saw the United States fall into a crippling depression.

[13] - With the defeat of an Ohio man four years before the Republican Party simply did what was becoming natural to it and nominated another Ohioan. Governor and Senator James A Garfield. Garfield's administration while interested in Civil Service reforms and with a renewed interest towards Freedmen's Rights was generally a quiet one. While the United States government pushed on as it always did, selling lands, making and breaking treaties with Native Tribes and playing arbiter in Latin America, the Garfield Administration would be remembered more for the works of men like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller and their clashes and compromises with the limits of capitalist expansion and with their often violent, sometimes commendable relationship with the growing Organized Labor movement in the United States. Garfield with the pressing of Rockefeller would send Federal Troops to break up Striking Miners in the Rocky Mountains in 1893. In 1895 he would serve as the requested arbiter in the Carnegie vs Steelworker's Union negotiations that led to that Union's recognition by the bosses. In each case though the nation would note, Garfield was not the man to step in until asked.

[14] - The Greenback movement was superseded and absorbed in 1892 by a New Political Party that brought discontented Farmers, Agrarian Radicals, and Utopians and a few Unions together into the new Anti-Monopoly Party which won a handful of western states.

[15] - Another election and another Ohioan. Charles Foster would be remembered more than anything in his first term for his actions in 1898, when he led the United States into a brief, bloody conflict with Chile wherein the United States Navy would defeat the much vaunted Chilean Armada and the US Army would join Bolivia and Peru in defeating the Chilean Army in the North of that country. The peace Treaty would secure for the US Easter Island, compensation for the loss of the USS Baltimore who's sinking triggered the war, and little else. The US Government though would use the war as an excuse to invade Little Hawaii too and annex the whole Kingdom for itself, this being done with Congressional authorization only coming after the fact.

[16] - Theodore Roosevelt, a young firebrand whose service leading a Volunteer Infantry Regiment across the Peruvian-Chilean border earned him a massive boost as a war hero, which he then rode to become the annoying Governor of New York. The Vice Presidency was expected to shut him up for at least a few years. Trouble started with this vision at once as Roosevelt, finding himself not particularly welcome at the Cabinet and lacking power of his own decided to create what would become the First "Shadow Cabinet" in American History, bringing in all sorts of friends and allies to serve as unofficial staffers and editorialists. Using what power he posses as President of the Senate he would buck with that body, fighting "empty traditions" with "the powers of the law", and attempted from his high seat to create a a Progressive Alliance of Conservative-minded reformers from all parties to dominate policy. His efforts to push the administration further towards his social reforms aggravated many in the party, and Senate leaders blocked much of what they could and President Foster simply went on ignoring the rest.

[17] - While the "Hero of the Falklands" tried to rally Bourbon Democracy for a return to the White House, and the Farmer's Alliance Governor of Washington hoped to take the whole center of the country, a new Political Movement based on an alliance of breakaways from the Workingmen's Party and dissident AFL radicals came together to create the National Labor Congress and Socialist Party.

[18] - For those who wished Roosevelt would just go away for a decade or so, bad news struck when President Foster died of an aneurysm and after 16 months of unhappy, impotent waiting Theodore Roosevelt became President. At once the old cabinet was out, the new one, led by Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby and Commerce and Labor Secretary Gifford Pinchot. And at once the fight was underway between TR and his brand of Charismatic Progressivism and a less than united front of Republican reformers, conservatives, and moderates for whom the new President was an out of control bronco. As Roosevelt sought drastic actions: Forcing Colombia to sign the Panama Canal Treaty of 1903 with a deployment of US Battleships, and his famous work mediating the Sino-Japanese War in 1904, the setting aside of millions of acres in National Parks and Forrests and the passage with tri-partisan support of the Food and Drug Inspection Act later that same year, there was growing opposition, The Civil Rights Act of 1903 Passed over the President's Veto, the President's Stock Market Act was never even voted on n the Senate.

In 1904 a serious effort to replace Roosevelt with a more amiable reformer led to a major fight between he and his fellow New Yorker, James S. Sherman, and the more radical and less-sane Robert LaFollette, but in the end TR held on, and took the party into its fifth consecutive term, in a watershed election at that, his wild popularity helping many an opponent in his own party, dispute his efforts to the contrary.

Roosevelt's Second Term, his large popular mandate in hand, would prove even more challenging than the last, though this time there was another card to be played, as Roosevelt called for and received an Article Five Convention to amend the Constitution. Enough Governors staffed their delegations correctly, and Roosevelt's wildly popular support saw the voters did their part in creating what would go down in History as the Progressive Amendments: Income Taxes, Poll Tax Bans, Popular Voting for Senate Elections, The moving up of the Presidential Inauguration, and a Constitutional Right for Recalls and Referendums all would come out of the watershed event, being ratified between 1905 (The Inauguration Amendment) to 1910 (Recalls and Referendums. The triumph of the Convention, not to mention changes in the Democratic Party, the end of the Civil War Generation's political dominance and the massive Progressive Movement across the country would come together to see TR's Second term be transformation.

By 1908 US Troops were occupying Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the US Navy was on a growth program unmatched since the Civil War, another two Amendments for the Right of Women to Vote and to ban Child Labor were soon to pass Congress, and Roosevelt had signed into law the Eight Hour Workday, the Farm Relief Bill, the Federal Exchanges Insurance Law, the Stocks and Bonds Regulation Board Act, and the Supreme Court had ruled the Federal Government did have the right to break up Trusts. TR could rest easy, knowing that no President since Lincoln had seen so much change. His enemies, bruised and beaten back by the first Recall Elections that had been cheered on by the Yellow Press and the Red President, could at least tell themselves too that the end of his time was near.

[19] - As dramatic as the Roosevelt renomination, was the triumph of the Populist reform element in the Democratic Party over the Bourbons. William Jennings Bryan, the charismatic Senator from Nebraska defeated Charles F. Adams, Jr. for the Democratic Nomination and immediately brought the Party into an Alliance with the Anti-Monopolists. Dreams of creating a United Front for Reform though, were not able to win over the Socialists. But the damage to the Conservative establishment was done, the Democratic Party would not become the refuge as many hoped of the Reactionaries, and TR and Bryan would have to duel not across the Left and Right but about just what sort of reform was needed most.

[20] - In 1908 though Roosevelt was not done, and so, citing Grant, and using very selective support for Recalls the opposition was pushed back, and the Third Term came. GOP rivals were shunted out of the party, not even old friends could be left if they came in opposition, opposition meant Roosevelt was glad to be "forced" to accept the nomination of a "New" Political Party, and helped leverage that to force the GOP convention in turn. The election secured, Roosevelt would spend his third term seeking to drastically reform the nature of American Government. Trusts that weren't broken up were forced to work closely with the Department of Commerce and Labor, Social Welfare came with unemployment, retirement, and injury insurance becoming the law of the land. Basic Healthcare was guaranteed by the Government and run though the Public Health Service under the Surgeon General (Now a Cabinet Position). The Stock Market Crash of 1911 in turn would see massive Banking reforms would be passed over Congressional Authorization thanks to the most drastic Referendum vote that Roosevelt had been able to assemble to Governors to trigger yet. And in 1912 it all over, Roosevelt headed off towards his nothing-but-loud and colorful retirement, starting with a tour of Asia, from Japan to India and Tibet.

[21] - With Roosevelt gone, and Bryan twice defeated, the field was open in 1912, and Conservative-Reformer Governor of Virginia Woodrow Wilson came into the White House as the first Democratic President in a quarter of a Century. Wilson embraced at once much of the "New Democracy" that Roosevelt had created and added even more. In 1913 the Federal Reserves Act would revolutionize and decentralize banking across the country, while in 1914 the National Labor Relations Act would recognize Unions in the eyes of the Federal Government for the first time.

But a quiet, respectable era of reform was interrupted, when the Bulgarian occupation of Istanbul --- or as they called it Tsargrad --- triggered the long feared Great War in Europe. As the Ottomans fell into a multi-faceted Civil War, and the Balkan Pact collapsed in an orgy of double crosses and secret treaties the Russians, then Germans and Austro-Hungarians, then French all entered into a General conflict in the late Summer of 1914. And as German troops marched unopposed though Belgium on their way to France, and then took Paris, the British and American governments could only look on in horror. But France held on, Britain came in following a confrontation with a German Battle Cruiser in the Straights of Dover, as the line held in Normandy the United States soon found itself slipping into the war, and in 1915 with the Sinking of the SS President Washington in the Irish Sea by a German submarine, the United States came in too. A Referendum to Stop the War was pushed up to only weeks off the declaration of war, the result when tied in with the Press Coverage and support of both Major Parties would lead to its drastic failure.

[22] - After the 1915 Referendum, the National Security Act, the Espionage Act, the Executive Order which interned thousands of Central Powers national immigrants, the Draft, the Draft Riots, the arrests of most of the upper Socialist leadership, the Canadian River Rebellion, the Johnson Crisis, The Easter Uprising, and First Day on the Seine, thousands and thousands were dead and Paris was still in German hands. With national opposition growing, Wilson appealed to Lincoln and revived the National Union banner, this time as a front for Democrats and the Pro-Administration Republican Party to support the war. Unsurprisingly to those paying attention to the country where the American Protective League out in force, they won.

[23] - With Theodore Roosevelt serving as the Major General in command of the 1st (Volunteer) Cavalry Division in East Africa, the Republican Party found itself far more easily reunited on one axis that it hadn't been in years. The Party would embrace a Pro-War stance, though one calling for drastically different policies on the Home Front.

[24] - Peace Republicans were co-opted by the LaFollette fringe of the Progressive Wing. Their campaign was seriously damaged by the efforts of the Justice Department and the Protective League.

[25] - Peace Democrats would turn to their old Champion, Bryan who had briefly served as Wilson's Pre-War Secretary of the Treasury. Only the egos of Bryan and LaFollette would prevent the creation of a meaningful, bi-partisan Peace Party.

[26] - Another issue for a real Peace Front was that the party that should ideologically have been most for it, had technically speaking ceased to Exist. With the Socialist leadership locked up, and with the press censored it was only the Pro-War segment of the party that had a leg to stand on. As such they were glad to take a new name, call for a Class War against the Despots of the Central Europe, and Ms. O'Hare's most famous work.

[27] - And then As the Russian regime was collapsing out of the war, and Paris was finally liberated, Wilson died of a Stroke, and just like with Lincoln, suddenly the other party was in power.

Butler would lead the US to victory, as in the Spring of 1918 American, Commonwealth, and French forces finally made it to the Rhine. And then came the peace. Or what some might call as peace. Red Scares, and Race Riots in Northern Cities joined the Internment and Internal Controls as the nation faced "A Grave National Crisis." Some had hoped that Butler would agree with his own party and start to wind things down as the war ended, but as assassinations and bombings kept on across the country with protests, riots and strikes, Butler kept it going indefinitely.

[28] - In 1920, Butler abandoned by his own party and not ever a real member of his new party, was replaced by Wilson's Son-in-Law and the "Acting President" of the Wartime home front. Liberalization, as it was, slowly came. In some fronts.

[29] - Warren Harding made a name for himself as a supporter of the war, but one of the most vocal opponents of the war measures at home. His assassination by a Russian-inspired Anarchist seeing his Vice President, who had served as chair of the Wartime Mining Control Board, promoted to the top of the ticket. And the Pro-Wilson Wartime Governor of Indiana was added on. Full acceptance of the government's actions, and the ban on the Socialist Party in 46 States still wasn't enough.

[*]This is obviously the PoD, least it be considered too fantastic to consider, one must realize that the Etheridge Conspiracy was a real thing, called by Representative Henry L. Dawes (R-PA) to be "The greatest danger to the Union since the First Battle of Bull Run." Luckily for the country the inability for Congressmen to keep their mouths shut was true even then, and the Republican leadership in the House was able to learn of the plot before the first day of the secession, at which point preparations had been made to prevent Etheridge from refusing credentials and wooing enough Unionists over that along with the War Democrats they were able to maintain control. Incidentally the idea of making Washburne speaker on strictly Party Seniority grounds (As was the system used in the Senate) was the planned "Worst Case" response to the plot.

 

[Mumby]

Go with one of the recent ones first, since I can just pretend there aren't any rewrites necessary.

It Almost Happened Here: The Rise, Fizzle and Fall of American Fascism

So I'm working on my second collection of WWII Vignettes, and, well lets call this list a preview for one of the upcoming shorts. If anyone can guess what the Vignette is going to be specifically about after this I'll be immensely impressed. Also any other comments too, because comments are cooler than likes.

[sits in the corner being immensely impressive]

 

[Japhy]

[sits in the corner being immensely impressive]

i carry your heart with me bob (i carry it in
my heart bob)

 

[Japhy]

I don't normally go on about this, because I'm notable for being the NOT BERNIE type of guy, but if I am to be honest a big part of my political education even when I was in the GOP was based on being the working class son of working class Union members. So you know, one day I might actually do something with this one because its the best Alternate Labor History idea for American History IMO.

When the Worker's Inspiration Though the Union's Blood Shall Run...

Much like how I previously remade my President Hamer list, a few months ago I've decided it would be fun to go back and look over, and revise probably my personal favorite list, Commonwealth vs. Pullis Goes Differently, a timeline about the Federal Case against Unions in 1805/1805 going the other way, seeing the legalization of striking and thus Unions well before the 1842 Decision that countered Pullis. So, from the very start of the country we're going to have workers and tradesmen joining together, which will inevitably have political effects...


1805-1809: Thomas Jefferson / George Clinton (Republican)[1]
1804: Charles C. Pinckney / Rufus King (Federalist)
1809-1817: James Madison / John Langdon (Republican)[2]
1808: Rufus King / Richard H. Lee III (Federalist)
1812: George Truitt / Francis C. Lowell (Federalist), Aaron Burr / various ("Reform Club" Republican)[3]
1817-1825: DeWitt Clinton / Albert A. A. Gallatin (Clintonian Republican, later Populist / "Jeffersonian" Republican)[4]
1816: Rufus King / Francis C. Lowell (Federalist), William H. Crawford / Levi Lincoln, Sr. (“Jeffersonian” Republican)[5]
1820: William H. Crawford / Edward Lloyd V (“Jeffersonian” Republican)
1825-1828: Andrew Jackson / Samuel Smith (Populist)[6]
1824: William H. Crawford / various (Old Republican)
1828-1829: Andrew Jackson / vacant (Populist)[7]
1829-1833: Andrew Jackson / Nathan Sanford (Populist)[8]
1828: John C. Calhoun / Morgan Lewis (Confederate)[9]
1833-1841: Stephen Decatur, Jr. / John J. Astor, Sr. (Independent)[10]
1832: Nathan Sanford / John Tyler (Populist)
1836: John Q. Adams / Richard M. Johnson (Populist)
1841-1845: Langdon Cheves / John W. Taylor (Whig)[11]
1840: Richard H. Benton / John Tyler (Populist)
1845-1849: John McLean / James M. Clayton (Whig)[12]
1844: Richard H. Benton / Charles Stewart (Populist)
1849-1853: Martin Van Buren / William O. Butler (Populist)[13]
1848: Andre B. Roman / George C. Washington (Whig), John P. Hale / William A. Graham (National American)[14]
1853-1853: Daniel Webster / Kenneth Rayner (Whig)
1852: Martin Van Buren / William O. Butler (Populist)
1853-1857: Kenneth Rayner / vacant (Whig)[15]
1857-1865: Cornelius Vanderbilt / John Bell (Whig)[16]
1856: Andrew J. Donaldson / Franklin Pierce (Populist)[17]
1860: Robert M. T. Hunter / Joseph Lane (Populist), Andrew Johnson / Jacob A. Westervelt (Democratic) [18]

Notes:

[1] - Jefferson's second term is pretty much as per IOTL. The largest change being the growth of unions and trade organizations in the workshops and small factories across the young republic's cities. On the local level the midterm elections in 1806 are in these areas dominated by discussions about courting these workers or rejecting them, some of those decentralized clubs that make up the republicans support the workers, a few reject them. On the Federalist side, the same discussion happens, but with divisions developing at a much wider rate. Jefferson's main problem with the Unions was that Aaron Burr took it upon himself to be one of their leading advocates from his New York law firm. For Burr the job became so big that any ideas about New Orleans or Kentucky or Tennessee faded into the background.

[2] - Under President Madison the Unions finally gain their real in, as members of the Democratic Republican Party. In the Federalist marches of New England, Union members made up some of the only Pro-War forces in the War of 1812. While maritime related unions were less supportive, they did prove to be supportive of the Privateer Fleet of the US Navy. Thus it was that a generation of new Congressmen from varied cities across the country were Democrats.

[3] - In the midterm elections, the disgraced former Vice President finally made his play to get back into American Politics, representing those those Unions that were issuing more drastic demands, like a 10 or 8 hour day.

[4] - In 1817 the chickens came to roost when the Pro-Union forces in the Democratic and Republican Parties finally made there move, allowing Pro-Union governor of New York, Dewitt Clinton took the nomination and the White House. Clinton would try to support the "Era of Good Feelings" that was developing the US. Partly this was doable because he more than any other Republican could appeal to moderate Federalists. On the other hand, more than anyone else he isolated those Republicans who supported the "Idea of '98". In regards to workers rights, Clinton would be most remembered for his 1820 Executive Order requiring all Federal Contractors, Shipyards, and Arsenals to operate on 10 hour days for their workers, and required them to negotiate wages with Unions. Also sought and secured the purchase of West Florida from Spain in 1822.

[5] - William Crawford would pick up the banner of Jeffersonian Opposition in 1816, being endorsed by John Randolph, and leading his organization into the wilderness for years, being only viable in the Deep South.

[6] - Clinton's Secretary of War would become the new president in 1824. In 1826 he would sign The National Labor Act mandating a 10 hour work day for all laborers. Workers involved in building the nation's canals and railroads were allowed to Unionize for the first time. But trouble began to brew in the second half of his first term when South Carolina and the State of Florida both nullified Federal Tariff Laws.

[7] - In 1828 as the election approached, Vice President Smith resigned. At the same time, a militia in South Carolina tarred and feathered a Federal Tax Collector. Potshots at US Revenue Cutters increased the crisis.

[8] - In 1829 the United States found itself in a war with itself. The states of South Carolina, Georgia, West Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana found themselves in varied degrees of revolt, with only three of them not having "exile" Governments in Washington. Militias as far north as Maryland followed suit, leading to the first 18 months of Jackson's second term to be those of Civil War, with the President often in the field. By the time it was over, several thousand men were dead. Half of Charleston was destroyed. Jackson was victorious but the country was severely shaken. John C. Calhoun would be executed for treason. The Unions secured for themselves the loyalty of the Populist Party though, having quickly rushed to the cause, with entire regiments being raised to help the fight. The Men of the 22nd NY "Ironmongers" and the 42nd Pennsylvania "Consolidated Longshore Workers" Regiments would be heralded as some of the toughest men in the Federal cause.

[9] - The Old Republicans mutated to their final form in 1828, demanding decentralization of Federal Authority under the threat of force. It didn't work too well.

[10] - But the aftermath of the War proved to be a terrible blow to the country. Jackson's wartime economics saw a quick collapse of banking when peace returned, fragmenting the Populist Party. With the collapse of the Confederates in the war, the opposition to Jackson was as varied as it was disunited. As a result, on the local level, public meetings called for one of the Big Heros of the war, the US Admiral who took Charleston to take the White House. And he did.

Stephen Decatur came in as the man of the hour in 1833. With his fantastically wealthy VP though he soon showed that on the domestic stage, he became the supporter of the Factory Owner as Industrialization began to speed up in the United States. Decatur would internationally be remembered for signing the 1837 treaty with Mexico establishing the border on the Nueces River. Domestically he would become historically infamous for using US Army troops to break a General Strike in Philadelphia, the home of Unionism, and for renouncing the 10 hour work day.

[11] - In the waning days of the Decatur administration his supporters on their plantations, banks, Factory Offices, the Jeffersonian Clubs, Yeoman Farms, and in their Masonic Halls came together to form the new Whig Party. Their first Candidate, the Great Southern Banker who had stood on the sides in the "tragic war". Cheves would be remembered for his Free Trade Policies, and his entrenchment of Anti-Union law across the nation. As a result, the Popular Party found itself growingly radicalized, but in the face of the Decatur Coalition, found its way back to high office, tough to open.

[12] - In 1844 though the Whigs selected a more moderate ticket, seeking to further cement their powers, while seeking to appease all parties by pledging itself to a one-term limit for the President. McLean would change his policies from being pro-actively Anti-Union to being vaguely uncaring about the plight of workers and slaves. Instead the conflict of his administration would be in the halls of Congress, led by varied figures who would seek to disestablish a central policy. As a result things shifted constantly across the country. At times New York was the most Pro-Union segment of the country, but the same could often be said for Ohio, depending on who the Governor was. The rapid change in Michigan on this issue would see to a massive growth in Unions after years of oppression. And in Louisiana, Unions would grow to Control New Orleans and have zero influence in the rest of the state. While in Louisiana the Populists would struggle with the months long yearly unemployment in New Orleans to be able to build influence in Louisiana.

[13] - Martin Van Buren would reissue the Clinton Order as his first move in office. But his four year term would be hamstrung by failures to exert influence on Congress. Pressure in Congress was developing in the name of Expanding the territorial claims of the States of Texas and of West Texas (Uniting ironically, Mexico and Spain against the US.) It would take every bit of Van Buren's influence to keep the country out of war. Domestically he would sadly, fail to pass a Child Labour Law, and the first Workers Safety Law for factories.

[14] - Andre B. Roman, the Whig Governor of Louisiana would cause a violent split in his party due to being the first Roman Catholic candidate for President. Thus allowing the supposedly bastard child of Aaron Burr and rumored agnostic Martin Van Buren to become President.

[15] - Daniel Webster, long the Darling of Northern Whigs was only President for three months before his sudden death, being popularly remembered only for being the shortest termed President in American History. His Southern VP would be one of the Youngest Presidents in American History and would secure his place in history by deploying Federal Troops to repress a Slave Revolt in Mississippi, and for attempting to repress the vote for Gradual Emancipation which was passed in Virginia against strong Whig opposition.

[16] - Karl Marx would note that the election of Vanderbilt surely fit into his worldview as it showed the entrenchment of High Capitalism in the halls of Bourgeois Government to further unify the oppression of the Proletariat, Vanderbilt thus fitting the role of the Bonapartist Dictator. Or something.

Internationally Vanderbilt would oversee the US annexation of Nicaragua, which oddly helped his own influence, and sought to develop the Transcontinental Railway, which he would also make money on. In spite of this he was no friend of the Southern Wing of his Party, helping secure Nicaragua as a Free State. He sought to develop factories across the West and South, and in turn treated Unions with disdain but promoted the Federal Government agreeing to their terms more often than not, while not agreeing to negotiate. In 1859 when the Economy tanked, he did not use US troops to try and crush the workers who protested in New York City. In 1860 he would break with party tradition to run for a second term, funding the run mostly from his own pocket.

[17] - Andrew Jackson Donaldson for all of his talk about his Uncle was not well liked by the Unions being viewed more as a friend of the Plantation Owner. When it came out he supported the use of Slaves in Tennessee's growing factories, the workers of the United States would in fact organize nationally for the first time with the Congress of Laborer's Unions to reject supporting the Populist Party for the first time.

[18] - The rift in the Populist Party would continue in 1860 with an open split. The CLU endorsing the new Democratic Party of Workers, splitting from the "Popular Slavers". The Democratic party would be noted for their campaign plank calling for national, gradual, emancipation. Which worked in Southern States like Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia which were well into their own gradualist programs, but completely alienated the Deep South from the Unions, once more turning the workers into a force for Regionalism.

 

[Japhy]

On review with this one, I think the Republicans would have lasted longer, and if they were going to get killed off there needs to be more to strangle them then the Know Nothings. That said I do like the party splits and the instability of this one.

If America Had A Hamer

I liked this one I did previously and decided it could use some changes. So here it is. With a bunch of chances but I'd like to think it makes the whole thing largely better. The original can be found here for contrast. I tried to minimize the "Rainbow of Puke Effect as much as possible. I feel like I didn't really pull that off.
-----------------

“I have always believed that had his life been spared, he would have been President of the United States during the term filled by President Pierce. Had Hamer filled that office his partiality for me was such, there is but little doubt I should have been appointed to one of the staff corps of the army—the Pay Department probably—and would therefore now be preparing to retire. Neither of these speculations is unreasonable, and they are mentioned to show how little men control their own destiny.”
- The Autobiography of Ulysses S. Grant

As Ulysses S. Grant sat struggling to write his Autobiography as he slowly died in upstate New York, the former Lieutenant General, War Hero and President if the United States was still convinced that had he lived though the Mexican-American war, Thomas Hamer the Congressmen who had appointed him to West Point, and whom Zachary Taylor had referred to as the only Volunteer officer worth a damn in his whole army, would have made it to the White House. Grant's vision of a different president to face the crisis and questions about what course his own life would have taken had the Divergence transpired shows just how drastically things could have gone with only a brief, passing glance. When one considers that Pierce played a bloody role on the path to Civil War, one realizes that things could have been transformed even more.

1850-1853: Millard Fillmore / vacant (Whig)
1853-1861: Thomas L. Hamer / Jefferson Davis (Democratic)[1]
1852: Millard Fillmore / William A. Graham (Whig)
1856: Samuel Houston / Henry J. Gardner (American), John McLean / David Wilmot (Republican)[2]
1861-1865: Andrew Johnson / Joseph Lane (Democratic)[3]
1860: Edward Everett / William C. Rives (American), Salmon P. Chase / John P. Hale (Republican)
1865-1869: Richard Taylor / Lafayette S. Foster (American)[4]
1864: Andrew Johnson / Joseph Lane, George W. Cass (Democratic), Charles Sumner / John C. Fremont (Republican)
1869-1873: John A. McClernand / John C. Breckinridge (Democratic)
1868: Richard Taylor / Lafayette S. Foster (American)
1873-1877: Winfield S. Hancock / Judah P. Benjamin (Democratic)[5]
1872: Charles F. Adams, Sr. / Henry A. Wise (American)
1877-1881: James G. Blaine / Joshua Hill (American)[6]
1876: Winfield S. Hancock / Judah P. Benjamin (Democratic), George F. Hoar / Chester A. Arthur (Anti-Imperialist)[7]
1881-1885: J. E. B. Stuart / Samuel J. Tilden (Democratic)[8]
1880: John B. Henderson / William Larrabee (Anti-Imperialist), James G. Blaine / Wade Hampton III (Patriotic "Southern" American), Rutherford B. Hayes / Charles C. Van Zandt (Reform "Northern" American)[9]
1884: Green C. Smith / Henry A. Thompson (National Renewal), Samuel C. Pomeroy / Allen G. Thurman (Anti-Imperialist)[10]
1885-1889: J. E. B. Stuart / vacant (Democratic)
1889-1893: David B. Hill / Simon B. Buckner (Democratic)[11]
1888: Chauncey M. Depew / Isaac P. Gray (New Federalist), John Sherman / Edward H. Rollins (Redeemer)[12]
1893-1897: John R. McLean / Benjamin R. Tillman, Jr. (Democratic)[13]
1892: William J. Sewell / John M. Thayer (Redeemer), James B. Weaver / Albert R. Parsons (United Miners, Farmers & Workers')[14]
1897-1901: James A. Garfield / Moorfield Storey (Redeemer)[15]
1896: Fitzhugh Lee / Milford W. Howard (Constitutional “Southern” Democratic), Richard P. Bland / Henry M. Teller, James H. Kyle (People’s “Western” Democratic), Thomas B. Reed / James B. Walker (National “Northern” Democratic)[16]
1901-1903: James A. Garfield / Aretas B. Fleming (National Rally)[17]
1900: Fred T. Dubois / John P. Buchanan, S. Philip Van Patten (Manifestite / Socialist Workers’), George Dewey / John W. Smith (Democratic)[18]
1903-1905: Aretas B. Fleming / vacant (National Rally)

[1] - Thomas Hamer, moderate, respected war hero and veteran congressmen found himself an easy favorite in 1852 both at the Democratic National Convention and in the General election, easily besting Millard Fillmore's attempt to break the one term rule of the Whigs in that party's farewell tour. Hamer would during his administration face a series of challenges on the issue of national unity, which had found itself torn and battered in the aftermath of the Compromise of 1850. The collapse of the Whig Party though, was something that Hamer used for his own benefit, gaining breathing room as opposition forces faced an unpleasant choice between Nativism with the American Party and Abolitionism with the Republicans. In 1856 as Hamer ran for reelection the Republicans wrecked their ability to reach out to moderates by allowing the old Liberty and Free-Soil "Radical" wing to take the nomination, allowing the American Party to come out on top as the Second Party.

Hamer's administration would involve major pushes for westward expansion in the forms of the Piece Purchase of Mexican Lands in the US Southwest, statehood for Kansas, New Mexico (Both 1853), Jefferson (Greater Colorado) (1857), and Colorado (Southern California) (1859) as well as the passage of the Homestead Act (1857) opening large tracts of the West for yeoman settlement, and the creation of the National Railways Commission to see the organized growth of three proposed Transcontinental Railways and rail systems in the American South. Hamer's administration was also noted for conflicts with Chief Justice Taney over the Railways Commission, eventually leading to Taney's resignation from the high court in 1854. In 1857 the USSC ruled in the Dred Scott case that Scott was still a slave and simply that as he was a non-citizen the case could not be argued in the Supreme Court, leaving the 1850 Compromise in place. In 1858 to appease the Southern Wing of the party, oversaw the securing of Slavery in the Nevada Territory carved out of Utah, and opening the Unassigned lands in the Indian territory to White (And presumably Slave Owning) settlement. Regional tensions were high, but by 1860 the spectre of Civil War was receding with the Republican Party's chances.

[2] - McLean over Fremont would hand the new Republican Party to "The Radicals" destroying its chances up North. Houston the Know-Nothing candidate on the other hand would win Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey and Massachusetts, securing the American Party's position as a cross-regional party.

[3] - Andrew Johnson and Joseph Lane took the reigns from Hamer in 1861 after an easy electoral victory over Everett and Chase. Hamer's railroad policies would continue as the nation found itself more and more connected. In 1864 in the waning days of the administration the Central Pacific would meet up, East and West in the Utah territory marking the first rail connection. But there were other issues as well. None so great as the dealings the Johnson administration would have with Mexico.

Following the Pierce Purchase of 1853 and in part because of it Mexico fell into Civil War between Conservatives and Liberals. By 1860 it was over with Benito Juarez, the Liberal leader in power. And in 1861 he declared that due to the economic situation in the country Mexico would be unable to pay its international debts. Johnson, seeing a way to appease the South that had secured his nomination in spite of ideological differences and a way to finish President Hamer's work of reuniting the nation from its 1850 rifts, pushed for War, and in September of 1861 when US forces in South Texas crossed the Rio Grande to engage bandits, and instead met Mexican Regulars thats exactly what he got. Over the next two Years American volunteer and regular regiments would once again pour South to engage the dastardly Mexicans and secure lands for Slavery and the Union. In the final treaty, signed in early 1864 the United States would gain Sonora, Chihuahua, Baja California, Coahuila as well as parts of Durango, Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon. These territories were all of course, designated Slave Territories, restarting internal debates in the North over the Expansion of Slavery. Johnson didn't worry about such things though, with Military Force he had recreated for himself all the success of his predecessor from Tennessee, James K. Polk.

[4] - Glory though, was fleeting, as in 1864 Johnson found himself facing economic hard times in the aftermath of the war, and the War Hero General whose father had been a War Hero General in the first Mexican War. And had also been a President. Robert Taylor, the American Party candidate led his party to its first great electoral victory, promising to deal with the issues related to immigration and the Catholic Peons of the Second Mexican Cession. Over the next four Years Taylor would oversee the new Peonage Law in the United States, which for practical purposes kept the system intact while officially seeing it abolished, would see the entry of Sonora into the Union as a Slave State (1866) paired with Nebraska, and the Expansion of Colorado down the entire Baja Peninsula. In 1866 Midterms would show a break in the Americans as many Northern members voted against supporting the party's nominee for speaker and voted against recognition for William Walker's (Second Mexican War hero and Filibuster) Republic of Darian carved out of land seized from Colombia. Taylor would thus find himself unable to gain base and canal rights in that nation in his administration. In 1867 his largest victory domestically was a major tariff overhaul, creating an era of protectionism not easily ended by his Democratic successors.

[5] - War Heros McClernand and Hancock proved to be rather dull presidents, overseeing the introduction of several Westward states (Utah, Grande (Coahuila), and Nevada as Slave States, countered by Washington, Dakota and Idaho (OTL plus parts of Montana)), the completion of more railroads, and the continuing growth of American Industry and the Wealth Gap. Hancock though would seek to make a name for himself in a similar manner to Johnson, when in 1874 he moved the United States into War footing, after triggering a crisis with Spain. Combat spread from Cuba, Santo Domingo (Still under Recolonization), Puerto Rico and even the Far off Marianas Islands. And in the end the United States would annex all of them. In the aftermath of the war, Hancock would also oversee the annexation of Hawaii and the Republic of Darien securing the creation of his "American Empire" with just over a years worth of combat and surprisingly high casualties. The Compromise of 1875 would see that the Caribbean and Darien territories added would be Slave territories, while Hawaii and the Marianas would ban Slavery. In an additional move, in the face of massive Anti-Slavery reaction in the North would come diplomatic recognition and guarantees of protection, non-interference and independence for the Republic of Haiti. With the results the South had gained in recent years, the move was not something they were happy to give but not unwilling to consider, being as the general feeling was it didn't mean much.

[6] - In the aftermath of the chaos of that war, the growth of Anti-American insurgencies in Cuba and Santo Domingo, and once more an influx of Non-White, Non-English Speaking Catholics into the Union, the American party once more found a path into office. Blaine's administration would be focused entirely on Cuba and Santo Domingo, with massive troop deployments, containment lines and concentration camps being used to try and secure victory. Eventually the starvation and killings showed an effect and more and more of those islands were opened to Plantation settlement. In Darien a Canal project ended with more profits from the corpses than the digging, and in Hawaii the US navy established a shiny new massive naval base as a bulwark against the Yellow Peril. At home in 1878 the Nullification Act abolished the Indian Territory, opening it entirely to White Settlement, and in 1880 the Free State of Montana (Remaining Montana and Wyoming) and the Slave States of Cimarron (Oklahoma) and Jackson (Chihuahua) entered the Union.

[7] - Hancock's War saw the reintroduction of Abolition into the American Political scene in more than just a factional value with the birth of the Anti-Imperialist party drastically opposed to the policies in former Mexican, Colombian, Spanish and Hawaiian territories. Decrying Imperialism and Slave Power the party would find New England and those parts of the Midwest filled with New Englanders to be prime territory for votes.

[8] - Hero of Mexico and Cuba, Jeb Stuart would come into the White House and be the first man to hold it for two terms in twenty years. The problem was that the nation was changing rapidly for Stuart during his years in office. In the north Industrial Violence was on the rise from Portland to the Iron Mines of the Great Lakes. Out west, the recession that was underway squeezed northern and southern farmers alike but not the plantation owners secure in their banking ties. Anti-Slavery feelings were growing and Cuba seemed like a never ending fight. There was no chance for another war to distract the nation, and Stuart found himself in hard straits to do much of anything. In the end he settled for a different kind of war to distract the nation, pushing for Civil Service Reform, rooting out corruption and blaming it all on his predecessors did him well, as did the Bland Silver Purchase Act which provided at least some economic relief for Western miners and farmers, but not enough. Only the state of the opposition did Stuart anything to secure his reelection chances and in his second term it was more of the same, that is until 1888.

That year the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Butler ruled that the Federal Government had no right still to recognize any Black as a citizen, but furthermore that no state had the right to deny any owner the right to their property just due to crossing state lines, specifically in regards to slaves. Suddenly after 60 years of careful compromise, Slaves could be settled in any state, including free ones. Stuart responded by doing nothing, and suddenly talk of division and civil war once again entered the public discourse as Southern politicians moved to "secure" Free States for the institution and several northern governors and millions of northern citizens called for nullification or a Constitutional Amendment. In a final note by the time Stuart Left office, Cuba entered the Union as a Slave state, with a largely reduced local population thanks to disease and starvation in the Concentration Camps that cut off the Guerrillas in the Eastern Mountains from their people.

[9] - Blaine's actions and the Slavery debate would finally bring an end to the American Party, after 28 years on the political landscape as the party split between North and South over the Slavery issue, allowing the Anti-Imperialist Party a Brief period as the Second Party.

[10] - But in 1884 that came to an end, as a mishmash of miners, prohibitionists, land reformers, farmers, evangelicals, nativists, workers advocates and urban planners flashed in the pan before fading off to turn on themselves.

[11] - David B. Hill would move in his administration to appease both the North and the South, in the end winning the respect and support of neither, while leaving the Western wing of the Democrats out in the cold. In 1890 the first major Slave revolt since Nat Turner occurred in the "Southern Heartland" as Slaves in Texas killed their masters and headed South, hoping to make it into Mexico, Hill's use of US Army troops against these forces would lead to protests and riots in the north. In 1891 the economy collapsed into Depression, in 1892 Riots tore apart Chicago, St. Louis and New York and a Northern Boycott against Southern (Slave-made) Factory Goods began tying the economic and slavery tensions together.

[12] - Chauncey Depew, a long term American party Senator's solution the sectional problems and long term recession was to call for power to be amassed in the Presidency for varied reforms, calling for an "Economic Tyrant" to fix things. Depew find widespread support even in the face of passionate agrarian and union opposition to his movement. The New Federalist party would not survive his assassination in 1892. John Sherman's new party though the Redeemers, incorporated Abolitionism with a widespread collection of Reform ideals ranging from work hours to liberalized trade policies. From slow beginnings came a party to finally end the Democratic era of dominance.

[13] - In 1892 with things getting worse economically, the Democrats turned to a "Moderate Radical" in the form of John McLean and gave him a "Working-Class" Southern Vice President. McLean and Tillman came close to the Redeemers and would spend their term in office using political and extra-legal violence to stop the rise of that party. Domestic Policy faced deadlock, until 1895 when the Democratic Clerk of the House of Representatives used his position to refuse accreditation for large numbers of Redeemers and their "Fellow Travellers".

It was by this undemocratic "Coup" that Santo Domingo and Darien would become states, and the Deportation Act was passed, allowing for the removal of any Freedmen in the United States to either Liberia or Haiti without appeal. The Force Act of the same year made Striking a Federal Crime, and allowed for US military force to be used against the strikers. Both of these laws would cause massive backlash, culminating in the 1896 assassination attempt on President McLean. Other laws passed were the Silver Coinage Act seeking to promote growth for the West with the infamous "Aid Clause" allowing the Federal Government to subsidize "Large Estates and Factories and Plantations which may suffer economic losses due to the coinage policy", in essence using Federal money to prop up the Plantations and Slave-run factories of the South in the face of International and Northern boycotts.

[14] - The attempt by radical western miners, farmers and eastern free labor to create their own party would directly lead to the defeat of William Sewell.

[15] - And then in 1896 it happened. James Garfield, the old Anti-Slavery Senator and Governor from Ohio took the White House in a hotly contested election and thus was forced to oversee the United States in its Bloody Civil War. By the time he took office, all Slave States with the exceptions of Louisiana, Utah, Missouri Kentucky, Cimarron, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware North Carolina and Cuba had quit the Union to form the Independent Confederation of States. By the Spring all but Maryland, Missouri, Kentucky and Delaware had left and they'd brought the Puerto Rico territory out with them.

Garfield's strategy would focus on hitting the ICS on the fringes, Darien, the Caribbean Islands, Colorado. And the Mexican cession. The war proved long and rough, But by 1897 George Dewey was able to descend on New Orleans, Galveston and Mobile from the Sea and take the great Confederate Gulf Ports. In 1898 major offensives would push into Virginia and Kentucky as well as massive campaigns which would finish off Confederate resistance in the Caribbean. and by the end of 1899 Richmond in Virginia, as well Memphis and Chattanooga were in Union hands. In 1900 as Garfield faced re-election General Leonard Wood would provide the greatest October surprise in US political history by taking the City of Richmond, cutting the ICS in two along the Mississippi, and then in November beating a major Confederate attempt to cut a connection across by pushing up the Red River and taking Shreveport. The war would continue on from there, across the Continent spanning mess.

[16] - The Three-way split of 1896 was the doom of the Democrats, seeing the Populists of the West pitted against the Slavery and Free, Capitalist Northern Wings. When war broke out, the Southern Wing departed but the other two wings were unable to assure full reunification, as further cleves divided them between Pro- and Anti- War factions, tying major components in with the Redeemer Party.

[17] - In 1901 Garfield, facing massive casualties and a war with the end still firmly in the distance, oversaw the transformation of the Redeemer Party into the National Rally, bringing in Radical and Democratic support under one banner. The Virginia Unionist and Democrat Aretas Fleming replaced Vice President Storey on the ticket. In the aftermath of his landslide Victory President Garfield declared that all Slaves in the rebel south were Emancipated by executive order, and the war moved into a new phase. In 1902 W. E. B. Du Bois, a Free Black from Massachusetts would command the first All-Black combat Unit in the US Army since the Revolutionary War, marking to some the death knell of the Confederacy. By 1903 with numbers, industrial output and worldwide support the Union prevailed as the last major Confederate Armies operating in Alabama, Texas, Jackson and Utah were forced to surrender in a matter of weeks. That May, Confederate President James P. Clarke fled from Charleston, his last Capital to Brazil, from which he would be extradited in 1907 to stand trial in the United States. Other remaining Confederate forces would surrender, disband, or retreat into the mountains and become a nuisance for the next few years by September. And in November as moves were made for a Constitutional Amendment abolishing Slavery and the development of the Freedmen's Bureau to to educate Freed Slaves, President Garfield departed on a trip to California to gain support for his Post-War program, leaving Washington D.C. heading West, intending to visit several Upper South states as well...

[18] - George Dewey, the brash Victor of New Orleans turned against the War by 1899 and was removed from command, after which he became the presumptive Democratic nominee, calling for a blockade of the South and a negotiated settlement to return them to the Union. This in turn proved to be less popular than the message of the Western "Manifesto" Party (Named after its Manifesto of 1897) calling for varied Populist reforms, the protection of "White America" and the immediate end of hostilities with the ICS and recognition of its independence. It was this reform and peace ticket that the budding Socialist movement in the United States would take its Anti-War support onto leading to Fred Dubois' second place finish and post-war backlash against Populism and Socialism in the United States.

 

[Japhy]

These lists I will are here less for their merits as lists and more because they were blueprints for TLs not carried out. Though I will say that outside of a few glaring errors (I used to severely misunderstand how terrible Stephen Douglas' racism actually was and that he could be 'redeemed'. Ha!) they're not that bad.

Bob Lee's Body 1.0

Having now scrapped the timeline, reorganized my notes and made major changes to projections in it, with the intent of rewriting the thing in the near future, I think I can now spoil the now not-valid ending to my Timeline. So yeah.

1861-1865: Abraham Lincoln / Nathaniel P. Banks (Republican)[1]
1860: Samuel Houston / Henry J. Garner (Constitutional Union), T. Howell Cobb / Jesse D. Bright (Southern Democratic), Stephen A. Douglas / Sanford E. Church (Northern Democratic)
1865-1866: Abraham Lincoln / Daniel S. Dickinson (Republican / Unionist)[2]
1864: Franklin Pierce / Buckner S. Morris (Liberal Democratic)[3]
1866-1866: Abraham Lincoln / vacant (Unionist)
1866-1867: Stephen A. Douglas / vacant (Unionist)[4]
1867-1873: Stephen A. Douglas / Hannibal Hamlin (Unionist)
1866: Daniel W. Voorhees / various (Liberal Democratic)
1868: Salmon P. Chase / Fitz-John Porter (Liberal Democratic)
1873-1881: Ambrose E. Burnside / Benjamin G. Brown (Republican)[5]
1872: John A. McMahon / Andrew Johnson (Liberal Democratic) David Davis / various (Workers’)[6]
1876: Samuel J. Tilden / Henry B. Payne (New Democratic)[7]
1881-1883: Stephen A. Douglas / William Dorsheimer (Democratic)[8]
1880: James B. McPherson / George W. Hendee (Republican)
1883-1885: William Dorsheimer / vacant (Democratic)

[1] - For those of you who haven't read the aborted project... Robert E. Lee was killed at Harper's Ferry and became a major martyr for the South, meaning the Fireeater's were more empowered in the 1860 election, the Southern Democrats won the "official" nomination and Stephen A. Douglas led the split in the Party rather then the other way around. The Republicans selected Banks because the split meant Ex-Democrats had more clout at their convention rather then ex-Whigs, thus Salmon Chase rather then William Seward got his man picked for the number two slot.

Lincoln would lead the war though the following four years, the Confederacy fighting on in spite of its own Government's inability to move past ideology to win the war. The major campaigns of 1864 break the main Confederate field armies in the West but the war drags on for another year before concluding. Politically Lincoln asks Senator Douglas to visit California due to a small scale revolt there in late 1861, and thus he avoids the diseases in St. Louis that killed him, and he becomes The leader of the War Democrats who ally with the GOP.

[2] - In 1864 Lincoln and Douglas unite the War Democrats, Moderate Democrats and Republicans into a new party to win the war. The Unified Unionist Party doubles down on the importance of keeping the country together by uniting the majority of the Political Spectrum. A key Douglas Ally from New York serving as VP replacing the chickenshit Banks. It is this new party and administration that sees the end of the war in the fall of 1865 after major battlefield victories at the start of the year and a short, brutal attempt to move the war to a "Boer" phase by the Fireeaters.

[3] - The Rump of the Democratic Party, styling itself as "Liberal Democrats" in the face of "Authoritarian Democrats" who joined Lincoln, fails to win any states more then Kentucky, even with a former president on the ticket. The Doughfaces though will control the party for several more years to come.

[4] - Dickenson's health collapsed before Lincoln was slain by an assassin in 1866 (Lets be honest, there's no chance he was going to live after Emancipation and the 13th Amendment, and all his "dangerous" talk about USCT voting rights.) And thus the Presidentcy descended upon the Unified Unionist President of the Senate, Stephen A. Douglas. Winning the emergency election that followed in the face of a confused opposition and his own term Douglas would lead the nation though his own round of Reconstruction. Lincoln had been light, seeking a minimal level of support from the Former Confederates in exchange for a return of rights and peace. When faced with violence against Freedmen by Ex-Confederates Anyway, Lincoln had used troops and force to protect them, but attempted to be surgical about it. Douglas kept the troops in place but decided to focus more on economic and education rights for the Freedmen, the founding of the Department of Education and Welfare being a tool which he would use to ensure Blacks had equal education rights in the South even in the face of White Governments wishing to cut funding or to segregate state education.

[5] - After 6 years of Douglas, the Unified Unionists nominated a Republican from an old Whig family. Ambrose Burnside by nature of shifted command authorities had a good career as a Corps Commander and eventually, after the appointment of General Grant (Who declined to run for the Presidency) to General-in-Chief, became Commander of the Army of the Potomac. After the war served as Senator from Rhode Island before getting the top job. Fought the Klan, worked to secure decent treaties with native tribes (Often failing) and overseeing the growth of industry and railroads in the US.

[6] - Disunited Labor Parties, Unions and other Proto-Socialist Groups attempted to run a ticket in the 1872 election but failed to properly come together, behind their man, former Postmaster General and Congressmen David Davis. None the less various Worker's tickets were decisive in throwing several States to the Liberal Democrats.

[7] - As the Burnside administration moved forward, issues of Trade, Tariffs, Taxes and Currency began to break apart the old Wartime alliances. With the Liberal Democrats remaining set in opposing Reconstruction and losing plenty of ground for it, former President Douglas and his allies oversaw the creation of a New Democratic Party which helped obliterate the "Liberal" party and lead to a new party of Jackson and The Union. Governor Tilden was their first nominee and secured the parties footing, and ensuring that the Democrats would not be tarred by charges of Treason.

[8] - And four years after that, Douglas would be the parties nominee after a divided convention, and retake the White House as the First Democrat to hold the office for 20 years (And by some members counts 40). In the years before his Death, Douglas would see bills creating a Department of Industry to oversee the nations economic growth and railroads, as well as a law securing a 10 hour work day for all workers. Douglas would also see the winding down of the last Federal Troops in the South, as the Southern Democrats were forced to accept a more moderate form of leadership.​

---------------​

Georgismpunk 1.0

1885-1889:S. Grover Cleveland / vacant (Democratic)[1]
1889-1897: Benjamin Harrison / Levi P. Morton (Republican) [2]
1888: S. Grover Cleveland / Allen G. Thurman (Democratic), Alson Streeter / Henry Smith (American Labor)[3]
1892: John M. Palmer / William E. Russell (Democratic), James B. Weaver / James G. Field (Populist)[4]
1897-1905: Henry George / Adlai E. Stevenson (Democratic)[5]
1896: Matthew S. Quay / Charles W. Lippit (Republican), James H. Kyle / Thomas E. Watson (Populist)
1900: Chauncey M. Depew / Jonathan P. Dolliver (Republican), James B. Weaver / Ignatius B. Donnelly (Populist)
1905-1909: Henry George / J. Hamilton Lewis (Democratic)[6]
1904: Charles W. Fairbanks / Franklin Murphy (Republican)
1909-1913: Moorfield Storey / Charles A. Towne (Democratic)[7]
1908: Julius C. Burrows / Timothy L. Woodruff (Republican)
1913-1917: J. Franklin Hanly / Jeter C. Pritchard (Republican)[8]
1912: Moorfield Storey / Charles A. Towne (Democratic), Thomas L. Hisgen / J. A. H. Hopkins (Progressive)[9]

[1] - POD isn't any dramatic political transformation from the Cleveland administration. Instead it is the results of the 1886 election for the Mayor of New York. There despite the efforts of Tammany Hall and Bourbon Democrats working hand and hand, and in part as a result of the over-enthusiastic of the Republican nominee a young Assemblymen named Theodore Roosevelt, the United Labor party candidate, noted author and reformer Henry George wins with a majority that not even Tammany can fudge away.

The shockwaves of this are equal parts powerful and non-dramatic. George is no Marxist, though of course Marxists helped elect him, nor with his post as Mayor is he really able to institute major changes based on his ideology of (Self-Titled) Georgism, but in his first two year term work massive efforts are undertaken to break Tammany Hall and Police Corruption, increasing taxes on landlords and the development of funds and programs to help the working classes of the city. Wall Street worries but over time finds George comforting, as he serves as a block against the more radical elements in the city and works to promote the continued economic growth of the city, even if he doesn't back down from taxes.

[2] - And in 1888 the First Democrat since Buchanan loses office, George by the way wins his own second term, he'll also avoid his 1890 stroke, and all further ones after that. Harrison's first term pretty much goes as IOTL, upon his victory in reelection in 1892 though he faces economic collapse. Harrison faces off an attempt to repeal the purchase of Silver by the United States Government but is unable to secure the introduction of Silver coinage. The victory of the Force Act of 1893 (A Carbon Copy of the Hoar-Lodge act of 1890) is passed but Harrison finds that enforcement of it is about as easy to block as the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Maintaining tariffs and seeing a run on Gold almost break the US Treasury in 1895 Harrison is able to do little to help poor farmers, or the unemployed in the cities, though the Silver miners of the west appreciate his efforts. In the end though Harrison is just an ineffective President in the midst of a depression.

[3] - The Union and United Labor parties were able to settle there differences and run a joint ticket in 1888, wins only about 2% of the vote (half a percent higher then IOTL running separate). It is neither decisive or relevant, and places them behind the Prohibition Party in the results. What is important though is that the platform is highly Marxist in tone, causing the Union Labor Mayor of New York to break with the party after years of disputes with that faction of the party, declaring himself to be a Jeffersonian Democrat. In spite of a City Laborer's Ticket attempt to wreck his reelection chances George is able to gain support from enough Reformers from the Democrats and Republicans, as well as maintain his support from the workers, and with Tammany Hall in tatters, George won reelection handily. All of which does hurt the American Labor ticket in the city where they had hoped for much better results.

[4] - Two years later George does not run for a third term as Mayor but instead is elected to the United States Congress as a Democrat. Two years after that, Harrison wins his reelection. Between opposition by fellow Bourbons, from Political Machines, and from the small but present Georgist faction of the Democratic Party, Cleveland does not get a third try in 1892. Instead a compromise ticket of Pro-Gold, Pro-Free Trade, Pro-Moderate Social Reform Democrats, the old Palmer and the young Russell are nominated. The Populists on the other hand, unable to decide if they want to try and recruit Urban Workers or Western Miners to complete there thin coalition fail to woo either with their pro-farm ticket. Between the two groups though, there's not enough to stop Harrison from his second term.

[5] - In 1896 the Economy is sluggish in its recovery, dispute new discoveries of Gold, leaving Harrison and the Republicans decidedly unpopular though the Silver Republicans hope to promote a fusion with the Populists to change that. For the Democrats, the Bourbons are discredited, and the Populists still without the ability to win big in the Western Mountain states leaving there populist Democratic allies on weak ground. At the Democratic National Convention, eventually, a repudiation of the Pro-Gold stance of the past few years passes but the Populist candidates Bland and Bryan are unable to capitalize on this enough to seize the nomination. As the Eastern "establishment" Democrats and Populists bicker, Henry George takes the stage and then the convention by storm calling for the laborer, the farmer, the artisan and the miner to come together to build an America where no one is left behind. On the next few ballots opposition to him falls to the side and he takes the nomination, and in November the Presidency.

In 1899 the Sixteenth Amendment (Land Taxation Ammendment) is passed, followed over the next two years by three others (Women's Voting Rights, Anti-Child Labor, and Direct Election of Senators). After the long fight for the Single Tax, George's triumph meant that in his second term massive expansion of social and economic programs would occur.

[6] - In 1904 declaring that he was not yet finished and with Republican opposition still lost in the wilderness, George ran for a third term, with a new VP. More Social Reforms, and President Stuff occurs.

[7] - In 1908 George declines to run for a fourth term as the system is entrenched and entitlements are in a position now that seems secure. His Secretary of State Moorfield Storey is elected as his successor. Storey has his own term and all that, defined largely by Federal programs which were designed to keep Land Value and thus Federal revenue up, with programs such as the "Agricultural Aid Program" and other Presidential-y things.

[8] - In 1912 the Republicans with a ticket pledging to accept the Post XVI Amendment changes to the national economy, take office. President Hanly will at once seek his own Constitutional Amendment, this one seeking to ban Liquor across the United States, an easier task now that the Federal Government is not dependent on its old Alcohol Taxes.

[9] - With a decisive 6% of the vote, William Hearst's Progressive party held the balance of power and let the Republicans come back. A convent side effect of the ticket was that the Socialist vote, rebounding from the George years of co-opted workers took another hit, as workers were interested in Hisgen's less revolutionary message more, meaning that once more the Socialist vote was pushed back into the lower-single digit range.

---------------
​

Errors of Judgement 1.0

This is a small project which I worked on at a very distant point and which never really got off the ground. To the extent that I never even got to the part where Grant was established as a Dictator of the United States. Mind you the timeline wasn't going to go past 1872 but I did have a general concept of what was going to happen well into the future so I decided I might as well throw it up here, see if anyone finds things interesting and it can go on my list of lists-to-consider-making-TLIAD's (After Bob Lee's Body, the one about Georgism, and the Commonwealth v. Pullis one that didn't even get a reaction in this thread.) Anyway here we go.

1865-1865: Abraham Lincoln / Andrew Johnson (National Union)[1]
1864: George B. McClellan / George H. Pendleton (Jacksonian Democratic), John C. Fremont / John Cochrane (Radical Democracy)[2]
1865-1866: Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, USA [Acting] (Final Peace Junta)[3]
Cancelled 1865 [4]: Lyman Trumbell / Andrew G. Curtin (National Union / Republican), John C. Fremont / John P. Kennedy (Radical Democratic) [5], James A. Baynard, Jr. / Stephen J. Field (Nullification Democratic) [6], George B. McClellan / None (“Half-Breed” Democratic) [7]
1866-1867: Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, USA / Elihu B. Washburne [Acting] (Final Peace Junta)[8]
1867-1869: William P. Fessenden / William A. Buckingham (National Union / Republican)[9]
1866: George B. McClellan / Benjamin G. Brown (Civic Justicialist / Unconditional Unionist)[10], Horatio King / Lazarus W. Powell (Straight-Out Democratic), Joseph Hooker / Joseph H. Lane (Continentalist “Mugwumps”)[11], Franklin Pierce / None (Nullification Democratic)[12]
1869-1874: Joel Parker / Lovell H. Rousseau (Justicialist)[13]
1868: William P. Fessenden / William A. Buckingham (National Union / Republican), Lyman Trumbell / Francis P. Blair, Jr. (Constitutionalist Liberal)[14], Winfield S. Hancock / William Allen (Democratic)[15]
1872: William D. Kelley / John A. Bingham (Republican), Jeremiah S. Black / George H. Pendleton (Democratic)
1874-1877: Joel Parker / vacant (Justicialist)
1877-1885: John M. Palmer / William M. Evarts (Justicialist)
1876: William A. Wheeler / Alphonso Taft (Republican), Winfield S. Hancock / William E. Cameron (Democratic)
1880: Samuel J. Tilden / James F. Joy (Republican) [16], Silas Woodson / Francis Kernan (Democratic)
1885-1887: William Sprague IV / John Sherman (Republican)[17]
1884: Benjamin F. Butler / Green C. Smith (Justicialist), Adelbert Ames / Henry C. Frick (Nationalist “ New Mugwump”)[18], Various (Democratic)[19]
1887-1889: John Sherman / vacant (Republican)[20]
1889-1893: John Sherman / Blanche K. Bruce (Republican)[21]
1888: Joseph B. Foraker / John C. Black (Justicialist), Various (Democratic)
1893-1897: Henry M. Teller / David Turpie (Justicialist)[22]
1892: Robert T. Lincoln / Henry C. Evans (Republican), Various (Democratic)
1897-1901: David B. Hill / Adlai E. Stevenson (Justicialist)
1896: Charles W. Lippitt / James B. Weaver (Republican), Jesse W. James / Thomas R. Carskadon (Democratic)[23]
1901-1905: David B. Hill / John F. Dodge (Justicialist)[24]
1900: Jesse W. James / Theodore Roosevelt II (Reform Democratic)[25], Edward O. Wolcott / Chauncey Depew (Republican)
1905-1908: George B. McClellan, Jr. / John F. Dodge (Justicialist)[26]
1904: Jesse W. James / Theodore Roosevelt II (Reform Democratic)[27], James S. Sherman / Booker T. Washington (Republican)[28]
1908-1915: Mj. Gen. Frederick N. Funston [Acting] (America First Junta)[29]
1915-1917: Oliver W. Holmes, Jr. [Acting] (Independent)[30]

Notes.

[1] - On Good Friday 1865 Chaos would strike the nation shortly after the beginning of Lincoln's second term and the surrender of Lee's Army. President Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, Secretary of State William Seward, President pro Tempore of the Senate Lafayette S. Foster and the temporarily stepped down Speaker of the House Schuyler Colfax were all assassinated in a single night of Chaos in Washington DC. With the entire line of Presidential succession extinguished by John Wilkes Booth and his conspirators the nation faced not only a crisis of leadership but a constitutional crisis of how to replace the murdered leaders as without a Secretary of State no emergency election could be called.

[2] - The 1864 Election was as per IOTL, with the "Radical Democracy" ticket of Radical Republicans and radicalized War Democrats which had nominated John C. Fremont agreeing to drop out in exchange for the removal of Montgomery Blair from Lincoln's cabinet and the conflict between the Pro-War McClellan and his Anti-War party leading to his disastrous returns.

[3] - In the face of the Good Friday Killings, the official most senior member of the Government was Secretary of the Treasury Hugh McCulloch with less than a month on the job, in the Cabinet the longest serving member was the rough and unlikeable Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. With no means of making McCulloch president based on the laws of the time, Stanton used the Army to collect the varied members of House and Senate for an emergency secession. When neither house was able to agree if it would be an appointed Speaker or President pro Tempore who would be selected as president deadlock ensued, until Stanton was able to secure a third option, passing a compromise law though both houses in a day allowing for the appointment of a "Temporary Commander and Chief Executive to serve in the role of the President until such a time as the present crisis has ended." By Monday this non-President was selected in the form of Lt. General Ulysses S. Grant, who was given broad emergency powers to secure the nation.

Being as this would be the core of the timeline I will brush over specifics of the era but note that Grant's one goal was to restore Civil Government and to leave the office, while securing the "Final Peace" that historians would eventually use as the title of his military Junta. Things obviously did not go too well in that course and drastic actions were enforced, in the face of renewed resistance in parts of the South and growing opposition in the North.

[4] - The 1865 Elections would occur in the summer of 1865 thanks to Grants strong wish to restore Civil Government as quickly as possible. This move which was against the 1793 Law of Presidential Succession would cause problems as the Democrats rejected the legality of the elections and the Republican Party did nothing to try and solve that problem. In the End, Grant issued a decree refusing to accept the election results and calling for new ones to take place in 1866. The cancellation served as the point where mass opposition to the "Brutal Dictatorship" began to manifest itself nationwide, and the Republicans began to turn on Grant.

[5] - Lyman Trumbell the Republican nominee was the overwhelming victor in an election where he was the only de facto candidate thanks to the Democratic party running a non-campaign. He would win the majority of electoral votes in every single state. John C. Fremont and the radicals on the other hand would not withdraw from this race but without any national organization were unable to mount a real opposition. But Faithless Electors would turn to them as the "Other Republicans" and award them 37 votes scattered across the country, including in several states where they were unable to mount campaigns.

[6] - The Nullification Democrats ran on a "Don't go and Vote" platform which called for the arrest of Grant, the Republican Leadership and the immediate restoration of the Union "As it Was" before the "Lincoln-Grant tyranny". It still won the state of Delaware.

[7] - George McClellan cut short his exile in Europe early to offer his services to Grant. When he was rebuffed he took to public speaking across the North. When the Democratic Party refused to run a real campaign, with mere weeks left before the election, McClellan was convinced by many War Democrats to jump into the race on his own for the sake of running a real ticket against. He would win one electoral vote from New York, and 450,000 votes nation wide, in an election that would trigger the founding of a new Political Party which would quickly come to national prominence and long term success.

[8] - In the aftermath of the Election cancellation of 1865 Grant moved to reestablish at least part of the Civil government in the country, unilaterally appointing Elihu Washburne a long time political patron and Republican Congressional leader to the Vice Presidency. It did not work as Republicans turned against their man and Grant increasingly had to rely on the forces of the highly loyal Union Army to maintain order nationally in the lead up to the election of 1866. The Civil War would drag on in Texas where Confederates from across the nation headed to join Kirby Smith's fight against Philip Sheridan and then eventually crossing into Mexico to continue fighting raids across the Rio Grande. General Sherman commander of the "Department of the South" would begin a proccess of Land Reorganization based on his previous "40 Acres and a Mule" Orders. In Congress and across the Department of the South moves begain to take place which would see the abolition of the Old Southern states on the principals of State Suicide expoused by Charles Sumner.

[9] - In the election of 1866 the Republicans would win again, but with a different ticket than they had run in 1865. The conflict between Fessenden and Trumbell would almost tear the party apart but the absolute victory for the winning party that 1866 offered meant those issues were pushed to the side for a time. The policies towards the reorganization of the South were not stopped. Forgive me but again, further details are for if I actually write this thing. On taking office though a general amnesty was granted to the "Border Raiders" operating in Mexico and Texas.

[10] - The Republican Party interfighting and the shifting support of the Grant era would lead to an interesting combination as Border State and Western Republicans and Unionists allied with the Blair Family and the McClellanite War Democrats who had begun the Civic Justice Party formed an alliance to run on. And that they established themselves and this new Civic Justice (Soon to just be Justice) Party as one of two parties of the United States. McClellan would win 84 Electoral Votes.

[11] - Joseph Hooker and several other political and military leaders had decided that while Grant was a lightweight who didn't appreciate what needed to be done, the Country needed a dictatorship for "the coming years of reconstruction." Their Continental Party would earn the nickname "Mugwumps" a translation of which means "Warchiefs". Not even the regiments of the Union Army backed them in large numbers though, though many of the officers would.

[12] - Former President Franklin Pierce was the official Democratic nominee in the election taking the same Nullification platform as in 1865. He would give up though when most of the party supported Horatio King's move to actually participate in the Democratic process. Pierce though would prevent King from winning any electoral votes, in a move that would lead King and Tammany Hall which found him a useful partner, to abandon the Democrats for the Civic Justice Party in 1868.

[13] - Joel Parker, the War Democratic Governor of New Jersey had shot to further prominence due to his actions in the Grant years. In his administration George McClellan would serve a Secretary of State, and the foundations of the party would be developed. Support for hardline Reconstruction would mean neither of the two major party's were "Soft" on the South, The Civic Justice party supported the Reconstruction amendments and programs to aid the Freedmen and poor whites of the South. Under parker the new states of Jefferson, Lincoln, Houston, East Virginia, and Jackson would enter the union, the first of the New South.

[14] - The divide of 1865/66 would strike back with avengence, and along with a national feeling that the Republicans were responsible for the Grant Dictatorship, would see the party swept from office and the beginnings of the Justice Party's dominance in Post War politics.

[15] - Winfield Hancock on the other hand would make a name for himself in the Grant years when he tried to reinstall White Supremacist, Confederate Government to Florida where he was the Occupation commander. He would become a long term hero of the Unrepentant South (Those three states where the majority of the population would be Illiberal Whites as opposed the three Freedmen Majority States and the remainder were Gerrymandering secured Freedmen-White Unionist Alliances, or Missouri, Kentucky, and West Virginia which would be expanded with lands from former states.) And would establish Democratic domiannce in those states both in local and national elections.

[16] - Samuel Tilden would be one of those Democrats who would find the "New Democratic Party" and the Civic Justice Parties acceptable to him. Convinced by Theodore Roosevelt Sr. One of the leaders of the Post-Grant GOP he would cross over in 1868 and become New York's first Republican Governor since the Civil War in 1876.

[17] - In 1884 the First Republican ticket since Lincoln would win, by pretty much agreeing to maintain reconstruction in the South and by working to distance itself from the Grant years. President Sprague would have to face down the threat of a new Civil War in a manner well fitting in Marx's saying that History repeats itself first as tragedy then as farce.

[18] - The Governor of the State of Jackson for several years the Boy General Adelbert Ames was one of the few Union Army Commanders who had been able to escape the Post Grant "reorganization" with his reputation and status completely intact. In Jackson though he had found that militarization was a useful tool, and had embraced it fully, becoming a leader in the new militant movement that found popularity in many circles across the country. In 1884 with the Electoral College in a deadlock he had threatened to take his state militia, and volunteers from the rest of the country and march on Washington to enforce "The People's Will" Claiming the election had been rigged. Two battles in East Virginia and Greene would bring an end to it in the early days of the Sprague administration though, and Ames would be hung less than a year later.

[19] - In 1884 the Democratic party would begin to nominate Favorite Sons on a State by state basis, seeking only to continue to win the votes of the "Unrepentant trio". This would go on for years as the party neither sought nor found a level of national appeal, simply hoping to find themselves holding the balance between the two parties. Of course in 1884 this move would help create the crisis which led to "Ames' March".

[20] - And the farce would continue when two years after the ending of the Ames crisis one of the thousands of pardoned New Mugwumps decided he wasn't finished yet, and assassinated President Sprague in Utah. Leaving John Sherman to assume the Presidency.

[21] - The Freedmen States of the South were one of the few areas of the country which could be dependably counted on to vote Republican every presidental election. At the pressing of GOP leader Senator Douglass, John Sherman would select the Senator from Monroe, Blanche K. Bruce to be his Vice President, the first African-American in the nations history. The other aspect of the selection being that the Justicialist party had made major inroads in the Black vote by 1888, when only 4 years ago they had received 40%, same as the GOP. Blanche would assure the GOP would maintain a 2/3rd dominance over the black vote for the next several decades.

[22] - Henry M. Teller would retake the White House in 1893 as the politics of the era shifted towards the issues of Economics. That would lead to fights over Coinage, Federal Normal (Teaching), Agricultural, Mechanical, and Trade Schools and over fights between various worker's blocs and management. Though it was not realized at the time, this would develop a real trend against the political system that had been in place since Grant boarded a ship for Europe in 1867.

[23] - In 1896 the Former Confederate raider, whom had taken advantage of the 1867 Amnesty and whom had eventually become the Governor of (Expanded) Missouri would become the first singular Democratic nominee for President in 16 years and would win not only all of the Democratic strongholds but states across the South and west, tapping into Populist Rhetoric to become the first nationally acceptable Democrat in decades.

[24] - In 1901 the chickenshit Progressive Governor of Michigan was sent off to be Vice President to make him go away. The move while shutting Dodge up would also prove helpful to President Hill, providing him with a Liberal voice piece to counter the Populist and Racial rhetoric arising from the Democratic Party's rebirth.

[25] - The Son of one of the men most responsible for the GOP's redemption Theodore Roosevelt II was too much his mother's son to follow his father, and far too much the racist. He would be elected in 1898 as New York's first Democratic Senator since before the Civil War and would become James' Right Hand man, turning a Populist and Racist movement into a viable national organization which could play in the Capitalist East. Between the two of them, the Democratic Party found itself coming in 2nd place in 1900 and 1904, changing the Political landscape shockingly.

[26] - George McClellan's Son would finally win for his Family the White House in 1904 in a race which saw him lose the popular vote but win Republican Electoral votes so as to stop the Democrats. Moderation and work between the two parties would lead to little legislation during the first McClellan term but an electorial alliance was established for the election of 1908 seeking to wreck the Democrats enough that they would fade away once again.

[27] - James and Roosevelt would start calling for mass action as soon as the election was settled calling it a "Corrupt Bargain for a New Century."

[28] - James S. Sherman would select Booker T. Washington, Governor of Lincoln as his VP in a move to secure once again the Black vote but also because of the Governor's national popularity in dealing with the Depression of 1899 with strong interventionist programs for the poor, creating aid and work programs which proved wildly popular.

[29] - But then, in 1907 War broke out in Europe. In 1908 German and Russian Commerce raiders had continually sunk ships flying the US flag, and US banks were loaning billions to France, Austria, Turkey and Britain to keep the war going. With American intervention seeming more and more likely, even in the face of German-, Irish-, and Russian- American, Democratic and Socialist Party opposition the Country seemed set to face massive Domestic upheaval if War was Declared. And thus it was that a cabal of Military officers led by Senior Army General Frederick Funston launched a coup, arresting the PResident, most of Congress, and dozens of prominant political, economic, and social leaders across the Country. In the weeks that followed Canadian Ports, the Dominion of Newfoundland and the Entente Powers' colonies in the Caribbean would be seized in combat to "secure Continental Neutrality" and the Navy would move to prevent the transfer of supplies from the United States to Europe. The Dictatorship would then continue on though the end of the European War in 1911 and work to "reorganize the country to prevent such crisis' from developing again."

[30]- And in 1915, Funston would step down at last, leaving himself as Grant did for Exile overseas. The government was handed to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. a former Federal Judge, who would be left to try and set things up, with the goal of allowing elections to take place in November of 1916 for a New President and Congress.

​

 

[Japhy]

A bit off the theme here but that last one, Errors of Judgement caused me to create one of the only three wikiboxes I've ever created, and the only one I can still find. So here it is.

 

[Japhy]

Here's a fun one though on review I think its overly skewed towards playing with the POD's result. As well as being convergent as all hell, but then again, butterfly nets keep things in a position we can actually respond to.

For Want of a Clause: Naturalized Citizens Can Serve

Throughout American History there have been plenty of US citizens who could not run for the Presidency because they were foreign born either to citizens or as subjects of other lands before coming and being naturalized. The reason that clause had been added was to sooth Jeffersonian Anti-Federalists who feared a Prussian noble coming to become elected monarch. Here it is worded differently so anyone who lives in the US for a decade as a citizen can run.

Though the first Foreign Born President actually could have run for President (And was on a ticket as Vice President in 1824, before he dropped out) as he was already living in the US when the constitution was ratified (The Hamilton out) the change of rules means theres far less pressure to not pick him, and of course, in Madison's second term the Internal Improvements part of the DR Party was a useful one to aspire to be on good terms with. And it all goes from there of course. Also worth noting, just because they can be elected doesn't mean there would be a rush, the American people are the American people after all.

1809-1812: James Madison / George Clinton (Democratic-Republican)
1808: Charles C. Pinckney / Rufus King (Federalist), George Clinton / James Monroe, James Madison, James Monroe / various (Democratic-Republicans)
1812-1813: James Madison / vacant (Democratic-Republican)
1813-1817: James Madison / A. A. Albert Gallatin (Democratic-Republican)
1812: DeWitt Clinton, Rufus King / Jared Ingersoll (Clintonian Republican / Federalist)
1817-1825: A. A. Albert Gallatin / Henry Clay (Democratic-Republican)[1]
1816: Rufus King / William J. Duane (Federalist / Clintonian Republican)
1820: Dewitt Clinton / Robert G. Harper (Clintonian Republican / Federalist)
1825-1830: William H. Crawford / John Q. Adams (Democratic-Republican)[2]
1824: Henry Clay / Daniel D. Tompkins (Caucus Republican)
1828: Andrew Jackson / various (Caucus Republican, later Democratic)
1830-1833: John Q. Adams / vacant (National Republican)
1833-1837: John Q. Adams / Nathaniel Macon (National Republican)
1832: Andrew Jackson / Richard M. Johnson (Democratic)
1837-1840: Andrew J. Donelson / Philip P. Barbour (Democratic)
1836: Henry Clay / Richard Rush (National Republican)
1840-1841: Andrew J. Donelson / vacant (Democratic)
1841-1845: Andrew J. Donelson / Thomas H. Benton (Democratic)[3]
1840: John Q. Adams / Aaron Clark, William H. Harrison / Nathaniel Macon (National Republican / Whig)
1845-1849: Daniel Webster / Willie P. Mangum (Whig)[4]
1844: John J. Crittenden, Horace Mann, Zachary Taylor / John Tyler, John McLean / John Sergeant (Whig), William L. Marcy / James K. Polk (Democratic)
1849-1853: Lewis Cass / John Y. Mason (Democratic)[5]
1848: Martin Van Buren / John A. Quitman, William R. King / James Buchanan (Democratic), Daniel Webster / Willie P. Mangum, John Tyler / Millard Fillmore (Whig)
1853-1857: Lewis Cass / William O. Butler (Democratic)
1852: John Y. Mason, James Buchanan / Gideon J. Pillow (Democratic), John P. Hale / Gerrit Smith (Compromiser)
1857-1861: Jefferson Davis / Benjamin F. Brown (Democratic)[6]
1856: Stephen A. Douglas / Trusten Polk (“Rail” Democrats), Charles Sumner / Lyman Trumbull (Compromiser)
1861-1865: Charles O’Conor / Joseph Lane (Democratic)[7]
1860: Stephen A. Douglas / Hannibal Hamlin (Republican)
1865-1869: Carl C. Schurz / Schuyler Colfax (Republican)
1864: John C. Breckinridge / Joseph Lane (Democratic), John Bell / Franklin Pierce (Pledge-taker)
1869-1873: Carl C. Schurz / Ulysses S. Grant (Republican / Free Union)[8]
1868: Don Carlos Buell / John S. Phelps (Democratic)
1873-1881: Philip H. Sheridan / Marshall Jewell (Republican)[9]
1872: George H. Pendleton / Julius H. Stahel-Számwald (Democratic)
1876: Carl C. Schurz / Charles F. Adams, Sr., John W. Stevenson (Free Union, Democratic) [10]
1881-1885: Thomas F. Meagher / Thomas F. Baynard (Democratic)[11]
1880: Ulysses S. Grant / Roscoe Conkling (Republican)
1885-1891: Robert T. Lincoln / Alphonso Taft (Republican)
1884: Thomas F. Meagher / Thomas F. Baynard (Democratic)
1888: David B. Hill / John G. Carlisle (Democratic)
1891-1893: Robert T. Lincoln / vacant (Republican)
1893-1897: Nelson W. Aldrich / James A. Walker (Republican)[12]
1892: Richard P. Bland / Joseph C. S. Blackburn (Democratic), Henry George / various (United Toilers')
1897-1899: John P. Altgeld / Henry George (Democratic)[13]
1896: Nelson W. Aldrich / James A. Walker (Republican), Charles W. Foster / Russell A. Alger (Citizens Reform), William F. Villas / Henry G. Davis (National Democratic)
1899-1901: John P. Altgeld / vacant (Democratic)
1901-1902: John P. Altgeld / Charles A. Towne (Democratic)
1900: James A. Mount / Frederick D. Grant (Republican), Melville W. Fuller / William C.P. Breckinridge (National Democratic)
1902-1905: Charles A. Towne / vacant (Democratic)

[1] Gallatin was qualified to be elected without the Change but still, born in Switzerland. His term was a harder lined term version of the Monroe Administration, smaller and smaller government. US Canals and roads were the business of the states, tariffs were shrunk. Opposition developed as Clintonian Democrats broke with Gallatin and found common ground with the Federalist Remnant. Overall though the country kept on keeping on.
[2] Old-style Republican William Crawford kept the small government system going until a stroke killed him.
[3] John Q. Adams and Andrew Jackson triggered a new era of US politics, but Jackson's middle Aged nephew was the one who had to lead the democrats to triumph. Mostly remembered for annexing Texas, which in turn led to the Mexican-American War which expanded the US all the way out to California.
[4] Webster's victory in 1844 was based on the (IOTL 1836) Whig plan to run multiple candidates regionally to deny the other party an electoral majority and throwing it to the House of Representative. Webster and Mangum having run on separate tickets but united for regional balance.
[5] Lewis Cass represented the Democrats doing the exact same thing. Popular Sovereignty enacted in the territories as a solution to the Slavery debate in the US. American politics regional and violence begins to rise from Nebraska to California in a battle for Free or Slave States.
[6] Jefferson Davis' election was due in part to the new Compromise Party, with a misleading name its the Free Soilers who want to reinstate the Missouri Compromise to end the Slavery debate. Beating Stephen A. Douglas' ticket which wanted western settlement as well secured his power after the death of the Whigs.
[7] President O'Conor was the child of Irish Immigrants born shortly after the families arrival in New York. A States Right's Democrat he leaned towards supporting the expansion of Slavery in the voting territories. When Secession was triggered, did not react, not even opposing the legality of the Southern States quitting. Stephen A. Douglas based on the debate of the past several years was the first Republican nominee.
[8] German Revolutionary Carl Schurz was elected in the aftermath of the Free Soil debate having become a naturalized US Citizen. President Schurz' election triggered the departure of the South and the Creation of a Civil War which would drag on for 6 years. For reelection, popular War Democrat General Ulysses S. Grant, having lost a leg fighting in Central Tennessee was selected as his VP.
[9] Victorious General Phil Sheridan was elected for two terms after the war, overseeing a Reconstruction of harsh levels that allows him gain popularity with the war-mad public and the enmity of the south.
[10] And of Free-Soil type Republicans for that matter, which is why former President Schurz ran for a third term against them, reviving his old Unity party from the war and getting the Democratic nomination as well. Luckily he lost.
[11] But a few more years of Reconstruction didn't help. In 1880 Irish Revolutionary, Transported to Australian and famously escapee to New York where he became a a Tammany Democrat and Civil War hero. Relations with Britain surprisingly were strained during these years.
[12] Adlrich was the stereotypical Guilded Age President, Rich, Small Government, and totally fine with sending troops to kill strikers. Won partially because Henry George broke the Democrats running with what amounts to a Labor Party ticket (There you go TB)
[13] German born, Civil War veteran Atgeld was a compromise figure for Democratic radicals, with support from the Urban and Rural radicals of the party. With George as his VP, and the Conservative Democrats having split off, there will be years of Populism and Proto-New Deal programs underway until his death in 1902.
​

 

[Japhy]

The Revolution of 1803 or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Made the US Ideological

Or: Wow this thought Exercise brought up some unfortunate implications...

1789-1797: George Washington / John Adams (Independent / Federalist)
1788: John Jay (Federalist), George Clinton (Anti-Federalist)
1792: George Clinton (Anti-Federalist)
1797-1801: John Adams / Thomas Pinckney (Federalist)[1]
1796: Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr (Republican)
1801-1803: John Adams / Thomas Jefferson (Federalist / Republican) [2]
1800: Thomas Pinckney (Federalist), Samuel Adams, Aaron Burr (Republican)
1803-1804: Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, Albert A. A. Gallatin (Committee of National Defense) [3]
1804-1807: Thomas Jefferson, Albert A. A. Gallatin, Henry Dearborn, George Clinton, John Breckinridge (Committee of National Defense) [4]
1805-1807: George Cabot / Alexander Hamilton (Halifax Federalist) [Disputed Legitimacy] [5]
1807-1809: Lt. Gen. James Wilkinson / vacant (Lancastrian Quid-Military) [6]
1809-1813: James Wilkinson / Aaron Burr (Lancastrian Quid) [7]
1808: George Cabot / Henry Lee III (Halifax Federalist)
1813-1821: James Wilkinson / Rufus King (Lancastrian Quid) [8]
1812: Alexander Hamilton / Henry Lee III (Washingtonian Conservative), Aaron Burr / James Ross (Popular Democratic) [9]
1816: Alexander Hamilton / John Marshall (Washingtonian Conservative), Andrew Jackson / Daniel D. Tompkins (Popular Democratic)
1821-1825: John Marshall / Richard Stockton (Washingtonian Conservative) [10]
1820: James Wilkinson / Rufus King (Lancastrian Quid), Aaron Burr / John C. Calhoun (Popular Democratic)
1825-1833: John Q. Adams / Henry Clay (Liberal Conservative) [11]
1824: DeWitt Clinton / Richard Rush (Democratic) [12], John Marshall / Richard Stockton (Washingtonian)
1828: John Marshall / Smith Thompson (Washingtonian), Aaron Burr / William Wilkins (Democratic)
1833-1837: Henry Clay / William H. Harrison (Liberal Conservative)[13]
1832: John C. Calhoun / William Wirt (Democratic), Daniel Webster / John Randolph (Washingtonian)
1837-1841: Daniel Webster / Willie P. Mangum (Washingtonian)
1836: Henry Clay / William H. Harrison (Liberal Conservative), Andrew Jackson / Levi Woodbury (Democratic)
1841-1849: Henry Clay / Martin Van Buren (Liberal Conservative)[14]
1840: Daniel Webster / Willie P. Mangum (Washingtonian), Andrew Jackson / Nathan Sanford (Democratic)
1844: James Buchanan / Richard M. Johnson (Washingtonian), John C. Calhoun / George M. Dallas (Democratic)[15]
1849-1853: Millard Fillmore / James P. Henderson (Liberal Conservative) [16]
1848: Daniel Webster / William R. D. King (Washingtonian)
1853-1860: John A. Quitman / Franklin Pierce (Washingtonian) [17]
1852: John S. Harrison / Andrew J. Donaldson (Liberal Conservative)
1856: Stephen A. Douglas / Azariah C. Flagg (Liberal Conservative)
1860-1861: Franklin Pierce / vacant (Washingtonian)[18]
1861-1865: Charles O’Conor / Charles J. Jenkins (Liberal Conservative) [19]
1860: Scattered Unpledged Electors / Franklin Pierce (Washingtonian)[20]
1865-1873: Robert M. T. Hunter / Joseph Lane (Washingtonian)[21]
1864: William H. Seward / Andrew Johnson (Liberal Conservative)
1868: Fernando Wood / John C. Breckinridge (Liberal Conservative)[22]
1873-1875: Fernando Wood / John C. Breckinridge (Liberal Conservative)[23]
1872: Alexander H. Stephens / Elihu B. Washburne (Washingtonian)
1875-1877: Fernando Wood / vacant (Liberal Conservative)
1877-1879: Fernando Wood / Rutherford B. Hayes (Liberal Conservative)
1876: Francis P. Blair, Jr. / Zebulon B. Vance (Washingtonian)
1879-1881: Rutherford B. Hayes / vacant (Liberal Conservative)
1881-1885: Rutherford B. Hayes / John H. Morgan (Liberal Conservative)[24]
1880: James G. Blaine / George F. Drew (Washingtonian)
1885-1893 Edward C. Walthall / Robert E. Pattison (Washingtonian)
1884: Lyman Trumbull / Lucius Q. C. Lamar (Liberal Conservative)
1888: David B. Hill / William S. Taylor (Liberal Conservative), Henry George / James G. Field (Unionist Republican)[25]


[*] First thing to note, the "Democratic-Republican Party" never actually called itself that. They just called themselves Republicans. DR is a creation of political historians to differentiate with the 1856- party

[1] The Divergence starts here, in 1796 the Federalist party does better in its election, continuing for four more years the complete shut out of the Republicans, as Jefferson does not become Vice President. When the Alien and Sedition Acts come around the situation develops even worse, due to Republican feelings of complete isolationism and Federalist ascendancy.

[2] The situation continues on, as Adams faces dissent from his right Jefferson takes second place in 1800, but there is no "Democratic Revolution". Sam Adams is Jefferson's official VP pick, Burr only reciving some votes in New York from more moderate Republicans. The Alien and Sedition acts remain on the books, Radicalism continues to grow in the United States. Federalized troops are used to deal with rebellions in Kentucky and Tennessee.

[3] As the Federalist government continues on, war continues to loom with France and Spain, and dissent is rising rapidly, in 1803 things finally explode, and Jefferson and his allies overthrow Adams and declare a new, revolutionary government, highly influenced by the Pre-Thermador French Republic. To lead the government a Committee of National Defense is formed. Civil War begins with counter-revolutionary, and slave revolts occurring across the country. John Adams is among the several hundred who would be executed for Political Crimes, and just one of the many thousands killed in the "Revolution of 1803"

[4] The Death of Sam Adams leads Jefferson to organize an expansion of the Committee of National Defense, as well as a move of the Capital to the "Real City" of Richmond, Virginia. The situation transforms in 1805 as Britain goes to War with the United States to contain revolutionary violence and ideology. The Revolution would end in 1807 with most American coastal cities, from Portland to Charleston in British hands, and Jefferson's committee hold up in the fortified city of Frederick, Maryland, its armies in tatters.

[5] With the British entry into the war, those Americans who had fled the hangman and the guillotine decided to develop their own government from the safety of Halifax, Nova Scotia. This government was dominated by the most wealthy of the United States and by those Federalists who had been smart enough to have ratlines readied in the months before the Revolution occurred. The legitimacy of the government was never truly developed, forces it raised for the war were firmly under British command, its funding was British and practically no counter-revolutionary forces operating within the United States ever communicated with it. None the less it formed perhaps the most prominent political opposition to the Committee of National Defense.

[6] The American Revolution of 1803 lasted four years before coming to its inglorious end. General James Wilkinson, one of the many Moderate Patriots, the "quids" who had fought for the United States even with the dangers of being put on an enemies list due to the smallest of errors or defeats, had been entrusted with the defense of Lancaster (Which implied a great deal of trust by Jefferson, which has raised endless debates in the two centuries since it) against all enemies. It was in Lancaster though, that he and a cadre of like-minded men, including the one-time Jeffersonian ally and proscribed Senator Aaron Burr, moved to overthrow the Committee. In a short and brutal campaign, Jefferson was captured and executed outside of Frederick, and Wilkinson moved to assume control of the United States and end the war with the British.

[7] Wilkinson proved to be the out the British were desperately seeking, as Napoleon continued to wage war in Europe. For various rebel groups and the Halifax government he was a force to be reckoned and worked with, for one-time revolutionaries he was a level handed figure whom issued mass amnesties and few proscriptions. In 1808 he would oversee new Elections which would assure his continual leadership, with his Liberal Conservative Party developing a base of support in the Cities and with Yeomen. (Taking the place of a Liberal Party in American Politics).

[8] In 1812 Wilkinson and Burr split, with Rufus King becoming Wilkinson's VP for the next eight years. During this time Wilkinson led America though the Coalition Wars in Europe as a minor partner, and sought to rebuild the nation with a program of Internal improvements. In 1815 at the Peace Conference in Europe, he was rewarded for his efforts by securing for the United States, East and West Florida, as well as a final settlement with Spain on the use of the Port of New Orleans and the Mississippi River.

[9] In the election of 1812 the American poltical system became entrenched. Liberal Conservatives of Wilkinson continued on their path as the Liberal party. Alexander Hamilton would take the old Halifax organization and remake it, into a Nationalistic, Pro-Concert, party of Industry, the Washingtonian Conservatives, a true counter-revolutionary party. Burr on the other hand, having fallen out with Wilkinson developed ties with the immigrant, and urban poor popuations, as well as with leaders of pro-toiler machines and local systems, such as DeWitt Clinton, and John C. Calhoun, and the war hero, General Jackson. The Popular Democratic party they would create would always though suffer from guilt-by-association with the Jeffersonian party.

[10] In 1821 John Marshall, pre-Revolutionary Chief Justice was elected President as a Washingtonian. This marking the first peaceful transition of political power between opponents in the History of the United States, marking the triumph of the counter-revolution. Marshall's administration would face trouble as its Slaveowning supporters in the South, pushed for the use of military force against the Civilized Tribes of the south and against the Seminoles in Florida.

[11] The counter-revolution further showed its promise when in 1824 the Liberal Conservatives retook office and there was again, not a coup. The Southern Tribes crisis would begin at this time unfortunately, as Government inaction to protect the native peoples of the South-Southwest allowed for massive violence against them, and the loss of political and property rights. Adams would though his term serve as a conduit for British influence in America, supporting Liberation Wars in the South, and promoting ties between the two nations navies, including the basing of British squadrons in the US.

[12] The rise of the Democrats crested in 1824 when DeWitt Clinton came in 2nd place in the election. A series of crackdowns, and a mass smear campaign by the Liberal Conservatives and Washingtonians would begin against them, supposedly to prevent another revolt.

[13] President Clay would help finish the Mexican War of Independence and create a diplomatic crisis, when US Forces intervened to help secure Texas, the Yucatan and Veracruz for the young Republic. In the concessionary treaty he would sign with Mexico, America gained extra-territoriality rights in New Orleans and southern Louisiana. During his term, US military force was used against the Civilized Tribes when members of those nations used armed force to counter squatter attacks.

[14] Four years of the Washingtonian Webster, and the soreness of that defeat, led Clay to begin a major policy in the Liberal Conservatives to co-opt Democratic support, leading to major reforms for workers and voting rights for the lower classes. By this time the "clearance" of the South-Southwest was complete, with Civilized tribes survivors either fleeing to Florida to join the Seminoles, or into Mexican Louisiana.

[15] The campaign was effective enough that in 1844, the Democrats now without Burr, Clinton or Jackson, ran their last campaign before completely disintegrating over the next four years. American politics was now simply Liberal or Conservative.

[16] Clay's successor Fillmore was a classic Liberal for his time, noted mostly for his moves to limit Catholic immigration and to support the deportation of Freed blacks to Sierra Leone.

[17] President Quitman led America though the Second-Spanish American War of 1854-1856 which ended in the annexation of Cuba by the United States, promoting a major shift in the American South to the Washingtonians by the establishment, as he had done what Clay never had, expanded Slave territory.

[18] Quitman died on November 1st, 1860 after fighting an illness for some time. Ruining of course, his third term campaign.

[19] Charles O'Conor the first non-WASP president would sweep into office over Quitman's corpse. O'Conor would oversee the pacification of Seminole Florida, and Cuba, the institution of American-style Peonage on that Island, and help found the University of the United States in Alexandria, DC.

[20] Quitman's death was too soon before the election for the Liberal Conservative party to pick a new candidate. Pierce would go on to recive the losing votes in the Electoral College, with Joseph Lane receiving the majority of the VP votes cast by the Washingtonians.

[21] President Hunter would be remembered as one of the Greater Washingtonian Presidents. Overseeing the conclusion of the war in Cuba using "Scientific Methods", he oversaw the beginning of American mass industrialization, and the nations growing power. During his administration a Border War with Mexico developed as that nation oversaw a civil war, Hunter responding by deploying US troops over the Mississippi, and moving the US border to a line roughly around the 100th Meridian West, the largest US Expansion in the nation's history. By the time his term had ended, three new states, Missouri, Orleans, and Texas had entered the Union. At the same time that the United States expanded westward, it also moved north, as the British North American Maritime provinces of New Hanover [New Brunswick and PEI] and Nova Scotia petitioned to Join the United States, in 1872 after a referendum in the territories, the British crown accepted the move and allowed them to join the United States.

[22] Fernando Wood and John C. Breckenridge won the majority of the popular vote, but in a controversial turn of events, the peonage populations of Cuba boosted that states electoral vote potential so as to swing the election in the way of President Hunter.

[23] 1872 saw the triumph of Wood and Breckenridge. Wood, a prominent Machine politician oversaw the lowering of tariffs and the passage of an income tax amendment during his terms in office, transforming American commerce, while simultaneously continuing established practice of limiting as much as possible, immigration into the United States. During his second term, he oversaw a long sought goal of the Liberals, the Catholic exclusion act, which prohibited papists from holding any Federal elected office, due to their loyalty to the Papal States and their devotion to the Pope. Simultaneously he was the first President to appoint a Jewish Cabinet Secretary, Franklin J. Moses, Jr as Secretary of the Army. President Wood would die in his office in 1879.

[24] President Hayes and Kentucky Governor Morgan were elected easily in 1880. During this time passing the Homesteads Act of 1882, which allowed the US government to seize and redistribute lands in the Mexican Cession that were previously owned by Non-Whites and those White Hispanics whom the government deemed unacceptable as landowners.

[25] While the Washingtonians were proud to hold office, 100 years after their namesake had held his, many feared the reason for this win, the rise of a new political force in US politics, Henry George should not have done as well as he did, winning in Orleans AND New York, he had come in third none the less winning Americas largest state and two largest ports is a cause for grave concern. And many began to fear, in the Conservative and Liberal circles, that George the American radical, might soon give way to more, foreign, Marxian elements in his new political party.

 

[Japhy]

An oldie from before the Footnotes, yes I know there was such a dark time, I may pull a few from back then. I quite like this one though because of the sheer ridiculousness of Henry Clay's supposed "respect" for America's neighbors and the fact that I really do think that Andrew Jackson Donaldson would have been a FaBR Winston Churchill like President had he had half the political smarts his uncle thought he did.

Andrew Jackson, Three Time Loser and the Trouble That Follows.

In 1816 a movement arose in American Politics which sought to prevent a Continuation of the Virginia Dynasty. IOTL of course it failed and James Monroe was elected as President, and again four years later. But the movement, which fizzled had tried to find several challengers to the Secretary of State and heir apparent, the most prominent of whom was one of the quickest to decline the honor, General Andrew Jackson. But what happens if the one time Senator and War Hero had tried?

The odd's arn't in Jackson's favor. In 1816 there are far fewer states that are choosing Electors based on the Popular vote, Voting requirements are set higher, and the Establishment actually has power and isn't too great a fan of his (Just as Thomas Jefferson for example). In the event of a challange we can argue that Jackson wont make gains from the Federalists small holdings only the Democratic Republicans, after swinging plenty of Western States and Pennyslvania to him (Where there is open voting) he still loses and Monroe is takes office with a slightly smaller majority. Jackson doesn't stop though and in 1820 he tries again, this time the vote coming down to the Razor thin majority of Two EVs where either Monroe or Jackson can win based on if Missouri is considered a state by Congress, IOTL that was a contentious enough issue as is, with Jackson's winning in the balance or Congress Picking Monroe, its a national schism. But Congress declares Missouri to still be a territory for a few weeks (Triggering alot of actual violence) and Monroe thus the winner. [AN: I have the numbers if anyone is interested]. Jackson goes on about the Theft of the Election, while his faction really becomes its own Separate party the National Democrats (The Democratic-Republicans in turn dropping the first series of Club's name from their unofficial party). For a third time Jackson tries and this time he is countered by a Virginian by Birth who moved elsewhere, War Hero William Henry Harrison who defeats Jackson for a third time, but which ends his political career.

The National Democrats, without Jackson do poorly in 1828 and in 1832 are poised to go the Way of the Federalists, when John C Calhoun is elected President. By the 1834 midterms Jackson's failure is complete, his party having completely collapsed. But Calhoun's policies start to clash with the Republican leadership, Internal Improvements leads to a Fight with the National Bank, Congress responds to its funding problem by pushing a Tariff which causes a complete Break, the Sitting president and his half of the Party breaking off to form a new Party, the Constitutionalists. While the split occurs in Texas there is a revolt, and it is crushed by Santa Anna just like the other break-away attempts in Mexico. Calhoun though struggles in his "Bank War" and in 1840 his former ally and Rival, Henry Clay is elected to the Presidency, which ends that conflict, the Second Bank of the United States receiving a long and protected charter. This though is followed by his own defeat in 1844.

In 1848 Revolution starts to break out around the world, including North America. In New York City, Baltimore, Richmond, Boston, and Charleston working men protest and riot for workers and voting rights. In Canada two separate Republics are declared (Quebec, and Upper Canada), in Mexico Texas, California, and Nauvoo rise in revolt. Constitutionalism President Linn Boyd plays fast and loose, putting his feet down on Protests and using Nationalist sentiment to unite the nation, by Recognizing all the breakaway Republics as US Protectorates, and using US troops to secure all of them. The Mexican army is beaten back in Texas ending the Mexican threat for a time, while the British are more focused on aiding their allies on the Continent, to do more then threaten the US with increased forces in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

The War crisis united the country but it also gives Henry Clay the fear boost to allow him to become the first Non-Consecutive President in US history. His second term is one focused on Peace Treaties. Mexico eventually signs in 1850 recognizing the US protection of California, the Salt Lake Region and Texas (Using the northern-most acceptable border for the last one). In 1851 the Canadian Purchase buys the Independence of the Canadian Republics, while defusing the border Crisis in Maine and New Brunswick. While Boyd had hoped to annex the Republics, Clay felt that the best role for the United States was to serve as a "Friend and Protector" of the smaller states, using US Arms, the Bank of the United States, and Diplomacy to keep the Protectorate Republics in line. These triumphs done, Henry Clay dies shortly before the end of his Second Term in 1852.

With the passing of Clay though, a Specter arises. That of Andrew J. Donaldson, and the J stands for Jackson. The nephew of the failed candidate, who was raised by his uncle as a son, sweeps into office and seeks to prove his Uncle right. In the First term comes massive changes, there is a Federal recognition the Workingmen's Associations which rioted in 1852 to appeal to the common worker, and with his support Donaldson turns against the Bank of the United States, eventually transferring all of its funds to other sources in 1856. Work for the National Railroad and Canal System is Cancelled. A National Policy is enacted to use US troops to remove Native Tribes from their lands, and then to Pack the Supreme Court when that body opposed the move. Immigration Restrictions were enacted to "Keep America, American". In his Second Term though Donaldson would take his most fateful action.

Since the aftermath of the Missouri crisis in Election of 1820 a Compromise had existed in US Politics. No Slavery was permitted in the Territories north of the Line of 40o North. This had ended Slavery's expansion outside of Kansas but had kept the Peace. Then Donaldson announced a series of Annexations, All of the Protectorate Republics were brought into the Union, and all three Mexican ones were opened to Slavery. The passage of such though the Senate was a close call but seemed to be a cornerstone triumph for Donaldson in 1858. And then all hell broke Lose.

Rebellion was an unpleasant thing. States in the North started nullifying Federal Anti-Runaway laws, Southern States stopped paying Tariffs and armed themselves. In California, Nauvoo, Canada many in the Republics took up arms against the new Government, And then Secession. The Republics, States both north and South, Individual Cities began to breakaway. There was the Confederate States of America in the Deep South which united with Texas, there was the Republic of New Jersey and the Great Northern Republic with Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, New York City declared itself a Neutral State, California and the Oregon Country sought British Protection, and got it.

In 1860 Donaldson, fueled by the belief that only he could win this Civil War for the Union, and a dream of making up for his Uncle's three defeats, was elected to a Third term. But the war didn't turn around. British Naval Intervention made the situation ever worse while the Rebels were too spread out to be easily confronted en mass. Donaldson was not his Uncle's Military mind and the running of Winfield Scott against him meant he turned to less experienced and talented Generals to try and win the war for him. Robert E Lee though lacked the strategic vision to coordinate multiple armies, and his successors proved just as poor at it. In 1864, The British, Prussians and French ceased operating only in their own territories, Mexico and the Pacific Republic and moved to end the War decisively. The Free City of New York and the Union-held Cities of Baltimore and Annapolis were taken under the Guns of the Royal Navy. When Donaldson vowed to fight on though, the reality of the situation was finally realized as lost by the rest of the Political Establishment. Donaldson and his second Vice President, John B Floyd were impeached, and President Pro Tempore of the Senate, James Buchanan assumed the office, backed by all Anti-War Factions. It was left to him to negotiate a Peace Settlement with the Europeans and Breakaway factions, and to deal with the Armies of Joseph Hooker and David Dixon-Porter operating in Northern New York and Louisiana Respectfully, whom refused to follow orders from the new Government...

1817-1825: James Monroe / Daniel D. Tompkins (Republican)
1816: Andrew Jackson / Simon Snyder (Independent Republican) , Rufus King / John E. Howard(Federalist)
1820: Andrew Jackson / Smith Thompson (Independent Republican), Harrison G. Otis / Daniel Rodney (Federalist)
1825-1833: William H. Harrison / John C Calhoun (Republican)
1824: Andrew Jackson / Nathaniel Macon (National Democrat)
1828: William Wirt / Richard M. Johnson (National Democrat)
1833-1837: John C. Calhoun / Amos Ellmaker (Republican, later Constitutionalist / Republican)
1832: John C. Spencer / John Tyler (National Democrat)
1837-1841: John C. Calhoun / Richard M. Johnson (Constitutionalist)
1836: Henry Clay/ Amos Ellmaker (Republican)
1841-1845: Henry Clay / Francis P. Granger (Republican)
1840: Richard M. Johnson / Lewis Cass (Constitutionalist)
1845-1849: Linn Boyd / Franklin Pierce (Constitutionalist)
1844: Henry Clay / Francis P. Granger (Republican)
1849-1852: Henry Clay / Charles F. Adams, Sr. (Republican)
1848: Linn Boyd / Franklin Pierce (Constitutionalist)
1852-1853: Charles F. Adams, Sr. / vacant (Republican)
1853-1861: Andrew J. Donaldson / David R. Atchison (Constitutionalist)
1852: William L. Marcy / William A. Graham (Republican)
1856: John McLean / Millard Fillmore (Republican-Redeemer)
1861-1864: Andrew J. Donaldson / John B. Floyd (Constitutionalist)
1860: Winfield Scott / William H. Seward (Republican), John J. Crittenden / Edward Everett (Unionist)
1864-1865: James Buchanan / vacant (Unified Opposition)
​

 

[Japhy]

Why yes I do have a passion for American Dictatorships, how could you tell?

A Long Night Over America

Lincoln’s leadership in the Civil War was constantly challanged by his Generals, many of whom were on record in letters, as indicating that there was no real plan on their part to win the war, but to delay violence long enough to vote Lincoln out and use diplomacy to re-unite the nation (For example, Fitz-John Porter, and men on the staff’s of Don Carlos Buell, George McClellan, Joe Hooker, and William S. Rosecrans), this intent, along with the failures of other Generals (Pope the Hard War proponent, McClernand; the replacement of “Butcher” Grant) In 1864 with this bogged down and ineffective war effort having been viewed as going long enough, one of the few “Heros” of the War, Joseph Hooker won the Democratic Nomination, and then the White House, few realized the disastrous impact this would eventually have on American Democracy.

1865-1869: Joseph Hooker / Lazarus W. Powell (Democratic)
1864: Abraham Lincoln / Hannibal Hamlin (Republican)
1868: Andrew G. Curtin / B. Gratz Brown (Republican) [1]
1869-1873: Joseph Hooker (Union Patriot) [2]
1873-1879: Joseph Hooker / Daniel A. Butterfield (Union Patriot)
1872: John C. Fremont / David Davis (Republican), Horatio Seymour / Charles J. Jenkins (Liberal Democratic) [3]
1879-1879: Daniel A. Butterfield (Union Patriot)
1879-1881: George B. McClellan (Continental) [4]
1881-1881: George B. McClellan / Fernando Wood (Continental)
1880: Alphonso Taft / John Hay (Nationalist) [5]
1881-1885: George B. McClellan (Continental)
1885-1901: Fitz-John Porter (Continental) [6]
1901-1902: Nelson A. Miles (Continental)
1902-1906: Nelson A. Miles / Daniel E. Sickles (Continental) [7]
1906-1910: George B. McClellan, Jr. / Frederick D. Grant (New Continental)
1905: Henry C. Frick / S. Grover Cleveland (Free Independent) [8]
1910-1914: George B. McClellan, Jr. / Frederick N. Funston(New Continental)
1909: John A. Johnson / Joseph C. S. Blackburn (Constitutional) [9]
1914-1918: Thomas A. Edison / George E. Chamberlain (Constitutional) [10]
1913: Leonard Wood / Theodore Roosevelt II (New Continental)

[1]- In Hooker’s First term, was about the Civil War. Luckily the Confederate Government was as effective in the years of Peace as was always to be expected. Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Florida all wound up quitting the Confederacy and came back to the Union when Confederate troops threatened them, the victories that followed put paid to Dixie, and the promise to leave Slavery in place won support of “moderates” in the South. Hooker’s War also spread home, where there was plenty of extra-leagal measures to break the opposition. In 1868 the Republican ticket reflected the fact that the party was collapsing, and only B-listers were willing to stand
[2]- In 1869 the Civil War was over, but Hooker was not interested in giving up on his vast list of Emergency powers, a few months later, he forced his Vice President, Lazarus Powell to resign, after he was far too interested in wasting time with ideas of Democracy and such mumbo jumbo.
[3]- In 1872 Hooker ran for a third term, under the banner of a new party, the Union Patriots, the 1872 election was the end of functional American Democracy of course, Hooker winning every state except some in the deep south. There would be no 1876 election (Cancelled due to the crisis on the Canadian Border). The dictatorship was entrenched.
[4]- In 1879 Fighting Joe Hooker died at the Capitol, his long term Aide-De-Camp Dan Butterfield assuming command of the nation. Butterfield lacked the loyalty of the troops in the army, the popular appeal, within a few months, he was overthrown by George McClellan who promised elections when the situation stabilized.
[5]- In 1880 there was an election, McClellan of course ran under his banner of the Continental Party. Remnants of the Democrats and Republicans tried to run a campaign, with dreams of forming new parties after democracy was restored. Then the found out that neither McClellan or her sickly VP nominee were actually interested in letting there be open elections.
[6]- Five years after his Vice President died, McClellan, died. Of course he had entrusted his personal confidant and Number 2 with the means of not dying like Dan Butterfield, Fitz John Porter one of the men responsible for the 1861-65 delays and hero of the rough combat of 1865-67 took office. McClellan leaving him a parting gift from his deathbed, ordering a purge of Congress to finish off what was left of any meaningful opposition in the country
[7]- In 1901 Fitz John Porter died in the Office of President which he had never been elected too. In a conference some weeks before the end though, the leading Generals in the country had appointed his heir, Nelson A. Miles. Shortly after taking office though Miles faced a Coup, based on the general anger at the dictatorship plenty of rebellions, unrelated to George A. Custer’s play for the top office broke out as well. In crushing them all, Miles decided reform and legitimacy were sorely needed. First came the appointment of Vice President Sickles, the old Hero of Gettysburg and Continental Party Sachem.
[8]- Next came the first elections in 25 years. And the shock that Miles was not going to run, but instead helped the Governor-General of the Department of the Hudson reorganize the Party, George B. McClellan, Jr. led the party into the election with another General and General’s son at his side. Henry Clay Frick, the most prominent Non-Continental Senator led the charge in opposition, and while no “Radical” parties were permitted he thought he could gain the national support to win. He in fact, could not. Low voter turn out, Frick’s Frickness, and some voter-fraud were responsible for keeping the reformed Continental Party in power.
[9]- Frick’s bad performance and the slow reforms of McClellan Jr. ment that a real opposition party could form. In 1909 the Constitution Party won major inroads, but its leaderships role in the dictatorship didn’t do them much good in the popular imagination, Johnson and Blackburn had been medium level cogs in the Continental Machine years earlier, they could not gain popular support.
[10] But in 1913 support was found when the most famous man in America who was not a Continental Party Member (Though the party had long tried to win him over, and couldn’t force him because of his fame), entered politics and for the only time in his life was elected to Political Office, The Great Innovator would immediately help begin work to restore the US to its Old Constitution, with suitable changes. His opponent the General accepted the result, Roosevelt though (Yes he is TR, though his father is remembered as I) did not accept the result, there was talk of him leading the New York Police Department on a march to DC to restore “Strong Rule”. Instead Roosevelt had to scamper off to Paris an exile, when he was faced with responsibility for talking of coups.
​

 

[Japhy]

Every time I see old posts of mine that involve the "redeption" of Stephen Douglas I get annoyed but still, fun inversion list.

John Tyler's Revenge

I'm back. So yeah.

In 1841 the Whig Party expelled President John Tyler from its ranks. Partly because many disagreed with his elevation to the top office, partly because he was not being a figurehead president, partly because he was basically a Jacksonian at heart anyway.

Here Tyler organizes his third party earlier, the Democratic-Republicans (As opposed to the old Republican clubs and associations that have collectively been refereed to that by historians). IOTL Tyler tried to build the party on the issue of Texas annexation, separating it from the Van Buren and Clay Democrats and Whigs, as well as by building up an ideology to win over Southerners of expansion and small government. Here it works and in 1844 Tyler is reelected President. The rest follows.

1841-1845: John Tyler / vacant (Expelled Whig, later Democratic-Republican)
1845-1849: John Tyler / Caleb Cushing (Democratic-Republican) [1]
1844: Henry Clay / Millard Fillmore (Whig), Silas Wright, Jr. / Littleton W. Tazewell (Democratic)
1849-1853: Abel P. Upshur / Charles G. Atherton (Republican) [2]
1848: Winfield Scott / Charles F. Adams (Whig), William J. Worth / Joshua R. Giddings (Straight-Out Democrat)
1853-1857: John McLean / William F. Johnston (Whig, later Constitutional Unionist) [3]
1852: Abel P. Upshur / Charles G. Atherton (Republican), John A. Dix / Salmon P. Chase (Free Soil) [4]
1857-1859: Linn Boyd / Henry J. Gardner (Republican / Constitutional Unionist) [5]
1856: Franklin Pierce (Republican), John P. Hale / Thomas H. Ford (Liberal), Samuel Houston (Constitutional Unionist)
1859-1861: Henry J. Gardner / vacant (Constitutional Unionist) [6]
1861-1869: William H. Seward / Benjamin G. Brown (Liberal) [7]
1860: James A. Pearce / Herschel V. Johnson (Republican), Henry J. Gardner (Constitutional Unionist)
1864: James Buchanan / Lazarus W. Powell (Republican), [Stephen A. Douglas / John Cochrane (Union Democracy)] [8]

[1] Some historians have suggested that Tyler's party was really an attempt to trigger the Democrats to nominate an Annexationist. This is silly, as Tyler clearly wanted to hold on to office. None the less, here we have the impact of Tyler's co-opting of expansionist Democrats, the Anti-Annexationist Van Buren wing came out on top, though they chose to not nominate the former President himself, but Silas Wright, a key ally.
[2] In 1845 Tyler annexed the Republic of Texas, but also worked to sign a treaty with the Mexican Government as to the border. But then in 1847 the Bear Flag Revolt in California was launched, and over the next year ejected all Mexican forces from California, Tyler's successor Able Upshur (Saved from explosion endued death by the earlier formation of the DR's which were now being called simply Republicans) led the US into the Mexican-American war of 1849-1852. The war was fought entirely in North Mexico, and led in the end to the annexation not only of California, but of New Mexico, Sonora Baja California, and the majority of the one time Rio Grande Republic. During Upshur's term the Democratic party collapsed.
[3] In 1852 John McLean was elected to office due to War weariness, though Upshur's diplomatic mission to end the war before his term ended denied McLean an early foreign relations victory. The dominating issue of his term in office was the debate of the expansion of Slavery into California and The Mexican Cession. The end agreement, pushed by McLean banned Slavery in North and South California, and New Mexico north of the Missouri Compromise line which became the State of Deseret, while permitting it in the Southern part of the territory which became the state of Arizona, Sonora and in the state of Laredo. The Compromise of 1854 would shatter the Whig Party as a result. McLean and the "Moderate" wing becoming the Constitutional Unionists, while the "Radicals" led by Senators Abraham Lincoln and William Seward joined the Free Soil party of Democratic ejectees to form a new political party.
[4] The Free Soil Party, formed out of the rump of the Strait-Out, Van Buren Democrats won 2 states in 1852 to the 1848 Democrats Zero, and would serve to further cement the Tyler plan, to turn the South into Republican territory while breaking the vote in the north. The plan seemed to work even better following the 1855 Whig break up.
[5] The election of 1856 was one of the most partisan in American History, when the votes were tallied and it wound up that no party had gained the nessessary votes, the thing was thrown to Congress, where Republicans found common ground with Constitutional Unionists, to keep the new Anti-Slavery Liberal Party from either top office, though they had far far outpaced the Constitutional Unionists.
[6] The death of President Linn Boyd though threw a wrench in things, Garners attempts to unite the Country with Anti-Immigrant feeling failed, and in 1859-1861 his Government failed to respond to a massive move across the south to nullify his modest internal improvements and tax reforms.
[7] In 1860 the Constitutional Unionists were a spent force, and Seward the Liberal candidate was swept into office, winning the entire north. Civil War followed.
[8] Seward's policies were seen by many as either too extreme or two weak throughout the war, the result being the creation of the Union Democracy Party against him. But in 1864 when Seward issued a proclamation to end slavery and recruit Blacks to fight, that party withdrew from the election and moved to support him against the Peace Republicans, helping assure his reelection that year.

Side note, I think this is going to be my last Antebellum/Civil War centered list for a while...

 

[Japhy]

Hodgepodge Collection of stuff

Main problem with this one is that I think, if TR had been "shut out" in 1900, either by being VP and being trapped in it for a time, or by being kept out by lack of relevance, such as here, that he would have simply kept climbing, either using the Senate or the Governorship in New York to make himself a contender further down the line. Its hard to imagine that in the event of a shut out that in 1912 he'd somehow still get wedged into the Vice Presidency, he'd either go for the top job by then or stay whereever he was.

Also while I'm never one to go too concrete on rules, if the National "Gold" Democrats are relevant enough in the election 1900 I'd normally include then in 1896.

Bryan Wins, Bryan Fails

In 1896 due to the continuing depression the nation finds itself in, William Jennings Bryan wins the Presidency. From there on, everything goes wrong. Bryan wastes too much political capital in getting the majority of his delegates (Democrats) to endorse his Populist Co-running mate. Over the next two years this will develop into a massive break in the Democratic Party, and in the end proves worthless when Tom Watson resigns in 1900 over Bryan's insufficiently strong opposition to immigration. The result is in 1900 the Republicans sweep back in, and the three way race of Conservative Democrats, Populists, and Bryan holdouts mean the Solid South, breaks permanently.

Presidents Bulkley and Sherman push for moderate reforms while in office, at the same time entrenching their Southern gains as the Populists and Democrats continue to tear each other apart. In 1909 Sherman selects the first Catholic major party candidate, Charles Bonaparte due to his faith and Maryland roots in a quest to gain even more support in Dixie and in Immigrant communities facing Populist Xenophobia, it works, and in Sherman's fatal term the Democratic Party ceases to be a major national force.

The Great-Nephew of the French Emperor holds off against an Anti-Catholic Campaigns by the Populist with his Corporatist-Progressive VP, against a Populist second party and the rising of the Socialists whom the Populists hate just as much. America stits out on the 1912-1918 War, but German Victory, the Collapse of Czarist Russia and the economic impact hits America all the same, causing a massive depression, which in 1920 leads Popular Governor Edward L. Jackson and Senior Populist Senator Marion Butler to the White House, as the first President and Vice President of "The People's Party". And with that the two of them work, to rebuild America in the right sort of image for the right sort of people...

1897-1900: William J. Bryan / Thomas E. Watson (Democratic / Populist)
1896: Arthur Sewall (Democratic), Thomas B. Reed / James A. Walker (Republican)
1900-1901: William Jennings Bryan / vacant (Democratic)
1901-1909: Morgan G. Bulkeley / William O. Bradley (Republican)
1900: William F. Vilas / James S. Hogg (National Democratic), Thomas E. Watson / Thomas H. Tibbles (Populist), William J. Bryan / John Southgate (Bryanite Democratic)
1904: William F. Vilas / Moorfield Storey (Democratic), Thomas E. Watson / Frank Steuenberg (Populist)
1909-1912: James S. Sherman / Charles J. Bonaparte (Republican)
1908: William A. Poynter / Marion Butler (Populist), James C. McReynolds / John H. Clarke (Democratic)
1912-1913: Charles J. Bonaparte / vacant (Republican)
1913-1921: Charles J. Bonaparte / Theodore Roosevelt (Republican)
1912: Charles H. Randall / Thomas L. Glenn (Populist)
1916: John S. Williams / Charles A. Barlow (Populist), Eugene V. Debs / Seymour Stedman (Socialist)
1921-1925: Edward L. Jackson / Marion Butler (Populist)
1920: William E. Borah / Henry W. Anderson (Republican), Eugene V. Debs / Allan L. Benson (Socialist)
​

---------------​

Lincoln Chafee... verses Johnny Edwards... *Dies*

The Reagan Rebellion of 1977

1976 the former Governor of California is able to unseat President Gerald Ford for the Republican Presidential Nomination, having taken over by Convention Coup though, Reagan immediately discovered such things are hard to control and his attempt to secure the Vice Presidency for a more Liberal Republican failed as his own supporters forced the nomination of New York Senator James L. Buckley. This at first seemed to bode ill for the Reagan campaign but his populist-tinged talk of change worked magic on the American populace and that November the GOP kept the White House, and an ideological transformation was set to begin.

Unfortunately for the former Actor, slashing Government programs in the middle of Stagflation and triggering Crises with the Soviets and Maoists didn't go over too well. As the recession grew ever bigger, the Moderates and Liberals of the Republican party, who had in part rallied to the Mathias run in '76 or reluctantly backed their parties ticket began to shout that this is why we can't have nice things. In 1980 not even a compromise VP pick though could change things, and the Democrats swept back into office. President Carey would work hard to rebuild the New Deal consensus, and the GOP would spend years trying to find a place for itself, even as the Democratic Party moved from Old School Liberal with Carey to 8 years of Populism under Rockefeller. And once the GOP made peace with Liberalism and sought to redefine the Welfare state, a new generation of Reaganite Malcontents would arise to challenge the system anew.

1977-1981: Ronald W. Reagan / James L. Buckley (Republican)
1976: Henry M. Jackson / R. Sargent Shriver, Jr. (Democratic), Charles M. Mathias, Jr. / W. Ramsey Clark (Independent)
1981-1989: Hugh L. Carey / James E. Carter (Democratic)
1980: Ronald W. Reagan / Howard H. Baker, Jr. (Republican)
1984: H. John Heinz III / William E. Brock III (Republican)
1989-1997: John D. Rockefeller IV / Henry A. Waxman (Democratic)
1988: Alexander M. Haig, Jr. / William L. Armstrong (Republican)
1992: Pierre S. du Pont IV / J. Danforth Quayle (Republican)
1997-2005: George E. Pataki / Lynn M. Martin (Republican)
1996: Henry A. Waxman / Albert A. Gore, Jr. (Democratic)
2000: John F. Kerry / Zell B. Miller (Democratic)
2005-2009: Howard B. Dean III / Gary Hart (Democratic)
2004: Mark S. Schweiker / John S. McCain III (Republican), J. Rick Perry / Tommy G. Thompson (Constitution)
2009-2017: Lincoln D. Chafee / Charles E. Roemer III (Republican)
2008: Howard B. Dean III / Gary Hart (Democratic), Samuel D. Brownback / Alan L. Keyes (Constitution)
2012: Johnny R. Edwards / Christopher J. Dodd (Democratic)

---------------
​

This wasn't intended to be but does serve as a fun little counterpoint to the Revolution of 1803 one.

Federalist Supremacy and the Special Relationship

Between 1776 and 1826 (Or so) its impossible to discuss American History without noting the relationship with Britain, it was a defining characteristic of American politics, with an impact as big as the Cold War had in the second half of the 20th Century. Its interesting to note that with the exception of the Federalist period the US government was always somewhere between outright hostile and fearful of the Return of the British, so this time playing with a more powerful Federalist Party is about what that relationship could have become.

1789-1797: George Washington / John Adams (Independent / Federalist)
1788/9: John Jay (Federalist), George Clinton (Anti-Federalist)
1792: George Clinton (Democratic-Republican)
1797-1801: John Adams / Thomas Pinckney (Federalist)[1]
1796: Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, Samuel Adams (Democratic-Republican)
1801-1805: Thomas Pinckney / Aaron Burr (Federalist / Democratic-Republican)[2]
1800: John Adams, John Jay (Federalist), Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican)
1805-1809: Thomas Pinckney / Gouverneur Morris (Federalist)
1804: James Madison, Aaron Burr, George Clinton (Democratic-Republican)
1809-1813: Gouverneur Morris / Thomas Lowndes (Federalist)[3]
1808: William H. Crawford / Henry Dearborn (Democratic-Republican)
1813-1821: DeWitt Clinton / James Monroe (Democratic-Republican)[4]
1812: Gouverneur Morris / Thomas Lowndes (Federalist)
1816: Timothy Pickering / Robert G. Harper (Federalist)

[1] - In 1796, Alexander Hamilton played a tough game for the Federalists election. In the South he was able to convince multiple electors to cast their two votes for Jefferson their own Democratic-Republican man and Pinckney a Southern man but a Federalist, for the idea of keeping Adams out of the Vice Presidency. Unlike IOTL he was also able to gain more control over Federal electors, cutting the number of votes for other figures down with the result being a Federalist pair in the White House. Jefferson, out of Government continues to cause trouble, as do the French. The Sedition Act is a bit lighter then IOTL but still pass, and Jefferson still invents the "Principles of '98". The Quasi-War goes pretty much as IOTL though.

[2] - In 1800 the election turns into a referendum on the Adams administration, and the nation by a decent if not fantastic margin leans with kicking him out. But then a dispute takes place. When the votes come to the Capital, Democratic-Republican votes from Georgia were not properly labeled. With the votes Jefferson and Aaron Burr would have tied for the lead. Instead, President of the Senate Pinckney throws them out for being Constitutionally invalid and thus, the election is thrown to the Federalist Controlled Congress. Jefferson's reaction calling the move an illegal seizure of power does not take off, but there is much debate on what Congress should it be a party line decision or should the Federalists give in based on what the nation wanted. Anti-Adams sentiment in his own party also causes trouble, in the end a compromise of sorts is reached, and Both Adams and Jefferson find themselves sidelined for their Vice Presidents which causes some uproar but not too much.

Having taken office the New President Pinckney and the Vice President Burr push a new direction in US Policy, the Navy sees a large expansion and the Quasi-War with France is upped even further, at sea but the army build up is slowed to a merely defensive stance. The War against French Privateers will rage in the Atlantic and European Waters for years to come. The Sedition Act though is repealed in 1802.

[3] - War with France continues on though the Pinckney years, and ties with Britain correspondingly rise. The French do not buy Louisiana due to its indispensability and Spain's come and go neutrality in the War in Europe means that Expansion is not an inevitable result of the war to the West that is. When War with France is finally declared in 1803 the US keeps on going, with operations moving to the Carribean where the US works to seize Guadaloupe. In 1804 Pickney is reelected, with fellow Federalist Gouvernor Morris beating James Madison and Aaron Burr the leading Democratic-Republicans. The US-French War continues on the Second Pinckney term having US Naval forces based in England itself and English bases in Corsica and Malta to operate against French naval forces, In 1808 Grouvernor Morris was elected on his own, and saw the final conclusion of the Franco-American War as in 1812 France was finally defeated by America's Co-Belligerents. The American relationship with the Anti-French Coalitions is a good one, with a certain belief in London and Washington that the end result of it will be a Special Relationship of sorts, with some in Parliament questioning if Canada might be sold to the United States to pay off the War Debts and to further cement a positive relationship with the other.

[4] - In 1812 the Democratic-Republicans finally pulled it off. Clinton of course had always been half a Federalist, like his Uncle but a win is a win. Clinton did not repudiate the Anglo-American Special Relationship, nor did he repudiate the Morris ideal that America was a single republic (An is not a are). Clinton did run an administration though which committed itself to Development in the Northwest though settlement and though a series of Internal Improvements across the country, building Canals, Highways, and supporting the development of varied American Industries. Clinton attempted negotiations with Spain to purchase the Louisiana Territory, and with the failure of that, began a US Policy of supporting the Revolution in Mexico with the goal of getting Louisiana in the aftermath of a Victory there..

---------------​

These days I would have made it the Progressive Era: 1896-1940. Also would have included Harding and Hoover since they were Progressive as hell, instead of going with the Pop History view of Progressivism. Also Lovestone wasn't eligable

​

The Early Demise of Theodore Roosevelt or The Progressive Era: 1900-1940

1901-1905: Theodore Roosevelt / vacant (Republican)
1905-1909: Theodore Roosevelt / Charles W. Fairbanks (Republican)
1904: Alton B. Parker / Henry G. Davis (Democratic)
1909: Charles W. Fairbanks / vacant (Republican)[1]
1909-1912: William H. Taft / James S. Sherman (Republican)[2]
1908: William J. Bryan / John W. Kern (Democratic)
1912-1913: William H. Taft / vacant (Republican)
1913-1915: William H. Taft / Curtis Guild, Jr. (Republican)[3]
1912: [James S. Sherman (Republican)], Judson Harmon / Martin J. Wade (Democratic), Eugene V. Debs / Emil Seidel (Socialist)
1915-1917: William H. Taft / vacant (Republican)
1917-1925: Lawrence Y. Sherman / Elmer J. Burkett (Republican)[4]
1916: William J. Bryan / George E. Chamberlain (Democratic), Eugene V. Debs / Frank Bohn (Socialist)
1920: T. Woodrow Wilson / Homer S. Cummings (Democratic)[5], Charles E. Russell / George R. Kirkpatrick (Socialist)
1925-1933: William E. Borah / Frank O. Lowden (Republican)[6]
1924: Alfred E. Smith / David F. Houston (Democratic), William D. Haywood / August Gilhaus (Socialist)
1928: Newton D. Baker / William P. A. Rogers (Democratic), William Z. Foster / Robert N. Baldwin (Socialist)
1933-1937: Charles G. Dawes / Chase Osborn (Republican)[7]
1932: Norman M. Thomas / Jay Lovestone (Socialist)[8], Harry F. Byrd, Sr. / Fred H. Brown (Democratic)
1937-1941: W. Frank Knox / Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. (Republican)[9]
1936: Huey P. Long, Sr. / W. Frank Murphy (Democratic), Norman M. Thomas / Maynard C. Kruger (Socialist)

Notes
[AN] - If anything destroyed the Progressive Movement in the United States it was the actions of its two greatest leaders, Roosevelt and Wilson. Unsurprisingly tweaking one removes the other, and the First World War which of course is the other leading cause of the death of the movement. So yeah, here we go.

[1] - In January of 1909 Theodore Roosevelt was out being Theodore Roosevelt, doing the things that so many people love him for. And suddenly a Wild Heart Attack appeared. He did not recover. And luckily for America, Taft had already been elected and Fairbanks did not have enough time to do anything reactionary.

[2] - Taft's first term goes pretty much as per OTL except in that he did not have a break with the Progressive wing of the party. Gifford Pinchot gets fired, but thats not a break, there's no one except Bob LaFollette is complaining and he's nuts anyway. Instead Taft's result are a credit to him, trusts are busted, civil service reform continues, some elements of Roosevelt's New Nationalism are incorporated into the administration's goals, Army Reforms, Income Tax and Taft starts supporting Women's suffrage lightly.

[3] - In 1912 the GOP is united, Debs gains 11% of the vote none the less but the Democrats still lose. Taft with Sherman dying after the election embraces more of the New Nationalism that Roosevelt was talking about and it shows with his VP choice. At home Social Insurance, Worker's Comp and an 8 hour work day become law. The Suffrage amendment goes to the states. Abroad, when War breaks out the United States under Taft begins a campaign of armed neutrality. In Mexico the US works to help support the rise of a Progressive Reform Government, providing large amounts of cash and supplies to help the cause.

[4] - As War drags on in Europe Lawrence Sherman is elected to continue leading the nation and the GOP. In his term the US Navy at various points engages both German and British forces for violating the US "Neutrality Zone". In 1917 Suffrage passes, In 1918 the National Health Act passes allowing for basic care to all Americas, the Old Age Pension Act is passed in 1919 and in the Post War Economic Slow down a system of Farm Aid is created. The end of the War in Europe in 1919 also sees besides a Farm crisis due to Overexertion, but an Economic downturn. In Lawrence's second term the Federal Reserve is founded to control the currency, and the Securities Trading Commission is created to regulate Wall Street. In 1921 Lawrence passes by brute force and working with Socialists in the House to pass an Anti-Lynching Bill. In 1923 as he develops as a lame duck in 1923 the National Voting Rights Act passes, which promises to use the US Attorneys to fight the denial of voting rights to minorities.

[5] - With the War raging in Europe, William Jennings Bryan got one last chance, running an Anti-War ticket, though between the Republicans and Socialists none of the major parties were pushing for a war in Europe.

[6] - William E. Borah's first term was one of modest reform and booming economic growth. Progressivism moved towards scientific economics, trying to raise the total standard of living, as cars began to rise in the population, Borah oversaw the growth of the Federal Highway system, the development of federal funding for the states to develop housing programs and welfare, with strings attached to make sure that Civil Rights goals are achieved. But Borah's administration is defined by the popping of the Bubble in the first part of 1930 the Stock Market crashed, though thanks to various reforms including the STC's work the pain is lessened though no amount of reforms could change the Post-War economics that caused the trouble. Borah's fast work though to help save homes, working to help farmers with the Dust Bowl and common bank holidays to help prevent runs meant that he gained serious credit for working to help all Americans.

[7] - In 1932 the Republicans nominated Secretary of State Dawes to the Presidency, Dawes' work to curb the recession that was underway was based on targeted cash injections and US Military Growth, keeping Borah's aid programs in place helped keep things from getting worse but the economic recovery was slow and gains were hard to secure.

[8] - The long term failure of the Democrats, with only one president since 1861 finally saw them dropping to third place, in the face of Socialists promising real work to help redevelop the United States in the face of a stubborn economic downturn.

[9] - After four years of Dawes and Recession the GOP faced a convention fight the incumbent lost, with Frank Knox and Ted Roosevelt taking the White House after taking the nomination, The Implementation of the Fair Deal would follow, and with the US looking to Europe and Asia, with a major loan program being started to help restart not only the US economy but global trade. Over the next four years, the results were looking pretty damn good.

---------------​

Quite like this one

He Kept Us Out of War

Here's another one of my "Oops" lists.

1913-1917: T. Woodrow Wilson / Thomas R. Marshall (Democratic)[1]
1912: Theodore Roosevelt / Hiram Johnson (Progressive), William H. Taft / Nicholas M. Butler, [James S. Sherman] (Republican), Eugene V. Debs / Emil Seidel (Socialist)
1917-1921: William J. Bryan / Thomas P. Gore (Democratic)[2]
1916: Lawrence Y. Sherman / Theodore E. Burton (Republican)[3], T. Woodrow Wilson / John Burke (Independent)[4], William D. Haywood / Charles E. Russell (Socialist)[5]
1921-1923: Theodore Roosevelt / Leonidas C. Dyer (Republican)[6]
1920: William J. Bryan / Thomas P. Gore (Democratic), Burton K. Wheeler / Charles E. Russell (Nationalist)[7], Eugene V. Debs / George R. Kirkpatrick (Socialist)[8]
1923-1925: Leonidas C. Dyer / vacant (Republican)[9]
1925-1933: William G. McAdoo / Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic)[10]
1924: Leonidas C. Dyer / Herbert C. Hoover (Republican), Parley P. Christensen / Henrik Shipstead (Nationalist)[11]
1928: Frank O. Lowden / Alvan T. Fuller (Republican), Floyd B. Olson / Duncan McDonald (Nationalist)[12]
1933-1934: Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. / John J. Blaine (Republican)[13]
1932: Floyd B. Olson / Benjamin Gitlow (Nationalist)[14], William G. McAdoo / Harry F. Byrd (Democratic)[15]
1934-1937: Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. / vacant (Republican)

Notes:

[1] - Things changed rapidly after William Jennings Bryan resigned over the Increased Interventions in Mexico of the Wilson Administration in 1914 following the US Occupations of Vera Cruz, Tampico, and Tijuana due to the Mexican Civil War. As the administration moved to condemn German "Illegal Warfare" at sea, Bryan saw the writing on the wall, and declared himself against his former Boss, seeking to build a broad Anti-War Coalition to defeat Wilson. It wasn't that hard, especially as the casual brutality of Czarist Russia continued and was joined by the international commendation of the executions following the Easter Uprising. As the nation moved closer to the election Wilson was forced towards the interventionists, denouncing German Actions, and tieing the US financially more and more towards an Entente Victory. In 1916 as he tried to separate himself from Roosevelt's Preparedness Movement, Wilson would face an uprising at the Democratic National Convention, where in the name of Peace the Party's masses would renounce him and give Bryan a fourth try to retake the White House.

[2] - Wilson's move towards War came to an abrupt end in 1917 as William Jennings Bryan defeated all comers and finally took the White House for himself, promising a focus on the home and non intervention in Europe. Against the Banks would be placed a series of legislative actions to cut them off from further loans to Warring Powers and Federal Oversight Boards to approve or disapprove any further loans of the sizes that had been offered to Britain and France. The US Navy stayed close to home, factories were pressured to not produce war goods, but the sheer levels of work the business provided left Bryan unable to ban their sales, only to have the US State Department that anyone who entered the Anglo-German War Areas in the Atlantic did so at their own risk. The New President having acted as he promised would turn his attention towards a Prohibition Amendment which he would see ratified in by the end of 1918, which he would consider his greatest triumph.

And so it was in the summer of 1918 that the Anglo-French line finally buckled. The French Government was forced to sue for peace as the German Army stood at the gates of Paris and revolution broke out from Toulon to Cherbourg. Britain and Belgium were forced soon to follow as they raced back to the sea, trying to cover the "Open Right Flank" of the French Ceasefire.

For all of Bryan's hopes to keep America Separated from the War in Europe the Treaty of Potsdam was a vindictive treaty which asserted German Dominance over the Continent of Europe from the Eastern Gains of the 10 Day's War with the RSFSR to the German Occupation of Channel Ports, and the Austro-German Annexation of Venetia. Most critically for the United States, the Entente Governments were forced to pay off massive indemnities to the Reich. By the Summer of 1919 with Civil War filling the streets of Paris with Blood, and the City of London spiraling into massive debts, the world economy simply collapsed, and the Great Depression began.

The later part of Bryan's term would be an era of massive government expansion as a series of programs were born, tried, and discarded in attempts to face the rampant unemployment and poverty that soon found itself washing on America's shores. But with Factories Idle, Banks Closed, and Farmers in ruin as their markets deflated, Bryan was unable to find the solution he sought.

[3] - Sherman / Burton was a ticket with one goal in mind, reunite the Party for 1920. Unfortunately for them, unity was good, but not enough and the GOP would do considerably worse than it did in IOTL with Hughes.

[4] - Whoever said Wilson is a Grown Up who would stand aside for the goodness of the party even without a stroke?

[5] - Debs decided to run for Congress, many votes though would be swept to support Bryan and the cause of Peace.

[6] - With the Economy in tatters only one man was able to stand up and win the support of the American people promising that things would be fixed if they voted him in. He was wrong though.

Roosevelt's New Nationalism came with great PR and great efforts. But rolling back Wall Street regulations from their Bryanite height did not cause the economy to suddenly shoot up. US intervention in Siberia during the Russian Civil War would prove massively unpopular and would see the GOP lose the house at Congressional Midterms, all the while though Roosevelt sought to centralize power in the thought that he was the man of the hour. Farm relief did help at least one group but it did not get the factories working again. The National Health Insurance Program would provide the most basic level of care in free visits by Doctors but Social Insurance didn't follow to help the unemployed due to the massive costs.

The massive size of the economic downturn and the continual blows from Europe as the French Reactionaries and Radicals destabilized the Republic with their street fighting and Britain was shaken to its core by the General Strike, meant that these plans didn't fix things either. Communism secured itself in the Former Russian Empire at this time, and it was followed by Italy a few years later. The Germans would annex Austria into the reich but still neither Vienna or Berlin would find themselves able to take the role that London once played in World Finance.

[7] - In the midst of all of the Chaos some reformist Socialists, and disenchanted Progressives would form the National Party (Along the lines of the IOTL Party), which would seek to build a new movement in US politics to ensure the voice of the workers was heard in the midst of national restructuring. In their first run they would come second in Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Montana.

[8] - Because of this bolting group Debs returned as the Socialist Nominee, it wasn't that effective a move though.

[9] - Roosevelt would die of a heart attack while golfing in Georgia, handing the Government over to a quiet VP from Missouri, President Dwyer would seek to continue the New Nationalism reforms but is best remembered for winning the Black Vote for the GOP for another Generation with his 1924 effort to force through an Anti-Lynching Bill over Southern Opposition in the US Senate. It would be his solitary political success in the White House unfortunately.

[10] - In 1924 the Democrats citing Republican Failures to end the Depression would come in themselves. President McAdoo though would simply move to end much of the Bryan-Roosevelt era programs and regulations, seeking instead to work with Industry and Fiance to find solutions to the problem of the Depression. Large Federal Contracts would prove less than effective but by 1928 it seemed that the economy was recovering, and he was able to secure himself a second term, the first to do so consecutively since William McKinley. And then in 1929 the "Second Depression" hit as the economy tanked again. And the programs very clearly, were not working, causing the Second Term to be a long, slow, painful and hated time for many Americans.

[11] - With the Socialist party shaken apart between splits from the Right and the Left, the Nationalists would secure for themselves 8% of the national vote.

[12] - In 1928 Floyd B. Olsen would win 4 states, the greatest National Party result yet, securing for himself the option for a second run, and the status of his Party as a real up and coming threat to the political status quo as the Long, Great Depression dragged on.

[13] - As McAdoo tried for a third term the 1927-1928 Governor of New York was able to secure himself the Republican Nomination more because of his late father than anything. Ted Roosevelt would not be the most creative president, trying the same solutions that his father had a decade earlier, with mostly the same results, but even the double dip had to come to an end, and by 1936 it seemed that the Depression was finally really wrapping up. And then came the news that Britain and Germany were once again at war on October 5th...

[14] - Olson would take the National Party to great heights once more, a few more votes in Pennsylvania having been all that was needed to throw the race to the House.

[15] - McAdoo's attempt at a third term would prove disastrous for the Democrats as many decided that TR hadn't done so well, why would Mac?

---------------​

Apparently, one time, I was the guy who failed to get back and do footnotes. I have brought shame and dishonor on myself.

As a quick clarification, because I know roughly what happened (1) In The Rosecrans and Fenton Administrations appease the would be Liberal Republicans who more or less just start outright migrating into the Democratic Party. In 1872 Salmon Chase the Liberal Republican would have been, is still Chief Justice is nominated but thanks to the power of being IN the Democratic Party, Tammany Hall gets to pick the VP and they go with their own Semi-respectable choice. Then they win and (2) Chase dies giving Tammany Hall the White House. Boss Tweed is a United States Senator. Tammany runs fucking rampant. (3) In 1875 they start a war with Spain over Cuba. It turns into a disaster because Spain has an actually decent navy at the time and the US has fuckall to stop it with. While the main US Army sits in Florida dealing with Malaria and Yellow Fever, the Spanish start raiding ports along the east coast, wrecking US Shipping and sinking anything the US tries to challenge them with. This ends in 1876, when after months of disaster and cities like New York, Chalreston, Boston, and Brooklyn have been shelled and Spain raided the Medway at Norfolk they try to go after Rhode Island. Thanks to experimental submarines, a few crash program monitors, an experimental torpedo station and some luck the Commander of the State's defense and its former Governor wins the day and becomes the big damn hero of the war. He gets one term in the White House tossing Hoffman out, while the man who did land in Cuba and had to Guadalcanal his way though it follows up.

The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat

1861-1865: Abraham Lincoln / Hannibal Hamlin (Republican)
1860: John C. Breckinridge / Joseph Lane (Constitutional Democratic), John Bell / Edward Everett (Constitutional Unionist), Stephen A. Douglas / Herschel V. Johnson (Democratic)
1865: Abraham Lincoln / William S. Rosecrans (National Union)
1864: Horatio Seymour / John A. McClernand (Democratic)
1865-1869: William S. Rosecrans / vacant (National Union)
1869-1873: Reuben E. Fenton / Samuel C. Pomeroy (Republican)
1868: George C. McClellan / Andrew Johnson (Democratic)
1873: Salmon P. Chase / Thomas J. Hoffman (Democratic)
1872: Ruben E. Fenton / Samuel C. Pomeroy (Republican), William H. Seward, Henry J. Raymond / John A. Logan (Federalist Republican)
1873-1877: Thomas J. Hoffman / vacant (Democratic)
1877-1881: Ambrose E. Burnside / John Sherman (Republican)
1876: Thomas J. Hoffman / John A. McClernand (Democratic)
1881-1889: James B. McPherson / Blanche K. Bruce (Republican)
1880: Stephen J. Field / Jeremiah S. Black (Democratic)
1884: S. Grover Cleveland / John C. Black (Democratic)

[Footnotes Will be on the way]
​

 

[Japhy]

The Minority Party Plan and President Buffalo Bill Cody is the only reason this one is coming over. The Republicans and Silver Parties coming together after several years of Populist Parties is terrible and I should have known better.

Vox Populi, Vox Humbug

1885-1885: S. Grover Cleveland / Thomas A. Hendricks (Democratic)
1884: James G. Blaine / John A. Logan (Republican), John P. St. John / William Daniel (Prohibition), Benjamin F. Butler / Absolom M. West (“People’s” Greenback & Anti-Monopolist / Minority Party)[1]
1885-1889: S. Grover Cleveland / vacant (Democratic)
1889-1893: S. Grover Cleveland / Isaac P. Gray (Democratic)[2]
1888: Benjamin Harrison / Levi P. Morton (Republican), Henry George / Leonidas L. Polk, Robert N. Baskin (Populist)[3]
1893-1897: Richard P. Bland / Carter H. Harrison (Populist & Popular Democratic)[4]
1892: William McKinley / Frederick D. Grant (Republican), John M. Palmer / William E. Russell (National “Gold” Democratic)
1897-1898: Richard P. Bland / William F. Cody (Populist & Popular Democratic)
1896: Thomas B. Reed / William O’C. Bradley (Republican), Edward S. Bragg / William C. Whitney (National “Gold” Democratic), Dyer D. Lum / Job Harriman (Socialist)[5]
1898-1901: William F. Cody / vacant (Populist & Popular Democratic)[6]
1901-1905: William F. Cody / William Sulzer (Populist & Popular Democratic)
1900: Joseph B. Foraker / Charles W. Fairbanks (Republican), Augustus Van Wyck / Adlai E. Stevenson (National “Gold” Democratic), Eugene V. Debs / Charles E. Russell (Socialist)
1905-1908: Fred T. DuBois / William M. Stewart (Republican & Silverite)[7]
1904: James H. Kyle / James S. Hogg (Populist & Popular Democratic), Nelson W. Aldrich / H. Clay Evans (Lincoln “Wall Street” Republican), William D. Haywood / Julius S. Wayland (Socialist), Melville W. Fuller / John S. Williams (National “Gold” Democratic)
1908-1909: Fred T. DuBois / vacant (Republican & Silverite)
1909-1913: George B. McClellan, Jr. / Charles J. Bonaparte (“Sound Money” Nationalist)[8]
1908: James H. Budd / Thomas E. Watson (Democratic & Popular Democratic), William D. Haywood / Algie M. Simons (Socialist), Silas C. Swallow / Wayne B. Wheeler (Prohibition), Fred T. DuBois / Richard F. Pettigrew (Republican & Silverite)

Notes
[1] - Point of Divergence, Ben Butler’s proposals for how the Greenback Party should operate in 1884 are embraced by the convention, and accepted as a fait accompli by the Anti-Monopolists. Across the country, efforts are made to create fusion delegate slates with the “Minority Party” in any given state, Democratic or Republican, to bolster the party(/ies) declining numbers. Fusion delegate slates are universally a failure, not flipping any states. But it serves as a shot in the arm for both party organizations, who begin to join together with discontented elements of those “minority” parties, Democratic and Republican across the country, and in some cases, the territories.

[2] - The election of 1888 proves to be a mostly uneventful affair, as Grover Cleveland secures a second term, with a small but accepted lead over his Republican challengers. Republican gains in the House of Representatives become another matter. Cleveland’s hardline pro-gold views create discontent within his party and without, but with the defeat of Harrison, bimetalist Republicans are forced to take a back seat in their party. Silver Purchase acts are defeated without much fanfare.

In 1890 Republicans will pass watered down versions of the Sherman Antitrust Act and the Lodge-Hoare Federal Elections law. Empowering the government to fight non-competitive economic forces and to oversee that free and fair elections occur in the United States as required by the Reconstruction Amendments. Cleveland will use the first to attack Organized Labor and the Populist and Grange-organized railroad boycotts, and the second as sparingly as possible in the American South, in a last bid effort to protect “The Solid South” which rapidly has to accept being more of a patchwork.

In 1890 crop failures in Argentina led to a world wide economic panic, in the United States the situation turned into a collapse within a year and a half as the Federal Government faced a run on is single metal stockpiles of Gold and faced a collapse in wheat prices. Cleveland, unwilling to intervene in the economic situation was forced to go to Wall Street to secure high interest loans, and waited as gracefully as possible for his two terms to end before departing back to New York.

[3] - Ben Butler’s “People’s Ticket” or “Minority Party” by 1888 had coalesced into collection of roughly united parties that agrees on a national candidate, but little else. Sharecroppers, southern Republicans, African-Americans,and racist opportunists were united with Northern urban reformers, proto-socialists, and Western agrarian radicals, miners, nativists, and anti-Mormons. A split ticket was only stopped by last minute election agreements, and a degree of regional autonomy for state parties surprising even for the era.

[4] - With the Republicans papering over their own divides with a focus on Tarriffs as the solution to the country's economic problems and the Cleveland administration massively discredited by their failures in the last two years of the administration, and with the Populist Party having had four years to further develop its cohesion, and to purge away those elements which had little to do with the core platform of the movement, and the economy still in shambles, the third party force was sure of its increased chances in the election of 1892.

When divisions in the Democratic Party exploded, ending with the complete repudiation of Cleveland and the nomination by a massive majority of Richard P. “Silver Dick” Bland, decades long champion of agrarian and economic reform, and the Democratic party split, with the majority, faction voting to support a fusion platform with the Populist party, which in turn nominated the reformist Democratic ticket without question. As Southern Democrats flocked to a third party run by the oldest and youngest candidates to ever run in American history, the Populists assured themselves a strong place in the coalition by delivering several Southern States and the overwhelming majority of the West.

Bland in office would pursue an agenda of Bimetalism, “Rationalization” of railroads and other large industries, and the creation of varied social service programs, such as Aid to Widows and Orphans, Jobseeker’s Allowance, National Voluntary Health Insurance, and the creation of the Postal Bank Service. The Alien Land Ownership Act shut the door to immigrant farmers seeking to purchase property, forcing many who arrived to stay in the Rust Belt and their various ports of entry. Inflation in turn helped many farmer pay off their debts while driving down the value of wages for urban workers. Only the discovery of Gold in the Yukon in 1894 helped alleviate pressure on the common laborer, who still more often than not faced Pinkerton, State Militia, and occasionally the National Army when challenging their ever-more entrenched and defensive Robber Baron bosses.

The term “Populist and Popular Democratic” would be created in later decades by historians attempting to simplify the complex web of local western parties, factions and to show the dependence of the on-paper Democratic Party on a larger, independent party. Bland, and the supporters of his administration appeared under party titles ranging from Farmer-Labor and Silver to Jeffersonian. It is akin to a placeholder such as that used to designate the “Democratic-Republicans” of 1796-1824.

[5] - In the face of increased economic and social pressures in American cities, the Socialist Labor Party proved unable to cope with the changing demands of the American Worker, the Social Democratic Party, formed by radicals including Eugene V. Debs, founder of the American Railway Union, which had been crushed by the Bland Administration as part of Railroad Rationalization in 1895. Within a year it had changed its name, and gone on to secure just under one percent of the vote in 1896.

[6] - In 1896 with the retirement of former Congressmen and Chicago Mayor, Vice President Harrison, the Democratic and Populist conventions were overwhelmed by a grassroots appeal for war hero, Pony Express rider, world-class showman, indian scout, conservationist, and sometimes supporter of Agrarian Reform, “Buffalo Bill” Cody. The party establishments, rather rough and tumble organizations still, chose not to risk the failure of trying to stop the rank-and-file from having their wish. And in many ways came to regret it when President Bland’s long weak health finally collapsed and he died of a bronchial infection in the fall of 1898.

President Cody, always a showman, was able to maintain a surprising degree of public confidence and popularity over the next several years. Citing old Indian policy, he sought to force Trusts “Onto the Reservation” using the Sherman Antitrust act to “break” those that failed to comply, cheering on the departure of men like J.P. Morgan for London as a second Evacuation Day. On Indian Policy he made many enemies though within his own party seeking to develop “maximum settlements” for the tribes, and supporting the statehood of Sequoyah, but was able to see its entry into the Union, and the creation of a Department of Indian Affairs. His creation of multiple national parks, national forests, and vastly improving the powers of the department of the Interior turned many Western agrarians against him, for denying them access to farm, timber and mining lands, as well as “wasting” Federal funds creating “Green Belts” of freshly planted forests and creating vast water reclamation projects. Funding would be severely limited to his Agrarian Resettlement act, which sought to promote the migration of urban populations to the countryside and his own party would reject his National Fish and Game Bill seeking to regulate hunting, bringing an end to his ability to develop and promote an economic agenda in 1902.

On the world stage Cody would be notable for landing Marines at several points in Cuba in 1903 as Cuban rebels were able to blast their way forward on the roads to Havana, Santiago, and Guantanamo Bay, forcing the Spanish government to finally accept Cuban Independence. In the resulting treaty the US secured basing rights in Cuba, including a ninety-nine year lease of the Isle of Pines and purchased the Spanish Marianas Islands in the Far East. Cody would also see the signing of the Pearl Harbor Lease Treaty with the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1904. Those feathers in his hat untouchable, though opening the door for the “Pineapple Run” of US Smugglers to run arms to the Philippine Islands for years to come, he headed off to a retirement that quickly saw his reputation rise with an adoring public, and decades later with the Conservation movement who viewed his land policies as at least mostly right and proper.

[7] - For all the adventure agrarian reform with the “Last President of the Frontier” and Bland before him, the economic problems with the Populist Movement continued to simmer. It was the unholy combination of this, as well as a battered Republican Party being either unable to stop or willing to allow its own agrarians to run in the hopes of mimicking the election results of the Populists saw Fred DuBois catapulted to the White House in the aftermath of the election of 1904.

Within a year, he rather wished he hadn’t made it. The stock market crash of 1905 created an instantaneous economic stoppage unscene before in US history. By 1907 Unemployment was the fate of one in five Americans. 1906 would see the first major gains by “Sound Money” advocates in more than a decade, as National Democrats and Republican “Irreconcilables” saw their chance, and found electoral pacts to be exceptionally easy.

President DuBois, finding the government short on income was forced to impose massively unpopular taxes on alcohol, which in turn hurt the corn and wheat farmers who made their livings on prices underpinned by brewers and distillers. An attempt at a National Income Tax was found to be Unconstitutional within the first six months of its passage. “Wall Street Republicans” were able to sit back and relax as the moderates in the party flocked back to them in desperate penance. The National Democrats in turn were able to hold most of the cards in discussions with them, taking point in opposition thanks to their decades long experience at it, and their “harder” numbers.

In 1908 there would be no contest for the Republican nomination, with DuBois winning support of the “Silver Party” and walking out with his faction, as most of the party rushed to agree to the new “Nationalist” platform.

[8] - Littler Mac and The Youngest Napoleon were an odd ticket in 1908 but a country desperate to recover and an urban demographic that was less than a decade away from majority status and tired of years of second rate treatment compared to the farmers didn’t care. The most notable event of the administration would undoubtedly be the Article Five convention called within the first months of the McClellan Administration. The Convention, seeing clashes between Socialists, Agrarians, and Conservatives would be dominated by the new zeitgeist in American politics, that of Progressivism, which in their own ways nearly the entire convention owed some degree of ideological loyalty to. As such, the convention is viewed by historians as the dramatic fall of the curtain on the Populist Era.
---
I'll probably be making something out of that Article Five Convention soon, a TLIAD perhaps.

 

[Japhy]

And here's a rarity for me. A British PMs List.

For Want of an Earlier Terminal Diagnosis


1937-1938: Neville Chamberlain (Conservative)
Fourth National Government with Conservatives, Liberal Nationals, National Labour, Independent Nationalists

1938-1940: Edward Wood, Lord Halifax (Conservative)
Preparedness Coalition, Later War Coalition with Conservatives --- All Factions, Labour, Liberals, Liberal Nationals, National Labour, Independents

1940-1942: Anthony Eden (Conservative)
War Coalition with Conservatives, Labour, Liberals, Liberal Nationals, National Labour, Independents

1942-1945: Archibald Sinclair (Liberal)
War Coalition Conservatives, Labour, Liberals, National Labour, Common Wealth, Independents

1945-1946: Leopold S. Amery (Conservative)
Caretaker Government of Conservatives, Independent Nationalists, National Labour

When Neville Chamberlain went to the balcony, waved a scrap of paper and made --- to historians at least--- a fool of himself by making unwarranted and unearned comparisons to Disraeli he found not just cheering crowds but a discomfort in his throat which he had felt for sometime and just assumed to be stress having taken a turn for the worse. A few bloody handkerchiefs later and several quiet discussions with physicians later and the matter was settled beyond all doubt. After overseeing the cementing of his Munich triumph via a week long parliamentary debate the Prime Minister announced to the Cabinet, then the King, then Parliament and the nation itself that he was dying of cancer. Within another week he was gone, too wrapped up in thoughts of mortality and praise to last centuries to care much for politics, and so government fell to Lord Halifax, who quietly had beaten out Sir John Simon for the job in the backroom discussions of those with the say in the Conservative Party and with it the National Government.

What hadn't been suspected by many was the state of mind of Halifax at the moment of appeasements greatest triumph, for on the trip from the airport to the palace with the returning Prime Minister a month previously, Lord Halifax had laid out the case for a government of all talents, including those of the Nicholson, Cooper, Eden, Amery and even Churchill factions of the Conservative Party and National Coalitions that had broken away under Baldwin and Chamberlains efforts to court the new German Reich. While Chamberlain hadn't given such ideas the time of day as his career and life came rapidly to an end Halifax wasted no time upon entering office, even before the bill was passed to allow him to speak in the House of Commons bridges were being mended and connections were being developed. Churchill would become Minister of Defense Coordination and given broad powers. Duff Cooper who's resignation as First Lord in response to Munich had been delayed by the stunning news of the fatal tumor was kept on, Leo Amery became War Minister. Eden would become Foreign Secretary with Labour dissident Stafford Cripps becoming Minister for the League of Nations. Archibald Sinclair, the leader of the Liberal Parties became Chancellor of the Exchequer, Clement Attlee Became Home Secretary. Labour members would become Ministers for Labour and National Service, War Production and Economic Preparedness (Later renamed Economic Warfare) and Supply. Liberals were awarded with Health and Aircraft production. This broad coalition once secured would take the discomforting step of introducing National Service, which while unpopular among many across all parties, classes and regions, would begin in earnest in January of 1939.

History and Economics have shown that Winston Churchill in his last moments outside of government was correct when he and the other dissident factions declared that the time bought by the betrayal of Czechoslovakia was not on the sides of Britain and France but with the Dictator Powers, that said, the first nine months of 1939 saw exceptional leaps and bounds by the Halifax Government, the number of active duty infantry battalions began a steady rise, the number of Spitfire squadrons in the RAF rose from four to fifty, factories were retooled, civilian populations better protected by air raid shelters, flak batteries and radar, aircraft from the United States were purchased, investments were made to increase production in Canada, the Navy laid down more keels, built more submarines and Motor Torpedo Boats, began to solve many of the problems with her carrier air wings. Maneuvers and War Games and Tests sharpened men and developed new doctrines, British Tank design saw a renaissance. But it couldn't and wouldn't be enough of what was needed. And as Halifax and the French began to work with the Poles, Romanians and Russians in preparation for the next round of German aggression, there wouldn't be enough time.

Halifax's government would lose its greatest ally besides the French and the Dominions when Maxim Litvinov was removed by Joseph Stalin in the Spring of 1939. The removal of the greatest advocate for collective security besides Winston Churchill from the world stage would set the stage for Eden and Halifax dragging their feet with Moscow, even in the face of Cripps' threat to resign from the Government and to join the opposition, and inevitably the Nazi-Soviet Pact in August, the coup in Danzig and the German invasion of Poland on September 1st. Halifax having taken the hardest of lines throughout the August crisis declared the United Kingdom was at war later that day. Churchill ordered attacks on the German North Sea Ports by the Air Force before nightfall. The heavy losses of the light bombers that went proving that Bomber Commands faith in Night Bombing was correct.

That bloody nose though would be followed by much more successful mining operations, the tracking down and sinking of the Pocket Battleships Deutschland and Graff Spee, the avoidance of the sinking of any Aircraft Carriers in misguided doctrinal attempts to fight submarines without sonar, or escorts. The British Army would also deploy a dozen Divisions to the North of France, and begin developing huge numbers of airfields in the same regions to support the Royal Air Force. Conflicts with the French though were numerous, as their Saar offensive quickly ground to a halt, leaving the Poles on their own, and over the issues of radios vs telephone lines, and French requests for a British Division to begin rotating to the Maginot Line where the Anglo-French alliance proved to be on decidedly different pages. German attempts to replicate the British attacks on their ports netted similar results, and the after that the war became decidedly phony.

That all changed in April of 1940 when after months of minor crisis and German violations of Norwegian neutrality, Churchill finally got his way and Halifax and the new Reynaud government in Paris approved of an expedition to occupy the Norwegian Ports, to protect the country from expected German aggression and to deny their use to the Germans in the transport of Swedish Iron Ore. The expedition had many flaws, commanders were uninformed, many troops lacked specialist gear for fighting in the far north, and coordination was lacking. But the Anglo-French arrived, and were not fired on by the Norwegians on April 8th. The German invasion fleet, having long prepared but been caught off guard, arrived the next day guns blazing. Norwegian passive resistance and diplomatic objections were quickly silenced as the Luftwaffe began to terror bomb Oslo and German troops liberally used ammunition in simultaneous landings on the Norwegian coast and in Denmark. But there were British troops along the fjords, British Destroyers in them, Submarines lurking at their mouths and somewhere off the coast, multiple British Aircraft carriers filled with fighters, diver bombers and torpedoes planes. Bletchley Park had yet to break into German codes, but traffic analysis ensured that the Germans would lose among many transports and destroyers the Battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. By the end of the Month Hitler was calling for the evacuation of what troops his admirals could rescue from Norway, and while some German troops would hold out for another month, most became casualties or made it overland to Sweden where Stockholm would soon regret the farce of their internment and their rapid return to the Reich.

This bloody nose, Hitler's first defeat though would quickly be overshadowed when on June 10th the German Army attacked the low countries. Within a matter of days the King of the Belgians was surrendering, the Queen of the Netherlands was being evacuated on a Royal Navy destroyer and the Germans had broken though at Sedan, in a flash Erwin Rommel's Panzers were in Abbeville and all but six divisions of the British Expeditionary Force and several French Armies were encircled. Lord Gort, violating French orders pulled his forces back to the coast, in a move that would earn him the thanks of the British people and save his command. The British Army was able to hold onto Calais and Boulogne and Dunkirk and though these ports evacuate nearly the entire trapped army. The cost in supplies though was massive, not a single tank of the First Armored Division or any of the thousands of Armored Cars, Bren Gun Carriers or Trucks of the highly mechanized British Army could be saved, and many, not properly destroyed by their crews would serve the Germans well for years to come. Hitler, not willing to risk his tanks and hoping that Halifax would break gave the British room to breath on the ground, but left the Luftwaffe with orders to destroy the trapped forces and the Royal Navy that had to evacuate them. The destruction was intense, but the army held out, the Navy pushed on, the RAF battled to keep air cover with Spitfires and Hurricanes and the Little Ships arrived with their civilian crews. The Army, built up and trained at such costs would survive. The remainder of the BEF, including the 1st Canadian Division would continue fighting until June, when the French government collapsed and they took their leave, making it out with their equipment before the Germans could reach them.

The British Army that arrived back from France, battered, beaten but mostly alive came back to a Britain that was ready to fight on, though now with a new Government. Halifax in the midst of the Evacuation from the Channel Ports had received a note from the Italian Ambassador, Mussolini had offered to negotiate and he had leaped at the chance, convinced as he was that the buildup of the past year had been voided by the defeat in Belgium and Northern France, trading away Palestine and Malta for the opportunity was worth it in his opinion and he presented a vision to his government of a renewed war, in 1942 or 44 or 46, whenever the Nazi-Soviet pact inevitably collapsed, with a France ready under some General or another for the absolute fight, and a British Army with half a dozen divisions of tanks, with Jet fighters, and with a half dozen divisions from every Dominion alongside them, and perhaps even with the Italians back on the side of the Entente, ready to storm the Brenner Pass. But it was folly. Everyone at the table, except the appeasement crowd, and shockingly the Minister Without Portfolio who had been brought in last September, David Lloyd George, knew it. Attlee and Sinclair threatened to walk out of the coalition. Duff Cooper was standing to join them, Churchill sat silently with narrow eyes and scowled. By the end of the day, the King had called on Eden, the golden boy of the Conservative Party to take over the government, Halifax was sent off to retirement, and the war and the coalition continued.

Paris Fell, France Surrendered, the Battle over the Channel commenced, the Battle of Britain followed. Spitfires and Hurricanes and Whirlwinds as well as Tomahawks and Marlets held out for months in the South of England, and then the war turned into the Bomber Brawl that Stanley Baldwin and the late Neville had feared it would be. But the British took it. Italy entered the war, and fears that the Western Desert would prove a nightmare for the British came true for the day to day lives of the men there, with the heat and the flies, but not in fact, with regards to the massive Italian Armies that were easily defeated in the Months that followed by the Spring of 1941 the British Army under General Richard O'Conner were at the gates of Tripoli, the German Army having written off any chance of helping the Italians in Africa. A coup would follow in Algiers as the French Colonies in the region would join Chad and Indochina in raising the Free French Banner.

But even as victory in North Africa was being cemented, Eden was focused on Europe again, the Italians had started a "parallel war" with Greece, and been beaten badly, then a coup in Belgrade saw Yugoslavia enter the Anti-German Camp. A major effort by the Prime Minister, his Foreign Secretary Harold Nicholson would see the creation of a new alliance in the South of Europe as the Turks were brought in as the fourth member. The result of this, another bloody evacuation, as Yugoslavia fell rapidly, followed by Greece, Istanbul and eventually Crete. Turkey would collapse as an organized state as General O'Connell's men and those of the German-Italian-Bulgarian Army Group Anatolia would battle back and fourth for years to come. This would be followed on June 22nd by the opening of another front in the war, or that is to say a re-opening, when Germany, unable to permit Norway to remain in the Allied Camp, but unable to renew naval combat in the North Sea, simply cut the Gordon Knot in two and invaded Sweden. Finland, having lost to the Russians but receiving the aid and sympathy of both the Axis and Allied Camps made their bed when they betrayed the British and sided with the Germans, The third great British evacuation by sea of the War would occur that fall, with Stockholm, Narvik and Oslo in Axis hands from Central Norway.

Erwin Rommel, commander of the Anatolia Corps of the German Army would make a name for himself with his Panzers and Mountain troops, O'Connell though proved a formidable opponent, and Eden was willing to trade space and time in the name of pulling off a great victory in Turkey as the General had in North Africa. But back and forth the war went, with ever growing hints of the German horrors being found in counter offensives. The Blitz petered out over London finally, as Hitler finally began to look to the East. In May of 1942 the War there began with the launch of Operation Barbarossa. German, Hungarian, Romanian, and Finnish troops, joined by large numbers of volunteers from Petainist France and the rest of occupied Europe were on the march, obliterating the Red Air Force, taking millions of prisoners and huge swaths of the country. Eden and the rest of the government in London were convinced that Moscow and the Soviet Union would fall before the end of the year. And in this they were half right. The Germans after taking Kiev and Leningrad did take Moscow in September, or more accurately, entered the city. They and the Red Army would co-habituate it, with Stalin and his Government safe much further East, all the way into 1943. Eden pledged aid, began rushing fighters to Germany and dispatching convoys loaded with food, ammunition, arms, trucks and tanks He would meet Stalin in Baku, but his time too was coming to an end.

The coalition was growing angry with this young man in a hurry. His treatment of his coalition partners raised questions. The Labour and Liberal leaders were watching as he used the wartime powers of the government to boost Conservatives in by-elections, watched as he sought to use propaganda to promote his own stock over that of the country, they and members of the old National Coalition and within the Conservative Party were angry over the defeats in Greece and Sweden, and his handling of the growing crisis with Japan and the issue of threatened Spanish entry into the war. His efforts to bring the United States into the war falling flat, and the U-Boat war's increasing casualties were horrifying the country and leaving it hungrier and colder more and more. And so the man who had ridden discontent in the junior partners found the fate of many a man who rides the tiger. A confidence vote was called and Eden survived with a bare enough majority that he might very well have lost it. He was finished. At his recommendation, and that of a Churchill who scoffed at the job, busy as he was in Turkey dealing with the question of the Kurds, the King made the decision to call one of the "Class of '38" to Kiss hands, and the First Liberal Prime Minister since 1922 took office.

Archibald Sinclair would be the man to see the war to its end. A veteran of the trenches and a tough nosed party leader who knew when to hold them and when to fold them, he brought Britain and the rest of the allies into the American oil embargo on Japan to increase relations with Franklin Roosevelt's government, and who ordered commanders in the Far East to concede to American points in the ABDAF naval and army talks to protect the Dominions, Commonwealths and Colonies of the Asia-Pacific from Japanese aggression. It was his propaganda efforts and his dispatching of Churchill to Washington as Ambassador in a cabinet shake up that helped win ever-increasing American popular support. And when in the summer of 1942 the Germans, seeking a decisive move against the convoys to Britain began to violate US territorial waters it was he who reaped the long-sought pay off as the United States formally declared war on Germany. A few months later, when Japan attacked the Soviet Union in the Far East, the war would truly become global, though at a high cost with the fall of Saigon and Manila coming in a matter of months, and intense fighting against Japanese troops in Thailand eventually turning on the British who were pushed back down the Malay peninsula until Singapore began to experience its own Blitz and Borneo fell to the Japanese. At home his prowess would be shown by forcing though an all party consensus in support of the establishment of a Welfare State post War, in his work in assuring the reunification of the Liberal and Liberal National Parties and in bringing the new, Christian Socialist, radical and passionate Common Wealth Party into the War Cabinet, when Eden had sought its total destruction.

But the war kept on. By the end of 1942 the Allies had retaken Istanbul, and the Balkans for a brief moment seemed wide-open. They were not, and the "Soft Underbelly" of Europe that Eden sought to move the war too would become his most damning legacy. When the Red Army finally crawled out of Moscow in February the German Army found itself holding the key point in the Soviet Union but unable to move forward from it. An attempt made to take the Oil Rich south of the Communist State ended with a massive, cataclysmic tank battle around Rostov. The Tide in Europe had turned.

Late 1943 would see major allied raids in the North of France and Norway pull off major successes, it would see Singapore finally surrender. It would see Bulgaria attempt to sue for Peace and then face an SS coup to keep it in the war. It would see the Beginnings of the long Russian Fightback, and the Air War over Germany by Bomber Command and the US 8th Air Force reach fever pitch as both air fleets rose every night to hit their targets. In 1944 Italy would sue for Peace and get away with it. Bulgaria would finally be cleared and in a rapid move mainland Greece would be liberated, the German Garrison in Crete trapped and isolated, the German Army would be pushed out of Leningrad, and the Finns would find Helsinki under the fire of General Zhukov, the Commonwealth Armies in Burma would cut off the Japanese in Malaya by taking Central Thailand, the US would begin to liberate the Philippines. And then came the day of days, as British, Commonwealth and American Divisions landed in France in the largest Amphibious invasion in history. British and Canadian Troops would push a full five Miles inland on D-Day linking up with two British Airborne Divisions, and liberating the city of Caen on D+7, opening the door that May for the break out in to All of France. By July Paris was Liberated and Sinclair became the first Head of State to reenter the city after the Free French had established control and the provisional basis for the Fourth Republic there. In August though Allied Forces in the West were being stopped by the question of how to get across the Rhine, and in September were screwed as General Pattons' attempt to secure crossing sites in the South failed in the face of intense German artillery use against the Pontoon crossing efforts.

But 1945 would see the end of it all. Operation Varsity would bring in major US and UK amphibious assets to cross the river like they had crossed the Channel, which was done with Prime Minister Sinclair present on the West Bank to view it. Four Infantry and Four Paratrooper Divisions would seize the day, and open all of Germany up. As the Red Army was moving towards Budapest and Warsaw along their wide front, the Western Allies under General Marshall drove deep into Germany, Hitler would die in his bunker, feeling the vibration of American Artillery close at hand, and the whole house of cards would collapse pretty much immediately afterwards as the morphine and wine addicted Reichsmarshal Goering took command of the Reich, and immediately sought terms. The war over in Europe Britain enjoyed a day of maddening joy, with Sinclair invited to stand with the King and Queen on the Balcony and take in this moment of great triumph. And while members of the Coalition though perhaps with a decade having past since the last General Election and the coalition of All Parties having been in place for six years that it was time to fold up, these dissidents, mostly from the 'emasculated' Conservative Party were the sort who would keep such complaints to themselves and their party whips, and who agreed with their new Party leader that the election could wait until Japan was finished.

And then with flashes over Hiroshima and Osaka the War with Japan did come to an end in the late fall of 1945. At the time Sinclair was attending the great Post-War conference in Frankfurt-an-de-Oder with the new American President Dewey and with tired Joe Stalin, working out the fates of Poland and Yugoslavia when the first bomb dropped. When the word came that the Japanese had agreed to Unconditional Surrender, he submitted his resignation to the King and requested that the leader of the largest party in Parliament form a caretaker government until after the election was over. Leo Amery, having become the last man standing after Winston's Age, Eden's fall and the taint of Appeasement had tarnished many a minister in the party had taken over and gladly accepted the post, convinced that the elections, set to take place in January of 1946 would see him assume the leadership of another Conservative government, with only its usual National Government allies as components.

---------------
​

This one is from the Lifeboat and is the American end of a thing that Bob and I were working on and which I have left him hanging waiting for like an asshole. Its coming though now that I have a new laptop so I don't mind posting it here now, I'll deal with the shame as I earned it.

Upcoming Thing, US Presidents v 0.1


1933-1941: Franklin D. Roosevelt / James N. Garner (Democratic)
1932: Herbert C. Hoover / Charles Curtis (Republican)
1936: Alfred M. Landon / W. Franklin Knox (Republican)
1941-1944: Wendell L. Willkie / Alben W. Barkley (Democratic)
1940: Charles A. Lindbergh / Hamilton Fish III (Republican), W. Franklin Knox / various (Write-In Independent Republican)
1944-1945: Alben W. Barkley / vacant (Democratic)
1945-1949: Alben W. Barkley / Harry S. Truman (Democratic)
1944: Dwight H. Green / Leverett A. Saltonstall (Liberal), John W. Brickner / George H. Tinkham (Republican)
1949-1957: George C. Marshall, Jr. / Benjamin T. Laney, Jr. (Democratic)
1948: Robert A. Taft / Albert C. Wedemeyer (Republican), Harold E. Stassen / Margaret Chase Smith (Liberal)
1952: Thomas E. Dewey / Joseph R. McCarthy (Liberal), Robert A. Taft / Prescott S. Bush (Republican)
1957-1960: W. Averell Harriman / C. Estes Kefauver (Democratic)
1956: Henry C. Lodge, Jr. / William F. Knowland (Liberal-Republican)
1960-1961: W. Averell Harriman / vacant (Democratic)
1961-1965: W. Averell Harriman / W. Stuart Symington (Democratic)
1960: Wayne L. Morse / John F. Dulles (Liberal), Gerald R. Ford / Richard M. Nixon (Republican), C. Estes Kefauver / Orville E. Faubus (States’ Rights Democratic)
1965-1973: Nelson A. Rockefeller / Hubert H. Humphrey (Liberal-Democratic)
1964: J. Strom Thurmond / Louise D. Hicks (Federalist), Gerald R. Ford / William P. Rogers (Republican)
1968: Barry M. Goldwater / Herman E. Talmadge (Republican)


This is actually just a do up of my notes on a thing Bob and I are working on, which he has been very kindly and patiently waiting as I get myself sick for a week and then spend way to much time war gaming the second world war for. POD isn't American, and doesn't really start to impact the US massively until 1938, when US opinion of British Policy takes a turn downhill, even after British Foreign Affairs do a 180, the knock off results are that in 1940 when WWII belatedly starts that the American people are even less receptive to helping the Allies as they were IOTL. Timing and dumb luck have FDR being forced to head out the door after the World Crisis fails to cement itself in time and in the right imaging to allow him to break tradition on one end, Wilkie is kept in the tent and enjoyed a brief and very popular time in the Cabinet in 1939, getting himself on the top of the ticket. The GOP has far, far worse luck and winds up going for charisma and hardline isolationism with the Lone Eagle on the top of the ticket. Shortly after the GOP convention ends, with candidate and platform unmovable, the Phony War ends and the Nazis are marching though Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Oslo. Lindbergh, America First, the Isolationists and the Old Right see the GOP utterly destroy itself, with an Alf Landon level result.

The US Enters the Second World War little over a year later when the Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor in December of 41. Willkie will work well with his allies, at home and abroad to defeat the Axis at the cost of his own life, dying of Heart Failure while attending a conference in India with the leaders of the China, India, the UK, Britain and Australia. Alben Barkley, his more conservative Vice President will see the country though the last year and a half of the war before dropping the Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Kokura. After the war Barkley would focus on issues of employment, education, housing and infrastructure reform. The GOP was thoroughly split by the war, with the 1942 midterm elections seeing a split in the party which two years later resulted in the creation of the Liberal Party by Left and Moderate Republicans united by a Pro-European Inventionism while the GOP itself became the preserve of a more conservative, isolationist and Pacific-Interventionist focused wing.

1944 would see Tom Dewey the leader of the Liberals and Robert Taft the leader of the Republicans shadowbox with their chief proxies, establishing Liberal dominance as the heirs to the Party of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt over the Party of Lindbergh and Hoover. 1948 would see the Allied Supreme Commander in Europe sweep into office, overseeing two terms of 'moderate' Civil Rights reforms, the passage of a National Health Insurance Program and the starting years of the Cold War. 1948 would see the first woman nominated on a major ticket when Margaret Chase Smith became the Liberal VP, and the temporary recovery of the GOP as Robert Taft attempted to apply his 'Compassionate Conservative' vision with an Anti-Soviet, Pro-Chinese hardline, as the Nationalist government there crumbled. 1952 would see him run again, but falling back into third under the dynamic ticket finally led by Tom Dewey. Marshall's handling of the 1951 Vietnam War would ensure that the Democrats majority would not be challenged on Foreign Policies again for being "soft".

W. Averell Harriman, Willkie's Wartime Secretary of State and postwar Governor of New York would have a contentious two terms ad the Democrats were finally forced to confront Civil Rights issues head on. His negotiated settlement ending the conflict between the Vietnams helped but the domestic issues of segregation became dominant. With his support of the 1960 Civil Rights act the party broke, his Segregationist VP resigned, and 1960 became a four way race when Gerald Ford, the GOP front runner came out against Southern Segregation as well as his Democratic and Liberal rivals.

In 1964 the nationally popular Governor of New York and recently remarried widower leader of the Liberal Party was able in a series of negotiations ensure his selection by the Democratic Party as well, triggering the major shift at the end of the first Postwar Era. Southern Democrats again refused to partake in this system and ran as a fourth party, shocking many commentators by using topics of Law and Order and taxes to preform in states far and away from Dixie and thus securing themselves the second spot. As the 60's dragged on, the era of Grand Expectations began to dry up. Rockefeller's work on civil rights and liberal reforms invigorated much of the nation while the creeping cold war battles overseas created growing troubles. The GOP in 1968 tapped into social conservative fears of the era and were able to coopt the ideological issues that had sprung Thurmond to prominence the last cycle.

​

 

[Japhy]

Alright, at this point I'm down to just the A Theoretical Look Forward's As far as stuff to bring over goes, I'll get them another time.

 

[Japhy]

Well lets get the ATLF's out of the way.

And start it with the one that started it all.

A Theoretical Look forward for Jeff Greenfield's 43*. Spoilers. Also This was planned attempting to use the political blinders Greenfield was writing with.

2001-2002: Albert A. Gore, Jr. / Joseph I. Lieberman (Democratic)[1]
2000: George W. Bush / Richard B. Cheney (Republican)
2002-2005: Albert A. Gore, Jr. / William W. Bradley (Democratic)
2005-2007: Joseph I. Lieberman / Johnny R. Edwards (Democratic)[2]
2004: Rudolph W. L. Giuliani / Richard J. Santorum (Republican)[3]
2007-2013: Joseph I. Lieberman / William B. Richardson (Democratic)[4]
2008: Michael D. Huckabee / Tommy G. Thompson (Republican)
2013-2017: Hillary R. Clinton / Gary F. Locke (Democratic)[5]
2012: Lincoln D. Chaffee / J. Richard Perry (Republican)[6]
2017-2021: Condoleezza Rice/ Gary E. Johnson (Republican)[7]
2016: Hillary R. Clinton / Gary F. Locke (Democratic)

[1] In April, 2002 Vice President Lieberman resigned over President Gore's refusal to invade Iraq, this and Hillary Clinton's refusal to even hear Gore's plea to take the No. 2 Spot began a general party revolt against Gore. Bill Bradley was the only figure willing to take the job and thus eventually got it. Of course he used it from the start to undermine the President seeking to make himself more viable in 2004.
[2] Hillary Clinton sat out the 2004 challenge, but Bradley, Clark, Lieberman, Dean and numerous others did jump in. The former Vice President was the champion in the end. John Edwards was selected for regional, and ideological balance. McCain was mused as a Cross-Party pick, but in the end he decided to go for the GOP nomination.
[3] McCain's cross-party stance in 2002 and the first half of 2003 though cost him dearly. Rudy Guilanni's brush with cancer in turn cost him National faith, and his ideology damaged support in what otherwise might have been a GOP sweep.
[4] John Edward's resignation was not at all similar to Lieberman's Five Years Earlier. Lieberman's administration was centered on Big Events, his work on saving and rebuilding New Orleans, Medicare Part D, and The Patriot Act. Abroad there was no invasion of Iraq (Hard to do that when the whole world knows that its coming since you campaigned to do it) But a renewed, high tempo of Cruise Missile and Air Strikes as well as the insertion of US Special Forces on Raids and to help the Kurds in the north. In 2007 the real crisis of the Lieberman Administration arrived, after two years of US Cross border raids in Pakistan, the Government collapsed. Leading to a major operation to secure Pakistan's nuclear arsenal after which Lieberman's popularity reached unprecedented highs.
[5] Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination with ease, edging out opponents, Senator Harold Ford of Tennessee, and Al Gore's pathetic attempt to be a Peace Candidate in the face of the growing troubles in Pakistan, where the country had fallen into Chaos, dragging in conflicting interests of Iran, the US and its Coalition Allies, the Chinese and of course, India and in Iraq where Civil War broke out in 2011 Against Hussein, Lieberman of course had no problem openly supporting the Shia Rebellion against the strongman, which led to a very very precarious, Post-Saddam Government.
[6] The Last Republican President had been elected in 1988. Bush, Dole, Bush, Giuliani, and Huckabee have failed. 2012 is judgement day for the GOP. Oddly enough the crazy ticket of "Accomidationists" who seek to accept the reforms of the past 3 administrations, tied to the Arch-Rejectionist flopped terribly.
[7] President Clinton was ousted by forces not really in her area of Control, Israel, Party Fatigue and the moves of the new Iraqi democratic government to move into the Iranian Camp and the chaos in the Former Pakistani Republics. And thus ended 24 years of uninterrupted years Democratic rule.
​

---------------​

Theoretical Look Forward for "A World of Laughter, A World of Tears"

Spoilers.


Statichaos' "A World of Laughter, A World of Tears" is probably one of the most well known timelines on the site in recent years. The Link for which can be found, Here. Basic premise is of course that Walt Disney is president in the 1950's. Things do not go great. TBH in the years since it was finished I've found it has not aged well, but plenty of people still view it as the absolute greatest work of AH so if you haven't read it you should give it a shot. Anyway, Here's my take on what happens after the show ends.

1953-1961: Walter E. Disney / Everett M. Dirksen (Republican)[1]
1952: Adlai E. Stevenson II / John J. Sparkman (Democratic)
1956: Lyndon B. Johnson / John F. Kennedy (Democratic)
1961-1965: John C. Stennis / John F. Kennedy (Democratic)[2]
1960: Nelson A. Rockefeller / Richard M. Nixon (Republican)
1965-1973: Barry M. Goldwater / Prescott S. Bush (Republican)[3]
1964: John C. Stennis / John F. Kennedy (Democratic)
1968: John F. Kennedy / George C. Wallace, Jr. (Democratic), Hubert H. Humphrey, Jr. / Edward M. Kennedy (“Yankeecrat”)[4]
1973-1977: Richard M. Nixon / Samuel W. Yorty (Republican / Democratic)[5]
1972: George W. Romney (Republican), Henry M. Jackson (Democratic), George L. Rockwell / Spiro T. Agnew (American Nationalist)[6]
1977-1981: Edmund G. Brown, Jr. / John V. Lindsay (Democratic)[7]
1976: Richard M. Nixon / James L. Buckley (Republican), George L. Rockwell / Lester G. Maddox (Patriotic American)[8]
1981-1989: Daniel P. Moynihan / Howard H. Baker, Jr. (Republican)[9]
1980: Edmund G. Brown, Jr. / John V. Lindsay (Democratic), Edward M. Kennedy / John B. Anderson (Independent)[10]
1984: Samuel A. Nunn, Jr. / Henry W. Beatty (Democratic)[11]

[1] Walt Disney's two terms in office were defined by Social Change and Resistance. With the achivements of the Space Program and Science Development, redevelopment of America's roads and railways and the EPCOT Program there was also the horrors of youth, poltical and racial riots, the development of Ghettos for Blacks, the Rise of Terrorism, War in Cuba, the rise of Anti-Semitism in the US and other terrible disasters. Walt drank and grew ill as the Nation Burned, the US turned to the Arab States, lost its leadership role in the West, and in the end in 1960 saw US Governors ordering the National Guard to bombard their own citizens with artillery.

[2] Jack Kennedy's sell-out to the Dixiecrats and George Lincoln Rockwell's Ex-Republican Machine helped bring the Democrats victory from Moderate Nelson Rockefeller, but many probably wished they hadn't. A pathetic program of Black Deportation led to US Military involvement in Liberia and the Newly Independent Congo. Cuba Bogged down, Malcolm X continued to hide somewhere in North America and taunted the US with his "Jihad tapes". In the Summer of 1964 College Students, Activists, and Union Workers launched a passive revolt across the nation which for a few weeks seemed to have really forced the Governments hand, until Stennis ordered the Army into the cities and campuses the bloodbath that followed, assured his defeat in November, and with Criminal Charges impending following the November defeat, Stennis pre-emptively pardoned himself and Kennedy (Who's presence in the planning secession is debated to this day) of any wrongdoing in June 1968.

[3] While Stennis had brought Disneyism to new heights with exclusion zones, suspended civil liberties and the reentrenchment of segregation via barbed wire and bayonet. Law and Order Barry Goldwater took a two part approach. On one hand, over his two terms there was violence, the fight against Domestic Terror continued, on the other, he saw the disbanding of the Department of Racial Affairs and cut Federal Funding to aid the continuation of Ghettos, though he did little to help end them. In 1968 his October Surprise was announcing the death of Malcolm X, found by Special Forces in Mexicali at the same time announcing the final withdrawal of US troops from the Congo. Reelection came easy, but 8 years of "benign neglect" in an era of mass violence in the US wasn't all that great itself. Internationally there was an attempt to develop relations with Israel, which were negated when Syria, Iraq and Jordan attacked in 1970, triggering the final Soviet-Israeli alliance.

[4] In 1968 came one of the most interesting turns of events in US Political History, the Kennedy Dynasty broke along with the Rest of the Democratic Party. JFK, now loved by the Southern Democrats and running on a Law and Order and Cold War Victory platform saw the Northern wing of the Party revolt against him, and while Bobby Stood by his side no matter how many young black men were killed, Teddy chose to join the Liberal Rebels whom would be remembered as counterparts to the 1948 reactionary splitters.

[5] In 1972 Richard Nixon, Goldwater's Secretary of State and Michigan governor George Romney ran on Goldwater's record of returning prosperity and safety, and won with a decent margin, the problem coming when the USSC ruled that Romney was not in fact, eligible, and voided all the Electoral votes he received, and Democrat Sam Yorty was elected instead. Nixon and Yorty worked well together none the less, pushing more hardliner tactics against the Black, Marxist and "Youth" terror groups which still were operating, while simultaneously working to end movement restrictions, and ending the executive order which hand negated Anti-Segregation court rulings. Nixon hoped that in helping secure black's opportunities, he could cut down on the violence which stemmed from radical members of the ghettos. The results were decent but continual arrests and internment of protesters meant to the Radical Left he was no different then any 'Fascist' President since Disney

[6] Rockwell had finally given up trying to win nominations in 1972 and ran his own ticket with a one-time Republican VP nominee, he won 4 states in the process. Pushing for a full deportation of Blacks from the US.

[7] Then came "Liberation". Jerry Brown won the Democratic Nomination being the least qualified candidate since Horace Greeley, but in an America tired of Civil Violence and Wars abroad he was able to squeak in by the slimest margins, there was then the massive push, Universal Healthcare, Affirmative Action, Federal Trial after Federal Trial, Investigation after Investigation, the massive downsizing and reorganization of the Entire US Military into the small Uniservice "American Forces", Unilateral Nuclear Missile Disarmament, Guaranteed Minimum Incomes and Guaranteed Coligate Education. Within 2 years almost all of it had been passed and then defunded by Congress after midterms. Brown was a radical and, very quickly a failure as he pushed too hard and showed himself to be far too radical for the American people to handle. None the less UHC, the reintegration of Minorities into the United States (Including Repatriation from Africa) and the Civil Rights Act of 1978 are Achievements which were long-lasting

[8] In 1976 Rockwell's Southern Strategy worked well, gaining him almost all of the Old Confederacy, it cost Nixon the election though which was not the real plan, and shortly there after his political career came to an end when he was assassinated by a supporter of his 1972 campaign.

[9] In 1981 Daniel Patrick Moynihan was sworn in as President, promising a balanced approach to America's problems, in contrast to the fanaticism of the Radical Democrats and the Segregationists. It was he who enforced busing, the Voting Rights Act of 1981, and saw the passage and enforcement of the Equal Rights Amendments, and Educational and Vocational Reparations to the victims of 1953-1977 US Policies. It was Moynihan who went to Israel and helped create the Israeli-Egyptian Peace of 1984, and who helped see Free Elections in the US' leading Arab World client in 1986. It was Moynihan whom saw the departure of the last US forces from Cuba and free elections there. And it was Moynihan whom saw the restarting of the Trans-Atlantic Alliance system.

[10] Ted Kennedy ran for President in 1980 completely to offer an alternative to the "Insanity" of Brown"

[11] Sam Nunn on the other hand ran in 1984 representing a "New South" and a "New Democratic Party" which tried to run against "The Party of Disney". But it didn't work, not even the Popular, Radical Congressmen from California being able to help.

---------------​

A Theoretical Look Forward: Maverick's "The High and the Mighty"

Timeline can be found here.

It is only by chance that one of Maverick's better timeline's survived his whole "Going Mad with Power" thing that many of you view him as evil and crazy over. (

) Luckily for us the timeline where-in Ronald Reagan breaks his leg in 1964 and cannot speak at the Republican national convention, only to be replaced by John Wayne is still with us, and presents a fascinating transformation of the world and of United States politics, even in the brief period that Maverick wrote it, before leaving it so very close to not being incomplete. Anyway here goes.

In 1964, John Wayne's speech at the Republican National Convention propelled him into political activism, in 1966 he was elected Governor of California, in 1968 he was drafted to serve as Richard Nixon's Vice-President, in 1972 when Nixon ran into Arthur Bremer, it was Wayne who ascended to the top office. In some ways better, in some ways worse, in other ways just different from Ford, Carter and Reagan it would be John Wayne who then steered the United States though the 1970's and the Republican Party towards a new destiny for itself...

1969-1972: Richard M. Nixon / John M. Wayne (Republican)[1]
1968: Hubert H. Humphrey II / Edmund S. Muskie (Democratic), George C. Wallace / Edwin A. Walker (American Independent)[2]
1972-1977: John M. Wayne / Gerald R. Ford (Republican)[3]
1972: George C. Wallace / Samuel W. Yorty (Democratic), Eugene J. McCarthy / Shirley A. Chisholm (Freedom)[4]
1977-1979: John M. Wayne / John S. McCain II (Republican)[5]
1976: Jesse M. Unruh / Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr. (Democratic), Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. / John B. Anderson (Independent Republican)[6]
1979-1980: John S. McCain II / Richard S. Schweiker (Republican)[7]
1980-1981: Richard S. Schweiker / vacant (Republican)[8]
1981-1985: John B. Connally, Jr. / C. Malcolm Wilson (Republican)[9]
1980: Edward M. Kennedy / James E. Carter (Democratic), Donald H. Rumsfeld / John G. Schmitz (Independent)[10]
1985-1993: John H. Glenn, Jr. / Dale L. Bumpers (Democratic)[11]
1984: John B. Connally, Jr. / C. Malcolm Wilson (Republican)
1988: H. Ross Perot / John S. McCain III (Republican)[12]
1993-1996: Patrick J. Buchanan / Ronald E. Paul (Republican)[13]
1992: Paul L. Newman / Mario M. Cuomo (Democratic)[14]
1996-2001: Patrick J. Buchanan / John S. McCain III (Republican)[15]
1996: Ralph Nader / Zell B. Miller (Democratic), Edmund G. Brown, Jr. / Albert A. Gore, Jr. (Reform)[16]
2001-2009: Charles E. Roemer III / B. Evans Bayh III (Democratic)
2000: John S. McCain III / Robert C. Smith (Republican)
2004: Robert C. Smith / Tommy G. Thompson (Republican)
2009-2013: B. Evans Bayh III / Johnny R. Edwards (Democratic)
2008: Jon Huntsman, Jr. / Peter T. King (Republican)


Notes:

[1] - Wayne legally changed his name in the lead up to his 1966 run for the Governor's Office. the M stands for his original name Marion. Wayne was able to run with Nixon because of his brief success as Governor of California (Serving as long as Agnew in Maryland) and because Nixon was legally a resident of New York in 1968.

[2] - Wayne in the race damaged George Wallace out of the gate, as he was forced to turn to disgraced former General Edwin Walker to be his VP rather than the still someone respected and respectable (As far as Race went) LeMay.

[3] - President Nixon was assassinated by Arthur Bremer in 1972 while visiting Canada. Nixon in the face of this quickly selected House Minority leader Gerald Ford to serve as his Vice President. In his first term Wayne would discontinue at once the old Nixonian policy of Dirty Tricks calling for clean government, at the same time a Cabal of Old Hands would decide that that was all fine and good for the President but they would take care of things themselves. And they would, while Nixon played tough in Vietnam it was the Old Hands who secured the long-term independence of a Finlandized, Non-Communist Cochinchina, It was they who oversaw Wayne's "War on Crime", it was they who sent Paul Volcker to Treasury to fight Stagflation, it was they who didn't assassinate the right people in Chile leading to Civil War there and it was they who sent the US navy down there to end that war when it got out of hand. And it was they would would outmaneuver many of their old Nixon-era rivals to dominate the Wayne administration and secure its victories. And of course it was they who set the stages for Wayne's victories in 1972 and 1976.

[4] - George Wallace, Open Racist was just about the only potential candidate who could have neutralized all of the embarrassing comments that Wayne's handlers always struggled to silence. And of course it would cause the splintering of the Democratic Party as Eugene McCarthy moved to offer the only non-awful option for the American Liberal establishment. McCarthy would win DC and Massachusetts, Wallace won votes in the Deep South and Wayne would walk away with the other 45 states.

[5] - By 1976 Gerald Ford had had enough of being shut out of the Ultra-Conservative Nixon administration, has announced departure in turn would open Wayne up to a Primary challenge from the Left but the Duke would hold, appointing his Chilean intervention commander and then Secretary of the Navy to serve as his VP. Theirs was an administration of staring down and talking cooly to the Soviets, of tumult at home and in the Middle East, and of timid Economic prosperity as Volcker kept on going at Treasury.

[6] - Ford's departure from the ticket triggered a Primary challenge by Richard Schweiker, which while eventually defeated left Wayne open and vulnerable, the Third Way Democratic Governor of California and the Liberal Republican from Connecticut who would challenge him in the Presidential race saw him as an easy target. And then the Old Hands, seeing their President in danger turned to one of their own FBI Director Mark Felt and one Waco-like event with Jim Jones' People's Temple later, Unruh was crippled and lost his one-point-behind Wayne status for collapse and the Duke held on for another term.

[7] - Or most of another term, in 1978 the President began treatment for Lung Cancer, in mid 1979 Wayne skipped out on being a Lame Duck to resign, dying a few weeks later. President McCain on taking office, brought in the old Left Challenger from 1976 to serve as his VP for the sake of Unity. McCain's administration would be focused on securing a Nuclear Missile treaty with the Soviets, and the Recession of 1980 kicking things off. A modest administration, McCain earned a level of respect, before announcing that he would not seek the Party nomination in 1980.

[8] - In late November of 1980 President McCain would die of a heart attack, Schweiker wouldn't be able to do much in his brief period besides send the US Navy into the Persian Gulf to secure US oil convoys.

[9] - John Connolly beat out then-current Texas Governor Bush and Congressmen Reagan for the 1980 nomination and with a Dead Cowboy behind him won over the Republican base. Not that he would have liked it. Shortly after getting rid of Volcker and refusing to nominate him to the Federal Reserve as Ted Kennedy had promised, the nation's recession began to grow out of hand, with Connolly's administration being completely focused on trying to save an economy that was nosediving.

[10] - Of course not all Republicans were happy that an Ex-Democrat was their nominee. And not many Democrats cared for Connolly either, no matter who he got shot sitting next to.

[11] - In 1984 with no economic recovery in site Connolly and the Republicans were thrown quickly on to their asses. When one loses to a Movie Hero who does one eventually turn to? A Real God Damned Hero. Glenn governed firmly to the left, By 1986 the Economy was once more on the upswing and Glenn got all the victories that came with the rise of the tech industry and all that kind of growth, modernization in American Industry did wonders for production too.

And then in 1990 the greatest series of Victories from the Cold War began when the USSR agreed to plebiscites in the Eastern European SSRs and for the departure of Soviet puppets from the Warsaw pact. By the end of the year Europe expanded to the Baltic States and Western Ukraine, though Romania, Yugoslavia, and Albania remained Marxist dictatorships. In 1991 the People's Republic of China fell, leading by 1993 to the "State of China" (Negotiations would secure a One Nation, Two Governments like system by 1994 with Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai Tibet, and Uyghurstan eventually all operating as SARs) In 1992 The Germanies reunified, as Glenn's second term moved towards a victorious end. As a lame duck in 1993 he would see the rump Soviet Union (Russia, Belorussia, East Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan) formally request observer status in the European Confederation.

[12] - Wayneism showed major changes early in the legacy period when Ross Perot won Texas' Senate Seat in 1984, and ran for President four years later on a mostly Perot-like platform.

[13] - Wayne's Last Chief of Staff took the White house in 1992 being all Buchanan-like (Though the Evangelical community continues to stay out of politics, Buchanan's moralist language is firmly Catholic), pushing Protectionism, Small Government, and like Wayne, a tough stance on Crime. Ron Paul his VP proved very popular leading a Federal Audit of the Federal Reserve. The US Government faced major downsizing on all fronts during this period and it was in 1995 that the two men would oversee the departure of the United States from NATO (While still remaining a signatory of the Atlantic alliance, like France.) Racial Tensions oddly found themselves on the rise during the Buchanan era of the War on Crime.

[14] - Paul Newman having been elected a Senator from California in 1976 ran on the McCarthy Left in 1992. It didn't work.

[15] - Vice President Paul would depart the ticket after questions were raised about his judge of character due to numerous staff appointments in Congress and the Executive Branch. The son of President McCain on the other hand had a reputation as a clean cut, straight shooter. In 1997 the major crisis that would face President Buchanan throughout his administration was taking the US War on Crime overseas, as he moved to quarantine the Narco-Republic of Cochinchina. When Socialist Vietnam fell Cochinchina moved back to the 17th Parallel securing Off shore oil territories and new facilities to secure its dominance as the Heroin capital of the world. Naval blockade and military force would follow, and by the end of 1998 America's second Vietnam war would come to an end with Cochinchina pushed back to its Pre-war borders and the State of Vietnam in control of its own oil production once more.

[16] - Ralph Nader a student of former Governor Unruh proved unable to win from the Center, thanks to the efforts of the Reform Party which aiming to split the vote, targeted swing states and through them to Buchanan, even though Nader would win the popular vote. A struggle that would define political passions for the next several elections.

---------------​

A Theoretical Look forward for Mike Stone's "Mr. Hughes Goes to War"

The link for which can be found here. Its a nice, simple and excellent read. Probably one of my favorite AH pieces and of course, I highly recommend it.

Also worth noting, this has spoilers. Obviously.

Presidents of the United States

1913-1916: T. Woodrow Wilson / Thomas R. Marshall (Democratic)
1912: Theodore Roosevelt / Hiram Johnson (Progressive), William H. Taft / James S. Sherman, Nicholas M. Butler (Republican), Eugene V. Debs / Emil Seidel (Socialist)
1916-1917: Charles E. Hughes / vacant (Republican) [Acting][1]
1917-1918: Charles E. Hughes / Charles W. Fairbanks (Republican) [2]
1916: T. Woodrow Wilson / Thomas R. Marshall (Democratic), Alan L. Benson / George R. Kirkpatrick (Socialist)
1918-1921: Charles E. Hughes / vacant (Republican) [3]
1921-1928: Herbert C. Hoover / Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic) [4]
1920: [T. Woodrow Wilson], Albert E. Smith (Democratic)[5], Charles E. Hughes / Frank O. Lowden (Republican), Robert M. LaFollette / Thomas E. Watson (Progressive)[6], Eugene V. Debs / Seymour Stedman (Socialist)
1924: Frank O. Lowden / Joseph M. Dixon (Republican), Henrik Shipstead / Dudley F. Malone (Farmer-Labor)
1928-1929: Franklin D. Roosevelt / vacant (Democratic)[7]
1929-1937: Franklin D. Roosevelt / James A. Reed (Democratic)
1928: J. Calvin Coolidge, Jr. / Charles G. Dawes (Republican)
1932: Charles E. Hughes, Jr. / Hiram Johnson (Republican)[8]
1937-1943: Charles L. McNary / Leverett A. Saltonstall (Republican)[9]
1936: James A. Reed / Cordell Hull (Democratic), Burton K. Wheeler / William F. Lemke (Populist), Norman M. Thomas / James H. Maurer (Socialist)
1940: Henry S. Breckinridge / John N. Garner (Democratic), Norman M. Thomas / Charles Solomon (Socialist)
1943-1945: Leverett A. Saltonstall / vacant (Republican)[10]
1945-1957: Leverett A. Saltonstall / Henry A. Wallace (Republican)[11]
1944: W. Francis Murphy / Henry Morgenthau, Jr. (Democratic), Norman M. Thomas / Darlington Hoopes (Socialist)
1948: Glen H. Taylor / Herman Talmadge (Democratic)
1952: Claude D. Pepper / W. Averell Harriman (Democratic)

German Emperors

1888-1918: Wilhelm II von Hohenzollern (Prussia) [12]
1918-1929: Karl I von Hapsburg (Austria) [13]
1929-1955: Rupprecht I von Wittelsbach (Bavaria) [14]
1955-1967: Wilhelm III von Hohenzollern (Prussia)

Notes
[1]- President Wilson upon his defeat turned down the opportunity to be a lame duck due to the nature of the dangerous international situation. Thus he had Secretary of State Robert Lansing resign. He then appointed Hughes Secretary of State, at which point both he and Vice President Marshall resigned themselves, elevating Hughes to the Presidency less then a week after winning election.

[2]- Hughes' victory had been due to the "helpful" sinking of the SS Algonquin just before the election. Using his Lame duck term to ready the nation for war, shortly after being sworn in in his own Right, Hughes was forced to declare war on Germany. A major US deployment was ready to go sooner, and with better logistics and supply. The result was that the build up of US forces was quicker, and Germany threw in the towel even earlier. As events in Central Europe accelerated, Hughes worked to develop a peace treaty, using support from the past four secretaries of state and a coalition of other Republicans and Democrats.

[3]- The death of Vice President Fairbanks did little to stop the treaty goings on, in the end Fairbanks brought America into the League of Nations (a less powerful body then IOTL) and helped finalize peace between the Western Allies and the New German Emperor. Lenin still came to power in Russia, much of Europe teetered between reactionary and revolutionary dictatorship none the less, Prince Sixte became King of Poland, and the moderate Conservitives of all sides worked to establish a peaceful new world. Hughes faced domestic opposition on stuff.

[4]- Via the crisis that will be explained in note 5, Herbert Hoover, Democrat became President in 1921. He was like Hughes a moderate internationalist, and was noted domestically for overseeing the expansion of wealth and prosperity of the 1920's, and for working with Republicans and northern democrats in a failed attempt at an Anti-Lynching Bill. It was a simple and decent administration. He was also noted for nominating Former President Hughes back to the Supreme Court in 1922 in the name of bipartisan reputation in the nations Top Court. His legalist stance during the red scare, like Hughes prevented continued troubles, and defended the rights of Socialists to not get murdered.

[5]- Hoover though had originally been merely the VP nominee in 1920, the top job going to Woodrow Wilson in a rematch. The national crisis that followed being the result of Wilson's death after the national vote but before the electoral college met. The DNC chose to elevate Hoover and nominate his campaign manager, Franklin Roosevelt to the VP post, while breakaways nominated Al Smith to be President, demanding a Real Democrat rather then Hoover. The situation had been primed that Hughes could have taken back the White House but in a highly respected move, Hughes openly spoke against it, and vowed to do for Hoover, what Wilson had done for him in 1916 if his views were not the result.

[6]- Probably one of the larger errors in the story, was the nomination of Tom Watson, an Ex-Populist whom like most of them was practically a foaming at the mouth Klansmen, turned Hyperreactionary, as LaFollette's VP. I would have suggested, well, anyone else. They won quite a few states none the less.

[7]- Hoover having been elected in 1920, died in a 1928 plane crash while on a trip to a League of Nations Conference of American Statesmen in Havana Cuba. Curse of Tippecanoe!

[8]- Roosevelt's administration passed Old Age Pensions and fought hard for Farm Relief, as he was walking it was a much more paternalistic thing. He didn't pass, and major expansion of Welfare. In 1932, none the less he easily bested NY Senator Charles E. Hughes, Jr. And then the bottom came out of the tub and in 1934 the Economy finally crashed.

[9]- In the face of Roosevelt's seeming failure to stem the tide of Depression, Deficit spending and the rise of new Populist movements and a return to Socialism for many, Charles McNary was elected President, and began a campaign to create work, via work programs, trade treaties, and government investment. It mostly worked, or at least, the American people felt it worked and thats what mattered.

[10]-Tippicannoe again. Leverett A. Saltonstall was sworn in after his bosses death At the time, Europe was in crisis, Civil War in France, Italy and Spain seemed to bring the threat of Communist victory closer, Communist-allied KMT forces were on the march in Manchuria, *Fascists marched in London, Frankfurt, and took power in Hungary, Turkey, and Japan.

[11]- In 1946 Open war came to Europe as Bukharin invaded Poland. Starting World War II. US entry was forced in 1949 Saltonstall became the first President elected to more then two terms in 1952 as US forces pushed from Siberia and as part of the broad European alliance in the West. His domestic programs, friendly nature and war work would make him be remembered as one of the Greatest Presidents of all time.

[12]- Willy was ousted in 1918 by the German Peace Government, fleeing into the Netherlands to avoid any responsibility for anything ever. He was removed as King of Prussia and never returned to Germany, his son and heir Wilhelm III remaining but being forced to abdicate the Prussian Throne. He was the last unelected Emperor.

[13]- Charles of Austria was invited by Chancellor Prince Max von Baden to take the German throne in 1918, which he did. For a time he was still King of Hungary but would lose that when the German people weren't interested for fighting for it in the 1920's. Survived a Coup in 1919 perpetrated by the Freikrops and another in 1927 by disenchanted elements of the Army that were interested in creating a *Fascist state. An arch-conservitive, he was forced to deal with an ever liberalizing Germany and strong limits on his power. None the less, he built a niche for himself as the Warlord.

[14]- 1929 was a bad year for Germany, in a matter of months the three greats of the Reformed German Empire all died, Emperor Karl, Max of Baden the regent of Prussia and major leader of German Liberals, and Chancellor Gustav Stressman, the elected leader of Germany's Liberals. In this time of crisis, it was Rupprecht of Bavaria who was elected by the German people to be their next Emperor, remembering his service in the war, the 1920 coup, and in his fair rule of Bavaria since taking the throne. It was he too, who would be remembered well as the Kaiser who fought the Soviet War, saving the nation from ruin.

---------------​

I could have dealt with the 1942 Election Bullshit better.

A Theoretical Look Forward for Philip Roth's "Plot Against America"

Spoilers.




This is a look at Philip Roth’s Bush era work that won the Sidewise Award and totally wasn’t just a morality tale about how Bush Sucked. It was pretty straightforward, Lindbergh sweeps into the GOP Nomination, cuts off all help to the British, Signs Treaties with Hitler in Iceland, and makes life suck for American Minorities until in 1942 he vanishes and America launches national Pogroms and almost goes to war with the British. This is all excused in that Lindbergh was being blackmailed by the Nazis (Who had kidnapped his son years before) and that all of his efforts were really to try and prevent things from getting worse for the Jews while preventing Himmler from murdering his son. Yeah I know. In 1942 Mrs. Lindbergh escapes from a Mental Institution and triggers an emergency election. Yeah I know. I don’t know why the book was a big deal much either.

1941-1942: Charles A. Lindbergh / Burton K. Wheeler (Republican)[1]
1940: Franklin D. Roosevelt / Henry A. Wallace (Democratic)
1942-1942: Burton K. Wheeler / vacant (American First Republican)[2]
1942-1942: Gerald P. Nye / vacant (Republican)[3]
1943-1945: Franklin D. Roosevelt / John H. Bankhead II (Democratic)[4]
1942: Wendell L. Wilkie / W. Franklin Knox (Republican), Gerald L. K. Smith / Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (America First)
1944: Douglas MacArthur / John W. Brickner (Republican)[5]
1945-1946: John H. Bankhead II / vacant (Democratic)[6]
1946-1949: W. Averell Harriman / vacant (Democratic)[7]
1949-1957: W. Averell Harriman / J. William Fulbright (Democratic)[8]
1948: Thomas E. Dewey / Herbert E. Hitchcock (Republican)
1952: Dwight D. Eisenhower / H. Styles Bridges (Republican)[9]
1957-1963: Richard M. Nixon / C. Estes Kefauver (Democratic)[10]
1956: Thomas E. Dewey / Herbert Brownell, Jr. (Republican)
1960: Earl Warren / Henry C. Lodge, Jr. (Republican)
1963-1965: Richard M. Nixon / vacant (Democratic)
1965-1969: W. Stuart Symington / Eugene G. Brown, Sr. (Democratic)[11]
1964: Nelson A. Rockefeller / Thruston B. Morton (Republican)
1969-1973: George W. Romney / Thurgood Marshall (Republican)[12]
1968: W. Stuart Symington / Eugene G. Brown, Sr. (Democratic)


Notes

1- Lindbergh’s Anti-War platform and his Democratic VP sweep in against the Aggressor Roosevelt inspite of all the Anti-Semitic talk in 1940 and get to work. Over the next two years America backs away from the British, signs a Non-Aggression Pact with Hitler, and Builds up Continental Defense and a Nuclear Weapons Program. Domestically the New Deal is slowly wrapped up in large portions, the Office of American Assimilation promotes programs like “Just Folks” and “Homestead 2” to force Jews and other minorities to be like Everyone else. And then in October of 1942 Lindbergh flies in the Spirit of St. Louis to Kentucky for a Speech, turns around and is never seen from again.
2- In the vanishing of his boss Wheeler blames the British Empire and puts the US on high alert. Pogroms against Jews, Asians and Blacks break out in the US leading to hundreds of lynchings in the course of just a few weeks. Hitler blames the Jews for the American Presidents Disappearance, Wheeler blames Roosevelt, In Actuality, Lindbergh ditches out at Sea and meets a U-Boat which takes him to Germany where he becomes a Luftwaffe Officer.
3- With the National Decision to listen to Mrs. Lindbergh and let legal precedent be damned, Wheeler is removed from Office, and Secretary of State Gerald P. Nye, still an isolationist overseas an emergency election election. Following the November victory of the Democrats, it is he who takes America into WWII when the Japanese attack on December 8th, 1942. (I know) Following the German Declaration of War on the US, the first broadcasts from “Chuck Slim” an American broadcasting for the Nazis was released, calling for Servicemen to stand down and that the Nye and Roosevelt governments were illegal. These were never decisively proven to be Lindbergh though and are generally scoffed at by non-Conspiracy Theorists. (It was him.)
4- Roosevelt, elected over a Pro-War “Clean” Republican Ticket and the Anti-War America First Party, with his Southern VP led America through the next several years of war, Mass Aid to the British, Air War over Germany, a rough fight though North Africa (Helping clear out Egypt too) before going into the Soft Underbelly of Europe in Italy and the Balkans and up in Norway. In the Pacific the war was focused on fighting to secure the tedious supply lines to the Australians first by taking Guadalcanal back, before ignoring the rest of the South Pacific to push across the Central Islands like Wake, Tarawa, and the Marshalls. Aid to the Russians was focused mainly on helping retake Moscow in 1943.
5- One of the side effects was that MacArthur was retired for good under Lindbergh who had no use for him, he was not brought back in, though he was briefly appointed to fill a Senate Vacancy. The Boys in Luzon didn’t miss him.
6- Roosevelt’s death in 1945 did not trigger a Special Election, it did though, trigger the atomic bombing of Berlin in 1945, followed by Hiroshima, Yokahama, Nagasaki, and Kyoto. The War came to an end shortly after. Allied Forces which had only recently landed in the South of France were glad they would not have to fight all the way to Paris. Nor did the men fighting on Okinawa or Formosa mind much either. Bankhead though would not live long to secure Post-War Prosperity. One issue of note was that with the destruction of Berlin all records related to, and the man himself that was known as “Chuck Slim” were obliterated. Thus leaving that mystery forever open ended except for the testimony of a few technicians and SS troopers who lived through the war.
7- Harriman, Roosevelt and Bankheads Secretary of State thus assumed the Presidency, working out post war treaties with Atlee and General Secretary Zhukov as to the fate of Europe and Asia. He earned few friends with the other powers as he sought an end to Colonialism and won much respect at home for his work on securing America’s post-war economic growth.
8- Harriman and Fulbright would be elected twice, based on the Post-War economic Growth, and security abroad as the Nationalists won in China (Being America's economic if not political friends), Europe saw the start of a Common Economic Cooperative, and the Soviets sought their own Liberalizations in exchange for *Marshall Aid. Harriman’s supportive stance on minority rights caused some trouble down south but there were equal parts “The Courts ruled and he is doing his job” and “Remember October 1942” feelings that grudgingly kept violence down and let the work of desegregation begin.
9- No Eisenhower being Eisenhower does not allow for Instant Victory, at the end of the Day, even SHAEF can’t walk away from what Lindbergh did.
10- Nixon could see what that legacy meant though and made sure it wouldn’t stick to him. The Young California Senator was elected in 1956 promising for the American People a New Society and he worked to deliver with Tax and Welfare Reforms, a strong push for Civil Rights and work to help secure education opportunities for all Americans. Abroad he played hardball with the Now Nuclear Russians, calling for more reforms on their part before he would agree to a Free Trade Agreement, which partly worked to help lead to the *mostly* Free Elections of 1959.
11- Symington’s two main achievements in his term was the triumph of the American Space Program (Rocketry being a major component of Lindberghs defense scheme btw means NASA was no Old Nazi’s Club), and the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.
12- None the less, all good things come to an end, and as the Economy moved into a recession in 1967 after years of uninterrupted growth the deal was sealed, Senator George Romney of Michigan and Governor Marshall of Maryland were the First Republicans to hold the White House since 1942.

---------------​

A Theoretical Look Forward for Michael F. Flynn's "Southern Strategy"

Do I have to say with that title that their will be spoilers?



Flynn's short story, found in the Alternate Generals II Anthology, or here tells the story of Senator Adlai Stevenson's treck to Alabama in 1952 in an attempt to sound out the South for the upcoming Presidential Election.

In this America Woodrow Wilson was able, as a neutral to secure peace between the Central and Entente Powers in 1917 and create his dream of the League of Nations. Over the following decades as Wilson rehabilitated the south and assured decades of Southern dominance of the Democratic Party, Germany rebounded in power, and used the league as a tool as it defeated the USSR and Japan in the 1930's and 1940's. With a string of "Lily-White" Republicans and Dixiecrat Democrats in office, Blacks were kept in the south via Passbook and violence, and Civil Rights was for too long a non starter. Then at the dawn of the 1950's the shit hit the fan, John Calvin King and his Southern Colored Liberation Corps launched a rebellion against the Southern system and called for League Help. It did, but as German bombers hit US targets, British forces landed at Mobile and Triple Monarchy Paratroopers appeared around New Orleans things exploded and in the end 20,000 Blacks would be found by the League in Mass Graves across the South.

In 1952 Stevenson, a pawn of the Dailey Machine headed south to talk to John Sparkman the Governor of Alabama, George Wallace his Attorney General and leader of the state's "Nightrider" resistance, as well as John Calvin King himself. Unplanned were the meetings with Erwin Rommel, commander of the LoN peacekeepers, or "Tricky Dick" the leader of the Plumbers a Pro-Republican resistance group with plans inside of plans. By the end of the trip the body count jumped horrifically, Stevenson betrayed Wallace and King to the Germans in a move to create Democratic martyrs, King died fighting the Prussian Stromtroopers, Wallace was paralyzed and propped up to a board for his retribution execution, Rommel was killed by a bomb under his car, set off by Dick but of course Rommel had only been going because of Stevenson's letter to him. And Adlai was left behind by Dick as bait, killed by the Germans becoming both a Martyr and the catalyst of the Democrats destruction when Dick's people sent the tapes and other evidence of Stevenson's dealings to the hit Morning in America News broadcast. And of course, the German brutal response to the death of Rommel lead to the death of thousands of hostages, an act of revenge that would lead to the collapse of the European Concert of Britain and France with Germany and Austria which had dominated the world since the 1920's...

1949-1952: Hugo L. Black / James M. Curley (Democratic) [1]
1948: Robert A. Taft / William W. Barbour (Republican)
1952-1953: Hugo L. Black / vacant (Democratic)
1953-1961: Earl Warren / Hanford MacNider (Republican)[2]
1952: Richard B. Russell, Jr. / George B. Timmerman, Jr. (Southern Democratic), Robert F. Wagner II / Edward P. Carville (Northern Democratic) [3]
1956: George A. Smathers / Coke R. Stevenson (Forward American), Harry S. Truman / W. Averell Harriman (Democratic) [4]
1961-1965: Earl Warren / Charles H. Percy (Republican)[5]
1960: Harry F. Byrd / Huey P. Long (Forward American), Hubert H. Humphrey II / Robert B. Meyner (New Democratic Action), Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. / Eugene J. McCarthy (Democratic) [6]
1965-1971: James N. Ryan / Thomas E. Dewey (Republican) [7]
1964: Tallulah B. Bankhead / William P. Lane, Jr. (Forward American) Hubert H. Humphrey II / Frank S. Hogan (New Democratic Action) [8]
1968: Abraham A. Ribicoff / Harold E. Hughes (New Democratic Action) John G. Crommelin / Daniel K. Moore (Co-Operative)[9]
1971-1973: James N. Ryan / vacant (Republican)
1973-1981: Elvis A. Presley / Elliot L. Richardson (Republican) [10]
1972: Hubert H. Humphrey II / Thomas F. Eagleton (New Democratic Action), John J. McKeithen / C. Calvin Sale, Jr. (United Citizens) [11]
1976: Birch E. Bayh, Jr. / Benjamin A. Smith II (New Democratic Action) [12]
1981-1985: Elliot L. Richardson / John B. Anderson (Republican) [13]
1980: Alan J. Dixon / Frank F. Church III (New Democratic Action)
1985-1989: John H. Glenn, Jr. / Walter F. Mondale (New Democratic Action) [14]
1984: Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. / Frank F. Borman II (Republican)

[1] Hugo Black's victory was a sweet one for his party at first, bringing the Democrats back to the Executive Branch for the first time in 16 years, the first since Frank Roosevelt's disastrous term. But his failure to respond to the League Invasion --- within 12 hours he had ordered all US forces to standdown and attempted to claim the Peacekeepers were invited --- and his failure to prevent the "Clearances" and mass murder in Dixie destroyed him. Vice President Curley's varied scandals did nothing to help, and Curley's eventual salvation by placing himself in the Northern Revolt against the Democratic leadership in 1952 left Black completely alone. A failed president, he did not run for a second term, or return to his native south upon retirement.

[2] Stevenson had feared Warren would win in 1952 because simply, Warren would do well. The fear was completely accurate. Taking office, Warren led America though the start of the Second Entente War, as Anglo-French and German forces begain shooting at each other even in the American South. Neutral America's time as a battleground was short lived but shocked the nation. The Army was rapidly expanded, and a National Police Service was created and sent down to Dixie. The Passbook law was voided by Executive Order and thousands of Blacks left the South for the West Coast and Northern Cities. Under Warren for the first time since Wilson the United States appeared on the upswing as a power, while around the world the Empires of Europe tore themselves to peaces.

[3] In early 1952 Stevenson had been part of a Democratic faction that had hoped to run Harry Truman for President, a border stater to solve the regional divide issue. But as the Stevenson tapes entered the Congressional Record the party collapsed on itself. Southern and Northern wings went their separate ways, and while the Solid South was able to survive one more election thanks to a lack of peacekeepers securing the polling places, the Northern Wing of the party won enough states to survive if not flourish. The divide was one that would never be healed.

[4] By 1956 the Split in the Party was permanent, at Midterms Southern Democrats had formed their own organization, the Forward America Party who talked a hard line on joining the Second Entente War, still ongoing to gain vengeance over Germany as well as all sorts of talk about American Traditionalism and a need for Law and Order. Harry Truman did get the Democratic nomination this time which gave another decent if unsuccessful showing, the fight in the Democrats shifting from the old machines against the reformers who had been shut out by the now departed Dixiecrats.

[5] In 1959, the war in Europe still ongoing, Warren did bring the US into the fight, due to the issue of German submarine warfare. US forces spend the next two years fighing in East Asia and Africa as well as in the North Atlantic. The land and air components of the war are minimal though, with the majority of US action and casualties being in the Naval War. The War does trigger a third term for Warren, upon winning it, Warren shocks the world by desegregating the US military in wartime. The 1962 Peace Treaty that eventually comes out of the war replaces the too proactive League of Nations with the Discussion forum that is the World Congress. It also saw, thanks to the US the start of the end for the World's Empires as German colonies were made Independent, and France and Britain nearly bankrupted their empires to win the war.

[6] 1960 finalized the death of the Democratic Party as Northern, Reform Democrats formed the New Democratic Action leaving the old party to Big and Little Joe who won only one state, a graceless end for the old party.

[7] James Ryan (James Gavin IOTL) was a major Hero of the Second Entente War, having led US Forces in liberating Manila from German-Puppet forces. As President, Ryan saw the continual build up of US Forces, and Politcal prestige. In 1968 it is Ryan who announces that the US has detonated an Atom Bomb, changing the world political system forever. Domestically, Ryan continues to work on developing a real peace in the South, with US National Police and Judicial power being used to break what is left of the Solid South. Ryan is the first President to appoint a Black man to the Cabinet, as Malcolm Little, a Senator from New York becomes the Secretary of State.

[8] The Female Governor of Alabama was the last Forward America candidate, and the last to outpace the NDA. None the less, the Forward America Party was starting to unravel, especially as Ryan would target its ties with the "Night Riders" and work to finally secure open voting rights in the South. Hubert Humphrey's result in this election, secured permanantly the NDAs position.

[9] The collapse of the Forward America Party saw the rise of the new Co-Operative Party, which in turn also failed, as it found it hard to keep going when the party is openly that of the Nightriders, rather then Democrats who at least tried to keep their ties to such groups quiet.

[10] Presley, a former member of Tricky Dick's Plumbers had served in the Entente War as a Ranger Officer in the US Army in the Congo, winning himself the Congressional Medal of Honor. Becoming after the war the Republican Senator from Tennessee, he earned a reputation as a real supporter of Civil Rights. As president this continued Nationally, and oversaw the Space Race and a major reform of the American Education system to secure post-secondary education for all Americans.

[11] Hube Humphrey's three runs climaxed with the election of 1972 where with just two close states swinging towards him, he could have been elected President, showing once and for all that the American people know the NDA does not serve as a beard for the Old Democrats. At the same time, Dixiecrats would try one more time, this time re-branding themselves as a Law and Order Party, which failed dismally, as they only won Louisiana and West Virginia.

[12] Bayhs run was less close then Humphreys but did represent another major Victory for the NDA, as for the first time, they were THE only opposition party to win electoral votes for the first time.

[13] President Richardson saw a quiet administration, America lost the Moon Race to the Chinese, but did land their own men on it, Civil Rights fights settled down, as reparations were paid to survivors of the 1950's ethnic cleansing and the fight became one of Legal Responsibility on the small scale (There were plenty of executions still none the less). This time was referred to by Time Magazine called it the victory of Civil Rights which was at least half-true. Richardson was the first Republican who's share of the Black vote dropped in comparison to his opponent though, marking a quiet if dramatic change.

[14] And in 1984 the big change came, bringing an end to 42 years of Republican Dominance as John Glenn, hero of the Entente Air War and a major promoter of Civil Rights himself was elected President, the first the NDA ever had. Glenn continued US Civil Rights policy while seeking to develop a new Welfare system, basing his administration on a War on Poverty with great successes. His administration would mark the watershed moment beginning the Sixth Party Era in US Politics and marking a real return to multi-party politics.

---------------

A Theoretical Look Forward at: Newt Gingrich & William R. Forstchen's "Gettysburg"

Spoilers. Obviously.












The former Speaker of the House and Author William Forstchen's team up is a military-dominated history filled with heroes (Nobel Southerners, White and Black Soldiers, and Pro-Lincoln Republicans) and Villains (Traitorous Southerners, the Self-Interested Unionists, Democrats, and in a single orphaned scene, the French) whom following Lee's Brilliant, Un-Lee like actions in Southern Pennsylvania must face a final cataclysmic series of campaigns which will settle the Civil War in late 1863.

Lee fails to take Washington, though takes Baltimore and leads Maryland into the Confederacy, while Lincoln holds onto Washington, a city under Siege. Ulysses S. Grant takes his army to the north bank of the Susquehanna River. Dan Sickles, commanding the Army of the Potomac and determined to be the first Tammany President wrecks his own force at Monocacy and in the end it all comes down to Grant. Who in a 10 Day battle at Frederick, Maryland secures Lee's Surrender, and paroles the entire Army of Northern Virginia, whom then with the Confederate Congress in Richmond sideline Davis and dissolve themselves, rejoining the Union with the promise that they'd support the 13th Amendment thus ending the whole show before January 1st 1864.

While a fun read, I hope that everyone's response to that is "What a load of Revisionist Crap!" Because it is, even though there's a nice coating of USCT being great on top of it. Of course this is what makes things fun as hell when injecting the political sphere with 50 CC's of Reality.

1861-1865: Abraham Lincoln / Hannibal Hamlin (Republican)[1]
1860: John C. Breckinridge / Joseph Lane (Constitutional Democratic), John Bell / Edward Everett (Constitutional Unionist), Stephen A. Douglas / Herschel V. Johnson (Democratic)
1865-1869: Samuel S. Cox / Winfield S. Hancock (Democratic / National Conservative) [2]
1864: Salmon P. Chase / Jacob Collamer (Republican), Robert M. T. Hunter / Thomas E. Bramlette (Conventionist)[3], Abraham Lincoln / Lovell H. Rousseau (National Unionist)[4]
1869-1873: Samuel S. Cox / H. Emerson Etheridge (National Conservative)[5]
1868: Charles Sumner / Schuyler Colfax, Jr. (Republican)
1873-1877: Montgomery Blair / Alfred H. Colquitt (Conservative)[6]
1872: Roscoe Conkling / Elihu B. Washburne (Republican)
1877-1881: Zebulon B. Vance / David Davis (Conservative) [7]
1876: James B. Weaver / Joseph R. Hawley (Republican)[8]

Notes

[1] - And so it was that in October of 1863, following the Defeat and Public Resignation of Robert E. Lee that the Confederate dissolved itself and rejoined the Union. The Radicals Republicans tried to take action against this, and install a system of Reconstruction on the returned rebels, but the nation was disinterred following the flight of many of them from Washington when the city was under siege. In December of 1863 when Congress came into secession All of the Southern State delegations were seated, the membership of which was generally evenly split between Unionists and returned Confederates. Former Confederate President Jefferson Davis was not one of the new Senators having fled to Cuba, his Vice President, Alexander Stephens was. Following the deal they had made in their peace agreement the returned Southern States did support the 13th Amendment, with nearly all ratifying it by the end of 1864.

The result of all of this though was the Doom of Lincoln's political career. Emancipation on paper was one thing, any other deals made with the Republicans though were off the table and the former Slave Power reasserted itself in the South. Southern Unionists found common cause with their former Confederate Rivals, and both found Conservative Republicans to be firmly on side with them. The Freedmen's Bureau was shot down in committee. USCT veterans were denied a Federal Right to Vote, Peonage laws were repealed and a new system of dominating the former Slaves was introduced into the deep South while mob violence helped restore Confederate Dominance in those parts of the South that were already under reconstruction. In 1864 a new Opposition Force rose up in Congress as Confederate and Unionist Southerners joined Conservative Democrats and Republicans to take over Congress, appointing Congressmen "Sunset" Cox Speaker, and spending the next year continually rejecting any work with the Lincoln Administration, while rapidly cutting military spending to secure their position. It could thus be said, and was by many that by the election of 1864, the South had won the peace, even with the Union restored.

[2] - And it was thus that in 1864 that the Speaker of the House and one of the great heros of the War were elected as Democrats to the chief posts of the executive Branch. President Cox would oversee the Transformation of the Democratic Party and its alliance into a new Party, the National Conservatives which secured for the nation "The Union-as-it-was" as much as possible. Under President Cox, Peonage became entrenched in the Post-War South and the South was left to its own devices. In 1866 the Western Preservation Act was passed banning Black settlement in the Territories, and in 1867 the Voluntary Resettlement Act moved to deport Freedmen who were not held in Peonage to Liberia. In 1866 the Conservative Controlled Congress would move to deny many of the remaining Northern Radicals their seats, and 20 were denied their credentials including none less than Thaddeus Stevens. Opposition to these actions were limited in the North where Political Machines and other members of the Conservatives declared that the goals of the Civil War had been met in full. Republican attempts to force a reaction against this failed to gain momentum, and defections were common.

[3] - In 1864 a Southern Dominated Third Party, the National Convention Party, won votes in South Carolina, Texas and Delaware hoping to call for a series of amendments to the Constitution to reorganize the country on a "Regional Basis". The Former Confederate Secretary of States' defeat was far more successful than the parties attempts at House and Senate seats, and the movement faded, its supporters Co-opted by the New Conservative Party.

[4] - The Republican Party dropped President Lincoln for Chase following his Peace-time slide, Chase's defeat though was more then inevitable before Lincoln ran on his own reconciliatory-with-requirements platform. Lincoln's "New Republic" platform would eventually take over the GOP after his defeat but at the time served to wreck Republican attempts to hold ground in the House.

[5] - In 1869 President Cox ran for a second term, dropping General Hancock for the Former Tennessee Unionist Congressmen, Congressional Clerk and Hardline Conservative. It had only taken 8 years for a Southerner to return to the Vice Presidency, and the large margin of Victory of the Conservatives showed that Republican pressure against letting Southerners in was not a viable campaign strategy with the South back in the Fold. Cox's policies would continue and the Patronage system served to further cement the Conservative Party together. For Republicans it was a time of reorganization too, in 1870 former President Lincoln died, and in 1871 in the face of Nativist pressures in the Conservative Party, the Tammany Hall Machine in New York broke away, while continuing to Dominate New York politics first as "Independent Democrats" and eventually, as Republicans.

[6] - In 1872 the Conservatives selected former Lincoln Cabinet officer, Conservative Republican and heir to the Blair machine, Montgomery Blair as President, with a former Confederate Army officer as his VP. The margin of victory was less than Cox's but the victory was still at least, a clear one. It was President Blair who oversaw the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, and a series of corruption scandals as the Spoils System began to face attack by cross-party reformers. Internationally it was Blair who deployed US troops to Liberia to secure the Republic for Freedmen resettlement. In 1874 the Republicans regained the house for the first time in a decade, passing over President Blair's veto the re-outlawing of Peonage, which in the South simply reorganized itself to sharecropping and convict labor.

[7] - Blair's growing unpopularity and declining health meant that in 1876 the Conservatives nominated the former Governor and current Senator of North Carolina, Anti-Jeff Davis Confederate Zebulon Vance, with Lincoln's former ally and Supreme Court Justice David Davis. And that was that in less than 20 years a Confederate politician was sitting in the White House. Anti-Peonage enforcement came to an end, and the Conservatives regained the House. To work to restore national Unity President Vance began a process of turning American attention outward, capping this campaign off with the 1879 Spanish-American War where over 8 months the US fought to Free Cuba from the Spanish and united the nation behind the Army, filled with Ex-Unionists and Confederates. The Conservative Party narrative would trumpet the short victorious war as a New Departure for the nation from the bloody conflict and shadow of 1861-63. And the Conservative Party secured for itself in the victory a new mandate, securing for itself the dominant party position in America for years to follow.

[8] - By 1876 the Republican's straits had declined to the point that a one term Governor of Iowa was able to secure the party nomination, Weaver ran on an economically radical agenda which found itself at odds with the Eastern Liberal (IE: old Radical) Republican wing of the party. Winning major gains in the West and nothing in the East or South completely eroded long fought for Republican gains which were hoped would secure Congress for the party in 1878 and see a return to the White House in 1880. Instead the Weaver run would be noted for ringing in the death knell for the Republican Party. In 1880, there would be no GOP candidate run after four years of the party destroying itself.

 

[Japhy]

I quite like this list, the biggest problems I have with it are (1) The failure to keep the Socialist party going, which seems likely in a full continent US (2) I tried to Anglicize a lot of Spanish names and I think that was a bad call and/or badly done. That said at the same time this list was actually endorced by ChaserGrey so you know, that was awesome.


A Theoretical Look Forward (And a Bit Back) for "Proof Though the Night"

"Proof Though the Night" and "Breaking Strain" both being the work of ChaserGrey, and can be found here and here. There's also a discussion thread on this site about the Draka-Screwing spinoff universe right here on our very own AH.com.

Obviously there are SPOILERS.

Clearly if you don't want to know about what happens at the end of the story, this is where you need to stop reading.

I was told to leave a gap.

So you should use it to your advantage.

Or just read my list and then read the story.

Don't send me whiney PMs.







The concept of Proof Though the Night is that the US puts itself in a position in 1945 to hit the Draka right in where it hurts in the [Civilizational Collapse inducing body organ]. While the snakes use the last of their nuclear stockpile to clear out European Resistance and to blast their way though the Pyrenees, FDR signs an armistice with Japan (Where Yamamoto has led a palace coup to end the war) and sends the two newest, largest Aircraft Carriers in the fleet on suicide runs with (What must be) the entire American nuclear stockpile. The first story following the Death Ride of the USS Reprisal as it sails though the Med (A Snake Lake now), blasting every major Snake settlement on the coasts and every major port which could be used to supply the Dragon Armies in Europe. At the same time, another group steams up the Draka Coast wiping out the homeland cities of South and East Africa. The key to this being that the Draka are a small people, they have too much of their population under arms to be sustainable during wartime, and they had *just enough* people living in cities to be an industrial state. The result is that a huge percentage of Draka die in the course of the story, and with a final bit of daring on the part of the forces of righteousness, the surviving Snakes led by Eric von Shrakenberg agree to surrender to Roosevelt, who in a last move of kindness before his early death, agrees to let them live on, in Madagascar, if they give up their serfs and weapons. With FDR's death immediately after the short US-Draka war, Harry Truman and the US lift up the massive burden of rebuilding the world...

1933-1941: Franklin D. Roosevelt / Maurice L. Duplessis (Democratic) [1]
1932: Frank O. Lowden / Henry C. Wallace (Republican), Norman M. Thomas / Immanuel A. Camacho (Socialist)[2]
1936: Charles G. Dawes / Robert J. Manion (Republican)
1941-1945: Franklin D. Roosevelt / Harry S. Truman (Democratic)[3]
1940: Douglas MacArthur / H. Styles Bridges (Republican)[4]
1944: Robert A. Taft / John D. Arosemena (Republican)
1945-1949: Harry S. Truman / vacant (Democratic)[5]
1949-1957: Harry S. Truman / Lester B. Pearson (Democratic)[6]
1948: Robert A. Taft / John H. Blackmore (Republican), Carl Vinson / Harry F. Byrd (States Rights’ Democratic)[7]
1952: Robert Moses / Adolph L. Mateos (Republican)
1957-1961: John G. Diefenbaker / Thomas C. Hart (Republican)[8]
1956: Lester B. Pearson / Howard W. Cannon (Democratic), Strom Thurmond / Joseph S. Vivianco (States Rights’ Democratic)
1961-1965: Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. / Bryon I. Johnson (Democratic)[9]
1960: Thomas C. Douglas / Francis Duvalier (Republican)[10]
1965-1971: Thurgood Marshall / John S. McCain II (Republican)[11]
1964: Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. / Bryon I. Johnson (Democratic), Eugene J. McCarthy / Frederick Castro (Populist)[12]
1968: W. Stuart Symington / Michael A. Valdes (Democratic)
1971-1973: John S. McCain II / vacant (Republican)[13]
1973-1981: Hubert H. Humphrey II / Carl P. Socarras (Democratic)[14]
1972: Louis A. A. Ferre / William W. Scranton (Republican), Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. / John G. Schmitz (American Nationalist (Kennedy))[15]
1976: Howard Baker / Clifford P. Case, Jr. (Republican), Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. / Ramon E. C. Ucles. (American Nationalist (Kennedy))
1981-1985: Richard M. Nixon / Elliot L. Richardson (Republican)[16]
1980: Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr. / William R. Bennett (Democratic), Ralph M. Castro / Eugene G. Brown (Commonwealth)[17]
1989-1993: Richard M. Nixon / Michael DelaMadrid (Republican)
1984: Theodore Schwinden / J. Daniel Ortega (Democratic), Alexander M. Haig, Jr. / Albert T. Somoza II (Nationalist)[18]
1988: J. Daniel Ortega / Gary W. Hartpence (Democratic)[19]
1993-1997: John S. McCain III / John B. Aristide (Republican)[20]
1992: J. Robert Kerrey / Cuauhtemoc Cardenas (Democratic)
1997-2005: John G. Layton / William J. Blythe (Democratic)[21]
1996: John S. McCain III / John B. Aristide (Republican)
2000: Ronald E. Paul / Antonio Saca (Republican)
2005-2009: John G. Layton / P. J. Patterson (Democratic)[22]
2004: Vincente Fox / Harold E. Ford, Jr. (Republican)
2009-2017: Herman Cain / Stephen J. Harper (Republican)[23]
2008: Gabriel Q. DelaTorre / Elizabeth Warren (Democratic)
2012: Michael R. Bloomberg / Marc L. E. Ebrard (Democratic)

Notes:
[1]- Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected in a landslide in 1932 during the height of the Great Depression, with the Democratic Speaker of the House, Maurice Duplessis. Duplessis was chosen because of his ideological contrast to Roosevelt, and due to the bonds between the Quebec Conservitives, and the "Southron" and "Hispanic" Segregationist parties which held major sway over the Democratic Party. Duplessis would regret the decision and become an isolated and bitter opponent of the New Deal
[2]- Incumbent President Frank Lowden had no chance in 1932 but fought on hard, winning holdouts in Greater New England, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Santo Domingo and the traditional GOP steadfasts, and nothing else. While Norman Thomas made the best showing of a Socialist since the 1920's, winning states even out of Old Mexico, the first to do such since Eugene Debs.
[3]- In 1940, FDR broke the old tradition of Washington and ran for a third term, Duplessis made a play to seize the nomination but failed, and assured himself unemployment come January 1941. With war clouds in Asia, and Europe, Roosevelt picked 5 year veteran Senator Harry Truman, with a decent moderate record, a successful business career, and experience commanding Artillery in the last war as his VP. (Truman's attitude during Proof showed a man in on the loop and who worked hard to be his President's in control, and managerial VP in the Spring of 1945, so I pushed his term forward)
[4]- Roosevelt' main challenger was the former Army Chief of Staff whom had led troops to break up protests in Washington and Mexico Cities back in the day and with a mouth a mile wide. MacArthur ran mostly on how Roosevelt/Truman couldn't defend the country which needed a strong hand. His resignation from the Army though was much appreciated though. The third place finisher that year was unpledged delegates, whom mostly went to Roosevelt anyway. (There are third parties in every election here, many of them unpledged by bosses in parts of the country with absolute control of their states. They never get mentioned. Third parties only get mentioned if they win multiple states, no faithless electors or favorite sons, and win outside of just one region, there are lots of Dixiecrats but they only will show up if they can win in Quebec, Peonage Belt Mexico, etc)
[5]- President Roosevelt died as soon as operation Mongoose was over, It was then left to Truman to fight with the diehards in Africa and the Middle East (Including the Gayner Remnant which died in Atomic Smoke). It was also up to him to enact the Hull Plan, where in Billions and Billions were spent to rebuild a shattered world. Europe, only "briefly" Under the Yoke was Easy, but building nations out of nothing and making citizens out of serfs in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa proved nightmarish, complex and costly. It was also under Truman that the Madagascar population transfer occurred, with Draka and Malagasy both being moved from beach to beach.
[6]- Truman appointed his trusted ally Lester Pearson as his Vice Presidential running mate for 1948, for the next 8 years the two of them lead America in its Cold War with Japan, in helping Liberalize things in the USSR, and in helping create nations out of slavery. During this time, reform also comes home, the Fair Deal is a great success, and in Quebec, Dixie and Hispanophone America, war veterans, the middle class and the youth of America's so-called minorities (They're a majority together) start to push for equal rights. In 1953 the Supreme Court rules that Segregation is illegal, with no ruling slowing it down, the changes are rapid, sometimes painful, and immense, though opposition is ever-present and ever delaying. Truman's Third term see's US troops deployed in Sonora, Tennessee, Turkey and the East African Co-operative State (Liberia).
[7]- Robert Taft leads a Republican ticket demanding an end to the Hull plan and a return to Isolationism, Carl Vinson on the other hand leads a Segregationist walkout of the Democrats, which shares alot of common ground with Taft. The split vote allows Truman an even larger win.
[8]- Dief the Chief sweeps into office in 1956, the First Republican in more then 20 years. There is on his watch, not a slow down to the Civil Rights fight but a speed up, even in the face of violence and riot. Internationally, Europe is experienceing real triumph, the Soviets are holding semi-free elections, and in China, three decades of War and Genocide by Japan is ending in a disaster for the Rising Sun Empire, that not even the Nuclear destruction of Sian could stop. In American colleges, thousands of young Africans are attending schools, and illiberal regimes are calming down on ethnic violence. Democracy is a failure in much of Africa, but, peace is coming within reach.
[9]- Joseph Kennedy Jr., the Dixiecrat's New Englander reunites the Democrats and wins big in 1960, in part thanks to infighting in the GOP which unseats Diefenbacker with the Tommy Douglas, in no small part thanks to his key ally Nelson Rockefeller. Kennedy signs an executive order on day one ending US Federal Work on Desegregation, and slashes Aid money for the Former Drakan world. In his term all talk is on a "Return to Prosperity" for (White) America, and of the Danger of the "Cold War" with Japan. The Soviets are almost pushed into the Japanese camp, Europe is isolated from the American camp, there are several crises with Japan provoked by the US, the stationing of Nuclear Missile subs in Hong Kong being the the biggest between 1961 and the last months of 1964...
[10]- Tommy Douglas' ousting of Dief the Chief was a major event. The nomination of the old machine boss, Senator from Haiti as VP was just as big. The First Black VP nominee since B.K. Bruce in 1880, and this one by a united party, rather then a few factional delegates casting in protest.
[11]- The October surprise of 1964 was an October Surprise to end them all. In Madagascar, an attempted coup by Draka Hardliners, was backed up by the secret construction of biological and chemical weapons stocks by the plotters, with Japanese aid being used to develop mid-range balletic missiles to kill millions on the mainland, all in a gambit to expand Japanese power. In the end, doomsday in the new Drakia was avoided by the work of Eric von Shrakenberg and the final atonement of Julius Rosemont. Kennedy already facing a rough reelection was finished, as Thurgood Marshall, the Governor of Maryland hammered him about how he could have permitted such a crisis to even happen in the first place. While Rosemont won his second Medal of Honor (posthumously) and earned himself the undying gratitude of the US, and the grudging respect of the Draka for whom he had once been just a nightmare demon and a patsy before that, there was no saving Kennedy. And they thought electing a Black President would be hard.
[12]- Kennedy's drop in the polls would lead to the largest defeat in US history, winning only his home state, Washington DC, and Southern California. The Populists, a third party ticket which was expecting next to no impact, won instead more then a dozen states, to the shock of the Senator from Minnesota and the Governor of West Cuba.
[13]- Unfortunately, while Marshall worked to rebuild ties after the Kennedy years with the Free World, and to help rebuild Africa, he also became bogged down in the deployment of US forces to prop up a Republic in Zanzibar after the Sultan found himself dead in the back of an APC following the October Crisis of 1964. While visiting US forces in the region and attempting to broker a peace plan, he and the UN Secretary-General were both killed in a plane crash in Azania in 1971. President McCain, a former Admiral and Senator from Panama continued the war, unfortunately at the cost of US work in other Post-Draka states.
[14]-HHHII found himself in a similar situation even after he took office, the Zanzibar War would drag on until the last years of his term in the late 1970's. In the face of massive resistance and Japanese weapons, it became a quagmire, continued only because of the understanding that if one African state shattered apart, the whole continent could follow. At home, Humphrey pushed a liberal agenda, working on Civil Rights, and helping Hispanics and Blacks enter the middle class.
[15]- 1972 saw the rise of what was popularly called "The Joe Kennedy Party", Democrat breakaways scattered across the country whom embraced his Neoconservative ideals. Dixiecrats could follow him while being able to shrug off segregation with a wink, military hardliners followed him for hopes that decisive action could produce a real victory in Zanzibar and the end of Japan, that perhaps the problem in 1964 was that Rosemont hadn't just led the glassing of Madagascar. The base of the movement was also, immensely loyal, and refused to just fade away.
[16]- In 1980 the Grand old Man of the Republican Party was himself brought into Office. It was Nixon who was in charge in the spring of 1982 when a military coup in Zanzibar brought about a new regime under Barack Obama which instituted a confederate form of government in the country, neoliberal reforms, and the creation of a partisan political structure which lessened ethnic divides in the name of shared profit. It was Nixon who began to redeploy then US power to the Pacific. It was Nixon whom ended the old Welfare system in the US with a National Minimum Income and oversaw the implementation of Universal Healthcare in the United States.
[17]- Castro and Brown were an odd pair in 1980 which struck a cord in a tired nation, worn down by years of war and unprecedented levels of aid. Socialism at home and non-intervention abroad was a popular message, and won them plenty of states.
[18]- In 1984 Nixon and his new VP nominee from Colima faced off against a Far Right break from the GOP, which saw Alexander Haig openly campaigning for a turn towards authoritarian leadership in the name of "National Renewal". Following the Victory, Nixon would spend the next 8 years in office (Going for his own third term in 1988) putting ever increasing pressure on Japan, privately noting that at least in regards to ending the Pacific Truce which had been in place since just after Truk got nuked in 1944, Haig was completely right. The US had the power to win, and there was no reason the plague of Militarism should continue.
[19]- In 1988 Ortega of Nicaragua pushed hard on the third term line, and against Nixons Social policy, saying it was too paternalistic, and lacked enough bureaucratic to fight fraud. Nixon won the third term with a larger lead then Roosevelt or Truman had. In 1989 his work against Japan begain to pay off, as with the help of US Forces (But no major ground deployments) Republican Chinese and Soviet Russian forces went after "Yellow" (Imperial or Taiping) China and Korea. The Japanese defeat in each provoked a massive crisis in that country which installed a new Hyper-Reactionary Government, and revolutions on the streets of Hue and Manila. The Co-Prosperity Sphere finally began a true collapse at long last. A long low-intensity war with the neighbors and US airpower, half a dozen coups and three years later; it was done.
[20]-The Senator and War Hero elected from Washington State and the Kingpin Senator from Haiti were elected in 1992 as Richard Nixon finally left the White House. Unfortunately for them, decades of spending, the Peace dividend, and the global redistribution of wealth out of the US finally hit. They handled it well, but the US economy crashed into a 2 year Depression, the US military was massively downsized, the draft ended, bases overseas were shut down on a massive scale. The days of American superpower came to an end. Though no one else rose against it. Democracy meanwhile arrived in Japan and spread deeper roots in Africa and the Middle East.
[21]- In 1996, with the Depression ending, and Americans readjusting to the new world order, Jack Layton, the Mayor of Newer York[Toronto] was elected President. It was Layton who saved the Nixonian welfare system, and saw US power redirected towards UN peacekeeping. US Aid was modest but programs saw partnerships in education, production, trade, and mutual defense at least in part guided by the US. In Russia moves towards a return to more authoritarian control led to mass protests which helped transform the USSR into the Union of Sovereign States and the independence of the Ukraine.
[22]- Layton's Third-term saw a return to growth for US power, though in his new style. US force was applied righteously and with great weight in Azania where the old regime couldn't survive with Japanese aid and led the nation to fall to pieces. US force helped stop genocides and in turn oversaw elections which broke the nation up into several states, the first peaceful separation in Post Draka Africa.
[23]- Herman Cain, former Chairmen of the Federal Reserve was elected President in 2008 promising a restoration of American prosperity. Cain oversaw the development of increased trade ties with South America, and the launching of a massive campaign to rebuild American infrastructure on a scale never seen before. Cain's leadership was technocratic and highly popular, working to simultaneously to maintain government commitments while paying off the debt.

And in 2014, as part of a tour of the Indian Rim, working to develop trade treaties with Zanzibar, India, Western Australia, and many others, it was Cain who as President of the United States became the first man to hold that office to landed at Nova Archona and shake hands with the Premier of the Drakan Republic.