Veranian Zone of Variation

[Veranius]

Well, let's get this going shall we?

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The 2022 United States Congressional Elections were held on November 7th, 2022, to elect all 800 members of the United States Continental Congress from all 51 states for a four year term.

In the 2018 Congressional Elections, Conservatives under John Kasich were able to claim an impressive 290 seats, ending twelve years of Liberal-Alliance control and ending the series of the so-called Bay Premiers (John Kerry, Joe Biden, and Tim Kaine). Predictions for an outright majority for the Conservatives were stymied by higher than anticipated support for the Moderates, as well as the fracturing of the Liberal caucus with a sudden surge of Progressive support. Thus, Kasich was forced to work with Susan Collins, leader of the Moderates, to produce a working coalition majority. The Kasich premiership was embattled from the start with rising far-right tensions within the Conservatives, and his selection as party leader only came about through the split of support amongst numerous far-right candidates, allowing him to sail through with a plurality. These tensions would come to a head in 2020 when, in reaction to the imposition of nation-wide lockdowns to halt the ongoing 2019 coronavirus pandemic, massive protests against said lockdowns shook the nation to its core. Simultaneous protests against police brutality and racial injustice exacerbated tensions, tensions that Kasich was unable to cool down. The successful invention and rollout of three coronavirus vaccines did little to improve Kasich's popularity amongst the people and amongst members of Congress, and he was forced to work more and more with Moderates and even Liberals to get even simple legislation passed.

Much like the left of US politics fractured with the massive rise of support of the Progressives in 2014, the right fell apart in 2022 with the formation of the Nationals and Constitution. The Conservatives, once the most solid with inter-party unity, suffered their biggest losses in recent history, with most stemming from defections, and the rest from vote splitting between several conservative candidates, thus allowing for non-conservatives to triumph. However, Liberal hopes were dashed when their seat gain ended up being far less than anticipated, due to ongoing popular dissatisfaction with the Liberal leadership, despite Cory Booker achieving victory as the leader of the Liberals. Still, Booker was able to easily work out a deal with Michelle Wu of the Progressives, Beto O'Rourke of Reform, and Deb Haaland of Alliance, thus establishing a working majority.

 

[Veranius]

As part of a "Balkanized Political Parliamentary America" project:

Pennsylvania, or the Keystone State, is one of the 50 states of the United States of America. Long one of the more populous states, Pennsylvania has has a major influence on the United States, with the egalitarian vision of founder William Penn serving as a chief inspiration for the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of 1789. It is often said that the state is a microcosm of American politics as a whole, from the major left-leaning metropoli of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Scranton, and Harrisburg to the right-leaning rural regions of the Appalachians and Alleghenies.

The General Assembly of Pennsylvania is one of the largest of the nation, with 450 seats in total. With approximately 20,000 people per seat, this has given average Pennsylvanians an unprecedented amount of access to their political system. In contrast to other states, the executive branch is officially composed of a council of 13 members, 12 of whom are chosen from the various regions of the state (the Lehigh Valley was only included later following years of protests and insurrections) and 1 who is chosen by the council to act as the president. These councilmembers are traditionally former party leaders from the General Assembly, as exemplified by President Bob Casey Jr, who was Speaker of the General Assembly before the current incumbent Tom Wolf.

Pennsylvania politics spans the entire spectrum and is known for its variety. The Workingmen's Party, for instance, was founded in the 1870s as one of the first worker parties in the nation. In recent years the Commonwealth Party has clawed its way back from irrelevance during the Ridge Era of Keystone Party dominance to cement itself as the new natural ruling party of the state, though heavily dependent on major coalitions to ensure its legislative programs are enacted. The current upswing of support for Workingmen's under fresh leader John Fetterman has led to some pundits to hope that he will be the next speaker following Wolf's retirement, possibly as one of the first quasi-socialist state leaders in the nation.

 

[Veranius]

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The Fourth Age 287 elections for the Dúnedain Great Council, governing the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor, are generally looked to as a pivotal point in the "Eärnil Realignment", with the dramatic fall of the ruling Alcarin Coalition and the emergence of the Tirith Coalition in response.

Snap elections were called in early IV 287 following the death of King Eldamir and the ascension of King Eärnil III. Eldamir, the grandson of Elessar and the son of Eldarion, had had a weak reign, with the major calamity of the Dark Tree Crisis consuming much of his early years on the throne. As what little of Eldamir's interest in governing faded completely, he entrusted control over the Reunited Kingdom to his Stewards and the associated High Council, beholden as they are to the Great Council. For much of Eldamir's later years, this meant Steward Amandil and his ruling Alcarin Coalition, with the ostensible goal of restoring the realms of the Dúnedain to that of Gondor under Atanatar II Alcarin, three thousand years in the past.

Prior elections held in IV 285 resulted in minimal seat changes in the Great Council, despite growing popular resentment against the Alcarin Coalition. Eldamir and Amandil were seen as increasingly out of touch with the will of the people, a sentiment expressed often by Eldamir's militaristic heir, Prince Eärnil. Depredations by the Haradrim of Chelkar and Orcish tribes in Gundabad exacerbated tensions along the periphery, and Amandil's ineffectual responses won him many foes in the Great Council. Still, none dared move against him until Eldamir passed, leaving the Dúnedain in a potentially perilous position.

Eldamir's sudden death (some whisper in mysterious circumstances) allowed for Prince Eärnil to enact effectively a palace coup, ensuring his own smooth succession and sidelining many who had held Eldamir's favor; for instance, the sudden loss of royal support for the Party of All Gondor nearly crippled the party in a stroke. Advised by Steward Amandil to wait for the next scheduled elections in IV 292, Eärnil instead called for snap elections, the first in the Reunited Kingdom's history. His heavy support of his military friends Calimehtar of the Thorongil Front and Arvaethor of the Frontier Alliance allowed for a vast surge in support that their respective parties saw, changing the dynamics of the Great Council in a single stroke.

When the results came in, Amandil's Alcarin Coalition was the first to approach Eärnil with a potential government. Yet Eärnil's dislike for Amandil provoked a possible constitutional crisis when he refused to allow the Alcarin Coalition to govern. In response, Calimehtar successfully pried away Envinyatar from Amandil's coalition, allowing for him to form his own grand coalition. Still, thanks to the continued loyalty of Erchirion to Amandil, as well as Calimehtar's refusal to align with Tharbad Independence, meant that he was two seats short of a majority. Eärnil, eager to have a functioning government running in order to prepare for an intervention against Nurn, gave Calimehtar his blessing to form a minority government instead.

After Eärnil successfully cowed the lords of Nurn back into vassalage, he called another snap election in IV 291, which reinforced Calimehtar's coalition into a majority. However, Eärnil's continued disdain for the Great Council's traditions provoked a revolt from within, and in IV 294, Eärnil's younger brother Eldacar crowned himself as Eldacar II from within the halls of Dol Amroth. Thus began the Second Kin-Strife.

---/---/---/---

Composition of the High Council, IV 287:

Steward Calimehtar (Thorongil Front) - head of government
Grand Emissary Arciryas (Envinyatar Party) - foreign affairs
Warden of the Keys Ondoher (Epholar!) - finance
Warden of Houses of Healing Valandur (Envinyatar Party) - public health
Warden of the Ways Beren (Palantir Party) - transport
Warden of the Ravens Narmacil (Echor United) - war
Warden of the Gulls Ciryon (Thorongil Front) - navy
Warden of the White Tower Númendil (Thorongil Front) - security

 

[Veranius]

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From a scenario in which I have at least eight Anglo-American wars planned over the 18th and 19th centuries, and world politics is still split between the eternal rivals of Britain and France.

 

[Veranius]

Just a standard post-apocalyptic North America, nothing fancy.

 

[Veranius]

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The lore for this one is definitely still in the works, but some changes to Louis XIV's later foreign policy (ie more belligerence) forces the Huguenots to flee to the New World, ensuring that New Jersey goes French. The colonies free themselves from the British but are unable to resolve their lingering disputes and cannot agree on a true constitution, and so the United Colonies collapse. Out of the rubble comes the Atlantic Confederation, which unites the Mid-Atlantic colonies in a very weak collective system, enough to prevent the Virginians and New Englanders from intervening. Generally a far more multi-cultural North America, with a better native policy too. My main thoughts for this project originally centered on a French Diadochi system post-French Revolution, but this is a nice change of pace.

 

[Veranius]

View attachment 72356
As part of a "Balkanized Political Parliamentary America" project:

Pennsylvania, or the Keystone State, is one of the 50 states of the United States of America. Long one of the more populous states, Pennsylvania has has a major influence on the United States, with the egalitarian vision of founder William Penn serving as a chief inspiration for the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of 1789. It is often said that the state is a microcosm of American politics as a whole, from the major left-leaning metropoli of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Scranton, and Harrisburg to the right-leaning rural regions of the Appalachians and Alleghenies.

The General Assembly of Pennsylvania is one of the largest of the nation, with 450 seats in total. With approximately 20,000 people per seat, this has given average Pennsylvanians an unprecedented amount of access to their political system. In contrast to other states, the executive branch is officially composed of a council of 13 members, 12 of whom are chosen from the various regions of the state (the Lehigh Valley was only included later following years of protests and insurrections) and 1 who is chosen by the council to act as the president. These councilmembers are traditionally former party leaders from the General Assembly, as exemplified by President Bob Casey Jr, who was Speaker of the General Assembly before the current incumbent Tom Wolf.

Pennsylvania politics spans the entire spectrum and is known for its variety. The Workingmen's Party, for instance, was founded in the 1870s as one of the first worker parties in the nation. In recent years the Commonwealth Party has clawed its way back from irrelevance during the Ridge Era of Keystone Party dominance to cement itself as the new natural ruling party of the state, though heavily dependent on major coalitions to ensure its legislative programs are enacted. The current upswing of support for Workingmen's under fresh leader John Fetterman has led to some pundits to hope that he will be the next speaker following Wolf's retirement, possibly as one of the first quasi-socialist state leaders in the nation.

Since I keep messing with this idea, here's the version as of today:

 

[Veranius]

Same universe as the prior Pennsylvania graphics.

 

[Veranius]

I do seem to like making parliamentary America posts.

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[Veranius]

And the final one in the Parliamentary America series for now, Maryland:

 

[Veranius]

Russo-Ukrainian War, but New York-Pennsylvania.

 

[Veranius]

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Random night time thoughts, what fun

 

[Veranius]

What if the US remained more or less under the Articles of Confederation?

Abbreviations:
NS = non-societal
INU = Society for the Improvement of the National Union
PS76 = Society for the Preservation of the Spirit of 1776

Livingston, DC is approximately Morrisville, Bucks County, PA, across the Delaware from Trenton.

 

[Veranius]

The last one, I think/hope. New York, what a mess.

 

[Veranius]

National Parties: (all)

• Co-operative Solidarity Alliance of Radicals, Socialists, and Workers for American Labor (left, far left)
  • Workingmen's (PA), Union-Workingmen's (NJ), Working Families (NY), Socialist Labor (PA, MD), Labor Socialist (NJ, DE), Socialist Solidarity (NY), Communist (PA, NJ, MD, NY), Socialist Alternative (PA, NJ, MD, NY), Watermen's (MD), Socialist Liberation (NY)
• Green Association for Conservation and Renewal (center-left, left)
  • Frontier (PA), Preservation (NJ), Renewal-Populist (MD), Progressive-Bull Moose (NY), Adirondack (NY)
• Action Bloc for Equality, Justice, Identity, and Common Fairness (center-left, left)
  • New Equality (PA), Jersey Action (NJ), Maryland Action (MD), Empire Action (NY), Affordable Tomorrow-Public Advocacy-Equal Justice (NY), Restoration-Populist (MD)
• National Union of Liberals, Progressives, and Democrats for Continued Change (center-left)
  • Commonwealth (PA), Empire Liberal (NY), Liberal-Urban Alliance (NJ), Clearance League (NY), Civic Liberals (MD), Delaware First (DE)
• Whig Coalition for Federal Centrists and Moderates (center)
  • United Freedom (PA, NJ, MD, NY), Alumni Association (PA), Experience! (NY), Radical Democracy (NJ), Municipal Ownership League (NY), Emerald (NY), Consolidation (NJ)
• Common Front for Regional Rights and Autonomy (center, center-right, right)
  • Lehigh Regional (PA), Excelsior (NY), Allegheny Front (PA), Narrows Regional (MD), Upstate Regional (NY), Pavonia (NY), Appoquinimink (DE), Peconic (NY)
• Conservative Establishment for Like-Minded Traditionals (center-right)
  • Keystone (PA), Conservative-Bucktail (NY), Agrarian-Conservative (PA), Moderation (NJ), Garden Heritage (NJ), Tradition Independence (NY), People's Trust (DE), Republican Unity (NY), Crescentia United (MD)
• Individual Freedom for the Popular Enjoyment of the Spirit of 1776 (right)
  • Free Conservative (PA), Free-Thinkers (NJ), Skipjack-Chersonese (MD), Civil Republican (NY), Boardwalk (NJ), Reform New York-Guardian Angels (NY)
• Citizens Assembly for the Protection of the Legacy of the Republic (far right)
  • Independent Citizens (PA), True Citizenry (NJ), Diamond Group (DE), Conojocular (MD), Recovery-Citizens Union (NY), Blue Codes (NJ), Reform New York-Team Trump (NY)
• Independent Movement for Non-Aligned Parties (various)
  • New Pathway (PA, NJ, MD), Common Sense-New Pathway (NY), Nonpartisan (PA, NJ, DE, MD, NY)
• Affinity of Indigenous Peoples, Native American, Inuit, Pacific Islander, and First Nation Advocates (various)
  • Shackamaxon (PA), all native parties (NY)

This'll be useful if I ever do more states

 

[Veranius]

IMPRISONED LIGHTNING - THE AMERICAN EMERGENCY

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

- Emma Lazarus, The New Colossus


"What country before ever existed a century and half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve it’s liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

- Thomas Jefferson, Letter to William Stephens Smith, 13 Nov. 1787​

• Prologue - 1876-1912 “The Brazen Giant”
• Act I - 1912-1920 “Gates of Sunset”
• Act II - 1920-1922 “Blood of Tyrants”
• Act III - 1922-1924 “Yearning to Breathe Free”
• Act IV - 1924-1928 “The Tempest-Tost”
• Act V - 1928-1934 “Lifting the Lamp”
• Epilogue - 1934-present “The Golden Door”

1877-1881: Gov. Samuel Tilden of New York / Gov. Thomas Hendricks of Indiana (Democratic)
Defeated, 1876: Gov. Rutherford Hayes of Ohio / Rep. William Wheeler of New York (Republican)
1881-1884: Fmr. Pres. Ulysses S Grant of Illinois / Fmr. Gov. John Hartranft of Pennsylvania (Republican) *died in office
Defeated, 1880: Vice Pres. Thomas Hendricks of Indiana / Sen. Thomas Bayard of Delaware (Democratic), Rep. Hendrick B Wright of Pennsylvania / Fmr. State Rep. Solon Chase of Maine (Workingmen's)
1884-1885: Vice Pres. John Hartranft of Pennsylvania / none (Republican)
1885-1889: Gen. William Rosecrans of California / Rep. Samuel Randall of Pennsylvania (Democratic)
Defeated, 1884: Pres. John Hartranft of Pennsylvania / Rep. James Garfield of Ohio ("Liberal" Republican), Sen. John A Logan of Illinois / Treasury Sec. Chester Alan Arthur of New York ("National" Republican), Activist Albert Parsons of Illinois / Fmr. Mayor Edward Cooper of New York (Workingmen's)
1889-1893: Sen. Roscoe Conkling of New York / Fmr. Gov. Russell A Alger of Michigan (“National” Republican)
Defeated, 1888: Sen. Thomas Bayard of Delaware / Gen. John C Black of Illinois (Democratic), Rep. William Walter Phelps of New Jersey / Lawyer John W Noble of Missouri (“Liberal” Republican), Rep. James Weaver of Iowa / Activist J Edward Hall of New York (Farmer-Labor)
1893-1897: Gov. David Hill of New York / Rep. John L Mitchell of Wisconsin (Democratic)
Defeated, 1892: Pres. Roscoe Conkling of New York / Fmr. Rep. Benjamin F Marsh of Illinois (“National” Republican), Vice Pres. Russell A Alger of Michigan / Railroad Pres. Charles Francis Adams Jr of Massachusetts (“Liberal” Republican), Judge Walter Q Gresham of Indiana / Fmr. Mayor Terence Powderly of Pennsylvania (Farmer-Labor)
1897-1901: Sen. J Donald Cameron of Pennsylvania / Fmr. Gov. Joseph Foraker of Ohio (Republican)
Defeated, 1896: Vice Pres. John L Mitchell of Wisconsin / Fmr. Gov. Robert Pattison of Pennsylvania (Democratic), Fmr. Gov. Sylvester Pennoyer of Washington / Fmr. Rep. John Sergeant Wise of Virginia (People's-Farmer-Labor)
1901-1901: Fmr. Gov. William Eustis Russell of Massachusetts / Gov. John W Smith of Maryland (Democratic) *died in office
Defeated, 1900: Vice Pres. Joseph Foraker of Ohio / Navy Sec. John D Long of Massachusetts (Republican), Rep. John J Lentz of Ohio / Financier Wharton Barker of Pennsylvania (People's-Farmer-Labor)
1901-1905: Vice Pres. John W Smith of Maryland / none (Democratic)
1905-1905: Rep. Benjamin F Marsh of Illinois / Gov. Franklin Murphy of New Jersey (Republican) *died in office
Defeated, 1904: Pres. John W Smith of Maryland / Fmr. Sen. George Turner of Washington (Democratic), Activist Jacob Coxey of Ohio / Fmr. Sen. William V Allen of Nebraska (People's-Farmer-Labor)
1905-1913: Vice Pres. Franklin Murphy of New Jersey / none, then Newsman John Graves of Georgia (Republican, then "Liberal" Republican/Independence fusion)
Defeated, 1908: Judge Alton B Parker of New York / Fmr. Interior Sec. David R Francis of Missouri (Democratic), Rep. James S Sherman of New York / Fmr. Gov. Leslie M Shaw of Iowa ("National" Republican), Mayor Brand Whitlock of Ohio / Attorney Job Harriman of California (People's-Farmer-Labor)
1913-1917: Speaker Champ Clark of Missouri / Gov. Simeon Baldwin of Connecticut (Democratic)
Defeated, 1912: Attorney Gen. Charles Joseph Bonaparte of Maryland / Gov. Herbert Hadley of Missouri ("Coalition" Republican/Popular Alliance fusion), Pres. Franklin Murphy of New Jersey / Vice Pres. John Graves of Georgia ("Dissident" Republican/Independence fusion), Attorney Gen. Charles Joseph Bonaparte of Maryland / Fmr. Mayor John C Chase of Massachusetts (Popular Alliance/"Coalition" Republican fusion)
1917-1918: Fmr. Pres. Franklin Murphy of New Jersey / Sen. James H Brady of Idaho ("Unity" Republican/Popular Alliance fusion) *Brady died in office
Defeated, 1916: Vice Pres. Simeon Baldwin of Connecticut / Attorney Gen. James Clark McReynolds of Tennessee (Democratic), Fmr. Pres. Franklin Murphy of New Jersey / Activist Max Hayes of Ohio (Popular Alliance/"Unity" Republican fusion)
1918-1920: Pres. Franklin Murphy of New Jersey / none ("Unity" Republican) *died in office
1920-1921: State Sec. Elihu Root of New York / none ("National" Republican) *former Secretary of State
1921-1921: Sen. Philander Knox of Pennsylvania / Judge Jeter Pritchard of North Carolina ("National" Republican) *Pritchard died in office
Defeated, 1920: Rep. Alexander Mitchell Palmer of Pennsylvania / Oilman Edward Doheny of California (Democratic), Mayor Daniel Hoan of Wisconsin / Ag. Sec. Gifford Pinchot of Pennsylvania (Popular Alliance/"Liberal" Republican fusion)
1921-1921: Pres. Philander Knox of Pennsylvania / none ("National" Republican) *died in office
1921-1921: State Sec. Elihu Root of New York / none ("National" Republican) *former Secretary of State
1921-19??: War Sec. Leonard Wood of New Hampshire / Treasury Sec. Andrew Mellon of Pennsylvania ("National" Republican) *former Secretary of War (coup)
American Emergency, 1921-1922
Second American Civil War, 1922-19??

 

[Veranius]

A Fire Not To Be Quenched - A Balkanized Parliamentary United States

There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in governments of a monarchical cast, patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.
- George Washington, Farewell Address​

States completed: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Utah, West Virginia, DC
States in progress: California

 

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[Veranius]

Having spent way too many hours playing Kaiserreich as of late: