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AH Run-downs, summaries and general gubbins

In 1975, dozens of giant mutant crabs - hungry for human flesh, seemingly intelligent enough to have malice - attacked the Welsh coast. Over a year later, they struck Australia.

By 1980, giant crabs were squatting at the coastlines of various countries. Sustained military action seems to have failed. We just have to live with the crabs.

Many small coastal towns in the UK and similar nations have been abandoned, with the population moved to "new towns" inland, so the more economically important settlements can be better fortified. Domestic seaside holidays are a thing of the past, causing a major recession in places like Blackpool; seasides in countries like Spain are crawling with military forces and patrol vessels. The Royal Navy has redirected a lot of its resources into the new home fleets, keeping shipping safe from crab attack; just as in WW2, a convoy system has been created. This greatly reduces the chances of the Navy being able to deploy further than Europe and overseas territories are reliant on extremely long RAF flights - the government worries Argentina thinks this isn't a realistic threat. Seaborne smuggling is a thing criminals only can do if they can't use planes, the most desperate and small-fry gangs, and carries a 1 in 3 chance of being eaten.

With the bulk of the crabs being in Wales, it's the Welsh who've suffered the most relocations and the sight of Royal Marine pillboxes in Cardiff Bay and Aberyswyth, the Welsh suffering half of all civilian deaths, and as a result there's an angry groundswell for a Welsh devolved parliament. In terms of national politics, Britain is another country where monetarist and neoliberal theories are knocked out - you can't easily argue for smaller states and extra-free markets when there's a mass of hungry crabs that want to eat you all.

A positive development is international cooperation against nuclear testing and proliferation, and a reduction of warheads. Nobody wants more giant mutants.

The police want to know who keeps abducting people and tying them down at the beach.

2737134.jpg
 
In 1975, dozens of giant mutant crabs - hungry for human flesh, seemingly intelligent enough to have malice - attacked the Welsh coast. Over a year later, they struck Australia.

By 1980, giant crabs were squatting at the coastlines of various countries. Sustained military action seems to have failed. We just have to live with the crabs.

Many small coastal towns in the UK and similar nations have been abandoned, with the population moved to "new towns" inland, so the more economically important settlements can be better fortified. Domestic seaside holidays are a thing of the past, causing a major recession in places like Blackpool; seasides in countries like Spain are crawling with military forces and patrol vessels. The Royal Navy has redirected a lot of its resources into the new home fleets, keeping shipping safe from crab attack; just as in WW2, a convoy system has been created. This greatly reduces the chances of the Navy being able to deploy further than Europe and overseas territories are reliant on extremely long RAF flights - the government worries Argentina thinks this isn't a realistic threat. Seaborne smuggling is a thing criminals only can do if they can't use planes, the most desperate and small-fry gangs, and carries a 1 in 3 chance of being eaten.

With the bulk of the crabs being in Wales, it's the Welsh who've suffered the most relocations and the sight of Royal Marine pillboxes in Cardiff Bay and Aberyswyth, the Welsh suffering half of all civilian deaths, and as a result there's an angry groundswell for a Welsh devolved parliament. In terms of national politics, Britain is another country where monetarist and neoliberal theories are knocked out - you can't easily argue for smaller states and extra-free markets when there's a mass of hungry crabs that want to eat you all.

A positive development is international cooperation against nuclear testing and proliferation, and a reduction of warheads. Nobody wants more giant mutants.

The police want to know who keeps abducting people and tying them down at the beach.

2737134.jpg
I for one welcome our new crustacean overlords.
 
With the bulk of the crabs being in Wales, it's the Welsh who've suffered the most relocations and the sight of Royal Marine pillboxes in Cardiff Bay and Aberyswyth, the Welsh suffering half of all civilian deaths, and as a result there's an angry groundswell for a Welsh devolved parliament. In terms of national politics, Britain is another country where monetarist and neoliberal theories are knocked out - you can't easily argue for smaller states and extra-free markets when there's a mass of hungry crabs that want to eat you all.

Well, when are you giving us the Welsh election results? That's what this was leading up to, right?
 
Well, when are you giving us the Welsh election results? That's what this was leading up to, right?

1983 general election results (Wales)

Labour - 12 (down from 23)

Conservative - 3 (down from 14)

Liberal - 14 (up from 1)

Plaid Cymru - 9 (up from 2)

The Welsh results forced the government into a Lib-Lab pact and Callaghan's resignation. Welsh demands for devolution were emphasised when the day after voting coincided with the Third Battle of Aberystwyth against the crabs.
 
1945-1952: Clement Attlee (Labour)
1945 (Majority) def: Winston Churchill (Conservative), Archibald Sinclair (Liberal)
1950 (Majority) def: Anthony Eden (New Democratic), Megan Lloyd-George (Radical)

1952-1959: Anthony Eden (New Democratic)
1952 (Majority) def: Clement Attlee (Labour), Megan Lloyd-George (Radical)
1956 (Majority) def: Hugh Gaitskell (Labour), John Freeman (Socialist Labour)

1959-1965: Peter Thorneycroft (New Democratic)
1960 (Majority) def: Hugh Gaitskell (Labour), Stan Newens (Socialist Labour), Andrew Foutaine (National Front)
1965-1970: Evan Durbin (Labour)
1965 (Majority) def: Peter Thorneycroft (New Democratic), Andrew Foutaine (National Front)
1969 (Majority) def: Julian Amery (New Democratic), Peter Griffiths (National Front)

1970-1971: Edward Short (Labour)
1971-1980: Patrick Jenkin (New Democratic)

1971 (Majority) def: Edward Short (Labour)
1975 (Majority) def: Dick Marsh (Labour), Ronald Cartland (Reform)

1980-: Illtyd Harrington (Labour)
1980 (Majority) def: Patrick Jenkin (New Democratic), Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler (Reform), Neil Hamilton (Eldon!)
1984 (Majority) def: Peter Walker (New Democratic), Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler (Reform), Neil Hamilton (Eldon!)


1986 Party Poltical Rundown;

In Government;
Labour:
Illtyd Harrington has said he’ll be stepping down within the next year (because he’s old, brought back Democratic Socialism and wants to spend his remaining years with his boyfriend) so of course the Labour Party is filled with folks trying to big themselves up as much as possible.

The race seems to be divided between; Jim Sillars (the first Scottish Nationalist to become Prime Minister of Great Britain), the Left Candidate Margaret Beckett (I do love me some bland fiscal conservatism with my laundry list of Social Democratic goodies), Some Kiwi called Bryan Gould (Time To Yeet Ourselves Out Of EC and put all your stocks in BT) and Colin Phipps (running on a ‘hope the party see’s the beard and confuses me for Harrington).

Oh and there’s another fella, Neil something...

Opposition:
New Democratic:
When your polling literally a point above Neil Hamilton, you know you’ve done something wrong. Maybe it’s because Peter Bottomley is about as fascinating as a bowel of rice pudding and he’s the third leader that the New Democrats have had, this year. Some people are suggesting that they replace him with a ‘I Like The Gays, But Fuck The Poor’ candidate Edwina Currie, But will this Old Boys Club go with that...of course not.

Reform: The Tory Radicals have been invaded by a new and more horrifying breed, weird bland Radical Centrist youth lead by Mr Ben Mandelson who wants to get rid of Keynesian Economics from the party...which was the entire reason the party was invented in the first place. Well if not Mandelson, then Fowler would be replaced by Peter Tapsell and it’s probably better that it was Mandelson.

Eldon!: Neil Hamilton recently did a campaign video in which he destroyed the Magna Carta with a flaming arrow, claimed he was a member of the Norman Yoke, chopped off a vague approximation of Illtyd Harrington’s head with a broadsword and said ‘Forward Into The Past’. Somehow this gang of LARPers will gain five seats because we live in hell.

Other Parties:

Action!:
Beatrix Campbell said that Nottingham City Council was ran by a paedophilic satanic cult and now this gaggle of Libertarian Socialists are being sued. Between this and the Redgrave’s running amock, I’m surprised they have one Parliamentary seat.

Social Democratic Federation: Dave Nellist and Lol Duffy really hope that no one reads up on them or how the party’s message is just ‘Parliamentary Trotskyism’ and literally Tariq Ali wrote there manifesto. Also Ron Davies is here because he wandered off from the Action! Conference and is too embarrassed to ask for help.

ECOLOGY: J.G.Ballard’s was doing so well and then he just had to mention that he thinks Nuclear Bombs are actually a good thing and now CND are threatening to pull out unless the party replaces there spokesperson.

OWEN FOR PLYMOUTH!: David Owen is now running as a Independent in no way affiliated to OFP who instead nominated Mike Hancock.

Pour out a drink for one of the greats.
 
1945-1952: Clement Attlee (Labour)
1945 (Majority) def: Winston Churchill (Conservative), Archibald Sinclair (Liberal)
1950 (Majority) def: Anthony Eden (New Democratic), Megan Lloyd-George (Radical)

1952-1959: Anthony Eden (New Democratic)
1952 (Majority) def: Clement Attlee (Labour), Megan Lloyd-George (Radical)
1956 (Majority) def: Hugh Gaitskell (Labour), John Freeman (Socialist Labour)

1959-1965: Peter Thorneycroft (New Democratic)
1960 (Majority) def: Hugh Gaitskell (Labour), Stan Newens (Socialist Labour), Andrew Foutaine (National Front)
1965-1970: Evan Durbin (Labour)
1965 (Majority) def: Peter Thorneycroft (New Democratic), Andrew Foutaine (National Front)
1969 (Majority) def: Julian Amery (New Democratic), Peter Griffiths (National Front)

1970-1971: Edward Short (Labour)
1971-1980: Patrick Jenkin (New Democratic)

1971 (Majority) def: Edward Short (Labour)
1975 (Majority) def: Dick Marsh (Labour), Ronald Cartland (Reform)

1980-: Illtyd Harrington (Labour)
1980 (Majority) def: Patrick Jenkin (New Democratic), Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler (Reform), Neil Hamilton (Eldon!)
1984 (Majority) def: Peter Walker (New Democratic), Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler (Reform), Neil Hamilton (Eldon!)


1986 Party Poltical Rundown;

In Government;
Labour:
Illtyd Harrington has said he’ll be stepping down within the next year (because he’s old, brought back Democratic Socialism and wants to spend his remaining years with his boyfriend) so of course the Labour Party is filled with folks trying to big themselves up as much as possible.

The race seems to be divided between; Jim Sillars (the first Scottish Nationalist to become Prime Minister of Great Britain), the Left Candidate Margaret Beckett (I do love me some bland fiscal conservatism with my laundry list of Social Democratic goodies), Some Kiwi called Bryan Gould (Time To Yeet Ourselves Out Of EC and put all your stocks in BT) and Colin Phipps (running on a ‘hope the party see’s the beard and confuses me for Harrington).

Oh and there’s another fella, Neil something...

Opposition:
New Democratic:
When your polling literally a point above Neil Hamilton, you know you’ve done something wrong. Maybe it’s because Peter Bottomley is about as fascinating as a bowel of rice pudding and he’s the third leader that the New Democrats have had, this year. Some people are suggesting that they replace him with a ‘I Like The Gays, But Fuck The Poor’ candidate Edwina Currie, But will this Old Boys Club go with that...of course not.

Reform: The Tory Radicals have been invaded by a new and more horrifying breed, weird bland Radical Centrist youth lead by Mr Ben Mandelson who wants to get rid of Keynesian Economics from the party...which was the entire reason the party was invented in the first place. Well if not Mandelson, then Fowler would be replaced by Peter Tapsell and it’s probably better that it was Mandelson.

Eldon!: Neil Hamilton recently did a campaign video in which he destroyed the Magna Carta with a flaming arrow, claimed he was a member of the Norman Yoke, chopped off a vague approximation of Illtyd Harrington’s head with a broadsword and said ‘Forward Into The Past’. Somehow this gang of LARPers will gain five seats because we live in hell.

Other Parties:

Action!:
Beatrix Campbell said that Nottingham City Council was ran by a paedophilic satanic cult and now this gaggle of Libertarian Socialists are being sued. Between this and the Redgrave’s running amock, I’m surprised they have one Parliamentary seat.

Social Democratic Federation: Dave Nellist and Lol Duffy really hope that no one reads up on them or how the party’s message is just ‘Parliamentary Trotskyism’ and literally Tariq Ali wrote there manifesto. Also Ron Davies is here because he wandered off from the Action! Conference and is too embarrassed to ask for help.

ECOLOGY: J.G.Ballard’s was doing so well and then he just had to mention that he thinks Nuclear Bombs are actually a good thing and now CND are threatening to pull out unless the party replaces there spokesperson.

OWEN FOR PLYMOUTH!: David Owen is now running as a Independent in no way affiliated to OFP who instead nominated Mike Hancock.

Pour out a drink for one of the greats.
I think you've taken the Eldon League way too seriously.
 
I think you've taken the Eldon League way too seriously.
Oh I know that there tongue in cheek, but it’s funny trying to imagine Neil Hamilton getting elected whilst wearing old school finery and carrying a broadsword. Anyway, Eldon here is a kind of ‘Monday Club but on steroids’ mainly but with more theatrics.
 
Fates of the Colonies of formerly British America following the Treaty of London (1780)

New England Colonies

Connecticut Colony:
Became the State of Connecticut, lost its territory west of the Connecticut River to New York, the remaining rump became financially insolvent after losing New Connecticut and was annexed by Rhode Island
Province of Massachusetts Bay: Became the State of Massachusetts Bay, lost its territory west of the Connecticut River to New York, and had a longstanding dispute with New Scotland, eventually settled, member state of the Confederation of New England
Province of New Hampshire: Became the State of New Hampshire, lost a small portion of its far north in a territorial dispute with Quebec, member state of the Confederation of New England
Colony of Nova Scotia: Became the State of New Scotland, member state of the Confederation of New England
Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations: Became the State of Rhode Island [and East Connecticut later], member state of the Confederation of New England

Middle Colonies
Delaware Colony:
Became the State of the Delaware Counties, a close ally of Pennsylvania, joined the Commonwealth of Columbia upon its formation in 1809
Province of New Jersey: Became the State of New Jersey. Declared bankruptcy in 1821, resulting in Columbia and New York partitioning it between them to cover debts
Province of New York: Became the State of New York, and otherwise maintained its territorial integrity [by virtue of violating several other States’]
Province of Pennsylvania: Became the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and created the Commonwealth of Columbia with the Delaware Counties, Maryland, and New Connecticut

Southern Colonies
Province of East Florida:
Ceded to Spain, today part of Luisiana y Cuba
Province of Georgia: Became the State of Georgia, however the portion of the State west of the Oconee River were never fully controlled by Europeans and became the Nations of the Tsalagihi, Muscogee, Chahta, and Chikashsha
Province of Maryland: Became the State of Maryland, and later joined the Commonwealth of Columbia
Province of North Carolina: Became the State of North Carolina, lost its Overmountaain portion to the Tsalagihi and Chikashsha
Province of South Carolina: Became the State of South Carolina, lost its Overmountaain portion to the Tsalagihi and Chikashsha
Colony of Virginia: Became the State of Virginia, lost most of its claims following the Ohio Valley War
Province of West Florida: Southern portion ceded to Spain, Northern portion nominally attached to Georgia, but the latter never exerted any formal control over the territory, instead being controlled by the Chahta and Muscogee, today part of Luisiana y Cuba

Canadian Colonies
Indian Reserve:
In the decades after the revolution became a influence battleground between the many States, with overlapping claims and border disputes. Following the Ohio Valley War, the Northwestern Confederacy pushed back east of the Indiana Meridian and South of the Ohio River leaving New Connecticut around Cleaveland, a Quebecker exclave around Detroit, and Virginian Trans-Ohio
Colony of Newfoundland: Became the State of Newfoundland and experienced no territorial changes.
Prince Rupert’s Land: Rupert’s Land was nominally under the Continental Congress’ protection, however the Hudson’s Bay Company continued operating much the way they did before the war, just writing their checks to a different government. However, the Territory was rechristened General Washington’s Land after the Late martyred hero.
Province of Quebec: The Largest colony became the largest State, despite formally not owning the former Indian Reserve exerted significant influence in that region. Following the Ohio Valley War, retreated to the portion of the territory East of a line approximately 84 degrees 45 minutes West longitude and North of the Maumee River
Island of St. John: nominally the State of New Ireland, de facto ran as a feudal possession of the island’s absentee landowners like the Patterson family, member state of the Confederation of New England

Caribbean Colonies
Colony of Bermuda:
Became part of the State of Bermuda and the Bahamas, otherwise unremarkable
Colony of the Bahamas: Became part of the State of Bermuda and the Bahamas, otherwise unremarkable
Colony of Jamaica and Dependencies: Lost its mainland dependencies to New Spain, and the remainder became the State of Jamaica in the United States
Leeward Islands: Almost entirely annexed to the French Empire, with the Virgin Islands being ceded to the Captaincy General of Puerto Rico
Windward Islands: Almost entirely annexed to the French Empire, with the Island of Tobago being ceded to the Captaincy General of Venezuela
 
vzd9b4sjk9m61.jpg



De Valera stays on after 1959 after Fianna Fail panics they can't do without him, though not for much longer - but long enough to disrupt any change and reform, leave Sean Lemass as the Eden to his Churchill, and cause economic stagnation and an aging authority to rumble on into the 1960s. The beneficiary is Labour, who win a minority in 1961 and again in 1965, but Ireland is paralysed between Labour's attempts at sweeping change, large chunks of society pushing back, and the difficulty of passing anything without the help of small fringe parties. The Irish Workers' Party ends up having a whip hand in 1965, giving Labour a supply-and-demand majority in exchange for things going further than Labour wants.

This is not what the church, the army, the garda, or the opposition like. It's not what the US likes. It's not what Stormont likes. Wilson's Labour government in Britain isn't happy but is willing to work with Dublin, which doesn't make MI5 happy. An alliance is formed to... well, that's the problem, everybody has different ideas of what to do and it blows up, massively, "street battles and tanks at the Dail" massively, but without any coherent strategy or coalition to win.

After nineteen days of conflict in '66, the red flag flies in Dublin and the communist rebels very quickly ask the Soviet Union if they can join the Warsaw Pact before it occurs to anyone how easy it would be to push them out.

Refugees from the south pour into Northern Ireland. This does not make the headbangers very happy either.

By 1970, the People's Republic of Ireland and Powell's Britain are pointing guns at each other over Northern Ireland, a seething powderkeg where both nations blame the other for various atrocities, and it would just suck if a gang of arseholes with guns seized Stormont and declared a UDI...
 
[INBOX] [TXED-SERU-GOVT-NA_COMP_WEEKLY] 2021-07-19 9h00 TX-ST

Every week, one of the professors of North American Comparative Politics gets to submit a paper, presentation, or other document of work produced by one of their students to be read by the audience of this newsletter. This week, Professor Marie-Odile Carmichael [Politics of Cascadia, Vesperia, and the West Indies] submitted the following paper, by her student Francisco Sánchez Andrade:

Principally A Demographic Phenomenon?: Culture, Region, and the 2021 Cascadian General Election

PRÉCIS
: The 2021 Cascadian General Election was a massive break with eight decades of Cascadian tradition. The National Labour Party, the longest-reigning political party in a democracy anywhere, lost its majority for the first time since 1993 and was prevented from forming government for the first time since 1940. In its place was elected a claque of factious minor parties, which formed a government led by former Transcascadia Governor Joel E. McLennan of the Unionist Reform Party; his coalition's 112 members come from no fewer than eight parties, and no more than 40 from any one party.[1]

It has been argued that, in the words of former Premier Thomas Ross, National Labour's loss of power is 'principally a demographic phenomenon'.[2] According to this theory, outlined most extensively by Cascadian academic and journalist Ludmilla Reznikova, increasing age polarization (observed in other North American polities [3]) and the declining share of population represented by National Labour's base, blue-collar unionized industrial workers and their families, combine to explain the decline in National Labour's voteshare and thus its loss of power.[4] As evidence, statistical epilegologists like George Narsingh have pointed out that, though all three major conservative parties made strides, they remained substantially within their regional and demographic bases; the Progressive Liberal Party made huge strides in the diverse suburbs and middle-class neighborhoods of the New Westminster-Alki megalopolis and its bedroom communities (as well as some of the skiing towns of New Caledonia and Kelowna), the Unionist Reform Party dominated the region east of the Cascades as well as parts of the Klamath Valley, and New Democracy maintained its hegemony over the Willamette Valley and its culturally-estadounidense 'doughboys'.[5] Additionally, Salinian political scientist Andrés Pérez Serrano has pointed to the decline in Catholic and mainline Protestant church attendance in favor of non-attendance and 'evangelical' movements like the Latter-Day Saints and Apostolicism as a significant factor [6] Other analysts, including Clare Crosby and Jared Fossum, have disputed that analysis, pointing instead to specific unpopular decisions and positions taken by the incumbent government, as well as several blunders in the electoral campaign itself.[7]

This paper compares the two demographic qualities highlighted by Reznikova, age and union density, and the one highlighted by Pérez Serrano, Catholic and mainline church attendance, as measured by the annual Cascadian General Social Survey, with swings in both turnout and electoral results between the 2015, 2018, and 2021 general elections. We find that, after controlling for region, districts with higher median ages show no significant trend in political behavior, districts with declining union density show statistically significant declines in turnout but no significant changes in political behavior, and districts with declining Catholic/mainline church attendance show significant declines in the left-wing vote; however, all changes combined account for less than 40% of the decline in the National Labour voteshare, and less than 30% of that since 2018. This would point to the National Labour's loss of power being primarily a non-demographic phenomenon, or at the very least a more nuanced one than Reznikova or Pérez Serrano's analyses would suggest.

[more]

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[INBOX] [TXPN-WIRE-PLRS-CASC_GENELEX_2021_WINLOSE] 2021-05-03 10h00 TX-ST [8h30 PC-ST]

Polaris Electronic Times - News and Commentary on Northern North American Politics since 2009!

NEW WESTMINSTER - Four Winners and Four Losers in the 2021 Cascadian General Election

On Sunday, the Cascadian National Electoral Bureau officially declared that the United Christian Party had won the last of Willamette's forty-one seats, bringing the party to a total of five seats in the National Assembly and confirming that the right-wing parties, not counting the centrist Transparency and the two independents, would hold a total of 111 seats, one more than a majority. This represents a shocking turn of events for the ruling National Labour Party, whose 84 elected seats mark the worst result for the party since the 1930s; for almost the first time in living memory, the party will not be part of the ruling government when the Assembly convenes in July.

What does this mean for Cascadian politics? Who is likely to benefit? For answers, we turn to veteran journalist Matthew Kekkonen, who outlined the major winners and losers of the election:

LOSS: The National Labour Party
We all knew this was coming someday. The National Labour Party's share of the vote had been declining since 2006, and, more generally, the party couldn't win forever. But not only did the party lose, the party lost decisively; twenty-four seats the party had held, including in heartlands like South Takoma and Midlothian, were lost to parties across the political spectrum. Nor was the defeat attributable to adverse international events, though the failure to reauthorize the Pitic Agreement certainly didn't help, or to any particular principled but unpopular stand. National Labour did the same things it always did. That was the problem.
There are no politicians in National Labour's caucus even old enough to have been alive when the party was out of power. The party's near-millenium of combined government experience does not count for much now. Opposition will be a hard adjustment for the party, at best; at worst, recriminations, fatalism, and the end of the party's 'guarantee' to local clientelists may outright destroy them.

WIN: Ezra Pascoe
Future historians may consider 2021's general election to be the first campaign anywhere in the world carried out through teleinformation. Not only did the right-wing coalition coordinate individual campaigns by tabulator and wire-post, but they also used the system itself for campaign operations: personalized political 'narrowcasts', 'relational organizing' on topic-comments, online polls and Q&A sessions, and a thousand other strategies and tactics and innovations. Ezra Pascoe, who left a seven-figure job at Agora to coordinate campaign operations, deserves a great deal of the credit for this victory, and insiders indicate that Joel E. McLennan, the presumptive Premier, will appoint him to a high-ranking position in his Office of Public Affairs.

LOSS: Congress of Cascadian Workers
Deindustrialization has been a common feature of the past fifty years across North America, but Cascadia has managed to weather the storm relatively well, with former primary-industry workers being retrained into the jobs of the future or else given generous pensions. The Congress of Cascadian Workers holds a great deal of responsibility for that - as well as, of course, for high consumer prices, expensive imports, and lawfare campaigns against perceived opponents like contracting service Switchboard and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions. Its mutualistic (whether symbiotic, commensal, or parasitic) relationship with National Labour counts for much less now, and the courts are likely to look substantially less favorably on its legal issues.

WIN: Transcendental Church
Often and perhaps unfairly considered a 'cult', the Transcendental Church has long complained of unfair treatment by Cascadian authorities, which have only considered them a legal religion since the 1990s and accused founder and prophet Harold Murray of tax evasion, nepotism, and involvement with organized crime. With the new conservative coalition dependent on the Transcendence-affiliated United Christian Party, it is likely that the legal campaign against the church will de facto or de jure end.

LOSS: Oregon Airlines
The Cascadian national flag carrier has long been in a bad state - once given an effective monopoly on air travel within, to, and from Cascadia, environmental regulations (including the 2014 introduction of a carbon tax) and a series of embezzlement scandals have undermined its position and finances. All three major right-wing parties made commitments to expanding competition, whether by outright privatizing and breaking up the airline or by allowing more competition on its routes, particularly lucrative international routes like Alki-Montréal and holiday services like New Westminster-Glacier City; it is almost inevitable that the airline will lose its privileged position to at least some degree.

WIN: Jean Little Paterson
When epilegologists put forward the notion that Paterson's personal popularity was all that saved National Labour in 2018, political observers laughed. When she claimed that Gerald Lindsay's leadership was 'uninspiring' and 'more of the same', and stated bluntly that 'if Lindsay has nothing new to say he should resign in favor of someone who does', the party ignored her. But two years on, her leadership looks ahead of its time, and her political advice seems a lot more plausible and reasonable. Rumors have spread that she intends to return to the leadership at the Winter Conference in November; once such a prospect would have seemed impossible, but now it looks very likely indeed.

LOSS: Richard Jackson
Crockett Blaine and Richard Jackson have towered over New Democracy like twin colossi. But the former, a telegenic Astoria Minister of Family Affairs who refused to accept that women couldn't get anywhere in New Democracy, that provincial governments can't fight New Westminster and win, and that National Labour's immovable object was immune to the right's irresistible force, seems to have been proven conclusively right by this year's election, and the latter, who served as Governor of Astoria over her and expected to win the leadership after she lost the general election and, as promised, resigned, now has a far less certain political future.

WIN: Co-Operative Party
Alone among the left-wing parties, the Co-Operative Party actually gained seats in this election, winning ten seats overall in the best result the party has seen since its 2002 founding. Whether or not appealing to the Co-Operatives' base of environmentally- and socially-conscious, educated, and affluent urbanites will prove a path forward for the left, some pollsters have already gone so far as to call them 'the only party that can meaningfully challenge the Progressive Liberals', and the success of Alta California's Progressive-Socialist Alliance and Maine's Sunrise Party provide a roadmap for the party becoming a, if not the, central force of the Cascadian left.
 
Post WW2 Olympics

1943, Germania (Berlin)


The triumphant boast that the war had been won; Germany was showing off and making it a showcase for the ongoing 'megacity' work to build Germania (even calling it the Germania Olympics). Under German pressure, only 'racially pure' athletes could attend - ensuring no repeat of the Jesse Owens scandal. Many countries that could attend did not, either deliberately or, with some Latin American states, US strongarming; others were blocked by the Reich; while occupied countries with 'suitable' athletes were forced to send people, who alternately took dives or tried to beat their overseers. Germany was #1 in Golds, Japan was #2, Italy #3. Journalists, tourists, and athletes from free countries noted both the triumphant nature of the Germans and the weirdness of all this pomp & ceremony when so few nations were attending.


1947, Tripoli

Originally meant to be Rome, moved to Libya as a sign of the glorious 'New Roman Empire' and all its achievements. Large parts of the city had been knocked down and rebuilt in Italian styles to keep up with Germania; this was causing a surge of rebel activity, which the Italians were lying they had contained. The shocking bombing of the stadium, killing both colonial dignitaries and Italian athletes, on the second day cut the event short and led to a massacre by Italian forces of the Libyan staff. While this dominated coverage, before that people had noted how desperate and expensive the event was and how fewer countries had turned up (in the case of Arab states, because they were finding some of them weren't 'racially pure' enough now the Axis had more of a whip hand).


1951, Tokyo

A massive display of pomp, ceremony, and martial prowess by Japan, who had carried out a slum clearance and urban renewal for years to be ready - and had plainclothes everywhere, to prevent a recurrence of the Tripoli bombing. The number of attending nations remained the same as 1947 and the number of neutral tourists was down. However, the number of foreign journalists was up as this olympiad was being held in the contest of the East and West axis falling out. It was clear Japan wanted to one-up Germany and that Germany wanted to beat the Japanese on their own territory. The Germans narrowly won the most gold medals over Japan, with Ireland coming third, and a purge was carried out of the officials & coaches that 'lost'.


1955, Prague

Similar to Tripoli, the Germans showing off the 'improvements' they had made. Half the city had been rebuilt, but the population was still notably down from pre-invasion levels and few Czechs could live in the rebuilt areas, while the Slovaks couldn't live in the capital at all; anyone but the most dedicated Nazi felt uneasy at this vast, imposing city with so few people in it. None of the Co-Prosperity Sphere nations attended now, holding their own "Pan-Asian Athletic Championship" on the same date and attracing more tourists (as America carried out a thaw in relations to regain Asian resources and "contain" the Nazis). Germany, Italy, and Spain won the most golds.


1959, Salo

Another showing-off by the Italians, this time on home soil, and it all went off without a hitch. Unfortunately this was the nadir of the Italian regime, with widespread infrastructure failures, corruption, hunger, and ill-feeling - the government had to increase rations in Salo and "retire" some officials to make it Olympiad worthy, but didn't quite pull it off. A blackout struck during the first day. Worse, the gold winners were Germany, Spain, and Ireland, with Italy coming fourth at home.


1963, Algiers

It was meant to be Germania again, but moved to Algiers as a celebration of the European defence of the city (and wider colony) against the Algerian Rape, as the fascists called it, and Second Algerian Uprising as the rest of the world did. The defenders marched alongside Germany-Italy War veterans in a solemn opening ceremony. A very drab affair, by all accounts, though these accounts were only found years later in private diaries or personal recollections - no non-Axis people appeared. Germany came second in the gold to Sweden (Spain coming third), due to the damage to fit young men caused by the recent war.


1967, Germania

An utter farce: streetfighting was going on across the megacity, Rhine Flu had killed tens of thousands, the 'Ost Government' was claiming legitimacy over the Reich, but the Olympics carried on anyway to show the current Fuhrer had it under control. Only a few countries even had teams in Germany at the time. Stadiums were mostly empty, athletes were competing badly in wide open spaces, and German commentators made up flimsy excuses for defeat after defeat. France, Sweden, and Germany gained the most golds, and the Nazis had to threaten some people to take dives so Germany would even make third.


1971, Germania

Famous for the assassination of the Fuhrer at the opening ceremony and events that led to the end of Germany as a unified state in '72. The only competitors by this point were Germans and fake "foreign" teams composed of expats & second-generation immigrants.
 
Inspired by @Edmund:

United States Congress Steering Committee, 2021-

President (ex officio member): William J. Burns (non-partisan)
Vice President (ex officio member): Marcia McNutt (non-partisan)
President of the Senate (ex officio member): Gary Hart (Liberal, Colorado)

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives: Xavier Becerra (Democratic, Sacramento, California)
Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives: Sylvester Turner (Democratic, Central Houston, Texas)
Majority Whip of the United States House of Representatives: Amy Klobuchar (Democratic, West Hennepin County, Minnesota)
Liberal Party Caucus Chair: Gavin Newsom (Liberal, San Francisco, California)
Rainbow Coalition Caucus Chair: Rosa DeLauro (Rainbow Coalition, New Haven, Connecticut)

Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives: Michael Steele (Republican, Fort Bend County, Texas)
Minority Whip of the United States House of Representatives: George W. Bush (Republican, Permian Basin, Texas)

Chair of the Committee for Agriculture and Nutrition: Bennie Thompson (Democratic, Mississippi Delta, Mississippi)
Chair of the Committee for Appropriations: Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democratic, East Los Angeles, California)
Chair of the Committee for Armed Services: Chrissy Houlahan (Liberal, Chester County, Pennsylvania)
Chair of the Committee for the Budget: Lloyd Doggett (Democratic, Austin, Texas)
Chair of the Committee for Civil Rights: Jennifer Carroll Foy (Democratic, Metro Richmond, Virginia)
Chair of the Committee for Commerce and Labor: Jason Kander (Democratic, Southern Kansas City Metro, Missouri)
Chair of the Committee for Community Affairs: Joaquin Castro (Democratic, South Side San Antonio, Texas)
Chair of the Committee for Foreign Affairs: Ro Khanna (Rainbow Coalition, Fremont-Santa Clara, California)
Chair of the Committee for Healthcare and Education: Allyson Schwartz (Democratic, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania)
Chair of the Committee for Infrastructure and Transportation: Nina Turner (Democratic, East Side Cleveland, Ohio)
Chair of the Committee for Justice: Lisa Madigan (Democratic, Cicero, Illinois)
Chair of the Committee for Natural Resources: Raúl Grijalva (Rainbow Coalition, Sonoran Desert, Arizona)
Chair of the Committee for Ways and Means: Ed Case (Liberal, Aurora, Colorado)
 
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From the world of this little series of vignettes.

Governments of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 2561

Westminster (the National Government)

Government

Ecologist
: It's been 100 years since the restoration of Democracy and we can now all agree that the National Union was... um... a thing. Yes. A thing which did some bad things but was probably necessary? Well surely we can all agree that Delfine Treaties were a good thing rather than carrying on being at war with the actual literal Oceans for another 50 years? Anyway, National Ownership of everything is Good, Planned Economies are Good and hey we've got a Dog in Parliament now! See we've modernised now!

Subfactions

--The Deep Greens: Tend to think the National Union was only occasionally at fault. Maybe. Look the Police State did a very good job of making sure that everyone stuck to their energy use and regulated rations and really aren't the anti-Malthus/Civil Liberties lot the real evil for putting the future of the Planet potentially at risk?
--The Farmer's League: Mostly just concerned with making sure the extensive (and ludicrously complicated) Agricultural subsidies/regulation package doesn't get fiddled with. After all, if it was good enough for the last two centuries of farmers it must be the future.
--The Market Gardeners: Are the only group who really accept the devolved governments rather than merely tolerating them. Of course they simply think that those governments should have absolute control over their respective regions so...

In Coalition with:

Conservative
: Down to a mere handful of seats, the Conservatives make a big show of how they're still a very different beast from the Ecologists. Didn't they break with the National Union in the first wave of protests? Weren't they the ones to restore the old constitution? Somewhat suffer from having achieved pretty much all they could have realistically done 90 years ago and not really knowing what to do now.

Refugee Alliance: The National Union resettled a lot of people over the years away from danger zones, and there's always been a slight fear among their descendants that they'll just be asked to leave again. Starting to fade in strength as the third and fourth generations become increasingly confident that they people of Sheffield are not, actually, going to round up all the Hulls-folk and deport them back to the Salt Flats (to give one example).



Opposition

Note: Opposition parties tend not to have distinct factions given their generally smaller size

Liberal: Notable for two things: 1. Being suppressed by the National Union but surviving on the local level for many years before making a come back with the return to Democracy. 2. Consistently managing a near-clean sweep of the constituencies allocated for the Courts of the Land and Skies. Of course those are only a thing in the Special Districts, and are notoriously low in turnout, but they're undoubtedly the most Animal friendly of any party. Also big on devolution and localism.

Co-Operator’s Union: Only narrowly behind the Liberals last election, and the dynamic new leadership of Mohammad Evans-Singh appears to be putting them firmly on the path to forming the next Government. Part of it might be personality, but the current Big Idea of giving everyone shares in the British Bakery and Dairy Conglomerate is going doing well too.

Socialist: Theoretically the ideal partner for the Co-Operators, though in practice the intractable arguments between whether ‘Worker’s Ownership’ should mean ‘Individuals owning shares in the company’ or the Socialist-preferred ‘The company is owned by the organisation of the Union.’ Currently facing an ongoing scandal after the Minister for Health used the phrase ‘Ecologist Running Dog’ in public.

*Of course the Ecologists tend to think it should just be run by Westminster while the Liberals tend more to encouraging the growth of smaller co-operatives- sometimes even on the Parish level).

Minor Parties: At least 5 seats in Westminster

Alliance 2525: The Independents: Born from the paradoxical decision of the remaining Independent MPs to deciding to join together to save their own seats, the last of the original members stepped down last year cementing their new role as ‘that group anyone who’s fallen out with the Ecologist leadership ends up running to.’ Ideologically indistinguishable from the Farmer’s League.

National Party: The only group to openly call for abolishing the devolved governments and Special Districts. Tend to insist that Greystokes did nothing wrong.

Revolutionary Worker’s Socialist Front: Believe that rather than the Unions taking over ownership of business from the state, the Unions should just take over ownership of the State. Largely marginalised by being the sort of people to not really see what the problem with using the phrase ‘Running Dogs’ actually is.

Liberty Alliance: Not the Liberty Alliance of the heady days of July when the last Secretary of State for Environmental Planning resigned unfortunately. These guys use the torch of liberty as an expression of their desire to burn the State down entirely. Have odd ideas about ‘selling off’ the railways as if anyone could actually afford to buy them.

Animal Rights Party: Making a big thing about how the Court of Man should integrate into the Court of the Lands properly. Not that they’ve managed to come up with a way of preventing the overwhelming mass of humanity from just outvoting everyone else. More charmingly Naive than anything.

Other notable parties:

Coalition for Minority Language Support: Looking to increase subsidies for education and artistic events in struggling traditional languages like Scots, Cymraeg and Punjabi. There’s even been some suggestions about trying to revive Gaelige. For some reason.

Party of the Atom: Very big on nuclear power. You’d think that the fact that the best sources of Thorium have a load of Tigers sitting on top of them would have put a stop to this.

Party of the Animals: Claim to be the ‘True Representatives of the Three Courts in the Westminster Government' operating in a very Separate But Probably Equal way. Most actual Animals disagree of course, but then they don’t actually vote in Westminster anyway. Tend to get on very badly with the....

Canine Liberation Front: Call for Dogs to be formally recognised as part of the Court of the Land. Tend to be highly distrusted by almost every Dog in the country given they give off more than a whiff of Human Supremacy.

Banned Parties

Human Supremacist League
: The only explicitly banned party in the country (though others operate under very close supervision from the police), still has something of an underground presence in the sort of communities who think we should have nuked the Whales when we had the chance.
 
The Senate Election in the Fifth Year of the Consulship of Ioannus Marconius Felix (139 A.L.)

Elections to the Senatus Lenapius were held on the Kalends of Iulius in the 139th year of Liberty. This was the third senate election held after the expansion of the franchise to plebes, religious minorities, and natives, as outlined in the Lex Media of 126. Since the passage of that law, the Natural Law faction led by Gaius Mennonius had won the most seats in every election as he was leader of the movement behind the law and those classes were his primary supporters. Of the 145 senatorships open for election in this year, the Natural Law faction won 79 of with the backing of the Populares and Cartist plebe groups. The Codexists led by Marcus Rubius the Younger, patriarch of the wealthy Rubii family, were reduced to 45 senatorships. Jewish factions won 15 senatorships, up from their previous position of 10. Pagans, native peoples, and other unaffiliated senators won 6 senatorships. This was the final election before the expansion of the Senate, which had been a major policy of the Natural Law faction in this election. It was the last election where the Codexists were led by Marcus Rubius, as he would die three years later. His son Marcus Rubius Raetianus (Raetian) became the leader of this faction.

In the previous Senate:
150 Senators
Natural Law (G. Mennonius Gallicus) - 76 (1 protected)
Codexist (M. Rubius Merinelli) - 54 (4 protected)
Jewish factions - 10 (0 protected)
Judean People's Front (Zechariah ben Yeshua) - 4​
People's Front of Judea (Isaac ben Abram) - 4​
Beta Israel (Menelik the Wanderer) - 1​
Karaites (David ben Aaron) - 1​
Unaffiliated - 10 (0 protected)
Pagans (no organization) - 5​
Indigenes (no organization) - 4​
Unaffiliated (Rufus Horatius) - 1​
Tribune: G. Mennonius Gallicus

In the new Senate:
150 Senators
Natural Law (G. Mennonius) - 80
Codexist (M. Rubius) - 49
Jewish factions - 15
Judean People's Front (Zechariah ben Yeshua) - 11​
People's Front of Judea (Isaac ben Abram) - 3​
Beta Israel (Menelik the Wanderer) - 1​
Unaffiliated - 6
Pagans (no organization) - 3​
Indigenes (no organization) - 2​
Unaffiliated (Rufus Horatius) - 1​
Tribune: G. Mennonius Gallicus
 
1970-1978: Ted Heath (Conservative)
1970 (Majority) def: Harold Wilson (Labour), Jeremy Thorpe (Liberal)
1974 (Majority) def: Harold Wilson (Labour), Jeremy Thorpe (Liberal)

1978-1985: Peter Shore (Labour)
1978 (Majority) def: Ted Heath (Conservative), John Pardoe (Liberal)
1982 (Majority) def: John Biffen (Conservative), Claire Brooks (Liberal)

1985-1991: Bryan Gould (Labour)
1986 (Majority) def: Timothy Riason (Conservative), Claire Brooks (Liberal), Jim Sillars (SNP)
1988 EC Referendum: Leave 43%, Stay 57%

1991-: Gloria Hooper (Conservative)
1990 (Majority) def: Bryan Gould (Labour), David Penhaligon (Liberal), Jim Sillars (SNP)
1993 Welsh Devolution Referendum : Devo 51%, Stay 49%
1993 Scottish Devolution Referendum: Devo 67%, Stay 33%
1994 Yorkshire Devolution Referendum : Devo 57%, Stay 43%
1995 (Majority) def: Derek Fatchett (Labour), David Penhaligon-Peg Alexander (Alliance), Margaret Ewing (SNP), ‘Lol’ Duffy-Valerie Wise (Socialist Labour)

In Government:
Conservative:
Gloria Hooper is hopping out of here after seven glorious years of Government, because she's losing by-elections to David Owen, I mean tired and feeling a bit old. So now the Tory blood letting shall begin to ensure a bountiful harvest of seats and the remaining status of ruling party.

Candidates:
Ken Clarke:
The Euro pushing, One Nation toting and remaining bastion of Heathism that is Ken Clarke has put himself in the ring and he’s...probably going to lose because the grassroots don’t like him. Still at least he’ll still be Chancellor.
Francis Maude: The hero of the Right but not too Right, Maude is performing a balancing of Economic Liberalism and Social Liberalism which folks like John Major support but everyone else things is a little soft on just about everything. Oh also he mentioned his gay brother, I’m sure this will go down well with the grassroots.
John R Pinniger: The Young Monday Club, Biffen and general Right Tory approved candidate who beat Mr Hague to the punch, Pinniger is unlikely to get far but will prove to the party that’s despite Hooper’s success in making the party ‘less nasty’ they still have a number of nasty folks in it. Campaigning on tougher borders and telling Europe to fuck itself.
Jerry Hayes: Take no notice of him, he’s doing this to takeover Angus gig on that Commentary Show on BBC2. Campaigning on free dental charges and bad stand up gags is a surreal look for a Tory but that’s Hayes for you.

Opposition:
Labour:
Derek Fatchett is saying that the 1995 General Election was a mishap, which is a rather nice way of saying 'We lost seats and saw a Hard Left Splinter emerge'. Still he's leader because the remaining Left can't decide if Jack Straw or David Blunkett fit better in there 'Gould shaped hole' whilst Peter Hain prances about on TV saying he's the true leader of the opposition and we should be nicer to the Alliance (2000). Oh, also Vince Cable has defected to the New Democrats because David Owen offered him nice goodies and he has worms in his brain. I give Fatchett two more months and the Euro elections top before he's replaced by someone bland and of the Centre of the party (so Paddy Tipping or Ann Clwyd then I guess).
The Alliance (2000): David Penhaligon has had 7 productive years as leader but he's sick of dealing with Sara Parkin complaining about not being co-leader (Peg Alexander is better and more televisual but okay then) and also he thinks the Liberal side things could use a new face. That new face being Paddy Ashdown...what were you expecting Michael Meadowcroft to not shit himself, haha.
SNP: The Left of the SNP is dominate, so of course there will be another bout of infighting in the coming months over whether to let Alex Salmond back in or not. The answer is no because Ewing thinks Salmond is a twat and more harmful than good for the movement. Can’t wait for this to read it’s ugly head again and again.
Socialist Labour: Lol Duffy is rather charismatic and cool but also he’s a massive Trot who somehow has managed to woo various former Bennites and co to his party so swings and roundabouts. But when Ken Coates won’t join you because you have too many of the awkward squad about you know things ain’t the best...*Peter Tatchell, George Galloway and Jeremy Corbyn come screaming in like a harrier*
New Democrats: The AFL was a brief flickering flame, but David Owen has cannibalised it so now we have Alan Sked awkwardly stanning Owen and it’s pretty funny. But yes, Owen has burst from his televisual cocoon to be the Centrist voice of that man from the Shires who grumbles about the ECSSR or something. With a firm idea for policies and a populist rhetoric that would make Ross Perot blush, Owen and his awkward squad will ensure that we will never hear the end about Europe.

Minor Parties:
Referendum:
James Goldsmith was the future once, but now he’s been overtaken by Owen’s party and is dead. Now the Monday Club but for folks who think the Tories aren’t Right Wing enough are awkwardly stumbling around pondering where next. Probably the pub.
The Ind. Group: Alex Salmond is the only man who bring about Scottish Independence according to Alex Salmond. Given this party consists of him, some Trots and Hugh Kerr I have my doubts about this.
Alliance for Green Socialism: Dave Cook and Mark Ashton are likeable enough and now Ken Coates has defect to them, which cool but slightly let down that most of there activity is mainly based in Leeds and is made up of YCL members and Derek Wall.
 
The world is in crisis! To keep the peace against international villainy, President Roosevelt initiates a super-soldier programme with the other allied powers to create a peacekeeping force - able to leap tall buildings and withstand tank shells, having the strength of forty men and the senses of the greatest predators, being deployed from the UN facility Foursphere! Wherever fascists, coups, pirates, and terrorists threaten a demilitarised world, they will be there!

Constable Lion! Officer Eagle! Militsioner Bear! Jingyuan Dragon!

THE FOUR POLICEMEN
 
The “Petro-Axis”: A Threat To The Climate?

The majority of the world's states have signed up to the Osaka Protocol's stipulations, and have entirely phased out usage of fossil fuels. There remains a small minority of nations with oil-dependent economies, often talked about as quaint relics, that are increasingly networking with each other to stay afloat in a hostile world. While this may seem an esoteric issue, the Kahn Foundation have marked a "petro-axis" similar to the one we're seeing develop now as one of the Top 5 Global Threats each year for the past 10 years, as their combined economic and political power could lead to climatic backsliding. Here's what you need to know:

The United Arab Emirates has the dubious distinction of being the only petro-axis power with a pre-existing sphere of influence, having cut alliances with other oil-rich Arab states such as Kuwait, Qatar, and Cyrenaica. Despite this, they're increasingly aware of their own geopolitical isolation and shaky position. President Reynoso's recent base closures have been seen by many as a final culmination of the Gore Administration's colder policy towards what once were traditional allies. The collapse of OPEC after Nigeria's signup to the Vienna Agreement broke their main global economic bargaining chip, and the Bioplastics Revolution of the late Twenties killed it. Internally, the situation is declining, with social services funded by oil money breaking down, and an increasingly restive population of 'guest workers'. Sheik Muhammed bin Khalifa needs the oil age to continue to preserve his rule, and his nation's aggressive rhetoric is born of this desperation. Without petroleum, the UAE cannot exist. What else can it do?

Contrastingly, the
People’s Republic of Venezuela's motivations are theoretically ideological. According to Caracas, the various environmental treaties, from Osaka to Vienna to last year's Bloemfontein, are at their core American plots to remove any threats to their global dominance. As Russian gas and Chinese coal were restricted in favour of American-made renewable collectors, so fell their ambitions, and Venezuela will not make the same mistake. While this narrative ignores the fact that energy independence is far easier if electricity can be collected directly from the sky and sun, rather than tethered to geology, it is nonetheless compelling. Plenty of anti-Western despots have been happy to pay for Venezuela's "solidarity oil" in the past, but in a post-Bloemfontein era, fewer are willing to risk military intervention over it. While relatively stable internally compared to their fellows, the post-Chavez state has always relied on waving the sabre the Yankee boogeyman, and they'd certainly be happy to join an alliance...

Historically, the
Union of Western Provinces has been one of the more connected petrostates. The United States was quick to mollify its new northern neighbour after the 2008 independence referendum, and later the Visegrad Alliance looked to the UWP as a fellow example of "illiberal democracy". This has led many to hope that it might reform, that the tender embrace of the international community might pull it away from oil. This is misguided. The UWP's national identity is tied to its tar sands far more than for any other of these states. It was disagreement over the use of its oil that first kindled Albertan separatism, it was Tobin's imposition of the Osaka Protocol which swung the referendum, and to this day the petroleum-burning pick-up truck is the second set of limbs for the ideal Western macho man. The UWP could easily survive a move away from oil (the Canadian prairie's grain is nearly as valuable per gallon), it simply can't conceive of what it would look like without it.

Scotland is very much the odd one out of the petro-axis. The only full democracy (the only democracy period, if you believe claims of voter suppression by the UWP's dominant Wildrose Party), Scotland is also the first of the petrostates to face the inevitable end of any mono-resource economy--running out. Most estimate that the North Sea's reserves will be depleted by the end of the decade, and with no opportunities for reserve expansion bar war with Norway, Scottish politics is increasingly dominated by the oil question. The two main parties have long agreed on a pro-oil consensus, the Nationals enjoying the independence it gives the nation, and the SLP in hock to the refinery workers' unions. In the face of this, the once-moribund Scottish Greens have risen, sweeping the most recent Holyrood election and forcing a grand coalition. The problem, of course, is that economic dependence can't be easily voted away. Many pro-oil vested interests are weighing up the idea of using Scotland's industrial base to refine the oil of others, and throwing their lot in with the rest of the petro-axis, rather than let Scotland collapse...

--The Economist: NewsBites, August 14th 2033​
 
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