Westman Timeline Pt. I

[Mechaman]

For the sake of a little "awkward" comedy.. . . .. . .

January 1st, 1981
Fairfax, Virginia
Westman Townhouse:

Scott Westman wakes up on his own couch after a long night of partying.  He had a bunch of friends over to celebrate the New Year as a record setting snowfall fell in the DC. metro area.  Westman, who lived in southwestern Fairfax, got the worst of it.  Worst of it meaning about 21 inches.  Which would be considered a "pleasant snowfall" in the northwestern fringes of Montana where he grew up.  Less than an hour from the Canadian border.
Westman shuffles a bit, feeling some bodily warmth emanating from underneath the blanket.  He moves up a bit and feels a hairy head nestled on his chest.
This is a shortie.  Mmmmm, my favorite.
Westman: Hey pretty little woman.  Looks like I had a pretty pleasant New Year after all.
Must be out cold or something.  Might as well see what she looks like.
Westman opens up the blanket and finds a mass of jet black hair.  It is then that he realizes that the "woman" lying with his is completely flat chested as the face of a dude who looks like he was in the Monkees turns up at him groggily.
Westman jumps off of the couch with such force that he flings Thad O'Connor halfway across the room.
Westman: Dude, what the f***ing F*** F*** f***!
O'Connor looks up confused, still getting his bearings while incredibly hung over.
O'Connor: Urrr.... .  . .  buzzz?
Great, even after hours of sleep he still can't seem to hold his liquor.
Westman: You know I ain't no f***ing gay man bro!  YOu know I don't go f****t for anybody!  Why were you, why did youse come over here and f***ing lay on me you f****g-
O'Connor: God, my head hurts.  Man, must've been some night-
Westman: Learn to hold your liquor better damn it!
O'Connor, confused as to what happened, looks up at Westman quizzically.
O'Connor: Dude Scott, why you being so mad?
Westman: Why?  Dude, you were cuddled up to me like I was your best prom date ever!  Why shouldn't I be mad!
O'Connor: Look on the bright side, at least I was fully dressed.
Westman laughs.
Westman: Oh yes, how fortunate am I you gay little rapist!
Westman's "girlfriend", Calpernia Weils, comes walking down the stairs.
Calpernia: Oh there you two are!  Did you have a nice sleep?
Westman sits down as Calpernia sits on his lap and the two exchange a kiss.
Calpernia: Well, seems like you aren't too hung over.
O'Connor really didn't know what Westman saw in Calpernia.  Well, she did have something no other woman he's been with has,  as well she was a raging alcoholic (like Westman), but besides that nothing else really special about her.  What in the world did Brea think about this relationship?  After all, she is pretty pious for a girl who is Westman's daughter.
Well, despite Calpernia's extra baggage even O'Connor had to admit she was a very beautiful woman.  6'1", pale skinned, and jet black hair (darker than O'Connor's) she could be the dictionary definition of "model".
Wonders of modern day medicine, O'Connor thought.
Despite the news sensationalism of the "affair", Westman and Calpernia Weils had a very normal relationship.  The two started dating, going to theaters and the like, since June of 1979.  The media, however, made it sound like it was pure lust between the two.  Like they were only seeing each other for sex and not the very real emotional relationship that exists.  Of course, O'Connor didn't think Scott Westman loved Calpernia, even though Westman said he did.  Outside of his sister and his daughter, it's very hard for Westman to love other people.  To be truly devoted.
Calpernia puts her hand through Westman's mane and brushes back some of the hair.  She giggles.
Calpernia: Man, you two were soo out of it last night!
Westman laughs.
Westman: Huh, tell me about it.
Calpernia: Well, around 12:15, due to the worsening storm, almost everyone left.  You and Thad, being bored out of your minds, did a drinking game.
Westman wraps his arms around Calpernia's midsection and leans his head next to hers.
Calpernia: You guys did like some drinking game with congressmen or something.  Pretty much you sang some song where everytime you mention "Jesse Helms", "Strom Thurmond", "James Heflin", "William J. Bryan", "Samuel J. Tilden", "Horatio Seymour", "Nathaniel Prentice Banks", "Joseph Bailey Varnum", "Thomas Pinckney", and I think some guy named "Benny Tillman" and "Jews in an oven on fire" you had a shot of whiskey.
Westman, in horror, looks into her eyes and asks:
Westman: So tell me, how many shots did we take?
Calpernia: Oh, AT LEAST 31.  I was about to call the ambulance when you guys passed out on the couch.  But, after I checked to see if you guys were breathing normally I just decided to put a trash receptacle nearby just in case you feel like ralphing.
O'Connor walks over to look in the trash receptacle.  To his horror he finds a rainbow coalition of assorted ethnic cuisines and liquids.  Suddenly, he feels a revulsion arise up in his throat.
Westman: Thad?
O'Connor bends over the receptacle and does his best Triceratops impersonation.
O'Connor: Ruughbleh!

(to be continued)

[Mechaman]

February 3rd, 1987
Montana State Legislature:

Scott Westman approaches the assembled State Legislature with a folder in his hands.
Westman: Legislators, the time is over for talking.  We have been debating this Green Montana Bill for ages.  I believe that now, before this special election is passed, is the best time to pass this bill.  Let us not make this a partisan affair to score points, but to move this state forward.  If this bill succeeds, let it succeed.  If you want it to fail, then vote against it.  Whatever you do though, quit stalling.  There are more issues at stake than just this.  That is all.
Westman leaves the building as debate on it begins.

[Mechaman]

February 5th, 1987
Helena, Montana
Governor's Mansion:

Scott Westman is in his office with the Lt. Governor, Russell Means.
Westman: WEll, good news.  It seems like the house bill has passed.
Means has a joyful look on his face.
Westman: Final vote tally, 55 for, 43 against, two absent.  Now all we need to do is get this past the Senate which shouldn't be hard at all.
Means laughs.
Westman: I'm sorry, did I miss something?
Means: Well besides the fact that the moderate heroes are advocating a number of significant modifications to the bill.
Westman: Seriously, what the hell?
Means: You expect Coulter to just play ball?  You forget that in the Senate is when most bills get butchered into nothingness.  Word is they're going to butcher the Land Values tax.
Westman: We must stop them!
Means looks at him perplexedly.
Means: Scott, why is it so damn important?  We got other sources of revenue.  WE can increase property taxes, income tax-
Westman: If we don't get some form of LVT passed it will never happen.  We need to make a stand on this issue for future generations.
Means: You have any ideal about how radical you sound on this?  How many people in our own party are distancing themselves from you?
Westman: If I gave a damn about preserving legislature majorities over problem solving I wouldn't be Gov'na, would I chap?
Means: I guess.
Westman passes a pile of papers to Means.
Westman: Listen Russell, you know how Truman said the buck stops with the President?  Well he lied.  The buck stops with you.  Not me.  This isn't a single man team here, we are co-captains.  It is your duty to help me succeed in this instance, especially considering you're president of the Senate.  You cast the decisive vote if it comes down to it.  Make sure this thing gets passed, through hell or high water.

[Mechaman]

February 7th, 1987
Helena Montana
Governor's Mansion:

Scott Westman is having a steak with his Lieutenant Governor Russell Means.
Westman: Well, what's taking the Senate?
Means: Well, things haven't turned out so well.
Westman looks at him madly.
Westman: What do you mean?
Means: Well, you know how you were thinking about getting some GOP support in the Senate?
Westman: Yes?
Means looks down at his plate and then looks back up at Westman.
Means: Well. . . . . . we got John Bolinger's support on the bill.
Westman looks at him incredulously.
Westman: Aaaaaaand who else!?
Means looks at him like he was a patient with an inoperable brain tumor asking if the good doctor could operate on it.
Means: That's it, Scott.
Westman picks up his plate and chunks it at the wall.  It breaks into pieces with pieces of steak and BBQ hitting the wall.
Westman: Damn you!  What're youse?  Completely f***ing useless!
Means: Listen man, they won't go anywhere unless you-
Westman:-f***ing wanker, f***in' useless hardon!  I would've been better off with that useless f***wit D'Israeli!
Means gets out of his chair, walks over to Westman, and punches him in the face.  Westman falls to the floor, grasping his face.
Westman: YOU F***!  NOBODY DOES THAT TO SCOTTY WESTMAN!  NOBODY!
Means: You tiny dicked arrogant son of a bitch!  You think this is only about what you want?  You think that being a politician is like some f***ing board game you roll a dice on?  Or like f***ing Twister?  God, you stupid f***!
Westman looks at Means slackjawed.
Westman: What is it going to take, you Navajo son of a bitch, to get this thing passed?
Means chuckles while holding his hand.
Means: Damn Scott, did you have jaw surgery to implant steel into your jut?
Westman looks at him confused.
Westman: What the hell are you going on about?
Means throws up one of his hands.
Means: Alright, screw it.  Anyway, I talked to some moles in the Coulter camp, and in some of the libertarian camps and they might be willing to support this bill if we make a few modifications.
Westman: Like what?
Means goes back to his seat and gives Westman a side gangster glance.
Means: Well, they, the tarians, still feel a bit betrayed by your bipolar shift of policy last year.  A lot of them thought that this Green Montana thing that you'd been planning was going to be market focused instead of having large infusions of government expenditures.  They feel like this is a government expansion project.
Westman: Well, we can't expand the green market without some necessary amount of government expenditures.  Eliminating gas and oil subsidies alone won't be enough to helping guide us into a proper green economy.
Means nods, before speaking up.
Means: Buddy, why do you have to pretend to be alone on this?  Like this is just something for you to do alone?  I mean, look at this plan!  Do we really need to spend $215 million for this?  Why not do something simpler?  How about a system of green energy tax credits?  Green vouchers?
Westman winks.
Westman: Yeah that might work.  Meanwhile, we establish the Land Values Tax at the progressive rates that would encourage traditional green users to convert to alternative!  Genius plan my man!
Means: Okay.  Well I'm going to have to contact our point man in the Senate to get him to make a "revised" bill on this.
Westman: All in good time.  Where the hell is he anyway?
Means: Damned if I know.  He'll be in town for the tenth though.  The day of the elections.  Also, I'm an Oglala Sioux, not a Navajo you inebriated Hibernian retard.

[Mechaman]

February 10th, 1987
Montana State Capitol

Westman: F***!  I can't believe those f***ers couldn't get anything passed!
Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath is sitting across from Westman.
McGrath: Figures.  Man Scott, you should just be patient.
Westman: Patient!?  The greatest works project in the history of this state!?  Be patient for it!?
McGrath: Not really worth the hassle.  You are coming off way too strong on this.  We need a bill more open to compromise. . .
Westman: I've been working on this bill for ten f***ing years!  Ten f***ing years!  I have run out of patience.
McGrath: Well, keep in mind that you're not the only person whose ass is on the line.
Westman: Whatever.  Mansfield is going to win by at least 10 points.  Why bother?

CNN: We can now project, as the polls close, that Montana Democratic Party Chair David Mansfield has won with a solid majority in the US Senate Special Election.  He comes into office with 55% of the vote, a 20% voter margin over his opponent Helen Brisco.  Brisco, who has been attacked by many on her own side as being too close to Governor Scott Westman, has ultimately bombed in this special election race to replace the late David Walters.

US Senate Special Election
Montana Seat:

David Mansfield (D-Great Falls): 55%
Helen Brisco (R-Billings): 35%
Leonard Frescoe (C-Bozeman): 10%

[Mechaman]

February 17th, 1987
Governor's Mansion
Helena, Montana:

Governor Scott Westman is busy entertaining a few intellectual guests to the Mansion, having decided to take a break from obsessing over his Green Montana.  A project that he had been obsessing about for over a decade.
It was for the best after all.  He had almost destroyed his life and made damn near all of his allies his enemies in the span of one year.  Hell, re-election was most likely out of the question after all the hand wringing he had to pull off.
IN that case, he might as well go out the most successful one term Governor in Montana history.  Even if he is remembered as one of the most divisive.
One of his guests, a Professor Terry LaTaveo from Montana State, inquires aloud:
LaTaveo: Well, Governor where is the Mrs. Governor?
Westman shrugs his shoulder.
Westman: Having an extended stay in Hyannis.  You know, the folks and stuff.  Anyways, it looks like our party will be one man up.
His other guest, Cindy Nahum, Professor of Archeology at the University of Montana, nods.
Nahum: Now, maybe we will have the votes to overturn the flat tax insanity.
Westman snickers.
Westman: If only we had the votes to overturn Defend America, I would dance a jig.
Nahum: Indeed!  The presence of it is an affront to American liberties!
Westman was moments away from scoring with the attractive brunette Professor of Archaeology when his Lieutenant Governor showed up with a vote tablature.
Means: Scott, you finally did it.
Westman looks at the voting numbers:

Green Montana Act
A truly alternative energy plan for Montana
House Modifier: Need 60% quorum to pass.

Westman: Seriously?  What the hell?  Why 60%?  Who was the hardon who thought of that?

Ayes:

Democratic: 46
Republican: 13
Conservative: 2

Nays:

Democratic: 11
Republican: 20
Conservative: 6

2 Democratic "No Votes"

Senate Vote
Final Version agreed upon and passed by State House
Regular Majority Rules (51% or more)

Ayes:

Democratic: 21
Republican: 4
Conservative: 1

Nays:

Democratic: 3
Republican: 12
Conservative: 4

3 Democratic and 2 Republican "No Votes"

Westman laughs evily.
Westman: Oh my my, don't we got some fake Conservatives on here?
Means: Yes, this gives us all the ammunition we need come election time.  After all, a Conservative Senator made the deciding vote.  We should try to get him to switch over to our side.
Westman smiles.
WEstman: What the hell?  We could get a third of the Republican Party in after this.  They will be killing each other for months to come.
Westman puts the voting tab in his back pocket and comes back into his lodging room.
Westman: Well Professors, it seems as if the snow is a little heavy outside.  I just got this really good imported Brandy that is considerably aged.  I'm of a good mind to let you have it with me on me observation deck.  What'd you say. . . . ladies?
The two attractive professors follow the GOvernor upstairs almost giddily.
Means looks up, and then puts a hand up to his face, snickering.
Figures.

[Mechaman]

Montana Conservative Party Headquarters
Helena, Montana
After the Storm:

Micah A. Beagle, CNP Head: What the hell is this sh*t!?
Ronald A. Donegan, the Party Secretary, looks over at him.
Donegan: It looks like that Mr. Westman has gotten an overwhelming mandate on this bill.
Beagle: I know damn it!  What I'm wondering is what the hell is wrong with this party?
Donegan: Well what'd you expect?  American conservatism is quite a wide field and-
Beagle: No, I said what the  is wrong with this mothering party!?
Donegan: Sh*t if I know man.  I'm thinking that maybe everybody, including some Conservatives, just got tired of this sh*t and just wanted Westman to shut the hell up about "Green Montana" so they just decided to pass it.
Donald Walters, the Party Administrative Whip, spoke up:
Walters: This is a disgrace.  A damn disgrace.  How far have we fallen in the past few years to where that accepting a program as communist, ing big letter "C" Communist, can get passed, and with 3 so-called "Conservatives" voting in favor!  My brother is rolling in his grave gentleman.  This party is over.
Beagle has an apprehensive look on his face.
Beagle: Well, maybe this is time that we seriously consider Coulter's offer.
Donegan looks at him slackjawed.
Donegan: Work with that motherer?  Please tell me you're joking here Micah!  The man is a snake!  A SNAKE!  He'll bite our asses when we are not looking!
Walters: Ron, we don't have much of a choice.  If we go on where we are at, with us and the Republicans splitting the non-Democratic vote in the state, we are digging ourselves into a whole.  We need fusionism, now more than ever.
Donegan: You seriously want to team up with those people?  Those Ivory Tower pro-choice gun grabbers?  Hell, I would almost prefer Westman and his countercultural crazies!
Walters: Watch your words.  Don't forget that Scott Westman has dedicated his Governorship to radically changing the Montana landscape-
Donegan:-oh yes, the man who championed the overturn of every gun control law in this state since 1937, signed the Horrigan Life Amendment to the State Constitution, eliminated the Sales Tax, and ended the state monopolization of alcohol, creating the fastest growing market in this state that has created thousands of jobs.  Yes, he is radically changing the Montana landscape. .  . . . . more positively than negatively.  With the exception of Green Montana and his radical pro-drug position, I'm running out of reasons to actively oppose this man, and so are many conservatives in this state.
Walters: Heresies.  This party was formed explicitly to oppose the radical Scott Westman agenda.  He is very much a snake Ronald.  People like to rant and rave about his "turn" on the life issue just because he signed an abortion ban.  Nevermind that he has on record say that he would actively oppose a national ban, even to this date.  In his mind sacrificing abortion on the state level is no big deal if his coconspirators can get a nationwide abortion rights amendment passed.  So excuse me for not buying this "noble liberal" bullsh*t Ronald.  I don't think Scott Westman is at all a genuine man, and his record proves it.
Donegan: Well whatever you think about the man personally, there is no way, unless you are a delusional liar, that you can tell me straight that Randy Coulter and his cronies are closer to our agenda than Scott Westman's proven record of governance.  This isn't heresy, this is fact.  We have virtually no reason to support the Republicans, whether that be the Ivory Tower Peters Republicans, or the "Me-Too" libertarian radicals who agree with Scott Westman more than his own party does.  Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they end up nominating Westman as their own candidate, considering how much they love him.
Beagle: Hey, he did get rid of D'Israeli.  I think that's a promising sign for us.
Donegan: Oh yes, the dramawhore who acted much like his Satanist cousin?  Yeah, he is definitely a representative of most Republicans!
Walters: Nevertheless, we can't just wave that off as nothing.  I mean, there is the opportunity, especially with the opposition to Green Montana, that we can rally even the libertarian Republicans to our side against Westman.  Just think, we keep pillaring this "Socialist Agenda" line and we could gain a few votes!  The people are against Westman's radical economic agenda, no matter what the radical media in this state might say.  There is the possibility of some real inroads here that we shouldn't discard if we hope to wing the Senate seat next November and even his job!  We just got to pray that the Administration turns the corner on 9/6.

[Mechaman]

The Chicago Amphitheater
1988 Democratic National Convention:

Scott Westman was standing in the back of the stage, contemplating his address.  He had spent many hours contemplating his speech, given the events leading up to the Convention.  No doubt, the Primaries weighed heavily on him and he felt a great deal of disillusionment about the direction of his party.  His only solace would be the Party Convention, which was the ultimate determinator of the party nominee.  Being the first night of the Convention, he had as much freedom to craft his speech as possible to give his outline of the Democratic Party.  An outline that might rough some feathers.
However, given the division in the primaries he had an opportunity here to change history.  While the role of primaries had increased significantly since the 1960's, the uncertainty of the 1988 Primary Season gave Westman an opportunity to use his address, the Keynote Address, to change the direction of the party in 1988.
He pulled out a cigar and lit it.  After taking a big swig of whiskey and coke, he glazed over at the tv screen, with the poll numbers, and sighed,

I just hope that I can get out of here without receiving a lynching.

End of Westman Part I.

[Mechaman]

Dear readers,

rest assured that while the STORY of Part I has ended that the purpose of this thread hasn't.  I mostly ended this part of the story (ie, Beginnings to Green Montana) more out of a convenience to the progression of the story.  I've found that, while going through the story, that I have a tendency to add a lot of things like electoral results, party registration, differing laws by state, etc. etc. etc.  What I am doing here is to move the story progression to another thread while keeping this thread open for comments and further early timeline details.  For instance, if I decide to make an update about how each state voted in 1948 for President you will find that in this thread.  If I decide to make a pure storyline entry it will be in the second thread.  Basically:

Historical Data: Data about the political environment based off of textbooks and electoral analyses pre-1988.  Included in this thread.  Electoral analyses that happens in 1987 and onwards not already covered in this thread will occur in Part II.

Storyline Entries: Entries that continue the story.  This not only includes entries past February of 1987, but future "flashback" entries (since, in a manner of speaking these entries are reflective in nature).  Further Storyline Entries will be included in the most current Part, not in previous Parts.

So, don't feel that this is really the end of this thread, just merely the end of the Story of Part I.

-Mecha

[Mechaman]

Alright nevermind.

All future posts will be in part two.  I'm too lazy to post here.