Collaborative Presidential Elections - New

[Knives]

1944
Presidents Perkins first term was met with mixed results and quite a lot of animosity.

Although Labor figures were strong and unemployment low, Perkin's plan to create a minimum wage was met with extreme hostility from fiscal conservatives despite this with the support of all Socialists, Communists and around half of the Christian's the bill was passed angering the Republican's and creating a rift in the Christian Alliance that would cripple the party in the 1942 mid-terms and the 1944 election. With the bill passed attacks from the business community on Perkins and the Socialists savaged the image of the party but when she was attacked for not being male the feminist movement throughout the nation rose up calling for anti-discrimination laws to be created. Perkins was extremely cautious of enacting such laws and promised if she won re-election and had support for the house and senate she'd really make strides to end all this hatred.

Despite fears the economy would collapse all the wage hike did was increase the buying power of the consumer which increased tax revenue  and business profits. And with a nation at peace not much could go wrong. It was all smooth sailing in the 1942 mid-terms for the Socialists in which gains were made in the House, Senate and Governors mansions.

However disaster struck when in 1943 Germany supported by Italy and Spain invaded Poland. Fearing the decline of Communism throughout Poland and honoring a protection agreement with Poland, President Perkins with the support of Great Britain, France, the Soviets and many Baltic states declared war on what would be known as 'the Axis'. Three weeks after war was declared with full House and Senate support military funding was increased including the expansion of the Hawaiian naval base 'Pearl Harbor' construction begun straight away and over 500 fighter planes and 20 ships were sent to the base in case the US would have to declare war in Axis supporter Japan. Weeks after the construction began the Japanese on advice from the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor killing 3 421 troops destroying 324 planes and sinking all 20 ships. With full House and Senate support the US declared war on Japan backed by the pacific power Great Britain.

The united states rallied around President Perkins and her support was reaching as high as 94% as the onset of election campaigns took off.

The Socialists unanimously re-nominated President Perkins and Vice President Henry Wallace.

The Christian Alliance hoping to for the first time win the White house changed their platform hoping to steal support from the Republicans switch to a more economically conservative platform which sent countless supporters straight to the Socialist Labor party. The Alliance went on to nominate Episcopalian Mr. Wendell Willkie with VP Charles L. McNary

The Republicans opposing the unions nominated staunch conservative Senator Robert Taft and tried to win the Socialist north by nominating Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg.

The Communists hoping to have some impact on the race nominated extreme Communist William Z. Foster who was extremely popular within unions as well as choosing Harry Haywood as their VP nominee.

President Frances Perkins (SL-NY)/ Vice President Henry Wallace (SL-IA) 327 EV & 36.3%
Senator Robert Taft (R-OH)/ Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg (R-MI) 113 EV & 27.6%
Mr. Wendell WilLkie (CA-IN)/ Senator Charles L. McNary (CA-OR) 83 EV 27.4%
William Z. Foster (C-MA)/ Harry Haywood (C-NE) 8 EV 8.7%

President Frances Perkins (SL-NY)/ Vice President Henry Wallace (SL-IA) 334EV 56.4%
Senator Robert Taft (R-OH)/ Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg (R-MI) 197EV 43.6%

House

163 Socialist Labor
121 Republicans
100 Christian Alliance
51 Communists

Senate
41 Socialist Labor
23 Republicans
20 Christian Alliance
16 Communists

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

With victory over the Axis powers in 1946, the Socialist Labor party was riding high. Large gains in the mid-terms, a rousing foreign policy coup and a war won, and a successful domestic policy seems to be the hallmark of Perkins' presidency. However, as 1947 began, things started sliding downhill. In foreign policy, Vice President Wallace--who'd been charged with post-war foreign policy--had allowed the Soviet Union great liberty in the divvying up of post-war Europe. Meanwhile, Communists gained power in China. On the domestic front, the end of the war signaled the end of war production. Meanwhile, regulations put in place by Socialists over the last six years was hampering economic growth just as deficits from wartime spending and social programs was causing inflation to go on the rise.

1948
As Vice President Henry Wallace was under investigation for having suspected Communists and agents of the Soviet Union in his staff, his popularity soured. The Socialists refused to nominate Wallace. Instead, isolationist Senator Robert La Follette Jr. was nominated. Meanwhile the Republicans nominated moderate Thomas Dewey. General George S. Patton, a hero from the war who had been sought after for political office, was finally cajoled to run for President by the Christian Alliance. While Patton's own religious views were unknown by many, his proposed anti-Communist policies marked a contrast between the isolationist La Follette and the internationalist Dewey.

General George S. Patton (CA-CA)/Senator Richard Russell Jr. (CA-GA) 241 electoral votes
Governor Thomas Dewey (R-NY)/Governor John Bricker (R-OH) 155 electoral votes
Senator Robert La Follette (SL-WI)/Governor Earl Warren (SL-CA) 135 electoral votes

In the run-off election, only Patton and Dewey qualified. The Christian Alliance party easily cast Dewey as part of an out-of-touch Eastern elite, even comparing him to Wallace. Dewey's lack of charisma and lack of presence on the campaign trail deeply harmed him. Combined with Patton's popularity and the recession--for which Patton blamed a "Do Nothing Republican and Socialist Congress".

General George S. Patton (CA-CA)/Senator Richard Russell Jr. (CA-GA) 397 electoral votes
Governor Thomas Dewey (R-NY)/Governor John W. Bricker (R-OH) 134 electoral votes

[Kitteh]

1952
President Patton was the first president in fifty years to successfully implement conservative economic policies. Patton decided to avoid any drastic changes to Socialist Labor's welfare programs, which remained popular, and focused on moderately trimming government spending, eliminating some wealth taxes that Socialist Labor had implemented during the war, somewhat curtailing the rights of unions, and paying down some of the wartime debt. A significant foreign policy challenge came just months after Patton took office when the Chinese and North Korean governments invaded South Korea, but Patton responded swiftly by sending US troops to aid the South (which was supported by all major parties except the Communists). By 1952, US troops had successfully repelled the attack, and the war had settled into a stalemate. The majority of Americans approved of Patton's domestic and foreign policies, and he was widely viewed as a capable, moderate leader.

Many on the right-wing were not satisfied by Patton, however, as they saw him as too moderate and conciliatory towards the left at home and the USSR abroad. In 1952, he faced a primary challenge from General Douglas MacArthur, who Patton had removed from command in Korea for insubordination in 1951. Patton had the support of the overwhelming majority of the Christian Alliance establishment and easily defeated MacArthur at the Christian Alliance convention.

However, MacArthur was not going to stand for defeat. MacArthur and a small number of conservative delegates walked out of the Christian Alliance convention and founded a new political party, the American Party, with the support of some right-wing Republicans. MacArthur chose Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy (who defected from the Republican party) as his running mate. MacArthur and McCarthy ran on a platform that called for expanding the North Korean war to include overthrow of the Communist Chinese government, using nuclear weapons against China, enacting strong anti-union laws, fighting against perceived Communists domestically, and strongly supporting segregation in the South.

The Socialist Labor party nominated their 1948 vice-presidential candidate, California governor Earl Warren, for president, and Idaho senator Glen H. Taylor for vice-president. They campaigned on a traditional Socialist Labor platform, promising to reinstate wealth taxes and support unions. For the first time, the party did not attempt to downplay the anti-segregation planks of their platform, with Governor Warren and Senator Taylor making impassioned appeals for civil rights for blacks on the convention floor.

The Republicans nominated senator John J. Williams of Delaware for president, who was very popular nationwide for his anti-corruption efforts. Williams picked noted conservative Robert Taft as his running mate in an attempt to secure right-wing support. The Republican platform supported major tax and spending cuts and a non-interventionist foreign policy.

The Communist party was still a significant force in this election. While they were strongly opposed by the majority of Americans, they picked up the support of some left-wing Socialist Labor supporters who opposed the Korean War. The Communists nominated a historic ticket of Paul Robeson for president and Virginia Foster Durr for vice president, marking the first major black candidate for president as well as the first ticket where no candidate was a white man.

The outcome of the presidential campaign was never in doubt; President Patton's strong approval ratings guaranteed he would be reelected. Warren ran a passionate campaign nonetheless, while "Whispering Willie" was uncharismatic and failed to gain much traction. All the parties attacked MacArthur as a dangerous radical.

First Round:

President George S. Patton (CA-CA)/Vice President Richard Russell Jr. (CA-GA) 306 EVs, 33.4% of the popular vote
Governor Earl Warren (SL-CA)/Senator Glen H. Taylor (SL-ID) 140 EVs, 24.3% of the popular vote
Senator John J. Williams (R-DE)/Senator Robert Taft (R-OH) 48 EVs, 15.5% of the popular vote
General Douglas MacArthur (AM-VA)/Senator Joseph McCarthy (AM-WI) 37 EVs, 16.3% of the popular vote
Paul Robeson (C-NY)/Virginia Foster Durr (C-AL) 0 EVs, 9.5% of the popular vote

Despite a spirited effort by Socialist Labor, the second round was the largest landslide since the introduction of the runoff system.

President George S. Patton (CA-CA)/Vice President Richard Russell Jr. (CA-GA) 471 EVs, 61.0% of the popular vote
Governor Earl Warren (SL-CA)/Senator Glen H. Taylor (SL-ID) 60 EVs, 39.0% of the popular vote

House
Christian Alliance 279
Socialist Labor 105
Republican 99
American 31
Communist 3
Other 13

Senate:
Christian Alliance 48
Socialist Labor 25
Republican 21
American 4
Other 2

The Christian Alliance held a massive majority in the House and a near-majority in the senate. Notably, Senator Joseph McCarthy was defeated by a Socialist Labor candidate.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

1956
President Patton’s second term saw his continued implementation of his conservative agenda. Income taxes were reduced to 60% in 1953, and in 1954, he passed a series of welfare reform bills with bipartisan support that ended welfare benefits and free government services to individuals making more than $100,000 per year. He also created the American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), a government run radio and television channel, but allowed private enterprises access to the government controlled airwaves. His rightwing stance on immigration angered communists when he ordered a complete halt to all immigration from Mexico in order to open up agricultural jobs in the west. While some Socialists, and most Republicans and Christian Alliance supporters held the President in high esteem, the radical left did not. During his 1955 State of the Union speech, two members of a group titled “The Revolutionary Brotherhood of Chicanos and Negroes” opened fire from the balcony in the House chamber, killing Patton immediately. Vice President Russell escaped without injury, while House Speaker William Meyer, a Socialist from Vermont, was severely injured.

The Christian Alliance Convention opened with a tribute for the late President Patton. President Russell was nominated with no opposition, and Virginia Senator Harry Byrd was nominated for Vice President. President Russell, who governed only slightly more to Patton’s right, promised to continue the “Patton legacy”, but took a much more extreme position on civil rights, including the re-segregation of the army.  The American Party dissolved itself, and endorsed the Russell/Byrd ticket.

The Socialist Labor Party nominated former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt after several ballots. Roosevelt beat out former Vice President Henry Wallace, and Governor Earl Warren for the nomination. Estes Kefauver, a Senator from Tennessee, was nominated for Vice President.

The Republican Party nominated Senator Robert Taft and Congressman Barry Goldwater of Arizona for President. The ticket was popular with the “New Right”, which wanted less federal government intervention in the economy, as well as an isolationist foreign policy.

The Communist Party nominated labor activist Farrell Dobbs and 84 year old civil rights activist WEB DuBois as their national ticket. The party platform called for the “mobilization of the American minority to achieve the democratic revolution.” The Communist Party had been a major organizer in the civil rights movement, and the addition of DuBois on the ticket solidified their support among African Americans.

Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt (SL-NY)/Senator Estes Kefauver (SL-TE)-240 EV, 34.6% of the popular vote.
Senator Robert Taft (R-OH)/Congressman Barry Goldwater (R-AZ)-146 EV, 31.8% of the popular vote.
President Richard Russell (CA-GA)/Senator Harry Byrd (CA-VA)-145 EV, 27.3% of the popular vote.
Mr. Farrell Dobbs (C-CA)/Mr. WEB DuBois (C-NY)-5.7% of the popular vote.
Other (Nationalist, Labor, New Democratic)-0.6% of the popular vote.

Taft and Roosevelt went on towards the runoff. Roosevelt hoped to become the second female President, and with popular former President Frances Perkins heavily campaigning on her behalf, most women and minority voters headed towards the Socialists Labor Party. The “Peoples Coalition”, a group of Socialists activist from all walks of life, campaigned across the country. Unfortunately for Roosevelt, the influx of woman voters and African Americans was not enough to build a winning coalition, and Taft won one of the closest elections in American history. States like New York and Ohio would flip in the runoff due to the lack of Christian Alliance and Communist candidates.

Senator Robert Taft (R-OH)/Congressman Barry Goldwater (R-AZ)-268 EV, 50.2% of the popular vote.
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt (SL-NY)/Senator Estes Kefauver (SL-TE)-263 EV, 49.8% of the popular vote.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Presidents of the United States
18. Horatio Seymour (D-NY), 1869-1877.
19. John Hartranft (R-PA), 1877-1882.
20. Arthur Boreman (R-WV), 1882-1885.
21. Samuel Tilden (D-NY), 1885-1886.
22. Thomas Hendricks (D-IN), 1886-1890.
23. Grover Cleveland (D-NY), 1890-1897.
24. William McKinley (R-OH), 1897-1905.
25. Eugene Debs (LS-IN), 1905-1909.
26. Nelson Aldrich (R-RI), 1909-1913.
27. Champ Clark (D-MO), 1913-1917.
28. Upton Sinclair (SL-NJ), 1917-1925.
29. Victor Berger (SL-WI), 1925-1933.
30. Franklin Roosevelt (SL-NY), 1933-1937.
31. Henry Styles Bridges (R-NH), 1937-1941.
32. Frances Perkins (SL-MA), 1941-1949.
33.George Patton (CA-CA), 1949-1955.
34. Richard Russell (CA-GA), 1955-1957.
35. Robert Taft (R-OH), 1957-1961.
36. John Kennedy (SL-MA), 1961-1965.
37. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ), 1965-??.

Vice Presidents of the United States.
17. Francis Blair (D-MO), 1869-1877.
18. Arthur Boreman (R-WV), 1877-1882.
Vacant, 1882-1885.
19. Thomas Hendricks (D-IN), 1885-1886.
Vacant, 1886-1889.
20. Grover Cleveland (D-NY), 1889-1890.
Vacant, 1890-1893
21. Horace Boies (D-IA), 1890-1897.
22. Levi P. Morton (R-NY), 1897-1905.
23. John W. Kern (LS-IN), 1905-1909.
24. Philander C. Knox (R-PA), 1909-1913.
25. William Smith (R-MI), 1913-1917.
26. Victor Berger (SL-WI), 1917-1921.
27. Irvine Lenroot (R-WI), 1921-1925.
28. Franklin Roosevelt (SL-NY), 1925-1933.
29. Frances Perkins (SL-MA), 1933-1937.
30. Alf Landon (R-KS), 1937-1941.
31. Henry Wallace (SL-IA), 1941-1949.
32. Richard Russell (CA-GA), 1949-1955.
Vacant, 1955-1957.
33. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ), 1957-1961.
34. Lyndon Johnson (SL-TX), 1961-1965.
35. Walter Judd (R-MN), 1965-??.

[Knives]

1960
The first term of Robert Taft was marred by indecision and lack of support from all other parties and a larger chunk of his own party.

Taft continuing what would be labeled as radical right-wing policy tried to lower income taxes to a flat rate of 22% a move that would've crippled the nations budget and economy to make up for the loss of money he announced plans to end medicaid and medicare as well as cut education, health and countless other services that Socialists had worked so hard to install. The move was an utter failure and was voted down 400 v 35 in the house. The move outraged the nation who were further enraged by poor economic figures as over the first two years of his term unemployment had risen to it's highest level of all time at 26%, with a recession setting in Taft continued to look to the right to see what he could do, and announced an enormous cut back in government spending while the Socialists called for a more moderate to left approach of investment in industry. Ultimately neither plan would pass the house and the nation would lose all confidence in the mid-terms for the Republicans.

The 1958 mid-terms were an embarrassment for the president as his party lost over 150 house seats to fall down to a lowly 67, and they further lost 25 seats in the senate most of which the Socialists gained. Fearing a major wipe out in the next election the Republican's enacted a war on Communism attempting to outlaw the Socialist Labor and Communist party, the move was an utter fail with the Supreme Court with a 100% majority declaring the decision un-constitutional.

The elections rolled around and despite fierce opposition knowing Taft would indefinably lose the election he was renominated as they didn't want to waste a future candidate on an impossible election. Goldwater was also renominated.

On the Socialist side young Senator John F. Kennedy a champion of civil rights and liberal economic policy was nominated with popular Texan Lydon B. Johnson. The race was predicted to be a close one but in the end JFK won every state due to his charisma and likability.

The Christian Alliance angered over the loss in 1956 despite having a sitting President nominated hard lining Baptist Storm Thurmond who was once a strong liberal had become over the years a staunch conservative. His VP choice was Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.

The Communists nominated the popular Gus Hall and Eugene Dennis.

Senator John F. Kennedy (SL-MA)/ Senator Lydon B. Johnson (SL-TX) 414 EV & 51.8%
President Robert Taft (R-OH)/ Vice President Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) 4 EV & 8.3%
Senator Storm Thurmond (CA-SC)/ Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. (CA-MA) 95 EV & 27.3%
Mr Gus Hall (C-NY)/ Mr Eugene Dennis (C-WA) 18 EV & 20.9%

Senator John F. Kennedy (SL-MA)/ Senator Lydon B. Johnson (SL-TX) 483 EV & 69.8%
Senator Storm Thurmond (CA-SC)/ Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. (CA-MA) 48 EV & 30.2%

The election was an amazing win for the Socialists and the Communists with both receiving their highest popular vote of all time.

House
277 Socialist Labor
63 Communist
60 Christian Alliance
35 Republicans


Senate
52 Socialist Labor
20 Communist
19 Christian Alliance
9 Republicans

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Robert Taft would never have banned a political party. He was pretty libertarian. Sorry mate

[Knives]

This is an alternate history, I highly doubt Elizabeth Perkins would've been anywhere near president.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

This is an alternate history, I highly doubt Elizabeth Perkins would've been anywhere near president.

Alternate history does not mean you can change the personalities of people completely. I felt like the last post was somewhat biased towards your views, and not the circumstances of the timeline.

[Kitteh]

This is an alternate history, I highly doubt Elizabeth Perkins would've been anywhere near president.

Alternate history does not mean you can change the personalities of people completely. I felt like the last post was somewhat biased towards your views, and not the circumstances of the timeline.

Yeah, I agree with this. The point of these things is to come up with possible ways history could have gone differently, not to totally twist things far away from plausibility.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

1964
John Kennedy represented a new era for the Socialist Labor Party. Despite his affluent background, Kennedy ran and won on a platform of “modern socialism”. While the Socialists were able to achieve strong majorities in Congress, very little legislation was passed due to feuds within the Socialist leadership. By mid 1961, Vice President Johnson was cut off completely with the administration, and the President’s brother and Attorney General, Bobby Kennedy became the main policy crafter in the Kennedy administration. In 1963, all hell broke loose among the Socialist Labor ranks. President Kennedy was caught in an affair with actress Marilyn Monroe. The scandal grew worse when First Lady Jackie Kennedy moved out of the White House.

The Socialist Labor Party would go through its worst feud in decades. The Policy Committee, lead by Earl Long, vocally opposed President Kennedy, while the Central Committee itself, lead by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, supported the President. In early 1964, Johnson announced he would challenge the President for the nomination, and a brutal primary began between the two. At the Socialist convention, Johnson squeaked out a narrow victory on the second ballot, and won the nomination. Senator Hubert Humphrey was selected as his running mate.

The Republicans nominated popular former Vice President Barry Goldwater, and Congressman Walter Judd as their ticket. The Republican Party also began organizing for victories in Congress, hoping to regain strength after their record defeat in 1960.

The Christian Alliance Party nominated Alabama Governor George Wallace and Senator Strom Thurmond as their ticket. The party was becoming confined to the South, and fears that another rise of the American Party were enough of a reason for the party to forfeit a national campaign in order to shore up the South.

The Communist Party nominated famed Civil Rights advocate Martin Luther King Jr, and Party Chairman Eugene Dennis as their ticket. The party strategy sought to win over urban and inner city voters. The party was also becoming popular with a new generation of young Americans.

Former Vice President Barry Goldwater (R-AZ)/Congressman Walter Judd (R-MN)-239 EV, 34.7% of the popular vote.
Vice President Johnson (SL-TX)/Senator Hubert Humphrey (SL-MN)-224 EV, 33.9% of the popular vote.
Governor George Wallace (CA-AL)/Senator Strom Thurmond (CA-SC)-72 EV, 21.0% of the popular vote.
Mr. Martin Luther King Jr. (C-AL)/ Mr. Eugene Dennis (C-CA)-3 EV, 10.3% of the popular vote.
Other (Labor, Prohibition, New Democratic)-0.1% of the popular vote.

Goldwater and Johnson went on into the runoff. Johnson attempted to tie Goldwater to the Taft Presidency, which failed. Goldwater was more successful in tying Johnson to the tarnished Kennedy family. The Johnson campaign also was unsuccessful in courting centrist voters, who felt that Johnson’s civil rights positions would be too extreme, and quite possibly antagonize the South, which had tedious race relations to say the least.
  

Former Vice President Barry Goldwater (R-AZ)/Congressman Walter Judd (R-MN)-304 EV, 56.3% of the popular vote.
Vice President Johnson (SL-TX)/Senator Hubert Humphrey (SL-MN)-234 EV, 43.7% of the popular vote.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

This is an alternate history, I highly doubt Elizabeth Perkins would've been anywhere near president.

Alternate history does not mean you can change the personalities of people completely. I felt like the last post was somewhat biased towards your views, and not the circumstances of the timeline.

I hate to jump onto some bullying bandwagon, but I agree, and far from somewhat. I like to have diverse victories. However, whenever I post, I feel obligated to have a right-wing candidate win simply in order to balance out what's been posted by solopop.

[Kitteh]

1968
The Goldwater presidency was dominated by conflict. Goldwater, a strong believer in states' rights, refused to push any federal civil rights legislation. This volatile situation in the South continued to devolve, and mostly peaceful protests gave way to large scale race riots that required the President to call in the national guard.

On foreign policy, President Goldwater decided soon after taking office to send American troops to Vietnam, something that former President Taft had opposed. This was escalated in 1966 to a full declaration of war on North Vietnam. American troops had pushed quickly into North Vietnamese territory, closing about half the ground to Hanoi, however Communist guerrilla attacks from Laos and Cambodia had forced the Americans to abandon their offensive and refocus on defending the South. The war was fiercely opposed by many Americans, especially young people, and there were mass student protests on campuses across the US.

But it was in 1967 that all hell finally broke loose. After years of negotiating, President Goldwater had finally gotten Republicans in Congress to support his Right to Work act. Immediately after the act had been introduced in Congress, a group of longshoremen in Seattle went on strike to protest. The Socialist Labor party and their union allies were strongly opposed to the bill, but they also made the tactical decision to oppose the strike for fear of being associated with radical protest movements. The longshoremen continued to strike, and they were quickly joined by workers across the country, so that within a few days a wildcat general strike had broken out across the country. The strikers were joined by students, Mexican-American farmworkers, and African-Americans. Tens of millions of people took to the streets across America, and the strike brought the country to a halt. Police forces responded angrily, and on Monday, April 11th, 1967 (a date that would go down in infamy as "Red Monday") President Goldwater called in the national guard to break the strike. The protesters responded violently and riots broke out across the country. By the time the riots were quelled a week later, over 100 police and protesters had died. The majority of the American public supported Goldwater's response. The events solidified his falling approval ratings, and the Right to Work Act passed. The events had been devastating to Socialist Labor and their mainstream union allies, as their response to the strike and support for action against the rioters had lost them the confidence of their base.

In 1968, President Goldwater and Vice President Judd were easily renominated by the GOP. Goldwater's only opposition came from Ohio Senator Robert Taft Jr., who criticized Goldwater for abandoning his father's non-interventionist foreign policy. Goldwater campaigned as a strong leader and the only person who could keep the country together. The Republican platform had a moderate position on civil rights, supporting efforts to enact civil rights at the state level but also opposing federal legislation on states' rights grounds.

Taft found little support in the Republican primaries, but he was determined to carry on his father's legacy. Taft left the GOP to found the Libertarian party, and chose economist Murray Rothbard as his running mate.

Socialist Labor was extremely divided heading into the elections. An early favorite for the nomination was former Attorney General Robert Kennedy, who was well known nationwide and was popular among African-Americans and others groups who had been drifting away from Socialist Labor for his civil rights advocacy. However, Kennedy was assassinated early into the campaign, leaving Socialist Labor without a clear leader. The Socialist Labor convention in Chicago was deadlocked, until Mayor Richard Daley stepped in behind Ohio Senator Frank J Lausche as a compromise candidate. Lausche won the nomination and selected former ambassador and head of the Peace Corps Sargent Shriver as his running mate. The Socialist Labor called for civil rights and anti-poverty measures as a way to end the division in the country while opposing the radical protest movements. There were massive protests outside the convention by many left-wingers who felt that the party was selling out its principles. A number of prominent members of the Socialist Labor left, including Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern, walked out of the convention to join the Communists.

Actor John Wayne won the Christian Alliance nomination for president and chose Governor George Wallace as his running mate. The Christian Alliance was at this point almost exclusively a Southern party and had lost most of their support to the Republicans. Wayne ran a campaign strongly opposed to civil rights, and hoped to put pressure on Goldwater to keep him from moving too far to the center.

The Communist party had been gaining strength rapidly among African-Americans, students, and workers who supported the 1967 strike. Activist Martin Luther King Jr. was widely expected to run again as the Communist candidate, however after he was assassinated the Communists turned to his wife, Coretta Scott King, as their candidate. King's running mate was Glen H. Taylor, the Socialist Labor vice presidential candidate in 1952. King had been defeated for reelection as Idaho senator in 1952, however in 1954 he ran for Congress in the district in suburban Maryland where he lived while Senator and won. Taylor was now one of the most senior and respected members of the House, and a leading figure in the left-wing of the Socialist Labor party before he joined the Communist party in 1967 after the Socialist Labor response to Red Monday. The Communists aligned themselves with the protest movements across the country, supported civil rights, radical anti-poverty legislation, and an end to the war in Vietnam. In a first for a major political party, the Communists added a platform plank supporting legalized abortion (which was opposed by Socialist Labor and fiercely opposed by the Christian Alliance, while President Goldwater supported it in theory but felt it should be left up to the states). The Communists also officially broke with Moscow and took an independent position in this election.

A number of radical left groups, who opposed the Communist Party's emphasis on electoral politics, nominated Huey P. Newton for president and Bernardine Dohrn for vice president under the Socialist Freedom party banner. The Socialist Freedom party viewed electoral politics as futile and sought to build a revolutionary far-left coalition.

First Round:

President Barry Goldwater (R-AZ)/Vice President Walter Judd (R-MN) 397 EVs, 33.3% of the popular vote
Ms Coretta Scott King (C-AL)/Congressman Glen H. Taylor (C-MD) 48 EVs, 21.1% of the popular vote
Mr John Wayne (CA-CA)/Governor George Wallace (CA-AL) 47 EVs, 18.6 % of the popular vote
Senator Frank J. Lausche (SL-OH)/Mr Sargent Shriver (SL-MA) 46 EVs, 22.2% of the popular vote
Senator Robert Taft Jr. (L-OH)/Mr Murray Rothbard (L-NY) 0 EVs, 4.0% of the popular vote
Mr Huey P. Newton (SF-CA)/Ms Bernardine Dohrn (SF-IL) 0 EVs, 0.8% of the popular vote

President Goldwater came out first by far in the first round, but his opponent in the second round was not known for a number of days. In the end, despite receiving the second-most votes, the Socialist Labor party finished fourth in the electoral college, and Coretta Scott King went into the runoff against Goldwater, by far the best result ever for a Communist candidate in the US.

The President won an overwhelming reelection victory over the Communist party, the largest victory since the passage of the 19th Amendment.

President Barry Goldwater (R-AZ)/Vice President Walter Judd (R-MN) 460 EVs, 61.4% of the popular vote
Ms Coretta Scott King (C-AL)/Congressman Glen H. Taylor (C-MD) 78 EVs, 38.6% of the popular vote

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

1972
The second term of Barry Goldwater was considerably less controversial than the first. In his second term, he vetoed a bill legalizing abortion supported by the Communists and Republicans much to the surprise of the Socialist Labor Party. He also did not attempt to privatize programs like Social Security, and instead, significantly weakened the federal government’s involvement in such programs. By the end of his term in 1972, his popularity among the right and the center was higher than ever.

At the 1976 Republican Convention, many expected Vice President Judd to seek the nomination. To the shock of the party, Judd declined to run, and immediately, the Conservative wing of the party rallied around California Governor Ronald Reagan. Reagan was the favorite for the nomination, but he still faced opposition. Texas Senator George Bush and Florida Governor Claude Kirk announced campaigns, and managed to make it to a second ballot. Fearing a deadlocked convention, President Goldwater persuaded Kirk to drop his bid and endorse Reagan, which he did, allowing Reagan to win the nomination on the second ballot. To unite the party, moderate Senator Gerald Ford was nominated for the Vice Presidency.

The Socialist Labor Convention was also chaotic. Senate Majority Leader Richard Nixon represented the moderate wing of the party, and had considerable support from the Central Committee and Politburo. However, he faced several strong rivals in the primaries. Senators Hubert Humphrey, Ed Muskie, Ted Kennedy, and Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm all ran campaigns for the nomination, and amassed large blocks of delegates heading into the convention. Nixon agreed to pick his main rival, Humphrey as the Vice Presidential candidate in order to win the nomination quickly. The Nixon/Humphrey ticket was easily nominated, and fortunately for Nixon, much of the party united around him.

Senators George McGovern and Eugene McCarthy, who left for the Communist Party in 1968, were drafted by at the Communist Party Convention. The McGovern/McCarthy ticket picked up support among anti war leftists, as well as blue collar workers who felt Nixon was too moderate for the Socialist Labor Party.

Angry at the Communist Party for “selling out”, the Socialist Freedom Party nominated activist Abbie Hoffman for President, and controversial poet Allen Ginsburg for Vice President, hoping they would be the voice of the “New Left”. The party only managed to achieve ballot access in Florida, California, Vermont, and Washington DC, and did not get any attention in the campaign.

The Christian Alliance nominated George Wallace for President, and John McKeithan for Vice President. The party ran on its usual populist platform, with many of its northern supporters leaning towards Reagan as the Christian Alliance became more and more confined to the South.

The Libertarian Party nominated economist Murray Rothbard for President, and for Vice President, former actor Frank O’Connor, the husband of acclaimed author Ayn Rand (who was still cold towards Libertarians, preferring her own philosophy of Objectivism.)  The party was still obscure, but was gaining a following among young Americans turned off by the New Left and the war in Vietnam.

The general election saw a brutal slugfest between Nixon and Reagan. Nixon attacked Reagan’s governorship, even referring to himself as a “survivor” of the Reagan years in California. Reagan attacked Nixon for his strong armed style of leadership in the Senate, and his aggressive campaigning in general. The Communists were also considered major contenders once more, building a broad electoral coalition, calling for the revamping of several government programs, and for the first time, gay rights. The Christian Alliance, Libertarians, and Socialist Freedom Party were failing to register in the polls close enough to be considered for the runoff. In the end, the Christian Alliance were able to pull ahead in North Carolina, and Georgia, allowing them to gain a distant third place, upsetting the Communists. The Socialists and Republicans were heading into the runoff.

Senator Richard Nixon (SL-CA)/Senator Hubert Humphrey (SL-MN)-239 EV, 31.1% of the popular vote.
Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA)/Senator Gerald Ford (R-MI)-158 EV, 28.7% of the popular vote.
Governor George Wallace (CA-AL)/Governor John McKeithan (CA-LA)-76 EV, 22.3% of the popular vote.
Senator George McGovern (C-SD)/Senator Eugene McCarthy (C-MN)-65 EV, 14.9% of the popular vote.
Mr. Murray Rothbard (L-NY)/Mr. Frank O’Connor (L-CA)-2.6% of the popular vote.
Mr. Abbie Hoffman (SF-CA)/Mr. Allen Ginsburg (SF-NY)-0.3% of the popular vote.
Other (Union, New Democratic, Prohibition)-0.1% of the popular vote.

The runoff campaign between Nixon and Reagan was close from the beginning. Reagan called for “all out victory” in Vietnam, while Nixon, trying to woo more Conservative voters, only desired “peace with honor”, which turned off many voters who identified with the antiwar left. However, Nixon was able to spin Reagan’s support for an increase in defense spending, and his so called “Star Wars” defense initiative against him.

Senator Richard Nixon (SL-CA)/Senator Hubert Humphrey (SL-MN)-280 EV, 50.1% of the popular vote.
Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA)/Senator Gerald Ford (R-MI)-258 EV, 49.9% of the popular vote.
In the end, and after two recounts, Nixon won Pennsylvania, and thus the election, by 133 votes, making it one of the closest elections on record.

House
Socialist Labor-134
Republican-131
Communist-99
Christian Alliance-68
Libertarian-2
Socialist Freedom-1

Senate
Socialist Labor-34
Republican-29
Christian Alliance-25
Communist-11
Independent-1
Libertarian-1

[Knives]

Okay guys, I did have a bias. I'll be better I swear.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Okay guys, I did have a bias. I'll be better I swear.

Hey, its not a big deal I mean, we all have some bias, but its best to let it flow with the timeline, and not against.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Nixon, a domestic moderate, was largely interested in foreign policy. He left domestic policy to be largely run by Vice President Humphrey who oversaw desegregation and the creation of new governmental agencies. Meanwhile, Nixon and foreign policy adviser Henry Kissinger, sought a new detente with the Soviet Union. As well, in 1974 he became the first President to recognize Communist China. However, Nixon would return his focus to domestic policy in order to stave off inflation, enacting Wage & Price controls. Despite opposition from the Right, Nixon viewed his main political opponents as "those damned Communist party cocksuckers!" and ordered the wire-tapping of Senator Eugene McCarthy and others.

1976
Nixon, looking to create what he termed a "New Socialist Majority", ran to the center. From his Left came Senator Eugene McCarthy on the Communist ticket. Meanwhile, Congressman John G. Schmitz of California, on the Christian Alliance ticket, would famously quip "I have no problem with Nixon visiting China. The problem is that he came back". Despite this and other one-liners by Schmitz, he was seen as far too radical. Ultimately, Nixon's main opponent would be Republican nominee would be Senator Robert Taft Jr. of Ohio. A Paleo-Conservative, Taft spoke out against Nixon's "Centralized domestic policy" and "Internationlist sell-outs".

President Richard M. Nixon (SL-CA)/Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey (SL-MN) 188 electoral votes, 35.6% of the popular vote
Senator Robert Taft Jr. (R-OH)/Governor Jimmy Carter (R-GA) 178 electoral votes, 32.2% of the popular vote
Senator Eugene McCarthy (C-MN)/Governor Edward M. Kennedy (C-MA) 102 electoral votes, 18% of the popular vote
Congressman John G. Schmitz (CA-CA)/Former Governor Lester Maddox (CA-GA) 14.2% of the popular vote

President Nixon was outraged at how close the election's first round. With that in mind, he resolved that in the coming weeks, Taft would find himself far, far behind in the polls. Secretary of Defense Henry M. Jackson was sent on a speaking tour of factories, talking about how Taft's defense and tariff cuts would harm the manufacturing industry. Vice President Humphrey's job would be to speak in the Farm Belt, warning of cuts to agricultural subsidies. As well, Nixon made appearances of his own, including speeches at pro-Israeli groups discussing Taft's lack of fervor in supporting Israel, and an event with Communist VP nominee Teddy Kennedy in Massachusetts in order to re-affirm support among Catholics (A largely pro-Communist voting bloc).

President Richard M. Nixon (SL-CA)/Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey (SL-MN) 304 electoral votes, 52.6% of the popular vote
Senator Robert Taft, Jr. (R-OH)/Governor James E. Carter (R-GA) 47.4% of the popular vote

[Kitteh]

Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 in this timeline. See my last post.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 in this timeline. See my last post.

Took the easy way out and just changed it to Ted.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Was the 22nd amendment passed in this timeline?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Was the 22nd amendment passed in this timeline?

Not so far, so any President could seek a third term if they wanted .

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

1980:

Richard Nixon was one of the most moderate leaders ever to be elected under the Socialist Labor banner - and he was also one of the most canny political strategists to ever occupy the White House. He began his Presidency with only a narrow mandate, and from the start he sought to distance himself from the previous SL Presidents by reaching out to the opposition. This continued with his second term, and his popularity stayed steady. While past Presidents had abided by an unwritten rule to only serve two terms, it soon became clear that Richard Nixon had bigger plans.

Vietnam, the biggest thorn in the President's side, was soon turned to his favor as he began the process of withdrawing US troops, but pressured the recalcitrant Houses of Congress into approving a robust aid package for the South Vietnamese, providing them with weapons that allowed them to hold off the North Vietnamese forces. In the end, a tenuous truce was forged between North and South Vietnam, bringing an end to the conflict for now. While the anti-war left, driven by the Communist party, did not approve of continued American intervention in Vietnam, the majority of the public was happy to have troops out of harm's way, and was impressed by the approaches he made to China, fending off potential future wars in the region.

Nixon's economic policies kept a strong focus on helping the working class, reducing taxes for low earners and weakening the Right to Work act. However, he rejected many of the Socialist Labor Party's past economic strategies, instead choosing to chart a "Third Way" between the unapologetic capitalism of President Goldwater and the radicalism of the Communists. This resulted in no small amount of conflict between Nixon and his vice president, with Humphrey eventually choosing to retire from politics and not run again with Nixon.

As expected, Nixon was re-nominated without challengers at the Socialist Labor party convention - which Nixon had begun subtly to simply refer to as the "Labor" party, as part of his efforts to appeal to the center - despite some controversy over his decision to run for a third term. He shocked the country by choosing Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke, a charismatic African-American moderate, as his new running mate. This was an attempt by Nixon to offset his centrist politics and cut into the Communist party's lead with African-American voters.

The Republicans, caught off-guard by Nixon's plans, knew they had an uphill battle due to the outcome in Vietnam. Senator Bob Dole, a likable but low-key politician who had served his state well, stepped up as the candidate this time, choosing Texas Senator George Bush as his running mate.

The Communists were hoping for big gains this time, due to picking up disaffected ex-SL party members. The charismatic Governor Kennedy, who had overshadowed the top of the ticket four years ago, was tapped as the candidate. His choice as Vice President was Congressman Malcolm Little, a New York firebrand who had become the new face of the civil rights movement after King's assassination. Little's story of growing up amidst poverty and racial hatred, only to find purpose in the Communist party and rising through the ranks, energized the left and gave them hope for a comeback against Nixon.

The Christian Alliance party saw opportunity as well, with the Republicans finding themselves in dire straits. They had the most crowded primary, with Wallace, Maddox, McKeithen, and others running. The primary was eventually won by Wallace, who chose North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms, a fellow hardliner, as his running mate. Although in the past they had been an increasingly southern party, Wallace saw the changing tides and altered his platform, placing more of a focus on populism and economic issues.

The Libertarians, never a strong force electorally, nominated economist Milton Friedman and Texas Doctor Ron Paul as their ticket, aiming to increase the discussion of their views as well as build up a potential star in Paul. The Socialist Freedom party, seeing its membership dwindle in the wake of the Communists' resurgence, did not run a slate in '80.

While the campaign was energetic and filled with large personalities, it seemed like a foregone conclusion from the start. Nixon's plan bore fruit, giving him chunks of the base from most of the major parties and allowing him to open up a wide lead that he never relinquished. It soon became a battle for second place and the publicity that would come from a place in the runoff.

In the end, Nixon's strategy worked perfectly. The Republicans and Communists saw their bases heavily eaten into by Nixon's candidacy and Brooke's historic place on the ticket. The Christian Alliance, waging their strongest campaign since Patton's day, were able to limp into the runoff, giving  Nixon exactly the opponent he wanted. The biggest surprise of the night was the Libertarian ticket, which had waged an energetic campaign in neglected states, taking the state of Alaska.

President Richard Nixon (SL-CA)/Senator Edward Brooke (SL-MA) - 368 electoral votes, 36.1% of the popular vote
Governor George Wallace (CA-AL)/Senator Jesse Helms (CA-NC) - 78 electoral votes, 18.6% of the popular vote
Governor Edward Kennedy (C-MA)/Congressman Malcolm Little (C-NY) - 55 electoral votes, 19.2% of the popular vote
Senator Robert Dole (R-KS)/Senator George Herbert Walker Bush (R-TX) - 34 electoral votes, 18.1% of the popular vote
Economist Milton Friedman (L-NY)/Congressman Ron Paul (L-TX) - 3 electoral votes, 7.5% of the popular vote

The runoff was low key, with everyone knowing exactly who was going to win. Many supporters of the Communists chose to stay home, while disaffected Republicans broke for Nixon, choosing him over the arch-conservative Wallace. Nixon received a huge mandate for his third term and, many said, changed the face of American politics.

President Richard Nixon (SL-CA)/Senator Edward Brooke (SL-MA) - 420 electoral votes, 59.2% of the popular vote
Governor George Wallace (CA-AL)/Senator Jesse Helms (CA-NC) - 118 electoral votes, 40.8% of the popular vote

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Was the 22nd amendment passed in this timeline?

Not so far, so any President could seek a third term if they wanted .

I figured if anyone was going to take advantage, it was going to be Nixon.

I actually had this story planned for Nixon's second term, but Cath beat me and I didn't want to lose it. I find this Center-Left version of Nixon fascinating. This is one of the best timelines so far, and I wanted to play.

[Kitteh]

Hey, I like your contribution. Just in the future if you change where it says color=yellow to color=gold it makes it a little easier to read (personally I can't read anything in yellow without highlighting it). Also, if you want to make a fifth candidate show up on the electoral map (instead of just toss up grey) you can do this:
Take: &AK=0;3;3
and make it: &AK=5;3;3

If you do that with your map, for example, it gives you this:

You can only do that for up to 5 candidates, though. Anything above 4 shows up as brown, so a 5 and 6 would look the same.

The format that the atlas uses for these maps is [State]=[Candidate who won];[Electoral Votes];[Percentage that candidate got in state]

So you can change it in a lot of fun ways, like showing Wyoming with 100 EVs:

Or removing Wyoming altogether:

These can all be cool to use in alt history scenarios, although in this one we seem to be assuming that all the states had the population they historically did and that they all joined the union at the time they did.

Was the 22nd amendment passed in this timeline?

Not so far, so any President could seek a third term if they wanted .

Also, we seem to be operating under the assumption that you do not have to be a native born citizen (that would have disqualified President Berger).

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

1984
The third term of Richard Nixon ended before it ever really got off the ground when a crazed man by the name of John Hinckley shot and killed Nixon while he left a Trade Union convention in Washington, DC. Vice President Edward Brooke was sworn into office, and became the first African American President of the United States. Brooke’s term would not be easy for him. The economy saw little, if any growth, and the Republicans, and Libertarians began to call for the relaxation of wage and price controls. In early 1982, war broke out between Islamist supported Iran and the American supported government of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. The war was brutal, and in response to the US directly arming Iraq, other governments in the region, equally wary of Saddams expansionism as they were the Islamic Revolution in Iran, placed an oil embargo on the United States that would last for several months. This caused a major transportation crisis in the United States, which Brooke responded too by nationalizing all air and sea transport within the United States in order to keep them running. The nationalizations were costly, and the federal government had a growing deficit in the years of 1982 and 1983. Finally, before the elections, Brooke relented, and the nationalized transportation sector was privatized once again.

At the Socialist Labor Convention, Brooke was defeated on the first ballot by Senator Walter Mondale. The convention selected former Florida Governor Reubin Askew for Vice President. The Socialist Labor Party also narrowly voted to retain “Socialist” in its name, though it was generally known as the “Labor Party” by most in the country.

The Republicans nominated Connecticut Senator Lowell Weicker, and Congressman John Anderson of Illinois, as their ticket. The Republican Party shifted to a more socially liberal, and slightly more moderate economic platform at the convention.

The Communist Party nominated Senator Ted Kennedy once more, in hopes of finally claiming the White House. Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman, of New York, was selected for the Vice Presidency. The Kennedy/Holtzman ticket campaigned on a more leftwing platform than in 1980, with support for an Equal Rights Amendment, gay rights, and gun control, as well as heavier environmental regulations.

The Christian Alliance Party nominated Reverend Pat Robertson for President at their convention. Senator Jesse Helms was tapped for the Vice Presidential nomination. The platform was largely focused on social issues, among others, rescinding abortion rights and reinstating sodomy laws.

The Libertarian Party nominated Congressman Ron Paul for President. In order to win over disaffected Republicans, Paul asked businessman Ed Clark to be his running mate. The Libertarian Platform called for the abolition of the Central Bank, the privatization of Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, a non interventionist foreign policy, and a balanced budget.

The New Left Party was formed out of the ashes of the Socialist Freedom Party in 1983. The party nominated radical professors Angela Davis for President, and Barry Commoner for Vice President. The Party focused on inner city and environmental issues.

Senator Ted Kennedy (C-MA)/Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman (C-NY)-175 EV, 27.8% of the popular vote.
Senator Walter Mondale (SL-MN)/Former Governor Reubin Askew (SL-FL)-154 EV, 26.4% of the popular vote.
Mr. Pat Robertson (CA-VA)/Senator Jesse Helms (CA-NC)-98 EV, 15.2% of the popular vote.
Congressman Ron Paul (L-TX)/Mr. Ed Clark (L-CA)-57 EV, 11.2% of the popular vote.
Senator Lowell Weicker (R-CT)/Congressman John Anderson (R-IL)-54 EV, 18.3% of the popular vote.
Mrs. Angela Davis (NL-CA)/Mr. Barry Commoner (NL-NY)- 1.0% of the popular vote.
Other (New Democratic, Prohibition, Union)-0.1% of the popular vote.

The general election was between the Socialists and the Communists. Many on the right refused to vote, and on election day, turnout was the lowest in history. The Republicans and Christian Alliance refused to endorse, while the Libertarians publically noted the Communists were better on social issues, though they did not explicitly endorse anyone either.

Senator Ted Kennedy (C-MA)/Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman (C-NY)-279 EV, 50.3% of the popular vote.
Senator Walter Mondale (SL-MN)/Former Governor Reubin Askew (SL-FL)-259 EV, 49.7% of the popular vote.