Four More Years: The 1960 Election

[Jerseyrules]

The Presidency of Ann Richards, Part I:



3-31-1997:
President Richards announces her tax plan to the Republican Congress, which will include the creation of deductions for middle-income Americans, while eliminating the income tax for those with annual imcome three times below the poverty level.  The Congress will instead pass a package including a cut in the flat rate, and indexing a higher amount of money of required to inflation.  The Congressional tax cut passes easily, and while not her desired plan, President Richards claims victory in getting a tax cut for the "common man."

5-1-1997:
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher announces her resignation on election night, claiming she had wanted to retire for some time, but wanted to "keep an eye on my girlfriend Ann, and her court."  She kept Labour from winning an outright majority, but Tony Blair's "New Labour" (styled on President Richards' New Democrat philosophy) and "radial center" philosophy kept Labour at a slight, but consistent lead, despite the great economy.  President Richards calls Blair to congratulate him, and Thatcher's designated heir, David Cameron, will win the Tory Leadership election to succeed her.  Thatcher was the longest-serving prime minister since William Pitt the Younger, and the first female PM.

7-9-1997:
President Richards comes out in support of a constitutional amendment which will index congressional spending at or below inflation, and will also require a 2/3 majority of congress to raise taxes.  The amendment passes, sent to the states for ratification.

2-12-1998:
Reports surface about Vice President Clinton's real estate investments.  Controversy continues to swirl and the Vice President refuses to comment, which many see as an admission of guilt.

7-28-1998:
The first episode of the Sopranos is released, which will feature Ronald Reagan, father of former vice president Reagan, as Uncle Junior, an aged leader of the Mafia, and uncle of main character Tony Soprano, portrayed by James Gandolfini.  The show does amazingly, outperforming all other programs on HBO, and in fact bringing in huge revenues for the channel.  It also gives Reagan three Emmys, a few Tonys (which is the subject of many jokes), and several Oscars.

11-6/7-1998:
The GOP makes big gains in the midterms due to widespread anger at the Vice President, as well as public distrust of the President's hadling of the situation, especially an interview she gave in which she accidentally let it slip that the Vice President had extramarital affairs in the White House.  Governor-elect Hillary Rodham (R-MA) rails against the "irresponsibility" and "carelessness" of the Richards administration, though the GOP has little to complain about on economic matters.  One bright spot for Democrats, however, was the election of John F. Kennedy Jr. as Governor of Massachusetts.

1-24-1999:
The Conservative/Free Democratic Party makes huge gains in the CoD elections, winning a huge majority over the Social Democrats, Liberals, Progressives, and Nationalists.  The new speaker of the CoD Assembly is Jens Stoltenberg of Norway, a moderate federalist who is in favor of the creation of a Supreme Court for the CoD based in the American mold.  At 39, he is among the youngest world leaders ever, and is a fresh face for the internationalist world.

3-2-1999:
President Richards comes out in support of the CoD Supreme Court, and will fight hard for it.  The Republican-dominated congress has a similar reaction to the Permanent Court of International Justice nearly 75 years ago, but after much arm-twisting and the inclusion of American veto power, the Speaker of the CoD is given the ability to appoint Justices, subject to both a review in committee, as well as the approval of the United States.  The court will consist of 15 members, whom will sit en banc and are given the power of judicial review, provided a nation's court of last resort allows an appeal.  Stoltenberg appoints Ban Ki-Moon as Chief Justice after Chief Justice Jesse Ventura declined the position.

5-12-1999:
President Buckley wins a special election to an at-large U.S. seat in the CoD Assembly.  He aligns himself with the FDP, the moderately libertarian party in the assembly.  He proposes that all COD members secede from the UN, "weeding out our allies," as he says.  Many agree, and the former President is once again catapulted into the spotlight after several "wilderness years."

6-15-1999:
All COD nations stage a walk-out of the UN in New York City.  Of the few remaining nations, many vote to join the COD, and 69% of United States citizens believe that the Concert of Democracies is more efficient and effective at solving world crises than the UN.

6-21-1999:
The UN is dissolved, leaving only a few nations which haven't yet joined the COD, which has very seldom voted to exclude a nation from membership (and then only on grounds of controversy, such as Iran, under Turkish occupation.)

7-17-1999:
Iran is allowed to join the COD, after years of occupation by Turkey; former Presidents Buckley and Laxalt played key roles in negotiations, as did former Governor Richard Nixon.

[Jerseyrules]

Bump.  Comments, questions?

[dialectical fetishist]

The Tories would never privatize the NHS so openly. Any sort of healthcare privatization in Britain is pretty much begging for political destruction. BBC privatization is pretty unlikely too.

[Jerseyrules]

The Tories would never privatize the NHS so openly. Any sort of healthcare privatization in Britain is pretty much begging for political destruction. BBC privatization is pretty unlikely too.

Thanks for the comment! basically, Maggy is not as controversial a figure in the UK, with conservatism being much more popular in both the US and UK, though it did cost her a great deal of political capital.

[CathKhan]

Strange turn. What's trade look like? I expect Ann'll be rallying the working class against it at some point.

[Jerseyrules]

Strange turn. What's trade look like? I expect Ann'll be rallying the working class against it at some point.

Trade?  You mean internationally?  The economy is great, inside and out.

[CathKhan]

Strange turn. What's trade look like? I expect Ann'll be rallying the working class against it at some point.

Trade?  You mean internationally?  The economy is great, inside and out.

Well during the late to mid nineties, North America got this wacky idea called "NAFTA". Also there's trade with China which came up in the nineties. I'm assuming Ann is rallying the blue collars against both.

[Jerseyrules]

Strange turn. What's trade look like? I expect Ann'll be rallying the working class against it at some point.

Trade?  You mean internationally?  The economy is great, inside and out.

Well during the late to mid nineties, North America got this wacky idea called "NAFTA". Also there's trade with China which came up in the nineties. I'm assuming Ann is rallying the blue collars against both.

Oh, yeah.  Well, in the words of a certain brilliant philosopher,



Sorry, I just wanted an excuse to use that pic . In all seriousness, the US abandoned blanket NAFTA-type agreements in favor of individual reciprocity treaties.

[Jerseyrules]

The Richards Presidency, Part II:



8-22-1999:
General Colin Powell announces his candidacy for president as a Republican to a eager supporters in New Hampshire.  He is a very respected figure, whom many associate with former President Dwight Eisenhower, as a vocal leader during the Cold War, Gulf War, and many more.  Both parties were hoping for him to run with the unpopular Richards administration.

9-3-1999:
Governor Jeb Bush of Florida announces his campaign for President.  He is seen as a reformer who helped carry out the "big tent" of the Florida GOP, and spent weeks crossing the country, campaigning tirelessly for Republicans nationwide during the midterms.  Many are surprised, however, that it was not his brother who ran this year....

9-11-1999:
Governor Jack Kemp of New York announces he is running for President in New York City, with the Statue of Liberty as his backdrop.  He has a great deal of grassroots support, and is well-known as a small-government conservative, and is promptly endorsed by Senator Herman Cain (R-GA).

9-14-1999:
Four-term Governor Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin announces he is running for president to a crowd in Madison, rounding out the major GOP field.  He is seen by many as a long-shot candidate, however is very likable and known by political wonks as a genius who reformed the healthcare system in Wisconsin.

10-7-1999:
President Richards announces that she will not seek re-election in November, the first eligible President since Harry Truman not to seek a second full term.  She explains that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and states it is best that she retire.  Many high-profile Democrats will soon announce their bids, including Vice President Bill Clinton, Sen. Barbara Mikulski, and Senator Joe Biden.  The Vice President holds a substantial lead in all polling.

[CathKhan]

Go Jack or Jeb!

[Jerseyrules]

Go Jack or Jeb!

No love for Tommy? .  Should be another few updates as the day goes on.

[Jerseyrules]

The Richards Presidency, Part II:



2-17-2000:
After placing fourth in both Iowa and New Hampshire, Governor Tommy Thompson withdraws form the race, without endorsing any of his former opponents, saying he felt "there was no way forward."  He is still on the short list of the other three contenders, particularly frontrunner Jack Kemp, who easily won both primaries.

2-22-2000:
Vice President Clinton calls for "party unity" in the wake of his crushing victories before Super Tuesday.  Only Barbara Mikulski remains in the Democratic primary race.

3-8-2000:
Jack Kemp becomes the presumptive Republican nominee after sweeping the Super Tuesday contests.  He releases his short list for Vice President, which includes:

- Governor John Engler of Michigan
- Senator Mitt Romney of Massachusetts
- Governor Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin
- Governor Jeb Bush of Florida
- Governor George Bush of Texas
- Governor Pete Wilson of California

5-12-2000:
Governor Kemp announces his choice of Jeb Bush for Vice President.  As of April 27, he is poised to defeat Bill Clinton by a margin of 51-37 according to Gallup polling, and the Vice President will clearly have his work cut out for him in this election.

6-5-2000:
General Powell campaigns for Senatorial candidate Condoleeza Rice in California.  The General has worked tirelessly for the GOP across the nation, and, while being poor at running his own campaign, is well-loved by Republicans and all Americans across the country.  He has become an increasingly popular crusader for Republicans nationwide.

7-1-2000:
On the eve of the Democratic convention, the Vice President announces his choice of San Francisco Mayor Diane Feinstein, in order to balance the ticket regionally and ideologically.  The Vice President will continue to tout his "New Democrat" ideology during the campaign, but this time the American people and so-called "Buckley Democrats" do not take so kindly to it this time around.

11-3/4-2000:
The Kemp/Bush ticket easily trounces the Democratic ticket of Clinton/Feinstein, as expected by many analysts long before the election.  In fact, many pollsters ceased polling in October, and the GOP candidates shifted their focus to Congressional races, in which the GOP gained supermajorities in both houses, and thanks to a lot of help from Senator Paul, the Libertarians now hold all of Alaska's Congressional delegation.



Jack Kemp / Jeb Bush (R): 57.9% PV; 483 EV
Bill Clinton / Diane Feinstein: 31.4%; 20 EV
Gary Johnson / William Weld (L): 11.7% PV; 35 EV

[Jerseyrules]

The Presidency of Jack Kemp, Part I:



2-7-2001:
With the new GOP supermajorities in Congress, President Kemp begins talks with Congressional leadership regarding a bold new tax package which will deliver an immense cut in corporate tax rates, personal tax rates, tariff rates, and domestic spending.  The plan will be brought up by Senators Rice and D'Amato, and Representative Connie Mack IV.  The bill will easily pass through the conservative-dominated Congress, where President Kemp signs it proudly with Vice President Bush and Secretary of State Tommy Thompson.

4-12-2001:
President Kemp begins budget talks with Secretary of Defense John McCain, both of whom believe that the military still needs to be scaled back in the aftermath of the Cold War and in the wake of the relative peace found at home and abroad.  For the first time in decades, the number of American foreign bases is scheduled to fall below 100 by December 2005.

7-9-2001:
Colin Powell earns his fifth star in a grand ceremony at the White House, attended by former Presidents Richards, Laxalt, Buckley, Kennedy, and Goldwater, as well as John Eisenhower, the first time six presidents have ever been in one location.  The President privately believes that the only reason why President Richards withheld the promotion was out of fear that the General would challenge her in 2000, "petty politics" as he remarks to the First Lady.  He is proud to award General Powell "with what he deserves."

9-24-2001:
In the COD elections, the new Free Democratic Party (a "big tent" collection of conservative and libertarian parties from across the globe) wins a huge victory.  President Buckley retired from the COD; his seat was filled by former Governor Richard Nixon, who becomes the next Speaker after striking a deal with then-speaker Stoltenberg.  He quips "Imagine I could have become President of the United States!  I certainly wouldn't do anything crazy to hold onto that job."  He is well-liked by his colleagues in the assembly, and proposes a bold new step in the space program: asteroid colonies, utilizing the new solar sail technology.

12-3-2001:
The President visits the Japan to celebrate the 113th birthday of Emperor Naruhiko Higashikuni.  Though certainly advanced in age, the longtime ruler of Japan has been kept alive and relatively healthy by a strict regiment of exercise, heart medications, as well as the rumored taking advantage of Japan's great stem-cell breakthroughs in the past several decades.

4-19-2002:
The president signs a bill which makes the Rockefeller drug laws in New York (and similar laws in other states) illegal, which is upheld by the Supreme Court in a 7-2 vote, with new Justice Howard Dean drafting the majority opinion.

8-2-2002:
President Kemp praises the passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment, which caps all federal spending at or below inflation, and requires a 2/3 majority to raise taxes or spending levels.  The President is praised for this bold move, and asks Congress for a line-item veto as well.  The amendment narrowly fails in Congress, President Kemp's first major defeat.

7-4-2002:
Former President Barry Goldwater dies at age 91 at his home in Paradise Valley, Arizona.  His last words are to his wife, whispering "At least Jack lives on."  Ironically, this is just hours after President Kennedy's death.  The situation is ironically similar to that of Presidents Adams and Jefferson, the last presidents to die on Independence Day.

10-13-2002:
Actor Ronald Reagan wins the role as President on the new television drama The West Wing.  Because filming of The Sopranos and The West Wing are staggered, Reagan can continue his role as Uncle Junior.

[Jerseyrules]

The Presidency of Jack Kemp, Part II:



11-7/8-2002:
The midterms are an historic day for the GOP, with George Pataki re-elected as Governor of New York, John Engler elected as Senator from Michigan, and John F. Kennedy, Jr. elected Senator from New York.  A rising star in New York politics is Rudy Giuliani, who campaigned furiously for both Governor Pataki, who beat out young Attorney General Amdrew Cuomo, and Rick Lazio, who lost to Kennedy.  The "tough-on-crime" mayor of New York stormed the country, stumping for Republican candidates from coast-to-coast, from Governor Tom Campbell in California to Senator Christine Todd Whitman in New Jersey.  With a clear mandate to govern, President Kemp begins to focus on foreign affairs.

7-1-2003:
President Kemp makes a speech on the International Space Programme at the Concert of Democracies, where he is applauded vociferously by Secretary-General Richard Nixon.  Nixon begins to cough, which, although not out-of-the-ordinary for the aging world leader, leads to a hacking fit.  The President stops speaking to check of him, and the Secretary-General begisn to cough up blood.  President Kemp escorts him to the hospital, carrying him personally to and from the presidential limousine.  The elder statesman dies at 09:47pm at age 90.  A respected elder statesman, world leader, and former presidential candidate, America mourns the loss of an elder statesman, ambassador-at-large, and a moderate voice in world affairs.

2-1-2004:
President Kemp signs a bill to create a national school voucher program to encourage competition in public schooling, which also includes national right-to-work laws.  The president is applauded by small-government conservatives and libertarians, though the president himself had some reservations about the pointedly anti-union language contained in the bill, as a "bleeding-heart conservative," though believes that the school voucher program was important enough that he didn't want to risk tough re-negotiations, and does not want to take flak from GOP leadership for killing their bill.

7-14-2004:
Senator John Kerry is nominated for President, choosing Senator Joseph Lieberman for Vice President.  Meanwhile, the GOP easily renominates President Kemp and Vice President Bush.  The Democrats attack President Kemp, though he has had a fairly uneventful presidency, with little to attack him on.

11-5/6-2004:
President Kemp is easily re-elected over Senator Kerry.  Meanwhile, Governor William Weld wins his senate seat, defeating Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.  Many point to low Democratic turnout, the uncontrovercial Kemp presidency, and the connection with moderate Democratic voters.



Jack Kemp / John E. Bush (R): 61.8% PV; 519 EV
John Kerry / Joseph Lieberman (D): 37.2%; 19 EV

[Jerseyrules]

The Presidency of Jack Kemp, Part III:



4-2-2005:
Pope John Paul II dies at age 85, after serving the second-longest tenure of any Pope, second only to Pope Pius IX.  He was considered a moderate Pope, and was beloved by the world for his role in ending communism, fighting for human rights, and his moderate reforms in the church's structure.  President Kemp, Senator John Kennedy, Jr., former Presidents Buckley, Laxalt, and Governor Bobby Kennedy attend his funeral, all of whom are practicing Catholics, save for Laxalt.  The College of Cardinals assembles for the first time since 1978 to elect a new Pope.

4-7-2005:
After nine ballots, the next pope is announced: Rainer Woelki, Archbishop of Berlin, a young progressive, in the tradition of selecting a pope ideologically opposite hid predecessor.  At 48, he is among the youngest Popes ever, and the first non-Cardinal elevated to the papacy in centuries.  According to tradition, he is named Pope Richard I.  Pope Richard is already beginning plans on liberal reforms in the church, and lays out the greatest liberal agenda since Pope Pius IX.

Pope Richard I, just after accepting the papacy

[Jerseyrules]

So..., whaddaya think?

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

So..., whaddaya think?

A-W-E-S-O-M-E

[Nagas]

So..., whaddaya think?

The bias can be a bit hard to stomach at times.

[Jerseyrules]

So..., whaddaya think?

The bias can be a bit hard to stomach at times.

I'm sorry you feel that way, although I try to restrain myself.  Thanks for the advice!

[Jerseyrules]

So..., whaddaya think?

A-W-E-S-O-M-E

Thanks

[GPORTER]

I was reading through the beginning of the timeline. First of all, I'd like to know how a candidate is "denominated" for President. Also, I don't think that Rockefeller would have refused to be on a ticket with President Eisenhower, I know he did that for Nixon, but these cases just are not the same. And I don't see republicans winning in both 1964 and 1968 after a third Eisenhower term.

[Jerseyrules]

I was reading through the beginning of the timeline. First of all, I'd like to know how a candidate is "denominated" for President. Also, I don't think that Rockefeller would have refused to be on a ticket with President Eisenhower, I know he did that for Nixon, but these cases just are not the same. And I don't see republicans winning in both 1964 and 1968 after a third Eisenhower term.

Thanks, I know, but the Democrats did not field good candidates in either election, as Eisenhower was very popular in 64, as was Goldwater in 68.  Privately, Goldwater knew it was unlikely for the GOP to win in 72, which is why he didn't run for a third term.  Also, the reason why Rocky didn't run was because he didn't want to be vice president.  And finally, I apologize for my spelling errors; I'm using an iPad to write this and back then was still getting used to the autocorrect.

[CathKhan]

1. I'm afraid I'll have to call you on bias.

2. Oh crap, a liberal pope, & he's young, it looks like. Let's hope he at least cracks down on molesters.

[Jerseyrules]

1. I'm afraid I'll have to call you on bias.

2. Oh crap, a liberal pope, & he's young, it looks like. Let's hope he at least cracks down on molesters.

1. My first TL, and I admit it's a conservative wet dream
2. Why "Oh crap"?  Liberal in the church = good for conservatives in government.  They do the job that many believe is the duty of the government, I.e. housing, charity, etc.  And yes, he is very young...And we shall see what he does...

IMMEDIATELY!  Turn the page to find out!

[Jerseyrules]

The Presidency of Jack Kemp, Part IV:



7-18-2005:
President Kemp signs a bill whose purpose is the consolidation of the cabinet into 8 departments to "help bring bureaucracy into the twenty-first century."  The president receives praise from conservatives and even some liberals, with "vertical and horizontal cuts," and helps to pay off the national debt completely for the first time since the presidency of Andrew Johnson.

11-24-2005:
Pope Richard issues a proclamation which declairs that all churches are required to respect the right of women to serve in all levels of the church, and for priests and bishops to be married.  Though he is criticized by many traditionalist cardinals for this bold move, he receives wide praise from many liberal-minded bishops, as well as the full support of the church; according to a Gallup poll, 57% of Catholics agreed with the Pope's ruling, while 12% opposed it, and the rest were unsure.  70% of Catholics approve of their new Pope, while 9% disapprove.

5-21-2006:
President Kemp appoints Governor Hillary Rodham (R-MA) as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.  As a well-respected conservative law professor and well-known Governor, she was long a favorite for the position, and it was her main aspiration.  She was considering retirement after her first term as Governor, believing it would be difficult to win re-election, particularly after speculation of a run by one of the Kennedy boys.

11-4/5-2006:
The Democrats make gains in both houses, securing a strong minority position in the house, though made little more than a dent in the Senate.  President Kemp spent little time on the stump, dispatching the Brothers Bush to do much of that work for him, as well as Senators Sarah Palin of Alaska and Rudy Giuliani of New York, while Democrats Senator John F. Kennedy Jr. and Barrack Obama (a political operative with few political ambitions of his own), took to the streets.

6-8-2007:
Senator Giuliani is shot in New York City while on the stump for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's term limits repeal initiative.  A young man who was recently unemployed shot him "in the name of Charles J. Guiteau" shouting "I am a conservative and a conservative must be our next senator!"  To his disappointment, Giuliani will recover quickly and the Senator's security force was on the man immediately, shooting him quickly before further shots could be fired.