1956: President Irving Ives vs. Senator Absalom Robertson

[Rooney]

The post about President Truman vs. Senator Taft in 1952 has inspired me to create a new topic which branches off of the old.

In this alternate realm the Republican team of Senators Robert Taft of Ohio and Irving Ives of New York defeat the Democratic administration of President Harry S Truman and Vice-President Alben W. Barkley. In his short term from January 20 to July 31, 1953, President Taft, the first son of a president to follow his father to the Executive Office since J.Q. Adams, withdraws American forces from Korea, begins the withdrawal of forces from Japan and calls on Congress to "reevaluate" America's presence in NATO. In terms of the domestic economy he appoints former President Herbert Hoover to evaluate where the government is overspending and to volunteer any New Deal programs that can be trimmed. To address fears that he will attack popular social safety net programs President Taft addresses the nation: "My administration has not interest in right-wing social engineering. Social security is a promise made to the elderly of our nation and the promise being made must be kept. Banking reforms are a promise to the people of America which seek to secure the money they trust in their local financial institution. The promise being made must also be kept."

President Taft also takes a hardline on investigating domestic communists by empowering Attorney General Herb Brownell to investigate any and all government agencies and organizations receiving government monies. He also gets the ball rolling on voter rights by issuing an executive order compelling all states to "forgo all laws aimed at impeding the power of the citizen to make his or her voice heard at the ballot box." President Taft also fights with liberal Republicans over their plans to increase federal funding for the arts and schools. His anger towards Senator Majority Leader Hugh Scott becomes so steamed he privately refers to the Keystone State legislator as, "a bonehead."

On July 31, 1953, the reactionary revolution of President Taft comes to a stunning and tragic end when he is found dead in his bed by the White House Chief Usher Howell Crimm. Vice-President Irving Ives is sworn in as the 35th President of the United States. After a month and a half mourning period for the late President Taft the new Irving Administration kicks into full gear. A liberal Republican, President Ives puts aside the conservative/non-interventionist ideology of President Taft and begins a new series of government plans he calls the New Federalism.

The New Federalism program calls for the government to intervene in state sponsored schools, art projects, infrastructure and scientific research. Senator Scott and other liberals applaud the new program, especially the fact that it favors the rights of labor and minorities. Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, elected in 1952 to his post as a Taft conservative promises that he will form a "conservative coalition" dedicated to stopping President Ives's program of New Federalism. Senator Goldwater emerges as the senate's vocal conservative on the Republican side of the aisle while Senator Absalom Willis Robertson of Virginia becomes the conservative face of senate Democrats.

The liberal and conservative sides come to blows many times from 1953 to 1956. They grapple over federal aid to education, highway building, funding for a new national space agency and the repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act. The liberals win most of these arguments with the notable exception of the failure to do away with Taft-Hartley. The biggest fight breaks out over the Civil Rights Act of 1955 which aims to integrate all public and private buildings across the nation. Conservatives cry foul declaring that the bill is an attack on private property rights. However, Senator Everett Dirksen of Illinois, a member of the conservative coalition, speaks out in favor of the bill fracturing opposition to the bill and ending Senator Robertson's three day filibuster of the bill. On April 14, 1955, President Ives signs the Civil Rights Act of 1955 and promises that in his second term a voting rights act will be approved.

In order to stop that second term conservative southern and western Democrats unite to run a candidate who can oust the liberal Yankee president. Senator Absalom W. Robertson, the bane of President Ives existence, announces he will seek the 1956 Democratic presidential nomination. Despite being 69-years old his candidacy is quite serious and well funded by conservative business groups. Robert Welch, the candy mogul and founder of the John Birch Society, donates $10,000 to the Robertson campaign the day after the Virginian announces for the high office. A brutal primary campaign is waged by Senator Robertson, Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson, New York Governor Robert Wagner, Jr., Texas Senator Lyndon Johnson and Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver for the presidential nod. However, the popularity, name recognition and money of Senator Robertson proves unstoppable. He wins the Democratic nomination and names Governor Wagner as his running-mate.

At the Republican National Convention President Irving Ives makes an acceptance speech celebrating the legacy of late President Taft and extolling the virtues of New Federalism. He also attacks the, "hordes of reactionary men whom only know how to yell 'stop' at the forces of history." He names California Senator Richard M. Nixon as his running-mate to shore up anti-communist support and because "Nixon knows how to kick under the belt and smile about it."

The campaign of 1956 is on. The Republican ticket of President Ives and Nixon against the Democratic team of Senator Robertson and Wagner. Who do you think would win?         

[CathKhan]

Awesome stuff man. I'd love to see you do a full-out timeline. Anyway, while I don't have the map, I see Ives pulling off a victory. Despite Southerners and Mid-Westerners hating him, he's got the backing of Eastern money to go up against Robertson's "New Money", and has done quite a lot in the last three and a half years. I wouldn't vote for him, but this is still the age of Liberalism for the most part, and Ives has the advantage.

[I Can't Get That Sound You Make, Out Of My Head]

Ives wins everywhere outside of the South.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Maybe this?

Ives- 436
Robertson- 95

FTR, I would've voted for Ives.

[ask_not]

i like to see a fleshed out timeline on this as well.

[MATTROSE94]

The post about President Truman vs. Senator Taft in 1952 has inspired me to create a new topic which branches off of the old.

In this alternate realm the Republican team of Senators Robert Taft of Ohio and Irving Ives of New York defeat the Democratic administration of President Harry S Truman and Vice-President Alben W. Barkley. In his short term from January 20 to July 31, 1953, President Taft, the first son of a president to follow his father to the Executive Office since J.Q. Adams, withdraws American forces from Korea, begins the withdrawal of forces from Japan and calls on Congress to "reevaluate" America's presence in NATO. In terms of the domestic economy he appoints former President Herbert Hoover to evaluate where the government is overspending and to volunteer any New Deal programs that can be trimmed. To address fears that he will attack popular social safety net programs President Taft addresses the nation: "My administration has not interest in right-wing social engineering. Social security is a promise made to the elderly of our nation and the promise being made must be kept. Banking reforms are a promise to the people of America which seek to secure the money they trust in their local financial institution. The promise being made must also be kept."

President Taft also takes a hardline on investigating domestic communists by empowering Attorney General Herb Brownell to investigate any and all government agencies and organizations receiving government monies. He also gets the ball rolling on voter rights by issuing an executive order compelling all states to "forgo all laws aimed at impeding the power of the citizen to make his or her voice heard at the ballot box." President Taft also fights with liberal Republicans over their plans to increase federal funding for the arts and schools. His anger towards Senator Majority Leader Hugh Scott becomes so steamed he privately refers to the Keystone State legislator as, "a bonehead."

On July 31, 1953, the reactionary revolution of President Taft comes to a stunning and tragic end when he is found dead in his bed by the White House Chief Usher Howell Crimm. Vice-President Irving Ives is sworn in as the 35th President of the United States. After a month and a half mourning period for the late President Taft the new Irving Administration kicks into full gear. A liberal Republican, President Ives puts aside the conservative/non-interventionist ideology of President Taft and begins a new series of government plans he calls the New Federalism.

The New Federalism program calls for the government to intervene in state sponsored schools, art projects, infrastructure and scientific research. Senator Scott and other liberals applaud the new program, especially the fact that it favors the rights of labor and minorities. Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, elected in 1952 to his post as a Taft conservative promises that he will form a "conservative coalition" dedicated to stopping President Ives's program of New Federalism. Senator Goldwater emerges as the senate's vocal conservative on the Republican side of the aisle while Senator Absalom Willis Robertson of Virginia becomes the conservative face of senate Democrats.

The liberal and conservative sides come to blows many times from 1953 to 1956. They grapple over federal aid to education, highway building, funding for a new national space agency and the repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act. The liberals win most of these arguments with the notable exception of the failure to do away with Taft-Hartley. The biggest fight breaks out over the Civil Rights Act of 1955 which aims to integrate all public and private buildings across the nation. Conservatives cry foul declaring that the bill is an attack on private property rights. However, Senator Everett Dirksen of Illinois, a member of the conservative coalition, speaks out in favor of the bill fracturing opposition to the bill and ending Senator Robertson's three day filibuster of the bill. On April 14, 1955, President Ives signs the Civil Rights Act of 1955 and promises that in his second term a voting rights act will be approved.

In order to stop that second term conservative southern and western Democrats unite to run a candidate who can oust the liberal Yankee president. Senator Absalom W. Robertson, the bane of President Ives existence, announces he will seek the 1956 Democratic presidential nomination. Despite being 69-years old his candidacy is quite serious and well funded by conservative business groups. Robert Welch, the candy mogul and founder of the John Birch Society, donates $10,000 to the Robertson campaign the day after the Virginian announces for the high office. A brutal primary campaign is waged by Senator Robertson, Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson, New York Governor Robert Wagner, Jr., Texas Senator Lyndon Johnson and Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver for the presidential nod. However, the popularity, name recognition and money of Senator Robertson proves unstoppable. He wins the Democratic nomination and names Governor Wagner as his running-mate.

At the Republican National Convention President Irving Ives makes an acceptance speech celebrating the legacy of late President Taft and extolling the virtues of New Federalism. He also attacks the, "hordes of reactionary men whom only know how to yell 'stop' at the forces of history." He names California Senator Richard M. Nixon as his running-mate to shore up anti-communist support and because "Nixon knows how to kick under the belt and smile about it."

The campaign of 1956 is on. The Republican ticket of President Ives and Nixon against the Democratic team of Senator Robertson and Wagner. Who do you think would win?         

This seems that it would make a pretty good timeline, but Hugh Scott was not elected to the senate until 1958 and did not become the Senate Republican Leader until the deth of Everett Dirksen in 1969. Realistically, the Senate Majority Leader would have been William Knowland of California.
BTW, I wuld have voted for Ives hands down in this TL!