The Bull Moose Lives On-Fractures in the System

[VPH]

Hello, guys! I'm starting a kind of mini-TL where Teddy Roosevelt wins in 1912. This won't be too terribly detailed, especially on foreign policy where things would be inextricably complicated, but I will strive to make it a decent first (mini/kinda) TL! I'll be updating maybe once a day or once every few days. Still debating whether or not to include congressional updates. This will work under a few working assumptions:
-Congress votes for the plurality electoral vote winner in the case of no majority
-Party primaries become a one-day, every state affair after about 1936.
-Mostly the same politicians are in the playing field, although some aren't

1912 Election

Early on in the campaign, Eugene Debs, the Socialist candidate, meets with Teddy Roosevelt and both come to an accord for Debs to drop out and endorse Roosevelt. Not only does Roosevelt ride on labor and Socialist support, but Taft pretty much refuses to campaign and most of his voters are picked off by Wilson and Roosevelt. Roosevelt's strong foreign policy stances contrast sharply with Wilson's idealism, which tends to put off many common voters. Roosevelt runs as the people's choice, and not a university intellectual. Roosevelt promises to enact more trust-busting reforms and also to work with farmers to protect their business. Furthermore, he stresses nationalizing railroads for consumer protection. His very rabble rousing and exciting rhetoric truly appeals to the hearts of voters. Wilson's policies also revolve around like-minded ideas, but he falls notably more towards the center economically than Roosevelt. In the end, Roosevelt's experience and cult of personality, along with former Socialist voters, barely win him the election. Taft definitely under-performs, leading pundits to discredit the Republican Party as faltering and useless.

Bull Moose-Teddy Roosevelt [NY] / Hiram Johnson [CA]-36.8%-280
Democratic-Woodrow Wilson [NJ] / Thomas Marshall [IN]-36.4%-254
Republican-William Taft [OH] / Nicholas Butler [NY]-26.8%-0

[Sumner 1868]

It's an interesting idea. However, Debs truly despised Roosevelt; more than he did Taft and Wilson, likely. I can't see them reaching an agreement.

Also, ignoring the rage that Debs followers would have at a seeming sell-out, it was also generally believed most of Debs voters second choice was Wilson.

[VPH]

It's an interesting idea. However, Debs truly despised Roosevelt; more than he did Taft and Wilson, likely. I can't see them reaching an agreement.

Also, ignoring the rage that Debs followers would have at a seeming sell-out, it was also generally believed most of Debs voters second choice was Wilson.

Huh, that certainly is interesting. I would honestly have seen Debs' ideology as more compatible with the Bull Moose platform. Idk, I guess something funky happened to Debs' following in the tl.

[VPH]

Teddy Roosevelt's Third Term

December 1913-Major worker's rights law passes to provide worker's comp to those injured on the job, ban child labor, protect labor unions, and ensure a minimum wage for working women. Originally, the proposal also contained a provision for old age pensions, but congress removed that proposal during their debate.
May 1914-President Roosevelt calls a global summit to discuss naval buildup limits, but Germany and England refuse to attend, making Teddy look bad and preventing any progress on the issue.
July 1914-President Roosevelt signs the Federal Reserve Act into law, creating a central and nationalized bank for the purposes of lending money to smaller banks and ensuring more financial stability.
October 1914-The president is barely defeated on his proposal to enact equal suffrage rights for women
January 1915-President Roosevelt intervenes in World War I on behalf of France and England as the USSR begins to tumble into a period of instability after the assassination of Tsar Nicholas by Marxist rebels. The USSR soon withdraws from the war, befallen by internal conflict and turning over much equipment and money to the Germans.
August 1915-Mexico, allied with Germany, attacks the US on its Southern border. US troops are quickly dispatched, with some being taken out of the European theater, and defeat attacking Mexican forces within 2 weeks. Mexico signs a peace treaty with the US that pays out massive reparations. This skirmish leads to a decline in popularity for the ongoing war.
December 1915-President Roosevelt announces new protections for labor unions
February 1916-Amid growing isolationist sentiment, the president announces that he will not run for a 4th term. The war drags onward as the British reallocate some resources to the civil war breaking out in Ireland.
July 1916-President Roosevelt signs into law a set of steps to strengthen anti-monopoly laws.

[VPH]

1916 Election

President Roosevelt announces early on that he intends not to seek reelection and chooses popular Wisconsin senator Robert LaFollette. "Fighting Bob" chooses Idaho senator William Borah to balance out his ticket. The Bull Moose candidates run on a platform of ending the war within the next few years and then shifting focus to an old age pension system and equal suffrage, along with nationalizing railroads. From a fractured convention, Republicans decide to nominate prominent isolationist Henry Cabot Lodge. He selects Vermont Governor Horace Graham as pro-war factions desperately seek out a nominee and end up with the VP selection. This conservative ticket advocated most strongly for immigration restrictions along with a continuation of the gold standard, which had recently come under fire. Furthermore, they proposed prohibition of alcohol. The ticket struggled to appeal to both sides of the Republican party. Democrats nominated Alabama senator Oscar Underwood and US treasurer John Burke, who fought for a status quo strategy on foreign policy. The Democrats formed a kind of bland ticket which opposed both extremes and ran pretty center of the road opposing immigration and attacking the Gold Standard and (to a quite low extent, mostly in the South) civil rights. In the end, the Bull Moose party triumphed in an election that was pretty close. Republican support was all but confined to the Northeast, where the New England heavy ticket was able to attract voters. Democrats performed well in the South, as expected, and contested a few Midwestern states. The tide of Fighting Bob was difficult to overcome, as his middle of the road foreign policy and populist domestic policies won him the election. Teddy's warmongering led LaFollette to poll a bit weaker, as some votes went to the GOP due to their isolationism.

Robert LaFollette [WI] / William Borah [ID] (Bull Moose)-34.7%-236
Oscar Underwood [AL] / John Burke [ND]--33.3%-195
Henry Cabot Lodge [MA] / Horace Graham [VT]--32.0%-100

[VPH]

Fighting Bob's First Term

March 1917-President LaFollette announces the deployment of additional troops to the Western front to push back German forces
December 1917-German troops collapse into their own nation and Germany surrenders
January 1918-Treaty of Versailles signed mostly like the irl form, but with permanent French ownership of the Saar, Alsace, and Lorraine and granting of some German colonies to Italy.
January 1918-President LaFollette's approval rating soars to 67% as his focus turns to domestic policy
June 1918-Railroads are nationalized, driving down transport costs and fueling government expansion of railways to previously isolated areas
December 1918-Equal suffrage is granted to women
April 1919-President LaFollette's proposed anti-trust commission is defeated by a congress with more Republicans since the midterm elections
July 1919-The President meets with Lenin to discuss opening up more diplomatic channels, but talks fall through quickly
September 1919-Direct election of senators is added to the constitution
November 1919-President LaFollette's proposal to kill the Gold Standard barely fails in congress; Wall Street begins to see a major threat
February 1920-John D. Rockefeller meets with top bankers and top Democratic and Republican leaders to discuss a fusion ticket, but Southern Dems refuse to hear it

[VPH]

1920 Election

1920's political dynamic differed a bit from 1916. In the Democratic Convention, house minority leader Champ Clark barely beat out New York governor Al Smith for the presidential nomination. Clark was chosen to have greater appeal to his party's Southern base, and Ohio Representative William Ashbrook was picked as VP to make the ticket a bit more balanced. This ticket lacked name recognition and national prominence, which doomed them to a loss. Moreover, Clark was viewed by many voters as too old, and his style of campaigning was quite weak, although on the issues, he matched up pretty well with the party base. Republicans nominated Ohio senator Warren Harding with strong Wall Street support, and he chose former US Senator and judge Jeter Prichard. Harding expected support in the Midwest and successfully cut into Clark's vote totals in the South. LaFollette came into the election with pretty high approval ratings, albeit not nearly as high as his totals before the midterms. He campaigns on the issue of helping farmers and a status quo approach. Democrats seize the moment to run on restricting immigration, which is also an issue appealing to Republicans. Both Dems and Repubs campaign on loosening economic regulations, appealing to Wall Street. Republicans campaign mainly on economic issues, such as raising the tariff, scaling back anti monopoly laws, and lowering income taxes. In the end, a weak Democratic campaign led to some vote losses in the South to Republicans, who picked up some Southern seats in Congress. The Bull Moose party barely beat out Republicans in the Northeast, who greatly supported LaFollette's stances on social issues, although his tariff position was slightly out of line with East Coast city slickers. Republicans made inroads into the West by picking off Democratic voters. However, the Bull Moose party turned back both of these more moderate challengers who split the vote in some states. Although it was a big win for the presidency, the Bull Moose party lost a number of congressional seats to conservative Democrats and Wall Street Republicans. This set President LaFollette up with a split congress.

Bull Moose-Robert Lafollette [WI] / William Borah [ID]--35.8%-296
Democratic-Champ Clark [MO] / William Ashbrook [OH]--32.1%-186
Republican-Warren Harding [OH] / Jeter Prichard [NC]--32.1%-49

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LaFollette's Second Term

June 1921-The president proposes a strong anti-lynching, anti-KKK bill that barely scrapes through congress. This further alienates the Bull Moose Party from Southerners.
September-October 1921-President LaFollette calls an international conference on cooperation for peace, which yields a schedule of forums for global peace
December 1921-Congress vetoes a proposal to lower tariffs
February 1922-Nationalist sentiment increases with high immigration numbers and Americans call for a closing of the borders
March 1922-President LaFollette vetoes a proposal to severely limit immigration
June 1922-Some labor unions turn on LaFollette, claiming that he's killing American labor by being open to immigration.
November 1922-In a symbolic referendum on immigration, voters elect a conservative congress that's outright hostile to LaFollette's goals
January 1923-President LaFollette proposes a worker's rights bill that prevents pay discrimination against minorities, but this bill is quickly shot down in congress
June 1923-Amid sinking approval ratings, President LaFollette declares that he won't run in the upcoming elections
July 1924-Progress stalls in DC as congress refuses to work with the president and vice versa

[VPH]

1924 Election

Amidst a divided environment, Americans remain weary of increasing immigration numbers. LaFollette's pick for nominee of the Bull Moose Party, California Senator Hiram Johnson, was easily nominated and selected Colorado Governor William Ellery Sweet as his VP. The Bull Moose Party runs on negotiation of a World Peace Coordination Body, along with tariff reform and a system of old age pensions. The Democrats settle on Virginia Senator and former Treasury Secretary Carter Glass, a social moderate. For VP, New York Governor Al Smith is selected. The Democrats run a moderate campaign based on limiting immigration and preserving many of the status quo programs while reforming the healthcare system. Many Dems desire an end to progress on civil rights. Republicans settle on the conservative former Army Chief of Staff Leonard Wood, of New Hampshire. The Republican convention picks uncontroversial Kansas Governor Charles Curtis to balance out the ticket. The Republican platform calls for loosening of regulations, privatization of the railways, a tough foreign policy, and most importantly, restrictions on immigration. LaFollette's unpopularity plagued Johnson throughout the campaign, despite his charisma and enthusiasm. His support was confined to traditional Bull Moose strongholds and not much more. Al Smith's campaign sapped many voters from the Bull Moose party, splitting progressives and handing numerous states to the Republicans. Al Smith also roused controversy for being Catholic. However, this did not become a huge factor in the election. The Democrats performed well in the South, but were overtaken in parts of the Midwest. Xenophobia and mudslinging on the part of the Wood campaign endeared many voters in the Northeast to the campaign, along with Midwesterners drawn in by Charles Curtis' presence.

Republican-Leonard Wood [NH] / Charles Curtis [KS]--35.3%-242
Democratic-Carter Glass [VA] / Al Smith [NY]--33.8%-211
Bull Moose-Hiram Johnson [CA] / William Ellery Sweet [CO]--30.9%-78

[VPH]

President Leonard Wood: Governing From the Right

July 1925: President Wood authorizes a nationwide set of raids on "communist" sympathizers after a Soviet spy is caught in NYC
October 1925: Restrictions are placed on alcohol manufacturing and a high excise tax is enforced
December 1925: An alliance of Western and Southern congressmen turn down a proposal to privatize railroads
February 1926: A highly restrictive immigration bill is enacted
June 1926: President Wood curtails the rights of unions to collectively bargain and strike
August 1926: Riots led by union members break out, but the president dismisses them as "anarchist subversion". These riots fall apart quickly
August 1926: Congress passes a proposal to further deregulate banking and stock exchanges
January 1927: President Wood refuses to attend one of LaFollette's planned Peace Meetings because of Soviet Presence

[VPH]

BREAKING NEWS-PRESIDENT WOOD ASSASSINATED

January 15th, 1927
During a speech in Pittsburgh, PA, a known anarchist labor union member, Joseph Ristalo, shot and killed the president. Ristalo had been arrested for rioting just a few years ago. Wood was pronounced dead 2 hours later in the hospital due to gunshot wounds. Immediately following Wood's death, Vice President Charles Curtis was sworn in as president. Curtis had this to say when interviewed: "I am shocked and appalled at the death of my good friend Leonard Wood. His legacy shall live onward in the spirit of good Americans across the nation. We must come together as a nation in president Wood's memory and unify for a better American future." There was a high amount of opposition to Wood's decidedly conservative form of governance. His tense relationship with moderates even within his own party looked to hamper them in the upcoming elections. Curtis and Wood were rumored to have a strained relationship, leading some observers to conclude that he may have changed VP's at the 1928 election. Curtis' message of unification is a far cry from Wood's relative extremism.

[VPH]

President Charles Curtis-Great Unifier

January 1927-President Curtis orders a larger security detail for the president
January 1927-Frank Lowden, former Illinois governor, is selected as vice president
March 1927-Congress passes a bill forming of the National Police Bureau (NPB) to coordinate efforts in the fight against leftist radicalism, the resurgent KKK, tax evasion, and corruption. Congress passes the plan.
July 1927-President Curtis announces he will stand for reelection in 1928, amidst very high approval ratings
August 1927-Upon protests from angry WWI veterans, congress drafts a bill overhauling the pension system that the president signs
October 1927-Curtis attends a global peace summit and declares his support for expanded treaties and free trade with the UK and France
March 1928-Farmers across the nation are struggling, and the president promises agriculture reforms

[VPH]

1928 Election

The 1928 election cycle arrives at a time when Americans have united in support of President Curtis. There is peace abroad and at home, the economy is prospering for most Americans. Curtis' record is seen as being widely successful, from his pension reforms to his crime fighting. The president maintained high support in part by distancing himself from president Wood's right wing sentiments. The midterm 1926 elections maintained the GOP's senate majority despite some seat losses to the Democrats and also saw some Bull Moose seats flip to the GOP and the Democratic Party.

Charles Curtis and Frank Lowden are renominated without any significant challenges from other GOPers. The Democrats decide on a ticket composed of well known New York Governor Al Smith and conservative Georgia Senator Walter F. George. The Bull Moose Party struggles to find a strong nominee, with many usual rural supporters backing president Curtis. They end up backing New York Congressman Meyer London (who ittl did not cross that busy street), selecting United Mine Worker president John L. Lewis.

The GOP platform consists of support for raising crop prices, expansion of roadways and highways, full prohibition of alcohol, maintaining tariffs, and a general continuation of the status quo. The Democrats call for a decreased tariff, an international organization for cooperation, restoration of some union rights, and infrastructure expansion. The Bull Moose Party's platform supports increasing financial security, assuring racial equality in accommodation, demolishing political machines, and fully restoring union rights.

The election ends in a major victory for Republicans, which didn't surprise anybody. Curtis performs well in rural areas and the Northeast alike, building a powerful coalition of support. His popularity is seen as a major factor. President Curtis is known as a moderate dealmaker who got a lot accomplished. The Democrats do decently, but many Southern voters are put off by Al Smith's Catholicism. Smith runs a centre-of-the-road campaign that finds itself weathering attacks from both the left and the right. The Bull Moose party, with their 'radical' platform, struggles in many parts of the country. Their support is strongest among members of certain unions and those living in cities. Meyer London is viewed as too far left to be palatable, while John L. Lewis is seen as corrupt.

Republican-Charles Curtis [KS] / Frank Lowden [IL]--46.6%-381
Democratic-Al Smith [NY] / Walter F. George [GA]--32.3%-150
Bull Moose-Meyer London [NY] / John L. Lewis [IA]--21.1%-0

[sparkey]

1916 and 1924 would have been thrown to the House of Representatives. Is the House controlled by the party of the top electoral vote getter in both cases?

[VPH]

I just went with some sort of unwritten DC agreement that congress votes for the EC plurality winner.

[VPH]

President Curtis-Part Two

April 1929-The president increases funding to the NPB for their crackdowns on labor unions
July 1929-President Curtis' biggest achievement is passed. The Farm Export Relief Bill allows the government to buy up farm surpluses of certain products and sell them overseas for low prices in places struggling with food security.
October 1929-The stock market crashes and the entire economy begins to spiral into collapse
December 1929-President Curtis passes an emergency relief act that provides grants for companies to hire more workers and creates a National Recovery Taskforce that includes figures such as Farm Export Director Herbert Hoover, Representative John Nance Garner, lawyer Wendall Wilkie, banker Andrew Mellon, and other leading figures.
January 1930-Crime spikes and alcoholism and drug addiction run rampant as unemployment continues to rise
June 1930-Curtis outlaws factory strikes and puts the FERB program on hold, preferring to subsidize farmers in order to curb overproduction of crops
November 1930-Republicans suffer HUGE losses in congress, especially to the Bull Moose Party
January 1931-President Curtis signs into law the Drug Regulation Act, which bans many psychoactive substances and gives more power to the NPB
May 1931-Curtis signs into law a tax increase to pay for public works projects along with a modest tariff increase
September 1931-A bill to end the gold standard is vetoed
November 1931-President Curtis announces that he will not run for a second term, amidst sunken approval ratings
February 1932-Huge strikes break out in Chicago, New York, and Detroit, where unemployed workers riot and loot
March 1932-NPB strike-breakers quell the violence through quite brutal methods
April 1932-Infrastructure updates are passed and modernize irrigation systems, railroads, and highways
July 1932-Leading conservatives call for a decrease in corporate taxes to fuel growth, but Curtis resists

[VPH]

1932 Election

By 1932, the American economy is in complete shambles. Abroad, instability is beginning to grow. President Curtis' legacy was tarnished by the economic collapse, even though he got many things done as president. He may have made a concerted effort to drive recovery, but its impacts were severely limited. The 1930 elections yielded a Bull Moose landslide, seeing the election of senators like Ernest Lundeen in Minnesota and William McMaster in South Dakota. Moreover, Upton Sinclair emerged as California governor on the Bull Moose ticket.

Due to his unpopularity, Charles Curtis decides to call it quits after his term. The GOP decides to run former Farm Export Director Herbert Hoover, a right leaning GOPer, along with J. Will Taylor, an uncontroversial Southern representative. After a fractured convention, the Democratic Party nominates budding star and New York governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt and South Carolina Senator James Byrnes. The Bull Moose Party easily converges around outspoken Curtis critic and Montana Senator Burton Wheeler who selects fiery Louisiana governor Huey Long for VP to garner Southern appeal.

The GOP's platform centers around modest spending increases with a focus on making the government more efficient as a whole and inviting businesses to partner with the government to hire poor Americans. Moreover, they propose encouraging the rich to invest and help charities. The Democratic Party proposes a large reform package that invests in public works projects, improving wages, building up the military, increasing regulations, and reforming businesses to encourage more employment. The Bull Moose runs to the left of the Democratic Party, advocating the breakup of large banks, a high amount of regulation on Wall Street, a farm to street food program, and a major public works project. This is called the "American Deal".

The GOP's freefall continues, with them keeping a small hold on a few Northeastern strongholds. Moreover, there were a few Midwestern states that still favored Republicans, albeit by small margins. The Democratic Party posted a decent result, winning across much of the South, although victory margins were cut into by Long's presence on the Bull Moose ticket. FDR performs well in the Northeast too. The Bull Moose party destroys across the West and Plains, even going into the Northeast.

Bull Moose-Burton Wheeler [MT] / Huey Long [LA]--45%-264
Democratic-Franklin Delano Roosevelt [NY] / James Byrnes [SC]--30%-222
Republican-Herbert Hoover [IA] / J. Will Taylor [TN]--25%-45

[VPH]

Wheeler Takes the Wheel

July 1933: President Wheeler unveils the American Banking Act (ABA), which breaks up the largest financial institutions, insures deposits, and places strict rules on risky speculation and transactions.
July 1933: The ABA easily passes both chambers of congress.
October 1933: President Wheeler increases the funding going to infrastructure development, including public works projects such as irrigation canals for farmers suffering through the dust bowl
December 1933: The economy begins to tick upwards as more Americans have jobs
February 1934: Wheeler signs into law his trademark "Farm to Street" food program, where the US government buys up surplus food to stabilize farm prices and distributes that food to poor and unemployed Americans
April 1934: President Wheeler establishes the Board for Equitable Recovery to little fanfare from conservatives. This board, or personal think tank, is comprised of leaders from the Native, Black, and Hispanic communities and also includes feminist leaders and labor union leaders. It advises the president on how best to help all Americans
July 1934: The economy's progress continues to gradually increase, but many Americans grow impatient and weary
July 1934: President Wheeler signs guaranteed old age pensions into law and a minimum wage for all Americans.
August 1934: Congress passes a major bill regulating the stock market to prevent abusive practices
November 1934: The Bull Moose Party rolls on, picking up even more seats in the House and Senate. There were a few surprise pick ups such as Arnold Freese's win in CT-04 or Frederick Zilhman in MD-06.
January 1936: President Wheeler's attempt to assign production quotas to manufacturers is shot down in congress
February 1936: Father Charles Coughlin, disenchanted with president Wheeler, begins to advocate for Social Credit Monetary policy in a new party. He's joined by North Dakota Rep. William Lemke, Illinois Rep. Francis Townsend, famous aviator Charles Lindburgh, Kansas governor John Brinkley, clergyman Gerald LK Smith, and former VP candidate and labor leader John L. Lewis.
June 1936: While some hawkish voices call for the president to stop Adolf Hitler's rise in Germany by backing and creating rebel groups, the president stays put.

[VPH]

EXTRA: New Party Emerges

Popular radio host Charles Coughlin and American aviator Charles Lindburgh announced today the formation of a new political party based on Social Credit economic principles.

Following is part of Father Coughlin's statement issued in Chicago:
"It's clear that through this economic collapse, Burton Wheeler and his cartel of bureaucrats have not done enough to repair our broken system. It's not just creating jobs or generating wealth. Our entire system must be revolutionized with a new way of thinking! We need to create a consumer dividend in this country to propel more growth. Your money is a vote. Instead of the president and his banker buddies reaching into industry, the consumer must vote for production through their portion of spending."

Social Credit economic policy is multidisciplinary in nature, stressing the link between individual and community. It seeks to establish a more decentralized society revolving around the worker who exercises substantial individual economic choice. Social Credit proponents seek to demolish the monopoly of credit in the banking system to force industry to be accountable to consumers and laborers alike.

While this new party immediately created a buzz with some high profile endorsements, it's not yet clear what effect it will have in the upcoming elections. Many believe that the Social Credit Party will dig into Bull Moose support, but only time will tell if the Social Credit Party will play the role of a spoiler or even catch fire and win. Also, rumors spell out vice president Huey Long's potential ambitions with the party, but many deny that these are true. On the other side of the affair are staunch opponents of the party, some of whom claim that it is an anti-Semitic and fascist party. Others call Social Credit Theory 'simply bunk, as one might expect from fringe loons like Coughlin', as a top politician who chose to remain anonymous puts it.

[VPH]

Setting Up the 1936 Election

Despite a successful midterm election, President Wheeler ended his term severely lacking in political capital for a handful of reasons. First of all, the Democrats combined with more moderate Bull Moose members to shoot down the industrial quota idea, which was to be a cornerstone of the president's depression era policy agenda. Moreover, mounting frustration at the slow economic recovery led to the rise of a third party which dug into Bull Moose membership. On this topic, his VP Huey Long decided to run for the Social Credit Party nomination, leaving his post as VP. President Wheeler's legacy looked to be in trouble, and many pundits predicted he may lose in 1936. On the eve of the election, unemployment sat at about 19.6%, up .13% from the year before.

The Bull Moose Party stuck with President Wheeler, who selected former California Governor Upton Sinclair to replace Huey Long on the ticket. Sinclair had proven popular as governor and was instrumental in pushing for increased regulation with his popular book. The Democratic Party returned to its Southern base in selecting popular senator Alben Barkley, who was for the most part a supporter of President Wheeler's economic policy but spearheaded opposition to his quota plan. For vice president, Barkley selected Texas businessman Jesse Jones, a member of the National Recovery Taskforce. The Republican Party was led into 1936 by industrialist Henry Ford, with New Jersey Governor Harold Hoffman as the vice presidential candidate. Finally, the Social Credit party, easily picked VP Huey Long as a candidate for president and Kansas Governor and radioman Dr. John Brinkley as VP.

The Bull Moose platform emphasizes a continuation of current policies, including a guaranteed old age benefit, more infrastructure investment, an increase in the minimum wage, promotion of cooperatives, and staying out of the chaos in Europe. The Democrats ran on a program of state and locally focused infrastructure investment, a crackdown on crime, beginning a military buildup, and cutting waste in relief programs. The Republicans suggested lowering taxes on businesses, reviewing and cutting out recovery programs that cost too much for their benefit, cutting bureaucracy, controlling the budget deficit, and lowering the tariff to encourage global trade. A gulf within the party on the European situation prevents them from really taking a stance on the issue. The Social Credit Party proposed entirely dismantling and restructuring the banking system, fighting communism at home, cutting regulations on entrepreneurship, changing the length of the work week to create employment, and providing a minimum guaranteed income. The SoCred Party's anti-communism ideas are decried by some as racist and anti-semetic.

[VPH]

1936 Election Results

Bull Moose-Burton Wheeler [MT] / Upton Sinclair [CA]--32%-183
Democratic-Alben Barkley [KY] / Jesse Jones [TX]--29%-170
Republican-Henry Ford [MI] / Harold Hoffman [NJ]--28%-164
Social Credit-Huey Long [LA] / John Brinkley [KS]--11%-14

In this nailbiter of an election, the Bull Moose barely scraped through back into the White House. As expected, Burton Wheeler successfully delivered much of the West, although Huey Long somehow pulled off a victory in Utah. Upton Sinclair as VP nominee all but assured the party of Western success, even though it may have jeapordized the ticket`s chances back East. The Democrats, in having selected a well known and popular national figure, performed quite well, positioning themselves to the center-left of the poltical spectrum. While Long siphoned off some votes in the South, Barkley was easily able to mop up there due to long standing political dynasties and affiliations, minus in Louisiana, Long`s home state. The Democratic performance likely would have been stronger if not for Henry Ford`s presence in the race. The Republicans did quite well, flipping a number of previously Bull Moose states. Their fiscally moderate approach attracted the support of those on the right and many in the center, mitigating Barkley`s success in the North and Midwest. Henry Ford`s name recognition definitely helped the ticket. Lastly, the Social Credit Party burst onto the scene, astoundign many outsiders and analysts alike. While it was expected that they had the Louisiana vote, in the Southwest, the SoCred party performed surprisingly well. Their appeal also extended to the South, where they carved into Democratic margains. However, they were not the dominant force some feared, as in many Northeastern states, the party failed to garner more than 5% of the vote. Their presence is said to have taken some frustrated voters from the Bull Moose Party, strident anti-communists and segregationists in the South, and a select few farmers in the Midwest. Thus, while the loss of North Dakota and Colorado from Bull Moose hands may be attributed to them, the Social Credit Party failed to register a major impact.

[VPH]

Wheeling Onward 1 out of 2

April 1937: Rep. William Lemke breaks from the Social Credit Party, calling it a dictatorial organization
July 1937: The major parties forge a compromise to instate nationwide primaries to determine nominees as opposed to conventions. This reform holds promise in allowing for more democracy and shifting ideas
July 1937: The Bull Moose Party advocates a number of amendments to fight machine politics and Jim Crow laws, but these are warily shot down
November 1937: A Democratic proposal to invest in weapons manufacture and war preparedness fails, but garners some support in the GOP

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BREAKING: RIGHT WING JOINS FORCES!

Conservative Party Rises on Opposition to Wheeler, Attracting Bipartisan Support

Today, a veritable American political coup occurred on Capitol Hill as mounting tensions within the Republican party led to a complete fracture. This morning, Michigan Senator Arthur Vandenberg, along with Virginia Senators Harry Byrd and Carter Glass, North Carolina Senator Josiah Bailey, and Texas Representative John Nance Garner announced their departure from their respective party caucuses to form a new right leaning party. A number of other politicians are rumored to be joining in the next few weeks. Major backers of the party include publisher William Randolph Hearst, industrial magnate and former presidential candidate Henry Ford, and former Social Credit Party supporter Charles Lindbergh. Well heeled and organized around the "Conservative Manifesto", this bipartisan coalition had worked informally for years to oppose president Wheeler's agenda, domestic and foreign. Within the Republican Party, there was strong contention between isolationist and internationalist factions and between those who supported reforming Wheeler's economic policies and those who favored total repeal.  The Conservative Party appears to be taking an interventionist stance, although its economic ideas have attracted some isolationists wary of establishment economic policy. This new faction strongly opposes the American Deal, vowing to repeal major parts of it if in power.

The Republican Party will soldier on, albeit with a more concentrated faction of moderates. Some decidedly right-leaning Republicans are wary of the Conservatives, such as Senator Robert Taft, who declared: "Although the Conservatives have the right idea on economics, perhaps this alliance was best left at an informal one. Clearly, those of us on the right have encountered success, shooting down production quotas and other ideas of the sort. I do not see a need for an official party. It will surely create issues in terms of vote splitting in elections, and honestly I sincerely doubt how long a party with such renegade tendencies can persist." However, leaders of the party expressed sentiment in an entirely different vein. Former presidential candidate Henry Ford noted, "I have deep faith in this coalition of conservatives to improve our nation. Together, undivided by Democratic or Republican loyalties and drawbacks, we can work together to put a halt to these socialistic fascist American Deal programs. We can work together to prepare for battle against anti-American interests."

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Wheeling Onward Part 2

December 1937: The Conservative Party's ranks grow as economically right leaning Dems and Republicans join forces in this 4th party
January 1938: Amidst the chaos, the Bull Moose Party introduces a Rural Resource Access bill that provides for electrification and expansion of clean water access for rural and impoverished areas. The bill passes in a close vote through both chambers.
March 1938: Recognizing that Conservative momentum will probably be high in the next midterms, President Wheeler hurriedly passes an old-age pension law to protect senior citizens
May 1938: Conservatives and some Republicans work together to pass the "Government Waste Reduction Package", which reviews the American Deal programs and cuts back on some of the spending in these programs. Little known to many is that an amendment in the bill demolishes labor union protections for workers. President Wheeler vetoes it.
July 1938: Bull Moose Party members and Republican and Conservative isolationists propose and pass an official neutrality act which declares that the US will remain neutral in the case of conflict. President Wheeler, after much deliberation, vetoes the proposal, angering prominent anti-war groups within his own party. Montana Senator Jeanette Rankin is among the president's most vocal critics.
November 1938: A sinking Bull Moose Party loses big time in the midterm elections. The GOP's internationalist wing picks up a number of house seats, while Conservatives roll on in the South and Midwest. One GOP star recruit, Wendall Wilkie, defeated Frederick Van Nuys in a very close election without a Conservative candidate. One bright spot for the Bull Moose Party came in William Langer's victory in North Dakota. The Social Credit Party loses all of its seats and falls to just 2% of the national vote.
January 1939: A major tariff increase supported by Bull Moose Party members dies in the House amidst strong Republican opposition.
March 1939: The UK requests American military aid and President Wheeler complies, turning to the congress to draft an aid bill
July 1939: The final aid package provides military aid to the UK, France, and Poland and passes with little fanfare from Bull Moose Party doves and right leaning isolationists. The bill invests millions into war preparation and industry
September 1939: Conservatives call for a bill requiring all socialists, communists, fascists, and anarchists to register with the NPB. Many Americans are unhappy when President Wheeler refuses to sign it.
October 1939: Senator George Norris proposes the Labor Protection Act, which curbs management abuses of labor unions. The bill barely passes in a watered down form, establishing the NLRB.
January 1940: Minnesota Governor Elmer Austin Benson launches a primary challenge against the sitting president, attacking him from the left on foreign policy, decrying Wheeler as an "interventionist".
March 1940: German spies are intercepted in the US by the NPB, concerning many Americans
April 1940: War begins to look increasingly more likely as President Wheeler begins to lend his support to the idea of action against Germany.

[VPH]

1940 Presidential Primaries

Bull Moose Party

President Burton Wheeler-54%
Minnesota Governor Elmer Austin Benson-46%
In a surprisingly close race, the incumbent president hangs on despite attacks from his left on foreign policy. On economic and social policy, the two were remarkably similar, so this election became a referendum on war preparedness. Wheeler's future in the general election looks unsteady due to nasty party divisions. Benson refused to endorse Wheeler at the convention, sparking a firestorm among leading party officials.

Democratic Party

Kentucky Senator Alben Barkley-41%
New York Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt-39%
Fmr. Indiana Governor Paul McNutt-20%
The popular deal brokering senator wins out. Barkley's relative success last election proved to voters that maybe this time around, surrounded by fractured parties, Barkley could work magic in the general election. FDR mobilizes the Northeast and much of the Midwest with a moderate economic and foreign policy platform, but is seen as lacking energy. He runs a bit to the left of Barkley on most issues. Paul McNutt, the most pro-war candidate, underwhelms nationwide with his failed appeals to hawks. Most Americans, while supportive of preparedness and aid, fall short of advocating preemptive military action against Germany like McNutt supports.