2008 Primaries

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The election of progressive warrior Russell Feingold to the presidency in 2004, having usurped the incumbent President Joe Biden in the primaries, signaled that great changes would come. This would be proven correct fast, as President Feingold took a different direction than his past few predecessors. The biggest changes right away would come in the realm of foreign policy and national security, two main issues of Feingold's campaign. The president pulled out combat forces from Iraq and Afghanistan by the end of his first year, though still retained peacekeeping troops for the time being to rebuild those countries. To compliment this domestically, the Biden-era PATRIOT Act was soon repealed in a move lauded by civil liberties advocates. Soon, Feingold would turn to other issues to tackle, riding high on approval ratings. A significant tax reform bill was pushed through by spring 2006, which included hikes on income tax rates for higher earners and harsher penalties for corporations that invested overseas rather than at home. Feingold also integrated the military so that gay Americans may openly serve, reversing a decades-old enforced policy. By the beginning of 2007, President Feingold announced that the War on Drugs was coming to an end and that states would now lead the way in determining drug policy. Other accomplishments of worth in Feingold's term include a ban on lobbyists in the White House, new federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, and reductions in pork barrel spending and corporate welfare in the federal budget.

Heading into the next presidential election, Feingold remains quite popular and is a definite favorite for reelection. The president is so beloved by his party that he faces no notable opposition in the primaries, something that has not happened to an incumbent president in ages. Nevertheless, there are plenty of people in the AU itching to be the next commander-in-chief. The most notable figure is the very controversial former President Newt Gingrich, hoping to make a political comeback (or just sell more books). Others running include maverick John McCain, flip-flopper Mitt Romney, and drag queen Rudy Giuliani. Rounding out the pack is Chuck Hagel, Mike Huckabee, and Tom Tancredo. Many of the AU contestants are hitting President Feingold on his foreign policy in particular, claiming "he's made us weaker on the world stage." We would also see a good variety of candidates over in the Reform Party, hoping to soon have a breakthrough moment nationally. Lincoln Chafee, Mike Gravel, Alan Keyes, and Buddy Roemer are all running, and in addition, there is discussion of drafting in Michael Bloomberg or Ralph Nader.

Two days!

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Bump.