America: 2000-2016

[adam]

Very well written, Yates! I actually found myself refreshing this page hoping for updates.

Just one thing though, a couple of times you said that Florida will determine the election just like in 2000. Well, in your scenario, the 2000 election was well decided without Florida.

Aside from that, wonderful job!

[Soaring Eagle]

I look forward to the Barnes Presidency. Keep it up!

[Colin]

Good after the horrible job Bush did in this timeline, you actually made him do things worse which is hard, Barnes deserved to win.

[CPT MikeyMike]

I look forward to the Barnes Presidency. Keep it up!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[George W. Hobbes]

Well done Yates, brilliant work.

That said, I demand a recount!

[Robespierre's Jaw]

MSNBC Live
Election Night Coverage

WE HAVE A WINNER.

With 99% of the precincts reporting in Florida, we are ready to project a winner.

PRESIDENT
Florida

[X] Roy Barnes

Roy Barnes
44th President of the United States

I hope that you enjoyed the 2004 Election section of this fiction as much as I enjoyed writing it.  I will return in early January to continue this timeline.  Thank you for reading.

Your the man Yates great job so far. Looking forward to the Barnes Presidency.

[Yates]

I have returned from my trip and will soon be continuing this.

[Hash]

One of the best electoral reporting I have ever seen! You rock!

[Yates]

The 2004 Senatorial elections remained somewhat the same, though Betty Castor was elected over Mel Martinez in Florida and Erskine Bowles was victorious in North Carolina.  John Thune was elected Senator for South Dakota over token opposition, as Tom Daschle decided not to run for re-election in order to run for President.  The Senate is led by 53 Republican seats, as opposed to 46 Democratic seat, and one Democratic-affiliated Independent.  The Senate Majority Leader is Rick Santorum, who was elected after Trent Lott's controversial remarks in 2002.  The Senate Majority Whip is Jon Kyl.  The Senate Minority Leader is Dick Durbin, who beat out Harry Reid, who remains as Minority Whip.

The Republicans have a weak majority in the House of Representatives.  Dennis Hastert remains as speaker.  Tom DeLay is Majority Leader, while Eric Cantor is Majority Whip.  The Minority Leader is Steny Hoyer, who was previously Minority Whip.  The Minority Whip is Nancy Pelosi.  Dick Gephardt retired after a failed Presidential bid.

The next update shall be soon.

[Yates]

Note: Senator Paul Wellstone was not killed in a plane crash in 2002.  He survived, along with all else on board, and went on to win re-election.

[Yates]

The next update will be tonight.

[Kevin]

The next update will be tonight.

Glad to see you back Yates ,and I look forward to your update.

[Yates]

The Barnes/Clark Administration

In January 2005, President Roy Barnes and Vice President Wesley Clark are sworn in.  In his inaugural address, President Barnes discusses the need for America to emerge once again as the world's moral leader.  Analysts interpret this as Barnes' intention to adopt a more internationalist foreign policy than the Bush Administration.

On his second day in office, President Barnes issues an Executive Order.  In this Executive Order, all troops are to be pulled from Iraq by January 1st, 2006.  This action is immediately applauded by almost all Democrats and many Republicans.  Only neoconservatives oppose this.

Rasmussen Reports
Barnes Approval Rating
January 25th, 2005
Approve: 67%
Disapprove: 32%
Unsure: 1%

There is an attempt made in Congress, led by Senate Majority Leader Rick Santorum and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, to override this Executive Order.  However, the majority of Republicans vote to uphold it, causing division among the ranks of Congressional Republicans, and, as some see it, dimishing the power of the two leaders.

President Barnes, in Febraury, appoints Vice President Clark and General John Abizaid to organize an effective timeline for the withdrawl of troops.  In the plan created, the majority of troops will be redeployed by April.  However, as the troops are being pulled out of Iraq, a new threat emerges across the border.

New Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has announced his intentions of obtaining nuclear power for his country.  This announcement is widely interpreted as a desire to build nuclear weapons.  In a written statement, Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke says, "It would be irresponsible for the world community to allow this rogue nation to attain nuclear weapons."  In a similar statement, President Barnes says, "My administration is monitoring this threat very carefully.  We will do what we can to ensure that Iran does not get nuclear weapons."

In April 2005, President Barnes hosts a summit of world leaders in Washington.  The leaders of most of the worlds nations are invited, with notable exclusions being Fidel Castro, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong Il, and Hugo Chavez.  In this summit, Barnes expresses his regret for President Bush's foreign policy, and says that he desires to be more of a Clinton-style internationalist leader.  The summit bodes well for America's international standing, and many of the leaders in attendance express their approval with the new President.

On the economic front, the stock market is soaring.  The housing market is rebounding.  According to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, "America's economy is back."  Meanwhile, President Barnes has released to Congress at balanced budget, and a plan to make the American government debt free by 2012. 

For the actions in his first months in office, President Barnes is extraordinarily popular with the American public. 

Rasmussen Reports
Barnes Approval Rating
July 10th, 2006
Approve: 76%
Disapprove: 22%
Unsure: 2%

In Congress, President Barnes, Dick Durbin, and Steny Hoyer have led the Democrats in having many legislative successes, despite their minority status, due largely to the centrist ideology expoused in many of the bills, which have garnered the votes of many Republicans in Congress.  According to Senator Mike Ciresi, elected in 2000, "Democrats have a minority of the seats in the House and Senate, but we're able to control the flow of Congress as though we had a solid majority."  Senate Majority Whip Jon Kyl is not as pleased.  "We're seeing a Majority Leader who isn't keeping our coalition in line," says Kyl.

2005, so far, is a wonderful year for President Barnes and Congressional Democrats.  However, the times ahead will prove that, in politics, everything can change in a very short time span.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coming Next
President Barnes and his allies have had a fine start, but things are about to change for the worst.  The Iraq War may be over, but another Middle Eastern country may be a new target.  Senate Republicans aren't pleased with Leader Santorum.  Things in Washington will radically change.

[Soaring Eagle]

Really fine job. Keep up the good work.

[Yates]

The next update will be within two hours.

[Reaganfan]

On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit. Will that be included in the timeline?

[Yates]

On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit. Will that be included in the timeline?

Thank you, Mr. Naso.  Yes, it shall be.

[Yates]

This fiction is written purely for entertainment purposes, and does not reflect the wishes nor the opinions of its author.

Barnes/Clark :: The Turning Point

2005 has been going quite smoothly.  President Barnes is enormously popular and the Republican opposition is largely ineffective. 

Republicans in the Senate begin to speak out against their leader, Rick Santorum.  Senator Jon Kyl, the Majority Whip, says, "Santorum's simply ineffective.  He doesn't get anything done."  Senator Mike DeWine alleges, "What have we done?  We have a majority of the votes yet we're taking it from the Democrats."  Several Senate Republicans begin calling for Santorum to step down as leader, and in late July 2005, he does so.  Unanimously, Senator Jon Kyl is elected to replace him.  Senator Chuck Grassley is elected Majority Whip.

Shortly after being elected, Senate Majority Leader Kyl announces that he will be commanding a much tighter ship.  Republicans who join the Democrats in key votes will be stripped of valuable committee seats.  In early August, after being punished for voting against the Republicans on a bill finalizing troop withdrawls from Iraq, Senator Arlen Specter joins the Democratic Party, giving the Republicans only a four seat advantage.

In late August 2005, Hurricane Katrina slams into New Orleans, flooding the city and resulting in the death of thousands and the destruction of hundreds of thousands of homes.  In a statement from the White House Rose Garden, President Barnes announces that, "The federal government will be taking a back seat in the recovery efforts.  This is a job for the state and local governments."  The remark is immediately met by strong criticism, from both sides of the aisle.  Barnes backtracks his position and orders federal aid to the area.

Rasmussen Reports
Barnes Approval Rating
September 5th, 2005
Approve: 65%
Disapprove: 32%
Unsure: 3%

THE NEW WAR

On September 15th, 2005, fifty C.I.A. agents are sent across Iran to dismantle its atomic energy program, an action directly ordered by President Barnes.  The operation is a disaster; all fifty agents are killed.  Immediately, there is outcry as to why this mission was ordered.  On the left, the operation is criticized for a lack of necessity.  On the right, there are criticisms regarding the weakness of this mission.  Congressman Tom Tancredo says, "What Barnes should've done is drop a huge bomb right on Tehran."

In an Oval Office speech, President Barnes announces that, because of the Iranian government's murder of fifty American federal agents and because of the potential threat posed by a nuclear Iran, the United States would be initiating military action to remove Iran's ability to attain nuclear capacity.  On October 21st, 2005, the United States Air Force bombs sixteen strategic sites around Iran.  Four planes are shot down, but the operation is generally a success.  However, in response, Iran launches over fifty missiles at the State of Israel.

The cities of Tel Aviv, Haifa, Eilat, and Jerusalem, are all hit with missiles.  Over two hundred Israelis are killed, and one of the missiles destroyed the sacred Western Wall in Jerusalem.  Missiles also struck Israeli military bases, severely weakening the nation. 

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon orders the launch of a nuclear weapon at Tehran.  When the bomb explodes, over 40,000 people are instantly killed.  Iran responds by launching a missile at the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, which was on patrol in the Red Sea.  Thirty-two sailors are killed.

President Barnes is horrified by the sudden escalation of what he had intended to be a small and quick military operation.  From all ideologies, he is again being attacked.  Senator Paul Wellstone cries, "We elected Barnes to end war, not make more of it!."  Senate Majority Leader Jon Kyl says, "This is the most idiotic handling of a military conflict in our nation's history."  Kyl, along with House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and several other prominent Republicans, calls on Barnes to resign.

Meanwhile, Syria declares war on Israel for what its President calls a, "crime against humanity."  Israeli and Syrian fighter planes soon have a prolonged battle over the Golan Heights.  Syrian ground forces invade Israel through the mountains, only to be met by Israeli tanks.  President Barnes announces that he will be proposing a cease-fire for all parties involved.  Prime Minister Sharon agrees.  However, Iran and Syria do not. 

The situation quickly evolves into a larger war, as Russia proceeds to aid Iran and Syria, providing them with weapons.  China gives financial aid to Iran.  The United Kingdom and Austrailia provide Israel with aid, and Britain declares war on Syria and Iran. 

At a cabinet meeting in November, it is quickly determined that this conflict has evolved into World War III.  Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke is sent to the United Nations to attempt to come to some temporary break in the fighting, but is quickly rejected.

Rasmussen Reports
Barnes Approval Rating
December 1st, 2005
Approve: 25%
Disapprove: 74%
Unsure: 1%

Do you trust President Barnes to lead America through World War III?
Yes: 19%
No: 77%
Unsure: 4%

On December 10th, President Barnes calls 250,000 reserve troops to active duty.  Vice President Clark is charged with preparing the war's grand strategy. 

On Christmas Day, President Barnes holds a private meeting with Vice President Clark.  In the meetings, Barnes tells Clark that he does not feel as though he is capable of leading America during this time.

-----------------------------------------------
Coming Next:
President Barnes makes a difficult decision, America struggles in the new world war, the opposition gets more fierce.

[Reaganfan]

Should have re-elected Bush LOL

[SPC]

Let me guess. During another close race, Bush retakes the White House from Barnes in 2008.

[Hash]

That's actually a good scenario for World War III. Although I think Syria will get it's ass kicked BIG TIME.

[YRABNNRM]

Very interesting.

[Colin]

World War III would denote a war that is fought on a global scale. A couple of missiles launches, the Israelis going nuclear, and Syria invading the Golan Heights are the makings of a Middle Eastern War but not a world war. I mean I don't even see how this is such a large conflict beyond the Israeli nuclear attack, which would most likely never happen in real life I didn't see Israel nuke southern Lebanon for the Hezbollah killing about that many people in rocket attacks. If Israel uses their nuclear technology that would also mean that they would be forced to reveal that such weapons exist, which they've been trying to avoid for about 40 years.

So that's unlike. Besides the small amount of Iranian involvement, a few missiles lauched oh boy what a grand strategy, this seems to be a retake of every other Arab-Israeli War with the exception of Egyptian and Jordanian support.

[Yates]

Colin, in my post, I detailed the amount of foreign nations which are getting involved.  China and Russia have been assisting Iran and the United Kingdom has declared war on Syria and Iran, for example.  I would also like to contest your assertion that Israel would not use nuclear weapons in such a scenario.  Israeli generals have hinted at doing so when questioned about the Iranian nuclear threat, and they have taken a position of ambiguity rather than denial in the past when speaking on Israel's nuclear capability.

Thank you for your objections, however.  I will try to elaborate further in my next update, which will be tonight, how the rest of the world is involved.

[Colin]

Colin, in my post, I detailed the amount of foreign nations which are getting involved.  China and Russia have been assisting Iran and the United Kingdom has declared war on Syria and Iran, for example.

I understand. That was just my opinion it's your story though.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Well yes it's a we do not comment on our nuclear capabilities thing but I believe that they would not retaliate to a small missile strike by Iran with a large nuclear strike since that would probably end their friendship with the few in the international community, beyond the United States, whom they still have friendly ties with. Also these nuclear weapons were not used to difuse the Iranian nuclear program but were directed against the civilian population which is not only bad PR, since then it just looks like some sort of vengence gone out of control, but it does not strategically accomplish anything.