My Al Gore Timeline

[Hash]

As much as I don't support Libertarians, I like when third parties win seats. So good job.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Bush is starting to get the message now in early 2007 that fiscal responsiblity is what must be done.  Bush's decision is to try and focus now social security privitization, something that finally economic conservatives can get excited about.  However, Sen. Paul says it is a feeble attempt to try and quiet economic conservatives and calls for more to happen.  The reform is not well received in congress, the strength playing the Republicans is the weakness of the Democrats.  The plan gets somewhat sidetracked, however, when Sandra Day O'Connor announces her retirement from the Supreme Court.  Again Bush is forced to choose this time between conservative John Roberts and a more libertarian constitutionalist in Janice Rogers Brown.  Bush continues to raise the ire of the libertarians by picking Roberts over Brown.  Now in mid 2007, the Democrats have a few frontrunners for their nomination including Sen. Paul Wellstone (MN), Sen. Hillary Clinton, Gov. Brad Henry, and the very liberal Sen. Barbara Boxer.  Populists in the Democrat are threatening to do what the Libertarians are doing to the Republicans if anyone but Henry is the nominee saying that they need a place in the party too.  They feel the big loss in the last election signaled the Democratic party needs a new direction.  Bush is again sidetracked when North Korea and Kim Jong Il threthen that they will attack South Korea in a matter of weeks.  Bush orders troops sent to North Korea to fix the mess.  In the ten day offensive, the North Koreas are crippled and they seem to be on the run.  Bush, however, trying to appeal to the Libertarians pulls out, but this creates a problem when Kim Jong Il resurfaces.  Bush's approvals dip to 44%.  The great news for the Libertarians is the senate seats they hope to pick up due to retiring senators:

AK: Ted Stevens annouces he will retire, the Democrats are yet to field a candidate and instead it appears they will back Libertarian candidate Andrew Halcro.  Republicans are nominating Ben Stevens, Ted's son
NJ: Frank Lautenberg annouces he will also retire, setting the door for Steve Forbes who will run under the Libertarian banner but will receive the Republican endorsement
DE: Joe Biden annouces his retirement and now Libertarian Rep. Mike Castle will run against Gov. Ruth Minner for the seat
ME: Susan Collins annouces she is switching to being a Libertarian (54-42-4), and will run under that banner come 2008.

The Libertarians see this as great oppurtunity to gain 3 more seats.  They also receive great news when Rep. Jeff Flake annouces he will seek their presidential nomination.  He wins it and chooses Michael Badnarik as his VP.  The Democratic nominee for president is Paul Wellstone, which raises the ire of moderate Democrats.  Two Democrats, Ben Nelson and Robert Byrd, break away from the Democrats into the newly formed populist party.  The Senate now contains 54 Republicans, 38 Democrats, 4 Libertarians, 2 Populists, and 2 Independents.  However, it is expected that Libertarians will gain more seats.  In the 2008 presidential election, Flake kills Bush and Wellstone wins rather easily.  Flake finishes second in some states but it is his 25% showing the PV that dooms Bush, especially in states like Montana and Arizona that Bush would have won handily.

[Hash]

Who is elected President then?

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Let me guess, the Libertarians will be governing the United States by 2012? And that both the Republican and Democratic parties would have demised by the end of 2016?

Very strange TL, DWTL.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Who is elected President then?

Wellstone, sorry I did not make that clearer

[DownWithTheLeft]

I thought I'd pick this one back up:

In January 2009, President Paul Wellstone takes over a government more divided than ever.  Wellstone has put progressive social reform at the top of his agenda which is angering the more populist sect of the Democratic party.  He dares to take on an issue most would not, drug legalization.  Wellstone calls the immediate legalization of marijuana, a move hearalded by Libertarians and Democrats, but renounced by Populists and Republicans.  Newly elected senator Steve Forbes gives a speech on the senate floor about the economic ramificaitons of the legalization which is broadcast on TV and seems to turn the public in favor.  It is realized that the Libertarians are around to stay.  The current senate count is 52 Republicans, 39 Democrats, 5 Libertarians, 2 Populists, and 2 Independents.  However, more defection comes sending the Republicans under 50 seats.  Senators Ditka, Voinivich, and Smith annouce their defection to the Libertarian party as they say the two party system is broken.  Wellstone's drug legalization passes and now the Christian right is more fired up than ever.  Angry at the Republicans voting in favor, several senators including Tom Coburn, James Inhofe, and Rick Santorum break to the Constitution Party, now making the count 46 R, 39 D, 8 L, 3 C, 2 P, and 2 Indy.  Early polls show the following to be the frontrunners for all the parties:

Republicans: Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)
Democrats: Pres. Paul Wellstone (D-MN)
Libertarians: Sen. Ron Paul (L-TX)
Populists: Gov. Brad Henry (P-OK)
Constitution: Sen. James Inhofe (C-OK)

The election seems like no one will get close to 270 EV

[Хahar 🤔]

Ha ha. This is a far-right fantasy, I'm sure.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Ha ha. This is a far-right fantasy, I'm sure.

It's more just insanity if you read it.  There are 5 different parties holding seats in the senate

[Hash]

I like multi-party US scenarios, but I also like originality in new party names...

[DownWithTheLeft]

Recap on current numbers:
Senate
Republicans 47
Democrats 40
Libertarians 8
Constitution 3
Populists 2

Lieberman has caucused with the Republicans, Sanders with the Democrats

House
Democrats 186
Republicans 180
Libertarians 42
Constitution 17
Populists 10

In an effort to try and become more of a major force in American politics, the Populists and Constitution parties merge to form the new Traditionalist Party.  This does not have much objection between the current party members as the party will have a platform of social conservatism and moderate economic views.  Then have 5 seats in the senate and 27 in the house, enough to make problems for the other parties.  As 2011 approaches, Wellstone continues to move to the left and pushes the Kyoto Protocol through angering many, most importantly the Traditionalist leader in the senate, James Inhofe.  Inhofe annouces his candidacy for the presidency.  The race is really heating up and many think Wellstone will only keep his job if he can get the necessary votes in the house.  Wellstone nexts calls for nuclear disarmorment but this is voted down in the senate.  This is the first major blow to the Wellstone presidency and the first victory for the Traditionalists as the vote failed 51-49.  More later

[Hash]

Wouldn't Conservative Party or something else be better than Traditionalist Party?

[War on Want]

Also why would the Kyoto Protocol anger a Populist kind of party?

[DownWithTheLeft]

I wanted to pick this back up, one of the last things I did before:

It is now late 2007 and the election is really getting into full swing.  However, the Republicans realize they have absolutley no shot at being able to recapture the presidency.  They realize that the Democrats and Traditionalists will not be able to reconcile together, so they agree to run with the Libertarians.  Almost all of the remaining Republican senators switch over either to the Libertarians or the Traditionalists.  The only remaining Republican senators are Chuck Hagel, Johnny Isakason, Joe Lieberman, Michael Steele, and John Kyl.  The RNC merges with the Libertarian party, however, most state and local GOP agencies stay in tact.  Libertarians are still yet to make as many inroads into local politics.  Numerous Democrats also defect.  So the current numbers are:

Libertarians 39
Traditionalists 32
Democrats 24
Republicans 5

Ron Paul currently holds a commanding lead as the 2012 presidential election approaches.  Wellstone announces that he will seek reelection and dismisses Paul, now 77, as way too old to be the president.  The Traditionalists hold their first ever convention right in the heart of the Bible Belt, Birmingham, Alabama.  The party did not hold primaries and the convention voters have been given a list of names to choose from for a nominee, it includes: Fmr. Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry, Fmr. Alabama SC Justice Roy Moore, and Fmr. Georgia Gov. Sonny Purdue.  Moore, thought to be the most controversial of the bunch, is given the nomination after a grueling battle that last nearly a week.  As his VP, Moore chooses an equally controversial figure in James Dobson, who has no political experience.  Fearing the party is not getting off to a good start, many northern Traditionalists jump ship back to the Republicans.  Looking for a way to combat the new forces, the Republicans and Democrats that are left band together to form the new American Party.  Their platform is virtually non-existent except for calling together those who do not like the extremes of the new parties.  They hold their convention a few months later and choose Fmr. Libertarian and current Illionis Sen. Mike Ditka as their nominee, Ditka chooses Maryland Sen. Michael Steele as his running mate.  The Libertarians do not surprise anyone at their convention and choose Sen. Ron Paul along with Rep. Jeff Flake as his VP.  The campaign gets brutual and Paul seems to convince America that the American Party is more of the same.  Polls show that the PV remains heavily in Ditka's favor, but that is because Paul runs 3rd in the south.  It is anyone's guess who will win.

The election turns out as follows:

Sen. Ron Paul/Rep. Jeff Flake             276 EV         39% PV
Sen. Mike Ditka/Sen. Michael Steele       194 EV        44% PV
Judge Roy Moore/James Dobson           68  EV        17% PV

Libertarians win a lot of states out of disgust for others rather than like of them.  Paul will struggle mightly to accomplish his agenda.

[Хahar 🤔]

That map is inplausible, but w/e. I want to see more of this.

[specific_name]

well at the Libertarians can win something...in our imaginations.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Paul is inaguarated in 2013 and announces less than one month in that this will be his first and only term.  He pushes an agenda of strict fiscal policy and disarmorment.  He immediatley recalls almost all troops home from foreign countries and vows not to use the military as a means of flexing muscle.  He comprises with the Traditionalists and uses the Libertarians and some Republicans to pass the long awaited marriage amendment in exchange for a vote to institute a Flat Tax.  The tax calls for a flat percentage on American families with a ceiling of $25,000 and a $5,000 deduction for each dependent.  While many oppose both plans, most are happy that two sides were able to work together to achieve something.  Paul is currently going down as one of the most liked presidents ever with an approval rating near 80%.  Paul, however, is faced with a hardship when Chief Justice William Renhquist dies and he must now appoint a new CJ.  He chooses Thomas for the CJ position and makes a safe, but reliable pick, for a new AJ in Janice Rogers Brown.  Brown easily passes the senate and takes her place on the bench.  Traditionalists feel they are truly only one vote away from overturning Roe v. Wade.  Paul gets back on the issue of wasteful spending and cuts out almost 15% of the federal budget in a intiative that he calls "Taking What is Yours".  The program is incredibly successful and Paul now pushes for social security privitization.  His approval rating stands at 81% when in 2015 he annouces that he wishes the Libertarian party to nominate VP Jeff Flake for the presidency.  However, most Libertarians fear that Flake being Mormon will hurt them dramatically and rally around Fmr. New Mexico Gov. Gary B. Johnson.  After a bloody convention, Johnson comes out on top but as a gesture of good faith offers Flake his VP spot, but Flake declines and instead opts to run for Gov. of Arizona in two years.  This leaves Johnson without a VP, so he chooses Susan Collins.  The American party is equally split, but has decided to run a liberal president and a conservative VP given Ditka's nomination four years ago.  The candidates that line up in the primary are Illinois Gov. Barack Obama, Indiana Sen. Brad Ellsworth, Fmr. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Rhode Island Gov. Patrick Kennedy.  Many have reservations about nominating a conservative liberal, a black, or a woman, so Kennedy becomes the frontrunner.  He has seemingly made up for his DUI and has done a good job running Rhode Island.  He loses Iowa to Ellsworth, but wins New Hampshire.  Obama and Sebelius drop out, but the other two rage on.  In a battle that almost goes to the convention, Kennedy becomes the nominee.  He chooses Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.  The Traditionalists seemed lost in losing so badly in the last election, so while they don't leave the South they look to a bit more moderate candidates.  Without the fight of last time, they nominate Fmr. Gov. Sonny Purdue and make a huge surprise with his running mate choosing Fmr. American Party candidate Brad Ellsworth who switched.  The election looks like a nail-biter, and is, it goes tot he house.

Johnson/Collins             77 EV         29%
Kennedy/Pence            270 EV        36%
Purdue/Ellsworth          191 EV        32%
Others                            0 EV           3%

Johnson wins PA by less than 6,000 votes

[Middle-aged Europe]

This is not really a Al Gore Timeline if he doesn't become Emperor of the Moon in the end.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

won't Paul be like 77 years old in 2013?

[DownWithTheLeft]

won't Paul be like 77 years old in 2013?

As I noted, and that is why at 81 he does not seek reelection in 2016

[Хahar 🤔]

81% approval ratings? A flat tax would kill his approval among poors. Has he done anything to reach out to the left?

[DownWithTheLeft]

81% approval ratings? A flat tax would kill his approval among poors. Has he done anything to reach out to the left?

Yea, show he can work with people and more drug legalization, military troop withdrawals, and not appointing a strict conservative to the bench

[Хahar 🤔]

81% approval ratings? A flat tax would kill his approval among poors. Has he done anything to reach out to the left?

Yea, show he can work with people and more drug legalization, military troop withdrawals, and not appointing a strict conservative to the bench

But...CJ Thomas?

And besides, none of those issues matter to the unions.

[War on Want]

81% approval ratings? A flat tax would kill his approval among poors. Has he done anything to reach out to the left?

Yea, show he can work with people and more drug legalization, military troop withdrawals, and not appointing a strict conservative to the bench

But...CJ Thomas?

And besides, none of those issues matter to the unions.

Exactly, almost the whole Working Class of America would hate him for establishing a flat tax.

[DownWithTheLeft]

81% approval ratings? A flat tax would kill his approval among poors. Has he done anything to reach out to the left?

Yea, show he can work with people and more drug legalization, military troop withdrawals, and not appointing a strict conservative to the bench

But...CJ Thomas?

And besides, none of those issues matter to the unions.

Maybe intially they would despise it, but after seeing how effective it is and how much better their lives are, they would run to Paul's side.  The fact is that America needs Ron Paul but they are not ready for Ron Paul.  Plus, personal bias takes a little bit here

[War on Want]

81% approval ratings? A flat tax would kill his approval among poors. Has he done anything to reach out to the left?

Yea, show he can work with people and more drug legalization, military troop withdrawals, and not appointing a strict conservative to the bench

But...CJ Thomas?

And besides, none of those issues matter to the unions.

Maybe intially they would despise it, but after seeing how effective it is and how much better their lives are, they would run to Paul's side.  The fact is that America needs Ron Paul but they are not ready for Ron Paul.  Plus, personal bias takes a little bit here

Ummmmmmm....... regardles of whether the flat tax is effective or not it still would hurt the bottom 25% of America, while "helping"(yeah right) the top 75%. Even if the flat tax was very successful, probably only 50 to 60% of Americans would support Paul.