"Forever Mankind"
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Historia Crux
Andy Jackson
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« Reply #75 on: March 05, 2011, 09:13:41 PM »

Part 19: The Chronicles of Revolution

With solemn eyes, outgoing President Thornburgh would watch his successor take centerstage to deliver his inaugural speech. With baited breath, the nation watched.


William "Bill" J. Baxley II, the 43rd POTUS

"Today fellow Americans, the tumultuous chronicles of the city on a hill continue on. What has occurred to this nation is the dawn of a new chapter, a new chapter that will reflect true fiscal responsibility, a humble foreign policy and internal repair. Today America, is the dawn of Democratic action...."-Exert from President Baxley's Inaugural Speech

Because of a split Republican Party, the Democrats had taken control of the House and come close to victory in the Senate. With Republicans still taking pot shots at one another, the Democrats the upperhand and began to push through their agenda in Congress. The military budget was slashed, social programs were expanded, taxes were raised on the rich and the NASA budget was gutted beyond belief. Because of the NASA cuts a surprisingly quiet Senator would rise to challenge President Baxley.

Senator James "Jim" Lovell of Illinois rose to challenge the NASA cuts, calling them "atrocious" and that "President Baxley has went at the budget with a chainsaw with glee". The major point that Lovell attacked was the massive cuts in Tomorrow program to put a man on Mars by 2000. With this in hand, even some Democrats spurred President Baxley's NASA cuts, including Defense Secretary John Glenn. Evermore, the Democratic house pushed the Baxley budget through and after rangling the Senate passed it as well.

"As of now the spirit of American exploration, which so many men and women through our short history on this Earth, is under an atrocious barrage of attacks by men who do not know a scalpel from a hatchet. As President Edward Kennedy stated 'that the dream shall never die', we cannot allow the monumental achievement that this nation endeavors towards placing a person on another planet to die. Nor shall I allow this to occur.." - Exert from Senator Lovell's speech on the Senate floor

In Moscow, representatives from the newly independent Soviet republics met to sign the official proclamation of independence from the USSR. A ceremonial session of the Duma would be held with delegates from the newly independent nations sitting in, thus it became known as the "Last Duma". In several strokes of the pen, nine new nations were officially born from the Soviet Union. What would become known as the 1989 Moscow Proclamation would also enshrine the creation of the Communal Alliance of Republic, an alliance of sorts that resembled the likes of NATO.


Ceremonial Meeting of the Duma, the "Last Duma"

Although with the partition of the Soviet Union and the creation of the Communal Republic, their were still major issues in the USSR. First, Gorbachev announced that similar referendums would be held in key Soviet Republics to still already existing Republics into separate ones. This issue was raised because of the anger boiling in places like Chechnya, which was one of the few places that voted for independence in the Russian SFSR, sections of the Caucus regions like Dagestan and the ethnic tension ongoing in the Kazakh SSR between ethic Kazakhs and Russian Kazakhs. Second, the quickly democratizing USSR government would announce that general elections would be held in 1990, so that opposition parties can take their time to coalesce and form from early 1989 to late 1990.

In Egypt, protests were born from the successes of Hungary, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union. These protesters would call for President Anwar Sadat to loosen restrictions, allow fair and democratic elections and reforms of government. President Sadat, facing a restless public and wishing not to be a blood stain on history, announced reforms and that there would be democratic elections, going so far to announce he would not run in these elections. With the protesters satisfied, most people suspected long time Vice President Hosni Mubarak would succeed Sadat in the newly scheduled general election.

Secretary of State Robert Strauss would make a historic visit to China, becoming the first American diplomat to visit the nation since Richard Nixon. Strauss would meet with Provisional Premier Zhao Ziyang in the capitol of Beijing. With the capitol far away from the battlefront in the central provinces, it will be a quiet and ceremonial discussion between the two leaders. Strauss will reiterate that the United States supported the new provisional government in China over the old hardliner one, that the Cold War was coming to an end and that the Baxley Administration was cutting back funds and aid to China to focus on internal issues on the United States.

Ziyang is displeased by these turn of events, but does not raise his voice or anger over the decision. Instead Ziyang will consider moving closer to the Soviet Union for aid in the fight against Communist insurgents, much to the irony of such a thing to ask a communist nation to help defeat communist rebels. With Ziyang let down lightly about cuts to international aid from the United States, another international moment that the Baxley Administration had to face, rose. The issue was Panama and it's ever growing desperate despot Manuel Noriega.

General Noriega, a former US ally, had become more paranoid under the Galifianakis Administration and the detente and unlikely friendship between the US and the USSR. Because of this peace, Sandinista rebels had spread through out Nicaragua and set off leftist rebels in surrounding countries. This already regional instability, coupled with the revolutions in the USSR, China, Eastern Europe and now Egypt, Noriega was in no hurry to let democracy flower in Panama. When marchers protested the harsh military rule, Noriega ordered Panamanian Defense forces to advance on the protesters.


Picture of PDF crackdown in Balboa

With haste and unflinching allegiance, the PDF forces would pummel and drive the Panamanian democracy movement underground in one feld swoop. President Baxley would release a strongly worded condemnation of Noriega's actions, but had no intention of doing something drastic. Afterall, the use of Panama Canal as blackmail to the United States was a ripe idea to use if the Baxley Administration were to push for anything bigger than a condemnation. The Soviet Union instead would head a stronger condemnation of Noriega, pushing for UN sanctions against Panama and the Noriega dictatorship.

As cities all along the tiny strip of land known as Panama ignited into outpourings of dissent, the revolutionary spirit was spreading even further. Relatively peaceful movements sprung up in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan and Mongolia calling for greater democratic concessions, with most being successful. In South Africa, protests helped lead to the destruction of the system of apartheid in the nation and eventual free elections and total voting rights to all South Africans. The most pinnacle of nations affected by the revolutions of 1989 were to be East Germany.

The East German government under Erich Honecker had been one of the strongest critics of Gorbachev's reforms and "soft communism" as a whole, which would lead the East Berlin government to sign the Eastern Pact with Bulgaria and Albania against soft communism. Honecker, aged and withering away, was determined to preserve his nation from what had occurred to the USSR and the eastern bloc and when the revolutions of 1989 spread to East Germany, Honecker would take a "Chinese solution" towards the situation. With demands ranging from free elections, greater liberties, free labor unions and reunification, the protests would be brutally repressed with thousands jailed and tried as subversives. This move will only inflame the strong and growing movement in East Germany for reform.

To further deal with dissent and arguing for party purity, moderate members and especially ones that had sympathy with Gorbachev were cleansed from the East German government. Still, as flashpoints occur in places like Leipzig between East German forces and protesters, nothing could prepare the East German government for what would come in late November. Massive demonstrations sprung up in East Berlin near the Berlin Wall, along with similar demonstrations in the west, calling for the reunification of Germany. As West Germans by the hundreds crawl up on the wall, heavily armed East German border guards position themselves between the two sides.


The first East Germans reach the wall, before the "Shots Heard Round the World"

Soon though desperate East Germans, wishing to escape their countrywide prison, crash through the borders guards and make a mad dash towards the wall by the hundreds. With outstretched hands, West Germans begin to help the East Germans over the wall, but then the sound of gun rounds are heard. East and West Germans begin to fall as panicked and angered East border guards begin to open fire on the protesters. As the protesters disperse in fear and terror, some of the devilishly smart border guards bring a ladder to the wall and fire indiscriminately into the west, killing nearly two dozen in the process.

After the horrid and terrifying event is over in a heartbeat, the morning after is tense and filed with tension between the west and east. Because of Western media, the East German government puts on a blackout of foreign communications in an attempt to halt the negative world opinion of East Germany. In the coming month, NATO forces will pour into West Berlin and West Germany itself to reinforce the country. US and European diplomats will try their best to pry words from the Honecker government, usually receiving the that their is no crisis and the whole mess is an internal matter.

As the month of December drags on, Red Army militants carry out terrorist attacks in West Germany, heightening the tension started with the Berlin Crisis. With the month of December over, so was the year and 1989 ended with an unsavory taste in many mouths. For now many would hope that 1990 would bring much, much better days and a hope for a resolution to the conflict...
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Cathcon
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« Reply #76 on: March 05, 2011, 09:37:44 PM »

What I like is how that people you might have never had of have a chance at being President in this timeline, and you make it seem completely plausible.
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Historia Crux
Andy Jackson
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« Reply #77 on: March 05, 2011, 09:57:26 PM »

What I like is how that people you might have never had of have a chance at being President in this timeline, and you make it seem completely plausible.
Thanks! Well when you think about it, people probably wouldn't have suspected someone like Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan of becoming President at a time in history. I just do the same thing to different people, different circumstances mean different presidents afterall and I can tell you there will be some suprises in the presidents to come.
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Cathcon
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« Reply #78 on: March 05, 2011, 10:37:10 PM »

What I like is how that people you might have never had of have a chance at being President in this timeline, and you make it seem completely plausible.
Thanks! Well when you think about it, people probably wouldn't have suspected someone like Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan of becoming President at a time in history. I just do the same thing to different people, different circumstances mean different presidents afterall and I can tell you there will be some suprises in the presidents to come.

Well, I have my own personal hopes for certain Presidents, but I'll see where you lead.
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« Reply #79 on: March 06, 2011, 11:58:23 AM »

Part 5: The Chronicles of Division
 Hatfield would reopen dialogue at the Paris Peace Accords, booting the Agnewite Secretary of State and replacing him with Henry Kissinger.

This is from a while back, but who was Agnew's Secretary of State?
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Historia Crux
Andy Jackson
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« Reply #80 on: March 09, 2011, 08:37:16 PM »

Part 5: The Chronicles of Division
 Hatfield would reopen dialogue at the Paris Peace Accords, booting the Agnewite Secretary of State and replacing him with Henry Kissinger.

This is from a while back, but who was Agnew's Secretary of State?
I didn't have an idea for a specific person at the time since I tried to allude that Agnew was shaking up Nixon's cabinet. If I did have to name a specific person, I guess Ellsworth Bunker would be Agnew's State Secretary. Bunker was experienced in diplomatic matters and was a supporter of the Vietnam War afterall.
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Cathcon
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« Reply #81 on: March 13, 2011, 08:28:32 PM »

I love the new advertisement!
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Historia Crux
Andy Jackson
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« Reply #82 on: March 13, 2011, 10:03:54 PM »

Thanks!
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Historia Crux
Andy Jackson
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« Reply #83 on: March 14, 2011, 03:42:41 PM »

Here's something I couldn't find a way to stuff into Part 19. Think of it as a "deleted scene".

"...Birth control, Ho Chi Minh, Richard Nixon back again,
Alliance 1, Woodstock, Arthur Bremer, Spiro Agnew, punk rock,

Health Care, Bonn, Valentina on the Moon, Camp David, Teddy Kennedy,
ERA, Hinckley, Palestine, Terror on the airline, Ayatollah's in Iran, Chinese in Afghanistan,

Perestroika, John and Yoko, Wheel of Fortune, heavy metal suicide, China's in civl war,
AIDS, Crack, Bernie Goetz, Dick Thornburgh, Fort Knox, Libya,

Syrian occupation, East Germay's under marshall law
Rock and Roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore

We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning.
We didn't start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still burn on, and on, and on, and on...

We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No, we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it

We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No, we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it

We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire..."
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« Reply #84 on: March 14, 2011, 07:16:40 PM »

That reminds me of a song I intended to have played around 1973 called "Here's to the state of Spiro Agnew" (based on "here's to the state of Richard Nixon"). However, I forgot up until recently.
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Historia Crux
Andy Jackson
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« Reply #85 on: April 06, 2011, 05:21:41 PM »

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I'll try and start working on Part 20 again. Main reason behind my work-stoppage was me being in the hospital because of pancreatitis and gallstones.
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Teddy (IDS Legislator)
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« Reply #86 on: April 11, 2011, 10:17:02 PM »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13041326
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Historia Crux
Andy Jackson
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« Reply #87 on: April 11, 2011, 11:22:50 PM »

Interesting. Thanks for bringing this to my attention, it could really help spice up the TL down the road. After the US lands a man on Mars sometime in the 90's, a newly reformed Soviet Union could really pick up the pace on space exploration and maybe a new space race may ensue between the USSR and the US down the road to place a base on the Moon or explore Venus or any number of area's of the solar system, the skys the limits.
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Historia Crux
Andy Jackson
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« Reply #88 on: April 21, 2011, 02:28:12 PM »

As I continue to work on my Perot TL and this one, I came across this interesting gem. A little gem called "Moon Graffiti".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/audio/2011/feb/08/the-truth-podcast-moon-graffiti
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« Reply #89 on: April 21, 2011, 03:50:16 PM »
« Edited: April 21, 2011, 03:51:55 PM by SayNoToDonaldTrump »

As I continue to work on my Perot TL and this one, I came across this interesting gem. A little gem called "Moon Graffiti".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/audio/2011/feb/08/the-truth-podcast-moon-graffiti

Damn. I thought this was going to be an update.

Is this what you based Forever Mankind on, or did you the article after you'd started this?
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Historia Crux
Andy Jackson
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« Reply #90 on: April 21, 2011, 04:02:48 PM »

As I continue to work on my Perot TL and this one, I came across this interesting gem. A little gem called "Moon Graffiti".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/audio/2011/feb/08/the-truth-podcast-moon-graffiti

Damn. I thought this was going to be an update.

Is this what you based Forever Mankind on, or did you the article after you'd started this?
I actually started this whole TL because of William Safire's "Moon Disaster Speech". It just so happens that I stumbled upon this and it's also based on the "Moon Disaster Speech".
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Elyski
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« Reply #91 on: May 01, 2011, 07:43:06 PM »

Bump. Great Alternate History.
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« Reply #92 on: May 02, 2011, 07:13:51 PM »

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MAINEiac4434
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« Reply #93 on: May 07, 2011, 11:53:52 AM »

This is really phenomenal, and I've enjoyed reading it.

I have a humble request, however: could there please be posted a list of presidents and vice president's in this TL? With party and time in office please. I hope that isn't too much of an imposition.

Anyway, keep up the good work.
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Historia Crux
Andy Jackson
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« Reply #94 on: May 08, 2011, 05:51:44 PM »
« Edited: November 17, 2011, 09:41:05 PM by Andy Jackson »

This is really phenomenal, and I've enjoyed reading it.

I have a humble request, however: could there please be posted a list of presidents and vice president's in this TL? With party and time in office please. I hope that isn't too much of an imposition.

Anyway, keep up the good work.
Thank you for such praise! Smiley And hopefully this will satisfy that humble request.

Presidential List
37. Richard M. Nixon (Republican-New York) January 20, 1969 - December 18, 1972
38. Spiro T. Agnew (Republican-Maryland) December 18, 1972 - November 12, 1973
39. Mark O. Hatfield (Republican-Oregon) November 12, 1973 - January 20, 1977
40. Edward "Ted" M. Kennedy (Democratic-Massachusetts) January 20, 1977 - March 30, 1981
41. Nick Galifianakis (Democratic-North Carolina) March 30, 1981 - January 20, 1985
42. Richard "Dick" L. Thornburgh (Republican-Pennsylvania) January 20, 1985 - January 20, 1989
43. William "Bill" J. Baxley II (Democratic-Alabama) January 20, 1989 - January 20, 1993
44. James "Jim" A. Lovell, Jr. (Republican-Illinois) January 20, 1993 - ??
Vice Presidential List
39. Spiro T. Agnew (Republican-Maryland) January 20, 1969 - December 18, 1972
40. Mark O. Hatfield (Republican-Oregon) March 7, 1973 - November 12, 1973
41. Gerald R. Ford, Jr. (Republican-Michigan) January 5, 1974 - January 20, 1977
42. Nick Galifianakis (Democratic-North Carolina) January 20, 1977 - March 30, 1981
43. R. Sargent Shriver, Jr. (Democratic-Maryland) April 23, 1981 - January 20, 1985
44. Barry M. Goldwater, Jr. (Republican-California) January 20, 1985 - January 20, 1989
45. Michael S. Dukakis (Democratic-Massachusetts) January 20, 1989 - January 20, 1993
46. Nancy L. Kassebaum (Republican-Kansas) January 20, 1993 - ??
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MAINEiac4434
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« Reply #95 on: May 08, 2011, 09:31:51 PM »

This is really phenomenal, and I've enjoyed reading it.

I have a humble request, however: could there please be posted a list of presidents and vice president's in this TL? With party and time in office please. I hope that isn't too much of an imposition.

Anyway, keep up the good work.
Thank you for such praise! Smiley And hopefully this will satisfy that humble request.

Presidential List
37. Richard M. Nixon (Republican-New York) January 20, 1969 - December 18, 1972
38. Spiro T. Agnew (Republican-Maryland) December 18, 1972 - November 12, 1973
39. Mark O. Hatfield (Republican-Oregon) November 12, 1973 - January 20, 1977
40. Edward "Ted" M. Kennedy (Democratic-Massachusetts) January 20, 1977 - March 30, 1981
41. Nick Galifianakis (Democratic-North Carolina) March 30, 1981 - January 20, 1985
42. Richard "Dick" L. Thornburgh (Republican-Pennsylvania) January 20, 1985 - January 20, 1989
43. William "Bill" J. Baxley II (Democratic-Alabama) January 20, 1989 - ??
Vice Presidential List
39. Spiro T. Agnew (Republican-Maryland) January 20, 1969 - December 18, 1972
40. Mark O. Hatfield (Republican-Oregon) March 7, 1973 - November 12, 1973
41. Gerald R. Ford, Jr. (Republican-Michigan) January 5, 1974 - January 20, 1977
42. Nick Galifianakis (Democratic-North Carolina) January 20, 1977 - March 30, 1981
43. R. Sargent Shriver, Jr. (Democratic-Maryland) April 23, 1981 - January 20, 1985
44. Barry M. Goldwater, Jr. (Republican-California) January 20, 1985 - January 20, 1989
45. Michael S. Dukakis (Democratic-Massachusetts) January 20, 1989 - ??

Thanks buddy! I hope to see another list of presidents once the timeline is finished, from Nixon to whoever you have in mind to be in office in 2011.
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MAINEiac4434
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« Reply #96 on: May 19, 2011, 01:09:55 PM »

I was just thinking about how much more awesome this TL would be if Edmund Muskie was elected in 1972. It's too bad he lost in this.

*sigh*
Well, it's still pretty awesome, even Muskie-less.
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« Reply #97 on: May 19, 2011, 03:05:28 PM »

Update please!
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Historia Crux
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« Reply #98 on: May 19, 2011, 07:48:30 PM »

Sorry it's taking so long. I've been terribly busy, but need not fear! Part 20 shall be here! Yeah Part 20 is continually growing and it should be ready I hope by the end of the week. With that said, I'm going to really try and buckle down to finish up Part 20 in those days of the remaining week.
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Historia Crux
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« Reply #99 on: May 23, 2011, 01:16:46 AM »

Sorry it took so long, I've split Part 20 into a 20.1 and a 20.2 since 20 is so large of a post. Enjoy!

Part 20.1: The Chronicles of Purgatory

The year 1990 quickly opened with the Berlin Crisis still in the minds of many. Central Europe was decommunizing, but now the threat of war between the German nations was threatening to tear apart Europe. After continual bombardment from diplomatic channels and the realization by Erich Honecker that pleading ignorance in the Berlin massacres would not resolve the issue, did a plan formulate. Delegates from West and East Germany were to meet in Reykjavik, along with American and Soviet officials to delegate, to discuss the prospects of peace, restitution and a resolution to the situation.

The situation grew evermore tense when hundreds of East Germans attacked the headquarters of the Ministry of National Security, the Stasi, in an attempt to damage and burn the building to the ground. Because of the Berlin shootings, a new forceful revolutionary sentiment was gripping the minds of many East Germans. In the end, the attack on the Stasi headquarters is repulsed and dozens would be dead and even more are wounded. The attack on the Stasi headquarters disrupts the Reykjavik meeting, allowing the East Germans to announce that they are only defending themselves and threatened to walk out of the meeting.


East Germans clamor to gain entrance to the Stasi's headquarters

To keep the East Germans at the table, State Secretary Strauss announced that NATO would halts it's buildup in West Germany and West Berlin. Believing such a thing was a fallacy, the East Germans sat on their hands, that was until a press release from Brussels. At a televised press conference from Brussels, Secretary General Manfred Worner announced that the NATO military buildup would be put on effective hold to help ease tensions between West and East Germany. With this gesture, the East Germans completely returned to the diplomatic table.

Working tirelessly to find a common ground, did the quartet of foreign diplomats strike the presice balance. In the Reykjavik Compromise, the wests sovereignty over West Berlin was fully realized, East Germany would quietly pay the families of West Germans killed in the Berlin massacre, the East would have to pass reforms for the new year, the Western forces were to turn away any fleeing East Germans from their embassies and shun illegal escape from the East. The compromise would be accepted by both sides, though both sides were angered by what they were given from it.

"'Bullsh**t' stated GFR Corporal Herschel von Heck. That was the corporals response to what him and several of his brothers of the uniform were watching on the small sized television. What was playing on it's eight by six inch screen was the live address from Chancellor Helmut Kohl, on the "successes" and "failures" of the Reykjavik Compromise. 'More failures than successes' thought Herschel.

'You think so? Sh**t's a strong statement' said Otto, Herschel's small, squat friend through any situation. Otto was the guy that would analyze situations, try and get people to think about the situation. Herschel was much more a man without a censor. 'Hell yeah, still can't believe you can stand this garbage getting forced down the German people's throats'.

Otto sighed at Herschel's comments and looked straight at Herschel, 'And yet you proudly voted for Helmut Kohl?' Herschel shot Otto a glance and easily stated 'shut up', Otto in response just rolled his eyes. Herschel glanced back at the television, Chancellor Kohl was in the middle of stating the 'compromise' was not 'an overture to the whims of appeasement'. Herschel simply stated once again "Bullsh**t" to Kohl's new statements.

Herschel spoke aloud to the gaggle of soldiers, those who were listening to Herschel or honestly trying to listen to Chancellor Kohl, "Tell our brothers in Berlin that they are not trapped in the mad house known as the east! This is sh**t! Plain and simple. Even with the peace with the Soviets, a new iron curtain is shrouding continental Europe!". Herschel was so sure in what he said, it almost seemed so clear that the age of appeasement was back and so was the tension of possible war in the future...


Back at home, President Baxley would have a score of issues to settle after the compromise at Reykjavik between East and West. The first issue was brought to President Baxley's attention by Treasury Secretary Felix Rohatyn, that the infrastructual reforms were pushing things over budget and that new revenue's needed to be opened. President Baxley would find extra revenue in the form of extra taxation against the higher monetary brackets, something he had already partially tackled by closing a number of loopholes catering to the upper class. Now President Baxley had decided to put some of the burden on the rich, something that Congress would have to decide upon.

When the Baxley Administration's child of the Upper Tax Bracket Reform and Renewal Act, the Republican minority ripped into it. Republicans called the tax hikes unnecessary, extravagant and something to cover the President's colloquial but on infrastructual reform costs. Republican Senate Majority leader Alan K. Simpson and new House Minority leader Ron Paul rallied support against the bill as best they could. Because of Democratic dominance, the Tax Bracket Reform-Renewal Act passed, the senate would be evermore partisan.


Senate Majority Leader Simpson holding the GOP Line on the Senate floor

By means of underhanded wrangling, threats made about ridding GOP support for select undecided senators who had to reelection bids in the coming months, were enough to coax coherent Republican opposition. Because of this, the Tax Bracket Reform and Renewal Act failed by the narrowest of margins in the Senate. President Baxley was defeated in his bid to pay for infrastructure reforms, now it was set in stone that the 1991 fiscal year budget would not be balanced and a fight between the Republicans was sure to occur soon. In the meantime a bipartisan supported bill passed through congress, thus allowing greater powers to the Attorney General and the Secretary of Energy and Environment to oversee prosecution of industrial polluters and companies that break the clean air and water acts.
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