TLIAW: Speakeasy & Reshuffle
- Thread starter Statesman
- Start date
I find this bit here a little difficult to believe, if the Wilson and Goldwater of this TL are anything like the Wilson and Goldwater of OTL; if the Presidential campaign is about Civil Rights Wilson, who in your own entry state strived for full integration and for the most part achieve it, would want nothing to do with a Goldwater who is openly opposed to that very legislation.
"Governor Wilson would also see through the early ramifications of Civil Rights in the 1960s" really meant rioting, etc. while civil rights itself is accelerated ITTL in its implementation into law. As such, 1964 is not about Civil Rights.
Nelson Rockefeller†
(Republican)
1979
A footnote among New York Governors, former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller was elected New York Governor in 1978. He would die after only 26 days in office in late January from a heart attack, unable to accomplish anything he had hoped for. Today, it is often forgotten that he ran for New York Governor let alone attained the office, with people instead remembering bigger names like Malcolm Wilson, Hugh Carey, and Mario Cuomo.
When the idea came to me, I knew I had to do it, but it was still pretty sad to write.
Mario Cuomo
(Democrat)
1979-1986
Mario Cuomo might not have become Governor when he did had it not been for Nelson Rockefeller. But the reasons go back to the 1950s, when Malcolm Wilson was running for Governor. Nelson Rockefeller was also running for office that year – for Lieutenant Governor. Legislation was making its way through the New York General Assembly to make the Governor and Lieutenant Governor elected on a joint ticket, but Governor Harriman feared, if passed, Rockefeller’s popularity would carry over onto Wilson electing them both. Thus, he pulled all his strings to kill the bill in hopes of seeing his Lieutenant Governor succeed him. Even though his efforts would fail, New York would keep the two offices separate in elections.
Thus, Mario Cuomo would go on to, more than two decades later, be elected a Democratic Lieutenant Governor under Republican Nelson Rockefeller. And on January 26th, he would succeed the former Vice President to become Governor in his own right.
His first fight would be homage to Governor Rockefeller and a promise he made in his race for Governor. Governor Cuomo carried out the largest state medical care program for the needy in the United States under Medicaid and began the state breakfast program for children in low income areas, something seen as severely needed and what had been a point of major contention between Cuomo and Governor Carey during Carey’s final term. He also would oversee the raising of taxes as well as the increase in funding to infrastructure and education.
However, Governor Cuomo would be most connected to Governor Wilson and his “liberal law and order” governing when he was forces to increase funding to law enforcement in the wake of rioting over the Iranian War. Having endorsed him in his 1980 bid for President, Governor Cuomo would privately petition President Kennedy to cut back on the draft in the mid-1980s.
However, the most the President would do was grant amnesty to all draft dodgers from before 1982, and the rioting would continue until the conclusion of the Iranian War in 1987. By that time, Governor Cuomo would go on to be defeated in the Republican landslide year of 1986.
Forgive me if I remain highly skeptical that the two are even remotely compatible.
George Pataki
(Republican)
1987-1994
George Pataki would be dubbed the “Second Malcom Wilson” in his campaign for Governor. Like Wilson, very few knew who he was (only being a member of the State Assembly), but he would use his outsider status to his advantage and eventually take the nomination before unseating Mario Cuomo.
Despite a change in parties, however, there would only be minor differences in policy. With the economy picking back up in the late eighties, there was no need for him to change taxes. He expanded on the environmental protection of his Democratic predecessors. Pataki would oversee the largest overall of the New York subway system in American history during his second term, which has largely has been given the credit to the lack of severe street traffic in the city, especially in comparison to other cities like Los Angeles.
However, late in his second term, a stagnating economy forced him to tackle economic policy. He called for severe tax cuts, but would only make moderate progress and any positive effects would not be felt until his successor took office. With rising unemployment and discontent with the Republicans for intervening in the Second Russian Civil War, he would be voted out of office in 1994, the last Republican to serve in the Governorship through the present day.
Japhy
Banned
I meant to say "as required by the New York State Constitution." And that excuse is not how amendments pass. And that requirement has been part of the last two state constitutions, the former of which predates the POD of the timeline. No Governor could simply wave that away and no ballot measure to amend the constitution to separate the offices would have passed, in the fifties or at any time.
The sad thing is, as much as I've liked Statesman's other works this timeline isn't particularly based on any knowledge of the state. It would be like me writing a list to shuffle the premierships or whatever they are of Wales.
First Minister, and that would be a short TL. Probably get done in two hours.
Anyway, I do see your point. I wasn't aware of the fact it was in the previous state Constitutions and thought you just missed stuff in the Cuomo post.
This TL is not that realistic, I have to agree with ya.
First Minister, and that would be a short TL. Probably get done in two hours.
Anyway, I do see your point. I wasn't aware of the fact it was in the previous state Constitutions and thought you just missed stuff in the Cuomo post.
This TL is not that realistic, I have to agree with ya.
Well, I'm afraid whether you liked this one or didn't like it, I won't be able to finish. I just got swamped with a series of projects in school, and I really need to do well on them. Sorry everybody.
But you literally only have three more Governors left! You can do it!Well, I'm afraid whether you liked this one or didn't like it, I won't be able to finish. I just got swamped with a series of projects in school, and I really need to do well on them. Sorry everybody.