US politics 1919-1920
Though the point has already been evoked, I'd like to explore it further. I'm actually looking for some idea of US TL in the 20th century, something in the vein of MaskedPickle Perot TL, and I found this period in the immediate aftermath of WWI to be fertile in opportunities.
The POD here is Wilson dying from his strokes in september/october 1919, leaving for at least 17 months the presidency into Thomas Marshall hands.
The two points discussed as I read it in a few threads are the League of Nations' ratification and the impact on the election of 1920.
On the former, it was mentionned that a stronger leadership of a healthy Marshall instead of the incapacited Wilson IOTL could have improved the chances of a compromise getting through the Senate, though I don't know enough of the topic to argue on.
The latter is indeed the most interesting point.
Though a defeat to Republicans is practically assured, I a curious to see how the short presidency of Marshall could impact the process, and overall the political history of the following decade, for we have almost 13 months between the death of Wilson and the election, and another four (inauguration is still in March) for Marshall to lead the country.
The first thing that comes to my mind is that we would have Robert Lansing not pushed out of the cabinet by Wilson clique and staying as Secretary of State. Now, could he have some influence in getting a compromise on the LoN to get it passed?
There is also the replacement of Glass as Secretary of the Treasury, assuming Glass still goes to the US Senate. Would Marshall still pick Houston to fill the seat or someone else? Is there an opportunity for a more efficient, or less controversial, replacement to Glass?
And we have the Irish issue. It happened that the defection of Irish electors to Republicans over Wilson's reneging his word to stay out of the war, and support the British, hit hard the prospects of Democrats in the cities of North. With Wilson dead and Lansing still in, could there be a reconciliation, even a partial one? I mean some earlier and stronger move towards a mediation by Marshall in the then escalating conflict in Ireland that could mitigate the distrust towards Democrats, albeit not to the point of improving their actual chances at winning in 1920.
Coming to the election process, I don't doubt that as a sitting president, Marshall would be assured of being nominated, but I wonder about FDR chances at still getting onto the ticket and the consequences of this not happening for his future carreer.
Coming the result, I mind about Marshall potentially carrying, beyond Cox's OTL score, Tennessee and Oklahoma, and perhaps even his home state of Indiana.
What do you think?
The POD here is Wilson dying from his strokes in september/october 1919, leaving for at least 17 months the presidency into Thomas Marshall hands.
On the former, it was mentionned that a stronger leadership of a healthy Marshall instead of the incapacited Wilson IOTL could have improved the chances of a compromise getting through the Senate, though I don't know enough of the topic to argue on.
The latter is indeed the most interesting point.
Though a defeat to Republicans is practically assured, I a curious to see how the short presidency of Marshall could impact the process, and overall the political history of the following decade, for we have almost 13 months between the death of Wilson and the election, and another four (inauguration is still in March) for Marshall to lead the country.
The first thing that comes to my mind is that we would have Robert Lansing not pushed out of the cabinet by Wilson clique and staying as Secretary of State. Now, could he have some influence in getting a compromise on the LoN to get it passed?
There is also the replacement of Glass as Secretary of the Treasury, assuming Glass still goes to the US Senate. Would Marshall still pick Houston to fill the seat or someone else? Is there an opportunity for a more efficient, or less controversial, replacement to Glass?
And we have the Irish issue. It happened that the defection of Irish electors to Republicans over Wilson's reneging his word to stay out of the war, and support the British, hit hard the prospects of Democrats in the cities of North. With Wilson dead and Lansing still in, could there be a reconciliation, even a partial one? I mean some earlier and stronger move towards a mediation by Marshall in the then escalating conflict in Ireland that could mitigate the distrust towards Democrats, albeit not to the point of improving their actual chances at winning in 1920.
Coming to the election process, I don't doubt that as a sitting president, Marshall would be assured of being nominated, but I wonder about FDR chances at still getting onto the ticket and the consequences of this not happening for his future carreer.
Coming the result, I mind about Marshall potentially carrying, beyond Cox's OTL score, Tennessee and Oklahoma, and perhaps even his home state of Indiana.
What do you think?
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