You don't even need Disraeli to avoid politics, just have him stick to his "Young England" roots.
Alternate Wikipedia Infoboxes IV (Do not post Current Politics Here)
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Morning in America is the debut album by Dutch synthpop group Quiet Connection, released on May 16, 1989 through Atlantic Records. Quiet Connection had signed with Atlantic in mid 1988 after listening to the Amsterdam EP distributed by the band earlier that year. The bands members, twin brothers Cees and Lachlan Hoedemaker, formed Quiet Connection in 1987 after being inspired by groups like Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, A Flock Of Seagulls and A-ha.
The Hoedemaker brothers entered the studio to work on their debut album in December of 1988, working in their home studio in Rotterdam they called "The Home Palace". Producing the album were the Hoedemaker brothers and Niko Bolas.
The production sessions were finished in late March, with the brothers and Bolas calling the sessions a "outstanding success".
"We are going to blow everyone's mind."
- Cees Hoedemaker
The album was named "Morning in America" after Ronald Reagan's 1984 reelection slogan, "Its Morning Again in America".
The first single, "Supermodel", was released a few weeks before the release of the album. The song debuted at No. 42 on the Dutch Nationale Hitparade, and in a few weeks it was sitting in the top 10, eventually peaking at No. 8.
The next single released, a cover of Irving Berlin's song "Always", peaked at No. 4 on the Nationale Hitparade, No. 3 in France and No. 10 in the U.K and No. 16 in the US. This song is often called one of the highlights of Morning in America.
The 3rd single, "What Is Money Meant For Anyway?", became a monster hit in the Netherlands, hitting at the No. 2 spot, while it hit No. 10 in France, No. 18 in the U.K. and reaching No. 39 in the States.
The last single off the album, "Mercury and Gold", hit No. 6 on the Hitparade, No. 4 in France, No. 12 in the U.K. and No. 28 in the US.
The album hit No. 1 in the Netherlands for 5 weeks, No. 2 in France, No. 7 in the U.K., and No. 24 in the US.
The album garnered extremely positive reception, with Rolling Stone calling Quiet Collection "not a clone of Pet Shop Boys, but more of a threat." The album was ranked as the 23rd best album of 1989 by Rolling Stone.
shiftygiant
Gone Fishin'
Left leaning centralists, technocrats, and civic nationalists under a localist/regionalist banner.
Asami
Banned
The elections for the Indochinese Union in 1944, from Hakkou Ichiu.
Japan's occupation of most of Indochina after the French Revolution attracted very little public discontent from Western societies. While Britain got her share, annexing the heart of Laos, the remainder of the French colony was partitioned into the Empire of Vietnam, and the Khmer Empire. In the 1940s, Japan federalized the two together into one singular protectorate (with Bao Dai, perennial ass-kisser, sitting pretty as Emperor-below-the-Emperor), and ordered that elections be called in 1944, no more than three months after the Japanese elections.
Of course, the democratic spirit that had rooted itself into Japan by 1944 hadn't done a similar thing in Vietnam or Khmer. Electoral gerrymandering, political pressure, and stolen or fake ballots were commonly used by the Emperor's appointed leadership to ensure that the proper candidate won.
In the end, the national election boiled down to two parties-- "One Indochina", the figurehead party in which all the major echelons of Vietnamese and Khmer society were forced to bow towards; and the Communist Party of Vietnam, whose legality was only owed to the fact that General Takuma Nishimura was not a man to cross, and with the great power of Tokyo behind the general, they couldn't just trample down Giap and his communist party without invoking a military response from their overlords.
But regardless, Ngo Dinh Diem's One Indochina won the overwhelming majority of seats, and had a blank cheque to do whatever domestic policy they wanted (as long as Tokyo said it was okay, of course). Prime Minister Sugihara was not pleased at the Vietnamese elections, and is looking into his options for a response to the Vietnamese shit-show. While a harsh response to Vietnamese corruption would likely invoke a military conflict and possibly a war Japan wouldn't want to get into, the Prime Minister is deeply displeased with the current state of affairs in Hanoi, and seeks to change it; and this is something that is agreed upon by every party in the House of Representatives, even the centre-right Jiyutou.
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"His BA in political science, earned in 1948, and further work at SMU supplied credentials for a term of graduate study at the London School of Economics in 1952. Next to his impecunious childhood, the war, and his election to the Senate, that year did more than anything else to shape the future John Tower. He returned to Texas a confirmed anglophile, attentive to every nuance of British gentlemanly style."
-Griffin Smith, Jr., Texas Monthly, January 1977 (OTL)
(not intended to be fully realistic)
-Griffin Smith, Jr., Texas Monthly, January 1977 (OTL)
(not intended to be fully realistic)
Take this as seriously as you want to take it.
--
"Oh y'all wanted a twisted, hey? Come on 2020, let's get sickening" - Republican nominee Laganja Estranja at the start of the first debate, prior to doing a death drop to the floor.
"I don't know anything about science other than it's really good for you." - Democratic nominee Katya Zamolodchikova when asked by moderator RuPaul Charles what she would do to promote the sciences
"I feel very attacked!!" - Laganja Estranja, mid-meltdown, during the third presidential debate, following Zamolodchikova's rebuke on Laganja's failed drag policies and her closeness to the Haus of Edwards.
"Cause honey, what you see, isn't always the truth" - Zamolodchikova, speaking on Laganja Estranja's attempt to distance herself from the Haus of Edwards.
"This is just too fucking much!!" - Estranja, on the topic of America's current debt.
"In America, talk is cheap... in Colombia, talk is... Spanish." - Zamolodchikova, on the need for more Spanish and other foreign language courses in American schools.
--
"I didn't go to fucking school for math!" - Zamolodchikova, upon being told that she was projected to win the 270 votes needed to win.
--
"Oh y'all wanted a twisted, hey? Come on 2020, let's get sickening" - Republican nominee Laganja Estranja at the start of the first debate, prior to doing a death drop to the floor.
"I don't know anything about science other than it's really good for you." - Democratic nominee Katya Zamolodchikova when asked by moderator RuPaul Charles what she would do to promote the sciences
"I feel very attacked!!" - Laganja Estranja, mid-meltdown, during the third presidential debate, following Zamolodchikova's rebuke on Laganja's failed drag policies and her closeness to the Haus of Edwards.
"Cause honey, what you see, isn't always the truth" - Zamolodchikova, speaking on Laganja Estranja's attempt to distance herself from the Haus of Edwards.
"This is just too fucking much!!" - Estranja, on the topic of America's current debt.
"In America, talk is cheap... in Colombia, talk is... Spanish." - Zamolodchikova, on the need for more Spanish and other foreign language courses in American schools.
--
"I didn't go to fucking school for math!" - Zamolodchikova, upon being told that she was projected to win the 270 votes needed to win.
Here's a nice, not at all scary scenario based on this PMs list. The main POD is Faulkner succeeding Brookeborough, leading to no hardline split from the unionist movement. Paisley joins the far right end of the party after Jenkins suspends Stormont over slow action on reforms. Eventually, with the election of friendly leaders such as Keith Joseph, the UUP goes the way of the SUP and folds into the Tories. The same time as the Tories open up their leadership elections to the wider, radical membership...
Isaac Beach
Banned
The elections for the Indochinese Union in 1944, from Hakkou Ichiu.
Japan's occupation of most of Indochina after the French Revolution attracted very little public discontent from Western societies. While Britain got her share, annexing the heart of Laos, the remainder of the French colony was partitioned into the Empire of Vietnam, and the Khmer Empire. In the 1940s, Japan federalized the two together into one singular protectorate (with Bao Dai, perennial ass-kisser, sitting pretty as Emperor-below-the-Emperor), and ordered that elections be called in 1944, no more than three months after the Japanese elections.
Of course, the democratic spirit that had rooted itself into Japan by 1944 hadn't done a similar thing in Vietnam or Khmer. Electoral gerrymandering, political pressure, and stolen or fake ballots were commonly used by the Emperor's appointed leadership to ensure that the proper candidate won.
In the end, the national election boiled down to two parties-- "One Indochina", the figurehead party in which all the major echelons of Vietnamese and Khmer society were forced to bow towards; and the Communist Party of Vietnam, whose legality was only owed to the fact that General Takuma Nishimura was not a man to cross, and with the great power of Tokyo behind the general, they couldn't just trample down Giap and his communist party without invoking a military response from their overlords.
But regardless, Ngo Dinh Diem's One Indochina won the overwhelming majority of seats, and had a blank cheque to do whatever domestic policy they wanted (as long as Tokyo said it was okay, of course). Prime Minister Sugihara was not pleased at the Vietnamese elections, and is looking into his options for a response to the Vietnamese shit-show. While a harsh response to Vietnamese corruption would likely invoke a military conflict and possibly a war Japan wouldn't want to get into, the Prime Minister is deeply displeased with the current state of affairs in Hanoi, and seeks to change it; and this is something that is agreed upon by every party in the House of Representatives, even the centre-right Jiyutou.
These are really cool, there aren't enough wiki boxes detailing East Asian elections (Maybe because it's such a specific niche, aha), hope you make more!
(Credit goes to @yakutsk for the candidates)
The 1934 Secretarial Election of the Workman's Republic of Louisiana was held following the death of the Great Toiler Bill Hall. The Hero of the Revolution passed on to labor in the afterlife for the freedom of all workers, leaving it to the Syndicates and Trade Congresses to elect a Secretary (You can't have anyone else be the Great Toiler, after all!) The Republic is in a precarious position, with the fall of Sinclair's regime in the Western Republic, and all of Louisiana's members eyeing their lands. Time will tell if this great syndicalist experiment can survive the rigors of a world that is all to hostile to its mode of governance.
Legally, parties are abolished, but in effect various factions exist among the varying syndicates, but even then a candidate's affiliation with a faction is only nominal. The Candidates were:
Commander Scipio Africanus Jones – National Guard Syndicate – Commander Jones was the military leader of the Revolution, Bill Hall's Right hand, and has formed the various Workman's Militias into an elite defensive force. As the only African-Louisianan candidate in the election, Jones is the voice of continued civil rights and racial equality as well as further democratization.
Helen Hall – If Jones was Bill Hall's right hand, and Lampton his left, his wife Helen was his brain; the firm yet delicate touch of some of the Toiler's greatest policies such as his feminist pushes and wealth redistribution. An important part of her campaign was her younger brother Pierce Long, who held significant influence over his sister. Hall is the voice of Orthodox Syndicalism in the election.
Langdon Lampton – The aforementioned left hand of Bill Hall, Lampton is the head of the National Police Force, and thus in charge of the Republic's security apparatus. Not much is known about him, and he likes it that way, the rumors of a masked vigilante in the cities is entirely heresay... Endorsed Hall in the Second Round.
Jack Burden – Burden is a young up-and-coming journalist, and impromptu head of the “People's Voice”, the national media Syndicate, and is famous for his cutting wit. Many comparisons have been made with the late President Chaney of the Western Republic, both known for their meteoric rise and reformist tendencies. Endorsed Jones in the Second Round.
William Walling – An Engineer who manages the National Oil Syndicate, Walling holds considerable sway among the Gulf Coast industrial workers. Endorsed Jones in the Second Round.
Dudley J. LeBlanc – the Secretary of the Acadian Autonomous Republic, LeBlanc didn't expect to get very far, more to remind the political establishment that his people were still here, politically active, and definitely not funding those Swamper Terrorists. Did not endorse anyone in the Second Round.
The 1934 Secretarial Election of the Workman's Republic of Louisiana was held following the death of the Great Toiler Bill Hall. The Hero of the Revolution passed on to labor in the afterlife for the freedom of all workers, leaving it to the Syndicates and Trade Congresses to elect a Secretary (You can't have anyone else be the Great Toiler, after all!) The Republic is in a precarious position, with the fall of Sinclair's regime in the Western Republic, and all of Louisiana's members eyeing their lands. Time will tell if this great syndicalist experiment can survive the rigors of a world that is all to hostile to its mode of governance.
Legally, parties are abolished, but in effect various factions exist among the varying syndicates, but even then a candidate's affiliation with a faction is only nominal. The Candidates were:
Commander Scipio Africanus Jones – National Guard Syndicate – Commander Jones was the military leader of the Revolution, Bill Hall's Right hand, and has formed the various Workman's Militias into an elite defensive force. As the only African-Louisianan candidate in the election, Jones is the voice of continued civil rights and racial equality as well as further democratization.
Helen Hall – If Jones was Bill Hall's right hand, and Lampton his left, his wife Helen was his brain; the firm yet delicate touch of some of the Toiler's greatest policies such as his feminist pushes and wealth redistribution. An important part of her campaign was her younger brother Pierce Long, who held significant influence over his sister. Hall is the voice of Orthodox Syndicalism in the election.
Langdon Lampton – The aforementioned left hand of Bill Hall, Lampton is the head of the National Police Force, and thus in charge of the Republic's security apparatus. Not much is known about him, and he likes it that way, the rumors of a masked vigilante in the cities is entirely heresay... Endorsed Hall in the Second Round.
Jack Burden – Burden is a young up-and-coming journalist, and impromptu head of the “People's Voice”, the national media Syndicate, and is famous for his cutting wit. Many comparisons have been made with the late President Chaney of the Western Republic, both known for their meteoric rise and reformist tendencies. Endorsed Jones in the Second Round.
William Walling – An Engineer who manages the National Oil Syndicate, Walling holds considerable sway among the Gulf Coast industrial workers. Endorsed Jones in the Second Round.
Dudley J. LeBlanc – the Secretary of the Acadian Autonomous Republic, LeBlanc didn't expect to get very far, more to remind the political establishment that his people were still here, politically active, and definitely not funding those Swamper Terrorists. Did not endorse anyone in the Second Round.
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Isaac Beach
Banned
By the by, I know there's a request thread but I just wanted to know ahead of time if anyone here does requests? No point asking for a wikibox if no one will make it.
The Simpsons Wikibox Post #3
#1: Sideshow Bob, Bartovia, List of US Presidents, Lisa, Bart, Cletus (page 178)
#2: US Congressman Krusty the Clown, Springfield Mayor Joe Quimby (page 371)
#3: Governor Bailey, Congressman Arnold, Congressman Wilcox, Moleman
#4: Screamapillar, Milhouse, Otto, Otto Cab Company, Insanity Pepper (page 390)
#5: Blinky, Mr. Burns, the Nuclear Power Plant, Soylent Green, Uniclams (page 414)
#6: Maggie, Five Corners, Monument, Malk, Grimes, Moe's/Moe, Marge (page 423)
#7: Duff Beer, Professor Frink, Chief Wiggum, Ralph, Radioactive Man (page 435)
#8: Jebediah, Sprungfeld, Groundskeeper Willie, Kwik-E-Mart, Homer (page 440)
Governor Bailey
Mary Bailey was an American politician, teacher and author who served as the Governor of Oregon from 1995 to 2003. Before that, Bailey served as the Mayor of Springfield, Oregon, from 1979 to 1987, and served in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 1995. A tax-and-spend moderate Democrat, Bailey was the second woman elected Governor of that state, after her predecessor, Barbara Roberts.
Janie Mary Bailey was born and raised in 1935, in upstate New York, the first daughter of Mary Hatch Bailey, a homemaker, and George Bailey, a banker. After graduating from college in New York, Bailey moved to Oregon, settling in the city of Springfield, and began teaching History and Social Studies at Springfield High School. Upon long-time incumbent Mayor Hans Moleman’s retirement, Bailey was narrowly elected to be his successor in a very crowded field. Bailey ran on a platform supporting higher-quality education and safety reform, using the slogan “Think of the Children!” According to the autobiography of President Lisa Simpson, this slogan was later used often by the local reverend’s wife for numerous local issues and controversies.
After eight successful years as Mayor, Bailey successfully ran for Congress, defeating long-time incumbent Horace Wilcox in a massive upset. Bipartisan outreach and a moderate voting record marked Bailey’s time in the House of Representatives.
In 1994, Bailey declined running for re-election to Congress to instead run for Governor of her home state, and won by a comfortable margin. Thanks in part to her smooth handling of economic matters, Bailey was a very popular governor, known for her calm demeanor and unwavering optimism in the decision-making skills of the average Oregon voter [1]. However, Bailey did pass some rather unorthodox rulings and executive orders. For example, she declared to a group of displaced convicts that “since there’s no room in the prisons you came from, I’m releasing you all to a garbage barge, where you will bare-knuckle box until one of you emerges as king of your floating hell;” the inmates, though, approved of this proclamation [2]. Furthermore, her incessant need to unfurl flags in a very specific manner was often overlooked by her constituents [3].
In 1998, Bailey called for an investigation of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant after a three-eyed fish was discovered in the water near said plant. The government inspection discovered 342 violations, which cost the plant’s owner and manager, controversial billionaire businessman C. Montgomery Burns, $56 million dollars to repair in lieu of Bailey shutting the plant down for said violations. Shortly after this incident, Burns decided to challenge the immensely popular Governor Bailey for re-election that year. At first, Bailey’s re-election was considered inevitable – Burns, the sole Republican candidate in the race, began his campaign with an approval rating of only 0%. However, Burns ran an active populist campaign calling for lower taxes and less government regulations of and interference with major corporations and businesses. Burns’ poll numbers gradually increased until they reached 50-50 on the night of the election. However, a major political gaffe at the last minute lead to Burns losing momentum drastically, and incumbent Governor Bailey won re-election in a massive landslide [4]. She declined to run for President in 2000.
Bailey left office after being term-limited and retired from politics after considering running for President in 2004 and 2008, opting instead to write her memoirs and several novels. However, she did endorse activist Lisa Simpson for US Congress in 2022. Bailey passed away from natural causes in 2023. President Lisa Simpson, a mentor and protégé of Mary Bailey, posthumously gave Bailey the Presidential Medal of Freedom shortly after entering office, citing Bailey’s work concerning education, safety, environmentalism/Earth Protectionism.
Sources:
[1] Season 2, Episode 4: Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish (1990) – Bailey expresses this at the 12:48 mark.
[2] Season 16, Episode 14: The Seven-Beer Snitch (2005) – said from 20:37 to 20:45.
[3] Season 14, Episode 3: Bart vs. Lisa vs. the Third Grade (2002) – Bailey expresses her self-disappointment at a poor unfurling at the 14:46 mark.
[4] Season 2, Episode 4: Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish (1990) – The plot of this episode.
Bob Arnold
Bob Arnold is a former United States Congressman. Arnold began his career as a lawyer for small businesses before election to public office. However, Arnold proved to be corrupt, accepting bribes from numerous companies and individuals. From 1997 to 1998, Arnold was a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources [1]. On September 25, 1998, a then-eight-years-old Lisa Simpson witnessed one of Arnold’s illegal activities, accepting a generous bribe from a lobbyist of a timber company; the next day, Simpson exposed Arnold’s bribe acceptance during an essay contest, to which government officials immediately responded. Arnold was arrested, found guilty of accepting bribes, was expelled from the House, and imprisoned over the course of a few hours, and within a few more hours became a Born-Again Christian while serving his sentence in prison [2]. These events occurred so incredibly swift – so quickly that it shattered several records – because it was an election year. The Republican Party did not want to risk losing seats in November over a corruption scandal, especially one being publicly denounced by a disheartened little girl, an image that had the potential to lose them House seats just as easily as the Arnold Scandals. Former Congressman Horace Wilcox replaced Arnold on the November ballot. After serving the sentenced 15 years in prison (1998-2013), Arnold became the pastor of a Baptist Church in Virginia. He has since retired to Florida.
Source:
[1] Season 3, Episode 2: Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington (1991) – at the 18:59 mark, Arnold accepts a bribe to allow drilling for oil atop Mount Rushmore, as so it is most likely that Arnold is on this Committee in order for his bribe acceptance to be worth anything. This is supported by his acceptance of a bribe from a timber company and implied help in hiding toxic waste earlier in the episode.
[2] Ibid. – Arnold is caught on tape accepting a bribe at the 19:09 mark (the 18:57 shows the event to be occurring at 1:12 PM), the FBI are viewing the tape at the 19:12 mark (shown to be at 2:05 PM) and the House of Representatives is seen voting to expel Arnold at the 19:18 mark (shown to be occurring at 2:44 PM). The whole series of events is over by 3:39 PM, according to the 19:46 mark, and Marge reads about Arnold becoming a Born-Again Christian in a newspaper at the 20:28 mark.
Horace Wilcox
Source:
Season 14, Episode 14: Mr. Spritz Goes to Washington (2003) – Wilcox is seen from the 6:21 mark to the 6:51 mark, and in that time we seen his door reads “Your Man of Tomorrow Since 1933,” he states he has done “75 years of public service,” he dies from a heart attack, and that he survived the Titanic.
Hans Moleman
Hans Moleman was an Oregon politician who served four terms as the Mayor of the city of Springfield [1]. Moleman’s mayoral years were marked by good fortune, while his later years were marked by many unfortunate instances, including the loss of his wealth and eyesight, and repeatedly suffering painful and nearly fatal accidents and injury. Very little is known about Moleman’s background, which has spawned numerous origin theories.
According to his birth certificate, Hans Moleman was born in Grand Tower, Illinois. According to his biography, Magnificent Bastard: The Lives and Loves of Hans Moleman by Chip Davis [2], after graduating from high school in 1939 and then from college in 1943, Hans Moleman served in the U.S. Army for ten years [3]. He moved to Springfield in 1953 and joined an accounting firm, then surprised many political pundits by narrowly winning the city’s mayoral election of 1962. As Mayor, he balanced the budget eight times [4], and introduced the city’s First Anthem in early 1978 (it was replaced by 2005 [5]). After serving for 16 years [6], Moleman retired from public office but continued to advocate liberal political views [7]. However, by the 1990s, Moleman had squandered his life savings on poor investments and had developed numerous vision ailments, including macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts and severe myopia. Moleman also began using a cane to walk, as years of accounting work had negatively affected his posture and spine. As a result of his diminished funds, and in order to get by and pay costly medical bills, Moleman spent much of his golden years holding various jobs, mainly in transportation and janitorial work.
Moleman married once, in 1955, and had 1 son and 1 daughter together before divorcing in 1989 [8]; their relationship to Hans was estranged from that point onwards. Later in life, Moleman dated local Springfielder women, including future US President Lisa Simpson’s Aunt Selma Bouvier [11], a lunchlady at the Springfield Elementary School, and a distant cousin [9].
Since 2031, numerous theories have arisen concerning Hans Moleman’s life. While controversies over his history began in the 1980s over his connections to Angela Davis and other political activists, questions about his life only grew after his death due to the discovery of two fake IDs in his PO Box. One ID was with false name and weight [10] and the other was with a false date of birth [11]. The day after his funeral, civilian astronaut Homer Simpson, the father of then-President Lisa Simpson, claimed that Moleman was at least once the leader of a group of subterranean dwellers that Homer Simpson labelled “Mole People.” While initially laughed at, popular businessman Otto Mann supported the claim [12]. Furthermore, local small business owner Jeff Albertson brought forth circumstantial evidence a few days later that pointed to the numerous times throughout Hans Moleman’s life in which he seemed to miraculously escape death [13]. Albertson, along with local news reporter Kent Brockman and local man Barney Gumble, also claimed that two Hans Molemans had been noticed in the city of Springfield at least once at the same time [14]. The theory that spawned from these elements is that Hans Moleman was actually one of at least several identical humanoid beings of subterranean origin. However, only a very small number of people truly believe this theory.
Sources:
[1] Season 26, Episode 13: Walking Big & Tall (2015) – shown at the 0:47 mark.
[2] Season 25, Episode 3: Four Regrettings and a Funeral (2013) – shown near the beginning of the episode.
[3] Season 14, Episode 17: Three Gays of the Condo (2003) – Hans, in uniform, states "this isn't my army reunion" at the 15:09 mark.
[4] Season 26, Episode 13: Walking Big & Tall (2015) – stated at the 3:25 mark.
[5] The Simpsons Movie (2007) – both the end credits and a deleted scene depict several Springfielders singing a different anthem, wherein they admit the tune “we stole from the French.”
[6] Season 26, Episode 13: Walking Big & Tall (2015) – Hans Moleman is introduced as the city’s “fourth-term” mayor at the 0:45 mark and that scene is set “30 years ago,” as seen at the 0:35 mark.
[7] Season 25, Episode 3: Four Regrettings and a Funeral (2013) – the front cover of his biography depicts an elderly Moleman riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle with radical Communist counterculture activist Angela Davis.
[8] Season 24, Episode 10: A Test Before Trying (2013)
[9] Season 17, Episode 22: Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play (2006)
[10] Season 2, Episode 14: Principal Charming (1991) – seen at the 2:28 mark.
[11] Season 4, Episode 13: Selma’s Choice (1993)
[12] Season 11, Episode 6: Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder (1999) – Otto is present at the encounter. Furthermore, Otto is shown to be a successful businessman in the future in Season 6, Episode 19: Lisa’s Wedding (1995).
[13] a running gag found across the seasons.
[14] Season 13, Episode 8: Sweets and Sour Marge (2002) – seen at the 5:59 mark.
Left to right: Moleman’s Fake ID from Source 9; two Molemans, one above Agnes’ head and one to her left; Homer and Otto encountering Moleman underground.
Enjoy!
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By their very nature, NDP leadership elections are not often considered auspicious affairs. Perpetually relegated to third, fourth, possibly fifth place in parliament, a leader of the federal New Democrats is typically not regarded as either a serious candidate for Prime Minister, nor Leader of the Official Opposition. Still, as in the case of elections past, minority parliaments expand the influence of more minor parties, giving them opportunities that they would otherwise not have. As in the case of the last federal election, the NDP had seen their seat totals rise, but had seen their leader of ten years, Lorne Nystrom, lose his seat to the newly governing Conservatives. Making matters worse, the tensions between the moderate and more left-wing factions of the New Democrats had begun to boil over towards the end of Nystrom’s time as leader, and both sides prepared themselves for a leadership election that had the potential to define the NDP for the foreseeable future. All that was left was who would put their name forward.
The first candidate to throw their hat into the ring was newly-minted Halifax MP Maureen MacDonald. Deeply connected to the Nova Scotia NDP and their leader Derrell Dexter, MacDonald represented the party’s moderate wing, pledging to rebuild the party out in Atlantic Canada while retaining support out west. In essence, MacDonald wanted to grow the party with voters who normally would not vote NDP. Unfortunately for MacDonald, the Halifax MP was not even the most sought after Nova Scotian by party insiders and volunteers. A great deal of NDP supporters wanted former Premier Robert Chisholm to enter the race. Although Chisholm’s lack of French presented a drawback, some contended that with little chance of making inroads in the province, the party should focus on winning in English Canada first. The former Nova Scotia Premier could always learn the language later. Still, many worried about the fact that Chisholm lacked a seat in parliament. The next NDP leader needed to be visible, and the only way to do that was the hammer their opponents in Question Period. Having been re-elected three-times, there was also significant support in a possible leadership candidacy headed by Peter Stoffer. Likable and funny, he seemed like an ideal NDP leader. Yet both men appeared more interested in their current circumstances; Chisholm in the private sector and Stoffer as the popular, local MP.
In central Canada there only appeared to be a handful of serious potential candidates. Having lost his race to become Toronto’s Mayor, David Miller was interested in keeping his options open. Also a native of Toronto, Peggy Nash was involved with numerous union organizations, including the Canadian Auto Workers, as both a spokesperson, negotiator, and commentator. In parliament, she had made a name for herself by introducing a failed bill to reinstate a national minimum wage of $10 per hour. Yet if Nash entered the race, she would not be the only candidate seeking to strengthen the party’s ties to unions. Michael Prue had attempted to become a federal MP twenty-five years earlier in the 1980 federal election, which saw the return of Pierre Trudeau, and again four years later in the infamous Mulroney landslide. Having found little success in federal politics, Prue instead turned his attention to municipal politics, where he would become Mayor of East York, and later a City Councillor in the newly merge single municipality of Toronto. A champion of affordable housing, Prue would also be elected to the provincial parliament in a 2001 by-election. However, with his party having little success stopping either Mike Harris or Janet Ecker, it appeared as though the Ontario MPP was ready to make a third attempt to enter the federal arena. With the backing of the party’s Socialist caucus, it seemed as though Michael Prue had as good a chance as any of the other contenders. But for all of their missteps, many federal NDP looked to their Ontario cousins for success. Howard Hampton’s leadership had been crippled by the unpopularity left by Bob Rae’s legacy, but had soldiered on, endearing him to many. Despite that, his inability to damage the governing Progressive Conservatives had resulted in his “premature” retirement. His successor, former Toronto City Councillor Jack Layton, had a large and loyal following. Many had attempted to convince him to run for Mayor of Toronto. But having yet to face his own provincial election, Layton’s future seemed permanently tied to Queen’s Park rather than Parliament Hill.
Unsurprisingly out West, the birthplace of the NDP, there were a string of possible candidates. Pat Martin had been, like Peggy Nash and other NDP MPs, deeply connected with the union movement prior to his entrance into politics. In Ottawa he had garnered a reputation for being one of the party’s most notable orators, going after Liberals and Conservatives with equal ferocity in both the House of Commons and the television circuit. A well known populist, Martin was also known for occasionally speaking before thinking. The Manitoban MP had also become known as a staunch Republican, a position that would no doubt make him a polarizing figure if elected NDP leader. Meanwhile, much like Frank McKenna, former Manitoba NDP leader Gary Doer had often been on the list for those contemplating the NDP’s post-Nystrom future, NDPers and media pundits alike. Although he had failed to become Premier of his province on multiple, albeit infamously close occasions, he still had a loyal following in Ottawa, who were eager to embrace his more Blair-like, Third-Way views to propel the party to future success. Yet for many New Democrats the comparison to Blair invoked accusations that Doer was a closet Liberal, a traitor to the federal NDP, and someone who would sell the party and its principles out if it meant gaining a handful of seats. Doer would have no problem fundraising, but convincing the party membership was another matter entirely. There was also the question of whether or not he would even want it. The other big name coming out of western Canada was in many ways Gary Doer’s nemesis; Svend Robinson. Unofficial leader of the New Politics Initiative movement, Robinson had long made clear his preference to create a new left-wing political party if the NDP abandoned its founding principles and embraced those of Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, and Roy Romanow. For all of his strengths, Robinson was still a controversial candidate. In one of his more embarrassing career moments, the BC MP’s NPI movement had been defeated at the party's 2001 general convention, dealing a blow to Robinson's credibility. He had also publicly battled with cyclothymia, a form of bipolar disorder, and considered, but ultimately rejected, retiring from politics entirely in mid 2004. Some wondered whether he was mentally prepared to serve as NDP leader. Although tempted, and at one point prepared to take the dive, Robinson ultimately endorsed Nash, calling the Toronto MP the best candidate to renew the party’s progressive tradition.
In the end the candidates were MPs Maureen MacDonald, Pat Martin, and Peggy Nash, the party’s Quebec lieutenant Pierre Ducasse, and Ontario MPP Michael Prue. Similar to the system implemented by the Tories, the NDP Federal Council opted for a one member, one vote style leadership election. While there were calls for Labour representatives to have their votes weighed differently, changes in the election finances law made such a move impossible.
Pundits across Canada portrayed the convention as the culmination of a decade of tensions between the NDP's various factions. After Ten years of staying together under Lorne Nystrom, the outcome of this election had the opportunity to split the party right down the middle. Peggy Nash had the backing of former leader and current MP Ed Broadbent, the party's socialist caucus, and numerous left-wing groups throughout the country. Pat Martin on the other hand, while retaining union and labour force endorsements of his own, had cultivated a strong line up of what some labeled as establishment figures, including Gary Doer, Bill Blaikie, Jack Layton, and Roy Romanow. The first day of the convention was dedicated to candidate’s speeches, as well as tributes to outgoing leader Lorne Nystrom. While many had expected her to give a fiery and impassioned speech, Nash was outshone by Martin, whose jokes and anecdotes landed, applause lines got applause, and seemed at ease delivering a speech primarily without notes. The only other candidate to leave an impression was Pierre Ducasse, who claimed that unless the party made outreach to Quebec a key plank of their future platforms, the party would forever be relegated to third or fourth place status.
As the first ballot results rolled in, it was clear that Pat Martin’s populist campaign had endeared him to a significant portion of the party’s membership, enough to hand him first place with room to spare. Nash, partly damaged by a poorly managed campaign, had also seen some of its momentum stalled thanks to Michael Prue, who while eliminated from the first ballot, had capture almost six percent of the vote and make the race truly competitive. The Toronto MP would still get the endorsement of her provincial counterpart, but Martin’s momentum was impossible to overcome. Both Ducasse and MacDonald endorsed the Manitoba MP, making the second ballot all but a foregone conclusion. Pat Martin was elected leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada, and quickly got to work preparing the party for the unenviable task of taking on both the well financed Tories and the energized Liberals in the next election.
Leaders of the New Democratic Party of Canada:
Tommy Douglas (Burnaby—Coquitlam, Nanaimo-Cowichan-The Islands) 1961-1971
David Lewis (York South) 1971-1975
Ed Broadbent (Oshawa-Whitby, Oshawa) 1975-1989
Audrey McLaughlin (1989-1995)
Lorne Nystrom (Yorkton-Melville) 1995-2005
David Christopherson (Hamilton Centre) 2005-2006*
Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre) 2006-
*Interim Leader
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Let me just start off by saying how much I appreciate all the 70+ people who took the time to vote in the last poll. It truly means a lot to me.
Oh, and here are the delegate standings according to the first ballot. They're more or less in line with the poll, and any error wouldn't have any significant impact on the results.
The first candidate to throw their hat into the ring was newly-minted Halifax MP Maureen MacDonald. Deeply connected to the Nova Scotia NDP and their leader Derrell Dexter, MacDonald represented the party’s moderate wing, pledging to rebuild the party out in Atlantic Canada while retaining support out west. In essence, MacDonald wanted to grow the party with voters who normally would not vote NDP. Unfortunately for MacDonald, the Halifax MP was not even the most sought after Nova Scotian by party insiders and volunteers. A great deal of NDP supporters wanted former Premier Robert Chisholm to enter the race. Although Chisholm’s lack of French presented a drawback, some contended that with little chance of making inroads in the province, the party should focus on winning in English Canada first. The former Nova Scotia Premier could always learn the language later. Still, many worried about the fact that Chisholm lacked a seat in parliament. The next NDP leader needed to be visible, and the only way to do that was the hammer their opponents in Question Period. Having been re-elected three-times, there was also significant support in a possible leadership candidacy headed by Peter Stoffer. Likable and funny, he seemed like an ideal NDP leader. Yet both men appeared more interested in their current circumstances; Chisholm in the private sector and Stoffer as the popular, local MP.
In central Canada there only appeared to be a handful of serious potential candidates. Having lost his race to become Toronto’s Mayor, David Miller was interested in keeping his options open. Also a native of Toronto, Peggy Nash was involved with numerous union organizations, including the Canadian Auto Workers, as both a spokesperson, negotiator, and commentator. In parliament, she had made a name for herself by introducing a failed bill to reinstate a national minimum wage of $10 per hour. Yet if Nash entered the race, she would not be the only candidate seeking to strengthen the party’s ties to unions. Michael Prue had attempted to become a federal MP twenty-five years earlier in the 1980 federal election, which saw the return of Pierre Trudeau, and again four years later in the infamous Mulroney landslide. Having found little success in federal politics, Prue instead turned his attention to municipal politics, where he would become Mayor of East York, and later a City Councillor in the newly merge single municipality of Toronto. A champion of affordable housing, Prue would also be elected to the provincial parliament in a 2001 by-election. However, with his party having little success stopping either Mike Harris or Janet Ecker, it appeared as though the Ontario MPP was ready to make a third attempt to enter the federal arena. With the backing of the party’s Socialist caucus, it seemed as though Michael Prue had as good a chance as any of the other contenders. But for all of their missteps, many federal NDP looked to their Ontario cousins for success. Howard Hampton’s leadership had been crippled by the unpopularity left by Bob Rae’s legacy, but had soldiered on, endearing him to many. Despite that, his inability to damage the governing Progressive Conservatives had resulted in his “premature” retirement. His successor, former Toronto City Councillor Jack Layton, had a large and loyal following. Many had attempted to convince him to run for Mayor of Toronto. But having yet to face his own provincial election, Layton’s future seemed permanently tied to Queen’s Park rather than Parliament Hill.
Unsurprisingly out West, the birthplace of the NDP, there were a string of possible candidates. Pat Martin had been, like Peggy Nash and other NDP MPs, deeply connected with the union movement prior to his entrance into politics. In Ottawa he had garnered a reputation for being one of the party’s most notable orators, going after Liberals and Conservatives with equal ferocity in both the House of Commons and the television circuit. A well known populist, Martin was also known for occasionally speaking before thinking. The Manitoban MP had also become known as a staunch Republican, a position that would no doubt make him a polarizing figure if elected NDP leader. Meanwhile, much like Frank McKenna, former Manitoba NDP leader Gary Doer had often been on the list for those contemplating the NDP’s post-Nystrom future, NDPers and media pundits alike. Although he had failed to become Premier of his province on multiple, albeit infamously close occasions, he still had a loyal following in Ottawa, who were eager to embrace his more Blair-like, Third-Way views to propel the party to future success. Yet for many New Democrats the comparison to Blair invoked accusations that Doer was a closet Liberal, a traitor to the federal NDP, and someone who would sell the party and its principles out if it meant gaining a handful of seats. Doer would have no problem fundraising, but convincing the party membership was another matter entirely. There was also the question of whether or not he would even want it. The other big name coming out of western Canada was in many ways Gary Doer’s nemesis; Svend Robinson. Unofficial leader of the New Politics Initiative movement, Robinson had long made clear his preference to create a new left-wing political party if the NDP abandoned its founding principles and embraced those of Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, and Roy Romanow. For all of his strengths, Robinson was still a controversial candidate. In one of his more embarrassing career moments, the BC MP’s NPI movement had been defeated at the party's 2001 general convention, dealing a blow to Robinson's credibility. He had also publicly battled with cyclothymia, a form of bipolar disorder, and considered, but ultimately rejected, retiring from politics entirely in mid 2004. Some wondered whether he was mentally prepared to serve as NDP leader. Although tempted, and at one point prepared to take the dive, Robinson ultimately endorsed Nash, calling the Toronto MP the best candidate to renew the party’s progressive tradition.
In the end the candidates were MPs Maureen MacDonald, Pat Martin, and Peggy Nash, the party’s Quebec lieutenant Pierre Ducasse, and Ontario MPP Michael Prue. Similar to the system implemented by the Tories, the NDP Federal Council opted for a one member, one vote style leadership election. While there were calls for Labour representatives to have their votes weighed differently, changes in the election finances law made such a move impossible.
Pundits across Canada portrayed the convention as the culmination of a decade of tensions between the NDP's various factions. After Ten years of staying together under Lorne Nystrom, the outcome of this election had the opportunity to split the party right down the middle. Peggy Nash had the backing of former leader and current MP Ed Broadbent, the party's socialist caucus, and numerous left-wing groups throughout the country. Pat Martin on the other hand, while retaining union and labour force endorsements of his own, had cultivated a strong line up of what some labeled as establishment figures, including Gary Doer, Bill Blaikie, Jack Layton, and Roy Romanow. The first day of the convention was dedicated to candidate’s speeches, as well as tributes to outgoing leader Lorne Nystrom. While many had expected her to give a fiery and impassioned speech, Nash was outshone by Martin, whose jokes and anecdotes landed, applause lines got applause, and seemed at ease delivering a speech primarily without notes. The only other candidate to leave an impression was Pierre Ducasse, who claimed that unless the party made outreach to Quebec a key plank of their future platforms, the party would forever be relegated to third or fourth place status.
As the first ballot results rolled in, it was clear that Pat Martin’s populist campaign had endeared him to a significant portion of the party’s membership, enough to hand him first place with room to spare. Nash, partly damaged by a poorly managed campaign, had also seen some of its momentum stalled thanks to Michael Prue, who while eliminated from the first ballot, had capture almost six percent of the vote and make the race truly competitive. The Toronto MP would still get the endorsement of her provincial counterpart, but Martin’s momentum was impossible to overcome. Both Ducasse and MacDonald endorsed the Manitoba MP, making the second ballot all but a foregone conclusion. Pat Martin was elected leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada, and quickly got to work preparing the party for the unenviable task of taking on both the well financed Tories and the energized Liberals in the next election.
Leaders of the New Democratic Party of Canada:
Tommy Douglas (Burnaby—Coquitlam, Nanaimo-Cowichan-The Islands) 1961-1971
David Lewis (York South) 1971-1975
Ed Broadbent (Oshawa-Whitby, Oshawa) 1975-1989
Audrey McLaughlin (1989-1995)
Lorne Nystrom (Yorkton-Melville) 1995-2005
David Christopherson (Hamilton Centre) 2005-2006*
Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre) 2006-
*Interim Leader
----------
Okay, so as a nice little break before we find out who will finally become leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, I thought I'd show you all the NDP! Anyway, with all the votes tabulated, it appears that Bob Rae and Lawrence Cannon will indeed make it to the final runoff. Here's a link, so please go cast your vote! Unlike the last vote, this second vote will not determine delegate totals. It will be a straight "whoever gets the most votes wins" vote. If either candidate gets 51%, they become Liberal leader. If there is a tie, I'll flip one-hundred coins to determine the final result. The poll shall run until July 28th at 12:00 a.m.Oh, and here are the delegate standings according to the first ballot. They're more or less in line with the poll, and any error wouldn't have any significant impact on the results.
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Bob Rae - 1,604 total delegates, 33.9%
Lawrence Cannon - 1,109 total delegates, 23.5%
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Dalton McGuinty - 669 total delegates, 14.1%
Stéphane Dion - 529 total delegates, 11.2%
Sheila Copps - 244 total delegates, 5.2%
John McCallum - 232 total delegates, 4.9%
Carolyn Bennett - 208 total delegates, 4.4%
Martha Hall Findlay - 133 total delegates, 2.8%
Bob Rae - 1,604 total delegates, 33.9%
Lawrence Cannon - 1,109 total delegates, 23.5%
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Dalton McGuinty - 669 total delegates, 14.1%
Stéphane Dion - 529 total delegates, 11.2%
Sheila Copps - 244 total delegates, 5.2%
John McCallum - 232 total delegates, 4.9%
Carolyn Bennett - 208 total delegates, 4.4%
Martha Hall Findlay - 133 total delegates, 2.8%
The Last Ship: POTUS pt 1
My take on the Presidency during the Red Flu Pandemic from The Last Ship. Needless to say spoilers if you haven't seen the show yet.
Barack Obama was the 44th and first African-American President, being elected in a near landslide in 2008, and who's first term was notable for significant opposition to his agenda from the minority congressional Republicans. Despite losing the House in the 2010 midterms, Obama was able to secure a comfortable re-election in 2012 and had just begun his second term in office when the Red Flu began to spread around the globe. Having faced the H1N1 pandemic 4 years prior, Obama's initial response to the Red Flu was along similar lines as the H1N1 response in 2009. Despite authorizing the CDC to lend full assistance to the WHO, containment protocols to prevent the spread of the virus to the continental US were not fully in place when US Patient Zero reentered the US at O'Hare Airport, which spread the virus to the US and Canada. Just prior to this, Obama authorized his Secretary of Defense to provide US Navy assets to CDC virologist Dr Rachel Scott in the hopes of finding what was believed to be the location of the primordial strain in the arctic. That decision is what led the USS Nathan James to find the cure and is thus considered the last major act of Obama's presidency.
It was never fully determined how President Obama was exposed to the virus, but he none the less began presenting symptoms in the final week of July 2013 and was rushed to Bethesda Naval Hospital's quarantine unit. Doctors attempted to reverse the effects of the virus, even providing him with the experimental cures at the request of his wife, but despite their efforts Barack Obama died in the early morning hours of August 1st. Due to the deteriorating situation in the US, no state funeral was held and Obama's body remained at Bethesda until early 2014 when he was interred at nearby Arlington National Cemetery.
[1] Even though the show premiered in the summer of 2014, a dated letter and dedication plaque in two episodes of season 3 confirm the events of seasons 1-2 occurred in 2013.
My take on the Presidency during the Red Flu Pandemic from The Last Ship. Needless to say spoilers if you haven't seen the show yet.
Barack Obama was the 44th and first African-American President, being elected in a near landslide in 2008, and who's first term was notable for significant opposition to his agenda from the minority congressional Republicans. Despite losing the House in the 2010 midterms, Obama was able to secure a comfortable re-election in 2012 and had just begun his second term in office when the Red Flu began to spread around the globe. Having faced the H1N1 pandemic 4 years prior, Obama's initial response to the Red Flu was along similar lines as the H1N1 response in 2009. Despite authorizing the CDC to lend full assistance to the WHO, containment protocols to prevent the spread of the virus to the continental US were not fully in place when US Patient Zero reentered the US at O'Hare Airport, which spread the virus to the US and Canada. Just prior to this, Obama authorized his Secretary of Defense to provide US Navy assets to CDC virologist Dr Rachel Scott in the hopes of finding what was believed to be the location of the primordial strain in the arctic. That decision is what led the USS Nathan James to find the cure and is thus considered the last major act of Obama's presidency.
It was never fully determined how President Obama was exposed to the virus, but he none the less began presenting symptoms in the final week of July 2013 and was rushed to Bethesda Naval Hospital's quarantine unit. Doctors attempted to reverse the effects of the virus, even providing him with the experimental cures at the request of his wife, but despite their efforts Barack Obama died in the early morning hours of August 1st. Due to the deteriorating situation in the US, no state funeral was held and Obama's body remained at Bethesda until early 2014 when he was interred at nearby Arlington National Cemetery.
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