Acutally, the whole of New Granada is a USA-equivalent (Technically, it's more of a US-EU blend; the Movement for Freedom fills both the Nationalist Right-wing Populist and Libertarian niches, for example.). New Orenburg is just the (Left-Wing) Texas equivalent.
Alternate Wikipedia Infoboxes IV (Do not post Current Politics Here)
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Oh okay. Thanks for replying. I like your world. So, if there's a Texas equivalent, is there an Ohio equivalent?
Do you have a deviantart page where I can see more wikiboxes about this?
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian-American politician currently serving as the U.S. Representative for New York's 7th Congressional district. A former President of Georgia (2004-2013) and Governor of Odessa Oblast in Ukraine (2015-2017), Saakashvili is notable for holding political office in three separate countries and as the first former foreign head of state to serve in Congress since Sam Houston.
[...]
In early 2017, Saakashvili, living in exile in Williamsburg, New York, was stripped of his Ukranian citizenship and rendered stateless. He applied for United States citizenship immediately, reportedly uninterested in continuing his conflict with the popular Ukranian government of Vitali Klitschko. Saakashvili claims that while he initially considered several positions with universities and think tanks, he quickly "fell in love with the people of New York" and decided to enter politics for a third time. Fortunately for him, scant days before his citizenship application cleared, 7th District Representative Nydia Velázquez had been appointed to the Senate by Governor Andrew Cuomo to fill the seat vacated by President Gillibrand.
Saakashvili joined a crowded Democratic primary field, but immediately distinguished himself with his unique background and full-throated support of the White House's inquiries into Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election. Portraying himself as a "proud new American," an "anti-Putin" internationalist liberal, and an ardent supporter of the President, he shocked observers with a strong victory in the primary, finishing nearly a full ten percent ahead of Rep. Velázquez's endorsed candidate. His victory has been attributed variously to name recognition, to Russophobia amongst liberals after the Trump campaign, and to gentrification diluting the district's traditional ethnic voting blocs. Post-election analysis of New York media outlets revealed that many commentators focused more on the unusual spectacle of a foreign leader running for Congress than on Saakashvili's highly controversial record as President of Georgia.
As expected in the heavily Democratic district, Saakashvili carried the day by a large margin in the November special election. Notable, however, was the strong showing of independent perennial candidate Jeff Kurzon, who had run against Rep. Velázquez twice on a platform condemning her closeness to the banking industry. Kurzon highlighted the allegations of authoritarianism, corruption, and voter fraud that had led to Saakashvili being run out of Georgia in 2013. Nearly beating the Republican into second place, he attributed his vote total to "buyers' remorse" among Democrats who had "not done their research" before the primary.
Since his election, Saakashvili has become a prominent commentator on international affairs, taking a staunchly hawkish, pro-EU, and anti-Russia stance. The White House and the Democratic Congressional leadership have kept him at arms' length in the interest of maintaining cordial relations with Ukraine and Georgia.
[...]
In early 2017, Saakashvili, living in exile in Williamsburg, New York, was stripped of his Ukranian citizenship and rendered stateless. He applied for United States citizenship immediately, reportedly uninterested in continuing his conflict with the popular Ukranian government of Vitali Klitschko. Saakashvili claims that while he initially considered several positions with universities and think tanks, he quickly "fell in love with the people of New York" and decided to enter politics for a third time. Fortunately for him, scant days before his citizenship application cleared, 7th District Representative Nydia Velázquez had been appointed to the Senate by Governor Andrew Cuomo to fill the seat vacated by President Gillibrand.
Saakashvili joined a crowded Democratic primary field, but immediately distinguished himself with his unique background and full-throated support of the White House's inquiries into Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election. Portraying himself as a "proud new American," an "anti-Putin" internationalist liberal, and an ardent supporter of the President, he shocked observers with a strong victory in the primary, finishing nearly a full ten percent ahead of Rep. Velázquez's endorsed candidate. His victory has been attributed variously to name recognition, to Russophobia amongst liberals after the Trump campaign, and to gentrification diluting the district's traditional ethnic voting blocs. Post-election analysis of New York media outlets revealed that many commentators focused more on the unusual spectacle of a foreign leader running for Congress than on Saakashvili's highly controversial record as President of Georgia.
As expected in the heavily Democratic district, Saakashvili carried the day by a large margin in the November special election. Notable, however, was the strong showing of independent perennial candidate Jeff Kurzon, who had run against Rep. Velázquez twice on a platform condemning her closeness to the banking industry. Kurzon highlighted the allegations of authoritarianism, corruption, and voter fraud that had led to Saakashvili being run out of Georgia in 2013. Nearly beating the Republican into second place, he attributed his vote total to "buyers' remorse" among Democrats who had "not done their research" before the primary.
Since his election, Saakashvili has become a prominent commentator on international affairs, taking a staunchly hawkish, pro-EU, and anti-Russia stance. The White House and the Democratic Congressional leadership have kept him at arms' length in the interest of maintaining cordial relations with Ukraine and Georgia.
I had to look him up after your post, and was surprised to find that his this was the PoD— that moving to Ukraine, becoming a governor, then being exiled and rendered stateless was all OTL. Suddenly it all seems more plausible.
Well, him giving up on Ukraine is only part of the POD; I also had to create a plausible vacancy for him to exploit - fortunately his current Representative's been considered for appointment to the Senate before and the seat is a good fit for the scenario. But yeah, it was his attempt at a political comeback in Ukraine that gave the idea.
Is Houston the only foreign head of state who served in Congress IOTL?
Depending on your standards for "foreign," we have Senator Moses Robinson (earlier President of the Vermont Republic), and Senator Jefferson Davis (later President of the Confederate States of America).
So, if there's a Texas equivalent, is there an Ohio equivalent?
Well... I'm a clueless Israeli how doesn't know how the stereotypes from which the Ohio-equivalent will be developed. Except being a Swing State, which doesn't apply because New Granadan presidential elections are direct and held under a Two-Round system and the closest you get to an electoral college is the runoff avoidance requirement being not only having at least 50% of the vote but also having a plurality in at least 50% of the states.
For compensation, here's a Party Box:
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In order to be eligible for Congress, one has to have been a citizen for at least seven years.
Still, good box!
Lol, Ohio being a swing state is all anyone knows about it... not that there's any other reason for it to be known, I guess.Well... I'm a clueless Israeli how doesn't know how the stereotypes from which the Ohio-equivalent will be developed. Except being a Swing State, which doesn't apply because New Granadan presidential elections are direct and held under a Two-Round system and the closest you get to an electoral college is the runoff avoidance requirement being not only having at least 50% of the vote but also having a plurality in at least 50% of the states.
For compensation, here's a Party Box:
I'm actually surprised that so many non-Americans have heard of Ohio as a swing state. Is this reported a lot outside the US or are people on this board just very attuned to US politics?
I can only speak for Israel, but here, the US presidential elections have as central a place in the Headlines as do the Knesset elections.
Since everybody seemed to like that one, here's another totally unfeasible story of Georgia, America, and transcontinental careers.
The Georgian revolution of 2008 was the second revolt in a decade against an authoritarian president, and accordingly several of the opposition groups that formed the Transitional Government expressed interest in introducing a parliamentary system. The perennial movement for a monarchical restoration, led by Ilia II, the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, found new support in these quarters. A "European-style" parliamentary constitutional monarchy was widely hailed as more modern and democratic than the existing system. Polls showed a majority of Georgians in favor of a constitutional monarchy.
There were two extant pretenders to the Georgian throne: Prince Nugzar Bagration-Gruzinsky, heir of Georgia's last reigning king, and Prince David Bagrationi-Mukhraneli, heir of the more senior but more distant branch of the royal family. Neither would yield their claim. A compromise was soon reached: Prince David would marry Prince Nugzar's daughter Anna and thereby unite the lines. However, this still left a problem. A monarchical constitution was being drawn up by the Transitional Government, but there would not be a consensus monarch until Anna had a child.
On the suggestion of the Patriarch, who advocated that a king be "raised to the position from childhood," the 2008 Constitution provided for a regency until the royal baby was born and reached majority. The regent was to be selected from among Georgia's nobility, restored by the new constitution. Many of the potential candidates, however, were tainted by political partisanship. John Shalikashvili was not.
Born stateless in interwar Poland to an exiled scion of the Georgian princely house of Shalikashvili (who later fought for the Waffen-SS), Prince John was raised in Germany before emigrating to the USA. He spent most of his adult life in the military, fighting in Vietnam and eventually rising to the rank of general. From 1993 to 1997, he served as the first foreign-born Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after which he retired to become a lecturer in international security. First arriving in Georgia shortly after the 2008 revolution to advise the Transitional Government, he proved a popular figure in his ancestral homeland. Surprised to find that his title would be restored by the new constitution, he was even more surprised when prominent Georgians began to petition him to take up the regency.
The late 2000s were a time of tense Russo-Georgian relations, with the smaller country reliant on American support and pursuing NATO membership. Even more than his independence in matters of local politics, Shalikashvili's experience with NATO and close ties to the incoming American administration were valuable assets. He had served under President-elect Clinton's husband Bill as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and he was friendly with Secretary of State nominee John Kerry, whose 2004 presidential campaign he had advised.
Shalikashvili initially declined the offer, explaining that he felt uncomfortable taking a role in a government other than that of the United States, as well as that claiming his princely title would be a violation of the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Upon retreated petition by leaders of the Transitional Government and by both of the royal houses, he eventually requested permission to use the title from Kerry and from Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, citing Dwight Eisenhower's numerous European knighthoods as precedent. Legal counsel eventually concluded that a special act of Congress would be necessary. Congressional authorization was granted on March 24, 2009, and Shalikashvili was named Regent of the Kingdom of Georgia by Parliament a week thereafter. He would serve in that capacity until his death in 2012.
Prince John's short tenure as symbolic head of state proved broadly popular in Georgia. While he was ultimately unsuccessful in securing Georgian NATO membership despite diligent lobbying, his mediation of Prince David and Princess Anna's royal divorce in 2010 is credited with saving the monarchy from crumbling before it even began. Observers have seen "stylistic influence" from John in Anna's own leadership, and hope that once King George XIII comes of age he will follow his first regent's example.
The Georgian revolution of 2008 was the second revolt in a decade against an authoritarian president, and accordingly several of the opposition groups that formed the Transitional Government expressed interest in introducing a parliamentary system. The perennial movement for a monarchical restoration, led by Ilia II, the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, found new support in these quarters. A "European-style" parliamentary constitutional monarchy was widely hailed as more modern and democratic than the existing system. Polls showed a majority of Georgians in favor of a constitutional monarchy.
There were two extant pretenders to the Georgian throne: Prince Nugzar Bagration-Gruzinsky, heir of Georgia's last reigning king, and Prince David Bagrationi-Mukhraneli, heir of the more senior but more distant branch of the royal family. Neither would yield their claim. A compromise was soon reached: Prince David would marry Prince Nugzar's daughter Anna and thereby unite the lines. However, this still left a problem. A monarchical constitution was being drawn up by the Transitional Government, but there would not be a consensus monarch until Anna had a child.
On the suggestion of the Patriarch, who advocated that a king be "raised to the position from childhood," the 2008 Constitution provided for a regency until the royal baby was born and reached majority. The regent was to be selected from among Georgia's nobility, restored by the new constitution. Many of the potential candidates, however, were tainted by political partisanship. John Shalikashvili was not.
Born stateless in interwar Poland to an exiled scion of the Georgian princely house of Shalikashvili (who later fought for the Waffen-SS), Prince John was raised in Germany before emigrating to the USA. He spent most of his adult life in the military, fighting in Vietnam and eventually rising to the rank of general. From 1993 to 1997, he served as the first foreign-born Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after which he retired to become a lecturer in international security. First arriving in Georgia shortly after the 2008 revolution to advise the Transitional Government, he proved a popular figure in his ancestral homeland. Surprised to find that his title would be restored by the new constitution, he was even more surprised when prominent Georgians began to petition him to take up the regency.
The late 2000s were a time of tense Russo-Georgian relations, with the smaller country reliant on American support and pursuing NATO membership. Even more than his independence in matters of local politics, Shalikashvili's experience with NATO and close ties to the incoming American administration were valuable assets. He had served under President-elect Clinton's husband Bill as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and he was friendly with Secretary of State nominee John Kerry, whose 2004 presidential campaign he had advised.
Shalikashvili initially declined the offer, explaining that he felt uncomfortable taking a role in a government other than that of the United States, as well as that claiming his princely title would be a violation of the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Upon retreated petition by leaders of the Transitional Government and by both of the royal houses, he eventually requested permission to use the title from Kerry and from Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, citing Dwight Eisenhower's numerous European knighthoods as precedent. Legal counsel eventually concluded that a special act of Congress would be necessary. Congressional authorization was granted on March 24, 2009, and Shalikashvili was named Regent of the Kingdom of Georgia by Parliament a week thereafter. He would serve in that capacity until his death in 2012.
Prince John's short tenure as symbolic head of state proved broadly popular in Georgia. While he was ultimately unsuccessful in securing Georgian NATO membership despite diligent lobbying, his mediation of Prince David and Princess Anna's royal divorce in 2010 is credited with saving the monarchy from crumbling before it even began. Observers have seen "stylistic influence" from John in Anna's own leadership, and hope that once King George XIII comes of age he will follow his first regent's example.
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So, a couple of days ago, @SlyDessertFox posted this fascinating tidbit from an old issue of TIME:
Naturally, I had to throw together a (pretty shitty, tbh) wikibox. Please ignore the odd cutoff in quality; the Chrome extension I use for screenshots wasn't cooperating.
Naturally, I had to throw together a (pretty shitty, tbh) wikibox. Please ignore the odd cutoff in quality; the Chrome extension I use for screenshots wasn't cooperating.
Wow, an alternate linguistics box!
I suppose the only alternate thing about this would be the preference for non-rhotic over rhotic at this point, but here's how New Englanders realise their vowels.
The Pittsburgh Cat is a long-haired breed of domestic cat. It is the official state cat of Pennsylvania.
History
The breed first arose in the cold storage warehouses of the Pennsylvania Storage Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The warehouses had been overrun by an infestation of thick-haired rats, which could withstand the temperature of the freezers. In response, an employee brought his pair of white "angora" cats (at that time, a generic term for any long-haired cat) to serve as mousers. The cats did well in the environment, and later gave birth to a litter of kittens; soon, the cats were distributed around other warehouses.
In 1894, the New York Times ran a brief report on the cats, and the peculiar nature of the cats sparked a minor media circus. Soon, papers around the country were running embellished stories about the "refrigerator cat". Common claims were that the rats were from Spitzbergen (Svalbard); that the cats lived in the warehouses and suffered heat exhaustion when taken outdoors; and that many cats had perished in developing the breed. Richard Lydekker, a respected British naturalist, took such reports at face value and included them in a volume of Allen's Naturalist's Library in 1895, which gave credibility to the stories and ensured they would be repeated to the present day.
The media attention soon died down, but it had caught the eye of other cold storage facilities across the United States, who got in contact with the Pittsburgh warehouses for their own cats. With a sudden spark in demand, a breeding program was established.
In 1961, the Pittsburgh Cat was granted recognition by The International Cat Association (TICA), codifying it as a breed.
Appearance
Pittsburgh Cats are large and strongly-built. Adult males typically weigh 11–15 pounds, while females tend to be 8-11. Their heads are sharp and triangular, with a medium-length muzzle.
The most distinctive feature of the Pittsburgh Cat is its large coat. Their coat consists of a long, thick layer of awn hairs overtop the dense, wooly undercoat. It is thickest at the legs, chest and head.
The cats are always white in color, although some may also have calico colorpoint markings. The breed has a high rate of albinism; it is believed the progenitor cats were albino.
Temperament
Pittsburgh Cats are intelligent and generally good with people. Due to their history as mousers, they are very energetic and playful, and can be demanding of attention. Though they do well outdoors, they typically prefer to stay indoors; this predisposition makes them well-suited to apartments.
Unlike most cats, Pittsburgh Cats enjoy water, and are known to go swimming and play in snow. This has been attributed to their thick fur.
Health
Like many long-haired cats, Pittsburgh Cats need daily brushing to keep their coats healthy and to prevent furballs.
The Pittsburgh Cat's coat has been noted as causing it discomfort in warmer environments. Although the coat has been thinned by successive breeding, it remains at risk for heat stroke and other heat illness if kept in warmer climates. For that reason, it's typically recommended that Pittsburgh cats be professionally groomed in the summer.
Sort of a continuation/counterpart to all those alternate dog breeds I did last year.
History
The breed first arose in the cold storage warehouses of the Pennsylvania Storage Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The warehouses had been overrun by an infestation of thick-haired rats, which could withstand the temperature of the freezers. In response, an employee brought his pair of white "angora" cats (at that time, a generic term for any long-haired cat) to serve as mousers. The cats did well in the environment, and later gave birth to a litter of kittens; soon, the cats were distributed around other warehouses.
In 1894, the New York Times ran a brief report on the cats, and the peculiar nature of the cats sparked a minor media circus. Soon, papers around the country were running embellished stories about the "refrigerator cat". Common claims were that the rats were from Spitzbergen (Svalbard); that the cats lived in the warehouses and suffered heat exhaustion when taken outdoors; and that many cats had perished in developing the breed. Richard Lydekker, a respected British naturalist, took such reports at face value and included them in a volume of Allen's Naturalist's Library in 1895, which gave credibility to the stories and ensured they would be repeated to the present day.
The media attention soon died down, but it had caught the eye of other cold storage facilities across the United States, who got in contact with the Pittsburgh warehouses for their own cats. With a sudden spark in demand, a breeding program was established.
In 1961, the Pittsburgh Cat was granted recognition by The International Cat Association (TICA), codifying it as a breed.
Appearance
Pittsburgh Cats are large and strongly-built. Adult males typically weigh 11–15 pounds, while females tend to be 8-11. Their heads are sharp and triangular, with a medium-length muzzle.
The most distinctive feature of the Pittsburgh Cat is its large coat. Their coat consists of a long, thick layer of awn hairs overtop the dense, wooly undercoat. It is thickest at the legs, chest and head.
The cats are always white in color, although some may also have calico colorpoint markings. The breed has a high rate of albinism; it is believed the progenitor cats were albino.
Temperament
Pittsburgh Cats are intelligent and generally good with people. Due to their history as mousers, they are very energetic and playful, and can be demanding of attention. Though they do well outdoors, they typically prefer to stay indoors; this predisposition makes them well-suited to apartments.
Unlike most cats, Pittsburgh Cats enjoy water, and are known to go swimming and play in snow. This has been attributed to their thick fur.
Health
Like many long-haired cats, Pittsburgh Cats need daily brushing to keep their coats healthy and to prevent furballs.
The Pittsburgh Cat's coat has been noted as causing it discomfort in warmer environments. Although the coat has been thinned by successive breeding, it remains at risk for heat stroke and other heat illness if kept in warmer climates. For that reason, it's typically recommended that Pittsburgh cats be professionally groomed in the summer.
Sort of a continuation/counterpart to all those alternate dog breeds I did last year.
I have a cat that looks exactly like that.The Pittsburgh Cat is a long-haired breed of domestic cat. It is the official state cat of Pennsylvania.
History
The breed first arose in the cold storage warehouses of the Pennsylvania Storage Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The warehouses had been overrun by an infestation of thick-haired rats, which could withstand the temperature of the freezers. In response, an employee brought his pair of white "angora" cats (at that time, a generic term for any long-haired cat) to serve as mousers. The cats did well in the environment, and later gave birth to a litter of kittens; soon, the cats were distributed around other warehouses.
In 1894, the New York Times ran a brief report on the cats, and the peculiar nature of the cats sparked a minor media circus. Soon, papers around the country were running embellished stories about the "refrigerator cat". Common claims were that the rats were from Spitzbergen (Svalbard); that the cats lived in the warehouses and suffered heat exhaustion when taken outdoors; and that many cats had perished in developing the breed. Richard Lydekker, a respected British naturalist, took such reports at face value and included them in a volume of Allen's Naturalist's Library in 1895, which gave credibility to the stories and ensured they would be repeated to the present day.
The media attention soon died down, but it had caught the eye of other cold storage facilities across the United States, who got in contact with the Pittsburgh warehouses for their own cats. With a sudden spark in demand, a breeding program was established.
In 1961, the Pittsburgh Cat was granted recognition by The International Cat Association (TICA), codifying it as a breed.
Appearance
Pittsburgh Cats are large and strongly-built. Adult males typically weigh 11–15 pounds, while females tend to be 8-11. Their heads are sharp and triangular, with a medium-length muzzle.
The most distinctive feature of the Pittsburgh Cat is its large coat. Their coat consists of a long, thick layer of awn hairs overtop the dense, wooly undercoat. It is thickest at the legs, chest and head.
The cats are always white in color, although some may also have calico colorpoint markings. The breed has a high rate of albinism; it is believed the progenitor cats were albino.
Temperament
Pittsburgh Cats are intelligent and generally good with people. Due to their history as mousers, they are very energetic and playful, and can be demanding of attention. Though they do well outdoors, they typically prefer to stay indoors; this predisposition makes them well-suited to apartments.
Unlike most cats, Pittsburgh Cats enjoy water, and are known to go swimming and play in snow. This has been attributed to their thick fur.
Health
Like many long-haired cats, Pittsburgh Cats need daily brushing to keep their coats healthy and to prevent furballs.
The Pittsburgh Cat's coat has been noted as causing it discomfort in warmer environments. Although the coat has been thinned by successive breeding, it remains at risk for heat stroke and other heat illness if kept in warmer climates. For that reason, it's typically recommended that Pittsburgh cats be professionally groomed in the summer.
Sort of a continuation/counterpart to all those alternate dog breeds I did last year.
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