AHC: Make Benjamin Franklin a US president

ben0628

Banned
How do we do it people? The man was arguably the most qualified founding father to be president of the country.
 
Make him the ceremonial Head of State (call it the presidency) of the US post-Treaty of Paris to the end of the Constitutional Convention (after which, it was clear everyone looked to Washington as "the man") - basically the Articles of Confederacy years. Given Franklin's age/health/reputation (especially compared to Washington), there is no other way it could happen post 1789.
 
there's an example of this from published fiction: the Alternate Presidents anthology has a story on Franklin where he runs against Washington in 1789 and makes America more democratic during his administration
 
A Franklin vs Washington election would be great, but we need Ben Franklin to stay healthy a bit longer and live until age 90. He serves one term as president before refusing to run for a second term due to health, and dies at 87 in 1793, not long after Washington wins the 1792 election.
 
Earlier independence thus a younger Ben ?

It would be difficult to have the Revolution much earlier than OTL, no American would want to fight the British if being ruled by the Spanish or the French was even remotely plausible.
 
Well, an earlier Presidency is plausible, but not by much. In my "Washington Wins At Brandywine" TL, I posit the Br5itish having a lackluster year in 1778 after 2 successive major defeats in '77 (that and Saratoga) and suing for peace, which comes in 1779. The Articles of Confederation aren't totally agreed to when further problems happen, and so John Adams - fresh off working the Massachusetts Constitution, which is similar to OTL U.S. one, helping to push for a Convention in 1781. The result is Washington being President 6 years early.

Now, Franklin was in his late 70s at that point, aged but probably capable of one term since he was at the 1787 Convention OTL. Let's suppose that there is backlash against Adams and the President is seen as more of a figurehead. Franklin could then win in 1783 and promise4 to serve only one term, with the understandign that he doesn't have a lot to do; the Executive branch is so small there isn't even a VP.

Then, we could still get a stronger Executive akin to OTL - just have something like Shay's Rebellion or the Whiskey Rebellion take place and Franklin himself calling for it. As Washington leads troops against them in 1785 or 1786, people call for him to be a stronger President, and he then declines as per OTL unless he is not givent he huge amount6 of power that some want him to have. So, it becomes close to OTL.

(In my TL, BTW, I had Washington appoint Franklin Postmaster General in 1783 to give him a post int he first Cabinet, if only for a year or two.)
 
My TL had Franklin as the first President of the US, as Washington died in an earlier Shays Rebellion. The adoption of what amounts to OTL's constitution happens earlier, and Franklin is chosen to be President since he was not marred by partisan issues like Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton, etc.
 

ben0628

Banned
If the constitution came earlier, could Franklin possibly beat Washington in an election?

Also, how effective could a president Franklin be under the Articles of Confederation?
 
I think it would help if the American Revolution happened a bit earlier, that way Franklin could become President for at least one term, and technically would take Washington's place as the First President of the United States. So we could see an alternate succession play out from the beginning rather than have Washington automatically be the first President of the United States over and over again like he is in the majority of TLs.
 

Skallagrim

Banned
Having a president included in the Articles of Confederation is probably a lot easier than having the revolution take place earlier. Such a president would probably be very limited in power, but the very existence of an executive would very much work in the USA's favour. The lack of an executive proved problematic during the war in OTL (Washington and other generals had to report to congress, and congress often debated endlessly; having Washinton report to a civilian executive and having that executive located in the same city as congress would probably streamline communications and decision-making).

Anyway, Franklin could wasily be the man to get that job. While he was always a bit of an eccentric figure, the success of actually having independence declared - which he had championed - had turned him into the grand old man of the independence movement. Since the Articles were drften only a year after the Declaration, it makes sense that if they'd called for a president, Franklin would be a shoe-in for the office.

Interesting side-effect: if the existence an executive indeed does improve the way things work... there may never be a Constitution. The Articles may be seen as good enough to be retained (although they'll probably be amended considerably).
 
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