The Presidential Election of 2008
Despite a challenge from Republican Senator Hillary Rodham of Illinois, Socialist President Dan La Botz of Ohio won a steady victory in spite of charges from Republicans that the incumbent socialist was 'provoking war' with the British Empire owing to his hardline stance against imperialism.
Elected first in 2004 to succeed President Michael Harrington (S - Missouri), La Botz's administration focused on the expansion of the American welfare state and increasing America's already vocal opposition to the continuation of British imperial policy overseas. Despite midterm setbacks in 2006, the Socialists maintained their strong majority in the House and were, in 2008, able to gain control of the Senate for the first time since the presidency of David McReynolds (1973-1981).
Senator Rodham campaigned on detente with the British and the French, reducing taxation on incomes and businesses, and promoting free trade among industrialized nations. Best known in her capacity as Secretary of State during the Deukmeijan administration (1989-1997), Rodham prioritized international issues and downplayed potentially explosive social issues such as the Republicans' continued drive to toughen American drug policy with regard to LSD and cocaine use. Her running mate, Senator George Voinovich of Ohio, was chosen mostly as a sop to more liberal leaning Republicans.
President La Botz campaigned on expanding the welfare state further. America's welfare state, the most generous in the world, hasn't been expanded to a great degree since the McReynolds administration, which saw the implementation of a Guaranteed Minimum Income. President Harrington, La Botz's predecessor, focused largely on international issues, aside from instituted paid paternity leave. La Botz proposed shortening the workweek to 35 hours and expanding the Social Security program instituted under Norman Thomas (and reducing the eligibility age to 58 from it's current 60) as well as maintained a tough stance against the British Empire in the ongoing Cold War against European imperialism. La Botz's sitting Vice President, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, was renominated and did well against his Republican opponent in the debate.
On election night, La Botz cruised to a second term. With tensions rising between the United States and the British, and the possibility of American missiles being positioned in the Socialist Republic of Eire, this could very well be the last election in the United States...