AHC: 'New Republicans'

Your challenge is to make this:

New Democrats, in the politics of the United States, are an ideologically centrist faction within the Democratic Party that emerged after the victory of Republican George H. W. Bush in the 1988 presidential election. They are identified with centrist social/cultural/pluralist positions and neoliberal fiscal values.[1][2] They are represented by organizations such as the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), the New Democrat Network, and the Senate and House New Democrat Coalitions.

into something more like this:

New Republicans, in the politics of the United States, are an ideologically centrist faction within the Republican Party that emerged after the victory of a Democrat in the 1988 presidential election. They are identified with centrist social/cultural/pluralist positions and neoconservative fiscal values. They are represented by organizations such as the Republican Leadership Council (RLC), the New Republican Network, and the Senate and House New Republican Coalitions.
 

d32123

Banned
Have Oliver Sipple not grab Sara Jane Moore's gun before she fires at President Ford. Ford gets shot in the head and dies. Nelson Rockefeller becomes President and is able to win the election in 1976. He ends up suffering from much the same problems as Carter did IOTL during his term. Republicans get smeared with both Watergate and Rockefeller's disastrous presidency and the Democrats under *insert names here* win the 1980, 1984, and 1988 elections. Republicans are forced to moderate to remain relevant.
 
They are identified with centrist social/cultural/pluralist positions and neoconservative fiscal values.
That doesn't really work. "Neoconservative" refers to an interventionist, imperialistic foreign policy -- it's not a fiscal term. In fact, neoconservatives can be (and I think are likely to be) economically neoliberal. And both terms originate pre-1988.
 
That doesn't really work. "Neoconservative" refers to an interventionist, imperialistic foreign policy -- it's not a fiscal term. In fact, neoconservatives can be (and I think are likely to be) economically neoliberal. And both terms originate pre-1988.

I believe neo-conservativism (ironically) is a branch of Neo-Liberalism.

Anyway, backlash over Ronald Reagan and the GOP move to the right very well could of created this. But, it would not have been the same election as 1988. Maybe no 22nd Amendment and Reagan goes for a third term, but the health issue irks him along the way and the stagnant economy discredits Supply Side economics enough to warrant a lost to a Bill Clinton or Mario Cuomo (I assume the big names may come out to stop a third term of Reagan). The moderates in the party, tired of the GOP shift to the right, attempt to do what the DLC did to the New Deal Democrats. We then may see a President George Pataki, John McCain (in 2000 GOP primaries-esque moderate, maverick fashion), or Colin Powell make headway in the party and a Renaissance of the 60's GOP golden age politicians.
 
Last edited:
That doesn't really work. "Neoconservative" refers to an interventionist, imperialistic foreign policy -- it's not a fiscal term. In fact, neoconservatives can be (and I think are likely to be) economically neoliberal. And both terms originate pre-1988.

They do kind of have a common disregard for fiscal deficits -- although they've used it to support Laffler Tax Cuts, Economic Populism, and everything in between...
 
Have Oliver Sipple not grab Sara Jane Moore's gun before she fires at President Ford. Ford gets shot in the head and dies. Nelson Rockefeller becomes President and is able to win the election in 1976. He ends up suffering from much the same problems as Carter did IOTL during his term. Republicans get smeared with both Watergate and Rockefeller's disastrous presidency and the Democrats under *insert names here* win the 1980, 1984, and 1988 elections. Republicans are forced to moderate to remain relevant.

President Rockefeller faces Ronald Reagan in the 1976 primaries, if Rockefeller runs at all. Considering how well he did against Ford in OTL, there is a good chance Reagan beats Rocky ITTL. In the General, assuming Carter's nomination is not butterflied away, it will be closer as RR is not as closely identified with Nixon as Ford was.
 
Top