Thanks! It's not supposed to be perfect but the republic part is certainly very blessed imo, and an Aussie friend of mine agrees
Alternate Wikipedia Infoboxes V (Do Not Post Current Politics Here)
- Status
The 1988 United States of Europe (USE) presidential election, the last held before the reunification of Germany and the dissolution of the USSR, was also one of the most dramatic in European history. Ironically, its inciting incident was rather innocuous- in February, a case was settled by the European Court that found that the Common Fisheries Act of the United Kingdom, just passed by the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher, was a violation of USE law on the part of the UK as a member state, and thus was overruled by the court.
Thatcher was furious, not used to being overruled given her enormous victories in the British elections she had won, and in March she made a shock announcement- she was resigning as British Prime Minister and putting herself forward as a candidate for President of Europe in the election to be held that December across the USE. The main themes of her campaign were protecting the national sovereignty of each USE member, improving the economy of the union with larger-scale economic deregulation and red-tape cutting, and aggressive crackdowns on unions and other interest groups she saw as getting in the way of economic recovery.
At first her campaign seemed ambitious, but fairly insular, to the other member states. However, she secured the backing of the Conservative Party of Europe (with which her national party was affiliated), and in the crowded first round of the presidential contest in September, she shocked observers by managing to win a plurality and outpace both the incumbent President, Socialist Jacques Delors, and the Liberal nominee, Italian Prime Minister Bettino Craxi, with her and Delors advancing to the runoff rather than Delors and Craxi as had been widely expected.
What was perhaps more shocking than Thatcher's primary win was that she seemed to be in with a good chance of winning the runoff, despite her extremely divisive policy agenda. In countries with neither a close geographic border with the Iron Curtain nor a strong distaste for the British, she had strong crossover appeal with conservatives and neoliberals, and voters not especially engaged with politics but frustrated with President Delors were impressed by her public speaking skills and the possibility of her being the first woman elected President of Europe.
Delors fought back strongly in the last three months of the campaign, emphasizing the idea that 'Thatcher would put Britain first, everyone else second' (which did not do much for British-French relations, of course, but was effective in wooing continental voters away from Thatcher) and warning that electing Thatcher 'could mean the end of these United States'. While this second claim was not particularly effective in itself, it did lead Thatcher into by far her biggest gaffe, when she declared her response to this was simply, 'And would that be so bad?'
While Thatcher's anti-communist credentials needed no questioning from her supporters, the animosity felt towards the Soviet bloc was still palpable, and the common view of the USE and the cooperative spirit it was founded in as a crucial line of defence from the USSR was still a prevailing one on the continent. Delors was able to use this gaffe to position himself as a uniting figure who would keep the interests of the whole Union at heart rather than prioritizing any part of it.
In the end, Delors just edged out Thatcher across the Union. In general, Delors did best in states that had a lot to gain from the USE (especially Greece, where the USE's intervention had prevented a number of military coups, in which he won 81% of the vote) and in his native France, while Thatcher's strongest performances were in fairly prosperous countries which did not particularly benefit from the USE or were resistant to the restriction of sovereignty. Across the UK, she took 61% of the vote, topping 83% in Northern Ireland.
But in the end, Thatcher had narrowly failed in her high-stakes bid to become President of Europe, and given up her premiership in the process. Clearly feeling humiliated, she was caught on camera tearful as she was driven back to her home after a press conference in London in the late hours of the 4th December, after it had become clear she had lost.
The following six years would not be easy ones for Delors or anyone else senior in the USE, of course, though they were to see considerable positive steps in reintegrating the former USSR countries into the Union.
Thatcher was furious, not used to being overruled given her enormous victories in the British elections she had won, and in March she made a shock announcement- she was resigning as British Prime Minister and putting herself forward as a candidate for President of Europe in the election to be held that December across the USE. The main themes of her campaign were protecting the national sovereignty of each USE member, improving the economy of the union with larger-scale economic deregulation and red-tape cutting, and aggressive crackdowns on unions and other interest groups she saw as getting in the way of economic recovery.
At first her campaign seemed ambitious, but fairly insular, to the other member states. However, she secured the backing of the Conservative Party of Europe (with which her national party was affiliated), and in the crowded first round of the presidential contest in September, she shocked observers by managing to win a plurality and outpace both the incumbent President, Socialist Jacques Delors, and the Liberal nominee, Italian Prime Minister Bettino Craxi, with her and Delors advancing to the runoff rather than Delors and Craxi as had been widely expected.
What was perhaps more shocking than Thatcher's primary win was that she seemed to be in with a good chance of winning the runoff, despite her extremely divisive policy agenda. In countries with neither a close geographic border with the Iron Curtain nor a strong distaste for the British, she had strong crossover appeal with conservatives and neoliberals, and voters not especially engaged with politics but frustrated with President Delors were impressed by her public speaking skills and the possibility of her being the first woman elected President of Europe.
Delors fought back strongly in the last three months of the campaign, emphasizing the idea that 'Thatcher would put Britain first, everyone else second' (which did not do much for British-French relations, of course, but was effective in wooing continental voters away from Thatcher) and warning that electing Thatcher 'could mean the end of these United States'. While this second claim was not particularly effective in itself, it did lead Thatcher into by far her biggest gaffe, when she declared her response to this was simply, 'And would that be so bad?'
While Thatcher's anti-communist credentials needed no questioning from her supporters, the animosity felt towards the Soviet bloc was still palpable, and the common view of the USE and the cooperative spirit it was founded in as a crucial line of defence from the USSR was still a prevailing one on the continent. Delors was able to use this gaffe to position himself as a uniting figure who would keep the interests of the whole Union at heart rather than prioritizing any part of it.
In the end, Delors just edged out Thatcher across the Union. In general, Delors did best in states that had a lot to gain from the USE (especially Greece, where the USE's intervention had prevented a number of military coups, in which he won 81% of the vote) and in his native France, while Thatcher's strongest performances were in fairly prosperous countries which did not particularly benefit from the USE or were resistant to the restriction of sovereignty. Across the UK, she took 61% of the vote, topping 83% in Northern Ireland.
But in the end, Thatcher had narrowly failed in her high-stakes bid to become President of Europe, and given up her premiership in the process. Clearly feeling humiliated, she was caught on camera tearful as she was driven back to her home after a press conference in London in the late hours of the 4th December, after it had become clear she had lost.
The following six years would not be easy ones for Delors or anyone else senior in the USE, of course, though they were to see considerable positive steps in reintegrating the former USSR countries into the Union.
Comrade TruthTeller
Gone Fishin'
I feel bad for Thatcher here. At the same time, I don't. Great infobox!
Comrade TruthTeller
Gone Fishin'
Hmm... What's this I'm working on?
Yep, I'm revamping my Castle-Shore infoboxes. I need to make a few changes, of course, as I wasn't as in the know about who could have been in what position at the time I originally made the infoboxes, for example Douglas Hurd would not have been Prime Minister in 1984. Another few things such as those, and improved photos, and it'll hopefully be golden.
Oh, and the TL has a nice name.
Yep, I'm revamping my Castle-Shore infoboxes. I need to make a few changes, of course, as I wasn't as in the know about who could have been in what position at the time I originally made the infoboxes, for example Douglas Hurd would not have been Prime Minister in 1984. Another few things such as those, and improved photos, and it'll hopefully be golden.
Oh, and the TL has a nice name.
Comrade TruthTeller
Gone Fishin'
-------------------------------
The Castle Close to Shore:
Part I
--------------------------------
Harold Wilson has shockingly announced his resignation as Labour Party Leader. Tony Benn, James Callaghan, Anthony Crosland, MIchael Foot, Denis Healey and Roy Jenkins have all entered the race to succeed him and become the next Prime Minister. Then, one more joins the fray... Barbara Castle. She begins discussions with Anthony Crosland, who agrees to stand down as a candidate for the leadership of the party in return for becoming Chancellor in a Castle cabinet.The Castle Close to Shore:
Part I
--------------------------------
Castle comes third in the first ballot, resulting in Denis Healey being knocked out of the contest. Tony Benn and Roy Jenkins withdraw of their own accord then proceed to withdraw of their own accord, as they realise that they are quite unlikely to win the leadership at this time. Denis Healey comes out in support of Barbara Castle, and Tony Benn keeps quiet. In the second ballot, Castle gets a swathe of support and comes second, resulting in her overtaking Michael Foot and him being eliminated. The chances of Barbara Castle becoming Britain's first woman Prime Minister increases. The final ballot is a vote between two vicious political rivals; Barbara Castle and James Callaghan; Harold Wilson's right hand man. The returning officer, the upshot 46-year-old backbench MP Dennis Skinner, announces the results of the final ballot. 'The votes cast in favour of James Callaghan, one hundred and fourty-eight. The votes cast in favour of Barbara Castle, One hundred and sixty-five.' Cheering erupts in the room as Castle supporters know that they will have the first woman Prime Minister before the end of the day. 'And I do 'ereby declare the said Barbara Castle is duly elected to serve as Leader of the Labour Party.' Cheering once again sounds as Castle makes her first speech as Leader of the Labour Party
At 9PM, Harold Wilson tenders his resignation to the Queen for the second time, and recommends her Majesty to send for Barbara Castle to form the new government. Barbara Castle, at the age of 65, becomes Britain's first woman Prime Minister. The Cabinet is given a sizeable shake-up. As promised, Anthony Crosland is made Chancellor of the Exchequer, with Denis Healey moved to the Foreign Office, resulting in Callaghan's sudden removal from the Cabinet. The Prime Minister tells Callaghan that her reason for removing him was to 'Lower the average age of the cabinet' to which Callaghan in a public statement famously retorted 'Why doesn't she start with herself?' In a surprising move, Tony Benn is made Home Secretary, in a move to appease the more stringent left of the party. This results in more left-wing policies being introduced within the purview of the Home Office. Tony Benn manages to calm the trade unions, ending a possible winter of discontent before it even begins. In October 1976, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Edward Short, resigns. The election that ensues results in Chancellor Crosland being elected Deputy Leader. Sadly, however, Crosland would die just four months after being elected. In the Treasury, Crosland's position is filled by Gerald Kaufman. In the second leadership election in four months, the Home Secretary Tony Benn becomes the new Deputy Leader. Dennis Skinner becomes an Under-Secretary for him.
The Vote of No Confidence ordered by Margaret Thatcher in 1979 fails, thanks to Labour MP Alfred Broughton being in good health. Therefore, the 1979 General Election is held in October. The election results in Barbara Castle being returned to power with a slightly more comfortable majority of 12. Margaret Thatcher concedes defeat, and announces her resignation of the Conservative Party leadership, effective upon the election of her successor. In January 1980, Geoffrey Howe is elected to replace Margaret Thatcher as Leader of the Conservatives and to head the Her Majesty's Opposition. Thatcher is retained in the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Chancellor, and former Prime Minister is returned to the Shadow Cabinet as Deputy Leader of the Conservatives and Foreign Secretary.
In 1981, four MPs had planned to defect from the Labour Party and form a new political organisation. Thankfully for the Castle, she caught wind of their plans, and talked to them about their reasonings for wanting to leave the party. They voiced their concerns, and Castle proceeded to tell them that their concerns would be answered and there would be no need to cause a fuss. This prevented a possible split in the Labour Party, which irritated the Liberal Party. In 1983, the Prime Minister receives intelligence that Argentina is planning to invade the Falklands Islands. This knowledge is kept secret to the public, but Castle makes it perfectly clear to Galtieri that if he invades the Falklands, the UK will take assertive action against them. This deters Argentina from doing anything. Due to rising debts due to government policy, support for the government falls, and in 1984, Geoffrey Howe leads the Conservative Party to a reasonable majority of 43. With that, Barbara Castle concedes defeat and announces her resignation as Labour Party Leader and initiates the next Labour leadership election.
Feedback and questions will be appreciated as always. Next up is Geoffrey Howe.
BP Booker
Banned
The Democratic Party was in shambles.
The Lincoln/Rosecrans National Union ticket defeated Horatio Seymour in a landslide, and Rosecrans continued the policies of Reconstruction Lincoln would have persued after his assasination.
Grant defeated Seymour again in 1868 and Senator Johnson in 1872. The party was so weak that it didnt run a candidate in 1876 or 1880, the only opposition to Grants third term or to Roscoe Conkling was the flash-in-the-pan Land Reform Party headed twice by one Orion Clemens.
Conkling was so popular in 1884 that only the embryonic Farmers & Workers Party mounted a challenge against him
The Party of Jackson and Polk needed a new man. Someone who could unite the yeoman farmers of the south, the laborer immigrants from the north, the colored man that the rump Democrats had built an alliance in Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina after 1872
A man of good morals and charisma
Well, then Im your Huckleberry
The Lincoln/Rosecrans National Union ticket defeated Horatio Seymour in a landslide, and Rosecrans continued the policies of Reconstruction Lincoln would have persued after his assasination.
Grant defeated Seymour again in 1868 and Senator Johnson in 1872. The party was so weak that it didnt run a candidate in 1876 or 1880, the only opposition to Grants third term or to Roscoe Conkling was the flash-in-the-pan Land Reform Party headed twice by one Orion Clemens.
Conkling was so popular in 1884 that only the embryonic Farmers & Workers Party mounted a challenge against him
The Party of Jackson and Polk needed a new man. Someone who could unite the yeoman farmers of the south, the laborer immigrants from the north, the colored man that the rump Democrats had built an alliance in Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina after 1872
A man of good morals and charisma
Well, then Im your Huckleberry
Last edited:
Deleted member 107125
The mad lads actually did itThis is your brain on The Crown:
From my A More Imperfect Union TL
When the United States split into two, the decision of what governing principle to follow fell upon each state’s legislature. Rhode Island and New Hampshire didn’t even consider the new Constitution, but in every other state the matter saw spirited debate in the state chambers. Over the course of an eight month period, the states voted one way or another to stay on the Articles or to go onto the new Constitution. This time saw significant unrest between Federalists and Confederalists who alternated between marching in the streets or clashing with each other in violent riots. By the time South Carolina joined the Republic, the last state to do so, it was clear that the Great Disunion had done more than divide the country; It clearly showed the division in the states itself. Regardless of whether the state was in the Republic or the Confederation, there were angry citizens agitating for a different government. In less than five years, America became a powder keg of anti-government sentiments and it didn’t take long for a spark to ignite the pile.
As part of the Republic’s plan to settle war debt that they adopted from the states that joined the Republic, President Hamiltion turned to taxation. At that point, the Republic’s government primarily collected revenue from import taxes, which Hamilton believed was already raised as high as possible. Thus he felt he had no choice but to place an excise tax on alcohol produced in the country to gather revenue. Taxes by themselves were unpopular but Hamilton believed it would be the least controversial as he thought it would effectively be a luxury tax. In reality in the western regions of the Republic, alcohol was central to their livelihoods. Farmers in what was then Western Pennsylvania were particularly incensed as the tax made whiskey, the alcohol popular in the region, much more expensive. With cash hard to come by on the frontier, excess grain was brewed into whiskey which was either sold or used as currency itself. For these farmers in Western Pennsylvania, already a hotbed of Confederalist sentiment, the so called Whiskey tax was a threat to their livelihoods.
Resistance began almost immediately when tax collectors were sent to the region, largely with the goal of chasing them off. Violence sporadically erupted in the year of the resistance, mostly by angry mobs feathering and tarring tax collectors. However the situation dramatically escalated in its second year, when the Federalist government began cracking down on distillers who refused to pay the tax, sending federal marshals to make arrests. In response the farmers, decrying Hamiltonian tyranny, rose up in revolt in May 1793. The majority of the revolters, such as its impromptu leader David Bradford, were Revolutionary War veterans who began proclaiming their grievances laced with slogans and protests used by the American Revolutionaries decades earlier.
Their protests found sympathetic ears in the Confederation, although Thomas Jefferson did not want to involve the Confederation in the tax protest. However the rebels found allies among local officials and citizens in Virginia and New York, which began sending many weapons over the border. Meanwhile Hamiltion faced with a major threat to federal authority, ordered that the rebellion was to be suppressed. He tasked Arthur St. Clair with gathering militia forces in the Mid Atlantic and then leading an expedition to the rebel controlled areas. Quickly gathering a force of 6000 militia forces from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware St Clair began their march in early August to western Pennsylvania.
Instead of striking fear into their hearts, the word that Hamilton had ordered the rebellion to be crushed only emboldened them. While St Clair was mobilizing his troops, sympathetic volunteers who had been watching the turmoil from New York and Virginia for over a year joined the ranks of the rebels. By the time St Clair reached the region, the rebel force was over 2000 strong. Nevertheless they were outnumbered, so the rebels led by James McFarlane attempted to avoid a direct confrontation. However as St. Clair attempted to control an unruly population, McFarlane was unable to control his troops, who were angry at the occupation. A house raid on a Confederalist sympathizer on August 28, went wrong as its occupants called for help. The situation escalated into a battle as troops from both sides moved in.
The battle was chaotic and leaderless as both St. Clair and McFarlane were unable to coordinate their men. In the end the Federalist’s overwhelming numbers won the day, forcing McFarlane and his forces to scatter. However as St. Clair gathered his forces, he soon realized that the battle had only been the beginning. The battle had only galvanized further support among the population in Western Pennsylvania, while the story of patriotic farmers standing up to their Federalist oppressors made headlines across the country. The stream of Confederalist volunteers became a flood, as St. Clair’s forces began to run out of supplies while being harassed daily by ambushes. In an act of desperation, federalist forces began seizing food stores from local farmers to feed themselves, which turned out to be the final straw.
In September 1793, the counties under Confederalist control declared their independence from the Trenton Republic, forming the Free State of Allegheny. By that point, the Whiskey Rebellion had escalated into a major diplomatic crisis between the Republic and the Confederation especially after it was known that Confederation citizens joined the fight. The path to war was sealed when Virginia officially recognized the rebel state when St. Clair and his forces were driven out of the region that month. Tensions reached their peak as Confederalist and Federalist militias mobilized to their respective borders. By that point over a year's worth of propaganda had the populations of both states itching for war. For the Confederalists, they believed that they had to win another fight for freedom against the Hamiltonian spider, while the Federalists declared the very existence of America was at stake and a war to defend the Republic need to be fought. In this tense atmosphere did not take long for the first shots to ring out when militia clashed in the new state of Allegheny, sparking the First American Civil War.
The Whiskey Rebellion
When the United States split into two, the decision of what governing principle to follow fell upon each state’s legislature. Rhode Island and New Hampshire didn’t even consider the new Constitution, but in every other state the matter saw spirited debate in the state chambers. Over the course of an eight month period, the states voted one way or another to stay on the Articles or to go onto the new Constitution. This time saw significant unrest between Federalists and Confederalists who alternated between marching in the streets or clashing with each other in violent riots. By the time South Carolina joined the Republic, the last state to do so, it was clear that the Great Disunion had done more than divide the country; It clearly showed the division in the states itself. Regardless of whether the state was in the Republic or the Confederation, there were angry citizens agitating for a different government. In less than five years, America became a powder keg of anti-government sentiments and it didn’t take long for a spark to ignite the pile.
As part of the Republic’s plan to settle war debt that they adopted from the states that joined the Republic, President Hamiltion turned to taxation. At that point, the Republic’s government primarily collected revenue from import taxes, which Hamilton believed was already raised as high as possible. Thus he felt he had no choice but to place an excise tax on alcohol produced in the country to gather revenue. Taxes by themselves were unpopular but Hamilton believed it would be the least controversial as he thought it would effectively be a luxury tax. In reality in the western regions of the Republic, alcohol was central to their livelihoods. Farmers in what was then Western Pennsylvania were particularly incensed as the tax made whiskey, the alcohol popular in the region, much more expensive. With cash hard to come by on the frontier, excess grain was brewed into whiskey which was either sold or used as currency itself. For these farmers in Western Pennsylvania, already a hotbed of Confederalist sentiment, the so called Whiskey tax was a threat to their livelihoods.
Resistance began almost immediately when tax collectors were sent to the region, largely with the goal of chasing them off. Violence sporadically erupted in the year of the resistance, mostly by angry mobs feathering and tarring tax collectors. However the situation dramatically escalated in its second year, when the Federalist government began cracking down on distillers who refused to pay the tax, sending federal marshals to make arrests. In response the farmers, decrying Hamiltonian tyranny, rose up in revolt in May 1793. The majority of the revolters, such as its impromptu leader David Bradford, were Revolutionary War veterans who began proclaiming their grievances laced with slogans and protests used by the American Revolutionaries decades earlier.
Their protests found sympathetic ears in the Confederation, although Thomas Jefferson did not want to involve the Confederation in the tax protest. However the rebels found allies among local officials and citizens in Virginia and New York, which began sending many weapons over the border. Meanwhile Hamiltion faced with a major threat to federal authority, ordered that the rebellion was to be suppressed. He tasked Arthur St. Clair with gathering militia forces in the Mid Atlantic and then leading an expedition to the rebel controlled areas. Quickly gathering a force of 6000 militia forces from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware St Clair began their march in early August to western Pennsylvania.
Instead of striking fear into their hearts, the word that Hamilton had ordered the rebellion to be crushed only emboldened them. While St Clair was mobilizing his troops, sympathetic volunteers who had been watching the turmoil from New York and Virginia for over a year joined the ranks of the rebels. By the time St Clair reached the region, the rebel force was over 2000 strong. Nevertheless they were outnumbered, so the rebels led by James McFarlane attempted to avoid a direct confrontation. However as St. Clair attempted to control an unruly population, McFarlane was unable to control his troops, who were angry at the occupation. A house raid on a Confederalist sympathizer on August 28, went wrong as its occupants called for help. The situation escalated into a battle as troops from both sides moved in.
In September 1793, the counties under Confederalist control declared their independence from the Trenton Republic, forming the Free State of Allegheny. By that point, the Whiskey Rebellion had escalated into a major diplomatic crisis between the Republic and the Confederation especially after it was known that Confederation citizens joined the fight. The path to war was sealed when Virginia officially recognized the rebel state when St. Clair and his forces were driven out of the region that month. Tensions reached their peak as Confederalist and Federalist militias mobilized to their respective borders. By that point over a year's worth of propaganda had the populations of both states itching for war. For the Confederalists, they believed that they had to win another fight for freedom against the Hamiltonian spider, while the Federalists declared the very existence of America was at stake and a war to defend the Republic need to be fought. In this tense atmosphere did not take long for the first shots to ring out when militia clashed in the new state of Allegheny, sparking the First American Civil War.
so what's this about and whats the national unity coalition?This is your brain on The Crown:
BlackentheBorg
Banned
It started out as a meme. Randos on the internet, instead of funnelling donations to clean up what was literally a solid mass of plastic waste the size of Texas off the coast of California, kept joking how it'd gain statehood before Puerto Rico. They were still laughing when some quirky trust-fund rich kid flew out there, planted a flag and posted a selfie on wt.social. They kept on laughing when that very same rich kid started lobbying congress for building permits. They dammed nearly pissed themselves when it went to a quorum vote. Nowadays if you ask Zoomers about it they'll still chuckle at how it's being used as a buffer against possible air invasion from China.
Did they ever find his body?
It started out as a meme. Randos on the internet, instead of funnelling donations to clean up what was literally a solid mass of plastic waste the size of Texas off the coast of California, kept joking how it'd gain statehood before Puerto Rico. They were still laughing when some quirky trust-fund rich kid flew out there, planted a flag and posted a selfie on wt.social. They kept on laughing when that very same rich kid started lobbying congress for building permits. They dammed nearly pissed themselves when it went to a quorum vote. Nowadays if you ask Zoomers about it they'll still chuckle at how it's being used as a buffer against possible air invasion from China.
1920: The Collapse of the Old Order, and Beginning of the Fifth Party System.
- Status