The 1914 American federal election was held on Thursday 28 May 1914. It was won by the Conservatives, led by Charles Clark. The Liberals, led by Wilfrid Laurier, won the most votes, but did not win the most seats. This is the most recent election in which a party won the most seats without winning the popular vote. Both parties lost votes and seats to the Labor Party, led by Robert La Follette. Labor benefited from the discontent of many industrial laborers about their working conditions.
Alternate Wikipedia Infoboxes VI (Do Not Post Current Politics or Political Figures Here)
- Status
The 1914 American federal election was held on Thursday 28 May 1914. It was won by the Conservatives, led by Charles Clark. The Liberals, led by Wilfrid Laurier, won the most votes, but did not win the most seats. This is the most recent election in which a party won the most seats without winning the popular vote. Both parties lost votes and seats to the Labor Party, led by Robert La Follette. Labor benefited from the discontent of many industrial laborers about their working conditions.
This is a follow up to this post.
*
The 1991 South Vietnamese presidential election was notable for a number of reasons- it marked the first peaceful handover of power in South Vietnam for 34 years (and this time, the democratic status of the election was in far less doubt) and the last time a single-round presidential election would be held in the country to date (though, since Nguyễn Đan Quế was elected with a majority of the popular vote, 1987 would be the last time a South Vietnamese president won only a plurality of the popular vote).
Incumbent President Dương Văn Minh, who had been President since 1986 and was now 75, chose not to run for a second term, meaning his Social Democratic Alliance (SDA) was seen as greatly vulnerable; it had only narrowly won the first democratic election to the South Vietnamese House of Representatives on Minh's coattails, and had developed a public image as a bureaucratic and rather moderate party in the democratic era. Consequently, with public unrest growing, it was considered at risk of losing both the presidency and the House. The figure it nominated for the presidency was Khương Hữu Điểu, former Minister of Commerce and a key ally of Minh.
Observers have noted that, in contrast to the left-right divide of most democratic countries, the SDA and its main rival the VNQDD were both big tent parties where the main difference was not so much the ideologies they embodied as the radicalism they embodied. The SDA (despite its name) was overwhelmingly made up of small-c conservatives and centrists whose main concern was avoiding too much change, and the VNQDD comprised a diverse mix of leftist and rightist figures from social democrats to neoliberals to ardent nationalists who all wanted great change for South Vietnam, but other than that only their hatred of the SDA kept them together.
As a result, the VNQDD had to find a figure easy to unify behind. They found it in the shape of Nguyễn Đan Quế, a 49-year-old ex-dissident and endocrinologist who had stayed in South Vietnam to care for the poor, been one of the only members of Amnesty International in the country and had been imprisoned for criticizing the country's discriminatory healthcare policy in the 1970s and subsequently criticized the treatment of prisoners despite the risk to his own life and wellbeing.
As a result of all this, after being freed at the end of 1986 and elected for the VNQDD in Saigon's 23rd House district in the 1987 election, he had been one of the most vocal speakers in the House and an early star of democratic politics in South Vietnam. He was also young and energetic, had experience gathering support for bills expanding healthcare coverage and spending, didn't particularly offend the sensibilities of the VNQDD's right and was difficult for Điểu to really attack because of the regime he had previously been a part of imprisoning Quế for the thoroughly questionable reason it did.
With the VNQDD having nominated as effective a nominee as it had, the other main opposition to the SDA, the Personalists, found themselves fairly marginalized despite having won over 15% of the vote in 1987. The same figure who had been their nominee in 1987, former Bishop and nephew of Ngô Đình Diệm Phanxicô Xaviê Nguyễn Văn Thuận, was picked again, but despite his popularity within his home city of Nha Trang Thuận was unable to expand his appeal beyond South Vietnam's Catholic minority like he had done in 1987 thanks to Quế soaking up large amounts of voters discontented with the regime Điểu represented.
On election day, Quế won by the biggest margin of any democratic South Vietnamese presidential election (though not the largest popular vote), and the VNQDD simultaneously came only twelve seats away from a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives election held contemperaneously. His victory marked the beginning of a new era for South Vietnam, and under Quế's 12-year rule, the country would dramatically expand healthcare coverage, enact constitutional reforms including the introduction of midterm elections and presidential runoff elections, repeal the dual-language status of French and face down the East Asian financial crisis.
But that was all in the future, and on the 8th September 1991, all that South Vietnamese voters knew was that the future had arrived in full force...
*
The 1991 South Vietnamese presidential election was notable for a number of reasons- it marked the first peaceful handover of power in South Vietnam for 34 years (and this time, the democratic status of the election was in far less doubt) and the last time a single-round presidential election would be held in the country to date (though, since Nguyễn Đan Quế was elected with a majority of the popular vote, 1987 would be the last time a South Vietnamese president won only a plurality of the popular vote).
Incumbent President Dương Văn Minh, who had been President since 1986 and was now 75, chose not to run for a second term, meaning his Social Democratic Alliance (SDA) was seen as greatly vulnerable; it had only narrowly won the first democratic election to the South Vietnamese House of Representatives on Minh's coattails, and had developed a public image as a bureaucratic and rather moderate party in the democratic era. Consequently, with public unrest growing, it was considered at risk of losing both the presidency and the House. The figure it nominated for the presidency was Khương Hữu Điểu, former Minister of Commerce and a key ally of Minh.
Observers have noted that, in contrast to the left-right divide of most democratic countries, the SDA and its main rival the VNQDD were both big tent parties where the main difference was not so much the ideologies they embodied as the radicalism they embodied. The SDA (despite its name) was overwhelmingly made up of small-c conservatives and centrists whose main concern was avoiding too much change, and the VNQDD comprised a diverse mix of leftist and rightist figures from social democrats to neoliberals to ardent nationalists who all wanted great change for South Vietnam, but other than that only their hatred of the SDA kept them together.
As a result, the VNQDD had to find a figure easy to unify behind. They found it in the shape of Nguyễn Đan Quế, a 49-year-old ex-dissident and endocrinologist who had stayed in South Vietnam to care for the poor, been one of the only members of Amnesty International in the country and had been imprisoned for criticizing the country's discriminatory healthcare policy in the 1970s and subsequently criticized the treatment of prisoners despite the risk to his own life and wellbeing.
As a result of all this, after being freed at the end of 1986 and elected for the VNQDD in Saigon's 23rd House district in the 1987 election, he had been one of the most vocal speakers in the House and an early star of democratic politics in South Vietnam. He was also young and energetic, had experience gathering support for bills expanding healthcare coverage and spending, didn't particularly offend the sensibilities of the VNQDD's right and was difficult for Điểu to really attack because of the regime he had previously been a part of imprisoning Quế for the thoroughly questionable reason it did.
With the VNQDD having nominated as effective a nominee as it had, the other main opposition to the SDA, the Personalists, found themselves fairly marginalized despite having won over 15% of the vote in 1987. The same figure who had been their nominee in 1987, former Bishop and nephew of Ngô Đình Diệm Phanxicô Xaviê Nguyễn Văn Thuận, was picked again, but despite his popularity within his home city of Nha Trang Thuận was unable to expand his appeal beyond South Vietnam's Catholic minority like he had done in 1987 thanks to Quế soaking up large amounts of voters discontented with the regime Điểu represented.
On election day, Quế won by the biggest margin of any democratic South Vietnamese presidential election (though not the largest popular vote), and the VNQDD simultaneously came only twelve seats away from a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives election held contemperaneously. His victory marked the beginning of a new era for South Vietnam, and under Quế's 12-year rule, the country would dramatically expand healthcare coverage, enact constitutional reforms including the introduction of midterm elections and presidential runoff elections, repeal the dual-language status of French and face down the East Asian financial crisis.
But that was all in the future, and on the 8th September 1991, all that South Vietnamese voters knew was that the future had arrived in full force...
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Butler's the incumbent in 1916 and claims NY as his home state at the time (lived there for over a decade)! Roosevelt's 1912 split was far more damaging and with Wilson not being President ITTL, Roosevelt hasn't reconciled with the GOP the way he did in OTL. NY's GOP establishment backed Butler and this gave him the slightest of edges on election day.
Yeah, I'm not going to tell you its the most realistic scenario. There was somewhat of a push by some in North Carolina to rally support around Roosevelt OTL, but it didn't go anywhere. My head cannon is that the GOP entrenches as the pro-business, northeastern elites, the Democrats as the conservative, southern interests, and the Progressives occupying reformist attitudes with a mix of New Nationalism.
None of that really explains why NC & TN (although TN is more likely than NC) end up turning for Roosevelt... Lets say appeals to poor whites there goes very well, plus part of the scenario is a general walk out of progressive forces from the GOP and Dems to Roosevelt (see Roosevelt's VP) which opened the opportunity for an unexpected victory. He still loses NY because the GOP has entrenched in the north east behind Butler.
The United States of America stretches from New England in the north to the Sonoran Desert in the west and then south to the Yucatan and Caribbean. It includes Hawaii and other possessions in the Pacific Ocean and even some territories among the planets and worlds of the Solar System. It's a two-party system with the Democratic Party and the Whig Party. Both parties have largely embraced the so-called Atlantic economic model of a strong welfare state, high-levels of government spending, strong government oversight over the economy and strong labor laws, which is a system shared by the United States, Third French Empire and Brazil. The primary difference is cultural and social issues, particularly with regard to immigration and narcotics legislation.
The current President is Anna Napier and the current Vice President is Calvin Rucker, both Whigs. They were elected in 2016, defeating the Democratic ticket of Ryan Tarr and Charles Ludlow. Napier is the second female President of the United States. Anna Napier had previously served as a U.S. Senator and member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Sonora. She joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from Princeton University, serving with Naval Intelligence and Naval Special Warfare Command. Most of her career in the Navy remains shrouded in mystery due to its sensitive nature. After leaving the service, she attended law school and worked for legal non-profits representing tenants and homeowners facing eviction and disabled veterans. She was appointed to be a Commissioner on the Sonora Veterans' Land Board, gaining a national profile for her support in providing housing for veterans. She was able to parlay that attention into being elected to Congress, eventually culminating with her successful primarying of Senator Al Holbrooke.
Vice President Calvin Rucker was first elected to Congress in 1996, succeeding his great-uncle, Al Rucker, who had held the seat since 1953. After five terms in the House, he was elected to the Senate. After an abortive attempt to run for President in 2012, he served a term as the chair of the National Whig Senatorial Committee, enabling them to recapture a majority in the chamber in 2014. He then served as the Chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee where he was able to pass a UBI bill for members of indigenous communities. Even though he was considered a possible front-runner for the 2016 election, he declined to run because of his father's health problems.
Napier ran as a left-wing populist, railing against the Eastern Elite, the wealthy and the powerful. She won a hard-fought primary campaign against former Vice President Jack Guthrie and former Secretary of State Bryan Renner, both of whom were far more experienced than her but ultimately tarred by their association with the rather unpopular Teague administration. She ended up choosing Rucker as her running mate, an unusual choice because he offered neither ideological nor geographic balance to the ticket. They had a good working relationship from their time in the Senate, and Rucker was able to shore up her support in the Midwestern states like Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. They won a close victory over the incumbents Tarr and Ludlow. The Napier administration has been reasonably popular, with a particular focus on military expansion, foreign adventures in Latin America and off-world imperialism. As traditional American allies like France, Russia and Turkey have engaged in saber-rattling against the Anglo-German alliance, Napier has been reluctant to follow their lead as American defenses along the Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley have largely been allowed to degrade over the past several decades.
The current President is Anna Napier and the current Vice President is Calvin Rucker, both Whigs. They were elected in 2016, defeating the Democratic ticket of Ryan Tarr and Charles Ludlow. Napier is the second female President of the United States. Anna Napier had previously served as a U.S. Senator and member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Sonora. She joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from Princeton University, serving with Naval Intelligence and Naval Special Warfare Command. Most of her career in the Navy remains shrouded in mystery due to its sensitive nature. After leaving the service, she attended law school and worked for legal non-profits representing tenants and homeowners facing eviction and disabled veterans. She was appointed to be a Commissioner on the Sonora Veterans' Land Board, gaining a national profile for her support in providing housing for veterans. She was able to parlay that attention into being elected to Congress, eventually culminating with her successful primarying of Senator Al Holbrooke.
Vice President Calvin Rucker was first elected to Congress in 1996, succeeding his great-uncle, Al Rucker, who had held the seat since 1953. After five terms in the House, he was elected to the Senate. After an abortive attempt to run for President in 2012, he served a term as the chair of the National Whig Senatorial Committee, enabling them to recapture a majority in the chamber in 2014. He then served as the Chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee where he was able to pass a UBI bill for members of indigenous communities. Even though he was considered a possible front-runner for the 2016 election, he declined to run because of his father's health problems.
Napier ran as a left-wing populist, railing against the Eastern Elite, the wealthy and the powerful. She won a hard-fought primary campaign against former Vice President Jack Guthrie and former Secretary of State Bryan Renner, both of whom were far more experienced than her but ultimately tarred by their association with the rather unpopular Teague administration. She ended up choosing Rucker as her running mate, an unusual choice because he offered neither ideological nor geographic balance to the ticket. They had a good working relationship from their time in the Senate, and Rucker was able to shore up her support in the Midwestern states like Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. They won a close victory over the incumbents Tarr and Ludlow. The Napier administration has been reasonably popular, with a particular focus on military expansion, foreign adventures in Latin America and off-world imperialism. As traditional American allies like France, Russia and Turkey have engaged in saber-rattling against the Anglo-German alliance, Napier has been reluctant to follow their lead as American defenses along the Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley have largely been allowed to degrade over the past several decades.
Very strong 'stepmom and stepdad who insist they just want you to be happy' energy emanating from these twoThe United States of America stretches from New England in the north to the Sonoran Desert in the west and then south to the Yucatan and Caribbean. It includes Hawaii and other possessions in the Pacific Ocean and even some territories among the planets and worlds of the Solar System. It's a two-party system with the Democratic Party and the Whig Party. Both parties have largely embraced the so-called Atlantic economic model of a strong welfare state, high-levels of government spending, strong government oversight over the economy and strong labor laws, which is a system shared by the United States, Third French Empire and Brazil. The primary difference is cultural and social issues, particularly with regard to immigration and narcotics legislation.
The current President is Anna Napier and the current Vice President is Calvin Rucker, both Whigs. They were elected in 2016, defeating the Democratic ticket of Ryan Tarr and Charles Ludlow. Napier is the second female President of the United States. Anna Napier had previously served as a U.S. Senator and member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Sonora. She joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from Princeton University, serving with Naval Intelligence and Naval Special Warfare Command. Most of her career in the Navy remains shrouded in mystery due to its sensitive nature. After leaving the service, she attended law school and worked for legal non-profits representing tenants and homeowners facing eviction and disabled veterans. She was appointed to be a Commissioner on the Sonora Veterans' Land Board, gaining a national profile for her support in providing housing for veterans. She was able to parlay that attention into being elected to Congress, eventually culminating with her successful primarying of Senator Al Holbrooke.
Vice President Calvin Rucker was first elected to Congress in 1996, succeeding his great-uncle, Al Rucker, who had held the seat since 1953. After five terms in the House, he was elected to the Senate. After an abortive attempt to run for President in 2012, he served a term as the chair of the National Whig Senatorial Committee, enabling them to recapture a majority in the chamber in 2014. He then served as the Chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee where he was able to pass a UBI bill for members of indigenous communities. Even though he was considered a possible front-runner for the 2016 election, he declined to run because of his father's health problems.
Napier ran as a left-wing populist, railing against the Eastern Elite, the wealthy and the powerful. She won a hard-fought primary campaign against former Vice President Jack Guthrie and former Secretary of State Bryan Renner, both of whom were far more experienced than her but ultimately tarred by their association with the rather unpopular Teague administration. She ended up choosing Rucker as her running mate, an unusual choice because he offered neither ideological nor geographic balance to the ticket. They had a good working relationship from their time in the Senate, and Rucker was able to shore up her support in the Midwestern states like Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. They won a close victory over the incumbents Tarr and Ludlow. The Napier administration has been reasonably popular, with a particular focus on military expansion, foreign adventures in Latin America and off-world imperialism. As traditional American allies like France, Russia and Turkey have engaged in saber-rattling against the Anglo-German alliance, Napier has been reluctant to follow their lead as American defenses along the Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley have largely been allowed to degrade over the past several decades.
Deleted member 92121
The Imperial Election of 2020
In the name of NABC I would like to welcome all of our viewers to our coverage of the ongoing Imperial Election in the Holy Roman Empire. This is a momentous occasion and is bound to have great historical importance. To tell us more about this unique event directly from the HRE is our Imperial correspondent David Maxwell. David can you hear us?
Yes Catherine and I have to say this is an incredible moment. I'm here outside of the Aechen Cathedral, a place of great significance for the Empire since the days of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor over a thousand years ago. Crowds reaching the hundreds of thousands have gathered outside the Cathedral awaiting the decision of the Prince-Electors, arleady inside discussing the election!
And for all the North Americans unfamiliar with the process, can you describe how this Election functions and who are the Prince-Electors?
Certainly Catherine. Upon the death of a Holy Roman Emperor after a period of 2 weeks of mourning 9 Prince-Electors, that is, important noblemen and noblewomen of the Empire must convene to chose a new Emperor. You see, the monarchy in the HRE is not hereditary as in the British Empire, or the Latin Union. The 9 Prince-Electors are 3 Catholic Archbishops and 6 secular noblemen.
And I understand that Queen Elizabeth is among these?
Yes, as the ruler of the Principality of Hannover, Queen Elizabeth is entitled to participate in the Electoral process.
So David, are we to understand that one of these 9 Princes, or should I say Princess in the case of Queen Elizabeth, shall be elected the new Emperor?
Well yes and no Catherine. Technically anyone of the 356 Lords in the HRE are eligible for the Imperial Throne. However, it is always costumary for one of the 9 Electors to be chosen. Queen Elizabeth is legally allowed to ascend, but the Cologne Agreement of 1897, that is, an unnoficial rule barring sovereigns of different nations from taking the Iron Crown, make it very unlikely. Now, what's really interesting about this election is that, for the first time since 1927, the Hohenzollern family is barred from the throne. The Proclamation of 1832 prohibits any noble family from holding the throne for over 3 consecutive generations. The Hohenzollen family has, of course, won the elections of 1927, 1955 and 1983 respectively. This means that Margrave Frederick William III of Brandenburg cannot be elected.
And how is the public reacting to this event?
Well Catherine, the monarchy is a beloved institution here. The nobility... less so. There is much love for the Hohenzollern family, and the idea of a new noble house ascending to the throne worries many. Most, however, seem to support this elective process. Whoever gets elected is going to have to deal with Archchancellor Joseph Schneider, a longtime critic of the Holy Roman nobility. Schneider and his Social-Collectivist Party have maintained control of the Imperial Diet for almost a decade, and implemented a series of reforms curtailing the power of the Council of Lords.
And how's the crowd around you David?
Extatic Catherine! Around me you can see dozens of different groups from all around the Empire rooting for their favorite candidate.
And who are the favorites to win the Election? Do you have any clues?
Well Catherine, this election, and some would say the Empire itself, seems to be divided between two camps. The Conservatives and the Progressives. King Leopold VI of Bavaria seems to be the candidate favored by the former camp. He's a devout Catholic, a supporter of the Council of Lords and Imperial centralization, and a critic of the liberalization of Imperial society over the last decades. Critics call him a reactionary while many approve of his decisive and vocal stance in many matters. On the other hand we have King Ludwig VIII of Bohemia. Openly supportive of many social causes and minority groups, King Ludwig is also a strong proponent of political reform. He's a favorite of many on the left, and the Federalists in Italy, Batavia, Occitania, Czechia and beyond adore him. Controversially, however, the King is married to Princess Margaret of Scandinavia, a Protestant. This combined with some criticism of the Church has made King Ludwig position with the Archbishops a tricky one.
I see David. And how much more do you believe....
Oh, hang on Catherine! It seems the doors of the Cathedral are opening! The Prince-Electors are coming out! And in the centre is... Prince-Elector Frederick of Saxony! Yes Chaterine, you can see he's wearing the Imperial Regalia. Frederick IV of Saxony has just been elected the new Holy Roman Emperor!
What happens now David!?
Now the new Emperor will give a speech. Tomorrow Pope Pius will arrive and crown him Emperor of the Romans in the Cathedral behind him. I must say Catherine, we just witnissed history!
In the name of NABC I would like to welcome all of our viewers to our coverage of the ongoing Imperial Election in the Holy Roman Empire. This is a momentous occasion and is bound to have great historical importance. To tell us more about this unique event directly from the HRE is our Imperial correspondent David Maxwell. David can you hear us?
Yes Catherine and I have to say this is an incredible moment. I'm here outside of the Aechen Cathedral, a place of great significance for the Empire since the days of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor over a thousand years ago. Crowds reaching the hundreds of thousands have gathered outside the Cathedral awaiting the decision of the Prince-Electors, arleady inside discussing the election!
And for all the North Americans unfamiliar with the process, can you describe how this Election functions and who are the Prince-Electors?
Certainly Catherine. Upon the death of a Holy Roman Emperor after a period of 2 weeks of mourning 9 Prince-Electors, that is, important noblemen and noblewomen of the Empire must convene to chose a new Emperor. You see, the monarchy in the HRE is not hereditary as in the British Empire, or the Latin Union. The 9 Prince-Electors are 3 Catholic Archbishops and 6 secular noblemen.
And I understand that Queen Elizabeth is among these?
Yes, as the ruler of the Principality of Hannover, Queen Elizabeth is entitled to participate in the Electoral process.
So David, are we to understand that one of these 9 Princes, or should I say Princess in the case of Queen Elizabeth, shall be elected the new Emperor?
Well yes and no Catherine. Technically anyone of the 356 Lords in the HRE are eligible for the Imperial Throne. However, it is always costumary for one of the 9 Electors to be chosen. Queen Elizabeth is legally allowed to ascend, but the Cologne Agreement of 1897, that is, an unnoficial rule barring sovereigns of different nations from taking the Iron Crown, make it very unlikely. Now, what's really interesting about this election is that, for the first time since 1927, the Hohenzollern family is barred from the throne. The Proclamation of 1832 prohibits any noble family from holding the throne for over 3 consecutive generations. The Hohenzollen family has, of course, won the elections of 1927, 1955 and 1983 respectively. This means that Margrave Frederick William III of Brandenburg cannot be elected.
And how is the public reacting to this event?
Well Catherine, the monarchy is a beloved institution here. The nobility... less so. There is much love for the Hohenzollern family, and the idea of a new noble house ascending to the throne worries many. Most, however, seem to support this elective process. Whoever gets elected is going to have to deal with Archchancellor Joseph Schneider, a longtime critic of the Holy Roman nobility. Schneider and his Social-Collectivist Party have maintained control of the Imperial Diet for almost a decade, and implemented a series of reforms curtailing the power of the Council of Lords.
And how's the crowd around you David?
Extatic Catherine! Around me you can see dozens of different groups from all around the Empire rooting for their favorite candidate.
And who are the favorites to win the Election? Do you have any clues?
Well Catherine, this election, and some would say the Empire itself, seems to be divided between two camps. The Conservatives and the Progressives. King Leopold VI of Bavaria seems to be the candidate favored by the former camp. He's a devout Catholic, a supporter of the Council of Lords and Imperial centralization, and a critic of the liberalization of Imperial society over the last decades. Critics call him a reactionary while many approve of his decisive and vocal stance in many matters. On the other hand we have King Ludwig VIII of Bohemia. Openly supportive of many social causes and minority groups, King Ludwig is also a strong proponent of political reform. He's a favorite of many on the left, and the Federalists in Italy, Batavia, Occitania, Czechia and beyond adore him. Controversially, however, the King is married to Princess Margaret of Scandinavia, a Protestant. This combined with some criticism of the Church has made King Ludwig position with the Archbishops a tricky one.
I see David. And how much more do you believe....
Oh, hang on Catherine! It seems the doors of the Cathedral are opening! The Prince-Electors are coming out! And in the centre is... Prince-Elector Frederick of Saxony! Yes Chaterine, you can see he's wearing the Imperial Regalia. Frederick IV of Saxony has just been elected the new Holy Roman Emperor!
What happens now David!?
Now the new Emperor will give a speech. Tomorrow Pope Pius will arrive and crown him Emperor of the Romans in the Cathedral behind him. I must say Catherine, we just witnissed history!
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A TL wherein the Jacobites do much better and win the rebellion of 1745.
@olavops following the tradition of misspelled subtitles (close captions) I see
Pedro Orochi
Banned
Singles: Good Vibrations, Wild Chase and Heroes and Villains
Perfomer: Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine
It's an idea I've been kicking around lately, thinking of a combination of some ideas of mine about a large, habitable solar system and a gigantic world-spanning British Empire
Extremely specific analogy, but I have to admit that it I can see it
we're reaching based levels that shouldn't even be possible
How can anyone summarize the reign of Huey Long in just a few paragraphs? Was he the man who made modern America, or the last gasp of the old? Most can agree he was authoritarian, but were his intentions good or bad? The ideological paladins of the left and right turn their noses up at him, yet any populist who gives a speech owes him a debt. An entire party still stands as a vehicle for his memory.
After getting his start on the Public Service Commission, Long got himself elected Governor of Louisiana. There “the Kingfish” made himself into the sole great power in the State of Louisiana. The Legislature was bent to his will, other authorities were broken and discarded. So great was his power that the state remained in his pocket even after he made the jump to the United States Senate. There, he took his “Share Our Wealth” program National. Attacks on the wealthy, a pledge of income for the little man. The fact that Mr. Long had Presidential aspirations was no secret. But no Southerner could win the Presidency, and certainly not one so radical.
But 8 years of Depression had made Americans desperate. And a desire to avoid the taint of Ritchie had made the Democrats desperate. Long walked out of the 1936 DNC the surprise nominee, buoyed by a tactical alliance with the Tammany Tiger. And in the general election he defeated President Vandenberg and Norman Thomas by being the candidate who promised to do something, while not being socialist.
His early efforts were semi-successful, but often stymied by Conservatives in Congress. Even with his broad interpretation of the President’s powers, there was only so much he could do. So he took his case to the people, and they rewarded Long and the Democrats with victory in the midterms. This provoked a panic from the titans of industry, and others threatened by Long’s Policy. The Bullard Putsch was one of the turning points of American history, with a coup a real possibility. But in the end the Army, somewhat reluctantly, came down for Long. Long took full advantage of this boon, which gave him ample opportunity for fear-mongering. The “Trawling Time” was a period of general suspicion and many a prominent opponent was found to be “plotting” by the ever loyal Federal Crime Commissioner J. Edgar Hoover. Massive taxes were levied, and aid distributed. By some measures these hurt the economy. But the gratitude fro doing anything helped Long win a second term, alongside with careful manipulation by his agents at key points in the campaign.
1940 to 1948 was in many way’s Long’s high point. He was genuinely popular, and that popularity (and shadier tactics) allowed him to bend the will of Congress and the courts to his will. The powerful, recognizing that Long was here to stay, began to make their peace, and Long in turn began to lay off on his attacks. While the world burned, America remained aloof, earning him plaudits from isolationists. His unprecedented third election was achieved with ease, thanks to broad support and selecting an unknown opponent from the GOP’s ever thinning ranks.
But the late 1940s saw another economic downturn, less severe but still dangerous to those on the brink, and Long’s response was seen as anemic. The corruption that characterized the Long Regime (and at some point it had crossed that blurry line) was not widely reported, but the American people were starting to distrust the press. In 1948 Vermont Governor Ernest Gibson Jr. ran a energetic and forceful campaign against Long. He did not win of course. But he did far better than he was supposed to.
For that he was gunned down on the streets of Montpellier, in broad daylight.
Gibson’s murder, almost certainly on Long’s personal orders, marked the start of the Bloody Spring. Opponents who had been blackmailed or bought off were jailed, opponents who had been jailed were shot. Although as time went on the body count tapered off, Long had taken the mask off. The FCC was now a full on secret police. Local governments, previously given some modicum of independence, had Democratic machines installed.
Opposition, of course, stiffened. On the right the GOP was an initially a rallying point. But after 1952, where Long was more blatant than ever in his influencing of the Convention, the Liberty Party was founded. The Liberty Party took in many old Republicans and Conservative Democrats outside the South, as well as followers of Ayn Rand, who from her exile in Melbourne was emerging as a major critic of the regime. On the left, Unions, who felt left out of the Kingfish’s governing coalition, formed the nuclear of the American Labor Party. They were joined by objectors from the left, both progressive and anti-capitalists. Both faced repression, but bubbling dissent propelled them.
Long would never see the fruits of this dissent. His health, never great, rapidly began to deteriorate in the 50s with a series of strokes and heart attacks. His paranoia only increased, and in 1952 he dumped his third Vice President in favor of a political nonentity from Kansas. More and more factions within the Democratic Party were the ones running for show, and using Long’s weakness as a chance to gain a better position after his death. He spent less and less time in Washington, taking the floor of the Louisiana Legislature at times. He died of another heart attack in 1955, at his vacation home on Virginia Beach.
Long was the first President to die in office since McKinley, and the first to die of natural causes since Taylor. His legacy remains decidedly mixed amongst historians, with the grave doubts about how much he actually did to slow the Depression, and disputed how much of the later bloody purges was him and how much was eager subordinates. The modern Democratic Party maintains “Longism” as its official ideology, although disputes between Left Longists and Right Longists can be firey. In Washington, you will find no great memorial. But in Louisiana you will find plenty, including his grand tomb in the heart of Baton Rouge.
The wikibox is missing.
Pedro Orochi
Banned
The album features collaborations with Aretha Franklin, Prince, Run DMC, Whithney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder, John Lennon
- Status