Christian Democracy: A Faith and Family Left America Collaborative TL

[Nightingale]

CHRISTIAN DEMOCRACY​

Hey guys, welcome to Christian Democracy: this is a collaborative timeline again. According to the Pew Research Center, "The Faith and Family Left combine strong support for activist government with conservative attitudes on many social issues." and based a Reddit post here (with some additions from mine), Faith and Family Left Americans in 2016 are:

Economic

• Pro environmental protection laws
  
• Pro clean energy
  
• Pro workers' rights
• Drastically increase education spending/subsidize k-12 inner city teachers to attract best candidates
  
• Pro socialized healthcare (including mental healthcare)
  
• Increase corporate income tax
  
• Raise income taxes on those making over $750k a year
  
• Anti welfare but pro workfare

Social

• Pro affirmative action
  
• Pro-women's rights
• Enforce current immigration policy
  
• Legalize marijuana, decriminalize other drugs
  
• Harsher penalties for drunk driving
  
• Anti-abortion
  
• Against gay marriage
  
• Repeal Citizen's United
  
• Repeal Patriot Act
  
• Toughen gun registration

However, there are caveats for this TL: The Scoop Jackson hawks are also predominant as well. So basically, a George Wallace of NDCR, John McKeithen of NSS, or what Scoop Jackson, Reubin Askew, and Jimmy Carter were IOTL.

So the goal of this TL is to have this set of beliefs be predominant in the US and abroad.

P.S. No assassinations or in-term deaths of Presidents are allowed.

And so, we start...

June 3, 1958: George Wallace wins the Alabama Democratic Primary supported by the NAACP and Jim Folsom, whose endorsement of George Wallace tips 20,000 votes into Wallace's column for him to win the primary.

June 3, 1959: An assassination attempt against George Wallace by KKK members fails. As a result, George Wallace moves further to the left on racial issues.

July 11-15, 1960: The Democrats nominate Hubert Humphrey as their nominee, who had won the Wisconsin Primary the West Virginia by the narrowest of margins. In the convention, Wallace throws his support for Symington, while Humphrey had more delegates. In the end, Humphrey agrees to let Symington become his VP pick in exchange for Humphrey winning the nomination. Some Southern Democrats bolt the Democratic Party and reestablish the Dixiecrat Party, led by Harry Byrd as Presidential nominee and Strom Thurmond as Vice Presidential nominee.

November 8, 1960: The Humphrey/Symington wins with 281 votes, sweeping the South except Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama (which narrowly votes for the Dixiecrats by 0.1%, Wallace's machine notwithstanding), and South Carolina.

Downballot results:

Change: J. Caleb Boggs (R) loses in Delaware. Democrats are +1 ITTL from IOTL.

SENATE

65/100 Democratic
35/100 Republican

HOUSE (SAME)

262/435 Democratic
175/435 Republican

January 20, 1961: Hubert Humphrey is inaugurated as President of the United States.

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The intro was inspired by "The Camellia Blooms", a discontinued TL. I will have George Wallace (non-racist) play a major role in the future.

 

[Nightingale]

January 22, 1961: President Humphrey announces his New Era agenda, aiming to expand civil rights, the welfare state while promoting work, and promoting a strong defense agenda abroad. It is praised by liberals while condemned by conservatives.

January 29, 1961: The Work Equity Act is introduced in the House supported by President Humphrey. It heightens educational, vocational, work and intellectual training for the youth and young adults, with new college grants to be given and the Productivity learning program for lower-income people, and established the Work for America Program (WAP) to sign up volunteers willing to combat poverty across the nation.

February 14, 1961: The WEA passes the Senate, 74-26. Republicans choose not to filibuster the new bill, not seeking any quick partisan fights.

February 24, 1961: The WEA passes the House, 245-190. Some Southern Democrats vote against the law.

February 29, 1961: The WEA is signed by President Humphrey. The law is seen as befitting of Humphrey, who is staunchly pro-labor. This is considered as an initial move by Humphrey, a small move to promote his New Era programs. More moves expand on federal power on infrastructure, immigration, eased business rules for MSMEs, education, and the environment. A tax cut from a maximum rate of 90% to 65% is enacted within the year.

 

[Strategos' Risk]

Wait, how is it George Wallace begins on the left?

 

[Nightingale]

Excluding his OTL racism, George Wallace was actually a New Dealer. In economics, yes. And here, he'd be to the left on racial issues. Sexually and religiously, he's to the conservative side.

 

[Nightingale]

VOTING RIGHTS ACT

​

May 4, 1961: Freedom Riders begin testing the non-enforcement of Morgan vs. Virginia and Boynton vs. Virginia.

May 5, 1961- December 10, 1961: Freedom Riders are attacked by Klan members and racist policemen. Over the course of the ordeal, President Humphrey condemns the violence against the Freedom Riders. Meanwhile, Alabama Governor George Wallace seeks to quell the Klansmen and authorities sympathetic to them.

January 3, 1962: Humphrey comes out with civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. to support a Voting Rights Act. The Voting Rights Act of 1962 aims to restore and protect voting rights for minorities by allowing federal oversight of registration and elections in areas with a historic under-representation of minorities as voters.

January 11, 1962: To pivot to Republicans for the Voting Rights Act, Humphrey decides to nominate Thomas Dewey and Frank Minis Johnson to the Supreme Court.

January 13, 1962: The Senate confirms Thomas Dewey and Frank Minis Johnson to the Supreme Court, 69-31 and 67-33, respectively.

January 29, 1962: The Voting Rights Act is introduced in the House.

February 18, 1962: The Voting Rights Act passes the House in its un-watered form, 241-194. The challenge now would be the Senate.

February 29-May 24, 1962: Senators such as Barry Goldwater (R-AZ), Strom Thurmond (D-SC) filibuster the bill. Meanwhile, John Kennedy (D-MA) becomes a major supporter of the VRA, and Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson (D-TX) is working behind the scenes with Humphrey and other pro-voting rights Senators on the final bill.

April 29, 1962: Engel vs. Vitale: The Supreme Court rules in favor of Vitale.

May 29, 1962: The Senate votes for the Voting Rights Act, 68-32. A bipartisan coalition of moderate conservative, moderate, liberal Republicans and Northern Democrats overcome the filibuster and manage to pass the VRA. Senate Majority Leader Johnson and Senator Ralph Yarborough are the only Southerners to vote in favor of the VRA.

June 1, 1962: The Voting Rights Act is signed by President Humphrey.

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[1]. There would be no Stand at the Schoolhouse Door, because George Wallace is not racist ITTL.

 

[CELTICEMPIRE]

Interesting idea.

 

[Lost Freeway]

IIRC, it was the NAACP's endorsement of Wallace that caused him to lose and pushed him into becoming a hardcore segregationist IOTL. What changed here?

 

[Nightingale]

IIRC, it was the NAACP's endorsement of Wallace that caused him to lose and pushed him into becoming a hardcore segregationist IOTL. What changed here?

While the NAACP endorsed Wallace, Jim Folsom endorses Wallace as well, and some gaffes on Patterson's part causes Wallace to win. Wallace wins by the closest of margins, say 182,122 to 180,293. A runoff enables him to win again, 210,222 to 200,122.

And what happened to you man?

 

[Nightingale]

Midterms are coming in later.

 

[Nightingale]

1962 MIDTERMS

November 6, 1962: The midterm elections are held. Democrats win supermajorities due to Humphrey's successful initiatives.

71/100 Democratic (+6)
29/100 Republican (-6)

278/435 Democratic (+16)
157/435 Republican (-18)

 

[Don Corleone]

Wait, how is it George Wallace begins on the left?

In OTL, Wallace (like Folsom) was not originally a racist. As a circuit court judge he demanded that opposing counsel address J.L. Chestnut as "Mr. Chestnut", same as they would for a white lawyer. It was only after losing to the rabid segregationist Patterson that he became the Wallace we know and loathe. He said after the 1958 primary that "Patterson out(black)ed me and I'll never be out(black)ed again". Except of course he didn't say black.

 

[Nightingale]

THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT

​

February 14, 1963: Klansmen set off a bomb in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. 4 children are killed, while 17 are injured.

February 15, 1963: President Humphrey condemns the violence in Birmingham and vows to fight for Civil Rights for blacks and calls for the KKK to be banned.

Meanwhile, Alabam Governor George Wallace is incensed by the latest KKK attacks and orders the Alabama National Guard to crack down on the KKK across the state. An anti-KKK campaign is wage across Alabama, also seeking to discredit politicians such as Robert Patterson, his 1958 rival in the Democratic Primary. President Humphrey then aids George Wallace with more National Guard troops.

March 1, 1963: As response to the Birmingham Bombing, the Civil Rights Act is introduced in the House.

May 9, 1963: The CRA passes the House, 295-140.

May 14-June 19, 1963: The CRA heads to the Senate although some filibustered it. It passes the necessary committees. With Senator John Kennedy (D-MA) heading the Judiciary Committee, it passes.

June 20, 1963: Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson (D-TX) invokes cloture and 67-33 Senators vote in favor. The bill passes, 67-33, complete in its original House version.

July 4, 1963: The Civil Rights Act is signed by President Humphrey, signalling a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement.

Notable supporters include Humphrey himself, Vice President Symington, Senators Lyndon Johnson and Ralph Yarborough (D-TX), John Kennedy (D-MA), George McGovern (D-SD), Mike Mansfield (D-MT), California Governor Richard Nixon (R-CA), and newly-elected Alabama Governor Lurleen Wallace (D-AL).

 

[Nightingale]

IMMIGRATION

July 19, 1963: The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is introduced in the House. It seeks to end the National Origins Formula that had been in place in the United States since the Emergency Quota Act of 1921.

July 24, 1963: The INA passe the House, 324-111.

July 29, 1963: The INA Passes the Senate, 73-27.

August 1, 1963: The INA is signed by President Humphrey.

 

[Nightingale]

LABOR RIGHTS

August 29, 1963: The Labor Management Relations Amendments Act (LMRAA) is introduced in the House. It seeks to abolish the Taft-Hartley Act of 1948.

September 4, 1963: The Labor Management Relations Amendments Act (LMRAA) passes the House, 220-215.

September 4-19, 1963: The Labor Management Relations Amendments Act (LMRAA) barely passes all committees in the Senate.

September 4-November 19, 1963: The Labor Management Relations Amendments Act (LMRAA) undergoes a filbuster by Republicans and Southern Democrats, save for Lyndon Johnson and Ralph Yarborough, all from Texas.

September 4-November 18, 1963: It is expected that the Labor Management Relations Amendments Act will fail, and Senator Lee Metcalf (D-MT) bolts the coalition for the bill, making the tally heading to the vote 49-51. Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson (D-TX) makes an agreement with Senator Everett Dirksen (R-IL) to allow an up-and-down vote, giving some pork and pet projects in the process. Cloture is agreed upon, 67-33.

November 19, 1963: On the day of the final up-and-down vote in the Senate, Lee Metcalf (D-MT) votes in favor of the LMRAA, last-minute talks with Majority Leader Johnson and President Humphrey towing him back in line. Vice President Symington casts the 51st vote for the motion.

November 21, 1963: President Humphrey signs the LMRAA into law. By 1968, all right-to-work laws are struck down, and AFL-CIO swoops in to unionize textile workers first. This leads to a wave of unionization from 1968 onwards.

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P.S. The "get Republicans to allow cloture and a tie-breaker passes the bill" scenario was inspired by New Deal Coalition retained, but I use it here under fair use purposes. And I will not copy that TL.

 

[Nightingale]

SHOCK

November 22, 1963, 12:11 PM - President Hubert Humphrey visits Dallas to bridge the gap between Texas Democrats led by liberals such as Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson and Senator Ralph Yarborough in one side, and conservatives such as Governor John Connally in another. He is on the same open-top vehicle as Governor Conally, and his wife Muriel is beside him.

​

However, gunshots disturb the peaceful procession of the motorcade, and President Humphrey is hit by a bullet that pierces his shoulder and becomes lodged in his chest. Humphrey falls back into his car, and Muriel's attention is caught by Agent Clint Hill, who successfully rushes to the limo aded by the President's wife, but another shot hits Agent Hill in the chest and he falls into the pavent.

President Humphrey slumps into his car as his car speeds away to Parkland Hospital.

November 22, 1963, 2:39 PM: Walter Cronkite reports that Hubert Humphrey is still in critical condition, but has stablized. Agent Hill is also safe.

A man named Lee Harvey Oswald has been arrested for attempting to assassinate the President, caught in the Dallas Public Library.

November 23, 1963, 8:23 PM: News reporters are now let in to were Humphrey rests, and Humphrey is able to talk to them again, saying, "it's just a scratch". The whole nation heaves a sigh of relief, their President's condition now safe and sound.

 

[Nightingale]

THE ELECTION SEASON KICKS IN

January 29, 1964: Hubert Humphrey is released from hospital. Right afterwards, he declares his reelection candidacy for President of the United States, saying, "our fight for freedom is not finished. If you give another chance, I will work with you to ensure a fair America today, where no one is discriminated against regardless of their race, sex, national origin, or religion. That is the America I love and believe in, the America God blessed us."

February 22, 1964: Barry Goldwater announces his candidacy for the Republican nomination President of the United States. He lambasts the "federal overreach" of the current administration, and vows to protect "states' rights".

February 23, 1964: Nelson Rockefeller announces his candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States. He says, "a new kind of leadership is needed today, one that aims to lift up both the working man and the businessman, and promoting freedom here and abroad."

February 28, 1964: Asked if he wants to run for the nomination, California Governor Richard Nixon declines, replying, "So far, I am comfortable with serving my home state first. I don't what may happen in the future, but right now, I won't."

March 13, 1964: Ross Barnett announces his candidacy for the Dixiecrat party nomination to fight against "equalizing the races America". He is expected to unanimously win the nomination.

 

[Nightingale]

Any comments, so far, from the readers?

Suggestions are really encouraged to refine this TL. Thanks!

 

[AwesomeBro666]

I would really like to see how Humphrey handles the USSR

 

[Nightingale]

Hey guys, sorry but I won't be able to post in the next two weeks. My schoolwork's too great right now.

I would really like to see how Humphrey handles the USSR

Thanks for the comment, and sorry for the late reply. I will get on to foreign policy after the 1964 elections, and there will be butterflies in that area, too.