I'm referring to the Democratic Party in the United States that was started by Jackson and Van Buren. What are the most minimal changes to keep them as one of the two nationwide major parties?
DBWI AHC the Democrats remain on of the two major parties
- Thread starter Galba Otho Vitelius
- Start date
Well, one major POD would have to be changing the Democratic party from being known as the party of the Confederacy and slave owners.
Maybe blunt the rise of the Labor Party? In a FPTP system, such as in America, it doesn't really make much sense to have two conservative parties when they have a credible ideological alternative. After Labor absorbed the more progressive and populist wings of the other parties it was only a matter of time before the Republican and Democratic parties made common cause. Given that the Republicans were in a much stronger position they ended up devouring most of the rump Democrats whilst the minority that attempted to soldier on independently were squashed out by the two main parties, especially after Civil Rights. If Labor can be weakened in such a way that it remains a significant but minor party in the US, trying to curry favour between the Republicans and Democrats and play them off against each other, then that should do it.
Alternatively find a way to weaken the Republicans and have them fold into the Democrats.
Alternatively find a way to weaken the Republicans and have them fold into the Democrats.
Maybe if Franklin D. Roosevelt hadn't been killed? I don't know how he would have handled the Great Depression, but he couldn't have done worse than Garner did in OTL. No wonder that by 1936 the Farmer-Labor Party had overtaken the Democrats as the leading rivals of the Republicans.
Frankly, I'm shocked the party of slavery, cession and segregation survived as long as it did. Especially when the only two Presidents they managed in the 20th century before the party collapsed were Woodrow Wilson and FDR, both borderline tyrants who abused the office and were open bigots.
The last good Democrat was James K. Polk.
The last good Democrat was James K. Polk.
Gentleman Biaggi
Banned
You know, in Oregon we still have the Democratic Party. It's more or less become more Centrist and usually run a candidate or cross-endorse under our fusion laws. Maybe if they become more centrist over time like the Oregon party they could be a third option to the Farmer-Labor and Republican Parties
"Frankly, I'm shocked the party of slavery, cession and segregation survived as long as it did. Especially when the only two Presidents they managed in the 20th century before the party collapsed were Woodrow Wilson and FDR, both borderline tyrants who abused the office and were open bigots."
This is a bit of a rant, but its inaccurate too as FDR was never sworn in.
Another commentator brought up Franklin Roosevelt and he is a favorite AH.com figure for a reason. He was a cousin of Theodore Roosevelt, after all, and though he had a reputation as something of a lightweight, seemed more open to progressive ideas than the Southern Bourbons who dominated the Democratic Party. Getting him into the White House might turn out to be key ITTL.
Actually, unless you count John Davis (from West Virginia), Wilson was the only Southerner the Democrats nominated for President through the 1920s, and Wilson's professional and electoral career had been in the North. They were always careful to put Northerners forward as presidential candidates and this may have kept them from becoming a regional party.
This is a bit of a rant, but its inaccurate too as FDR was never sworn in.
Another commentator brought up Franklin Roosevelt and he is a favorite AH.com figure for a reason. He was a cousin of Theodore Roosevelt, after all, and though he had a reputation as something of a lightweight, seemed more open to progressive ideas than the Southern Bourbons who dominated the Democratic Party. Getting him into the White House might turn out to be key ITTL.
Actually, unless you count John Davis (from West Virginia), Wilson was the only Southerner the Democrats nominated for President through the 1920s, and Wilson's professional and electoral career had been in the North. They were always careful to put Northerners forward as presidential candidates and this may have kept them from becoming a regional party.