1998 Pre-Midterms US Internal Policy-Pennies, Tribal Law, Milk, Daylight Savings
After a study by Treasury Secretary Donald Trump in 1997 on the US Mint, it was found that due to post-war inflation, both the Penny and the Nickel were net losses to the federal government. Bundy, being ever the cost-cutter and innovator, decided that both should be eliminated. However, this would greatly anger both zinc and copper mining corporations, who relied on the US Mint’s Penny demand to make margins for their metals. Moreover, many had been key supporters of the Bundy campaign. While it would not be a huge hit to the Republican Party, the zinc in United States pennies were supplied by an Eastern Tennessee mining company, and was the company’s main breadwinner. Such high-profile cut in spending would result in a few hundred employees losing their jobs, something which would not help the prospects of the Bundy ally and Senator Lamar Alexander, whose fragile coalition of northern transplants, African Americans, and Eastern Tennessee residents brought him and other state Republican victory.
A compromise would be hatched. The quarter would be moved to Copper and Zinc and feature another Republican President with bipartisan appeal with his civil rights initiatives: Richard Milhous Nixon. Voting against commemorating the president with such a civil rights record would be difficult for the younger members of Congress, many who had campaigned on creating “a better post-war world” as Nixon had so long ago. And so Bundy got his way in this regard. Many saw this event as hurting the legacy of the presidents portrayed on the quarter, nickel, and penny, though Washington would still have the $1 bill and Lincoln would still have the $5 dollar bill too. A lobby to put Jefferson on the $10 dollar bill gained some traction but failed. All and all, the efforts to stop the creation of new pennies and nickels saved the United States nearly 100 million dollars a year. On the level of something like the United States budget, it was tiny, especially compared to his military scaledown, but every little bit counted for Bundy, to the amusement of many a late-night show host.
The Nixon Quarter
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The Minaprogressives were relatively pleased with Bundy’s foreign policy but despised his drug policies, especially after the “Cincinnati incident”. However, after the flack they had received for obstructionism under Iacocca and the need to heal the divisions of the Left-Libertarians of the party, Perot was convinced that he needed to find policies to rally around. Moreover, he had been disappointed with Native American turnout in 1996. After touring the country in 1997, he found the conditions of Native Americans horrid, their lives under far too much control of the federal government, and caught in between lacking the freedom to pursuit their wealth or to preserve their traditions and heritage. Native Americans were living under some of the worst conditions of minorities in America, a fact he would repeatedly bring up to Bundy in meetings, until finally Bundy seemed responsive.
Perot and Bundy decided to give a short “unity talk” at Dartmouth University, which was founded to educate Native Americans, discussing the necessary changes to Native American policies. This talk started the writing of the 1998 Indian Policy Reconstructing Act sponsored by Prog. Rep. Wilma Mankiller of Oklahoma and Senator George Pataki.
The IPRA formally and legally gave tribal citizens control over land as property either as individuals (in a free simple system) or under a tribal land council (per the written express wishes of the individuals who would be first given control of their land and then cede to the tribal council). The federal government would formally cede control over reservations and current GMI quotas. Currently, native tribes were given a special rate of GMI (instead of past housing programs, etc. which had been replaced under Wallace across the board) and special deals on casinos. This special GMI rate was suspected of being unconstitutional, and would be phased out in a slow gradual rate in accordance with the economic conditions of specific tribes with a final conclusion of above-average payments in 2008. Some states would set up smaller in-state GMI “Add-ons” for tribal members in communities still afflicted by poverty. Most tribes would agree to hold their land together in tribal trusts and not sell to developers. However, many credit this land reform with increasing many natives’ ability to set up small businesses and other entrepreneurship opportunities as banks could give native Americans loans with their land as collateral.
A rider to this bill was that it gave tribal governments the equivalent powers of municipal governments. that are pieced together by state legislatures and the watchful eye of the attorney general Clarence Thomas. This type of policy was recommended by Colorado Governor Nighthorse Campbell who headed a President’ Gubernatorial Commission on Native American Rights. Bundy and Perot agree to convince their state and local parties to pass regulations at the state level giving the tribal nations more authority when needed. Moreover the federal government no longer has authority to dictate land use on native land for development purposes.
A key Progressive rider by James Boren (P-Oklahoma) gave Native Americans Mineral and Water rights to their land. In addition, Native Americans would be exempt from Eminent Domain, a move that frustrated Pipeline developers later in the 00’s. Generally, business procedures on tribal lands become more smooth, though they would be regulated by local tribal governments. Some tribes were known for creating tax and regulation havens, especially now that the federal government wasn’t being so constritive. The Cherokee ex-reservation in Tulsa famously brought in Patagonia’s and Krispy Kreme’s corporate headquarters although this wasn’t the norm. Other tribes would emphasize their heritage and reserving the natural wilderness and sharing it with the public at large. While the growth of public parks had stagnated due to WWIII, many nature hunters would turn to ex-reservation lands that became “hidden treasures” of beauty and history away from the usual hordes of travelers seen elsewhere. To be fair, there would now be a degree of income inequality between tribes and reservations not seen before which riled some, but generally the consensus was positive.
One of many Native American Business Incubators
A Poster in support of the anti-eminent domain arts of the bill, often used for environmental purposes, much to the frustration of companies like Enron
Most importantly for Bundy, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, no longer needed, was abolished and relations between reservation governments and the greater government were the responsibility of state and county governments. Bundy, for his part, quite enjoyed firing all these employees. A formal apology of past abuses by the federal government was also signed.
However, the bill was quite more far-reaching than initially planned, with Bundy signing off on additional riders in an attempt to appear more tripartisan. Peyote, currently restricted but illegally used by Native American tribes, was also legalized for use by native American tribes on land owned by tribal members for use by tribal members. Moreover, Governments give a “blank amendment” legalizing Casinos on native-land regardless of “form or function” whilst gambling remained prohibited most elsewhere. Many states complained that this deprived them of sovereignty and feared a rising tide in gambling. Moreover, Nevada was already suffering from a loss in revenues, leading to fierce bipartisan opposition in that state, and from New Jersey’s delegation (representing Atlantic City). One key leader on this bill was Progressive Rep. Wilma Mankiller of Oklahoma. A rider she included on it, formal requests that the Cleveland Indians and Washington Redskins change their name and logo, a controversial move but forced through by Mankiller’s sheer will of force. All throughout, Bundy played up his bipartisanship with multiple appearances with Perot, Lamm, and Mankiller on the networks, using his mastery of the media to bludgeon congressional opposition.
By eliminating superfluous agencies, promoting economic freedom for a disadvantaged community, and promoting minority rights, Bundy managed to find a way to win over his Liberty Conservative base and appeal to prairie Progressives who he would need to win re-election or for his party to keep the senate. Native Americans also felt that the Progressives were not lying when they said they would be “their party”.
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Bundy would wrap up 1998 with a few more minor, but notable measures, as he wanted to paint a more bipartisan portrait as the Midterms loomed. While Bundy initially was pressured by Dick Cheney to use the USDA, Bundy knew that appearing bipartisan was needed to round out the image of him as the cost-cutting scrooge that Democrats had been building.
While Progressives and Democrats had opposed BGH as dangerous for children, Bundy’s private opposition came from a different source: oversupply. Many feared milk prices were going too low, and would require more supports, as the supply increased with the increased use of BPH. Bundy, spurred on by Meredith, loathed the idea of bailing out milk producers.
After meeting with a council of Dairy economists and Bundy issued an executive order banning the Bovine Growth Hormone in the USA with the explicit goal of protecting children, reducing the US milk supply, and raising prices without subsidies. This would be enforced by the FDA which would ban the sale of such milk and forced producers to prove this. While US crops, especially Corn and Wheat were hurt by Australia’s rise, Diary and Meat continue to excel. Moreover, the previous elimination of corn subsidies reduced the use of corn syrup in food products, improving American health and lowering AmCare costs.
One key opponent of this move was Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold, who believed that Bundy wanted to “stick it to the farmers”, although the milk farmers seemed to disagree. As for other farmers...
One of many anti-BGH Political Cartoons
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Republican Representative and House Majority Whip David Dreier and Progressive Representative James Boren of Oklahoma City (the 2d-Pro from Oklahoma) both put forward the American time reform act, ending Daylight Savings which they sighted as negative to the overall economy and national health, pointing heavily towards the increase in AmCare costs resulting from it. Candy Corporations (who benefited from an extra hour of trick or-treating), grilling companies, and meat companies (who benefited from a longer grilling season) fiercely opposed, recruiting opposition from farm state R’S and D’s. However, Ross Perot and Dick Lamm, latching on to the image of reform as key to their party’s hopes in 1998, whipped support. In addition, the administration tied the change to lowering AmCare costs citing that less trick or treating and grilling might be better for the American diet. Actual evidence of this is mixed.
Bundy also focused on recruiting Urban, especially liberal, Republicans towards the bill that would ease business. Governor Rockefeller, mindful of the global trading in NYC, would be a key Gubernatorial supporter. In the end it passed narrowly in July of 1998, the last major piece of legislation before campaign season. Starting in 1999, daylight savings would be no more.
One Protestors Humorous Sign
---Meanwhile, in Africa---
Blockade of Madagascar
Madagascar, while rather isolated, was seen as one of the key launching points for the Concordat. Its modern-ish Navy, recently upgraded as part of military reforms by the Queen, could also potentially blockade Mozambique and the central Entebbe Pact powers. Moreover, the Mad Madame was liable to try just about anything, and had to be contained if only to prevent a wildcard in a delicate international situation. She was a loose cannon in a way which shocked many of her fellow Concordat leaders. As such, the Ugandans and Somalis worked out a plan to blockade Madagascar, at least until the French arrived. Using a combined fleet-with Ugandan, Somalian, Mozambican, Iraqi, Ethiopian, and even Argentinian ships, (the latter mostly preemptively fleeing the Chilean army), the Somalians would tire out the Madagascans with a game of cat and mouse with their fleet whilst laying a massive minefield around the country. The hopes were to bring the fortress nation out of the war by isolating them over the ocean, and leaving their navy unable to operate over their waters. It would be compared to Union’s Anaconda Plan during the Civil War. Using faster, smaller cutters and destroyers, this fleet would distract the Madagascan fleet and draw them into the minefields, until the coast would be nearly inoperable to work in. This was critical, in part because the Mad Madame had ignored the need for minesweepers (only having one in the entire fleet). And thus for a short while, Madagascar was taken out of the war. This would be a temporary retreat, not to say they would give up the fight. They would not go out so easily.
Madagascar's very busy sole minesweeper