Populist-Labor Party: The Birth of the Peoples America

PGF

December 10th, 1935
Huey Long sat in his office, it had been two months since the attempt on his life, and well he was worried. He began contemplating if a presidential run could even be successful. He may have had all populist charm but there still was something he was missing if he was gonna swoop states outside of the south. He continued thinking as his eyes fell upon a little pamphlet. It was Norman Thomas presidential platform. Suddenly lights flicked in Long's mind and a smile crept upon his face and he shouted to his secretary. "Get me Norman Thomas phone number...actually while you're at it get me the phone number of every damn Red you can find." he studied the pamphlet further and muttered. "America I got plans for you." he said with a smile.

December 14th, 1935
The following is a conversation between Norman Thomas and Huey Long
"Huey what are you even proposing here." Huey chuckled before responding. "Well Thomas, I am proposing I talk to some of my fellow Democrats and you talk to your red buddies and we merge." Norman could be heard stifling laughter on the other side. "Huey I have been a critic of you for ages, and you have been a critic of socialism for ages, why should we start working together?" Norman asked and Huey sighed on the other end. "Well if you want me to be honest, I think we agree far more then we disagree, and...I believe we both can agree that President Garner has to go...so my idea is we combine our platforms and policies together and make a united front against Wallstreet interest in the white house." Norman pondered for a few seconds contemplating. "Long...you have your self a deal," Norman said and Long smiled with utmost glee. '"Glad we could work this out." he said as he hung up the phone and sat back in his chair his grin going ear to ear.
 

PGF

The Convention


Across the county, Democrats stood up and in mass and left there party, declaring themselves independents, the one who started this grand exodus from the Democrats was none other Huey Long. The Remaining Conservative Democrats in Congress were sputtering to try to fix the massive hole that had overnight formed in their party. Huey at the same time had begun to lay the foundations for his party as he began looking for locations to hold the first meeting and inviting many of the largest Reds.


Finally after weeks of searching the location was Madison Square Garden, there were some protests from Thomas but all in all, Huey was looking forward to the event. He had begun gathering the democrats which contained both his allies and former Rooseveltites who had become disenfranchised with Garner after Roosevelt's assassination. Long had also contacted members of both the Progressive and Farmer-Labor Party if they were interested in a merger. Surprisingly they were and now Long knew he had a large stack of cards in his hands, he would be controlling nearly all left-wing movements in America. But he wasn’t cocky he knew he had to make the convention go well or it will all fall apart and he also realized he still needed to play his cards next.


He had to also worry about allies, his relationship with Coughlin was now on edge but he was able to convince him that, he be able to moderate the Reds, but other allies...he knew he lost, reverend Gerald L.K smith. Once he heard of his alliance with the reds he went ballistic, he almost was restrained several times for almost striking him. He soon resigned his positions as head of Share Our Wealth club. Now it wasn’t completely disastrous as he was able to attract several republicans to his new movement and even appointed his good friend Lemke as the new head of Share Our Wealth Club.


Convention time finally rolled around and it was like a celebrity get together of America's most populist and wild figures. Norman Thomas arrived first, followed by John Reed, Max Schatmann, A.J Mustee Jacob Panken. Noted individuals not coming were of Foster and Browder types which had been purposefully excluded.


Next arrived were various former democrats and even several republicans, notable names were Henry Steagall, Henry Wallace, William Lemke, Francis Townsend and the congressmen from the FLP and Progressive Party.


Finally, some oddballs arrived, Dorothy day and some members of her catholic worker's movement, Charles W.Bryan, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr Floyd Olson. In general, it seems populist, progressive, farmer and socialist had all gathered to unite against what they perceived as conservatism running amuck.


Huey Long strode in and began the convention with the negotiations. The next few days were filled with yelling, near fistfights and discussions, but it was finished. It was decided that the party’s name would be Populist-Labor Party, Populist uniting progressive democrats, Farmer-Labor, and Progressive party. Labor meaning the various socialist and far-left labor advocates that made up a bulk of the party. Congressional races were also decided and the presidential ticket was finalized


Huey Long would be running for Presidency with Norman Thomas as the Vice President.


In general, the platform was to be a mix of all sides really with Huey Longs Share Our wealth plan mixed in with various pro-labor and a vow to begin the process of handing over America's largest corporations to workers ownership.


After a week Huey Long traveled back to Louisianna and declared his candidacy and the brand new political party.


Reactions


Across the United States reactions were mixed, many progressives and workers were filled with joy but the Democrats who have now lost a large chunk of there manpower were in absolute fear of being made into a third party. With the lackluster Garner, Presidency which had lead to the low popularity of 29%, Republicans were worried but optimistic that this split could let them sweep the Electoral College securing Republican victory. Republicans knew that if they were to have a chance they need to sweep the moderate vote so the ticket went to Teddy Roosevelt Jr for President and Alf Landon for Vice President. The Democrats recognized they had to try to appeal to conservatives to even try to win the south if Long's popularity shown anything, they had to go to the right so they kept John Nance Garner and made there VP Elison D Smith. The race was on and Huey Longs massive coalition has shaken up the political world.
 
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