President Mario Cuomo

But how is he elected?

Is it the same as Clinton, in a three-way race?

Does he beat Bush fair and square?

Can a conventional liberal secure those Perot voters that propelled Gingrich to victory? (Without them the Southern Democrats were still doomed, but the Republicans also picked up a great number of seats outside the South. With Perot voters onboard Cuomo could force a realignment in Congress that was at best neutral—losing the South, but taking a bunch of Republican incumbents in the North… probably in '96 rather than '94, to be fair. But even '94 would be cushioned, and the Democrats might not lose control.)

Who's his VP?



If he manages to pass universal healthcare, then that's the ballgame. He wins. That will cement the middle class to the Democrats the same way the New Deal cemented the blue collar workers—and it will permanently alter the political discourse in the country in a more liberal direction.

If he fails to pass universal healthcare, well he probably suffers the same fate as Clinton. Debt reduction pushed by the Republicans will force him into an inability to pass anything big. He probably won't do welfare reform, but his Presidency (like Bush's later years) will be a veto powered holding action.

And unlike Bush, there are a number of issues (financial deregulation, notably, which passed 90+ in the Senate, in the late '90s) where Congress will unify and override any potential veto
 
I think it is very likely that GHW Bush would have lost to whoever.

The prioblem with Clinton was that he managed to provoke extreme hatred and to energise the conservative base in 1994 (and to some degree later) without actually offering much to his own base.

Hilary Clinton's health plan was not well understood by many people but did provoke an extreme reaction from the HM0's Insurance companies and others who benefit from a corporation based health care plan.

Simple Universal health care would create just as extreme reaction from the health establishment but would attract the support of millions who would be able to understand the idea.

I think Cuomo loses a little less in 94 (though he might lose one of both Houses of Congress)

I think he wins at least as easily as Clinton did in OTL.

I am still interested in his VP
 
The prioblem with Clinton was that he managed to provoke extreme hatred and to energise the conservative base in 1994 (and to some degree later) without actually offering much to his own base.

Hilary Clinton's health plan was not well understood by many people but did provoke an extreme reaction from the HM0's Insurance companies and others who benefit from a corporation based health care plan.

Simple Universal health care would create just as extreme reaction from the health establishment but would attract the support of millions who would be able to understand the idea.

I think Cuomo loses a little less in 94 (though he might lose one of both Houses of Congress)

I am still interested in his VP

Yeah, people forget Clinton was popular until he screwed up the transition, failed to pass the middle class tax cut, failed to pass (or react to the Republicans) on healthcare, and so on.

Cuomo had plenty of experience working with Republican controlled state Senate, and very likely would have operated a more Congressionally focused administration—unlike Clinton.

Cuomo in '94 depends if he has passed universal healthcare. With it he probably keeps the non-Southern seats the Republicans picked up IOTL, and he might in fact pick up a few other non-Southern seats.

As for his VP… hmm. Probably a moderate to conservative from the south or west, perhaps the midwest or the industrial states. Douglas Wilder would be cool, but I don't think Cuomo would go for a black VP. Eh, there's a decent list of usual suspects: Gephardt, Nunn, Gore, perhaps one of California's Senators, etc….
 
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