Spiralling out of Control: 1992 - RNC

[FieldMarshal]

Holy shit, nuclear weapons going off in Russia.

Is this it? The Second August Coup? The Second Russian Revolution? The Second Russian Civil War?

Even discounting the major events implied by the last few excerpts, that was a great update. You really get a sense of Russia falling apart, it's institutions failing, it's people destitute, hopeless, and above all else angry, becoming increasingly divided and radicalized until something has to give - and give it evidently does, and the context-free little snippets we're given only serve to increase the horror. We're not sure exactly what's going on, but it's clear that nuclear weapons have been used and a lot of people are dead.

 

[Unknown]

This is definitely not going to end well; if that Japanese doomsday cult manages to take advantage of the apparent nuclear civil war...yikes...

 

[Jack Hawksmoor]

Oh, ok,

Dang, already forgot previous updates...


Well, it's a good excuse to read over this once again.
It's quite impressive, tbh. It seems to be so researched and the writing is so marvelous.

Glad to see it "back". ^^

To be honest, I forgot them too, and many still need proofreading.

This is definitely not going to end well; if that Japanese doomsday cult manages to take advantage of the apparent nuclear civil war...yikes...

What is this, a crossover episode?

 

[Guardian GI]

Terrific update!

This passage is very odd, however:

Anya, a middle-aged bureaucrat
[...]
My wife's husband

Probably it should read "My sister's husband" or something like that? Especially since Anya is a female name.

Holy shit, nuclear weapons going off in Russia.

Is this it? The Second August Coup? The Second Russian Revolution? The Second Russian Civil War?

Even discounting the major events implied by the last few excerpts, that was a great update. You really get a sense of Russia falling apart, it's institutions failing, it's people destitute, hopeless, and above all else angry, becoming increasingly divided and radicalized until something has to give - and give it evidently does, and the context-free little snippets we're given only serve to increase the horror. We're not sure exactly what's going on, but it's clear that nuclear weapons have been used and a lot of people are dead.

I'd say these might have been conventional (air) strikes. The only indication otherwise is that "tonnage" word, but who would start a civil war by flinging nukes on day 1? I doubt even Zhirinovsky would have done it, let alone anyone else.
I can certainly imagine chaos on the ground and breakdown of communications would lead to very wild rumours flying around.

 

[FieldMarshal]

I'd say these might have been conventional (air) strikes. The only indication otherwise is that "tonnage" word, but who would start a civil war by flinging nukes on day 1? I doubt even Zhirinovsky would have done it, let alone anyone else.
I can certainly imagine chaos on the ground and breakdown of communications would lead to very wild rumours flying around.

I don't know, I took "tonnage" as well as some of the other language used (Bush upgrading DEFCON, "will the next one be on troops or cities?", "BIG BOOM!" etc.) to imply nuclear usage, as well as the fact that previous updates have mentioned that there were nuclear explosions in Russia in the 1990s. Maybe not at the start, but the opening of update stated that some footage had been from 1993, so maybe in the next few years.

It could be conventional, I don't know. I recall that Rutskoy wanted the RuAF to bomb the Kremlin back in 1993, perhaps something similar has happened here as part of the Second August Coup - which I guess is implied by "pictures of explosions and military men reading statements" on the TV after low-flying aircraft scream over Moscow.

 

[Jack Hawksmoor]

______________________________

The Russian Ripper

LIVERPOOL, BRITAIN - Ivan Yushkov worked as a guard in the Novochersk prison prior to emigrating to Britain. His accent is strong, but he has grasped the intricacies of the English language quickly. We meet at a bar where he consumes large amounts of tea.

- Have I mentioned how much I like drinking tea? In Russia, the only drink to make you warm is vodka. Traditional Russian tea is no good. Anyway, you want to know about Ripper? -

I nodded.

- Well, Britain had its own Ripper, I guess every country ends up with one. Da? Oh well, Andrei was something. It was April of 1992, and the country looked for something to occupy their minds. They've captured monster after fifty victims and a decade of search.

I was not there, but I remember seeing it on TV. They had to put him in an iron cage to protect him from attacks by all families of the killed. He was such hotshot, a perfect bad guy. Reporters called him a cannibal, a demon, and he helped. He shouted, screamed, tried to undress his clothes.

The trial was open to teach the public some lesson or some shit like that. But it was all spectacle. 1992 was year of the spectacle. Anyway, there are tapes and so on. Let's move on to my part. Trial continued just until the Raskol. We've nearly forgotten about sentencing during the chaos, and he himself was nearly killed when one of relatives hit him with something thrown. He was condemned to fifty death penalties. Or maybe just one for fifty murders, I don't know.

When they transported him the next day to prison next day nobody paid attention. World was taken aback with American tragedy happened - millions watching it happening. Ripper was supposed to await execution but everyone has right to an appeal and so on.

Prison was military one, situated below military garrison. Raskol made things complicated and we soldiers were forced one day in November to evacuate. Official reason was some treaty between rival authorities and the whole thing with train massacre in sixties that was uncovered.

He was crazy, mumbling how it was a conspiracy and that he made everything better by killing worthless people. Appeal claimed he not of sound mind to be executed. Maybe true, maybe not, but slashing throats to what you say politely, ejaculate? Crazy or not, a shot in head is best. Situation was tense, father of one of his victims worked in prison. He was in special cell in death row, da?

Raskol made everything so complicated. Rostov was initially neutral but in November, things difficult. Garrison being moved, we too, I got drafted into another unit. There were arguments between us, who was in right, who to follow. Who will pay us?

Of course killing prisoners was discussed. Not Andrei only, but he profited from situation. His appeal got lost because not clear who to reject it? President? Court? Chairman? Anyway during night I heard that they are moving prisoners in death row to soundproof room to kill them. Or maybe leave them to kill each other. I was loading supplies to trucks.

A military looking truck arrived to transfer some of the prisoners. Papers looked official, but it was not hard to so during Raskol. Later I learned they part of some mob, seeking to save someone. Maybe their own, maybe someone they got paid to do so. But something go wrong, everyone got loose during night.

Only a month later newspapers report - location of Ripper unknown. No body. Perhaps he got shot that night. Perhaps he fled and died in Winter. Perhaps he killed again like they say. But a legend was born. Bodies appear in Rostov. In Volgograd. Maybe he got loose. Killed again. Couldn't be caught.

But I've seen him. The man was in fifties, crazy as a rabid wolf and skinny. Did I say he was skinny too? Everyone knew how he look. I think he got shot but they made story up he escaped. An excuse to pin mob killings, political killings. Why he not caught again? Other side to blame. Hiding him, refusing to unite, using him, paying him.

His victims are now what they write? Three hundred? Four hundred? I saw in news, they claim he real life Joker, you know from the American comics? Some your English guy, with beard like Rasputin claim he closest thing to him?

I don't understand you English and Americans. Why is psychpathic clown so popular in comics? He is just a man, shoot him between eyes and be done with it. But lot of shit that is. Chikatilo never wore makeup. -

--The Guardian, 1994
______________________________

 

[no one]

Is "andrei" Andrei Chikatilo?

 

[Jack Hawksmoor]

______________________________

The War for American Minds '92 - II.
______________________________

'Speaking as a comedian, this is the best election in a while. Speaking as an American, I am spending too much time at liquor stores.
--Jay Leno
______________________________

'Nuttier than a fruitcake.'
-- senator (R-AZ) John McCain on Ross Perot [1]
______________________________

'McCain has no integrity. He has abandoned his fellow POWs in Vietnam and even abandoned his wounded wife for a poster girl with big money from Arizona. I've been a better husband to Carol than John was.'
--independent presidential candidate Ross Perot
______________________________

'Here we go again. Does this sound like a man who can be a president? He has already embarrassed the United States, embarrassed himself and now goes for my family in pursuit of unfounded claims. Might I remind Perot declined to appear at the hearing to present evidence?
--senator (R-AZ) John McCain on Ross Perot
______________________________

'John McCain is a great American hero and a terrific person. We have undergone the same treatment while in captivity and I have all but sympathies for him, based on our shared experience.
--businessman Donald Trump
______________________________

'And now we have Trump, a celebrity as fake as the rest of the establishment, comparing himself to the man captured in war, who spent five years in captivity. When will we abandon this ridiculous pandering and return the issues that plague America the most, like campaign finance reform?
--Democratic VP candidate, former governor (D-CA) Jerry Brown
______________________________

'Who is Jerry Brown? He is the man who led the anti-refugee charge in 1975 when people fleeing from communist terror after our Vietnamese ally has fallen, when people desperate for a new chance wanted to do so. This is the true face of the Democrats - words without integrity, with no compassion.'
--vice president Dan Quayle
______________________________

'President Bush is angering Russians who want nothing more than to build their lives free, and this led to the sad case of Trump getting kidnapped. They've released him when they realized they've got a genie with his lamp being repossessed. Russia is desperate for foreign money and America will be before the end of the decade as businesses move overseas. If we don't fix the economy, Americans will move to Vietnam to work in their factories'
--independent presidential candidate Ross Perot
______________________________

'Stop! Talking! About! Vietnam! Vietnam War is over. Cold War is over. Will we argue next about Soviet domination of East Europe?
-comedian Arsenio Hall
______________________________

WEICKER BEING WATCHED BY PEROT'S PRIVATE OPERATIVES
______________________________

PEROT CAMPAIGN BACK TO CLAIMING STOCKDALE IS ON TICKET IN FOUR STATES
______________________________

'I am part of the ticket, the newspapers are just wrong. Some material is just out of date and opponents are trying to launch a story.'
--independent VP candidate, governor (I-CO) Lowell Weicker
______________________________

SENATOR DAVID BOREN APPROACHED BY PEROT CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE WEICKER
______________________________

BOREN CONFIRMS 'A QUESTION WAS ASKED' TO HIS OFFICE
______________________________

PEROT CLAIMS A 'DEMOCRAT-REPUBLICAN CONSPIRACY AGAINST HIM'
______________________________

'The Democrats have torn themselves apart by choosing a Republican in Greek clothing and a man who is more brownie than man. If you want actual change to curb government spending and save your job, it is clear that the time is up for Democrats and Republicans.'
--independent presidential candidate Ross Perot
______________________________

'Perot campaign had approached me to run as his running mate. I said 'Hell no.' The man cannot hold onto a decision for any longer than it takes to cook an egg and he repeats whatever he overhears in the public toilet.
--Democratic VP candidate, former governor (D-CA) Jerry Brown
______________________________

'People wonder why I stay out of the current debate and I say: someone has to be the responsible one. I have only one thing to say about the Democrats and Perot: "Pot: meet kettle."'
--president George Bush
______________________________

'Brown couldn't say a straight honest thing if his life depended on it. Brown begged me to finance his campaign and I said 'No, stop stealing good ideas for me and diluting them with bad ones.'
--independent presidential candidate Ross Perot
______________________________

TSONGAS ENERGY PLAN WILL SIGNIFICANTLY CUT DEPENDENCE ON OIL
______________________________

'..and effects will be seen by the end of the century. America will no longer be as beholden to the lobbying by big energy corporations, unnecessary political entanglements outside the country, the ozone layer and environment will be saved for our children, and America will be the global leader in environmental innovation.'
--Democratic Presidential candidate, former senator (D-MA) Paul Tsongas
______________________________

'Of course, they should face the death penalty. Their people have been hit by lack of jobs and welfare, but that is not an excuse for them to pillage Los Angeles We care too much about the rights of the criminals.'
--independent presidential candidate Ross Perot
______________________________

'The media are going out of place to take Perot's words out of context. He did not imply all African-Americans are criminals or participated in the tragedy in Los Angeles. Why not focus on his emphasis to make their lives easier?'
--independent VP candidate, governor (I-CO) Lowell Weicker
______________________________

'Let us not forget that one of the people killed was a priest. This was an attack on American society, American values, and American people. But the debate is wrong. Republicans want to force a 'law-and-order' narrative, the same narrative they gave us Bush, that gave us Nixon. Why don't we ask why was Rodney King even there that night to have been stopped? Why were the people so desperate to succumb to mass hysteria? Why is nobody taking care of the people being left behind by shortsighted politics? I don't want to sound the alarm - this is the favorite tactic of the Republicans - but if we don't renew our economy and renew our society, Los Angeles will merely be the first such case.'
--independent VP candidate, governor (I-CO) Lowell Weicker
______________________________

'The Democrats try to pin this on 12 years of successful economic policy while their own ticket features a man who failed to do anything to prevent the rise of such tensions. The federal government stepped in and restored order while my opponents just stand by and cry Hennypenny.'
--president George Bush
______________________________

'The Democratic ticket denounces the social decay of the country while they support attacks on values that promote deviant behavior. We need stronger families instead of single moms, we need more responsible fathers instead of treating people with strange habits like normal families. Roddy Piper's verdict is no excuse for the mayhem that followed. Where were their parents, were the social sanctions for the rioters?
--vice president Dan Quayle
______________________________

'George Bush is a good man but a bad politician. He decried voodoo-economic before supporting, he promised no new taxes before realizing foreign adventures cost. America has spent too much time sacrificing the benefit of the common American for solving international problems. While it is admirable George Bush is doing his best to defuse the situation in Russia, America cares about only one issue: economy, economy, economy. Republicans did not win us the Cold War; the Communist Party lost it with their economic policies and oppression of values. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
--Democratic Presidential candidate, former senator (D-MA) Paul Tsongas
______________________________

'The Democrats are for families, but they attack family values. They are for education yet the man on the ticket wanted to abolish the Department of Education until recently.'
--vice president Dan Quayle
______________________________

'It is ironic that I am attacked by a person who is the best evidence education in this country needs an overhaul.'
--Democratic VP candidate, former governor (D-CA) Jerry Brown
______________________________

'ROSS PEROT'S AMERICAN PARTY' APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION IN TEXAS AND MICHIGAN; NAME CHANGE FORTHCOMING?
______________________________

'The man can't decide if he runs, who he runs with, can he trust the people he runs and now this? He is already changing the name of the party he hasn't even founded yet. Let's end this charade and vote for American renewal.'
--Democratic VP candidate, former governor (D-CA) Jerry Brown
______________________________

'It is important to note that Perot represents a symbol of wide American discontent with the ruling parties - with writing checks without balance, with same old slogans. I, as a member of the ticket, represent the remains of the once credible brand of politics in which goals of the nation are in front of the goals of the petty politician. The movement is growing and will be a political force once. Perot is simply the first to recognize it .'
--independent VP candidate, governor (I-CO) Lowell Weicker
______________________________

'Ross is the Boss, the people drafted me. Bush operatives are needlessly trying to drive the wedge between me and Weicker whose loyalty I am completely convinced in. The people drafted me, I drafted him.'
--independent presidential candidate Ross Perot
______________________________

'I am sad to have to say that President Bush is using the coup in Russia to bolster his own failing popularity. It is no doubt that special interests would require a continued foreign enemy. Our military forces are already superior and it is high time we start cutting down the spending and focus more on providing the men that serve us and their families a renewed change of a life in prosperous America. I plan to propose international multilateral help instead of moves that will further scare our newfound brothers in Democracy over in Russia.'
--Democratic Presidential candidate, former senator (D-MA) Paul Tsongas
______________________________

'Bush has instigated the same thing as he did in Iraq, as he did in Yugoslavia. The man's career is built on covering up false flag operations. Republicans are frustrated the Cold War is over so they want to stoke fears of a new one.

Russia is in no position to be an enemy so they backed up the military. Mark my words, they'll be saying the communists are back in October. What is next, Haiti in October? No, the American people know better. We need no jobs moving abroad, no soldiers fighting abroad.'
--independent presidential candidate Ross Perot
______________________________

'The liberals would like nothing more for me to stoop down and give credit to their naive ideas. I've dealt with foreign policy for more years than the Democratic candidate has spent out of politics. America cannot afford to give up on the world now.
America is not jingoistic - it has always intervened with surgical precisions, with international support and only as a response to grave humanitarian crises. The future of the world is in trade and cooperation.'
--president George Bush
______________________________

'We must not be are scared of the Democrats in Congress, scared of the Russians, scared of young immoral people and he does not dare to say what needs to be said. Who will protect the Christians in Russia? Who will protect the Christians in America? Russia has been brought down by lack of morality and a government that took honestly earned pay. Does this not remind you of a society in which television celebrates sexual deviancy, families filled with hate for each other?

We must rally behind the Party. And if we let guard down for a moment, the so-called progressives will bring down everything. Just look at Russia where the flag of CCCP flies in all but name.

--journalist Pat Robertson
______________________________

'My enemies are two former-have-beens, and they wear it as a badge of honor. They can promise unrealistic solutions and claim fiscal responsibility because none of them actually worked at a federal level. They don't even have the support of their own party as they couldn't capture the nomination so they joined up.

Perot's voters are nothing more than people scared of a radical liberal from California and a radical liberal from Massachussets and people will come around once they study the issues and stop blindly trusting the media.'
--president George Bush
______________________________

'My response? Iran-Contra, Savagate, what is next?

My response? Catalina Vasquez, Caspar Weinberg, Clair Goerge, Elliot Abrams, Alan D. Fiers, John, Sununu, Lawrence Eagleburger Duane Clarridge, Clarence Thomas.

Who is next? Well, I am sure it is one name, one name to rule them all: George Herbert Walker Bush!

--Democratic presidential candidate, former senator (D-MA) Paul Tsongas
______________________________
[ .01] OTL words, although from 2000.

 

[Bookmark1995]

Yeesh.

They might as well call ITTL 1992, "America's Collective Head Desk."

Tsongas is the only candidate without baggage, but his centrism and the whole cancer thing is still going to put him in a bad light.

I think Weicker feels like he jumped onto the wrong ship. I am curious as too what he'll do after 1992.

 

[Jack Hawksmoor]

I think I'll make 'America's Collective Head Desk' an ITTL term or title somehow.

 

[Bookmark1995]

I think I'll make 'America's Collective Head Desk' an ITTL term or title somehow.

I'm honored that you like it.

 

[Unknown]

This is gonna be a trainwreck, mark my words...

 

[BootOnFace]

This is gonna be a trainwreck, mark my words...

Well the TL isn't called "Spiraling Towards Freedom: Moving Forward, Not Backward"

 

[Jack Hawksmoor]

Yeesh.

They might as well call ITTL 1992, "America's Collective Head Desk."

Tsongas is the only candidate without baggage, but his centrism and the whole cancer thing is still going to put him in a bad light.

I think Weicker feels like he jumped onto the wrong ship. I am curious as too what he'll do after 1992.

I've actually reached the point the national campaign is really starting. I always wanted to write such fun updates for 1992 and it is interesting to compare them to OTL.

-- out of the three tickets, Quayle is actually the VP most fitting to the ticket, even when he is not doing gaffes (did anyone notice the gaffe in the last update?). He pleases the conservative base, serves as an effective fundraiser and is protective of the ticket and its policies.

Brown and Weicker would be better off switching tickets, and ITTL people have noticed that.

Tsongas gained very little by picking Brown who is seen as flaky, wacky, opportunistic and had a sizeable negative favorability of Democratic voters. Sure, the ticket can now claim it is all about campaign finance and term limits, but regarding the economy, their proposals are clearly abandoning newdealerish democratic policies. I've chosen to portray Brown as quite an independent-minded and he'll downplay but not drop down certain differences in their platforms. Brown is very useful as an attack dog, which is accepted as one of the conventional roles for the VPs in campaigns.

The only real thing Tsongas gained with Brown was to secure the nomination, afraid that in the case of the open convention it will go to someone like Mario Cuomo, Kerrey, Bradley, Gore or some of the other never-runs. And it is a justifiable fear - Tsongas would likely have the reputation he won a plurality and thus doesn't have the national mandate. He would likely have limited delegate infrastructure, what with his off-base message, opposal to the influence of lobbies and lack of charisma.

This, in-universe, is deemed the nightmare ticket and throwing the election to Bush. It is somewhat of an unconventional play on the trope of any Democratic candidate winning automatically in 1992.

There are a number of alternate sub-scenarios possible for 1992 elections working of the same general principle that Clinton self-destructs after the rest of the candidates run out of money early in the primaries, leaving a scenario where any desired candidate can fill the spot as it happened ITTL.

-- Perot additionally got the strongest plausible VP candidate

Perot never trusted anyone who would take the spotlight, let alone dreaded career politicians and campaign specialists, preferring close friends. ITTL a chance contact is greenlit by Perot who is impulsively smitten with Weicker running afoul with the Republican party. Weicker is initially far more reluctant but joins the ticket believing Perot will soon give up. Weicker could then ride the momentum (with Democratic primaries going nightmarishly bad), substituting his credentials and experience for Perot's negatives. OTL Weicker would be a part of third party speculation in the nineties and even attend Reform party conventions.

It would be an understatement to say that ITTL Perot quickly grows suspicious of Weicker quickly, and OTOH Weicker would have to carry the weight of the entire hypothetical administration by himself while dealing with Perot. It remains to see if Perot gets rid of Weicker or Weicker decides to return to "urgent budget considerations" in his home state at some point. Or something even worse.

-- A common explanation is that 1992 elections were decided by the Democratic focus on the economy. TTL they got a candidate who is also focused on the economy, but with a different vision, not quite appealing to the population.

-- This may provoke a crisis of confidence in the Democratic party. Various changes were introduced to prevent fielding once again a vulnerable liberal northeastern candidate, and they still got Dukakis 2.0, one who was obviously not even the popular choice, one who has a particularly touchy skeleton in the closet. What will happen in 1996 primaries?

And the national campaign just started. Majority of American voters are undecided and unsatisfied with the candidates. The Democratic convention just happened and the boost has finally placed Tsongas in a legitimate lead nationally. Pat Robertson still has to have his famous speech at the Republican convention and now a better fit for starting a hysteria about a culture war. And there is still a crisis or three brewing in Russia and two immense October surprises.

I'm honored that you like it.

Good contributions are always welcome. I am awful with catchy titles.

Is "andrei" Andrei Chikatilo?

If you haven't reread the last sentence in the update, you are correct. It is but not spelled out until the end. This tiny bit could not be fit into any of the upcoming three Russia updates and Chikatilo OTL was the first major media spectacle of the post-Soviet Russia.

 

[Bookmark1995]

I've actually reached the point the national campaign is really starting. I always wanted to write such fun updates for 1992 and it is interesting to compare them to OTL.

-- out of the three tickets, Quayle is actually the VP most fitting to the ticket, even when he is not doing gaffes (did anyone notice the gaffe in the last update?). He pleases the conservative base, serves as an effective fundraiser and is protective of the ticket and its policies.

Brown and Weicker would be better off switching tickets, and ITTL people have noticed that.

Tsongas gained very little by picking Brown who is seen as flaky, wacky, opportunistic and had a sizeable negative favorability of Democratic voters. Sure, the ticket can now claim it is all about campaign finance and term limits, but regarding the economy, their proposals are clearly abandoning newdealerish democratic policies. I've chosen to portray Brown as quite an independent-minded and he'll downplay but not drop down certain differences in their platforms. Brown is very useful as an attack dog, which is accepted as one of the conventional roles for the VPs in campaigns.

The only real thing Tsongas gained with Brown was to secure the nomination, afraid that in the case of the open convention it will go to someone like Mario Cuomo, Kerrey, Bradley, Gore or some of the other never-runs. And it is a justifiable fear - Tsongas would likely have the reputation he won a plurality and thus doesn't have the national mandate. He would likely have limited delegate infrastructure, what with his off-base message, opposal to the influence of lobbies and lack of charisma.

This, in-universe, is deemed the nightmare ticket and throwing the election to Bush. It is somewhat of an unconventional play on the trope of any Democratic candidate winning automatically in 1992.

There are a number of alternate sub-scenarios possible for 1992 elections working of the same general principle that Clinton self-destructs after the rest of the candidates run out of money early in the primaries, leaving a scenario where any desired candidate can fill the spot as it happened ITTL.

-- Perot additionally got the strongest plausible VP candidate

Perot never trusted anyone who would take the spotlight, let alone dreaded career politicians and campaign specialists, preferring close friends. ITTL a chance contact is greenlit by Perot who is impulsively smitten with Weicker running afoul with the Republican party. Weicker is initially far more reluctant but joins the ticket believing Perot will soon give up. Weicker could then ride the momentum (with Democratic primaries going nightmarishly bad), substituting his credentials and experience for Perot's negatives. OTL Weicker would be a part of third party speculation in the nineties and even attend Reform party conventions.

It would be an understatement to say that ITTL Perot quickly grows suspicious of Weicker quickly, and OTOH Weicker would have to carry the weight of the entire hypothetical administration by himself while dealing with Perot. It remains to see if Perot gets rid of Weicker or Weicker decides to return to "urgent budget considerations" in his home state at some point. Or something even worse.

-- A common explanation is that 1992 elections were decided by the Democratic focus on the economy. TTL they got a candidate who is also focused on the economy, but with a different vision, not quite appealing to the population.

-- This may provoke a crisis of confidence in the Democratic party. Various changes were introduced to prevent fielding once again a vulnerable liberal northeastern candidate, and they still got Dukakis 2.0, one who was obviously not even the popular choice, one who has a particularly touchy skeleton in the closet. What will happen in 1996 primaries?

And the national campaign just started. Majority of American voters are undecided and unsatisfied with the candidates. The Democratic convention just happened and the boost has finally placed Tsongas in a legitimate lead nationally. Pat Robertson still has to have his famous speech at the Republican convention and now a better fit for starting a hysteria about a culture war. And there is still a crisis or three brewing in Russia and two immense October surprises.

Also consider this:

The two leading candidates of the major parties are individuals who aren't appropriate representatives of their party.

George Bush Sr. is a milquetoast, economic moderate-in many ways, he was an outlier, a remnant from the old technocratic Republican Party that is becoming increasingly conservative.

Paul Tsongas is someone who, while portraying himself as a man of candor and honesty, is a little too pro-business, and whose reputation for honesty will take a bit of a hit. He's Dukakis, but drier and without some good old-fashioned liberalism.

Their running mates also have some baggage.

Dan Quayle is a man so inept, John Kerry joked about the Secret Service killing him.

Jerry Brown, while not a cringe-inducing fool, is VERY unpopular with his party's establishment, and does not really balance the ticket, unlike Gore or some midwestern candidate.

Ross Perot, while an underdog, lacks the proper demeanor to really run a campaign.

Weicker could be considered the least troubled person in this election, but Bush, he technically also broke a campaign pledge not to raise taxes in CT. He doesn't really fit in with the populism of Perot's campaign, being a refugee from the old technocratic Republican Party.

Anyways, I am awaiting the next part.

 

[David Ritz]

Pat Robertson still has to have his famous speech at the Republican convention and now a better fit for starting a hysteria about a culture war. And there is still a crisis or three brewing in Russia and two immense October surprises.

In the flash-forward you gave a while ago, you hinted that culture wars were driving the US to 1850s levels of de-centralization or worse. I'm guessing that in the absence of a 9/11 (the Twin Towers are still standing), there was no re-invigoration of US solidarity in the 2000s like in OTL. Hence, culture wars became even more intense. OTOH, there might be even worse terrorist attacks elsewhere (possibly nuclear ones!).

Dan Quayle is a man so inept, John Kerry joked about the Secret Service killing him.

Plus, he was one of the signatories of the Project For a New American Century. Flash-forwards have hinted at there being an Iraq War 2.0 in this TL. Given that Newt Gingrich of all people (by 1996!) cites there being constant invasions in the Third World, coupled with acknowledging how they were bad ideas , I suspect Quayle may stick around for a while.

At least neocons taking charge of foreign policy early apparently leads to more realist revival in foreign policy to dodge The Coming Anarchy. It is frequently hinted that we see a President Powell around the TTL turn of the Millennium. In that case, there would be an ex-military president every fifty years over the past hundred years! At least, as a political outsider, he is more likely to be perceived as an American Caesar rather than an American Caligula.

 

[President Earl Warren]

Dan Quayle is a man so inept, John Kerry joked about the Secret Service killing him.

I always felt that Qualye's reputaion was very undeserved, I mean sure he had a foot in mouth disease but besides that he actually did a pretty good job as Vice President.

 

[Kerguelen]

I always felt that Qualye's reputaion was very undeserved, I mean sure he had a foot in mouth disease but besides that he actually did a pretty good job as Vice President.

Agreed, he could have perused a greater political career, but Bush put him on the ticket before he was able to create an public image for himself.

 

[Bookmark1995]

In the flash-forward you gave a while ago, you hinted that culture wars were driving the US to 1850s levels of de-centralization or worse. I'm guessing that in the absence of a 9/11 (the Twin Towers are still standing), there was no re-invigoration of US solidarity in the 2000s like in OTL. Hence, culture wars became even more intense. OTOH, there might be even worse terrorist attacks elsewhere (possibly nuclear ones!).

Culture Wars aren't really enough to create this.

There are hints of terror attacks further down the line, and there are also hints of severe economic depression, and a period of economic inequality making ours look like Scandinavia. So that is the environment that can create hyperpolarization.

Plus, he was one of the signatories of the Project For a New American Century. Flash-forwards have hinted at there being an Iraq War 2.0 in this TL. Given that Newt Gingrich of all people (by 1996!) cites there being constant invasions in the Third World, coupled with acknowledging how they were bad ideas , I suspect Quayle may stick around for a while.

At least neocons taking charge of foreign policy early apparently leads to more realist revival in foreign policy to dodge The Coming Anarchy. It is frequently hinted that we see a President Powell around the TTL turn of the Millennium. In that case, there would be an ex-military president every fifty years over the past hundred years! At least, as a political outsider, he is more likely to be perceived as an American Caesar rather than an American Caligula.

In an early post, we see Ron Paul complaining, so there could be a neo-isolationist wing of the party going around.

I am very curious as to what role Perot, Weicker and the Federalists will play in all this.

 

[David Ritz]

In an early post, we see Ron Paul complaining, so there could be a neo-isolationist wing of the party going around.

I am very curious as to what role Perot, Weicker and the Federalists will play in all this.

There are also hints of an even more intense nativist backlash against Third World Immigration in Western Europe complete with the construction of a wall in Austria to ensure The Coming Anarchy (which might unleash even bigger refugee crises than OTL) doesn't come inside.

Jack also flirted with the idea of eugenics making a comeback. Perhaps Steve Sailer isn't the pariah that he was in the OTL 2000s