I had an idea, what would have happened if the Left had somewhat unified during in the early 20th century, the Democrats and Republicans were basic carbon copies of each other, so I think it's easy to believe that a Left of Center Political Party could emerge, and in time, become Nationally electable. Here it goes:
Labor Party USA
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Chapter 1: Cameron Meeting
On January 5th, 1901, representatives of Labor Unions, including the American Federation of Labor, the remnants of the Social Democratic Party of America, and the Socialist Labor Party, and several left leaning orators and thinkers, such as Eugene V. Debs, and James Weaver, and various representatives and leaders of different groups such as Western ranchers, miners, unions, socialists, communists, poor immigrants, as well as a few left leaning politicians, such as Thomas Watson of Georgia all met together in the small town of Cameron, West Virginia. Cameron was picked because it was seen as one of examples that showed "how pivotal reform was needed", as Eugene Debs put it. The meeting was discreet, as some Labor leaders were concerned that the local police might give them trouble. The purpose of this meeting was to ensure the creation of a Left of Center organization to stand up for the working man, and against the monified interests, such as John Rockefeller, and J.P. Morgan, who as Thomas Watson put it, "Were coddled and protected by both parties." Labor Organizers had hoped that the Democratic Party, which had began to experiment with Bryanistic Populism, might be a suitable vassal, but it seemed that the Democrats were beginning to reject Bryanism, in favor of Bourbon Democrats, such as Alton Parker, and former President Grover Cleveland.
Attendees at the meeting urged the creation of a political party that unified the left; populists, socialists, communists, western farmers, minorities, immigrants, union workers, and the poor might form an unstoppable coalition that might "rule the next generation" said James Weaver. But an agreement seemed unlikely. Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor rejected working with socialists, and Socialists and Famers viewed some Union Bosses as merely using their workers for political gain. Arguing seemed to dominate the meeting, until one man took the stage. Eugene V. Debs, known for his oratory skills, gave Historians perceive, as perhaps his greatest contribution to the Labor Movement. Debs gave a unifying speech, one that brought together the Trade Unions, and Farmers, and Immigrants, and the Workers.
To speak for labor; to plead the cause of the men and women and children who toil; to serve the working class, has always been to me a high privilege; a duty of love. Even one of Debs' opponents, AFL Head Samuel Gompers admitted that he felt "unified" after hearing the "Cameron Speech."
After feeling confident and enthused by Debs, the meeting quickly turned into a makeshift convention. Gompers refused to call the new Party "Socialist," and the Farmer-Labor Party was viewed as not having that "snap" to it. There was no enthusiasm by Tom Watson's call to bring back the old Populist Party. The meeting eventually agreed on calling the new Party the United States Labor Party. Gompers supported its emphasis on Labor; Debs supported the new Party's commitment to Democratic Socialism. Although Weaver was worried that his farmers might not have a place in the Party (due to the word "Farmer" being taken off), Debs and Watson quickly assured Weaver that the interests of the Western Farmers would be a primary commitment of the Labor Party USA. Debs encouraged the remaining members of the remnants of the Socialist Labor Party, and the Social Democratic Party to join the Labor Party, and the leaders of the remnants agreed. The new Party also agreed that the Red Rose would symbolize the new Party, although Gompers had some reservations about a symbol of Socialism being the symbol of Labor.
The Party went about creating a new platform. The Labor Party, as its namesake, gave its complete and unequivocal support to Labor Unions, and the Labor movement. The Party wrote that they would abolish any and all Federal laws that restrict the right of workers to organize. The Party also sought to decrease the power of the large wealthy robber barons in the United States. Labor put down a three part plan for diminishing the power of the Wealthiest Americans. 1) Use the power of the federal Government to disrupt and break large trusts everywhere. No one company should have all the power in an industry. 2) Regulate campaign finances, the rich are able to influence politicians due to their large wealth and power, limit campaign contributions, and you limit the influence of the capitalists. 3) Civil Service Reform to the highest degree, the Rich have the Government in their pocket, root out and destroy corruption and bribery. Women's representatives were able to push a woman's suffrage plank onto the platform, and a young lawyer named Upton Sinclair urged the abolition of Child Labor, which also allotted onto the plank. Weaver made sure that planks that benefitted his populists and farmers were also added. The platform was filled with other progressive and socialist positions, and it was clear that this would be a Left of Center party.
Reaction to the new party was for the most part, negative. Americans still had a very dim view of Labor Unions that were dominated by immigrant workers, and were viewed as foreign and corrupt (and in some cases, were corrupt). Southerners who had participated in the old Populist Party were also reluctant to embrace Labor. Minority Representatives had attended the Cameron Conference, and White Southerners were questioning their stake in Labor. Thomas Watson, a big leader in the Labor Party, commanded a large following of lower class Southerners however. Both the Democratic and Republican Parties condemned Labor. Democratic Governor Alton Parker wrote an essay published in the New York Times that condemned Debs, Watson, and Weaver as an "Axis of Evil," and attacked Socialism's "desire to see the equal redistribution not of wealth, but of misery." Joseph Cannon labeled Debs as a "dangerous demagogue." It was clear, that Labor would have a tough and long latter to climb if they wished to see success.
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To be continued if there is interest.