The Union Forever: A TL
- Thread starter Mac Gregor
- Start date
Let me jump on the bandwagon and heartily congratulate you! May it continue for 300 more!
2000 Presidential Election
2000 Presidential Election
Incumbent President Franklin M. Blanton faced step odds as he sought reelection for a second term. The largest obstacle was the sorry state of the American economy. Already suffering from the globtrix recession since mid-1998 the economy was woefully unprepared for the market turmoil caused by the IEF Civil War. While most Americans claimed to like Blanton as a person, the double-digit unemployment and his inability to get meaningful legislation through the Democratic controlled Congress made the public clamor for new leadership.
Elias W. Zaal
Elias William Zaal was born on November 1, 1940 in Newburg, Laramie to a poor farming family of Irish and Dutch stock. As a teenager, Zaal found work doing a variety of menial jobs to supplement the family income including a brief stint on the local rodeo circuit. Despite his impoverished background, Zaal managed to scrape by and attend Laramie State University helped in part by a U.S. Army Officer Development Course (ODC) scholarship. After graduation, he was commissioned as a cataphract officer in the reserves. In the following years, Zaal passed the bar and began practicing law in Fort Laramie, the state capital. In 1965, Zaal married Clara Hall a paralegal but divorced after only two years. Always interested in politics, Zaal was elected to the unicameral state legislature in 1968 as a Democrat. In 1973, Zaal remarried this time to Tori Dickson then working as an administrator in the state’s Department of Agriculture and Ranching. When the Asia-Pacific War broke out, Zaal was called up for active service but was never deployed. In 1984, Zaal unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor. Four years later, Zaal ran again and beat the unpopular and divisive incumbent Ray Walter Russel. In 1992, Zaal was the natural choice for the Democrats to run for governor. He handily beat his Republican challenger Jules Sully-Martinez and cruised to reelection in 1996. By most accounts, Zaal’s administration was well run and delivered on its promises without running up the deficit. Zaal achieved national recognition during his witty speech at the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Austin, Texas.
The Campaign
During the primaries, Zaal faced a serious challenge from Bridget Torres the Attorney General during the Peatross administration who had spent the last 12 years becoming a social conservative icon of the Democratic Party. While Zaal managed to eventually defeat Torres he was pressured into picking her as his running mate to ensure party unity. In the campaign against the Republicans, Zaal painted Blanton as more concerned with foreign affairs than the deplorable economic situation. Zaal often referenced how former Democratic President Margaret Stewart had led the country out of the last great recession during the late 1970s. During the televised debates, Blanton appeared flustered as he blamed, correctly or not, the Democratic Congress for not taking enough steps to jump-start the economy. Zaal countered that Blanton’s attention was needless divided between the economy and the situation in the IEF stating, “You can’t ride two bulls with one butt Mr. President.”
The Results
Elias William Zaal
Democrat from Laramie
38th President of the United States
On election night, the electorate sided with the Democrats’ message of economic renewal and keeping out of foreign troubles. Zaal and Torres captured 49.9% of the vote and a clear majority of the electoral college. Disproportionally hurting the Republicans, the Ecoists scored their highest percentage yet getting 4.5%. President Blanton and Vice President Rutledge won only 45.6% of the popular vote and 21 of 58 states.
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I feel that Zall's non interventionist policy is going to bite him in the ass once the inevitable Second Great War happens. The IEF Civil War will be too big to ignore once China starts to reclaim Manchuria for itself, and winding down American military strength overseas is not going to help things.
For some reason, this reminds me of pre-WW2 America in some ways.
For some reason, this reminds me of pre-WW2 America in some ways.
I don't see IEF Civil War escalating as great war. Some neighbours, speciality China, might do something but hardly this escalates outside of IEF.
But surely this war will harm Zaal's presidency.
Well, China has been eyeing the Xinjiang Republic, Tibet and Manchuria for years, perhaps decades now. Since the declaration of a Chinese Cold War by Lincoln IV in 1990, America has to step up its commitments to its allies in the Pacific Region. Zaal's committment to keep out of foreign affairs is threatening to destabilise the American military presence in Asia, allowing for China to put it's expansionist claims in motion.
I can agree with you on that sentiment.
Shame Blanton couldn't pull an Obama and get reelected. Though I do agree with Ryder that Zaal well have his legacy tarnished by a refusal to intervene or take a side on the IEF civil war. In my mind anyone who doesn't take action for a collapsing country that has hundreds of nukes and is one of the world powers is just plain stupid. By the way will the Orthodox Council take action in the civil war? I could see the conservatives using the alliances to call in extra troops to support their cause, while some will defect to Germany's camp.
If I remember correctly, Romania is already leaning towards the German camp. Serbia and Greece are relatively neutral but pro-Russia regardless of the outcome. I think Bulgaria is a wild card. Just what I think; not sure if it is correct.
Frankly, it's more likely that they remain, but if Turkey makes a motion towards Armenia, as implied, at least Greece and Serbia would probably enter into the war against them (as a resurgent Turkey would look towards them or Syria afterwards).
See:
Here is the official retcon of the continental United States. Map courtesy Ares96, thanks so much for the help! Details are listed below. Let me know what y'all think. Cheers!
1. Name: Absaroka Capital: Boreman (OTL Billings, MT) Date of Statehood: November 5, 1888 Postal Abbreviation: AB
2. Name: Pasapa Capital: Beryl(OTL Bowman, ND) Date of Statehood: March 16, 1887 Postal Abbreviation: PS
3. Name: Laramie Capital: Fort Laramie (OTL Fort Laramie, WY) Date of Statehood: July 3, 1887 Postal Abbreviation: LR
4. Name: Dakota Capital: Lincoln City (OTL Bismarck, ND) Date of Statehood: March 6, 1885 Postal Abbreviation: DK
5. Name: Jefferson Capital: Shermanburg (OTL Boise, ID) Date of Statehood: November 17, 1886 Postal Abbreviation: JF
6. Name: Mahetane Capital: Tapley (OTL Oklahoma City, OK) Date of Statehood: November 9, 1897 Postal Abbreviation: MH
7. Name: Sequoyah Capital: Tallasi (OTL Tulsa, OK) Date of Statehood: November 9, 1897 Postal Abbreviation: SQ
Also, question for Mac:
What is the status of Liberia and (Equitorial?) Guinea? Considering how aggressive and expansionist West Africa is right now, what is the popular opinion in both countries regarding integration or not into the large federation? I remember seeing on one of the old maps that Liberia was, at one point, tentatively included in the LAR. Are either nation attempting to appeal to the LAR for membership to fend off any aggression from West Africa?
It would be a shame for anything to happen to them.
What is the status of Liberia and (Equitorial?) Guinea? Considering how aggressive and expansionist West Africa is right now, what is the popular opinion in both countries regarding integration or not into the large federation? I remember seeing on one of the old maps that Liberia was, at one point, tentatively included in the LAR. Are either nation attempting to appeal to the LAR for membership to fend off any aggression from West Africa?
It would be a shame for anything to happen to them.
I am not sure about Liberia but I think that EG is part of German Cameroon.
D'oh! I meant Guinea Bissau.
I still get them confused after all this time. My thought process was that Guinea Bissau, fearing that it is about to be overrun, appeals to Portugal for protection. They can't do anything, so they turn to the largest Luso-zone member: Brazil. Brazil's limited military can't do much on its own, and as such, they turn to the entire LAR for consideration.
I just keep wondering what West Africa might do, as, if I remember, they are China's biggest ally outside the technocracy. If China takes advantage of US (and probably LAR) isolation, their allies might also decide to try and push an envelope as well.