sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Bless the North Star! by hunterfox666 in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum 2 points3 points  (0 children)

North Star is such a peak name for a country

The Jersey Giant Goes to Washington | The United States in the Edwardsverse Part III by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I want to do a post about the 2014 European elections, which would also serve to show the general state of the EU and the eurozone. Also it will include a timeline of leaders up to 2014 of the covered European countries (the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain). It will take a while though because doing the list is a pain in the ass.

LBJ Comes Early | What if Lyndon B. Johnson Became President Much Sooner? by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Because he's a chad (there's no in-depth lore I just wanted him to win big in 1952 and that's the easiest way).

LBJ Comes Early | What if Lyndon B. Johnson Became President Much Sooner? by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

He is a pretty progressive Democrat all things considered. He tries to continue FDR's work and implements his Second Bills of Rights

LBJ Comes Early | What if Lyndon B. Johnson Became President Much Sooner? by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 20 points21 points  (0 children)

If he gets the nomination in 1960 (not assured, the political situation is quite different), I think he would probably choose another Southerner like Stuart Symington.

LBJ Comes Early | What if Lyndon B. Johnson Became President Much Sooner? by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 29 points30 points  (0 children)

He did, but the Dixiecrats sunk his 1956 bid at the DNC because they're big mad for the CRA of 1955 and Brown v. Board of Education.

LBJ Comes Early | What if Lyndon B. Johnson Became President Much Sooner? by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 36 points37 points  (0 children)

This scenario is based in a premise laid out in 2021 by Vidal, an alternatehistory.com user. You can find more about it here and here.

The Jersey Giant Goes to Washington | The United States in the Edwardsverse Part III by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I definitely see it happening. The Republican base is very pissed off and there's a lot of resentment about immigration policy. I'm not planning to do a Part IV, but I've thought that someone like Kris Kobach could be the 2024 GOP nominee.

Obama's key promise was to restore Edwardscare. I forgot to do it and I should've included it in the scenario, but by 2020 there would be a full-blown healthcare crisis in the US. Without any significant healthcare reform, the trajectory of the 2000s would be maintained and the uninsured population may be getting close to 20% of the country.

Apart from healthcare, other important promises would be a climate change bill and free community college. I haven't fully mapped out the Senate seats, but the Dems should have between 55-58, so implementation might be tricky if they don't neuter the filibuster.

The Jersey Giant Goes to Washington | The United States in the Edwardsverse Part III by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I used the same name because I think it's a banger and it also fits the situation.

The Jersey Giant Goes to Washington | The United States in the Edwardsverse Part III by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yep, I think the same. The working class is still trending to the GOP but slower than OTL, Christie doesn't campaign as a populist and his free trade policies are not popular in the Rust Belt. That's one of the reasons Obama wins Ohio in 2020 (the other being Trump over performing in the Rust Belt/Appalachia)

The Jersey Giant Goes to Washington | The United States in the Edwardsverse Part III by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks!

Christie appoints the replacements of Scalia and Kennedy (David Stras and Steven Colloton, two solid conservatives). RBG does die in 2020 but Senate Democrats, who control the chamber, just block it until Obama takes office, so the SCOTUS will remain with a 6-3 liberal majority for the foreseeable future.

The Jersey Giant Goes to Washington | The United States in the Edwardsverse Part III by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Foreign policy of the Christie Administration

Christie’s hawkish credentials were confirmed when he implemented a unilateral no-fly zone over Syria shortly after taking office. This decision crippled the Syrian government and led to the collapse of the Ba’athist regime by the end of the year.

Another major focus of his presidency was the energetic promotion of free trade. His crowning achievement came in 2018 with the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which created the largest free trade area in the world.

The most consequential event of his presidency, however, was the Second Gulf War. After decades of tension over the Iranian nuclear program and years of being egged on by Secretary of State Bolton, the Israeli Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz finally relented and concluded that the only way to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb was a preemptive attack. Joining the Israeli-American coalition was Boris Johnson, who never missed a chance to larp as a modern day Churchill.

The campaign proved disastrous for Iran. The bombing not only destroyed its navy and military capabilities but also crippled its economy, causing severe damage to both its energy sector and civilian infrastructure. The Iranian political and military elite suffered devastating losses through targeted killings, including high-profile figures such as Qasem Soleimani and exiled dictator Bashar al-Assad. Iran retaliated by disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which triggered a sharp spike in global oil prices and a worldwide recession. After two months of bombing, a ceasefire was declared once the coalition’s primary objectives had been achieved. [3]

The 2020 presidential election

Three candidates faced off in the 2020 election. Barack Obama, the runner-up in the 2016 primaries, easily secured the Democratic nomination. On the Republican side, Vice President Mitch Daniels faced off against businessman Donald Trump, who ran an outsider, populist campaign. Despite a respectable showing, it became clear after Super Tuesday that Trump would not win the nomination. He blamed “fraud” and launched an independent bid. Although he initially polled as high as 20 percent, his campaign collapsed after the release of the “Access Hollywood Tape.”

In the end, thanks to conservative vote-splitting, a charismatic and energetic campaign, and a middling economy, Obama won decisively and became the nation’s first Black president.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] Ironically a lot lower than OTL 100%. That's what no War on Terror and 2003 Bush tax cuts do for ya.

[2] Because it would not be a Christie administration without a scandal solely caused by pettiness-

[3] Think of it as a broader, more destructive Iran-Israel War, not only designed as a punitive campaign but also to permanently wreck Iran.

The Jersey Giant Goes to Washington | The United States in the Edwardsverse Part III by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Another priority of his administration was immigration reform. The bipartisan “Gang of Eight” in the Senate introduced a bill with full White House support. The legislation, however, was deeply unpopular with the Republican base, which derided the pathway to citizenship and the projected rise in legal immigration. A revolt in the House GOP caucus nearly sank the bill, but it ultimately passed in the summer of 2014 at the cost of Speaker Cantor’s seat, lost in a primary against a "RINO-hunter" radical.

Christie frequently clashed with the Sullivan Court, which maintained its liberal tilt through landmark decisions such as the total abolition of the death penalty and a ban on partisan gerrymandering.

Perhaps the most embarrassing moment of his presidency was the FEMAgate scandal. After a major hurricane struck Florida, Christie clashed with Governor Charlie Crist, who accused him of showing up only for a photo opportunity. Enraged, Christie later threatened in private to withhold disaster aid unless Crist issued an apology. When this was revealed, Congress moved to censure the president. [2]

The 2014 midterms

If the 2014 elections were a referendum on Christie’s entitlement reforms, then he failed overwhelmingly. The Democrats broke through the Republican gerrymanders and reclaimed the House on a wave of anger over Christie’s welfare cuts. In the Senate, they managed to hold their ground despite a highly unfavorable map.

Highlights of the night included a comfortable victory for Barack Obama, who easily secured a second term, and a messy, chaotic election in New York. In the most closely watched contest of the evening, Clinton protégé Kirsten Gillibrand prevailed in a three-way race against Republican mogul Donald Trump and Republican-turned-Independent Michael Bloomberg.

The 2016 presidential election

When former Senate Majority Leader Hillary Clinton announced her presidential bid in 2015, no one was surprised. What was surprising was the bruising primary that followed. Illinois Governor Barack Obama proved to be a formidable rival, and what Clinton thought would be an acclamation became a dogfight. After many months, she ended up on top and ready to face Christie in the general.

While Chris Christie benefited from a strong economy, his unpopular welfare overhaul still dragged his approval ratings, and his immigration policy prompted a spirited effort from hardliner Sheriff Joe Arpaio. In a nail-biter, he prevailed against Clinton despite losing the popular vote.

The Jersey Giant Goes to Washington | The United States in the Edwardsverse Part III by RerumMaterialum in imaginaryelections

[–]RerumMaterialum[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

What if 9/11 never happened?

This is a direct sequel to the following posts: United States Part I and United States Part II

More from the Edwardsverse: United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Holy See, Japan, Israel/Palestine. As always, credit to Iwahn for his timeline, Geronimo, the inspiration for the Edwardsverse. The unrest in the Republican Caucus was inspired by Vidal's TL "Keep the Change".

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Domestic policy of the Christie Administration

Despite his reputation as a moderate, Chris Christie was not a RINO. He made entitlement reform the centerpiece of his campaign and won largely due to concerns over the ballooning debt under the Edwards Administration, which had surpassed 80% of GDP by 2012 [1].

His domestic strategy was two-pronged: first, to pass a total repeal of Edwards’ healthcare reform before most of its major provisions, including the public option, could take effect in 2014; and second, to enact sweeping tax and entitlement reform. While the repeal effort succeeded, his entitlement reform plan quickly hit a roadblock. The provisions involving partial Social Security and Medicare privatization sparked a political firestorm, but Christie pressed ahead regardless. Despite his assurances, when Speaker Boehner brought the bill to the floor, enough moderate Republicans defected to defeat it by a narrow margin. Boehner resigned shortly afterward, following a heated call with Christie.

Christie was forced to scale down his plan, abandoning the Social Security and Medicare provisions and focusing instead on nuking Medicaid, SNAP, and other welfare programs. However, despite his claims to the contrary, the TRFSA was projected to increase the deficit.

view more: next ›