Nixon 1960!

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The 2008 Presidential Election; The Democratic Nomination

After having been out of power for eight years, the Democrats as well were looking to get back into power. There were a number of candidates who were willing to run that year:
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee
New York Governor Rudy Giuliani
California Governor Michael Reagan
Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman
Former Michigan Governor John Engler
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin

However, only a few candidates would withstand the first few primaries and go on to become serious contenders. Candidates such as Palin and Lieberman were weeded out early while Giuliani, Huckabee, and Reagan woudl be seen as the most likely to win the nomination.

Red-Huckabee
Blue-Engler
Gray-Reagan
Green-Engler
White-Palin

Huckabee in the end, wrapped up the nomination. Instead of picking Reagan, which was seen as the best choice in order to undermine the Libertarians, Huckabbe isntead focused on fighting the Libertarians and Republicans in New England and chose Giuliani instead. He was seen as very qualified for the job, having served as Attorney General, Mayor, and Governor suring his lifetime.

[Niemeyerite]

Bush Vs. Huckabee Vs. Johnson?? WHAT A sh**t!! But... let's hope johnson wins ... if a greenie enters thwe race, GO GREENS!

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Bush Vs. Huckabee Vs. Johnson?? WHAT A sh**t!! But... let's hope johnson wins ... if a greenie enters thwe race, GO GREENS!

Bush's, and the Republicans' platform is far to the Left of what it is in real life.
Economics: basically authoritarian, with emphasis on deficit control
Social Issues: Generally liberal, but this year they have a pro-life nominee
Foreign policy: Much more opposed to war than in real life

W, in this, is much more in the mold of his father than the poster boy of the Christian Right.
Johnson is running as a Libertarian
Huckabee is the Conservative (modern definition) nominee in the race, however, some of the Democrats claim that he's too moderate.

However, the Republicans' claim to being the Liberal party in the race is jeopardized by the eventual entrance of the Green Party, making the Republicans more like a DLC or center-left party than a Liberal party. Elizabeth Dole's candidacy for the nomination was the last cry of the dying Conservative wing.

[Niemeyerite]

Yes, bush could be more liberal, but he would still be George Bush

[Robespierre's Jaw]

How were the Libertarians elected to the White House? I'm at a bit of loss here, I'm afraid.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

How were the Libertarians elected to the White House? I'm at a bit of loss here, I'm afraid.

In 1976, Barry Goldwater, fed up with the two major parties, ran for an successfully won the nomination of the Libertarian Party, winning twelve electoral votes and sixteen percent of the electoral vote, thus putting the Libertarian Party on the map. In 1980, they nominated Mark Hatfield for lack of a better candidate, and in 1984, they nominated former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel, who nly won Alaska. However, in 1988, the stock market experienced a huge fall, which doomed the Republicans, while the Democratic nominee, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, was accused of a huge sex scandal, thus opening the window of opportunity for then-California Senator Barry Goldwater Jr, who won with exactly 270 electoral votes in a very lucky election.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The 2008 Presidential Election; The Green Party nomination

Because of Bush's win in the Republican Primaries, several better know Liberals decided to vie for the Green Party nomination. The list of the better known candidates was:
Former California Governor and Chairman of the National Green Committee Warren Beatty
Congressman Ralph Nader of New York
former Secretary of the Treasury Howard Dean
Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio
2004 nominee Winona LaDuke

Despite a populist campaign by Nader, who was able to secure the delegates from the NorthEast, the former Governor Warren Beatty secured victory with Western delegates and the support of SanFrancisco Mayor Matthew Gonzalez.

A campaign poster for the failed Green Party nomination of Ralph Nader

However, Nader, a leading figure in the environment, would get his nod as he was chosen for Vice-President on the Green Party ticket. The entire convention applauded the ticket, seeing it as the ticket to put the Green Party truly on the map.

Former California Governor Warren Beatty accepting the Green Party nomination at the Green Party convention in Florida

[Robespierre's Jaw]

In 1976, Barry Goldwater, fed up with the two major parties, ran for an successfully won the nomination of the Libertarian Party, winning twelve electoral votes and sixteen percent of the electoral vote, thus putting the Libertarian Party on the map. In 1980, they nominated Mark Hatfield for lack of a better candidate, and in 1984, they nominated former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel, who nly won Alaska. However, in 1988, the stock market experienced a huge fall, which doomed the Republicans, while the Democratic nominee, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, was accused of a huge sex scandal, thus opening the window of opportunity for then-California Senator Barry Goldwater Jr, who won with exactly 270 electoral votes in a very lucky election.

Ah, thanks for clearing that up for me.

I mean sure, it seems like a libertarian wank; and I doubt the factors would enable third party victory but that said, it's a decent read. I can't get over the fact that Warren Beatty has yet to have plastic surgery yet!

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

In 1976, Barry Goldwater, fed up with the two major parties, ran for an successfully won the nomination of the Libertarian Party, winning twelve electoral votes and sixteen percent of the electoral vote, thus putting the Libertarian Party on the map. In 1980, they nominated Mark Hatfield for lack of a better candidate, and in 1984, they nominated former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel, who nly won Alaska. However, in 1988, the stock market experienced a huge fall, which doomed the Republicans, while the Democratic nominee, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, was accused of a huge sex scandal, thus opening the window of opportunity for then-California Senator Barry Goldwater Jr, who won with exactly 270 electoral votes in a very lucky election.

Ah, thanks for clearing that up for me.

I mean sure, it seems like a libertarian wank; and I doubt the factors would enable third party victory but that said, it's a decent read. I can't get over the fact that Warren Beatty has yet to have plastic surgery yet!

For the record, I'm not a Libertarian or a Libertarian leanign Conservative. I have both Libertarian and Populist leanings, but am no where near Johnson or Paul.

[Niemeyerite]

Beatty/Nader 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Niemeyerite]

hello?? BUMP

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

hello?? BUMP

I'll try to get an update this weekend. It's just that basketball just started, and I haven't had as much time as in the past. I'll probably build up to the election with a series of smaller updates, such as the specific debates between the four candidates, and then election night.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Okay, instead of drawing this out, I should get it over with. Next post (may take a little bit) will be the 2008 election.

[Niemeyerite]

Okay, instead of drawing this out, I should get it over with. Next post (may take a little bit) will be the 2008 election.

=)

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Okay, instead of drawing this out, I should get it over with. Next post (may take a little bit) will be the 2008 election.

=)

Sorry for the wait, I've had computer problems today and just got back online, after having worked on a map and everything. I'll have to start over.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The 2008 Presidential Election; Election Night

On election night, Warren Beatty, despite the amount of money he spent, despite all the donations from hollywood celebrities and all the endorsements, was unable to take a single state. However, he did severely weaken the Republicans in both the West and the NorthEast, making Vermont, a state that woudl have gone for the Republicans by sixty percent, go to Bush by forty percent, and making other typically strong Republican North Eastern states such as Rhode Island and Connecticut got to Bush by around the sme margins. The Libertarians, on the other hand, had several lucky breaks, with former Massachusetts Governor William Weld, a Republican, endorsing the Libertarians, and with campaigning by Massachusetts politicans such as Nikki Tsongas and Charlie Baker. Because of that, they were able to obtain a plurality in Massachusetts. In New Jersey, with popular Governor Andrew Napolitano campaigning for them, that state went Libertarian as well. It turned out too late in the election that Huckabee's choice of putting Giuliani on the ticket did not help him at all in the North East, and that in part helped doom the Democrats.

Gary Johnson (L-NM)/Dick Randolph (L-AK) 33.1% of the popular vote
Michael Huckabee (D-AR)/Rudolph Giuliani (D-NY) 31.2% of the popular vote
George W Bush (R-TX)/Barrack Obama (R-IL) 26.5% of the popular vote
Warren Beatty (G-CA)/Ralph Nader (G-NY) 8.7% of the popular vote

After a sixteen year exodus from the Whitehouse, a Libertarian woudl again return, this time, the Libertarians hoped, for two terms.

[Niemeyerite]

Yes, the lesser of 3 evils won !!!!! And I hope Beatty runs in 2012, he can win about 20% in the future, I think. The left isn't representated in any of the major parties.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Yes, the lesser of 3 evils won !!!!! And I hope Beatty runs in 2012, he can win about 20% in the future, I think. The left isn't representated in any of the major parties.

Problem is, Johnson's strongest states are also Beatty's.

I really don't know what I'm gonna do for 2012. As far as I know, this TL will end with one update on Johnson's first term, the 2010 mid-terms, and an epilogue.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Also, the left, which temporarily left the Republicans (who became the emerging liberal party) for the Green Party, may be returning to the GOP in the future of this TL.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The First Term of Gary E Johnson Part One

On January 20th, 2009, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson took the Oath of Office and became the 43rd President of the United States of America. His Presidency marked the return of the Libertarian Party to the Whitehouse, which was only the second time they had achieved such a feat.

Secretary of State: Barry Goldwater Jr.
Secretary of Defense: Ronald Paul
Attorney General: Andrew Napolitano
United States Treasurer: Pat Choate
Whitehouse Communications Director: John Stossel

With Johnson's election, there was, in Congress, more support for more Libertarian measures. Using that power, Johnson was able to successfully reduce the size of government even more than his predecessors by eliminating several departments, and passing the Governmental Re-Organizational Act of 2009. Whatever departments that Johnson did not eliminate that he wanted to eliminate, he refused to appoint secretaries to and interim leaders had to be installed. To defend his massive reduction in the size of government, President Johnson responded:

During the past eight years, the size of government only grew. The period between 2001 and 2008 marked the largest growth in government since the seventies and eighties. This financial crisis that we now face was not the result of the 'failure of the free market', but merely an indicator that the continued policies of tax-and-spend will only hurt economic growth and the economy.

During his first one hundred days, Johnson would also eliminate corporate welfare and drastically reduce the size of the military. This was not appreciated by military "brass", however, Johnson was able to do it anyway. Other parts of Johnson's agenda, such as a guest worker program, would wait until after the financial crisis ended. Johnson also drastically lowered taxes on nearly every group possible, defending his answer saying:

In what way, does Congress think, that it is only hurtful to the American economy to put more money into hte pockets of Americans? Republicans and even some Democrats have opposed some of these measures, citing deficits. Since when is it inflationary, since when is it wrong, that Americans get their own money to spend?

However, Johnson's measures seemed to not be working. Throughout all of 2009, there was only marginal growth, and auto-workers in places like Detroit were still worried about their companies collapsing. In late 2009, General Motors fialed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Some, such as Illinois Senator Barrack Obama, called for more drastic measures to be taken. He suggested that the US government by 60% of GM stock in order to give it capital during the financial crisis.

While President Johnson also wanted to tackle things such as gay marriage and drug legalization, he wanted to retain public support among non-Libertarians, and decided to instead focus on the financial crisis. In a talk with Whitehouse Communications Director John Stossel, he said "God knows what would happen to our public support if we decided to go all out on social issues when we have this crisis."

By 2010, the economy had seen little improvement. However, economists predicted that the economy had bottomed otu in mid-2009, and that America was on the slow road to recovery. However, pundits on networks such as NBC and CNN were continually criticizing Johnson. One Liberal commentator said "President Johnson was taken us down the road to even larger comanies collapsing and higher unemployment rates. This November, it is time to take back America and deliver it to the common people."

When Johnson had taken office in early 2009, unemployment had been at around 7%. By late 2009, it was up to 9%, and in mid-2010, it appeared to be turning around, lowering to 8%. Libertarians were hopeful that by 2012, they would have a net gain of jobs under their belt, hoping for unemployment to be 6% or lower.

On the media front, both Attorney General Andrew Napolitano and Whitehouse Communications Director John Stossel were seen as Johnson's liasons to the media, given their history with FOX News. However, outside of FOX, Johnson would not receive much sympathy.

Meanwhile, across the nation, Libertarians who had gained seats in Congress the previous election were hoping and praying that the mid-terms would be kind to them.

On a different front, in 2009 and 2010, Democrats lost some of their most respected politicians and heroes to different diseases and ailments. In 2009, Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy died of a brain tumor. Later that year, former President John F. Kennedy died a peaceful death in his home in Boston Massachusetts. In 2010, Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Byrd of West Virginia died. He had been known in the Senate for his outrageoud personality as well as his unabashed Conservatism. The funerals of all three would have large crowds of colleagues and family members.

Former President John F Kennedy of Massachusetts
May 29, 1917-December 3, 2010

Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts
February 22, 1932-August 25, 2009

Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia
November 20, 1917-June 28, 2010

More to come...

[feeblepizza]

Gary Johnson in the White House....I love this TL

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Gary Johnson in the White House....I love this TL

However, it won't be easy given the financial crisis...

[feeblepizza]

Gary Johnson in the White House....I love this TL

However, it won't be easy given the financial crisis...

True, but just hearing the phrase, "President Gary Johnson," overtakes me with joy.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

By the way, JFK's offical obit will appear later, with a life story and all that.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The 2009 Elections

On November 3, 2009, some Gubernatorial and one Senate and Congressional elections were held.

The New Jersey Gubernatorial

In early 2009, the race appeared with no frontrunner. However, in late 2008, CNN talk show host Lou Dobbs resigned from CNN to move back to New Jersey. In early 2009, he announced his intentions to run for Governor of New Jersey. He won the Democratic Primary, and then won the election.

The Virginia Gubernatorial

In Virginia, Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell won election to the governorship, beating both his Republican and Libertarian opponents.

The Massachusetts Senate Race

Because of Ted Kennedy's death, a Massachusetts Senate seat was left open. However, a special election was held along with the other elections in 2009, and on the Republican side, two possible candidate emerged:

Former Governor and former Secretary of the Treasury Mitt Romney

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley

The amount of opposition to Romney that Coakley garnered, a whole 40% in the primary was somewhat indicative that Massachusetts Republicans were looking for a new face. However, after Romney's victory in the Republican Primary, Coakley endorsed Romney.

The Libertarians, on the other hand, were united with their support of candidate Charlie Baker, a former Republican who had held several state political offices.

The Democrats, after hearing the Governor Joseph Patrick Kennedy III would not be running and was choosing to instead govern and be re-elected, were in chaos, and unable to nominate a good candidate. The Democrats ended up nominating Far-Right activist Brian Camenker, which proved to be a horrible choice...

Romney won with 50% to Baker's 40% to Camenker's 10%. Both Charlie Baker and Martha Coakley were thinking of running for Governor in 2010.

New York Mayoral

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was a life-long Democrat turned Republican, turned Democrat to run for New York Mayor, turned Republican, had been able to change the laws of the city to run for a third term as Mayor. On November 3, he won his third term.