America and Onward 2.0

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

For the record, though it probably won't appear for another week, I'm working on the update on the South.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

“The South, frankly speaking, was a mess. After the collapse of the United States government in 1943, the South, which since Reconstruction had relied on subsidies and funding from the federal government, seemed completely helpless. Flipping around, gasping for air like a fish on the deck of a boat, it would need someone, or something to get it back into the water.

In Louisiana, Huey Long, a former United States Senator, former leader of the Democrats’ Populist faction, and a man who many times had been called a socialist, had taken power as its unofficial leader. Using his political machine, he transformed it into a near iron grip over the state. Some would compare him to Napoleon: a seeming champion of the working man, but inside a controlling megalomaniac. However, that is a very controversial argument and it continues to occupy the debates in Universities in and outside of the country. At the other end of the South, on the Atlantic Coast, former United States Senator Richard Russell Junior, a Conservative, had come into power. It seemed that, as of 1945, these two powers would either live in immense isolation of each other, sharing their own little pocket of the continent, or that they would have to meet head on.

The State of the South as of June, 1945
Orange: Area of Russell dominance
Red: Area of Long dominance
Gray: Minor governments, anarchy, unruled territory

“What would the fate of the South be?” some outside observers asked. Two great politicians and great leaders ruling separate factions of one area. One had to wonder how the situation might shape up. However, few did. Those in the West were focused on building and maintaining their own governments, that being the Republic of Texas and the Western American Republic. North of where the fighting was, another country had taken shape, called the Atlantic Coalition. They were concerned with their own affairs. It seemed that only a scholarly few, rich and safe enough to not be bothered by their surroundings, had the time to take notice of the interesting situation that was sure to develop just to the South. Leader Richard Russell Junior would be the first to seek conciliatory action between the two areas, as country is not a wide enough word to describe the state of the South at the time.

“In order to create a unified South with unified goals…” began the letter sent by Russell to his western rival Long in May of 1946. “Hell no!” would be Huey Long’s immediate response. However, one of his advisors, former political ally Hattie Caraway, one of the few women to rise to any sort of prominence in that era, would advise a calmer response. “Through this offer, we can not only help the people here, but the people throughout the South. Look at what we’ve done in Louisiana and Arkansas and in Missouri!” “Russell is a monster. He’s only looking for more workers that his corporations can enslave. If I agree to this, it’ll be he who has the upper hand.” “You have the resources and the popularity to overcome his machine in the East.” Long was a crafty man, and many have compared his rise in power after America’s collapse to that of Adolf Hitler in Germany. However, he was unsure of what to do with the situation. He was happy ruling over the amount of men that had travelled throughout the South to come under his folds, and he wasn’t about to give that away so Russell could be elected leader of the entire South as a whole. The letter Russell had sent detailed ideas for a Democracy, and Long, in order to be convinced to go into agreement with Russell, would have to be convinced that he would come out on top at the end. After a small amount of correspondence between Long and Russell by use of a makeshift mailing system that had been developed between the two leaders, Long would agree to meet with Russell. Many of his followers would compare it to meeting with the likes of Adolf Hitler or Benito Mussolini.

At what in Southern history has become known as the Vicksburg Conference, Richard Russell Jr. and Huey Long would meet in the city, by then ghost town, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, in “neutral territory”. While facilities in Atlanta or Savannah, Georgia or New Orleans, Louisiana would have been more useful for the purposes of a meeting to discuss the future of the South, however Long wanted to meet on “neutral territory” close to his end to discuss a possible alliance.

One of Huey Long’s outbursts at the historic Vicksburg Conference

At the conference, which took place from June 14th to June 19th in 1946, Russell and Long would come into many arguments over methods of governance, the role of government, how elections might take place in a hypothetical united South, and so on. Eventually, the exhausted odd couple would sign an agreement agreeing on elections to be held in late 1946 and for a committee of delegates and regional representatives to help guide the new President, to meet in early 1947 for the commencement of the agreement.

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Huey Long however, would have a different response to the final agreements made. Especially when an election was agreed upon to take place in October.

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Russell himself hadn’t really planned on campaigning for the election. However, when he heard news that Long was going in full force, he responded likewise, contacting corporations and allies in Georgia, the Carolinas, and Florida to make sure he could count on support. One major issue of the time was how state delegations would be assembled. Questions over size of state delegations and of the powers of particular states were brought up and at the Vicksburg Conference it was agreed that each delegation would include three members until in later elections where state senates would create the delegations. The three members would each represent one part of a state: Business, Agriculture, and Labor. Each Presidential term would last three years with the first stretching from 1947 to late 1950 when a new President, or the same one, being elected in the 1950 election. That single first term would be the only one, in theory, to exceed three years.

Long and his fiery rhetoric on the campaign trail

While the Presidency would be decided by delegations, Long was a man to recognize the importance of popular support, having learned from 1943, that the working man and the impoverished would not consent to merely “taking it” and that people under the right circumstances would rise up. Therefore his plan was “to put the fear of God, or at least fear of the people into the delegates”. Russell on the other hand was much less focused on an attempt to win popularity and was focused more on trying to convince delegation members, specifically those representing agriculture, why his more pro-corporate policies could help the farmer. However, he would not be guaranteed the business vote as in states like Louisiana, the business piece of the delegation would be represented by Long ally James A Noe. In other states, Long would attempt to set up other such puppet delegations.

Long would face Richard Russell Jr. in the 1946 October election

On October 15th, a small group would meet in Vicksburg Mississippi, the sight of the Vicksburg Conference from only four months earlier, to vote. Both Long and Russell were expecting victory against each other, whom they viewed as the enemies of everything they believed in, but at the same time necessary allies in their struggles for power.

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With that, Huey Long would be elected the first President of the Dixie Commonwealth, at the time comprised of Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Looking back on that day, Russell would damn himself for not trying harder to beat the man."

-A Southern Tale, Garland E Bayliss

Huey Pierce “Kingfish” Long—the first President of the Commonwealth of Dixie

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Comments? Hope I did well.

[Person Man]

This is exactly as I envisioned a post-America America to be. Good job.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Once I catch the Republic of Texas and the Atlantic Coalition up to speed, this may change. However, with the WAR in 1947, the RT in 1944, the AC in 1944, and the CD in 1946, this is what I got:

Blue-The Atlantic Coalition as of 1944
Red-The Commonwealth of Dixie as of 1946
Green-The Western American Republic as of 1947
Yellow-The Republic of Texas as of 1944

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The First Term of James A Farley of the Atlantic Coalition, 1945-1946

“The biggest job for Farley, as with all the leaders of the countries to come, would be the creation of a country. Setting up roads, transportation, and other basic infrastructure that, for the most part, had fallen into dis-repair. There was also the obvious question of how to construct a military. Political leaders such as former Senators Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan and Robert Taft of Ohio, as well as others such as Farley himself and Vice-President Joe Kennedy, while avowed non-interventionists, were also committed anti-communists and were determined that communism not spread to their new country.

Part of Farley’s job in terms of military creation would be delegating. To head the attempts to create a military--from seizing old army bases, to recruitment, to outfitting factories for military production, would be headed by three main people: Vice-President Joseph P Kennedy, Aviator and former Vice-Presidential candidate Charles Lindbergh, and former Secretary of State Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This brought in experience from a wide array of backgrounds as Kennedy had experience in business, Lindbergh had experience in aviation and had been a big pusher for the development of aviation as early as the 1920’s, and Roosevelt had not only worked as Governor of the most populous state in the then-dead United States, but also had experience in foreign policy and had served eight years as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the 1910’s. While there were often explosive arguments between Roosevelt and Lindbergh, Kennedy, who had experience working with both men, was able to help hold the trio together. He had worked with Roosevelt in Smith’s cabinet when Roosevelt had been Labor Secretary and Kennedy had been Treasury Secretary, and had worked with Lindbergh in 1940 as they had been running-mates on the controversial “America First” ticket.

As no Legislature existed in 1945, Farley would have to rule by consensus of political leaders. Representing former Conservative Republicans would be former Senator Arthur Vandenberg. Representing Progressivism would be former Senator Robert LaFollette Jr. Representing more Centrist sentiments would be the political novice and one of the few surviving members of the richest family in the Atlantic Coalition: Nelson Rockefeller. While Rockefeller was accused by people such as a closet Liberal, he maintained a strict title of “Centrist” in public. Eventually, a number of cabinet posts were agreed upon by major leaders, and appointments were agreed upon.

The Cabinet of President James Farley (May, 1945-December, 1946)

Vice-President: Joseph P Kennedy (MA)
Secretary of Diplomacy: Franklin D Roosevelt (NY)
Secretary-Treasurer: David I Walsh (MA)
Secretary of Law: Thomas Dewey (MH)
Secretary of War: George Marshall (PA)
     Head of the Army: Robert Taft (OH)
     Head of the Navy: Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (NY)
     Head of the Air-Corps: Henry H Arnold (PA)
 

The cabinet would be at some points controversial. Conservatives had been expecting Lindbergh, an expert on aviation, to be appointed Head of the Air-Corps. Instead, former United States General Henry H Arnold, who was known as among the best pilots and United States Air Force record, and had served as United States Chief of the Air-Corps from 1938 to 1940, would be appointed. However, Conservatives would have a bone thrown their way with the appointment of Robert Taft to Head of the Army. Other, less controversial choices, would include the appointment of Theodore Roosevelt Jr. to Head of the Navy, and New York Governor Thomas Dewey to Secretary of Law. In regard to Theodore Roosevelt Jr., he had served as Governor of both Puerto Rico (1929-1932) and the Philippines (1932-1933), as well as serving as Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1924 to 1921. In fact, the only one to have an objection was his distant cousin, Diplomacy Secretary Theodore Roosevelt, who was not on good terms with him. Of not in Farley’s cabinet would be a lack of members outside of New York, Manhattan Island, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

With the creation of the cabinet in May of 1945, responsibilities for the creation of a military would be taken away from the trio of Kennedy, Roosevelt, and Lindbergh, and be handed to George Marshall and the three department heads inside the War Department. Marshall’s first act as Secretary of War would be the seizure of abandoned factories in industrial states such as Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. Notable among them would be the huge manufacturing sites in Detroit formerly used for cars, and the assembly plant in Wheatfield, New York, which was formerly of the by then defunct Bell Aircraft Corporation. There, under the direction of both Lindbergh and Arnold, aircraft construction would begin.

The former Bell Aircraft Corporation assembly in Wheatfield, New York-up and bustling again by 1946

In terms of testing, experimentation, and serving as a temporary base for the Air-Corps, the former United States Naval base in Lakehurst, New Jersey would do. During the 1930’s it had served as one of the prime places for air-ship testing and had in fact at one point been the crash site of the Hindenburg.

For the Navy, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, at one point the longest continually running United States naval base, as it had been constructed in 1800, would serve as the main naval base in the Atlantic Coalition. Its history would serve as a good reminder of where the Atlantic Coalition had come from and what shoulders it stood upon. While Naval Head Theodore Roosevelt Jr. would not spend much time there, his assistant, former United States Under-Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal of New York would serve as his main man there.

Of note in Farley’s first term would be the creation of political parties. While parties such as the Progressives and the Southern-Conservative party had run in 1944, the two main contenders, James Farley and Arthur Vandenberg, had run as Independents. On Vandenberg’s end, the Lincolnian Party would come into creation. On September 21st, 1955, one hundred years past the first announcement of the creation of the Republican Party, Vandenberg, accompanied by fellow former Conservative Republicans such as former Congressman Everett Dirksen, former Senator Styles Bridges, and Head of the Army Robert Taft, would announce the creation of the Lincolnian Party. Its main tenants would be fiscal conservatism, opposition to government programs, equality for all citizens, and a “realistic” foreign policy.

Two of the Lincolnian Party’s founders—Former Senator Arthur Vandenberg and Head of the Army Robert Taft—at a meeting in Detroit, Michigan (2/4/46)

On the other end of the spectrum would be the Progressive Party, already formed. The leader, was, of course, former Senator Robert LaFollette Jr. of Wisconsin. He in fact was the son of 1924 Progressive nominee for President of the United States. However, the son of another Progressive icon who had also run for President, Theodore Roosevelt Jr., would not throw support behind the Progressive Party as he stood with President Farley.

As for the President, “where, and with whom, does he stand?” many would ask. Responding to pressure from other groups, the Industry party would be formed in December of 1945. Based on “the interests of working class families across this nation, realistic market policies, and on equality of opportunity throughout the land”, the party itself went against some of Farley’s own beliefs. Privately, Farley was a Conservative. However, publicly, he would stand by larger government programs and the base that had supported him in 1944, at least until, in his mind, government programs would no longer be necessary.

With President Farley’s main focus on setting up a military and setting up infrastructure, finally, an amendment to the constitution, overseen by Vandenberg and LaFollette, would allow for Congressional elections every two years on election years to take place. The amount of  representatives each state received would be based on the amount of people in each state, including New York City, which, at that point, was the most populous state in the country. With that accomplishment, the first “full election”, one made of Gubernatorial, Congressional, and a Presidential election, would gear up near the middle of 1946. Farley had accomplished quite much. How might the people respond to it?”

-Atlantic, John Eisenhower

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Typed it all up today while I was supposed to be studying for Chemisty. I hope you're happy.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Opinions? Making this stuff is hard work, you know.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

“Even as the tiny nation of the Atlantic Coalition progressed towards the 1946 Presidential election, there were still issues at the forefront of President Farley’s mind. While in 1945 his administration had been mainly focused on setting up the nation’s national defenses, Farley turned inward in 1946, towards domestic policy, as well as outward, in terms of trying to set up international contacts, including talking with Europe and Canada. 1946 would mark the first meeting of leaders of the Atlantic Coalition with the Canadian government. President Farley, Vice-President Kennedy, Diplomacy Secretary Roosevelt, and Lincolnian Party Founder Arthur Vandenberg (who would be an opponent of Farley in the December election), would meet with the leaders of the Canadian government, including Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. While Farley would have very much liked an isolationist policy, he realized that he should forge friendships with other nations, if not just to make sure that they would not attack him. However, attempts to meet with European leaders would be much more difficult. First of all, there was the mere prospect of contacting them from across the Atlantic. Many people, for no particular reason but the distance, were afraid of the possibilities. Another reason would be the isolationist reaction by many on the right to the bombings on November 3rd, 1942. Taft articulated the position best to President Farley saying “We saw the backlash against American involvement through the Lend-Lease Act and other attempts to aid the allies. For now, it is time to retreat, regroup, and form ourselves into the nation that can withstand that type of attack. We needn’t go looking for fights.”

In terms of domestic policy, Farley would go against his Conservative instincts in order to help set up basic infrastructure for the nation. Ordering the Atlantic Transportation Creation (as opposed to passing the bill, which would be a practice to later be employed with the election of a legislature) in March, 1946, the “Transportation Corps” would be set up. This would be a government agency that would take charge of the reparation of old and building of new roads. The major priority would be repairing the out of use and abandoned roads that were left behind by America. In order to place a competent, popular, and experienced person heading the organization, Nelson Rockefeller would be made the first Head of the Transportation Corps on April 3rd, 1946. Privately, Farley detested Rockefeller, seeing him as the one who would use the power of the Presidency to turn the nation into a Progressive attempt at Utopia. However, publicly, Farley would have to stand beside Rockefeller at photo-ops and rallies as Rockefeller announced he was supporting Farley for re-election in 1946.

As the December election approached, Farley would attempt t cram more into his work load as he tried to push for more and more of what he hoped would be the right path for the country. One thing, to be ordered would be the Privatization Decree in which Farley would meet with the nation’s wealthy in the hopes of selling off certain government functions to them in order to create a free market and to get rid of government bureaucracy. Farley’s goal was the re-instatement of a free market as opposed to the government controlled market that had existed earlier. Some of the wealthy, such as the Rockefellers and the Kennedys, however, would be prevented from buying the equipment and property for sale, as they were involved as high ranking members of the government. Eventually, families such as the Fords, who had lived in exile in Canada, and the Du Ponts, who, since the collapse of the United States, had lived in somewhat limited comfort in retreat in Delaware, would be contacted. The Fords, headed by Henry Ford II, a very young family patriarch, would return to Detroit and begin heading a re-growing business community there in June of 1946. Eventually, Henry Ford II would agree to buy up one eighth of the manufacturing power in Detroit and guaranteed Farley that he could fin buyers for the rest. The Du Ponts on the other hand would become the leading family in weaponry creation. While the family had originally gotten rich off of gun powder, weaponry seemed the natural step.

Currency would be a big problem for the country. They were still using up dollar bills, which were viewed as archaic and un-necessary. Also, while the United States had backed up their dollar with gold, there was no such thing to do so in the Atlantic Coalition. Meeting with Secretary-Treasurer David Walsh, they agreed to finally issue their own currency upon the first convening of Congress on January 3rd, 1947."

-Atlantic, John Eisenhower

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The 1946 Industry Party National Convention
In the first “true election” by modern standards, in which political parties would meet head on and candidates for every office ranging from Governor to Legislator would hold elections, the first National Conventions of the two, as of then, major parties would be held. Going into the election, the Industry Party would have the advantage, not only because Farley was the incumbent, but because they were a far more diverse party as a whole. While the party’s public credo was Liberalism, the party was headed by what historians today call a moderate or a Conservative. Not only that, but many high ranking members of the party were themselves far, far to the Right of what one would expect of a Centre-Left party would be. Among those that were “less than Liberal” were President Farley, Vice-President Kennedy, and Secretary-Treasurer David I Walsh. The more left-leaning members would include Diplomacy Secretary Franklin D Roosevelt and War Secretary George Marshall.

The first Industry Party National Convention would be held in New York City which was, as of then, the largest functioning city, the nation’s capital, and it’s political, intellectual, and cultural center. It would be held from August 3rd to August 5th. Speakers would include all the major party leaders, mainly members of the cabinet. The convention would unanimously nominate Farley and Kennedy for the first time, as they had run as Independents two years before.

Diplomacy Secretary Franklin Roosevelt introducing President Farley at the Industry Party Convention

The 1946 Lincolnian Party Convention
As 1946 had the first Industry Party Convention, the first Lincolnian Party Convention was also to take place. Also taking place in New York City, this time from August 19th to August 21st. While Vandenberg had no intention of winning in 1946, he believed, that as the Party’s founder, he had an obligation to run as its first nominee despite agreeing with a large amount of what President Farley said. A number of potential running mates including Everett Dirksen, Styles Bridges, and Robert Taft all declined a spot on the ticket as they were each intent on running for Congressional seats. Taft also had a different reason as he was in President Farley’s cabinet and felt that he would not best serve his ability if he was actively campaigning against Farley. Charles Lindbergh himself was tired of running for President and instead, like most members of the Lincolnian Party, stated that he would be running for Congress. Eventually, former Governor  Charles Edison of New Jersey, a former Vice-Presidential candidate, would agree to be on the ticket. Previously, he had run for Vice-President on the Southern-Conservative ticket, which was no longer a party as Southern nationalism had died out and Conservatives were flocking to the Lincolnians.

One other man of historical note attending and speaking at the convention was Wisconsin Congressional Candidate Joseph McCarthy. He delivered a bombastic speech against the Farley Administration and became known as the Lincolnian attack dog from the 1946 campaign and onward.

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Vandenberg, Taft, Lindbergh, Bridges, McCarthy, and Dirksen—Several of the “big names” at the first Lincolnian Party Convention

While Vandenberg did not agree with much, if any, of what McCarthy said, he knew McCarthy could help to rally otherwise apathetic voters. “I detest the man as much as any of you here” he would say to a crowded suite containing some of his allies. “However, let the mad-man rant. He will doubtlessly lose and we will never have to hear from him again.” On his way down to the convention floor on the 21st of August, Vandenberg would bump into another member of his new party. Gerald Ford of Michigan, a lawyer who had taken an active role in community service since 1944, who would be running for Congress from Michigan. Later, Ford would become Vandenberg’s apprentice in Michigan politics.

The 1946 Progressive Party National Convention
The Progressive Party was the oldest existing party in the nation, having run a candidate in 1944. Their hero, former Senator Robert La Follette Jr. of Wisconsin, would once again step up to the plate to run for President. However, he would require a new running mate as Wendell Willkie, a long-time campaigner for Progressive causes, had died of lung cancer due to smoking in 1945. While people such as Thomas Dewey and Nelson Rockefeller, who at the time were both unaffiliated with either party, were asked to join the Progressive Party, they both declined. They convention eventually settled on former Connecticut Governor Raymond E Baldwin, who had been a Willkie supporter in 1940 and before the collapse of the United States had been a Liberal Republican.

Former United States Senator Robert La Follette Jr.--The Leader of the Progressive Party

The 1946 Election
In the 1946 election, all three major candidates were the candidates from two years before. Of the three, La Follette was the only one to openly attack both of his opponents. Farley and Vandenberg, friends, limited their attacks to La Follette. Eventually, La Follette’s hopes of biting into New England were dashed as he had two political organizations aimed against him. On December 1st, 1946, James A Farley would be re-elected President of the Atlantic Coalition.

 

President James A Farley (MH)/Vice-President Joseph P Kennedy (MA) Industry 123 electoral votes
Former Senator Arthur Vandenberg (MI)/Former Governor Charles Edison (NJ) Lincolnian 85 electoral votes
Former Senator Robert La Follette Jr. (WI)/Former Governor Raymond E Baldwin (CT) Progressive 13 electoral votes

His re-election had ensured general governmental stability. In the three years since the country's founding, and in the two years since its first Presidential election, the Atlantic Coalition had risen up, and in the next two years it would continue to do so as Farley attempted to establish it as a power, if not in the world, the at least on the American continent."

-Atlantic, John Eisenhower

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

McCarthy always makes me laugh.

I love this timeline, btw.

Thanks. You'll probably be seeing more of his hilarious speeches very soon.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Popular vote maps from 1944 and 1946:

[Mechaman]

Fascinating.
New York City is it's own state.

[Cincinnatus]

Fascinating.
New York City is it's own state.

Yes.  Every political upstate New Yorkers dream

By the way, great work on this.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Fascinating.
New York City is it's own state.

Yes.  Every political upstate New Yorkers dream

By the way, great work on this.

Thanks, both of you. I'm hoping for interesting developments in all four regions. Glad to see this got some comments!

Up next, maybe even before the day ends, an update on the Republic of Texas!

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Interesting to see how the South turns out, since I doubt it would remain intact in its' present state.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Bump! New update should be coming tonight!

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

“In short, the Texas constitution dictated the key rules regarding elections. Elections for President of the Republic of Texas would take place every four years on the first Monday of April beginning in 1946. Following the election, the President would then be sworn in on the ninth of June, the anniversary of the declaration of the creation of the Republic of Texas. There would be a total of eleven weeks for transition between administrations to take place and for a hypothetical out-going President to move out and the hypothetical incoming President to move in, as well as for him to organize his staff and choose his cabinet. There would be no limits as to how many terms a President could run for. As for the Texas legislature, Senate terms would be expanded to four years and hold elections and swearings in on the same dates as Presidential elections, except that they would take place starting in 1948. Texas House elections would take place every two years. Election would take place by popular vote. Also, rules for a line of succession were put in place which included a Vice-President, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and cabinet members. A Vice-President would be elected come 1946, but would be vacant until then and there was no method for replacing a Vice-President put in place at that time.

The rest of Garner’s cabinet would be filled with Texans, unlike his pick for MacArthur to run the Bureau of War. To head the Bureau of Finance, the moderate yet business friendly Oscar F Holcombe, formerly the Mayor of Houston, would be selected. Businessman and former head of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and businessman Jesse H Jones would work as Head of the Commerce Bureau. To head the Agriculture Bureau, the obscure Beauford H Jester, head of the Texas Railroad Commission and resident of Corsicana, would be picked. Finally, to head the Justice Bureau, former Texas Governor James Allred who had been active in law at the Federal level, would be picked. While much more Liberal than Garner, he was one of the most experience people in law that Garner knew of and had experience working with the people of Texas.

The Cabinet of President John Nance Garner
Head of the Bureau of War: Douglas MacArthur
Head of the Bureau of Finance: Oscar F Holcombe
Head of the Bureau of Justice: James B Allred
Head of the Bureau of Agriculture: Beauford H Jester
Head of the Bureau of Commerce: Jesse H Jones

Among President Garner’s many goals, the economy was the largest one as it had plunged the United States and his home state into the crisis it was in during 1944, 1945, and 1946. While he had worked hard on promoting commerce, and it seemed to be working, Garner felt that his new Republic would have to set itself apart from other forces such as possible rival nations, economic down-turns, and inflation. Therefore in November of 1944, he gathered some of his key advisors including his protégé and key aide Sam Rayburn to discuss the creation of a Texan currency. Among those there were Texas Senator Lyndon B Johnson, Head of Finance Oscar F Holcombe, and Head of Commerce Jesse H Jones. Despite talking about the issues of metallism, they would also consult with Texas artists, presenting their ideas about what a Republic of Texas type currency would look like and what the name might be. Finally, the name decided would be “Lonestars”, taking a page from Texas known once as the “Lone Star State” and called by citizens the “Lone Star Republic”. In copying off the United States, Lonestars would be comprised of one hundred cents which would be the very lowest amount to base pricing on. For abbreviation, one Lonestar would be seen on price signs as “Ls-1”, while one cent would be represented by “ł-1” and so on and so forth. The Lonestar was to be silver and any paper Lonestars would be backed by silver, to be stored in the Treasury, a subsidiary of the Finance Bureau.

After purchasing the machine power and human labor to begin producing the coins and obtaining the final draft of what one would look like, minting began in Houston on February 17th, 1945 and the first issuing of  Lonestars to banks would begin March 1st, 1945.

One Silver Texan Lonestar

Business-wise, this would have a great affect as businessmen and bankers would meet with each other in Houston in April and June and on June 17th, eight days after the first anniversary celebration of the creation of the Lone Star Republic, the “Houston Shares and Bonds Trading Board” would open inside a large warehouse. While today some might call it “being in the pocket of big business”, President Garner would be a frequent visitor to the HSBTB as would Head of the Commerce Bureau Jesse H Jones who was well connected in business. This would be only one of the factors, including Houston’s size as well the amount of business that had existed in it previously, that lead to it being the most prosperous city in the Republic of Texas for decades.

Politically, there was little activity in the Garner administration following the creation of currency except the writing of Texas’ tax code, which would be a measly three pages as opposed to the longer tax codes of future and past countries. Due to President Garner’s rather advanced age, him being seventy-seven years old come election day, 1946, no-one expected him to seek re-election. However, he would famously announce on February 17th 1946 “I feel much better now than I did in 1936, and I feel I’ve got it in me for one last fight. After all, I still have to be popularly re-elected by the people of this great country. I feel I would not be complete lest I knew that this nation was with me in my actions since 1942”. With that, any hopes by Texan politicians including Lyndon B Johnson and Sam Rayburn of seeking the Presidency that year were tossed aside as Garner happily went about re-election. To this day he remains the nation’s oldest ever President. In the words of Ann Richards “If we saw a man that old running for President nowadays, he’d be called crazy. But not back then, when the times were crazier than the men running for office.”

-A Texan History, James R Perry

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Great stuff so far, but I have a few nitpicks.

Why would the election be on a specific date rather than "The first Tuesday" or "the second Wednesday" or what have you? That would run the risk of elections falling on Sunday.

Also, a mere five weeks for transition time seems a bit... short.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Great stuff so far, but I have a few nitpicks.

Why would the election be on a specific date rather than "The first Tuesday" or "the second Wednesday" or what have you? That would run the risk of elections falling on Sunday.

Also, a mere five weeks for transition time seems a bit... short.

As for the first question, I don't have a calendar detailing the specific date a Tuesday in 1946 happened in . That could work on countries that have November elections or elections in certain years. Is there some huge website where you can type in a date and they give you the day of the week it is?

On the second question, that can be adjusted, but I have the idea, for some reason, that there should be a short transition time. Back in old America, wasting away from November to March seems ridiculous in my eyes, and in modern America, there're still something like eleven full weeks for transition.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Good news! Turns out there's this, a website which'll give you the calendar for a year. Also, the Texas election day has been set forward to the first Monday in April. That gives around between ten and eleven weeks for transition and avoids the Sunday problem.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

LOL. Inititally I had read that "elections would be on the fifth of May" and just misread it. My bad.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

LOL. Inititally I had read that "elections would be on the fifth of May" and just misread it. My bad.

I edited it to say the first Monday of April or whatever it is now.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Toniiiight, Tonight, an update should come tonight...

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

"The story of Texas' first election is a short one. With Garner's entry, all candidates, announced or prospective, backed down except for some on the lunatic fringe. With Garner's popularity, his only challengers would be from the Texan White People's Party, and the Texan Socialist Party. Garner himself was running as an Independent with the backing of every major politician in the Republic of Texas. Because of this, on April 1st, 1946, he was re-elected with over ninety-percent of the vote.

Following his re-election, Garner would move onto different projects of his Presidency. One would be to establish ties with other powers that were themselves emerging from the rubble of the former United States. The only prominent one at the time was the Atlantic Coalition, led by fellow Conservative James Farley who, incidentally, found himself trapped with a libral constituency and a liberal nation. Regardless, Farley and Garner, former friends from the Smith Administration, became good allies. Despite both not having internationlist instincts, Farley and Garner both knew the importance of having friends, themselves going against their own creed of avoiding "entangling alliances".

President Garner with Diplomacy Secretary Franklin D Roosevelt of the Atlantic Coalition

However, when it came to Europe, President Garner would turn a blind eye to rumors and news stories of Hitler and his Third Reich. "It's a European problem, it should have a European solution", he quipped, and would throughout his Presidency be a staunch advocate of "saving Texan boys from going off to die in foreign lands". The short-term culmination of Garner's relationship with the Atlantic Coalition was a free trade agreement, signed in August of 1947. It would be the first free trade deal between countries in North America and would be historic because of this. While the credo of people with beliefs resembling those of Garner's today might be "trade with all, alliances with none", Garner inadvertently strengthened internationalism with the deal, something he had no desire in doing.

In November of 1947, word came from the West that a new country had sprung up. The so-called "Western American Republic", headed by the Progressive Earl Warren, had come into being. Having been aware of Warren as a Progressive Republican before America's collapse, Garner's immediate reaction would be "I can't stand that bastard Warren". Therefore, no diplomatic relations would be attempted."

-A Texan History, James R Perry

"When word came from the East of the so-called Republic of Texas, led by the insufferable Dixiecrat John Nance Garner, the former United States Vice-President and avowed racist Conservative, I didn't expect anything from it. Garner, a labor-baiting, poker-playing, whiskey-drinking, evil old man, was just the type of leader Texas would elect. It seemed fitting that he and I, both Governors elected in 1942, a year before the collapse of the United States, woudl nwo be the leaders of our respective areas. Myself in the Western America Republic, which California was a part of, and Garner in his hell-hole of a home state.

However, on the continent's East Coast, there might be a chance of finding another civilized nations as rumors circulated of another country existing out there. In today's age of telephone lines spanning the continent, North to South, East to West, and people being able to call each other from thousands of miles away, one might think that it would be obvious to hear of such a country. However, in 1948, my first full year as President of the Republic, there were no trans-continental telephone lines. the trans-continental rail-roads were out of comission. The only news one might get from across the continent was from weary travellers stumbling into the nation's eastern border, who had heard from someone they knew who heard from someone they knew of a different country on North America's East Coast. Rumors had that its borders extended as far West as Minnesota, though no-one knew for sure. At the time, the Western American Republic was in no condition to open up diplomatic talks with any nation. While trips were made back and forth from Hawaii regularly thanks to Naval power, we had not even attempted to contact Canada, Mexico, or any of the rumored other countries existing on the continent.

At the same time, my main focus was on domestic affairs. Namely was expanding the services and reforms I had implemented in California across the new nation that I now was leader of, as well as drafting the country's Constitution. The entire text of the Constitution can be found in the appendices, and there are readers who doubtlessly not find interest in reading it.

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Thos words embodied the spirit that the ninety delegates and myself set forth on when crafting the Constitution. The four main tenants of the Constitution are as follow:
    

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With the Constitution signed by all ninety delegates and myself on the historic date of September 17th, 1948, the country was officially united and I was ready to proceed forward. One of my greatest desires, besides my wish of providing the good graces of government to every citizen in the nation, was to expand those graces. There were at the time several states still in anarchy and it was my great ambition to stop that and to spread the Progressive vision that both I and the nation believed in, outward."

-Go West, Earl Warren

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