America and Onward 2.0

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

"Under my watch as the first President of the Western American Republic, the foundation for industry, agriculture, commerce, and economic and cultural growth was laid down. With such projects as the Western Republican Business Council which was to be a government run organization to ensure fair business practices, the Cultural Restoration and Preservation Project which was to take charge of librairies and have responsibility in the preservation of cultural heritage, the Western American Transportation Order which ordered the full restoration of roads throughout the nation as well as the building of new ones, and the Western American Monetary Declaration which created the nation's new currency, which every two year old in this great nation now knows is the Montan.

Sidetracking, the story of the Montan is a strange one. The area in which the Western American Republic was originally in and still inhabits, is and was among the lowest producing regions of precious metals in the world. In order to have an economy beyond bartering, which was the norm of the time due to the Great Depression, a national currency would need to be established. In order to have a truly value backed currency, complete with a precious metal that would never lose its value to ensure that forever more, currency would be safe, the Western American Republic would need to embark on its first diplomatic excursion. In Canada, which had somehow managed to survive the Depression through its own means, there was still a working and in fact recovering economy. In Canada's Eastern part was an area of moderate Gold production. In order to obtain gold in order to make currency, we would need to arrange a purchase of a rather large amount of gold so as to begin the minting process. Former President of the United States and my good friend Alf Landon was the one to take the trip to Vancouver Island, beginning on March 3rd, 1949. According to him, after contacting local authorities there, a meeting was arranged with Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King for March 19th. I myself travelled there in order to be present for the negotiations. Prime Minister King and I would begin talks on March 19th that would culminate with the signing of the Ottawa Accords on March 24th. They agreed, in short, to trade gold for coal. Canada itself produced very little coal, and while there was much more coal being traded, we would get our gold. In order to procure coal, miners in Montana would be set to work in an attempt to produce a very large amount of coal in a short amount of time in order to complete our end of the transaction. Montana, with its reliance on federal fudning and its largeness had been hit especially hard by the Depression. In honor of the miners in that state, some of whom ended up giving their lives in that time, the new currency, which first went into production on July first, 1949, was to be called the Montan.

Getting back to topic, the time span between 1947 and 1949 would be the most productive in our history as of this writing. While I understand the need for legislature in a Republic, the fact of the matter was that without those greedy bastards that were soon to inhabit the House of Delegates beginning in 1950, I was able to accomplish quite a lot and I am proud of that record and stand firmly by it.

On the second of November, 1949, a Wednesday, the first elections for the House of Delegates took place. Very few political parties existed in those days. However, people divided themselves along ideological lines and the main issue of the day was whether or not to support my policies. Thankfully for me, there were many that did in those days. Because of that, those who campaigned opposing my politicies were very few in the House of Delegates.

My desire to extend such reforms and progress into the untamed states of Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, and others came in April of 1950 as Delegate George T Mickelson approached my office with a young man, now known to all, named Hubert H Humphrey. Humphrey had been a small time politician and beauracrat in Minneanapolis, Minnesota, before the Collapse. For the next hour, he gave an impassioned plea in the names of those in places like Minnesota, North Dakota, and Iowa. In now famous words, he stated "I have heard of this country. Of its principles of equality and serving the people. Now I challenge you. Is it not in your principles to give aid to the thousands of starving men, women, and children beyond your borders?"

Those words began what a historian might call the phase of the Western America Republic's expansion Eastward. Before Congress, I would propose the Republican Foreign Service and Military Construction Act of 1950, which would create two necessary things, the military  which was formally known as the Western American Republic Department of National Defense, as well as the creation of the Western American Republic Bureau of International Relations and Foreign Aid. These two groups would lay thr groundwork not only for Eastward expansion, but for linking the Western American Republic and the world."

-Go West, Earl Warren

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Bump! Anybody reading?

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

"While in the Western American Republic, plotting emerged to greatly expand the country, the Eastern half of the continent would be embroiled in its own issues. In 1947, South of the Mason-Dixon Line, a new nation had emerged, referred to by its citizens as the Commonwealth of Dixie and referred to sarcastically by Northerners as the Commonwealth of the Confederacy. In the Commonwealth, the populist Huey Long had been elected President, and his Presidency worried many foreign policy experts in the Atlantic Coalition. His economic policies which he imposed upon the fragile nation bore extreme rexemblances to those of communism, with one hundred percent taxes on the wealthy and massive wealth and property redistribution. While popular among the poor, the South's Conservatives, led by political leader and former United States Senator Richard Russell Jr. would be incredibly unhappy. With Long's skills with political machines, he was slowly arranging his own dictatorship after having been elected by delegates at Vicksburg in 1947. The spread of Communism was seen by many on both the Left and Right, including Arthur Vandenberg, Robert Taft, James Farley, Joseph Kennedy Sr., Franklin Roosevelt, and Nelson Rockefeller, as the gravest threat to world peace and to liberal democracy. However, isolationist instincts won out. After all, it was reasoned, they do have a Democratic process in place. Let us see what becomes of them.

Of note, at the beginning of Farley's second term, Head of the Army Robert Taft resigned as he was taking a seat in Congress from Ohio. In order to fill the gap, my father, Dwight D Eisenhower would surprisingly be selected. Himself one of the less notable founders of the Atlantic Coalition despite having roots in Kansas, his most recent position had been as temporary field commander of the Atlantic Coalition Army. Now, he finally got a desk job.

Dwight D Eisenhower's Official Portrait as Head of the Army

Farley's second term would be marked by the creation of the Atlantic Coalition Currency. While nations such as the Western American Republican and the Republican of Texas had chosen altogether new currencies, the major change of currency would be towards the Atlantic Coalition Dollar as opposed to the United States Dollar. While at that stage very few national heroes existed, it was agreed upon that both Al Smith and Fiorello La Guardia would have their faces on the one and twenty dollar bills, respectively. Other dollar bills and coins would have national symbols or current officeholders on them as stand-ins. The quarter would have the face of Secretary-Treasurer David I Walsh on it, as it still does today.

One of the more notable cabinet shake-ups occured when Theodore Roosevelt Jr. announced his resignation from his post as Head of the Navy. "I can no longer work with this man", he said, referring to his cousin Franklin D Roosevelt. The two had experienced a running feud since the 1920's when Franklin was a Democrat and Teddy was a Republican and it had never quite healed. Even during their years working together int he Farley Administration, each had done their best to ignore the other. However, Teddy Roosevelt Jr. was ready to call it quits. On June 17th, 1947, Theodore Roosevelt Jr. resigned his position as Head of the Navy. To fill the gap, on June 23rd, Joseph Kennedy Jr. The son of the Vice-President, his nomination had been pushed by Vice-President Joseph Kennedy whose political dreams extended beyond himself, as he wished to in fact create a political dynasty. Joe Kennedy Jr., like so many other youths of the 1940's, had, after the November 3rd attacks in 1942, joined the military, registering in the Navy. While  Joe Kennedy Jr. had never experienced combat, He represented a newer generation of people that would one day inherit the leadership of the Atlantic Coalition.

Joseph Kennedy Jr.'s Official Portrait as Head of the Navy

James Farley's second term would also mark the beginning of the McCarthy Era of Atlantic Politics. This is not Eugene McCarthy, now famous former leader of the Western American Republic from the WAR state of Minnesota, but Joseph McCarthy, leader of the reactionary anti-communist forces in the Lincolnian Party. A newbie to politics and a surprising Conservative from the same state as Robert LaFollette Jr., McCarthy's star seemed to be rising as he held multiple hearings throughout 1947 and 1948 attempting to root out perceived communists in the Diplomacy Departments. While some Franklin Roosevelt proteges came under suspicion and a number were fired out of fear of public wrath, nothing was ever proven. The biggest "trial", however, was to occur in June of 1948 when Deputy Secretary of Diplomacy Cordell Hull, formerly of Tennessee, was accused by McCarthy of having "ties to the vicious Communist Huey Long and his other Commie Confederates!". While the case turned into a disgrace for McCarthy from the point of view of those inside the beltway, to Atlanticans, it seemed to speak volumes about the potential threat that the Commonwealth of Dixie and the USSR posed. Even other Conservatives such as Congressman Taft and Bridges, as well as President Farley himself, who were all domestic anti-communists, found McCarthy's level of paranoia startling. However, McCarthy began to develop a public following and even began receiving letters telling him of Draft McCarthy movements springing up."

-Atlantic, John Eisenhower

"During the short span of the Huey Long Presidency, many things would be accomplished. Hailed by today's modern Left as being some of the greatest triumphs against in equality and haild by today's modern Right as being some of the greatest acts against capitalism and freedom, his Presidency was controversial.

His first act, even before the creation of a group of advisers or a cabinet, was the total wealth re-distribution of the country. This would meet with an outrage by many including plantation owners and businessmen alike. Even among the section of the nation's poor that viewed communism as evil, this was not received completely favorably. However, with Long's political machine, which, since the election he had spread into Mississippi and Alabama after already having control of Louisiana and Arkansas, kept the pubilc under control. In his memoirs, Long would write that it had been "for the greater good". However, Long was losing support as the military had turned against him as well. It seemed that the man who had so skillfully maneuvered hsi way into the Presidency in 1947 would face stiff opposition from the nation that had elected him. It had already been arranged that the 1950 election would be held according to popular vote and an electoral college, as opposed to the procedure in 1947 which had been completely void of popular vote. Long was most definitely in trouble."

-A Southern Tale, Garland E Bayliss

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The 1948 Atlantic Coalition Presidential Election
Going along the lines set by George Washington, President James Farley would announce that he would not be running for a third term, leaving the field for the most part wide open for candidates in any party. He also announced that he would not accept drafts for President, Vice-President, or an appointment to any cabinet position. The man who had led the nation to where it was in 1948 was stepping out of politics for good.

The nation was surprised to hear of President Farley's retirement

The 1948 Industry Party National Convention
At the convention, held in Boston, Massachusetts, the obvious candidate was Vice-President Kennedy who had held an active role as Vice-President, working with businesses to aid in military production as well as helping to craft the government budgets the last four years. Kennedy himself was more Liberal than Farley, but was also still fiscally conservative. Others in the running would be Secretary-Treasurer David I Walsh of Massachusetts, Secretary of War George Marshall of Pennsylvania, Legislature Majority Leader John McCormack of Massachusetts, Governor Averill Harriman of New York, and Legislator Adlai Stevenson of Illinois. On the first ballot however, Kennedy would be nominated.

Choosing a Vice-President would be more difficult. Kennedy believed both New York and Manhattan Island, which was the official name for the state that had formerly been New York City, to be locked down and saw no need to try to appeal there. The blue collars in Pennsylvania and New Jersey were in a similar situation. Finally, in an attempt to appeal to the South, comprising of Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky, the convention nominated Legislator Matthey M Neely for Vice-President. It was hoped that the choice would be able to steal Kentucky away from the Lincolnians.

Legislator Matthew M Neely of West Virginia--the 1948 Industry Party nominee for Vice-President

The 1948 Lincolnian Party National Convention
Former Senator Arthur H Vandenberg announced that year that he would not be running for President a third time. Instead, he announced, he would be running for Governor of Michigan, hoping to gain more political relevance in preparation for 1950 or 1952. In the 1948 election, a moderate faction of the party would emerge with the former moderate Republican Thomas Dewey, who had served as Governor of New York and Farley's Secretary of Law. He proved able to beat his opponents which included Legislators Robert Taft and Styles Bridges, and Governor Ralph F Gates. In order to kepp the Conservative Old Guard (though the party was hardly old) pleased, Governor Gates of Indiana was chosen for Vice-President.

No other parties would emerge as Robert La Follette Jr., rumored to be a very depressed man, announced that the Progressive Party would not be running a candidate in the election due to "concerns that the spirit of Progressivism is not truly alive in the country." He himself would endorse no-one, though many of his supporters would flock to Kennedy with around thirty percent flocking to the moderate Dewey.

The election would be close without the popular Farley running. However, Farley's popularity would help pave Kennedy's way in the polls and on election night, which was December 3rd, the tiny nation would not know who would be winning the election. Some newspapers in fact got a bit ahead of themselves with the now infamous printing of "Dewey Defeats Kennedy" printed on them, something President Kennedy would laugh about the rest of his life.

Vice-President Joseph P Kennedy (MA)/Legislator Matthew M Neely (WV) Industry: 113 electoral votes
Secretary of Law Thomas Dewey (MH)/Governor Ralph F Gates (IN) Lincolnian: 108 electoral votes

The major hinge in the election was Manhattan Island. Despite Dewey being popular there and having served as Manhattan District Attornely, the state went narrowly for Kennedy on election day, thus givinf him the Presidency. With that, Joseph P Kennedy Sr. would be elected second President of the Atlantic Coalition, and Farley's legacy would continue.

-Atlantic, John Eisenhower

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

C'mon people! Can I get a couple comments?

[bloombergforpresident]

C'mon people! Can I get a couple comments?

Just started reading and really like it!

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

C'mon people! Can I get a couple comments?

This is good stuff - I've been reading. I just don't always have anything of import to say.

What were Dewey's and Kennedy's best states?

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Just started reading and really like it!

Thanks!

This is good stuff - I've been reading. I just don't always have anything of import to say.

What were Dewey's and Kennedy's best states?

Thanks. Dewey's best states were Vermont, Maine (duh), Indiana and Ohio. Illinois was made closer than previous years thanks to Kennedy attempting to use upstate to flip it to his column. Kennedy's best states were Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, and West Virginia. The popular vote map would look something like this:

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

List of Presidents of the Atlantic Coalition

1. James Farley (Unaffiliated, Industry-Manhattan Island); January 1st, 1945-January 3rd, 1949
2. Joseph P Kennedy (Industry-Massachusetts) January 3rd, 1949-?

List of Vice-Presidents of the Atlantic Coalition

1. Joseph P Kennedy (Unaffiliated, Industry-Massachusetts) January 1st, 1945-January 3rd, 1949
2. Matthew M Neely (Industry-West Virginia) January 3rd, 1949-?

List of Losing Tickets in Atlantic Coalition Presidential Elections
1944: Former United States Senator Arthur Vandenberg (Independent Conservative-Michigan)/Aviator Charles Lindbergh (Independent Conservative-New York), Former United States Senator Harry F Byrd (Southern-Virginia)/Former Governor Charles Edison (Conservative-New Jersey), Former United States Senator Robert LaFollette Jr. (Progressive-Wisconsin)/Businessman Wendell Willkie (Progressive-Manhattan Island)
1946: Former United States Senator Arthur Vandenberg (Lincolnian-Michigan)/Former Governor Charles Edison (Lincolnian-New Jersey), Former United States Senator Robert LaFollette Jr. (Progressive-Wisconsin)/Former Governor Raymond E Baldwin (Progressive-Connecticut)
1948: Secretary of Law Thomas Dewey (Lincolnian-Manhattan Island)/Governor Ralph E Gates (Lincolnian-Indiana)

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

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"The construction of the military would be no easy feat. General George S Patton would be the leader in the creation of the training regimen that our troops would go by. However, in order to collect the manpower needed to create the necessary military might for both a national defense and for t he expansion of the country, a large effort would be required of recruiters in visiting South Dakota which be than had been re-named just "Dakota", Montana, Nebraska, and Kansas. There, recruiters found a large amount of men willing to serve their country. With poor crop yields that year due to lack of infrastructure, which was at that point still being tackled, several unemployed young men were willing to leave their families right there for guaranteed food and housing. It was a strange way for me to find out that my work in the Easternmost part of the nation still required effort.

With boys shipped off to Southern California to begin training, by October of 1950, we had our first regiments ready to march. In Sacramento, the plan had been laid out by General Patton and Alf Landon, who had been appointed Head of the Western American Republic Bureau of International Relations and Foreign Aid. The plan was that Republican troops would be the first to make headway into what was once the American South-West, namely what is known and what once was known as Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. Due to Mexico having its government as of then intact, though loosely, it was decided that Republican troops would not infringe there. Should communities be discovered, foreign aid under the direction of agents of the WARBIRFA would be rushed to the areas. What we expected to find were refugee camps, ghost towns, and roving bands.

In retrospect, relations should have been settled better. According to reports, what troops found were huddled and pathetic loosely tied together bands of starving people. However, foreign aid would immediately go into affect with the building of new public facilities and feeding of the people in Arizona. However, there were those that had no interest in being helped, or having others help. Farmers who had miraculously survived the dust bowl years as well as the Depression and Split, seemed to hold private property as the greatest value above all else, refusing to comply with attempted redistribution of their already tiny plots, refusing seizure of their weaponry, and refusing seizure of their livestock. This resulted in the early deaths of Republican troops in December and January as what began as a peace mission was becoming bloody. Other Arizonans ans Nevadans had similar reactions to gun bearing troops directing traffic, work, food, and building. As a result of this friction, small fights soon began to break out in 1951 between the populace and Republican troops. Already, some of the wealthier remnants of families in those states, such as a man every readers should know named Barry Goldwater, had fled Eastward, with accompanying dependents and servants. Publications in places like Texas and the Atlantic Coalition, will claim that conflict broke out thanks to soldiers abusing the impoverished populace. Horror stories of rape, stealing, dictatorial colonels taking control of towns. Well I'll tell you that no such thing happened on my watch. What eventually broke out was due to greed, incompetence, and bad luck."

-Go West, Earl Warren

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[FEMA Camp Administrator]

"Meanwhile, the 1950 election occurred. Despite being the second election in the country's history and the first where the votes of the people would influence the outcome, I barely noticed it passing as I was focused on building up the military and foreign service and on the unfolding events in Arizona which, at the time, weren't nearly as bad as they'd become.

In order to create a vehicle for which my ideas might be represented, the Progressive Party was created, adhering to the Progressive principles of civil rights, equality, and compassion and aligning with the ideas of a strong national defense. While I was popular and faced little to no opposition for the Presidency, strange developments would take place in races for the House of Delegates. Many Pro-Administration delegates switched to the Progressive Party, though a few in Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming joined the Farmer-Labor Party. My opponents quickly formed the National Liberty Party, led by Andrew Schoeppel of Kansas. The leaders of the Progressive and Farmer-Labor party were, respectively, Goodwin Knight of California and Henry M Jackson of Washington.

On November twenty-fifth, Goodwin Knight was elected President of the House of Delegates. Reading the delegate counts for President aloud on the twenty-sixth, the results were clear.

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General George Patton, though not a candidate nor anyone wanting to be President at that point, had many supporters who had launched a write-in bid for him. Getting what today would be a surprising 13 percent of the popular vote, the closest state was Hawaii where I won with 53%. However, all in all the election was an obvious referendum on my policies and my popularity."

-Go West!, Earl Warren

"On election night, 1950, Pat and I sat by the radio which had been conveniently placed at the dinner table, listening to returns. Despite the small convention hall my supporters had rented out in my home district, I had chosen to spend the night at my house in Yorba Linda. Should I be forced to concede, I would make the half-hour drive to the convention hall. However, just after ten, the results were read off for California's tenth district, and I had been re-elected. Hopping in the car, Pat choosing to stay home with the girls, Bob Finch drove me down to the convention hall. As we arrived, I hastily pulled out my crumpled notes, approaching the podium to loud cheers, "We did it!" I shouted, out of character for me. Going into my speech about how the voice of the people of Southern California had won that night, among other things, I was proud that I had won re-election. Little did I know how much my choice to register on the Farmer-Labor ballot would effect my future."

-The Crises, Richard M Nixon

Congressional Balance, November 25th, 1949-November 25th, 1950
Pro-Administration: 58, Leader: Goodwin Knight (CA)
Anti-Administration: 23, Leader: William F Knowland (CA)
Neutral: 9

Congressional Balance, November 25th, 1950-November 25th, 1951
Progressive: 56, Leader: Goodwin Knight (CA)
National Liberty: 19, Leader: Andrew Schoeppel (KS)
Farmer-Labor: 9, Leader: Henry M Jackson (WA)
Independents: 6

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

There.

[Niemeyerite]

I'm reading this, again... to be honest I stopped reading but I regret my decision

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Atlantic Coalition Congressional Balance, January 3rd, 1947-January 3rd, 1949
Industry: 116, Leader: John McCormack (MA)
Lincolnian: 99, Leader: Robert Taft (OH)
Progressives: 6, Leader: Alexander Wiley (WI)

Atlantic Congressional Balance, January 3rd, 1949-January 3rd, 1951
Industry: 111, Leader: John McCormack (MA)
Lincolnian: 106, Leader: Robert Taft (OH)
Progressives: 4, Leader: Alexander Wiley (WI)

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The First Term of Joseph P Kennedy of the Atlantic Coalition, 1949-1951

"On January 3rd, 1951, Vice-President Joseph P Kennedy became President Joseph P Kennedy. Sworn in by outgoing Secretary of Law Thomas Dewey, formerly his opponent in the 1948 election, moments of the inauguration were tense. In the seats behind the inauguration were outgoing Secretary of Diplomacy Franklin D Roosevelt, soon to be former President James Farley, various other members of the cabinet, soon to be Vice-President Matthew M Neely, incoming Congressman Arthur H Vandenberg who would most likely become the leading opposition from the Right to any of Kennedy's plans, and Kennedy's family. Kennedy's cabinet would retain some old faces, however, he also wanted to leave his own mark in the cabinet, and Secretary of Diplomacy Franklin D Roosevelt had requested that he not be re-appointed to his position. With that, Kennedy's cabinet came out to be:

Vice-President: Matthew M Neely (I-WV)
Secretary of Diplomacy: John Foster Dulles (U-MH)
Secretary-Treasurer: William Averill Harriman (I-MH)
Secretary of Law: Adlai Stevenson II (I-IL)
Secretary of War: George Marshall (I-PA)
     Head of the Army: Dwight D Eisenhower (U-PA)
     Head of the Navy: Joseph P Kennedy Jr. (I-MA)
     Head of the Air Corps: Henry H Arnold (U-PA)

His cabinet would mark a turn in a strange direction: more liberal on fiscal and economic policy, though still moderate by today's standards of the Industry Party, and more outwardly hawkish in terms of foreign policy. The liberal Adlai Stevenson and the moderate to liberal Averill Harriman heading domestic policy would mean a change from the more reserved Thomas Dewey and the more laissez-faire David Walsh.

In foreign policy, Kennedy never truly had any intention to directly intervene in exterior conflicts, especially when it came to Nazi Germany, which he and Diplomacy Secretary John Foster Dulles saw as a necessary evil in opposing the Soviet Union. In terms of military expenditures, Kennedy would authorize what would be called the Boston Project. In an effort to compete with the possibilities of Nazi or Soviet atomic weapons, the Boston project was designed to research into the Atlantic Coalition making its own atomic weapons. Testing would be a difficult factor as the Atlantic Coalition didn't have the vast expanses of desert that the United States had, and Kennedy had no intention of asking the Republic of Texas for a land lease. Therefore, it was decided that tests be conducted in the Arctic Circle in the Arctic Ocean. Over the last four years, industrial production had been used to equip the Navy with the hardware to make this possible. During Kennedy's Presidency a total of thirty-nine tests would be conducted, under the supervision of Navy Head Joe Kennedy Jr.

In domestic policy, Kennedy's Presidency would lead to the creation of the modern welfare state. Urban housing projects would be authorized with the consent of the the Industry controlled Legislature. There would even be support among some Lincolnians as Robert Taft led a small group of them to vote for some of the housing projects. He would also pass the Corporate Anti-Poverty Act in June of 1949 which would give tax breaks to companies that hired and conducted business in poverty-ridden areas. At the same time, however, Kennedy would raise the total amount of taxes on businesses.

The halllmark, however, of Kennedy's Presidency would be in foreign policy, an area that Kennedy had never intended to make his mark in. Down to the nation's South, the Commonwealth of Dixie would face problems as President Long enacted emergency powers in February of 1950 in order to prevent that year's election from taking place."

-Atlantic, John Eisenhower

"The Long Presidency was going nowhere near well. With state delegations turned against him, the economy continuing on its stagnant path, and businesses that he hadn't managed to nationalize fleeing the country, Long's popularity was down across the country. With 1950 nearing, he was sure to face a rematch with his nemesis Richard Russell, and the state legislature in North Carolina and Alabama were unlikely to send any potentially pro-Long delegates to Atlanta that time around.

Long's Presidency was not entirely bad. During his tenure, he was able to begin housing and infrastructure projects that would enable a much freer market further along the line under the care of different Presidents. However, his utter hostility to business had led to the major industries required for the building of houses and infrastructure to abandon the country, leaving either for the Atlantic Coalition or the Republic of Texas. With that happening at a fast pace, Long had nationalized several remaining businesses, ordering them back to work in the name of the Greater Good.

With the economy still stagnant as 1950 rolled around and Richard Russell was preparing for a second run for the Presidency, President Long declared emergency powers in the face of the "economic emergency" that was the economy of the Commonwealth of Dixie. Putting all companies, corporations, organizations, banks, incomes, fortunes, and governments under federal control, he proceeded to attempt a re-arrangement of funds so as to equally distribute wealth throughout the nation. That was the moment he caught the ire of his country's neighbors."

-A Southern Tale, Garland E Bayliss

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Bump.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

May 19th, 1950
A conversation between President Joseph Kennedy and Assistant Secretary of Diplomacy for Southern Affairs Charles Dulles, himself the brother of the current Diplomacy Secretary John Foster Dulles
Kennedy: Now explain this to me...
Dulles: Okay. As of now, we have very little intelligence on what goes on beyond our borders due to limited contact. However, we did make contact with Texas and have very good relations there. What we have heard over telegraph wires, rumors, stories, and tales told by some business exiles, is that the map looks something like this.

This is the result of a lot of effort on our part. There've been talks with the Canadians, business refugees from the South, immigrants, Texas wanderers, trans-continental traders, you name it.
Kennedy: Christ, it's as if we're in Medieval Europe trying to find out who's on what side.
Dulles: Exactly.
Kennedy: Now what is the exact situation we're going to be dealing with here?
Dulles: Okay, according to everything we've got, Long's a flaming Red.Not only that, he's been stopping the election.
Kennedy: Election?
Dulles: Yes. It's scheduled for sometime this year, don't know the date. Anyway, he's doing it in the name of the economic emergency which is the result of the Great Depression and has only worsened since in office.
Kennedy: Christ, talk about a crap country.
Dulles: Yeah. In 1947, the first election occured, yielding a, well, Long victory. His only rival for the Presidency was former Senator Richard Russell-
Kennedy: I remember him as well.
Dulles: -who has re-emerged and as far as we know was planning on challenging Long.
Kennedy: So what has been organized so far?
Dulles: You'll have to get in contact with Marshall for that information.

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Former Diplomacy Secretary Franklin Roosevelt on board the Texan naval vessel Houston, seated with Texan Military Head Douglas MacArthur and Texan Admiral Chester Nimitz

"Long had been finished. His plans had failed, his economy had failed, and now he had failed to protect the Commonwealth from foreign enemies, having surrendered to the people's protests in a week. With the nation's tiny military destroyed after unsuccessful attempts to face down the Texan and Atlantic Navy, an economy in ruins, children going without bread, riots in the streets, and a popularity level of zero, he announced he would not run for re-election that year. His movement instead would be forced to meet at a convention hall in New Orleans in June. There, they would face protests as some of the people who had suffered most rioted right outside the doors. There, the leaders of the Populist Party would nominate James A Noe, a businessman and Long ally from Louisiana. To many it was a poorly staged attempt to appeal to the business vote. However, the "fatcats" knew of how close Noe was to Long and had no intention of giving any support outside of Louisiana, where Noe had businesses organized like the rest of Long's political machine.

On the other side, former United States Senator Richard Russell announced before a crowd of businessman, military leaders who were dis-satisfied with the Week Long War, as well as representatives of Agriculture and Labor that he once again would put his name into the ring for the Presidency. However, what was thought to be a two-man race dissolved into chaos with the entries of South Carolina Governor James Burns and businessman Jefferson W Speck of Arkansas into the race. Burns, a moderate populist-type candidate, campaigned between Russell and Noe, while Speck campaigned on a very business friendly line, claiming that the other candidates had no idea what they were talking about.

Come the 1950 Election, taking place on October 16th, a Monday, the people would go to the polls to vote for the State Senators. Come December, the State Senators were sworn in, and immediately went to work selecting members of the Commonwealth Legislature, which held its first elections that year. In the Commonwealth Senate, three people from each state were to be elected, whereas in the House, it would be decided on population, with one representative being awarded to a state per every 30,000 people. Those new Senators and Representatives would then place their votes for President of the Commonwealth of Dixie.

In order to create a field of candidates that would likely result in his victory, Russell, along with allies, created the Dixie Party. Standing up for traditional Southern values of state sovereignty, segregation, as well as bringing on the platforms of economic moderate to conservative policies and a strong national defense, it would have significant popularity following the failures of the Long Administration.

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With that, Richard Russell had been elected 2nd President of the Dixie Commonwealth. Following the first four years of Huey Long, to this day the only four year long Presidential term, Russell had been given a mandate to govern as he pleased, winning more than a majority of electoral votes. In order to unite the country, as well as to help strengthen the weak yet authoritarian government, Russell would appoint former rivals Speck and Burns to different positions in what would become the first official cabinet, as opposed to Long's "Room of Cronies" as Russell had once termed them, a group of advisors with no official responsibilities.

-A Southern Tale, Garland E Bayliss

Richard Russell Jr., the second President of the Dixie Commonwealth

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Finally updates this thing!

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Diffrent authors, diffrent states, diffrent parties, but Dick Russell is always President down South

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Diffrent authors, diffrent states, diffrent parties, but Dick Russell is always President down South

So true.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Bump!

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

"Despite foreign policy success in the Week Long War, the first Kennedy Presidency would meet upon hard times. While there are little indicators of the condition of the Atlantic economy at this point in history, newspapers and opinion polls indicate many things. Throughout his term, even as he passed business friendly initiatives to fight poverty, taxes would be continually raised to pay for increasing military and domestic costs. The volatile and growing Atlantic Market, centered in Boston and Manhattan Island, would take a hit thanks to this, though Kennedy was the first and foremost in arguing it was for the good of the nation.

One of the landmark achievments of President Kennedy, as well as one of his greatest blunders, was his trip to Great Britain in July of 1950. With victory in the Seven Week War, Kennedy sought to expand the contacts of the Atlantic Coalition. "When I arrived in London", he would begin in his narration of his account of his diplomatic trip, "rubble was strewn every which way along the streets. Buildings that were once the symbol of a global empire had shattered under German bombs. Herded into a car in the middle of a vastly militarized motorcade, the delegation and I made our way towards Downing Street when the sirens indicating an air raid began once more blaring. The noises were intolerable but the bomb blasts were worse as the earth shook from under the car tires and bricks rained down on the motorcade, one even smashing the automobile window. The sirens began fading and the motorcade continued along its path to Downing Street. There we met Winston Churchill. A man not known for an admired visage or great beauty, one could easily see that this horrible war had done far too much damage to him. The meeting was short and rather makeshift, though the awe of the country was still present. However, one thing is for certain. Democracy is dead in England. It may soon be dead here as well." His account was regarded as extremely defeatist. The British government offered a strong rebuke of it and the Lincolnians went after it as, in the words of Legislature Minority Leader Arthur Vandenberg, "a defeatist belief in the strength of Nazi Germany and a severe lack of faith in both the strength of Britain and the strength of the Coalition. No man who openly espouses that theory should be held as acceptable for public office."

President Kennedy on his trip to Great Britain

British-Atlantic relations would as well be strained by the fact that Kennedy was an Irish Catholic. Following his leaving of England he would travel Ireland, giving a short address on the importance of Irish unity that would not be well received by Churchill and his fellow Britons.

"Kennedy espouses a certain amount of arrogance. Always an outsider during his public life in Boston, he soon ascended within the ranks of the insiders, becoming Al Smith's Treasury Secretary. Once part of the elite, he planned on staying there, becoming a shareholder in many large companies. In 1942 and six years of being out of office and a run for the United States Vice-Presidency, Kennedy began once more to consolidate power, being elected Governor of Massachusetts. Planning on a run for the highest position in the land within six years, his plans were dashed by the sad fate of the economy. Not for long, however, as with the collapse of our sad, mourned union, he soon emerged as a leader, somehow stuck in with others such as James Farley, Franklin D Roosevelt, Thomas Dewey, Fiorello La Guardia, Art Vandenberg, and General Eisenhower, all of who who did much more than he and worked much more than he for the cause of uniting these states and re-forming a nation. Now, he sits at the top of the highest political mountain of this country and tells the rest of the world to live. Commanding the nation from Hyannis Port rather than the capital on Manhattan Island that James Farley occupied, Kennedy seems happy as a cat to have the nation serve him." Those were the words of Legislator Robert Taft of Ohio, one of Kennedy's greatest opponents on domestic policy in one of the legislator's more articulate moments. The Conservative opposition, in the form of the Lincolnian Party, had been much more civil to Farley, even supporting him in such cases. However, with a man who in no way seemed inclined to adopt tenets of a Conservative domestic policy, and a man whose unpopularity seemed to be growing as Boston and Manhattan markets seemed to be uneasy, the Lincolnian Party was gearing up in full force for the election later that year.

Politics in the Atlantic Coalition is a very interesting subject. While several states held vast amounts of industrial power, ranging from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania to Delaware to Michigan to Illinois, not all of these states were inclined to vote for the Industry Party despite large amounts of union membership in a majority of the nation's states. In fact, the leadership of the Lincolnian Party was concentrated in some very industrial states such as Michigan and Ohio where Vandenberg and Taft, two men who weren't known for the fondness for unions, hailed from. It was the strength of the old, mid-western, Yankee, Paleo-Conservative farmer that drove the Lincolnian Party, much less than even the Eastern big business/old money backers despite political claims to the contrary. This same Paleo-Conservative farmer drove the Lincolnian machine in upper New England where Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine were solid Lincolnian territory. Despite the nation's overall Liberal acceptance of such things as the welfare state, there was and still is a strong Conservative streak lead by rural traditionalists. It was on the strength of these that the Lincolnian Party was building. Kennedy's greatest initiatives were concentrated in urban areas. Heavy taxes as well as large demands to feed poverty-stricken areas had alienated many already default Conservative farmers from the ruling party.

At the same time the markest seemed shaky and Kennedy's "Democracy Comment" was being circulated among Lincolnian newspaper machines, Legislator Joe McCarthy's hearings, thought to be dis-credited earlier, seemed to have gained new steam after the Week Long War. Pressing that communism was not merely a threat the Commonwealth of Dixie had to fear and that it could as well be present in the Atlantic Coalition. President Kennedy, a friend of McCarthy had Bobby who by then was an aide for the Legislator, attempt to have his hearings calm down in tone. "Look Joe", Bobby started, "My pa knows we have to root out communism. You think there haven't been attempts? I'd venture to say we're red-free by now. Roosevelt and all his cronies are long gone from the Diplomacy Department. You don't even need to worry about the others." McCarthy, as a favor to a friend, agreed to postpone further hearing until after the election despite their party differences. However, whichever way McCarthy went would most likely have not affected the fast approaching election. The issues centered around the economy, rural issues, taxation, and foreign policy and McCarthy was a dust speck when compared to issues that would actually shape the Atlantic Coalition.

Even as the 1950 Industry Party Convention opened in Philadelphia, the Boston Trading Exchange, a powerful yet lesser known competitor to the Manhattan Island Stock Exchange, experienced a panic resulting in the loss of thousands of ACD [Atlantic Coalition Dollars] within minutes. It was clear that President Kennedy would face an uphill battle for re-election and, like fellow Bay Stater John Adams before him, he was about to learn that re-election would be a referendum on a President's first term."

-Atlantic, John Eisenhower

[Niemeyerite]

Thanks for the update, cathcon

[Pingvin]

Thanks for the update, cathcon

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Bump! Update on the Texas and Atlantic Coalition 1950 elections should be coming up!