Four More Years II- the Third Obama Administration

[America Needs R'hllor]

"Hello?"

Hello, Barack. Good morning. It's Donald.

"Hey, Donald. How are you?"

Good. Good. Mr. President, I want to congratulate you on your victory. Big win, I can respect that.

"Thank you, Donald. This means a lot. It's important for our democracy that we all be gracious to each other, in victory and defeat."

Sure, yeah. I wish you, Michelle and the girls well, Barack. Good luck in the next four years, you're gonna need it.

"Thank you. I wish you, Melania and the kids well, too. It's been a tough campaign for all of our families."

Oh, we'll all be well. Don't worry about us. Goodbye, Mr. President. Maybe we'll meet again.

"Goodbye, Donald."

Four More Years, Part 2
The Third Obama Administration

[America Needs R'hllor]

Thanks, everyone! This part will probably have a slightly different format from the first- instead of large article-like updates with singular focus on events, it will have smaller tidbits about various events, a bit like MyCroftCZ's Hillary Presidency TL or President Johnson's Liberal Republic TL. The reason is that I believe it's more effective for covering a transition and an administration with many events and news. First update soon!

[America Needs R'hllor]

November 9th, 2016

Trump calls Obama to concede; addresses supporters in surprisingly tame morning speech



NEW YORK CITY - After raising fears he would not concede the election during the night, 2016 Republican nominee Donald Trump has called President Obama to concede in the early morning hours, a call that was described by White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest as "gracious". Later, Trump finally addressed supporters in his New York City election night watch party, in a speech described as surprisingly tame. He called supporters to "unite and support our President at this time like in every democracy", but then quickly veered to subtly attacking those he blames for his defeat- the establishment. Trump thanked supporters, who seemed eager to hear a more fiery speech, for "making this movement to Make America Great Again happen", and claimed that "we were almost there, but our country's political establishment doesn't want America to be great again". He finished his speech by calling his supporters to "keep fighting" for what they believe, raising speculation that he was planning another run in four yers. In the night before, many feared Trump would refuse to concede, with only running mate Chris Christie calling Vice President-elect Tammy Baldwin to congratulate her and addressing the campaign's supporters without Trump.

November 10th, 2016

President Obama: team getting to work on building cabinet, crafting agenda



WASHINGTON, D.C. - In remarks given to the press at the White House's Rose Garden, President Barack Obama confirmed that "several" cabinet positions will see "new faces". The current assumption amongst White House officials is that Obama will retain some of his cabinet members and replace others, to create a combination of continuity and a feeling of a fresh start in his administration. Furthermore, the President said that his team was already working on crafting an agenda for his third term, and hinted on the priorities being considered: "guaranteeing quality healthcare coverage to all Americans, protecting our environment, reforming our immigration system and making our justice system equal." The first new cabinet secretary was already confirmed during Obama's election night victory speech- Vice President Joe Biden will serve as Secretary of State. For other cabinet positions, speculation is rampant, as White House sources hinted that there will be "more Republicans" in the cabinet than currently the first two terms, in an attempt to mend divisions.

November 13th, 2016

Republicans 'open' to giving Garland a hearing, McConnell says



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) confirmed today that Senate Republicans are now willing to to give President Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Appeals Court Judge Merrick Garland, a hearing, potentially paving the way for his confirmation even before the swearing-in of the new Congress, when Republicans will lose their majorities. McConnell explained the change of mind by the fact that "an election was held" and the identity of the new President was confirmed- "the same one currently in office". Thus, the Kentucky Republican said, there is no use in waiting until Obama's re-inaguration until Garland's hearings. However, it's uncertain if Obama, guaranteed a strong Democratic Senate majority in the next Congress, will keep the centrist Garland as nominee instead of appointing a more liberal judge. Opinions in the Democratic party are split- while progressives like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) urged the President to appoint a more liberal judge who's "guaranteed to upend Citizens United", others like Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Sen.-elect Evan Bayh (D-IN) have said that the President should "stay the course" and push for Garland's confirmation soon.

November 16th, 2016

Obama national security team to retain two key figures: Jeh Johnson, Ash Carter will remain in cabinet positions



WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Obama said today that two key figures of his administration, Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, will remain in their positions. Carter, 62, has served for less than two years and is said to be close to the President, while Johnson, 60, who served in the position since 2013, is considered a capable and professional secretary, so their retainment doesn't come as a surprise. With the confirmation that Vice President Joe Biden will serve as the nest Secretary of State, President Obama's national security team is shaping up to consist mostly of old faces. But one cabinet-level position remains uncertain- with U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power confirming yesterday that she will retire come 2017, speculation is rampant about the identity of her replacement. Some names raised were former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D-NY), current Secretary of State John Kerry (D-MA), Fmr. National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, Fmr. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman (D-MD).

November 19th, 2016

President Obama announces major cabinet appointment- Fmr. Gov. Deval Patrick to serve as next Attorney General



In the first major shakeup in the Obama cabinet since Joe Biden was announced as the next Sec. of State, the President announced that Attorney General Lorretta Lynch, known for meeting with Bill Clinton on an airplane to allegedly discuss his wife's email probe, will retire at the end of the current term. Instead, former Massachusetts Governor and close Obama ally Deval Patrick will serve as head of the Justice Department. Though disliked by progressives for his time at Bane Capital, Patrick is considered a solid pick for the job, with extensive legal experience and a strong focus on criminal justice reform, an Obama third term priority. Patrick was rumoured to be one of the main figures urging Obama to seek a third term, and is a close person in the President's circle.

[America Needs R'hllor]

*Snip*

Excited to see who the new Sec. of Treasury will be. Will he pull an FDR and run for a 4th term?

Thanks! The new Sec. of Treasury is coming in the post after the next one, it's an interesting pick to be sure. And as for the 4th term speculation... Obama isn't ready to pledge not to do it yet, so we shall see
Also, it'd be great if you could cut the TL post from the quote when replying to it, like I did here, so as to not crowd the page

[America Needs R'hllor]

November 23rd, 2016

Obama's pick for Agriculture Department: Patty Judge, another Iowan



Des Moines - The next U.S. Secretary of Agriculture will be another politician from the State of Iowa, President Obama confirmed today. Patty Judge, former Lieutenant Governor and Iowa Agriculture Secretary, will be the President's pick to replace Tom Vilsack, elected to the Senate from his state in 2016, in the Agriculture Department. Judge is considered a qualified woman for the position, especially since she has deep experience in agricultural matters, and the pick was widely praised by agriculture activists from both sides of the aisle. Sen. Joni Ernest (R-IA) said that the pick was "encouraging" and that "Patty is a great Iowan and a friend of mine", signaling Republican support for the pick.

November 25th, 2016

Two more retainments: Julián Castro, Ernest Moniz to stay in posts



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Two more popular members of the Obama cabinet will stay in their posts, the President confirmed today. Julian Castro, former Mayor of San Antonio and current Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, is seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party and him remaining in the cabinet is seen as a good way to keep him politically visible before a potential run for higher office in Texas, a state Obama narrowly won in 2016. Ernest Moniz, the Secretary of Energy, is a nuclear physicist by profession and is considered an effective and competent leader for the department overseeing the nation's nuclear arsenal. He also promised to work to implement the President's clean energy agenda. The choices are considered strong, and pundits say that there was no reason for Obama to replace the two popular secretaries.

November 28th, 2016

Howard Dean to serve as next Secretary of Health and Human Services



BURLINGTON - In an announcement considered by many a surprise, President Obama said that current HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell, previously favoured to be retained, will retire at the end of the current term and be replaced by Howard Dean, a politician with an extensive record- former Governor of Vermont, Democratic Vice Presidential nominee in 2004, and 4th-place finisher in the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary, losing to Obama. Dean, a former doctor and a high-profile appointment who expressed support for some form of universal healthcare, said that guaranteeing healthcare for all Americans will be "very high in the agenda". The pick was praised by progressive as well as moderate Democrats, with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) calling it "a very positive sign", but opposed by most Republicans, and signals a coming congressial battle on healthcare as Obama strives to cement his legacy.

December 1st, 2016

Comey to remain FBI Director, Avril Haines to lead CIA



WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Obama announced today his picks to head the two most important security agencies- Avril Haines, former Deputy CIA Director and current Deputy National Security Advisor, will return to the CIA to head the agency, while current FBI Director James Comey will retain his position. Both choices are considered somehow surprising- Haines is regarded as a woman with high work ethics and a personality of humility and kindness, traits hardly associated with the CIA, and is considered a sign that Obama wishes to make the agency less "brutal". Haines will also be the first woman to head the CIA, signaling a historic development. Meanwhile, Comey reportedly angered the President by publicly announcing that the Hillary Clinton email probe will be briefly resumed a few weeks before election day, returning Clinton's email problems to the headlines. However, he's regarded as a neutral and ethical force within the FBI, and the President was otherwise happy with his performance.

December 11th, 2016

BREAKING NEWS: Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) appointed by Obama to serve as Commerce Secretary



LAS VEGAS - In his most surprising new cabinet announcement to date, President Barack Obama announced today that Senator Dean Heller, a relatively moderate Republican from Nevada, will serve as his next Secretary of Commerce. The pick shook up Washington, as it meant two things- Obama will press on with his free-trade policy and work to pass the TPP, and Heller will not run for reelection in 2018, opening up a possible pickup for Democrats in a year looking grim for them. However, Governor Brian Sandoval, whose term is up in 2018, will appoint Heller's replacement and could potentially run for the seat himself. The pick got mixed reviews- progressive Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) called Heller "someone who doesn't have the best interests of the American worker in mind", and Senator Mitch McConnell called it "a nakedly political move". However, others praised the pick, with House Speaker Paul Ryan noteably regarding it "positively" and Senator John McCain lauding Obama for "a strong showing of bipartisanship and goodwill". Heller himself confirmed the nomination, said that he will "gladly accept the oppurtinity to serve my nation", and defended the pick, denying that it has a political purpose, and joking that there is "no evidence I would be a stronger candidate in 2018 than another person I think we all have in mind", probably hinting at Governor Sandoval. The Nevada Governor refused to reveal Heller's appointed replacement or to reveal his own intentions.

[America Needs R'hllor]

November 23rd, 2016
*SNIP*

But why

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Please.

[America Needs R'hllor]

December 16th, 2018

Al Gore chosen EPA Administrator, signaling strong environmental agenda



WASHINGTON, D.C. - After weeks of speculation, President Obama announced today that former Vice President Al Gore, a Peace Noble Prize winner for his work to combat climate change and increase awareness to the issue, will be chosen as the new Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. With such a high-profile pick for the Agency, Obama signals that environmental issue will take a high priority in his third term's agenda, and that the EPA's authority will likely increase even more. Environmental activists applauded the choice, and while most conservatives are likely to oppose Gore, it is likely that some moderate Republican Senators will vote for him, guaranteeing confirmation. Gore said that he was "very happy and honoured" by the appointment and promised to "work hard to protect our environment and help save our planet's future". In a CNN Interview, Gore also confirmed that the Obama administration will present an environmental bill before congress "during the first year", making it likely to be one of the first items on the agenda. The Gore pick also has some historic significance- it will mean that President Obama will have three Vice Presidents serving in his cabinet, Vice President-elect Tammy Baldwin, current Vice President Joe Biden and former Vice President Al Gore.

December 18th, 2016

Obama chooses a new Chairman for the DNC- his Secretary of Labour, Tom Perez



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Secretary of Labour Tom Perez was announced today as President Obama's recommendation to serve as the next Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, which means that he's expected to easily be chosen for the job by delegates. Perez will be replacing Interim Chairwoman Donna Brazile, who took over after Debbie Wasserman Schultz was forced by the President to resign over a DNC email leak by Wikileaks a bit before the 2016 Democratic National Convention, in which she attacked former Senator Bernie Sanders and indicated that the DNC must work to defeat him in the primary. The choice of Perez is considered unusual, given that he's not a political insider, but not surprising- Obama is likely to want a man close to him heading the DNC, and Perez fits the bill. Secretary Perez was considered one of the most effective and popular cabinet secretaries, having strong executive credentials and good relations with Congress, and speculative future prospects for him included Attorney General, remaining in Labour, or running for Governor in his homestate of Maryland against Republican Larry Hogan, but he was chosen for the DNC- for the time being.

December 22nd, 2016

Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm to become next Labour Secretary, a key victory for Progressives



DETROIT - President Obama announced today the identity of the one who will take over from outgoing Labour Secretary Tom Perez, who was chosen to lead the DNC- former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. Generally considered a good Governor who helped Obama with the restoration of the auto industry in Detroit, Granholm is staunchly pro-union and enthusiastically supports expanded worker's rights. This is considered a victory for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, which was pushing for a strongly pro-organized labour person to fill the job. Indeed, Granholm was lauded by Senator Sanders (I-VT) as "a strong pick for the American workers" , and by Senator Merkley (D-OR) as "a pick that should let the average American worker sleep easier". Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was especially vocal about his support, calling Granholm "one of [his] favourite cabinet appointtees so far".

December 25th, 2016

Rob Nabors to become new OMB Director; Sandra Black will be Chair of Economic Advisors Council; Marianne Markowitz to be Administrotor of the Small Business Administration



WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Obama's economic team was bolstered today as three important members of his administration were confirmed- Rob Nabors, an important White House aide and former Deputy Director of the agency, will serve now as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Harvard economist and current member in the Council of Economic Advisors will now serve as Chair, and Marianne Markowitz, a financial aide, will be the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, where she briefly served as Acting Administrator in 2014. The appointments of mostly Obamaworld insiders signals that the President is planning to double down on his economic policy of stability and careful growth in the coming term.

December 29th, 2016

BREAKING: Janet Yellen announced Obama appointtee to serve as next Secretary of the Treasury



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Chair of the Federal Reserve Janet Yellen will leave her office to serve as President Obama's next Secretary of Treasury, the President confirmed today. It's considered a strong, if fairly surprising, appointment- Yellen was praised for her job in the Federal Reserve, being ranked by media and experts as one of the best economic policymakers in the world. While a less powerful position than her current one, the Treasury Department will allow her to serve for at least four years, while her term in the Federal Reserve is up in a year. Politicians from across the aisle praised the Yellen pick- future Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called her "an excellent woman, the best one for the job", Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) called her "a good choice, who will hopefully help implement a progressive economic agenda", and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) said that he "approves" of the pick.

[America Needs R'hllor]

I appreciate all the comments, but please do take note

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Also, it'd be great if you could cut the long TL post from the quote when replying to it, like I did here, so as to not crowd the page [/quote]

[America Needs R'hllor]

I've been away from What Ifs for almost a week, I'm so glad to see this TL is going beyond Obama's re-election! Wish this was the real world.

Thanks. This will continue soon, I'll try to ignore NOTTYLER's trolling.

[America Needs R'hllor]

December 30th, 2016

Next Obama Chief of Staff- Eric Holder; David Plouffe to serve as next Chief  Strategist



NEW YORK CITY - Former Attorney General Eric Holder was named by President Obama his next White House Chief of Staff, a high-level position that signals his return to the President's inner circle. The choice is an interesting one, but makes sense- Obama is attempting to surround himself with old faces he trusts as well as new, fresh faces. Meanwhile, Obama's 2008 campaign manager and former Special Advisor to the President, David Plouffe, will returng to the White House to serve in the important position of Chief Strategist. The new choices bring the President's team closer to the finish.

January 1st, 2017

In New Year's Eve address, President Obama promises to work for unity, progress



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Happy New Year! We've finally arrived at 2017, the year that will see a third term in office beginning for the first African American President of the United States. Yesterday, in his New Year's Eve address, President Obama gave Americans a unifying message, pledging to "be a President for everyone" and asking the American people to put trust in him in the next four years. He also reaffirmed his commitment for "progress" which- a bit contrary to his previous message- Obama said would include "progress in healthcare, progress in the environment, progress in civil rights and progress in the international stage". The President is projected to enter his third term with about 58% approval and 33% disapproval, following a strong election victory which gave him a renewed mandate and the quick announcement of popular cabinet choices.

January 3rd, 2017

In key U.N. Security Council vote, Obama administration vetoes Israeli condemnation



NEW YORK CITY - After weeks of tension and speculation, and rumours that the Obama administration was seriously considering not to cast a veto as a message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power cast what is likely her last veto in the Security Council in the name of President Obama. The U.S. prevented the adoption of Resolution 2334, which condemned "Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories occupied since 1967". However, in her remarks, Power agreed that the settlement are "a serious obstacle to peace" and called the Israeli government to limit the building of new houses, hinting that the next Obama administration is not going to be friendly to the Israeli right-wing. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Power for the veto and called America "a great friend of the Jewish people".

January 6th, 2017

Cary Kennedy to become next Interior Secretary; Bob McDonald retained as V.A. Secretary; Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen will be next U.S. Trade Representative



WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Obama announced a slew of new cabinet choices today- with one particular surprise. Cary Kennedy, former Colorado State Treasurer and member of the Kennedy political dynasty who was rumoured a possible 2018 gubernatorial candidate, will serve as next Interior Secretary in the Obama administration. According to speculation, this is also a move to clear up the field for Congressman Jared Polis, who's also a rumoured candidate, in what will surely be a competitive race to replace term-limited Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper. Meanwhile, Bob McDonald, a Republican businessman and the current Secretary of Veteran's Affairs, attempting, as Obama called itc "to keep bringing dysfunction in veteran's issues to an end". And lastly, Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Legtinen surprised many by announcing that she will be joining Obama's team as the next U.S. Trade Representative, ready to "negotiate agreements to make trade in our world fairer and freer". This is a key choice that doesn't only signal President Obama's commitment to free trade, despite opposition from left and right, but will also trigger a competitive special congressial election soon. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) already announced his opposition to Ros-Lehtinen, calling her "a very worrying choice" that will "only do harm to American workers with damaging, unfair trade agreements". After key victories in the appointments of two progressive leaders to the cabinet, Howard Dean to HHS and Jennieft Granholm to Labour, this is considered a blow to the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

January 9th, 2017

Outgoing Delaware Governor Jack Markell chosen as next Secretary of Transportation; Bobby Scott to head Education Department



WILMINNGTON - In a mostly expected choice, President Obama picked the outgoing Governor of Delaware, Jack Markell, as his next Secretary of Transportation, replacing the retiring Anthony Foxx, who's also rumored as a possible candidate for Senate from North Carolina in 2020, and would probably be ill-served by staying in the cabinet for that entire duration. Markell is considered well-versed in matters of transportation and a natural pick for the job, having the experience to manage a federal agency, and having eyed that job for the past years. With yet another Governor joining his cabinet, Obama seems to be building a strong team of experienced officials around him, gearing up for what many believe the President intends to make his most productive term to date. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. for Virginia's 3rd district, Bobby Scott, was chosen to head the Education Department. Scott has decades of experience in congress and is the Democratic ranking member of the House Education Committee, so he's considered a solid choice who will be able to help pass the President's education agenda.

January 12th, 2017

Fmr. Senator Olympia Snowe, a Republican, appointed next Obama U.N. Ambassador



PORTLAND - Olympia Snowe, a former Senator from Maine, was appointed by President Obama to serve as his next Ambassador to the United Nations, a prominent cabinet-level position in the administration. Snowe, a Republican, was considered one of the most moderate, some would say liberal, members of her party in the Senate, and was one of the first to turn against Donald Trump and endorse former Governor Jon Huntsman during the 2016 election. She's considered fairly compatible with Obama on foreign policy issues, and will be yet another bipartisan pick meant to appeal to Huntsman voters. While the pick saw some criticism from both left and right- including from Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), a potential 2020 Presidential candidate, who called Snowe 'essentially a Democrat'- the choice is considered very strong. With years of experience in the Senate, no one can doubt Snowe's qualifications for the U.N. job, and she will be a well-respected figure in the New York City Headquarters.

January 14th, 2017

Shaking political scene, President Obama appoints James Stavridis next National Security Advisor; cabinet formation finished



WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a move that shook the political scene, President Obama appointed retired Admiral James Stavridis as his next National Security Advisor, the last high-ranking member of his national security team yet to be decided. Stavridis is a household name after serving, during the 2016 Presidential election, as the running mate of Jon Huntsman, a moderate Republican running as an independent, and performing very well at 20% and 25 Electoral Votes. This is clearly another attempt to gain support from Huntsman's voters. While very experienced and qualified, Stavridis is a risky pick, as comments he made during campaign, including those criticisizing the President, can backfire. So far, the pick saw relatively few criticisms, though several conservative activists already begun tweeting videos of Stavridis attacking the President on the campaign trail. Obama was widely expected to name soon-to-be former Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, who has plenty of experience in the field, to that post, but McDonough will instead serve as the next Homeland Security Advisor. With that appointment, President Barack Obama is essentially done with choosing his cabinet and cabinet-level officials, and will most likely not be having any problems with quickly confirming them, especially with a strong Democratic Senate majority in the next congress and several Republicans who already announced support for some of the appointees.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Oh wow! I love Obama, especially in this TL. What other positions have yet to be filled?

Oh, Stavridis was last, I should probably mention it

[America Needs R'hllor]

January 20th, 2017

President Barack Obama inaugurated a third time, officially starting historic third term in office



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, January 20th 2017, President Barack Obama saw his third official inauguration to the office of the Presidency. It was an event of historic importance as Obama, the first African American President of the United States, previously elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012, will be the first President since Franklin Delano Roosevelt to serve more than two terms in the office of the Presidency. Obama has now entered his third term.

The inauguration event was attended by many of the nation's politicians, generals and judges. Noteably, in attendance were former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush; former First Ladies Rosalynn Carter, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush; Vice President Joe Biden and Second Lady Jill Biden; former Vice Presidents Dick Cheney, Al Gore, Dan Quayle and Walter Mondale; almost the entirety of Congress- Senators and House Representatives- including those who will take office in 2017; all current and appointed cabinet Secretaries excluding Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, the Designated Survivor; all Justices of the Supreme Court, and many others. While 2016 Republican nominee Donald Trump, who lost the election, did not attend the event, his running mate, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, was in attendance, as was independent candidate Jon Huntsman, who was seen conversing with retired Admiral James Stavridis, his running mate in the past election who was the selected as Obama's next National Security Advisor.

Below this impressive gathering of important Americans, a very big crowd gathered, comparable to the one attending Obama's first inauguration in 2008, They practically filled the National Mall compound as they watched Obama's inauguration, most of them from afar. According to reports, African Americans were particularly heavy in their share of the crowd, as well as women, who flocked to the nation's capital to watch the inauguration of the first female Vice President in U.S. history.


A huge crowd fills the National Mall as President Obama is inaugurated for the third time

First, Vice President-elect Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) was sworn in by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, repeating the oath of office while her predecessor, fmr. Senator Herb Kohl, held the bible. That is because Baldwin's parents are deceased and she separated from her longtime partner back in 2010.

After Baldwin was sworn in and the nation officially had its first female, and openly lesbian, Vice President, it was time for the main event. President Barack Obama was, for the third time, sworn in by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, and repeated the oath of office while his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, held the bible for him.

Then, President Obama took a few steps towards the podium overlooking the National Mall, and gave his inaugural address to the American people. In his address, Obama thanked the American people for giving him a renewed mandate, and also "every single voter, no matter who you chose in the polls, for participating in our wonderful, treasured democratic system". He once again reaffirmed his commitment to unity, and callled for ending the "polarization and dysfunction in our capital", asking congressmen to work with him "for the good of the American people" and not just "for a precious few". Then, President Obama articulated his planned agenda for the next four years- he called for "swiftly filling the vaccancy in our nation's highest court", affirmed his commitment to grant "quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans" so that "no single person remains uninsured", and asked for support in "protecting our environmentand making sure we leave a healthy planet for our children and grandchildren".

The President also announced, controversially, that he will bring the TPP Trade Agreement before Congress "as soon as possible", and said that it will "improve the labour conditions in a myriad of countries, as well as lower prices for the American consumers and boost the growth of our economy". Less controversial parts of his speech included a strong affirmation for "protecting LGBTQ Americans from discrimination and ensuring they enjoy full rights, like the rest of us", a call for "reforming our criminal justice system to stop discriminating minorities and to be less brutal against low-level offenders", and asking congress to "work with the White House to finally reform our immigration system to combat illegal immigration and create a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who lived here for most of their adult lives, and who are not at fault for their parents' decision to illegaly immigrate". One of the most surprising parts of the speech, though, was President Obama's call for "continuing the positive trend for relaxing laws against marijuanna accross the nation", calling the heavy restrictions "unnecessary" and "too favourable for pharma corporations and not for simple American citizens who might need marijuanna for a normal daily life." However, Obama also promised to "do all we can possibly do" to fight the opioid epidemic, including "more enforcement while giving better care and treatment for those afflicted". Other issues were addressed, such as voting rights, affordable higher education, foreign policy and others.

Barack Obama finished his speech with a promise "in the next four years, I have but one pledge that I will never stray from. No matter who you voted for, no matter your gender or sex or sexual orientation, no matter your race or ethnicity or religion, no matter whether you live in a big coastal city or a small rural town, I promise to work hard for your benefit, and to do all I can to be President you can be proud of." He asked all those mentioned- the American people- to "join me in the next four years, and work together for progress and prosperity. Thank you."

The inaugural speech, like most speeches by President Obama, was widely praised as a charismatic and inspiring address. All prominent Democrats who commented on the speech praised it, with even Senator Bernie Sanders ignoring the TPP endorsement and thanking the President for "standing on the right side of history on healthcare". Even some Republicans had warm words- Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) said that the call for unity in the speech was "very imporant and appreciated" and promised to "work with the White House to bring real, positive change". Fmr. Ambassador Jon Huntsman, who maintains a voice in politics, said that while him and President Obama "don't agree on much", the speech was "very well done and had the right sentiment- it's time to end this polarization and work in a bipartisan manner". However, hardline conservatives attacked the speech as "a hellish vision of a liberal, heavily taxed socialist country", as Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) said it in a Fox News interview.


President Barack Obama giving his third inaugural address

Following the renewed electoral mandate and his inauguration, the President seems to have entered a honeymoon period, and enjoys strong support from the American people. The White House hopes to use this to start quickly passing legislation, with the first target being, most likely, healthcare.

President Obama job approval
Approve- 62%  (+4)
Disapprove- 29%  (-2)
Not sure- 7%  (-2)

[America Needs R'hllor]

The Obama Administration (2017-)

President of the United States

Name: Barack Hussein Obama II
Age: 55
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Illinois State Senator (1997-2004), U.S. Senator from Illinois (2004-2009), President of the United States (2009-)

Vice President of the United States

Name: Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin
Age: 54
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Wisconsin State Assemblywoman (1993-1999), U.S. Representative from Wisconsin's 2nd district (1999-2013), U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (2013-2017)

Secretary of State

Name: Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
Age: 74
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: New Castle County Councilman (1970-1972), U.S. Senator from Delaware (1973-2009), Vice President of the United States (2009-2017)

Secretary of the Treasury

Name: Janet Louise Yellen
Age: 70
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Clinton (1987-1999), President of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (2004-2010), Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve (2010-2014), Chair of the Federal Reserve (2014-2017)

Secretary of Defence

Name: Ashton Baldwin Carter
Age: 62
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs (1993-1996), Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (2009-2011), Deputy Secretary of Defense (2011-2013), Secretary of Defense (2015-)

Attorney General

Name: Deval Laurdine Patrick
Age: 60
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division (1994-1997), Governor of Massachusetts (2007-2015)

Secretary of the Interior

Name: Cary Kennedy
Age: 48
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Colorado State Treasurer (2007-2011), Deputy Mayor of Denver (2011-2017)

Secretary of Agriculture

Name: Patty Jean Poole Judge
Age: 73
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Iowa Secretary of Agriculture (1999-2007), Lieutenant Governor of Iowa (2007-2011)

Secretary of Commerce

Name: Dean Arthur Heller
Age: 56
Party Affiliation: Republican Party
Past Roles: Nevada State Assemblyman (1990-1994), Secretary of State of Nevada (1995-2007), U.S. Representative from Nevada's 2nd district (2007-2011), U.S. Senator from Nevada (2011-2017)

Secretary of Labour

Name: Jennifer Mulhern Granholm
Age: 57
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Attorney General of Michigan (1999-2003), Governor of Michigan (2003-2011)

Secretary of Health and Human Services

Name: Howard Brush Dean III
Age: 68
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Vermont State Representative (1983-1987) Lieutenant Governor of Vermont (1987-1991), Governor of Vermont (1991-2003), Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee (2004), Chair of the Democratic National Committee (2005-2009)

Secretary of Education

Name: Robert 'Bobby' Cortez Scott
Age: 69
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Virginia State Delegate (1978-1983), Virginia State Senator (1983-1993), U.S. Representative from Virginia's 3rd district (1993-2017)

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Name: Julián Castro
Age: 42
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: San Antonio City Councilor (2001-2005), Mayor of San Antonio (2009-2014), Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (2014-)

Secretary of Transportation

Name: Jack Alan Markell
Age: 56
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Treasurer of Delaware (1999-2009), Governor of Delaware (2009-2017)

Secretary of Energy

Name: Ernest Jeffrey Moniz
Age: 72
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Nuclear Physicist, Under Secretary of Energy for Energy and Environment (1997-2001), Secretary of Energy (2013-)

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Name: Robert Alan McDonald
Age: 63
Party Affiliation: Republican Party
Past Roles: Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2014-)

White House Chief of Staff

Name: Eric Himpton Holder Jr.
Age: 66
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia (1988-1993), United States Attorney for the District of Columbia (1993-1997), Deputy Attorney General (1997-2001), Acting Attorney General (2001), Attorney General (2009-2015)

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Name: Albert Arnold Gore Jr.
Age: 68
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: U.S. Representative from Tennessee's 4th district (1977-1983), U.S. Representative from Tennessee's 6th district (1983-1985), U.S. Senator from Tennessee (1985-1993), Vice President of the United States (1993-2001), Democratic Nominee for President (2004)

Ambassador to the United Nations

Name: Olympia Jean Snowe
Age: 69
Party Affiliation: Republican Party
Past Roles: Maine State Representative (1973-1977), Maine State Senator (1977-1979), U.S. Representative from Maine's 2nd district (1979-1995), First Lady of Maine (1989-1995), U.S. Senator from Maine (1995-2013)

United States Trade Representative

Name: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Age: 64
Party Affiliation: Republican Party
Past Roles: Florida State Representative (1982-1986), Florida State Senator (1986-1989), U.S. Representative from Florida's 27th district (1989-2017)

Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers

Name: Sandra Eilene Black
Age: 47
Party Affiliation: Independent
Past Roles: Professor of Economics, Member of the Council of Economic Advisers (2015-2017)

Administrator of the Small Business Administration

Name: Marianne O'Brien Markowitz
Age: 50
Party Affiliation: Democratic Party
Past Roles: Acting Administrator of the Small Business Administration (2014)

[America Needs R'hllor]

I obviously have plenty of disagreements with this cabinet, but interesting to see where it’s headed. Looking forward to more.

Interested to hear, since your insight is fairly unique (even if I disagree with it on many issues)- which of them do you approve\disapprove of? I guess Heller, Ros-Lehtinen are in the "disapprove" category while Dean and Granholm in the "approve"?
(Note: Dean is considered part of the progressive wing ITTL. He remained pretty much his 2004-self because of his continued career in politics as a Vice Presidential nominee and a candidate in 2008)

[America Needs R'hllor]

Janurat 26th, 2017

Obama, Dean announce beginning of work on bill to "guarantee healthcare to all Americans"



WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Barack Obama and HHS Secretary Howard Dean announced today that the White House and the HHS Department have begun work on a comprehensive bill meant to reform America's healthcare system, "fixing" the problems with the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare). Secretary Dean said that one of the bill's main targets will be "drastically lowering premiums", addressing one of the main criticisms on Obamacare, and "making sure every American is safely insured". According to White House sources, a low-cost public option will very likely be part of the bill, creating government competition to private health insurance companies, as well as more government subsidies meant to make sure every citizen has coverage, what could essentially mean a sort of a social, multi-payer universal healthcare system. However, the same sources claim that the Obama administration is trying to make the healthcare reform "budget-neutral", which could mean increased taxation. This signals that healthcare is, indeed, the first issue on the administration's agenda.

February 1st, 2017

Governor Walker calls Wisconsin special election for Vice President Baldwin's seat in April



MADISON - Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has announced today that he's calling a special election to fill the vacancy created in the state's Class 1 Senate seat when Vice President Tammy Baldwin was sworn in as Vice President. According to Wisconsin state laws, Governor Walker cannot fill Baldwin's seat with his own appointed Senator, but instead has to call a special election to fill it for 62 to 77 days after the "date of order". While at first it was reported that the Governor is reluctant to call an election so early, while President Obama still enjoys high approval ratings, but decided not to test the law and call it as scheduled. The special election is considered likely to be highly competitive, and a first test of Obama administration's ability to survive what might be a brutal 2018 midterm for the Democratic Party. On the Republican side, rumoured candidates include U.S. Representatives Glenn Grothman and Sean Duffy, Senate Majority Leader Scott L. Fitzgerald, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, State Senators Leah Vukmir, far-right businessman Kevin Nicholson and maybe even Governor Scott Walker himself. For the Democrats, candidates rumoured to be considering include U.S. Representatives Gwen Moore, Ron Kind and Mark Poca, young State Senator Chris Larson, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, State Superintendent Tony Evers, former Ambassador to Belarus and Greece Daniel Speckhard and progressive President of the Wisconsin Firefighters Mahlon Mitchell. Whoever wins the election, scheduled to be held in April 19th of this year, will have to run for re-election in the 2018 midterms to serve a full 6-year term in the Senate.

February 7th, 2016

President Obama will press on with Merick Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court, White House confirms



WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a move sure to anger progressives pushing him to nominate a more liberal judge, President Barack Obama has reaffirmed his nomination of Judge Merick Garland to the Supreme Court vacancy created by the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia. Garland is considered a moderate liberal and a judicial centrist, and has been called "the model, neutral judge". With Democrats holding a strong majority in the Senate, and moderate Republicans like Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and John McCain (R-AZ) having already announced that they'll supporte Garland, Obama's nominee will have no trouble getting confirmed, meaning that, with a staunch conservative being replaced by a centrist, the Supreme Court will move to the left.

February 11th, 2017

North Korea conducts another test, firing ballistic missile across the Sea of Japan; U.S. to push for more sanctions



TOKYO - North Korean state media reported, and Japanese outlets confirmed, that the isolated dictatorship fired another test ballistic missile, this time across the Sea of Japan. This is considered a provocation against the U.S. government, meant to test President Obama's new foreign policy team. The administration reacted by strongly condemning the move, with Press Secretary Josh Earnest calling it "a threat against America and its allies that we will not tolerate", and U.N. Ambassador Olympia Snowe, following orders from the President, started pushing for stronger sanctions in the Security Council. Secretary of State Joe Biden, announcing the new push, said that it's "important" that the international community "stand against bullies", and indicated that he will have discussions with Russia and China to try and promote the new sanctions.

February 18th, 2017

Secretary of State Joe Biden announces first trip abroad to Eastern Asia; trip includes China visit



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Joe Biden, the new Secretary of State, announced today what will be his first trip abroad. Between late February and early March, Secretary Biden will travel to east Asia, an important region for U.S. interests where North Korea is trying to stir trouble. The trip will include a visit to Tokyo, Japan, where he will meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss trade and North Korea and a visit to Seoul, South Korea to discuss similar issues with President Park Geun-hye. The Secretary of State will proceed to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where he will briefly meet with President Trương Tấn Sang to discuss improving relations between the two nations. This marks a historic occassion, following the lifting of the arms embargo against Vietnam back in May 2016, and shows the improvement of relations between the nations, a move meant to pressure China. The trip will be concluded with an even more important finale- Biden will visit Beijing, China to meet with President Xi Jinping and other members of the Chinese Government. Biden is expected to discuss issues of trade with the Chinese, but more importantly, North Korea, where he's expected to begin a series of negotiations with the Chinese government to cooperate on the issue, asking China to pressure North Korea into formal negotiations about dismantling its nuclear program. Noteably, the trip will not include the Philippines, where President Rodrigo Duterte has taken a hard line against the United States. Ambassador Philip Goldberg, will also leave the Philippines to become the next U.S. Ambassador to China after Dutrete called him "a gay son of a wh*re". The White House did not have a comment about the Philippines' exclusion from the visit.

[America Needs R'hllor]

February 20th, 2017

Governor Sandoval appoints Fmr. Rep. Heck to Secretary Heller's Senate seat; Heck says he will not run for a full term, election to be held in 2018



LAS VEGAS - Nevada's Republican Governor Brian Sandoval appointed fmr. U.S. Rep. Joe Heck, who ran for the other Senate seat of Nevada in 2016, as U.S. Senator from Nevada, filling the seat left vacant by Dean Heller's official confirmation as Secretary of Commerce last week. Heller won the Senat vote with a decisive 89-9 majority, with only conservative Republicans Ted Cruz (R-TX), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Mike Enzi (R-WY), as well as protectionist Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) voting against him, and himself abstaining. With Heck's appointment and subsequent announcement that he will not run for reelection, reasoning that "the people of Nevada have made their will known in 2016, and I'm only here to serve my state and my nation", the race will be wide open in 2018. This caretaker Senate appointment by Governor Brian Sandoval just increases the speculations that he will indeed run for the seat, which could prove a strong asset for Republicans- if the moderate Governor can win the primary.

February 22nd, 2017

Reps. Duffy (R), Kind(D), and divisive Sheriff Clarke (R) jump into Wisconson Senate race; polls show divisive primaries on both sides, Democrats hold edge in general election



MILWAUKEE - The field of candidates vying for Vice President Tammy Baldwin's empty Senate seat has been finalized in the past few days. U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, a young and popular contender considered one of the Republican frontrunners and a rising star, jumped into the race, quickly followed by former Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke, a very divisive, anti-immigration hawk who has been vocal about his support for Republican nominee Donald Trump. In November 10th, Clarke left the Democratic Party and became a Republican, raising rumours of his intention to run for Baldwin's seat as a conservative hardliner, which were indeed confirmed true. They join the former frontrunner, Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, as well as State Senators Leah Vukmir and Duey Stroebel, and a few minor candidates. On the Democratic side, there was also an exciting development- U.S. Rep. Ron Kind joined the race, entering what was regarded as an uninspiring field including U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, young State Senator Chris Larson and progressive firefighter Mahlon Mitchell. Kind is considered the strongest Democrat for the general election, and was heavily courted to run by the Obama administration, apparently being convinced by the swiftness of the Wisconsin special elections, meaning that the voting will occur in April, possibly still during Barack Obama's honeymoon period. The primaries, to be held in March 10th, are shaping up to be divisive and close, with polls showing tight races in both sides and in the general election:

Wisconsin Senate, 2017- Democratic Primary
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind- 24%
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan- 21%
Mr. Mahlon Mitchell- 15%
County Exec. Chris Abele- 12%
State Senator Chris Larson- 9%
Undecided/Others- 19%

Wisconsin Senate, 2017- Republican Primary
U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy- 24%
Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch- 22%
Fmr. Sheriff David Clarke- 21%
State Sen. Leah Vukmir- 8%
State Sen. Duey Stroebel- 3%
Undecided/others- 22%

Wisconsin Senate, 2017- General Election
Democrat- 42%, Republican- 40%, Undecided- 18%
Kind- 44%, Duffy- 41%, Undecided-15%
Kind- 45%, Kleefisch- 39%, Undecided- 16%
Kind- 57%, Clarke- 32% Undecided- 11%
Pocan- 42%, Duffy- 42%, Undecied- 16%
Pocan- 42%, Kleefisch- 40%, Undecided- 18%
Pocan- 54%, Clarke- 33%, Undecided- 13%

February 28th, 2017

Garland confirmed as Supreme Court Justice by full Senate, officially filling a contentious vacancy



WASHINGTON, D.C. - It did not take long for the now Associate Justice Merrick Garland to be confirmed once the Democratic majority gave him a hearing, as instructed by Barack Obama. While the President did not agree to confirm Garland before the inauguration of the new congress, vetting a few other, more liberal options in what many called "a sting against Republicans and McConnell", he decided in the end to press on with Garland, appointing him again to seat vacated by the death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia. Today, he was confirmed by the full Senate with a strong margin of 72 votes. The 27 Republcians voting against him are conservatives, who announced their opposition when Garland said in his hearing that he supports Roe vs Wade and that he's "leaning against" Citizens United, a position that bought him the votes of progressives but lost him several conservatives. In addition to the 57 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus, Garland received the votes of Republicans Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tim Scott (R-SC), John McCain (R-AZ), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Bob Corker (R-TN), Jerry Moran (R-KS), John Neely Kennedy (R-LA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Joni Ernest (R-IA), Cory Gardener (R-CO),  and the newly-appointed Joe Heck (R-NV).

March 1st, 2017

Biden goes to China



BEIJING - Secretary of State Joe Biden reached the last part his east Asian trip today with the grand finale- a meeting with President Xi Jinping and other high-ranking Chinese government officials in Beijing and Shanghai. The two met privately for about two hours before giving a joint press conference to Chinese state media and American outlets. Biden described the meeting as "very productive", and Jinping thanked the former Vice President for the visit, calling him "a honourable partner" and promising to "work with the United States government on important economic and security issues", signaling a willingness to cooperate on North Korea. Speaking to U.S. media, the Secretary of State confirmed that Jinping will announce a trip to Pyongyang very soon, where he will speak to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to try and convince him to enter negotiations with the United States about nuclear disarmament.

March 7th, 2017

Report: Signatories to re-negotiate TPP, Secretary Heller promises final deal will "benefit everyone"



TOKYO - After the visit by Secretary of State Joe Biden in nations including Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, and trips by Secretary of Commerce Dean Heller to Mexico and Canada, one major accomplishment was revealed- representatives of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, including U.S. Trade Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, have gathered in Tokyo, Japan to begin a new round of negotiations for what Ros-Lehtinen called "modifications to the previously signed agreement". Secretary Heller promised that the negotiations will make the TPP, attacked from both left and right as harming American workers and encouraging the outsourcing of jobs overseas, an "even better" pact. Vice President Tammy Baldwin, who opposed the original agreement, said the move was "encouraging" and that she hoped to bring "a new agreement, better for the American people, for retification before the full Senate soon enough". The negotiations, headlined by Ros-Lehtinen with outside support from Secretary Heller, Secretary Biden and President Obama, are expected to make several months. A White House source speaking on the condition of anonimity claimed that the President encouraged the delay, prefering to pass his landmark healthcare legislation before bringing the controversial topic of the TPP before the Seante, where he's not guaranteed the votes to pass it in the current form, with opposition from both Democrats and Republicans.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Who will be Secretary of Energy?

Ernest Moniz was retained:

November 25th, 2016

Two more retainments: Julián Castro, Ernest Moniz to stay in posts



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Two more popular members of the Obama cabinet will stay in their posts, the President confirmed today. Julian Castro, former Mayor of San Antonio and current Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, is seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party and him remaining in the cabinet is seen as a good way to keep him politically visible before a potential run for higher office in Texas, a state Obama narrowly won in 2016. Ernest Moniz, the Secretary of Energy, is a nuclear physicist by profession and is considered an effective and competent leader for the department overseeing the nation's nuclear arsenal. He also promised to work to implement the President's clean energy agenda. The choices are considered strong, and pundits say that there was no reason for Obama to replace the two popular secretaries.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Who will be Secretary of Energy?

Ernest Moniz was retained

[/quote]

As has been brought to my attention by EdgeofNight, I've edited the officialy cabinet post to include Jack Markell as Transportation Secratary and correctly name Ernest Moniz in Energy. Thanks!

[America Needs R'hllor]

March 11th, 2017

Wisconsin Senate election: Duffy narrowly defeats Clarke in GOP Primary, Kind wins Democratic nomination to succeed Baldwin



MADISON - The nominees of the two major parties in the race for Vice President Tammy Baldwin's vacant Wisconsin U.S. Senate seat were decided yesterday night, as a closer-than-expected race left Republicans waiting for a projection until the early hours of the night, while Democrats decisively chose their nominee, U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, by a double-digit margin. Kind, a moderate and popular congressman, was supported by most of the Wisconsin and federal Democratic establishment, which considers him the most electable of the bunch, and won decisively against his less-inspiring colleague, U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, and a surprisingly strong third-place showing for State Senator Chris Larson, who was polling last mere weeks ago. On the Republican side it was a lot more interesting- U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy prevailed narrowly, very late into the night, over controversial far-right Sheriff David Clarke, who ran on a Trumpian, populist platform, railing against the establishment. In the end, however, despite splitting the anti-Clarke vote with other candidates, Duffy was able to rally the powerful Wisconsin Republican establishment behind him to eke out a win. Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch fizzled out and came a distant third, despite being considered a frontrunner early on and getting the endorsement of Governor Scott Walker, followed by State Senators Leah Vukmir and Duey Stroebel who only earned single-digit support. Sheriff Clarke did not yet concede defeat to Duffy or announce whether he'll support him in the general election. However, he's rumoured to be planning a possible second campaign in 2018 should Rep. Ron Kind win the seat, and maybe even a primary challenge to a Senator Duffy. Current general election polls show a close race, with Kind currently leading.

Wisconsin Senate, 2017- Democratic Primary Results
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind- 34.8% ✓
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan- 23.1%
State Senator Chris Larson- 21.0%
Mr. Mahlon Mitchell- 12.9%
County Exec. Chris Abele- 5.4%
Others- 2.8%

Wisconsin Senate, 2017- Republican Primary Results
U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy- 31.4% ✓
Fmr. Sheriff David Clarke- 30.8%
Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch- 20.2%
State Sen. Leah Vukmir- 8.7%
State Sen. Duey Stroebel- 5.3%
Others- 3.6%

Wisconsin Senate, 2017- General Election Polling
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind- 46%
U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy- 43%
Undecided- 11%

March 16th, 2017

Far-right stagnates at Dutch general election; Rutte most likely to remain Prime Minister



AMSTERDAM - Was the momentum of the worldwide right-wing populist movement halted with Donald Trump's landslide defeat? As far as the voters of the Netherlands are concerned, it seems that it was. In the general election for the parliament held yesterday, the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), lead by the controversial Geert Wilders, far outperformed the polls, that projected it growing by at least a three seats, and gained only one, turning from the third biggest party to the fifth. This is also much less than polls suggested a few months ago, when the PVV was widely thought likely to become the second-biggest party. The biggest party remained Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, but, losing nine seats, Rutte will have to forge a coalition of at least three parties, if not four. Still, Rutte is right now the only one with the numbers to build a coalition. The biggest victors, surprisingly, were the pro-European Democrats 66 and Green Left parties.



The centrist, liberal pro-EU party D66 gained a very strong 11 seats in the parliament, rising to the status of second-biggest party, while the progressive GL, buoyed by its charismatic, young leader Jesse Klaver, gained an astronomic 15 seats to rise from 8th-biggest to 3rd-biggest. With them, the Christian Democratic Appeal center-right party gained several seats, while the biggest losers were the socialist parties- the social democratic Labour Party (PvdA) lost 23 seats, becoming the biggest loser of the election despite outperforming the polls showing an even worse result for them, while the Socialist Party (SD) lost three. With these results, the only plausible coalition seems to involve all four of the biggest parties- VVD, D66, GL and CDA, making it potentially one of the most pro-European governments in the continent, and also one of the most ideologically diverse.

March 27th, 2017

Obama Administration presents Guaranteed Healthcare Act in White House ceremony



WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Barack Obama, Vice President Tammy Baldwin, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and HHS Secretary Howard Dean have appeared in the White House's Rose Garden this morning to officially announce what is being called "a very ambitious" healthcare proposal, the Guaranteed Healthcare Act (GHA). According to the details laid out by Secretary Dean, the bill will "significantly expand medicaid to higher income brackets"", as well as merge medicare benefits, essentially eliminating the second program in order to, as Secretary Yellen termed it "reduce bureaucracy, slash the deficit and increase efficiency". Additionally, a surprisingly robust public health insurance option will be created, with very low costs, called National American Health Insurance (NAHI). While it'll take months to establish, NAHI is aiming to provide quality health insurance for every citizen who cannot afford private health insurance. Two noteable and controversial parts of the proposal are sure to define the process of passing the healthcare law- one makes it compulsory to participate in at least one health insurance plan, meaning NAHI, but citizens will be able to buy additional, private health insurance plans to add benefits. This clause is expected to anger conservatives and make it particularly hard to whip Republican votes in favour of the bill. The other interesting clause might offset the former- it concerns the budget, and is meant to reduce deficits by shedding healthcare buearocracy and creating a healthcare tax, while reducing payroll taxes previously funding medicare and medicaid. Democrats are rumoured to attempt to use this clause to push the GHA through congress with a budget-reconciliation process that bypasses the need to garner 60 votes in the Senate.

March 29th, 2017

Lawmakers react to Obamacare 2.0: progressives praise, conservatives go on the attack, setting off lengthy legislative battle



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Shortly after the Obama Administration presented its groundbreaking healthcare plan, the Guaranteed Healthcare Act (GHA), reactions ranging from enthusiastic support to forceful condemnations and attacks started pouring in from politicians and political figures accross the nation, especially from those who will have a say in making the plan a reality- the members of Congress. The GHA was met with enthusiasm by Democrats, including progressives who were recently critical of the Obama Administration. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said that while he'd prefer a single-payer plan, "the Guaranteed Healthcare act goes very far" and has "a potential to finally insure every American like we must do". Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) gave a ringing endorsement of the plan and announced that "the Obama administration has acted bravely today, finally presenting a plan to give all Americans their crucial right for healthcare, and I will fully support the passage of this great plan as soon as possible". Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), considered amongst the more moderate wing of the Democratic Party, has also announced his enthusiastic support of the plan and pledged to work hard for its passage in the Senate. But on the other side, reactions were much harsher. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), the arch-conservative Republican runner-up from 2016, attack the plan vehemently, calling it "a brew of socialism and authoritarianism that will shred our citizens' freedom to pieces and bankrupt our country". Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell joined Cruz's protests, calling the plan "an extremely harmful legislation that the Republican party will do everything to oppose". Attempting to coin the new name of the legislation was Senator Rand Paul, a possible 2020 contender, who called it "Obamacare 2.0- another bad plan that will only worsen healthcare, balloon the national debt and serve as a dramatic increase of authoritarianism and the destruction of freedom in our country". Businessman Donald Trump, the Republican nominee from 2016, remained surprisingly quiet about the plan, and only condemned it briefly before passing on to a recent environmental regulation by Al Gore's EPA, saying in a recent tweet that: "The @POTUS Administration is a TOTAL DISASTER! Bad healthcare laws and KILLING our energy industries! @Al_Gore will take away millions of AMERICAN JOBS and destroy our economy!"

[America Needs R'hllor]

April 2nd, 2017

Obama approvals take a hit as administration marches on with healthcare bill, under rain of heavy criticism



WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Obama administration appears to be spending all of its political capital and goodwill with voters on the healthcare bill, promoting it heavily and embracing it fully, and it shows in the President's plunging approval ratings. Conservatives are launching a frevent, full-on assault on the new initiative, with Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), along with Senators such as Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Joni Ernst (R-IA) and John Thune (R-SD) at the helm. Paul has made dozens of media appearances attacking the bill, and seems to be making a national brand for himself over the issue, while the others also joined the media blitz. President Barack Obama, who was enjoying high approvals following a landslide electoral victory and a renewed mandate, is losing approval over the issue as it becomes more polarizing:

President Obama Job Approval
Approve- 53%  (-7)
Disapprove- 39%  (+8)
Not Sure- 6%  (-2)

April 6th, 2017

NYT: Tough legislative battle looms for Obamacare 2.0



NEW YORK CITY - As the Obama administration finishes the final details of its ambitious healthcare bill, the Guaranteed Healthcare Act (GHA) or, as it's called in a popular phrase coined by Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Obamacare 2.0, a hard legislative battle seems to loom before it. While most Democrats have announced support for the bill, while most Republicans announced opposition, there are several key swing votes who could mean the success and failure of the bill, especially in the Senate. Moderate Democrats up for reelection in 2018 have to tread carefully, as many in their conservative states oppose the ambitiously progressive GHA, and already, Senators like Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) have said that they're not sure how to vote yet. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) said that she would "have to review the bill carefully and see whether it benefits the people of Missouri before making a decision", while Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) criticized President Obama for "crafting a very one-sided legislation without any bipartisanship or much input from the Senate".However, other red-state Democrats announced support for the bill- Jason Kander (D-MO) said that he fully supports "this tremendous effort to make sure everyone has quality healthcare", while Senator Jason Carter (D-GA) said that "with some reservations, I'm happy with this bill". Meanwhile, there are moderate Republicans also on the fence- Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and John McCain (R-AZ) all criticized  Obamacare 2.0 but refused to commit to voting against it, with Collins saying that "healthcare is an important part of our daily lives, and I shall have to see if this bill protects the people of Maine." The NYT conducted an indepth, comprehensive analysis of the safe, likely, leaning and tossup votes in the Senate, and reached a clear conclusion- the Obama administration would have to pass the GHA as part of a budget reconciliation process that will allow them to pass it with 50 votes (including Vice President Baldwin's possible tie-breaking vote) rather than 60, avoiding a filibuster. Indeed, the bill has clauses concerning the deficit and sources inside the White House confirmed that, while prefering to pass Obamacare 2.0 normally, President Obama, Democratic Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi currently see this as the only option. Let's look at the NYT's official GHA Senate whip count:

Safe AYE: 40 Senators
Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Chris Murphy (D-CT)
Gwen Graham (D-FL)
Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
Tom Vilsack (D-IA)
Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Ed Markey (D-MA)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Amy Klobucher (D-MN)
Al Franken (D-MN)
Jason Kander (D-MO)
Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Tom Udall (D-NM)
Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Kay Hagan (D-NC)
Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Betty Sutton (D-OH)
Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Jack Reed (D-RI)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Tim Kaine (D-VA)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Russ Feingold (D-WI)

Likely AYE: 9 Senators (10 if Ron Kind wins)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Tom Carper (D-DE)
Chris Coons (D-DE)
Jason Carter (D-GA)
Angus King (I-ME)
Gary Peters (D-MI)
Bob Menendez (D-NJ)
Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA)
Mark Warner (D-VA)
Ron Kind (D-WI)

Lean AYE: 3 Senators
Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
Jon Tester (D-MT)

TOSSUP: 4 Senators
Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
Evan Bayh (D-IN)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Joe Heck (R-NV)

Lean NAY: 3 Senators
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
Joe Manchin (D-WV)

Likely NAY: 7 Senators
Dan Sullivan (R-AK)
John McCain (R-AZ)
Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
Cory Gardner (R-CO)
Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV)

Safe NAY: 33 Senators (34 if Sean Duffy wins)
Richard Shelby (R-AL)
Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
John Boozman (R-AR)
Tom Cotton (R-AR)
David Perdue (R-GA)
Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Jim Risch (R-ID)
Joni Ernst (R-IA)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Rand Paul (R-KY)
John Neely Kennedy (R-LA)
Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Stever Daines (R-MT)
Deb Fischer (R-NE)
Ben Sasse (R-NE)
Thom Tillis (R-NC)
John Hoeven (R-ND)
Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
James Lankford (R-OK)
Tim Scott (R-SC)
John Thune (R-SD)
Mike Rounds (R-SD)
Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Bob Corker (R-TN)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Mike Lee (R-UT)
Sean Duffy (R-WI)
Mike Enzi (R-WY)
John Barrasso (R-WY)

April 12th, 2017

Wisconsin Senate race gets tighter as President Obama, healthcare bill lose popularity; Kind maintains support for the GHA



MILWAUKEE - Democratic U.S. Represenative Ron Kind is losing support in recently released Wisconsin Senate race polling, as his Republican colleague, U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, seems to be closing the gap. This is, most likely, caused by the recent plunge in approval ratings for President Obama as himself, and his healthcare bill, dubbed by Republicans Obamacare 2.0, lose popularity in Wisconsin as well as the rest of the nation. However, both the President and the GHA remain with positive approvals in the state, and thus the Senate race is getting closer and closer, with Kind currently leading by a little more than 1 percentage point. The race is framed by many as a first referendum on the third-term President, and so both parties see great importance in it. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and the state's former Senator unseated in 2016, Ron Johnson and former Governor Tommy Thompson, have recently come out to campaing for Duffy in force, holding doezens of events throughout the state. However, Democrats brought their own giants in to the expensive race- Vice President Tammy Baldwin, the holder of the currently-vacant seat has come to campaign for Kind in Wisconsin several times, as did Senator Russ Feingold and former Senator Herb Kohl. Thus with tremendous resources poured in from both sides, the race to succeed the Vice President in the Senatr remains tight.

Wisconsin Senate, 2017- General Election Polling
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind- 47%  (+1)
U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy- 46%  (+3)
Undecided- 7%  (-4)

April 17th, 2017

REPORT: Democrats aiming to pass Obamacare 2.0 via budget reconciliation



WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) confirmed today that the Obama administration and congressial Democrats are aiming to use budget reconciliation- a legislative process that allows passage of budgetary measures through both houses of Congress with a simple majority- in order to pass the Guaranteed Healthcare Act, their ambitious healthcare reform plan. They will use a measure in the bill calling for the reduction of the federal debt by shedding bureaucracy and asking citizens to pay a special healthcare tax to justify the use of the reconciliation process. The confirmation comes two days after the Congressional Budget Office confirmed that the GHA will reduce deficits by about $86 billion over a decade, thus making it eligible under the Byrd Rule that sets up the process. However, criticisms naturally arose- Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called it "a gross violation of the Byrd Rule", House Minority Leader Paul Ryan condemned Democrats for an "authoritarian attack on congressial rules", and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) called Pelosi and Schumer "thieves in the night, stealing our freedom in illegal ways". Criticism also came from the Democratic side- Senator Joe Manchin said that it made him "far less likely" to support the healthcare bill, while Senator Evan Bayh called Democratic leaders to "work in a bipartisan manner" to pass the healthcare reform rather than "lowering ourselves and violatng Senate procedures".

[America Needs R'hllor]

April 20th, 2017

In heavy blow to Obama and Democrats, Wisconsin elects Republican Sean Duffy as U.S. Senator



MADISON - The Wisconsin special election to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Senator Tammy Baldwin's election as Vice President of the United States occured yesterday, and though it was tight and could not be called until late in the night, the end result was a heavy blow to President Barack Obama's administration and to the Democratic Party- a victory for U.S. Representative Sean Duffy, the Republican candidate, over U.S. Representative Ron Kind, the Democratic candidate. The Republican win, considered an upset, comes after weeks of Kind, a popular congressman, leading the polls, and following a plunge in President Obama's approval ratings. Sources inside the Wisconsin Democratic Party accused the Obama administration of "ruining our chances" by presenting the healthcare plan when they did, instead of waiting for after the special election. Congressman Kind conceded graciously, congratulating Senator-elect Duffy and saying that he will return to the House to "keep working for my dear constituents", while Duffy thanked his supporters and promised to fight the Obama agenda, "including a harmful healthcare bill Wisconsinites clearly don't like". With Duffy's election, Republicans have another vote against Obamacare 2.0, and it will make the work of passing the bill harder for the President, even using budget reconciliation. It will also bring about a humiliating picture for the Obama administration in a few weeks- Vice President Tammy Baldwin swearing in a Republican to her old Senate seat. Finally, it's considered a bad sign for Democrats ahead of what is likely to be a harsh environment in the 2018 midterms.

Wisconsin Senate, 2017 (99% Reporting)- REPUBLICAN GAIN
U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy (R)- 49.8% ✓
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D)- 48.3%
Others- 1.9%

April 23rd, 2017

Macron, Mélenchon advance to runoff in French Presidential election, a disappointment to French right-wing



PARIS - After a wild and contentious election season, independent centrist candidate for the French Presidency Emmanuel Macron easily came first in the first round of the country's election, far before his three closest contenders, who were all very close to each other. In the end, far-left La France Insoumise candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon upset his right-wing rivals to narrowly come second in the final tally, and will advance to the runoff against Macron in May 7th, when Macron will be heavily favoured, according to the polls. Third came the conservative LR's candidate, François Fillon, who went through damaging scandals in the election season, and the far-right National Front candidate, Marine Le Pen, came in a very close fourth place, which is considered yet another disappointment for the global nationalist movement, following Donald Trump's defeat and the Dutch elections. Socialist candidate Benoît Hamon came in an alarming place for the French moderate left- sixth. He lost many votes to Mélenchon and the fifth place finisher, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, seemed to gain some voters from Le Pen.

French Presidential Election, 2017 (First Round)
Emmanuel Macron (EM)- 26.0% ✓
Jean-Luc Mélenchon (FI)- 20.3% ✓
François Fillon (LR)- 19.7%
Marine Le Pen (FN)- 19.5%
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (DLF)- 5.5%
Benoît Hamon (PS)- 5.4%
Others- 3.6%

April 29th, 2017

Obama administration prepares to send Obamacare 2.0 to Senate, faces uniform Republican opposition; Manchin, Heitkamp to oppose



BISMARCK - The healthcare showdown that will probably set the scene for the rest of President Obama's third term is looming closer. Democrats are planning to present the Guaranteed Healthcare Act before the Senate soon, and are now in the process of trying to secure at least 50 votes in its favour, a simple majority required as part of the budget reconciliation process. This target, despite heavy opposition and frevent attacks from conservative and libertarian Republicans, appears to be very achieveable. While all Republicans, including Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Heck (R-NV) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who were considered possible swing votes, announced opposition for the ambitiously progressive bill, President Obama will just need the support of 50 Democrats. Two Senators from his party have already announced opposition- Joe Manchin from West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp from North Dakota, both of which are up for a difficult reelction in 2017. Additionally, both Democratic Senators from the state of Indiana, Evan Bayh and Joe Donnelly (whose seat is also up in 2018), are reportedly leaning against the bill. Bayh has frequently criticized Democratic leaders for a process lacking bipartisanship, while Donnelly considers the bill "problematic for choice and freedom". Without them, Democrats are working hard to secure to secure the support of at least ten Senators amongst those who did not yet announce support for the bill, who are all also faced with a potentially difficult reelection bid in 2018, if they choose to seek it.

May 3rd, 2017

U.S. launches airstrike on Syria following chemical weapons use throughout April



JERUSALEM - After giving out one warning after the other to the Assad regime, urging the Syrian dictator against using chemical weapons against rebels amongst his own population, the Obama administration has finally acted on the threats, signaling a more forceful line against the Russia-backed leader. According to Secretary of State Joe Biden, the strikes were "precise and surgical", and "meant to show that the United State govenrment will not tolerate these monstrous crimes anymore". This is considered the first sign of a tougher line against Russia, especially after the reports of Russian intervention in the U.S. 2016 election increased the tensions between the two nations. President Putin called the attack "an attack on a sovereign nation" that  "substantially impairs" Russo-American relations. While the action received support from U.S. politicians, there were also some criticisms, chief amongst them from Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), who accused President Obama of "spending money on an unnecessary loss of life and virtue-signaling", and even said that "the President is trying to distract the American people from an atrocious attack on healthcare".

NOTE: I made about three posts today, so if you didn't, make sure you've read the two new ones in the previous post, too They could go unnoticed with the TL moving to page three and all.

[America Needs R'hllor]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

mistake spotted?

Yep. Thanks!

So is there going to be a WI-07 special election now?

I guess. Also special elections coming for Ros-Lehtinen's and Scott's House seats.

[America Needs R'hllor]

May 7th, 2017

Emmanuel Macron elected French President, easily dispatching far-left opponent



JEFFERSON CITY - The healthcare clash is approaching an end, as White House Press Secretary confirmed that the bill will be presented before the Senate "in the coming days". With at least 49 votes secure for the Guaranteed Healthcare Act and at least 46 secure against it, the fate of the most ambitious healthcare reform in decades hinges upon the shoulders of three Senators, all of whom are up for a difficult reelection in 2018: Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Senator Jon Tester (D-MT). With the President losing approval over the healthcare battle and Obamacare 2.0 holding negative ratings in all three of the states in question, and as conservative Super PACs and politicians barrage them with pressure, the three Senators stand before a tough dilemma- vote for the GHA and risk losing their seats in 2018, or vote against it and face the fury of Democrats. Nelson, a Democrat from a state Obama won in the last three Presidential races, is considered the likeliest vote for the bill, however he's facing the tough prospects of a battle against Governor Rick Scott (R-FL) in 2018. McCaskill and Tester have always been fairly liberal for their deeply-Republican states, but with Republicans ready to challenge them in 2018, they'll find it hard to vote for the bill. There's also an outside chance that the Obama administration will manage to gain the support of two Senators who have walked back from their definitive refusal to support the GHA in recent days- Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), who called it "a difficult choice" because "healthcare in my state is in a bleak situation", and Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) who said that the bill "might have some merits" despite the "atrocious process of its creation".

[America Needs R'hllor]

May 25th, 2017

BREAKING: Obamacare 2.0 passes Senate in a 53-47 vote; Obama administration proclaims victory on healthcare



WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a big victory for President Obama's administration, the Guaranteed Healthcare Act, its signature healthcare reform bill, passed the Senate today by a safe margin- 53 Senators voted for it, and 47 Senators opposed. The measure was ushered in through a budget reconciliation process, allowing it to bypass filibuster. The key votes for the GHA, dubbed by many Obamacare 2.0, were from four Democratic Senators facing tough reelection prospects in 2018. Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL), Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Jon Tester (D-MT) all voted for the bill, which is considered a testament to the skills Vice President Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and HHS Secretary Howard Dean (D-VT) displayed by collecting the votes in congress. But the biggest surprise came from Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), who was considered a fairly reliable vote against the GHA but in the end changed his tune, saying that the bill "would cover tens of thousands of West Virginians who are suffering and have no other way to get themselves insured", reasoning that his state is suffering "a terrible drug epidemic" and that it was his "duty to support West Virginians who are out of job and don't have a way to protect their and their children's health".

AYE: 53 Senators ✓
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Chris Murphy (D-CT)
Tom Carper (D-DE)
Chris Coons (D-DE)
Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Gwen Graham (D-FL)
Jason Carter (D-GA)
Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
Tom Vilsack (D-IA)
Angus King (I-ME)
Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Ed Markey (D-MA)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Gary Peters (D-MI)
Amy Klobucher (D-MN)
Al Franken (D-MN)
Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
Jason Kander (D-MO)
Jon Tester (D-MT)
Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
Bob Menendez (D-NJ)
Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Tom Udall (D-NM)
Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Kay Hagan (D-NC)
Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Betty Sutton (D-OH)
Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA)
Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Jack Reed (D-RI)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Mark Warner (D-VA)
Tim Kaine (D-VA)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Joe Manchin (D-WV)
Russ Feingold (D-WI)

NAY: 47 Senators
Richard Shelby (R-AL)
Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Dan Sullivan (R-AK)
John McCain (R-AZ)
Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
John Boozman (R-AR)
Tom Cotton (R-AR)
Cory Gardner (R-CO)
David Perdue (R-GA)
Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Jim Risch (R-ID)
Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
Evan Bayh (D-IN)
Joni Ernst (R-IA)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Rand Paul (R-KY)
Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
John Neely Kennedy (R-LA)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Stever Daines (R-MT)
Deb Fischer (R-NE)
Ben Sasse (R-NE)
Joe Heck (R-NV)
Thom Tillis (R-NC)
Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
John Hoeven (R-ND)
Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
James Lankford (R-OK)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Tim Scott (R-SC)
John Thune (R-SD)
Mike Rounds (R-SD)
Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Bob Corker (R-TN)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Mike Lee (R-UT)
Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV)
Sean Duffy (R-WI)
Mike Enzi (R-WY)
John Barrasso (R-WY)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell launched an attack on the Senators who voted for the bill. "Mark my words", McConnell said in a press conference today, "we will take all of them down next year". McConnell's junior Senator, Rand Paul (R-KY), also attacked the bill, lamenting that the Obama administration has brought America to "a more authoritarian era with bad healthcare and no freedom". Democrats, however, could finally celebrate- President Obama proclaime that "we finally won a big victory on healthcare for the American people", and promised to pass the measure through the House and sign it as soon as possible. HHS Secretary Howard Dean, whose role just became outsized with the need to create a whole, nationwide public health insurance agency, said that he's "ready to face the challenges ahead and make sure every American has the best healthcare possible". Finally, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) praised the Obama administration for "a bold, progressive measure" and, smiling in a press conference with Schumer, Durbin and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), which was considered a display of unity between the Demcoratic progressive and establishment wings, thanked the President for "finally bringing an unfair system to an end".

May 29th, 2017

Virginia gubernatorial Democratic primary heats up as Obama, Sanders wade into Northam vs Perriello race



RICHMOND - The 2017 race for Virginia governor is heating up as the primaries for the nominations of both parties get closer. On the Republican side, fmr. RNC Chairman and establishment favourite Ed Gillespie is being challenged by Supervisor Corey Stewart, a far-right candidate running on a Trumpian, some would say racist platform and by State Senator Frank Wagner, but Gillespie is widely expected to win. On the Demcoratic side, the race appears closer- Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam, a favourite of the Virginia Democratic establishment, including an endorsement from term-limited Governor Terry McAuliffe and unofficial support from Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, is being challenged by former U.S. Representative Tom Perriello. The former congressman, who served as special envoy under Obama, is being supported by an odd alliance- progressives, lead by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and his Our Revolution organization, and Obamaworld, which sees Perriello as a close ally. While the President didn't explicitly endorse Perriello, he and his aides are making their support very clear- in a recent press conference, Obama called Northam's challenger "an excellent candidate who would make a great Governor". Sanders, meanwhile, is actively campaigning for Perriello, and has called him "a progressive who will bring real results to Virginia". The primary has gotten tighter in recent weeks, and the Obama\Sanders favourite seems to have a real chance of victory. Virginia is not the only place where President Obama is supporting insurgent allies- in New York City, fmr. OMB Director and Secretary of HUD under Obama, Shaun Donovan, is rumoured to consider an Obama-supported challenge to incumbent Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Clinton ally.

Who will you vote for in the Virginia Gubernatorial Democratic Primary?
Ralph Northam- 46%
Tom Perriello-  44%
Unsure- 10%

June 5th, 2017

House of Representatives passes Obamacare 2.0; Speaker Pelosi praised for strong hold on caucus



WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Obama administration has completed its final step in passing the Guaranteed Healthcare Act, a major victory for Democrats who passed their signature bill in a smooth process. The orderly process was largely attributed to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who showed her skills at moving bills through congress and holding the Democratic caucus by getting the votes of a strong majority amongst Democrats, letting only a few endangered ones vote against- 221 U.S. Representatives, all Democrats, voted for the bill, while 212 voted against, 9 amongst them Democrats and the rest, the entire Republican caucus. Two seats are currently vacant- the Democratic seat of Education Secretary Bobby Scott and the Republican seats of Trade Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and new Senator Sean Duffy. Now, the bill moves to President Barack Obama's desk for signing.

AYE: 221 U.S. Representatives ✓
221 Members of the House Democratic Caucus

NAY: 212 U.S. Representatives
All 202 Members of the House Republican Caucus
Dan Lipinski (D-IL)
Shelli Yoder (D-IN)
Monica Vernon (D-IA)
Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA)
Collin Peterson (D-MN)
Brad Ashford (D-NE)
Steve Santarsiero (D-PA)
Henry Cuellar (D-TX)
Pete Gallego (D-TX)

June 7th, 2017

President Obama officially signs Guaranteed Healthcare Act into law



WASHINGTON, D.C. - History was made today in the White House, as President Barack Obama officially signed the Guaranteed Healthcare Act into law, creating a national health insurance agency, called NAHI, expanding and combining Medicare and Medicaid and making enrollment in some health insurance plan mandatory. The CBO, Congressial Budged Office, has confirmed that the bill's reduction of buearocracy will reduce deficits in the long term, and experts agree that the plan would mean that most, if not all Americans will eventually have health insurance. While Republicans kept condemning the bill- Senator Rand Paul lamented today as "the day our freedom and choice on healthcare was taken away by a bloated government"- Democrats and progressives celebrated the victory. Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it "a great day for Americans in all states" and progressive Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) proclaimed that "finally, we have achieved a fair healthcare system in our country". Republicans are expected to challenge the bill in the courts, but judicial experts agreed that the attempt has a "very low chance" to succeed. Following the victories in the Senate and House, Obama's approvals saw an uptick:

President Obama Job Approval
Approve- 50%  (+1)
Disapprove- 42%  (-2)
Not Sure- 6%  (+1)

[America Needs R'hllor]

SGP losing 2 seats in the Dutch election is completely impossible (2% of voters always votes SGP, 98% will never vote SGP), but other than that: great TL!

I guess I let my deep dislike of religious extremism get ahead of me Won't fix it because editing Wikipedia is effort, but thanks!

Great TL so far! may I ask what the current 2018 GCB Polling and senate polling  look like in (Indiana, West Virginia and Pennsylvania) please?

Thank you! Just like in our timeline, there aren't many polls for 2018 races yet at this point, but you're right- it's time to release some. I'll add them to my next post, but for now, I'll say that Manchin and Donnelly are in serious trouble while Casey Jr. is leading pretty confidently. Curiously, you've hit two of my most interesting planned races for 2018- West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Of course, I won't reveal yet why they're so interesting In the Generic Ballot, Republicans have a moderate lead of about 3-5 points at this point.