The Union of the Inhabitants of Earth (UIE) - A 2019-2040s timeline

[hurricanehink]

An alt 2019-2040 timeline

The day before Election Day for the Council of Billions - November 5, 2040

“The American constitution was a beacon of inspiration to countless minds across this planet, but its parchment was written in a different time. The first constitution for all of the people on Earth will be digital, and it will be for every man, woman, and all species on this beautiful planet. I thank you for your time today, and I remind you to please go vote tomorrow” Former American President Barack Obama declared at a rally in Jakarta, Indonesia. The spry 79 year-old beamed on the stage of Widodo Stadium, in front of millions of people in attendance (both physically and digitally). He bowed and walked off the stage, greeting his speechwriter and former chief-of-staff Jon Favreau.

“You’re gonna win this thing. The first American on the Council of Billions,” Favreau shouted gleefully.

“The council of Billions…” echoed the joyful voice of a teenager.

“Not now B3…” Favreau muttered, cutting off the teenage grandson of Obama, Barack Obama Heinrich, son of Malia Obama and Carter Heinrich, and given the nickname B3 by Michelle Obama, the matriarch of the family since President Obama retired from public life in 2021.

“You’re gonna win Poppop! You got luck on your side!” B3 said with joy to his grandfather.
“I’m gonna need a lot more than just luck to be on the Council,” the former President chuckled.
“How many more things?” B3 asked, knowing the answer fully well by now.
“2 - a ⅔ majority from at least ⅓ of the members of the United Nations to vote in the affirmative to form a global executive council, and for at least 1 billion of them to vote for me.” the former President spoke the last few words with a grin, believing in the audacious plan with all of his heart. “Where are we going next?” the former President asked, stretching out his back and taking a deep breath with joy. There was something special about the air of Jakarta to him.

“We’re taking the train to Singapore, then Manila, and dinner in Tokyo with the Prime Minister,” Favreau read from the screen displayed holographically from his right wrist. The Pacific rim rail line from Melbourne, Australia to San Diego, California was opened in time for the 2036 Olympics in Anchorage, Alaska.

“Spit out the chewing gum before we get to Singapore, I remember this time… I don’t know how Mandela did it in 1994. He was three years younger than I am now.” The former American President aged gracefully, his curly white hair smiling alongside his well-worn wrinkles. Mr. Obama had a lot to smile about, seeing the world grow closer after his fractious years as Leader of the Free World.

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As of January 1, 2040, the world population is 9,364,275,000 (rounded to the near thousanth, due to 185,000 babies being born every day and uncertainty when some people have died). There are about 1.5 billion people in the Americas, about 1.4 billion people in Europe (following mass migration from the Arab world), about 2.1 billion people in Africa (mostly in West Africa and South Africa), and 4.3 billion in Asia (1.6 billion in India and 1.5 billion in China), with some 60 million in Oceania (most of them emigrating to Australia, New Zealand, or Indonesia as climate refugees).

No one knows when the idea of a one world government started to be taken seriously. The conspiracy theory was popularized by such shows as The X-Files (Fox Broadcasting 1993-2025, ABCDisNCIS 2025-present) and Futurama (Fox Broadcasting 1999-2025, ABCDisNCIS 2025-present). The X-Files was popular until life was discovered on Mars in 2019, Europa in 2028, and Titan in 2035. The few TV shows in the late 2030s featured a variety of shows on different planets and galaxies. Known as Sci-Com, a multimedia experience combining science fiction about worlds on other planets. Space exploration was a common theme, with two noticeable camps: whether humanity would achieve global peace first, or would it turn its terrestrial turmoil into space wars? Of the few TV stations in existence in the late 2030s, ABCDisNCIS was alone in a corporate mandate to talk about stories in the past, cementing Hollywood’s realignment with the Repups in the 2024 election.

The world was very different in 2040 than when Barack Obama was president. Drought and desertification have left large portions uninhabitable in the Middle East, Saharan Africa, western China, and southwest United States. Dozens of pathogens, some developed by bioterrorists, become resistant to treatment, killing millions of people before humanity turned to gene editing in the early 2030s. The consumer culture of the 1900s was replaced by a lack of scarcity, after 3D printers in the late 2020s were capable of convert trash and recycling into raw minerals and rebuilt into new products, at a lower cost than making the original product. Agriculture work around the world is harvested and distributed by autonomous robots, ensuring humans around the world have enough food. Most people forget the time before electronics organized people’s lives from a conversation, before the sum of human knowledge was available instantaneously, before all of humanity was connected like never before.

On November 6, 2040, billions of people will be voting across the world to start the process of establishing a single government for all residents of Earth. The Proposed System of Governance for the Union of the Inhabitants of Earth (UIE) is as follows:

Judicial Branch:
The International Criminal Court is highest judicial court in the world, the ultimate arbiter of truth and law.

Legislative branch:
The Council of States is the lower house in the Earth legislature, responsible for budget, taxation, space defense, nature preservation/restoration, air quality, water distribution, Internet access, food production, power supply, and other internationally important matters. The Council of States has veto power over actions taken by the Council of Billions, as voted by a ⅔ majority of members. If approved, there will be 9,364 members of the Council of States.

The Council of Delegates is the upper house in the Earth legislature. It is responsible for confirming Cabinet Secretaries to the Council of Billions, judges to the International Criminal Court, Peace Envoys to renegade regions (areas that do not join the UIE), and reviewing/altering bills passed by the Council of States.

The world government is set up as a tiered system of population units, split and reapportioned every 10 years to account for shifts in population (and split at optimal areas of minimal population). All elections are conducted by ranked choice popular vote. In the event a candidate does not receive 50% +1 of the votes of the state’s, the candidate with the lowest votes will be eliminated and their votes allocated by voter preference, which is repeated until a candidate has 50%. The voting age is 14 for all humans, as well as any animal species species or computers capable of advanced independent thought and reasoning. Non-humans must be approved by the Council of States.

At the lowest level is ward with 1,000 people, followed by municipality with 10,000 people, followed by county with 100,000 people, state with 1 million people, region with 10 million people, community with 100 million people, and country with 1 billion people. In more densely populated areas, wards join together into a county, state, or, in some instances like New York or Tokyo, into regions.

Each ward doubles as a voting/police precinct, and has roughly 1,000 people. Each ward sends a representative to the Municipal Council.

A municipality, consisting of roughly 10,000 people, is made up of 10 wards, organized in the smallest possible geographical units. It is governed by the Municipal Council, which is responsible for waste/refuse collection, mail delivery, recreation, and the nature and use of buildings. The Municipal Council is re-elected every two years.

The county, consisting of roughly 100,000 people, is made up of 10 municipalities, organized in the smallest possible geographical units. It is governed by the County Council, which is primarily responsible for education at the local level, and for distributing federal resources. The County Council is elected every four years.

The state, consisting of roughly 1 million people, is made of up 10 counties, organized in the smallest possible geographical units. It is governed by a Governor once every 5 years. The Governor is a member of the Council of States, also known as the House of Millions.

The region is made up of 100 counties, and consists of roughly 10 million people. The Regional Council is elected every four years, and is responsible for managing legislative differences between the Council of States and the Council of Delegates.

The country is made up of 10 regions, and consists of roughly 100 million people each. It is represented by a Delegates, elected every four years, in the Council of Delegates.

Executive branch :
The Council of Billions is represented by any resident of Earth who receives 1 billion votes. All decisions, such as veto power or a recommended change in policy, must be reached unanimously. Its duty is to construct and enforce the laws of a Constitution of Earth, to be approved by the Council of States and the Council of Delegates.

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(editor's note) Well, this is part one! There will be some hills and valleys over the next 21 years. I have a pretty good outline up to 2028, so I hope publishing the introduction will kick my butt into finishing this timeline. My next chapter will be 2019.

[Former President tack50]

Certainly an interesting concept for a timeline. Now I want more!

[Cold War Liberal]

Wow! Interesting concept and good writing!

[hurricanehink]

Alternate 2019 in the United States/Point of Departure/Written before real events unfolded but no point in retconning everything
January 2019 - Democrats control the House 236 to 199 under the speakership of Nancy Pelosi. Mitch McConnell remains Senate Majority leader, enjoying a 53-47 partisan split.

February 15 - Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax resigns amid sexual harassment. Virginia Ralph Northam refuses calls for his resignation, and vows to work on behalf of all Virginians to regain their trust for the remainder of his term.

On the same day, President Donald Trump vetoes the spending bill, which increased spending for judges and upgrading existing structures, while also adding a set of sensors to be placed along the rest of the border, using drones to detect all movement in remote areas. In a tweet storm, Trump lashed out at Congress and the ongoing investigations:

“CONGRESS WON’T PAY FOR WALL, SO IT’S UP TO ME, AMERICA!”

“Do-nothing Congress, led by Negative Nancy and Mitch, must not have heard me at #SOTU. I declare a National Emergency and…”

After several hours without a follow up Tweet, @realdonaldtrump posted in the early hours of February 16, a picture of his executive order:

“A State of National Emergency exists. A renegade legislative branch corruptly investigating President Donald J. Trump. The declaration justifies the need for action by the Executive to protect the southern border. I call for the activation of all 450,000 National Guardsmen.”

Democratic Governors immediately announce on social media they will not send their soldiers, while preparing for a legal challenge. Within 30 minutes of Trump’s state of emergency, 9th Circuit Court Judge Jacqueline Nguyen issues a stay for the ruling, declaring it unconstitutionally vague.

February 18 - On Day 4 of the Government Shutdown, the House and the Senate both pass the compromise bill by more than a ⅔ majority. GOP support in the Senate comes from Blunt, Burr, Collins, Cramer, Gardner, Graham, Grassley, Hawley, Johnson, McSally, Moore-Capito, Murkowski, Paul, Portman, Purdue, Roberts, Romney, Rubio, Sasse, Tillis, and Toomey.

February 19 - Virginia Governor Ralph Northam appoints State Senator Mamie Locke, who represented Virginia’s 2nd senate district since 2004, as Lieutenant Governor. Locke would win in the special lieutenant governor election, held on June 11, 2019, the same day as the state’s primaries for House of Delegates and State Senate, and the same day Delegate Michael P. Mullin won the special election for Locke’s open senate seat.

February 27-28 - President Trump meets again with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. Trump pledges to stop military exercises on the Korean Peninsula in exchange for denuclearization of North Korea. With only vague reassurances and no commitment to increased inspections, the Summit is roundly criticized as a deflection attempt by the embattered American president. On March 1, the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations issues a rare, unanimous rebuke of the summit as “undemocratic” and “unproductive”.

April 26 - Amid reports that Marvel altered the ending of the film in response to recent events, Avengers: Endgame opens, setting box office records for record revenue in May, and grossing $1.8 billion, a notable drop from Avengers: Infinity War.

May 21 - The first three special elections of the year tilt toward the Republicans, 2-1. In a low-turnout vote, Dan McCready (D) wins in a controversial rematch against Mark Harris in NC-9. In NC-3, State Senator Harry Brown defeats Wilmington mayor Bill Saffo. Fred Keller (R) narrowly defeats Marc Friedenburg in PA-12.

June 4 - The long-awaited Mueller Report is released, unredacted, to the Public, leaked in a bipartisan team by Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer. For nearly two years, former FBI director Robert Mueller was investigating Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election. A team of 30 people investigated the connections between American President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The report documented continued violations of the constitution’s Emoluments Clause, dozens of attempts to obstruct justice, and various high crimes and misdemeanor, including money laundering through real estate, tax fraud, and violations to federal election laws.

Included in the report, but less mentioned in news coverage, reveals Russian and Soviet efforts to subvert American Democracy since Barry Goldwater’s election in 1964, and continued to the present. Their program began in earnest after the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Soviet government borrowed significant amounts of money and assets from the 15 Republics that made up the USSR, to keep up with American infrastructure. In 1964, Soviet Statesman Nikita Khrushchev sent a team of operatives to advocate for a smaller government, and succeeded in advancing Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater to the general election, assisting through intermediaries.

By 1965, after the failure of the Goldwater campaign, the Soviets infiltrated the American real estate market in most American urban areas, purchasing property in urban areas, not develop the property, and sell it for greater sums later on, enabling easy money laundering. Soviet operatives created the first computer virus, and succeeded in changing adding machines for totals over 1 million, to round down for decimal valuations, or altering a single digit. Due to budget cuts, the 1970 American Census was altered without the Nixon administration’s knowledge. The results only affected one state, California. The virus altered the state’s correct total from 18,153,134 to 19,953,134, which meant New York was still the largest state as of the 1970 census.

Internal documents of the 1976 Republican National Convention include investigations into a higher power influencing elections, including God, money, and Soviet infiltration. Former California Governor/Actor Ronald Reagan learned of this conspiracy, and considered it his life’s mission to stamping out communism. By the end of the Reagan/Bush administrations, the Soviet Union had fallen apart, but they managed to infiltrate one American asset in 1987: realtor Donald Trump. Following Trump’s bankruptcies, the Russian government bankrolled loans to the businessman in the 1990s. Former KGB officer Vladimir Putin was Mr. Trump’s handler, and after several aborted attempts at a presidential campaign, the Russian government had a team in place for Mr. Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign, including: Retired General Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Carter Paige, and George Papadopoulos.

June 5 - @realdonaldtrump: “The Special Council and its staff are a bunch of treasonous traitors. #lockthemup”

June 6 - The emboldened House of Representatives votes to begin proceedings to impeach Donald Trump 249-186, with 14 Republicans siding with the Democrats. Later that day, a vote to begin proceedings for impeachment fails in the United States Senate 64-35, with one abstention. GOP support includes Murkowski, Purdue, Hawley, Cramer, Grassley, Roberts, Paul, Blunt, Sasse, Burr, Portman, Graham, Romney, and Moore-Capito. Notably Susan Collins abstains from a vote, citing death threats. Collins announces a day after her vote that she will not be running in 2020.

June 7 - The first Democratic Debate is held in Rochester, New York, with 20 declared candidates arriving to debate. DNC Chairman Tom Perez arranged for the debates to be split into groups of 5, for a half-hour each of questions broad and small. The grouping would be announced at the debate, and were supposed to have been randomly drawn. Later DNC emails reveal the groupings were pre-selected for air time purposes.

8-8:30 featured: Eric Swalwell, Tulsi Gabbard, Jeff Merkley, Pete Buttigieg, Kirsten Gillibrand
8:30-9:00 featured: Eric Holder, Terry McAuliffe, Ricardo Roselló, Julian Castro, John Delaney
9:00-9:30 featured: Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke, Amy Klobuchar, Michael Bloomberg
9:30-10:00 featured: Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Jay Inslee, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren

In the first half hour, Jeff Merkley stood out on emphasizing policy positions over anti-Trumpism. Gabbard and Buttigieg were prepared for the rapid fire question round. Swalwell did the best in the open forum. Gillibrand seemed ill-prepared and unable to defend previously conservative positions.

In the second half hour, Puerto Rican governor Ricardo Roselló debated with Julian Castro in Spanish, but the HUD Secretary’s lack of fluency in Spanish propelled the unknown Puerto Rican governor into the national spotlight, after he defended legalization of marijuana and Puerto Rican statehood. Terry McAuliffe, John Delaney, and Eric Holder delivered thoughtful, if wonky positions.

The 9-9:30 hour drew the highest viewership, as Booker, Harris, Klobuchar, and Bloomberg debated the strengths and weaknesses in Democracy. O’Rourke complained several times to the audience in increasingly desperate tones, causing his likes on Facebook to decline rapidly. By 10:00, O’Rourke had lost 380,000 likes and followers on his various platforms.

Jay Inslee and Bernie Sanders debated a bold, pro-environment, liberal agenda. Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, and Elizabeth Warren debated whether the late time slot was intentional for the oldest in the party, garnering support from the older wing of the Democratic wing, but otherwise they gave stump speech answers.

June-July 2019
Protests break out in most major cities, demanding that President Trump resign, as impeachment proceedings develop. Violent skirmishes broke out in Phoenix, AZ, Tulsa, OK, Dallas, TX, Birmingham, AL, Atlanta, GA, and Charlotte, NC, with dozens of pro- and anti- administration clashes ending in trips to the hospital or the police department, many of them both.

As June continued and the House of Representatives calls past and present members of the Trump Cabinet to testify, newly elected legislatures across the country marked an unusually productive year. Several states expand transgender rights and protections, and increase taxes on millionaires. More funding is set aside for public housing, although debates become passionate in urban areas. All and increase state taxes on millionaires.

New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, New Mexico, and New Hampshire legalize cannabis, with implementation over the next 2 years. (21/50) Alaska, Nevada, and New Mexico legalize medical suicide (10). Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, California, Washington, and Oregon ban the death penalty (26 states).

President Trump received international condemnation after refusing to sign a disaster declaration until July 2, 13 days after Hurricane Barry struck Norfolk, Virginia in late June. The rare June hurricane formed from a cold front off the southeast United States, and caused significant flooding in the Hampton Roads area, destroying about 11,000 houses and leaving $12 billion in damage. Governor Ralph Northam rehabilitated his image after a blackface scandal, when he activated the Virginia National Guard and requested assistance from Maryland and North Carolina. Volunteers came from across the country to rebuild and raise properties. In one neighborhood of Virginia Beach, a volunteer group of high school scientists designed a canal system and allowed houses to rise and fall in each tide.

Protests continued across the United States throughout July, as most of the Northern Hemisphere experiences its hottest summer on record. Heavy rains cancel many 4th of July Fireworks across the east and southeast, while the annual wildfire blazed in the central California Valley north of Sacramento. Due to heavy smog, the California Assembly had to evacuate. Fearing a repeat of the events in Virginia, the California Assembly in met for two weeks in the San Jose Convention Center, holding an open session to the public. The California Senate met in Los Angeles City Hall for about a month, using the council chambers on Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.

In the special legislative session, the Newsom Administration tripled annual spending on fire fighting. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection began a controversial program of dumping water by helicopter to drought-stricken areas, primarily in the state’s southeast and northern portions. The special legislative session, with citizen input from residents in every county, led to the state decriminalizing mushrooms, LSD, and other psychedelic drugs. The state also lowered the voting age to 14 for all statewide elections. The special session rushed through Star City, a series of solar energy plants totaling 50 gigawatts of energy to be built at locations across the state repeatedly burned by wildfires, most of them centered around Redding, California. Members debated larger projects, such as building the high-speed rail line from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and a statewide water irrigation system.

August 13 (known in the future as Freedom Day) - the United States House of Representatives voted 295-140 for the impeachment of Donald J. Trump. On the same day, the House voted 292-143, with 57 Republicans supporting, to pass the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution, proclaiming:

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August 15 5:09 PM  - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell held a vote for the proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which passed 67-33. McConnell encountered intense debate, discussion, and derision from much of the country (especially the young Left, who spammed the internet with “The Turkey is a Chicken” meme). After the vote count was read, McConnell held a vote to begin the impeachment trial of Donald Trump, which passed by the same amount, 67-33, five minutes later. The Senate formally began the impeachment trial by 6 pm, calling its first witnesses.

August 16 1:10 AM - After 3 days off Twitter, @realdonaldtrump tweets: “Crazy Congress is a bunch of F*****’ traitors”, and hastily deletes it four minutes later, not after it was re-shared by thousands. At 5:04 AM, Trump accused Chinese hackers of typing his previous tweet.

August 16-31 - State legislatures meet to debate the 28th Amendment, as the 2020 Candidates rally the country to support its passage. Freedom Caucus Republicans decry the Mueller report as biased and full of hoaxes, but traditional Republicans announce their retirements en masse, pledging to partake in a full and honest process. Democratic lawmakers keep telling critics, “Trust the process,” but domestic unrest, robberies, and violent attacks increased nationwide, urban or rural, Red or Blue State. The Trump Administration and Cabinet used the usual talking points: fake news, lack of evidence, and deflecting blame to previous administrations.

August 29 - @realdonaldtrump tweets: “The good people of #Iowa believed in me 3 years ago. They’ll vote for me again and again because they love me! #MAGA”

August 30 - The Iowa legislature became the 37th state to pass the 28th amendment. One more state was needed to ratify passage state legislatures go on recess for Labor Day Weekend.

September 2 (Labor Day), Hurricane Imelda strikes Rhode Island as a Category 2, damaging millions of homes in New England, and causing $28 billion in damage.

September 3 2:09 PM - The Idaho Senate passed the 28th amendment after the Idaho House of Representatives passed the bill that morning. Schools across the West Coast end early as students by the millions erupt from their schools in celebration.

(order of passage of the 28th amendment)

• Delaware
• Rhode Island
• New Jersey
• Illinois
• California
• Oregon
• Washington
• Hawaii
• Colorado
• New Mexico
• New York
• Connecticut
• Massachusetts
• Vermont
• Minnesota
• Montanav
  
• Pennsylvania
• New Hampshire
• Wisconsin
• Montana
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• North Carolina
• Virginia
• Arizona
• Alaska
• Florida
• Ohio
• Georgia
• Texas
• Utah
• Indiana
• Nebraska
• South Dakota
• North Dakota
• Missouri
• Iowa
• Idaho

(part 2 of 2019 in USA coming this weekend)

[hurricanehink]

Alternate September to December 2019
September 3 5 pm - 2020 contenders Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden announce their joint candidacy for the 2019 election, with Biden serving again as Vice President, pledging to restore Democracy within one year. DNC Chair Tom Perez and most of the 2020 candidates endorse the ticket. The RNC scrambles to produce a candidate as the impeachment trial in the Senate progressed.

@realdonaldtrump: I’ll win in the Senate, I’ll win in November, and I’ll win in 2020. #2020vision #MAGA

September 4 - Michael Bloomberg, dissatisfied with his 5% average in recent polling to become the 2020 Democratic nominee, announces he will run for the 2019 presidential election as an independent. He picks former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura as his Vice President Nominee.

September 5 - Mitt Romney announces he will run in the 2019 special presidential election, and quickly receives endorsements from most establishment Republicans. Former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan joins Romney as his Vice President nominee.

September 6 - the economic report for August show a sharp decline in jobs, with only 0.1% growth and 2,000 jobs gained. Economists express hope for a busy holiday season for Q4. Sales for the iPhone XI disappointed, as customers are more interested in higher speed than better cameras. The Samsung Galaxy S10 sets the bar for smartphones, with its high processor speed connecting seamlessly with keyboards, headphones, and other bluetooth enabled devices, all while charging wirelessly. By this time, 5G networks were active in most major urban areas across the United States.

September 7 - Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio announces a joint ticket with former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore to run on the Conservative Party. The ticket ultimately only gets ballot access in 6 states: Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

September 8 to 10 - the candidates campaign across the nation. The Clinton/Biden ticket holds a series of volunteer drives to help people affected by Hurricane Imelda, which left a death toll of 28 and 20,000 people homeless. The Senate Impeachment trial reaches its conclusion. The President’s tax records show a history of conflicting values of his properties for insurance and tax purposes. A federal audit of Donald Trump’s wealth is completed, suggesting that the billionaire only had a net worth of $875 million, due to recent devaluation of the Trump properties around the world. Multiple witnesses confessed how they played a role in Vladimir Putin of Russia holding undue influence over President Trump.

September 11 - the United States voted 88-32 in favor of impeaching President Trump, on charges of tax evasion, obstruction of justice, and money laundering. In addition to the 45 Democrats and 2 Democratically-aligned Independents, the 21 GOP votes included Lisa Murkowski & Dan Sullivan (AK), Martha McSally (AZ), John Boozman (AR), Cory Gardner (CO), Marco Rubio (FL), Johnny Isakson (GA), Mike Crapo & Jim Risch (ID), Rand Paul (KY), John Kennedy (LA), Susan Collins (ME), Ben Sasse (NE), Roy Blunt (MO), Rob Portman (OH), Jim Inhofe (OK), Pat Toomey (PA), Lamar Alexander (TN), Mitt Romney (UT), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), and Mike Enzi (WY). Boozman, Isakson, Blunt, Inhofe, and Enzi announce after their vote that they will not be running for re-election.

The vote is announced at 2:30 pm (EST). Despite rainfall across much of the northeast and midwest, people around the country gather in large celebrations, with effigies of the soon-to-be-ex President in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Austin, Philadelphia, and Chicago. National Guardsmen around the country are activated in most urban areas as President Trump declares a nationwide state of emergency.

2:31 pm @realdonaldtrump: SENATE BUNCH OF LIARS. I DECLARE A STATE OF EMRFGENCY

2:32 pm - U.S. Marshal Acting Director Donald Anderson enters the White House. It took six minutes for Anderson to walk to the Executive Residence. The nation waited with bated breath for the next tweet, but the handle stayed silent. The handle #you’refired was retweeted so many times (with the comma) that Twitter quickly added punctuation and emojis to their hashtag system.

2:35 pm - Vice President Mike Pence waits at a podium in the White House Press Room with Chief Justice John Roberts. A single walkie-talkie is placed on the podium, which Anderson used to communicate when the President was in custody.

2:36 pm @realdonaldtrump: They don’t want you knowing things I found as president. Here’s one - LIFE ON MARS CONFIRMED BY AMERICANS UNDER THE TRUMP ADMIN! China has been manipulating the weather since the 2008 Olympics. Spacecraft at Roswell were humans from an alternate universe

2:37 pm @realdonaldtrump: The USS Maine was because a drunken American sailor lit himself on fire 5 USS Maddox was caused by a trigger-happy renegade soldier. 9/11 attacks were planned by a shadow organization of people who operate in secrecy. We've been takling w galactic community since Carter

2:38 pm - Acting Director Anderson issues an arrest warrant for Donald Trump, finding the president in the bathroom tweeting on the toilet. The president dropped the phone in the toilet before he was placed in handcuffs.
“Mr. Trump is in my custody. The Southern District of New York has a van ready outside.” stated Anderson over the walkie-talkie. The former president was taken to an unknown facility.

2:39 pm - Mike Pence swears the oath of office to the Presidency on a family Bible. In his first press conference, the 46th President of the United States declares himself ignorant of any crimes that his predecessor caused, welcomed a complete and thorough investigation of the Trump presidency, and declared himself a candidate for the upcoming November 5 elections.

September 12 - President Pence nominated former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley as Vice President, which was supposed by the Senate a day later by a vote of 83-17.

September 27 - The first presidential debates for the 2019 special presidential election, held in Virginia Beach (which was briefly threatened by Hurricane Lorenzo before it recurved). Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, Joe Arpaio, and Michael Bloomberg appear on stage. Most recent polls had Mike Pence at around 5%, which was less than Stephen Colbert, who received a hypothetical 9% of the vote. By this time, the Pence Presidency formally nominated all acting directors as permanent replacements until a new administration. With only a 9% approval rating, Pence fell short of the 10% polling requirement to appear in the debates, and the President refused to show up even if he was invited, claiming the media was biased against him. The House and Senate reach a stalemate on budget negotiations.

October 2 - After months of news coverage being dominated by the Trump Impeachment and his removal from office, the Democrats held their 2nd debate for the 2020 election in Springfield, Massachusetts. As Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, and Hillary Clinton have shifted their focus to the 2019 election, the field dropped to 13. Eric Holder, who announced in July after previously announcing he was skipping the 2020 election, dropped out to support the Clinton/Biden campaign. Terry McAuliffe, Julian Castro, and John Delaney follow his lead and drop out ahead of the debate.

With 13 candidates on stage, the Democratic platform was messy, failing to differentiate a policy vision from their administration versus the Pence or Trump administration, or a prospective Clinton/Biden administration. Bernie Sanders drew the most applause line of the night when he proposed nationwide 5G internet access, guaranteed by an amendment guaranteeing everyone’s identity. Kirsten Gillibrand joined the discussion, likening the discussion to how the government has the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the federal government would guarantee the protection of the identity of everyone within its borders. Beto O’Rourke jokingly suggested a Department of Identity, while Elizabeth Warren discussed her time in college and the value of having a card for money and identification.

“Maybe we can get the Republicans onboard,” joined Amy Klobuchar.

“As long as you guaranteed it for everyone, citizen or not,” spoke Ricardo Roselló, the Puerto Rican governor who has been in 4th place in recent polls for the Florida primary.

October 9 - After declaring his candidacy as a write-in for President, Stephen Colbert joins the 2nd presidential debate for the 2019 election, held in Brownsville, Texas. Stephen Colbert emphatically said every time that he was voting for Clinton, and that if his supporters wanted to vote for him, then they should vote for Clinton. The Late Night show drew praise for his support of the other candidates in the race, except for “Crazy Joe Arpaio, who is like your racist uncle who is too behind the times to realize he’s obsolete.

President Pence also joined the debates, having risen to 10% polls. This followed Pence signing into law the budget compromise between the House and the Senate. The Pence Administration was busy in the day to day operations restoring faith in the Presidency and reassuring allies that the United States is still independent and loyal to the American constitution, and rebuilding long-lasting alliances that suffered under the hands of Secretaries of State Tillerson and Pompeo. Therefore, the President was ill-prepared for the variety of questions, believing that the Trump Tax Cuts would stimulate job growth in 2020 if given a time to mature. This generated audible boos, not from the audience but from Joe Arpaio, Michael Bloomberg, and Stephen Colbert. The 3 outsiders took as many opportunities they had to make a mockery of the current political system. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave honest, thought felt answers about the good role of government, and the need to restore faith in it. Mitt Romney agreed with President Pence on most policy points, spurring Pence to ask why the Utah Senator was even in the race.

October 11 - Former President Trump hasn’t been seen for a month, and his Twitter handle has been entirely inactive.

October 20 - The Vice Presidential debate is held in Milwaukee. Former Vice President Joe Biden laid on the charm and outshined new Vice President Nikki Haley. Former Justice Roy Moore directed lewd and racist remarks toward Vice President Haley, drawing rebuke from Biden, and an impassioned speech for fairness by Oprah Winfrey, the running mate for the Stephen Colbert write-in campaign, which rose to 23% in recent polls in several states. Jesse Ventura pushed for more work to be done on the state level, but was vague how a Bloomberg Presidency would differ from a Clinton or Pence presidency.

November 1 - Category 3 Hurricane Peter struck Morgan City, Louisiana, the strongest hurricane to strike the Continental United States in November. Democrats quickly mobilize relief efforts to help the affected residents in southeastern Louisiana. Two towns were washed away entirely. Large portions of New Orleans were underwater, but following mandatory evacuations, there were no reported fatalities in the city.

November 5 - During the special 2019 Presidential Election, Hillary Clinton won 421 electoral votes, expanding the states she won in 2016 and adding Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, all of Maine, Michigan, Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Texas. President Pence won 53 electoral votes, with Arkansas, the Dakotas, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska (sans its 2nd district), Tennessee, and West Virginia. Stephen Colbert received 23 electoral votes as a write-in, winning in Kansas, Kentucky, and South Carolina. Joe Arpaio won 22 electoral votes after winning Alabama, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. Mitt Romney won 16 electoral votes - Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Michael Bloomberg won 3 electoral votes after he won in Alaska.

In Louisiana, incumbent Governor John Bel Edwards defeats Ralph Abraham. The recent hurricane sparked fears of the state losing more of its landmass, as more of the Gulf of Mexico washes away the coastline. In Kentucky, Republican Matt Bevin narrowly loses to Attorney General Andy Beshear. Democrats win in Mississippi with Jim Hood defeating incumbent Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves.

President Pence protests the election as a sham, but respects the Democratic process. Senator Romney tweeted his congratulations to President-elect Hillary Clinton.

November 8 - Hillary Clinton was inaugurated at an impromptu ceremony (visited by 400,000 people) as the 47th President of the United States. Clinton pledged unity in her speech:

“We must look inward to rediscover our greatest strengths. We learned a lot these last three years. May we not forget these lessons as we strive to be better. America is already great. Its place is well-assured in the history books. But we can be better. I pledge to do my best in the next 439 days, when the winner of the next regularly scheduled election will take my place. These are unusual times. You might be watching this from your phone.”

President Clinton took out her phone and sat her phone on the podium to live stream her speech from the podium.

“America’s greatest minds helped create unparalleled prosperity. I call out those same minds to work with the federal government again as we transition into the 21st century, with self-driving cars, unlimited energy derived from the sun, and exciting new innovations yet to be imagined. America is a land of hope and opportunity. Our leaders can’t lead by inspiring fear among a segment of America’s great diverse population. We need to listen to the voice of every American, for our future depends on an open mind toward our greatest potential.”

December - By the end of the year, the Clinton Presidency drew criticism from most of the 2020 candidates for her continued use of the drone program, and domestic surveillance program. President Clinton replied by enacting an audit of the entire United States government. This was to determine what policies were changed by the Pence/Trump administrations, as well as a stalling measure.

[morgankingsley]

I know this is just a timeline and I'm not saying don't write it, but I need to just flat out say I think there is literally a less than zero percent chance any of this is happening. I give this a -1 percent chance of happening. This is not a statement about quality but more just my unbuying realism here

[hurricanehink]

I know this is just a timeline and I'm not saying don't write it, but I need to just flat out say I think there is literally a less than zero percent chance any of this is happening. I give this a -1 percent chance of happening. This is not a statement about quality but more just my unbuying realism here

You’re absolutely right it’s probably not going to happen, but I thought it was a fun thought experiment toward how we can get to world peace by 2040.

[hurricanehink]

November 5, 2040 - somewhere over the South Pacific between New Zealand and Australia

The airship was filled to near capacity. Designed to carry 120,000 tons onboard (the same as the old Panamax ship), the airship was one of a fleet of hundreds roaming the Earth at that moment. Every airship was guided autonomously by the most advanced AI-pilots, each capable of surviving a lightning strike, EMP, 400 mph (640 km/h) wind gust, and (although never tested) designed to withstand a direct strike by a nuclear bomb. The airships were covered with a special epoxy that doubled as a solar-cell, which could change to any color (including transparent for stealth purposes). By the mid 2030s, the airships had largely replaced previous sea and land-based transport for most countries. This followed the widespread adoption of 3D printers, which made it cheaper to construct most objects on location.

This particular airship was colored blue and gold, reflecting the special United Nations envoy. In the midst of a crowded hall, dignitaries, journalists, poets, singers, dancers, veterans, and entrepreneurs chatted excitedly throughout a booming ten-story venue. A crowd gathered outside of the conference roo, where the Secretary General was live-streaming her trip around the Southern Hemisphere.

“Nanaia, I’m sorry, Madam Prime Minister, she wants you in five minutes,” shouted an aide to Nanaia Mahuta, the current prime minister of New Zealand (PM Mahuta). Nanaia knew that aide for 23 years since she first joined the Labour Party government back in 2017, one of those basic millennial names.

Was it Audrey, or Aubrey, or was that one Amy? PM Mahuta mused to herself, before simply nodding to the aide, who had already gone back inside. She was in the middle of a Lord of the Rings conversation with American comedian Stephen Colbert.

“I’m sure the reboot will look even better. I’m so glad you protected those lands. Madam Prime Minister, I’ll leave you to it,” spoke the venerable TV host of The Late Show for 25 years.

“Are you sure you can’t stay on TV for five more years? You could break Johnny Carson’s record,” spoke PM Mahuta with a chuckle.

“Jon and I said tomorrow’s election would be our last, then we’re giving up show business for good! Good night America, hello World,” replied Colbert.

“Waimarie,” spoke Mahuta. The TV host did a double-take to a younger man nearby, who was recording their conversation. “It means ‘good luck’,” spoke the man.

“I didn’t have my translator in. Waimarie to you too Madam Prime Minister. Hey how would you like to be on television…” Colbert asked the man as they left PM Mahuta.

“What is television?” asked the 20-something man without any sense of irony.

PM Mahuta laughed as the two disappeared into the throng of people. She followed the aide - It was Ally! - and entered the soundproof conference room. Reporters from every continent asked questions to the panel. In the center was Secretary General Jacinda Ardern (SGUN Ardern), who was responding to a reporter.

“Yes, the gentlemen from Reuters, go ahead,” spoke SGUN Ardern.

“Thank You. Madam Secretary General, you were praised globally for your handling of Covid-19 and the associated economic depression. The nations going ahead with their vote tomorrow promise economic benefits of greater political unity around the world, but less wealthy nations have criticized their approach. Given that western nations have largely seen the economic growth since the recession of 2031, how can you pledge that poorer nations won’t be left behind?”

“Thank you for the question. There was a crucial difference between the Covid Depression and the early 30’s. In 2031, it was the rapid automation of good-paying jobs around the world that left one quarter of the world’s workforce without a job. Multinational alliances helped rebuild the global economy to bring unparalleled prosperity to billions. This compares with the failed response to the Covid Depression of 2020, when authoritarian strongmen who failed their people and the values of Democracy. Those failed leaders include Xi, Kim, Putin, Orban, Erdowan, Duterte, Bolsonaro, and Trump.”

Instinctively, SGUN Ardern paused to let the crowd loudly boo at the mention of the 45th American President.

“You can’t boo history ladies and gentlemen, but you can learn from their lessons. Speaking of lessons, I see we’re joined by someone who I’ve learned so much from, who worked with me to make New Zealand the powerhouse that it is. The current prime minister and my dear friend, please welcome Nanaia Mahuta!” boomed SGUN Ardern.

PM Mahuta didn’t like the sudden attention. It wasn’t because of her face tattoo - the public had long become used to it. Rather, the prime minister wanted the attention to be on other more important matters, making the most of every decision as a leader with power.

“Thank you Secretary General. I hope the nonagenarian former American president is watching the festivities from a smuggled phone. If so, hello Donald, yes, we all remember you weren’t technically in office when the Covid-19 outbreak began, but your three years’ of breaking apart the American government left a stain on the oldest Democracy on Earth that we aim to fix tomorrow!” spoke PM Mahuta. She knew that bashing the 45th American president was an easy applause line.

“Some supposed leaders pushed for the greatness of their own country. But what of your neighbor? As islanders, we know we have to offer a hand, and sometimes a boat, and sometimes land. Right about now, we should be flying over the artificial islands that New Zealand, Australia, and the United States are building. This future archipelago will house islands who have lost their land due to rising seas. Future residents who move to the islands will be given the option to be independent or join the UIE once their population reaches 1,000.”

PM Mahuta spoke proudly of the multinational project to the climate refugee crisis among Pacific Islanders, relishing in the tentative, if awkward applause after she finished speaking.

“The next question comes from Agence France-Presse,” spoke Ally, the aide for the Secretary General.

“Thank you Madam Secretary General and Madam Prime Minister. As a resident of the newly independent New Caledonia, do you have any words for other groups who want more independence, not less?”

“Go ahead,” offered both SGUN Ardern and PM Mahuta at the same time. They both laughed, leading SGUN Ardern to lean into the microphone.

“Thank you for the question. We look at the success stories of New Caledonia and Bouganville, who built close ties to the global economy. Even my native New England was once a colony of the British Empire. Today we look to the formerly United Kingdom as an argument against excessive nationalism. Scotland and London prospered more as independent entities within the European Union than England and Wales. When Catalonia became independent, the rest of Spain grew closer with its neighbors, instead of relying on an uneven tax burden.

Our national borders remain static except for independence or the rising sea. The world is getting hotter, more populated, and more technologically advanced, and yet our political stalemates stagnate. Centuries’ old conflict can either fester and lead to the fights of our future, or we can unite and try a better way. Tomorrow, we are prepared to try something new in that spirit of togetherness, the first government to protect every human, animal, and plant on this beautiful planet!”

The room burst into its loudest applause. Recordings of the speech quickly went viral on the internet, appearing on news monitors throughout the Airship. Most of the attendees didn’t notice, instead enjoying the party-like atmosphere.

“I’d like to add, Madam Secretary General, that the proposed system of governance will ensure representation from the most local possible areas. Geographic compactness of districts and instant-runoff will make sure the Council of States has a balance and appropriate representation,” finished PM Mahuta with a tepid applause.

“One more question before we take a short break,” spoke Ally the aide, before pointing to a reporter on the side of the hall. “The gentleman from the South China Morning Post.”

“Thank you. Madam Prime Minister, I’d like to ask you about the former People’s Republic of China,” muttered the reporter, leading to a hushed silence in the room. “The largest functioning government on Earth wasn’t able to handle feeding its population after a third of its workforce became unemployed. It’s only been nine years since China split apart. Your government was among the first to recognize Tibet and the Pearl River Country. Your government also sent autonomous drones to help fight Russia in the Manchurian War of Independence. How do you expect a single world government to respond to the needs of some 9 billion people when you rely more on AI than your own soldiers?”

“The UIE will be pacifist,” PM Mahuta quickly responded before the reporter had a chance to add a second question. “Our history as a civilization is marked by tragedy, both natural-born and self-inflicted. Whether it is a virus, a tropical cyclone, a flood, a drought, or mass casualties fought on behalf of aggressive nations, we must act as righteously as we can, to do the right thing at the right time, and to plan ahead for the right kind of future. We often plan for a future based on the one we imagine, but too often we’re unprepared for the recession, or the sudden disaster. If we look after each other’s well-being from the standpoint of an entire species, we can move together as one people, not one nation. We might not convince everyone to trust in the authority of the collective well. If we prepare as one species, we can protect our planet, and perhaps survive into the next century venturing outward to destinations unknown.”

The room erupted in applause. PM Mahuta savored the attention for a moment, eagerly anticipating being able to rewatch the impromptu speech later. When the applause continued for longer she could bear, she looked out the window.

She could see hundreds of miles of blue ocean in all directions, fading gently to the blue sky of that midday November afternoon.

“That about does it for us. Here in the United Nations Press and Entertainment Convoy, this is Jacinda Ardern, Secretary General of the United Nations,” spoke SGUN Ardern.

“That’s Secretary General until we have a global elected position,” chimed in PM Mahuta.

“We are officially nonpartisan in who to vote for tomorrow. There are over one million candidates for the Council of Millions. Most importantly, be sure you vote by sunset of tomorrow night, wherever you are on Earth,” spoke SGUN Ardern.

“Or one of the thousands of people voting from outside of Earth’s low orbit,” added PM Mahuta.

“Thank you Secretary General Ardern and Prime Minister Mahuta. We now turn to Jon Favreau in Jakarta, where he is joined by a press tour and a large migrant community following former American President Barack Obama. Jon, can you hear me?” asked Ally to the communication monitor.

“Yea Ally, I’m here,” spoke the voice of Jon Favreau. A hologram of the chief of staff appeared in the center of the room. SGUN Ardern and PM Mahuta got up to leave the room.

“Good afternoon ladies, gentlemen, and beings of all kinds. I’ll field any questions for Mr. Obama in his campaign to be on the Council of Billions. Yes, in the front?” asked Jon Favreau.

“How many countries is Mr. Obama on the ballot for?” asked the asexual reporter from the Associated Press.

“150 countries, but we are still encouraging voters in central Asia to consider Mr. Obama as a write-in…” spoke Favreau to the room, which was all SGUN Ardern and PM Mahuta could hear before they opened the doors into the noisy airship.

“Wait…” spoke SGUN Ardern. PM Mahuta kept her gaze forward, catching a glimpse of her speech on a screen outside the conference area. She continued, “you were bold when you promised pacificm. That could discourage voting in the United States and Eastern Europe.”

“But that was always a risk. Let the people believe in something pure from the onset,” replied PM Mahuta, who turned to her longtime friend with a big grin, highlighted by her face tattoo.

“You’re right. Thank you for joining me on this crazy endeavor. Do you think it’s going to work?” whispered SGUN Ardern, her shoulders slumped.

“There’s only one way to make sure of it. By making sure the next 24 hours are the biggest party on Earth as we celebrate global unity!” replied PM Mahuta.

“Cheers to that,” shouted SGUN Ardern as they joined the busy corridors of the airship. They followed a conga line behind a mariachi band that played classic disco music. The two global leaders joined the active party, eager to celebrate the birth of global democracy.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Unique work! I like the name you chose, it is inventive and interesting. And the story is good enough to attract my attention.

[hurricanehink]

January 6, 2020

The start of the presidential administration of Hillary Clinton was blocked by an emboldened GOP Senate majority, led by Mitch McConnell. The party that ditched Trump after backing the controversial 28th amendment, only to lose big in the special presidential election. Since November, much of the Republican establishment, including party leaders past and present, debated openly and loudly over the future of the Grand Old Party.

The American public largely tuned out the infighting as they celebrated the first Thanksgiving and winter holiday season in the post Trump-Pence years. Amidst the chaos among the GOP, a group of six senators (Collins, Murkowski, Johnson, Portman, Romney, and Toomey) met secretly with a group of six moderate Democratic senators (Jones, King, Manchin, Peters, Synema, and Tester). The new bipartisan Group of 12 agreed on a legislative and executive agenda to restore a sense of normalcy, after a new colleague was sworn in.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp appointed Kelly Loeffler to fill the seat of Johnny Isakson, who resigned for health reasons and after receiving a series of threats online, following his controversial vote in removing former President Trump.

The United States Senate voted 53-47 to approve all of President Hillary Clinton’s Cabinet, replacing acting officials and holdovers from the Trump-Pence administration. All 47 Democrats were joined by Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Ron Johnson, Rob Portman, Mitt Romney, and Pat Toomey. Johnson and Toomey, already facing primary challenges ahead of their 2022 re-election bids, voted to confirm themselves to Cabinet positions.

Wisconsin governor Tony Evers announced that a special election would be held on April 7, concurrent with the state primary. Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf nominated his lieutenant governor John Fetterman for the open senate seat, following Toomey’s confirmation.

Cabinet of President Hillary Clinton
Secretary of State: John Kerry
Secretary of Treasury: Janet Yellen
Secretary of Defense: Ash Carter
Attorney General: Loretta Lynch
Secretary of the Interior: Sally Jewell
Secretary of Agriculture: Heidi Heitkamp
Secretary of Commerce: Penny Pritker
Secretary of Labor: Chris Lu
Secretary of Health of Health and Human Services: Sylvia Burwell
Secretary of Education: John King Jr.
Secretary of Transportation: Pat Toomey
Secretary of Energy: Ernest Moniz
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Robert McDonald
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Julian Castro
Secretary of Homeland Security: Ron Johnson
EPA: Gina McCarthy
Chief of Staff: Huma Abedin
Director of Office of Management and Budget: Shaun Donovan
United Nations Ambassador: Samantha Power

--------------------
January 7-17
The Clinton administration passes a series of executive orders, undoing the orders signed by the Trump-Pence administration, while working with the Democratic House and the Group of 12 in the Senate. These included re-committing to the Paris Climate Treaty, expanding the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante national monuments, and strengthening healthcare.gov and Affordable Care Act provisions.

Due to reports coming out of China of a fast-spreading coronavirus, the administration holds a pandemic emergency drill, while also making long overdue purchases for the government’s stockpile of medical resources. Following briefings on the virus, Senators Thom Burr, Feinstein, Inhoff, and Loeffler sold stocks in companies that would be negatively affected by a sudden lockdown of the country.

----------

January 18, 2020

“Wuhan Virus thing is the greatest hoax, made in a bioweapons factory in China to take advantage of a weakened USA. President Shrillary will kill us all or die trying. I would’ve kept Amercia safe by keeping out the infected.” tweeted from @realdonaldtrump at 8:08 AM, the first tweet from the disgraced ex-President since he dropped his phone in the Oval Office toilet while being removed from office.

“SDNY fake charges real story!” tweeted @realdonaldtrump at 8:09 AM, the last tweet from the account that day.

The Washington Post reported by noon that Rudy Guilani - the former president’s lawyer - had smuggled in a phone to the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, New York, which was quickly confiscated. Mr. Guilani was arrested on the spot, and would later join Mr. Trump in the facility. The former president faced a series of charges, including tax evasion, tax fraud, defrauding a charity, sexual harassment, child endangerment, and soliciting help from a foreign government. The total list of crimes had a maximum punishable length of 260 years.

The Washington Post story quickly went viral, and was lampooned in that evening’s Saturday Night Live, with Alec Baldwin reprising his portrayal of the former president alongside Kate McKinnon’s Guiliani in the cold open.

After the cold open, @DonaldJTrumpJr issued a series of tweets swearing at NBC and the comedians who made fun of his father, which were then read live on air by Weekend Update hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost.

Jost as Trump Jr. mocked the former First Son. “Wahh my daddy is no longer the biggest thing holding me back other than my name. I’m gonna run for president so I can pardon the greatest American hero since Ronald Reagan.”

Che quipped back - “Don’t say that, we had that with George W. and his daddy issues in Iraq.”

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

January 19, 2020
Donald Trump Jr. joins the increasingly crowded field in Iowa running for the GOP nomination for president. The state caucus was allowing and encouraging write-in votes for the Republican ticket as the Democratic field settled.

Of the candidates who announced in 2019, Jeff Merkley endorsed Bernie Sanders in December. Jay Inslee and Kirsten Gillibrand endorsed Elizabeth Warren. Eric Swalwell and Beto O’Rourke endorsed Kamala Harris.

------------------
January 20, 2020 4:03 AM - White House

President Hillary Clinton sighed when her phone started buzzing, waking her up from a dream about the house in Chappaqua. The president instinctively felt around the bed - FDOTUS had not returned yet from his trip from Phoenix, where he was fundraising for Senate Candidate Mark Kelly.

“SmartHouse, turn the lights on and read the latest message,” Clinton read aloud. She sat up, hastily grabbing her glasses from the side table. She still felt guilty using the voice-activated room commands, hoping the $680,000 cost wouldn’t be too criticized by the taxpayers. Clinton chuckled as her thoughts turned to a Politico article from the previous November, which “accidentally” leaked that the First Family refused to move back into the White House until “everything that Orange-haired manbaby touched is clean enough to eat off.”

After a few seconds of lag (the SmartHouse technology was cutting edge, but still slow), a message played, spoken by Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Matthews. “Madam President, expect another briefing later today on the Chinese coronavirus… wait, I’m sorry madam, I meant the coronavirus spreading across east Asia.”

The President sighed again, annoyed that her health secretary felt it necessary to correct herself in the message. Her heart quickened as she contemplated her options on handling the potential health crisis. It had been a long two months of her Presidency, and she was glad she only had twelve left.

“SmartHouse, send a message to FDOTUS,” Madam President spoke, a bit softer than before.

“Just a year left, Bill, until someone else can guide the free world. I’m getting too old for this. I swear, my Cabinet is terrified to talk to me. The protests against me and the Democrats are growing each day. You’re off fundraising with who knows who. Don’t forget what they did to Epstein…”

The President stopped speaking for a moment as she recalled Bill’s late friend Jeffrey, who was
killed by a professional assassin the previous August. FDOTUS wanted to make sure he was untraceable to Epstein, who ran a sex trafficking ring on his private island. The Madam President didn’t know and didn’t want to know what her husband did. She finally had the job she wanted since she worked on the Nixon impeachment in 1974.

As she got lost in her thoughts, SmartHouse beeped a cool tone. “Would you like to send your message, or continue?”

Madam President sighed again. “Continue, SmartHouse,” she spoke aloud. “Bill, I’m worried about this virus. It could doom our chances of getting anything done this year. We only just got Toomey and Feinstein approved. I have one shot at getting my name in the history books, and not just as your wife, although I do honor and cherish that role as your wife.” She paused a minute, enjoying the cadence of that text. “SmartHouse, send… And push back my alarm to 6 am.”

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

January 21, 2020
The World Health Organization declared the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus as a public health emergency, giving it the name COVID-19. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Matthews briefed White House Press Reporters about the first reported case of the disease in the United States, a man in Washington who traveled from Wuhan, China.

President Clinton signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act. Her administration's audit of government resources found medical supplies in dangerously low supply. The order instructed every factory in the country to produce respirators, masks, and other medical equipment to aid a sickly population.

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

January 23, 2020
11 days before the Iowa Caucus, recordings of Puerto Rican governor Ricardo Roselló were published online, in which the governor and his staff exchanged vulgar, racist, and homophobic messages. Roselló was the sole Latino in the race for the Democratic nomination after Julián Castro dropped out in the summer. In an angry curse-filled Twitter tirade, Roselló blamed his political opponents for the leak, claiming the mainstream media to be anti-Latino, before announcing he was dropping out of the race.

Polls showed a tight race between Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren. The only other major candidate in the race, Tulsi Gabbard, usually polled last.


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

February 3 - Iowa Caucus Results

For the first time since the controversial 28th amendment allowed Hillary Clinton to win in an unprecedented special presidential election, American voters got to voice their thoughts in her successor. On the Democratic side, the results were:
Elizabeth Warren (28.4%) - 17 delegates
Pete Buttigieg & Bernie Sanders (tied at 20.3%) - 12 delegates
Kamala Harris (14.6%)
Amy Klobuchar (13.3%)
Cory Booker (3.1%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.2%)

Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar dropped out and endorsed Senator Warren, joining her onstage in Des Moines in the victory party that attendees likened to the Obama victory party in 2008. Mayor Buttigieg thanked his supporters and pledged to spread his message of good governance to more voters across the country. Senator Sanders pledged he would continue his fight against the establishment, but seemed ruffled at being tied for 2nd. Senator Harris praised her fellow candidates and President Clinton for providing an example of good governance.

On the Republican Side, the results were:

Donald Trump Jr. (27%) - 40 delegates
Ted Cruz (25%)
Marco Rubio (24%)
Former President Mike Pence (10%)
Nikki Haley (5%)
Chris Christie (5%)
Rand Paul (1.5%)
Mike Pompeo/John Kasich/Mike Huckabee (1% each)

The GOP had expected President Trump to run for re-election, resulting in most of the primaries and caucuses to winner-take-all. Seeking to consolidate the support among the runner up in 2016, Mike Huckabee and Mike Pompeo dropped out and endorsed Ted Cruz. Nikki Haley dropped out and didn’t make an endorsement. The winner, Donald Trump Jr., called the field a bunch of traitors, causing the crowd at his victory party to boo the candidate they had supported. Senator Cruz thanked the people of Iowa for their votes, presenting a more serious tone of voice, as well as a freshly shaven goatee. 3rd place runner-up Senator Rubio thanked his supporters and pledged working on a bipartisan agenda if he was the nominee. Former President Pence thanked the voters of Iowa with a brief message that was roundly mocked for being vague and impolite.

----------------
February 11 - New Hampshire primary

Democratic side:
Bernie Sanders (28.6%) - 8 delegates
Elizabeth Warren (28.1%) - 8 delegates
Kamala Harris (27.8%) - 8 delegates
Pete Buttigieg (10.0%)
Tulsi Gabbard (3.3%)
Random other candidates (2.2%)

Senator Sanders coarsely voiced his thanks at his close victory rally, after he was declared the winner at 11:18 EST. Senator Warren congratulated Sanders and Harris in her speech to her supporters, voicing similar praise of good governance. Senator Harris thanked her supporters via Webcam, having left the state due to poor poll numbers. Her late rise in popularity was later attributed to her successful debate performance in which she emphasized good functioning governance. Mayor Buttigieg dropped out and endorsed Senator Warren, praising her numerous policy plans to move the country past the troublesome Trump-Pence years.  

Republican side:
John Kasich (24%) - 22 delegates
Ted Cruz (23%)
Marco Rubio (22%)
Donald Trump Jr. (19%)
Mike Pence (9%)
Chris Christie (4%)
Rand Paul (2%)

Chris Christie dropped out and endorsed John Kasich, the upsurging moderate former Ohio Governor who went from tied for last place in Iowa to first place in New Hampshire by promoting tried and true conservative values that help the economy grow. The base of Trump 2016 voters was split between former President Pence and former First Son. A sizable number of Trump 2016 voters supported Senator Rubio, whose vision for a 21st century America emphasized a personalized approach to all levels of government, including education, health care, and taxation. The GOP debate crowd cheered the Florida Senator’s plan, where tax paying citizens can direct the IRS what federal programs their tax dollars pay for. Senator Cruz promoted the American small business while also promoting new trade deals with emerging economies to bypass unfair trade practices with China.

----------------
February 22 - Nevada caucus primary

Democratic side:
Kamala Harris (38%) - 14 delegates
Elizabeth Warren (30%) - 11 delegates
Bernie Sanders (28%) - 11 delegates
Tulsi Gabbard (0.3%)

Republican side:
Marco Rubio (31%) - 25 delegates
John Kasich (30%)
Ted Cruz (15%)
Donald Trump Jr. (9%)
Mike Pence (8%)
Rand Paul (7%)

Senator Paul dropped out and endorsed Senator Rubio. While talking to supporters, a live microphone picked up the senator saying his endorsement was “All about the Latino vote in the swing states.” Senator Rubio rebuked his Kentucky colleague and rejected Paul’s endorsement, and the growing racism in the country. However, the Florida senator praised the spirited campaign with his colleague from Texas and the former Ohio governor.

--------------
February 29 - South Carolina primary
Democratic side:
Kamala Harris (40.8%) - 23 delegates
Elizabeth Warren (35.5%) - 20 delegates
Bernie Sanders (19.7%) - 11 delegates
Pete Buttigieg (2.4%)
Tulsi Gabbard (1.6%)

Senator Harris celebrated her second consecutive victory, but Senator Warren finished closer than polls expected. Senator Sanders was in a distant third place for the second consecutive contest.

Republican side:
Ted Cruz (32%) - 50 delegates
Donald Trump Jr. (28%)
Marco Rubio (26%)
Mike Pence (8%)
John Kasich (6%)


Following his loss in the November 2019 special election, former President Mike Pence dropped out of the campaign for a full term, and his 58 days as president marked the 2nd shortest tenure, after William Henry Harrison died 32 days into office. In his speech to his half-filled room of supporters, Pence decried the state of the American political system, how it had become so corrupted by greed, foreign influence, and corporate lobbying. He directed his supporters to join in prayer to become a more peaceful and prayerful nation, and did not make an endorsement. Texas Senator Ted Cruz jumped onstage with enthusiasm following his win, saying it would propel him to a big win on Super Tuesday. The former First Son Trump Jr. blamed minorities and irregularities, and threatened to challenge the results in court. Senator Rubio wore his strong 3rd place showing as a badge of honor, after being in the top three in every contest so far, with a win in Nevada. Former Ohio governor Kasich vowed to continue into Super Tuesday.

March 3 - Super Tuesday

Results on the Democratic side
Alabama
Kamala Harris (61%)
Elizabeth Warren (20%)
Bernie Sanders (18.5%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.5%)

American Samoa
Tulsi Gabbard (39.3%)
Kamala Harris (20%)
Elizabeth Warren (20%)
Bernie Sanders (20%)

Arkansas
Kamala Harris (42.6%)
Elizabeth Warren (35%)
Bernie Sanders (22.4%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.5%)

California
Kamala Harris (42%)
Elizabeth Warren (35.6%)
Bernie Sanders (22.4%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.5%)

Colorado
Elizabeth Warren (38.4%)
Bernie Sanders (37%)
Kamala Harris (24.6%)
Tulsi Gabbard (1%)

Maine
Elizabeth Warren (41%)
Bernie Sanders (32.45%)
Kamala Harris (26%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.5%)

Massachusetts
Elizabeth Warren (44%)
Kamala Harris (29%)
Bernie Sanders (26.58%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.5%)

Minnesota
Elizabeth Warren (38.64%)
Kamala Harris (31.47%)
Bernie Sanders (29%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.89%)

North Carolina
Kamala Harris (42.95%)
Elizabeth Warren (32%)
Bernie Sanders (24.22%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.83%)

Oklahoma
Elizabeth Warren (38.66%)
Kamala Harris (35%)
Bernie Sanders (15.45%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.89%)

Tennessee
Kamala Harris (41%)
Elizabeth Warren (33.26%)
Bernie Sanders (25.02%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.72%)

Texas
Elizabeth Warren (37%)
Kamala Harris (33%)
Bernie Sanders (29%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.91%)

Utah
Bernie Sanders (36.14%)
Kamala Harris  (32.86%)
Elizabeth Warren (31%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.5%)

Vermont
Bernie Sanders (50.57%)
Elizabeth Warren (29%)
Kamala Harris (20%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.5%)

Virginia
Elizabeth Warren (41%)
Kamala Harris (35%)
Bernie Sanders (23.15%)
Tulsi Gabbard (0.85%)

Delegate count after Super Tuesday:
Elizabeth Warren (634)
Kamala Harris (537)
Bernie Sanders (392)
Pete Buttigieg (12)
Tulsi Gabbard (4)

Senator Sanders dropped out and endorsed Senator Warren, congratulating her on the campaign and her myriad of proposals for a pragmatic technocratic administration. Senator Harris thanked her supporters for her wins in Alabama, Arkansas, California, North Carolina, and Tennessee, and her strong showing elsewhere in the country. Warren’s strong 2nd place in California, coupled by her wins in Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, her native Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia, left her as the clear delegate winner by the end of the night. By the next morning, #WarrenHarris2020 was trending on Twitter, signaling interest in a unity ticket between the top two remaining candidates.

On the GOP side the results were:
Alabama
Donald Trump, Jr. (38%) - 50 delegates
Ted Cruz (33%)
Marco Rubio (20%)
John Kasich (9%)

Arkansas
Donald Trump, Jr. (43%) - 40 delegates
Ted Cruz (28%)
Marco Rubio (18%)
John Kasich (11%)

California
John Kasich (35%) - 172 delegates
Marco Rubio (33%)
Ted Cruz (20%)
Donald Trump, Jr. (12%)

Colorado
Ted Cruz (31%) - 37 delegates
Marco Rubio (29%)
John Kasich (27%)
Donald Trump, Jr. (13%)

Maine
Ted Cruz (36%) - 22 delegates
Marco Rubio (33%)
John Kasich (20%)
Donald Trump, Jr. (11%)

Massachusetts
John Kasich (29%) - 41 delegates
Marco Rubio (27%)
Ted Cruz (26%)
Donald Trump, Jr. (18%)

Minnesota
Marco Rubio (35%) - 39 delegates
John Kasich (29%)
Ted Cruz (28%)
Donald Trump, Jr. (8%)

North Carolina
Marco Rubio (30%) - 71 delegates
Ted Cruz (27%)
Donald Trump, Jr. (23%)
John Kasich (20%)

Oklahoma
Ted Cruz (37%) - 43 delegates
Donald Trump, Jr. (23%)
Marco Rubio (22%)
John Kasich (18%)

Tennessee
Donald Trump, Jr. (29%) - 58 delegates
Ted Cruz (27%)
Marco Rubio (25%)
John Kasich (19%)

Texas
Ted Cruz (49%) - 155 delegates
Marco Rubio (25%)
Donald Trump, Jr. (17%)
John Kasich (9%)

Virginia
Marco Rubio (39%) - 48 delegates
John Kasich (26%)
Ted Cruz (24%)
Donald Trump, Jr. (11%)

Delegate count after Super Tuesday:
Ted Cruz - 307 delegates
Marco Rubio - 246 delegates
John Kasich - 215 delegates
Donald Trump, Jr. - 188 delegates

The winners of the first four contests of the 2020 Republican Primaries all had something to celebrate about after Super Tuesday. Former Ohio Governor John Kasich won only two states, one of which was California, where he staked the success of his campaign. The former First Son Donald Trump, Jr. won three states - Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee - where he campaigned heavily and held rallies similar to the Trump 2016 campaign. Senator Rubio won Minnesota, North Carolina, and Virginia, the first two states of which were expected to be battleground states in the fall, with the third a potential, but unlikely pickup. Texas Senator Ted Cruz had a big night, winning Colorado, Maine, Oklahoma, and his home state of Texas. All four vowed to continue campaigning.

[hurricanehink]

March 4, 2020 - the first day of Great American Lockdown under President Hillary Clinton

“Epidemiology”, whispered President Hillary Clinton from behind the resolute desk, practicing her phrasing as she faced the cameras yet again in a primetime address. She counted herself in after the operator said she had 10 seconds until they were live. She didn’t care about the potential criticism for invoking her authority, she had a serious message for 328 million Americans, and hopefully set a precedent on how to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“I’m starting to speak, America, so I ask you to listen,” she spoke with a calm but serious tone. She waited, allowing for televisions on every channel to turn to her speech. With a little luck it’ll be all over Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat, POTUS thought. She savored the magnitude of the moment before continuing.

“The coronavirus is spreading across the country and around the world. There are 89 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of today, but we don’t know just how many of you Americans are afflicted with this once in a century disease. Our epidemiology experts project that we could lose millions of lives if this virus spreads unabated. That is why I am ordering a nationwide lockdown of domestic and international traffic. If you are abroad, I am asking on behalf of the Government of the United States, shelter in place where you are for the foreseeable future.

Our State Department will issue guidelines for Americans abroad, and for people of countries around the world, who want to come to our shores, be treated by the American medical system. All insurance companies will cover testing and treatment for all flu and virus-like symptoms. This virus is deadly. If we do nothing, we risk losing countless lives. If we do too much to act, then I will accept your blame for trying too much to save American lives. My administration has worked with producers and suppliers of medical tests and other necessary medical equipment. My secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Matthews will issue guidelines so we can utilize every hospital and clinic around the nation.

“For the foreseeable future, and as long as I am president of these United States, I am restricting all travel, unless you are working an essential service, you are getting groceries, or you are going to a hospital. Secretary of Labor Chris Lu has identified essential businesses at Labor.gov, and we have instructed how other businesses and services may remain open as employees across the country switch to working at home. For those who can’t work from home, and who are going to lose their job, we have passed expanded access to unemployment insurance, food stamps, and other critical measures to guide Americans through these tough times.

“I have contacted the governors of every state and territory, and most of them have joined my nationwide lockdown by issuing their own lockdowns at the state level. These are going to be a trying few years, until our brightest minds develop a vaccine to protect each and every one of us. My government, your government, will do whatever it can to protect the most number of lives. There will be disruptions to everyday life, but administration will do what it can to help you, the American people.

We have developed tests with the World Health Organizations, and they are being mass-produced in labs across the country. Beginning tomorrow, anyone with flu-like symptoms will be able to be tested, and starting next Monday, March 9th, any American will be able to be tested for this deadly disease.

From my administration here in Washington to your TV, computer, or phone, I thank you for your time and faith in our system, and I wish you the best of health.”

POTUS gave a nod to the camera operator, who shut off the live feed.

“OK…” the President muttered solemnly. She looked around the room at her advisors nodding in support. After a chaotic first few months of transitioning from the Trump-Pence administration, the Cabinet of Hillary Clinton worked with leaders around the world in figuring out the response to a rapidly evolving pandemic. With any luck, they could avoid a catastrophic death toll in an election year.

[hurricanehink]

November 5, 2020 - Neom, Saudi Arabia

King Mohammed bin Salman exited his autonomous vehicle with his security brigade and his wife, Queen Sarah. The audience of thousands erupted into applause as the Saudi Royal family walked from the street to the entrance of Al-Somaily Stadium, named after the first Saudi Olympian to win a medal (Silver in the 400 meter hurdle in the 2000 Sydney Olympics).

The stadium was the centerpiece of the planned smart city, the crowning achievement of King Mohammed’s plan for a state of the art city on the Red Sea. The Saudi King debated fiercely with his staff whether to mention the early difficulties in the shift away from oil production. The oil glut of the early 2020s soon made the energy source unprofitable to sell on the global market. When Saudi Arabia announced in 2026 that it was exiting OPEC and ceasing international sales of oil, the shares in Saudi Aramco plummeted, sending the country into recession.

“Should I mention 2026 or not?” the Saudi King asked his entourage of advisors, family members, and security detail as they walked to the entrance of the stadium.

“Stick to the election tomorrow. Let the history books write about the past while we make the future,” spoke Queen Sarah, insisting, as usual, she had the first say.

“Why aren’t you the one giving the speech?” King Mohammed asked his wife with a wide grin.

“Because the people want you,” replied Queen Sarah. The entourage had entered the stadium, passing the thousands of cheering protesters. No one on the staff of the King wanted him to hear or see the protests outside their immediate vicinity.

“A fleet of wind turbines dot the coast of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf,” shouted King Mohammed, practicing his speech. The steadfast leadership of King Mohammed had ensured a rapid transition to renewable energy, which ensured his popularity in his 20th year in office. Following years of research, Saudi scientists developed a technique in 2029 for converting sand into other materials using a 3D printer. An autonomous fleet of robots began terraforming large portions of the Arabian desert into the world’s largest solar farm by 2031. Saudi Electro was formed that year to sell solar energy on the world market. By 2035, the solar field expanded to reach 1.5 million square kilometres, to the detriment of the few species still alive in the harsh desert. King Mohammed used the country’s vast energy reserves to power and cool the country, beginning with Mecca in 2025, Riyadh in 2033, Jeddah in 2034, Neom in 2036, and most of the rest of the country by 2037. Only occasional protests threatened the rule of the Saudi King. His iron grip on the country's police force (used since the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi in 2017) as well as the country’s continued economic prosperity, meant that most residents in the country were happy.

The group reached the edge of the stage, waiting for the American and European speakers to wrap up their speeches. Most of Saudi Arabia remained loyal in the King’s strict adherence to Sharia law. The economic and social liberties in Neom brought in substantial capital to the kingdom, which justified their openness to Western pop culture, LGBT rights, and openness to drugs and alcohol. After the 2020 pandemic shut down most “wet markets” (selling live exotic animals, and the culprit for Covid-19), Neom contained the only such markets in the world. The city also had the only slave market on Earth since Mauritania outlawed the practice in 1981, provided the person was willing to enter into bondage. The 3.2 million residents in Neom represented a substantial voice of opposition to the Saudi King, and a polarizing voice in the international community.

After the proposal for the Union of the Inhabitants of Earth (UIE) was unveiled in 2038, Saudi Arabia’s largest ever protests broke out in Neom. City residents demanded a say in international affairs and to have representation in that body through democratic elections. At first, the Saudi King resisted the appeal for more autonomy, believing it would threaten his family’s grip on power. During the 2038 annual Hajj pilgrimage, protesters in Neom disrupted the Red Sea high speed rail line from Cairo to Mecca, forcing millions of Muslims to crowd the southern Red Sea hyperloop through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Aden, Yemen.

The protests threatened to turn into a civil war in late 2038 after a decade-long drought sparked water riots across the Middle East. Desalination plants reached their limits, causing the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf to run dry. Even the Nile ran at record low levels, after a series of dams were constructed in Sudan and Ethiopia. The United Nations negotiated a relief plan to deliver drought-stricken countries, using freshwater sources from the Great Lakes in North America and the Great Lakes of the East African Federation. A stipulation for the resources was a commitment to a free and fair democratic vote on the UIE. King Mohammed was the first Arab ruler to agree to the plan, and was followed soon by East Yemeni Prime Minister Saeed, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Muferiat Kamil, Jordanian King Hussein, and Palestinian President Mohammed Shtayyeh.

The King walked to the podium after he was announced, thinking about his group of allies supporting his bid for the Council of Billions. The 54 year-old King grasped the microphone tightly and forcefully, echoing loudly through the arena. The King pulled out his speech on his tablet and spoke calmly and clearly, looking out at the crowd of 200,000.

“Thank you Allah, and thank you all for joining us today. If you haven’t voted yet, raise your hand, and a voting drone will fly to you. You will be able to match your fingerprint, DNA, or any form of ID to register for the Global Census. After you have created your profile, you are allowed to vote for the Council of States, Council of Delegates, and the Council of Billions.”

“Some…” the King looked to the side of the stage at the delegation for the Americans and the Europeans. “...have proposed a new system of governance from the top to the lowliest individual among us. I believe in a different approach to regional authority, with a mixture of local and international control. Some matters, like trade, health, and the spread of knowledge and technology, should be shared among all members of the Earth, for the lowliest and greatest among us.”

“Speaking of the greatest among us, I’d like to thank the block of countries supporting my bid to be on the Council of Billions. I’d like to ask your support as well, to the people here in Neom, to the protesters outside of these walls, and to the many people watching remotely, through our state of the art 7G Li-Fi service. Your vote can be extended further by indicating your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th preference, and so on, if I am not your first choice for the Council,” the King paused for a laugh, but the crowd grew restless.

“This is a pivotal moment for humanity,” the King spoke out, looking up from his notes toward the large audience. As he paused, a large bang rang out from the crowd. The King clutched onto the podium as anti-sniper bullets from both sides of the stage deflected the intended bullet. He watched as the projectiles fell to the ground. The crowd gasped before erupting into a large applause.

The screens around the arena captured the would-be assassination on instant replay. Security removed the would-be assailant from the crowd, whose face was shown on the large screens. The King paused as the cheers turned to boos. He glanced up and recognized the assailant as a member of his own staff. The incident was a plot to garner support for the Saudi King, who believed a failed assassination would put him over the top in the Arab world. He took inspiration from Turkish President Erdogan’s staged coup in 2016, and from the fake news and manipulation from the administration of American Presidents Trump, Pence, and Cotton.

“And that, my friends,” the King spoke clearly, causing the audience to quiet down. He continued, “...is why we need to share technology among the masses, revolutionary technologies in security, and artificial intelligence.” A large section of the crowd cheered.

“Tools such as CRISPR to cure every disease and end aging.” Most of the crowd cheered, reflecting the large population of Neom born after the Covid-19 era.

“And translators, so never again will a human be misunderstood by what they say, and you can all hear me today in your mother tongue.” The line drew a tepid applause. The Saudi king was worried he was losing the crowd.

“And ways of tracking your every movement to make your life more streamlined, and help you reach your fullest potential. If your interest is in science, then you might help design the first mission to nearby habitable planets, or join the millions of brave astronauts colonizing our solar system.”

The King looked up at the screens, which showed a viewing party from the International Space Hotel. He ignored a large part of the audience booing at him.

“If you want to build the greatest buildings mankind has ever seen, then you can start here in Neom,” the King stopped to let his audience cheer him on. “Where we have the best stadiums, transit systems, and unparalleled security measures. Once you step foot in the city, we will track your every movement, so no one will ever be lost again. Biometric sensors will identify sick people and quarantine them before they even know they are sick.”

The crowd became a loud murmur intermixed with boos. The envoy from the Americas and Europe disapproved of Neom’s security measures, referring to it as “totalitarian”. The King knew that and included it in his speech anyway. He continued.

“A fleet of wind turbines dot the coast of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Our solar fields power our country cleanly. We did it here in Saudi Arabia. By working together with the rest of the world, we can eliminate the waste and the dirty fossil fuels, and become a cleaner and more prosperous people. I once again ask you to vote tomorrow for the Council of States, Council of Delegates, and the Council of Billions. I thank you all, and Praise Allah,” King Mohammed finished to a loud and disinterested audience. He looked down in shame and walked away from the platform, frustrated and disgusted with the boisterous crowd.

“That was... good, especially when you almost got shot,” Queen Sarah spoke calmly as the entourage walked offstage and away from the noisy arena.

“Alright folks, that was Saudi Arabian King Mohammed bin Salman,” shouted an excited Scottish bloke from the stage into the microphone to a passive audience. “Coming up we have BTS performing their latest single ‘Universal’.” The crowd cheered louder than at any point during the King’s speech. “Later on we’ll hear from United Nations Secretary General Jacinda Ardern, and then The Beatles Hologram performing new songs written by AI,” the crowd erupted to its biggest cheer as King Mohammed and his entourage exited the noisy arena.

“Why did I ever agree to this pointless exercise in Democracy?” the King mused as they reached the quiet outdoors. The paid supporters, and most of the protesters, had left.

“Because it’s something new, and it’s something no one has ever tried before, and you could be good at shaping the entire planet. Maybe provide a sense of morality before it’s too late,” the Queen quipped as they climbed into the vehicle that would take them to the superhighway for the next few stops - Egypt’s new capital Wedian; Khartoum, Sudan; and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia before finishing in Riyadh.

“This whole thing better be worth it,” the Saudi King murmured as he took his seat.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Just caught up on it- a fantastic timeline! It was great seeing Arden and Obama, and Bin Salman having trouble with democracy is fun. Kind of a bummer Saudi Arabia is still a monarchy, but the world is overall good. Dreading the Cotton administration you mentioned, though- it'll be worse before it'll be better. Could we get a summary of who's running for the Council of Billions before the election?

What's the situation in Israel by the worldwide elections, if I might ask? The existence of a Palestine is encouraging because it probably means we reached a two state agreement.