An Effective Consensus

[Elcaspar]

If anyone has any questions on how Wallace won, feel free to ask

I will give my own thoughts on how Wallace won:
- Supercharged turnout in the South due to Wallace being the nominee.
- The combination of soothing the worries of the establishment and his populism appealing to working class people.
- Goldwater refusing to endorse Nixon meaning that many conservatives would support Wallace instead.
- Humphrey maybe took more away from Nixon than Wallace by running his independent bid.
-12 years of continuous Republican Party control of the White House.   

This is just what i think are the potential reasons. Feel free to correct me otherwise.

[KaiserDave]

If anyone has any questions on how Wallace won, feel free to ask

I will give my own thoughts on how Wallace won:
- Supercharged turnout in the South due to Wallace being the nominee.
- The combination of soothing the worries of the establishment and his populism appealing to working class people.
- Goldwater refusing to endorse Nixon meaning that many conservatives would support Wallace instead.
- Humphrey maybe took more away from Nixon than Wallace by running his independent bid.
-12 years of continuous Republican Party control of the White House.   

This is just what i think are the potential reasons. Feel free to correct me otherwise.

Yeah that's all right. I guess I'd joined emphasize the liberal movement of the country (especially the courts) on social issues causing a backlash, and Humphrey taking black voters from Nixon

[KaiserDave]

Wikimedia Commons and Alabama Gov Archives

The Wallace Administration

On the 20th of January 1965 George Corley Wallace took the oath of office from Chief Justice Warren on the east portico of the capital building. First Lady Lurleen Burns Wallace held the Bible and President Wallace took the oath. Vice President John Moren Campbell took the oath of office for the Vice Presidency from Speaker of the House John William McCormack, and the two took on the roles at noon when the term of President Nixon expired. President Nixon and Eisenhower were in attendance, but the late President Hoover was not, and President Truman declined to attend. Senator Thurmond and Byrd were seated in prominent positions, as was Senator Sparkman and Russell. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr, who attended the last inauguration was not present this time. The crowd was loud and substantial, as was the counter protestors outside the periphery of the crowd. President Wallace delivered a speech declaring that the people's house was now back under the people's control, and that the game of politics as played by elite power brokers and intellectuals was at an end. He set out policy aims such as reversing school desegregation (he did not repeat his segregation forever line, but he emphasized that integration makes schools worse), keeping inflation under control, reversing liberalization of immigration, shrinking the size of the federal government, and fighting communism abroad. He made no mention of the Voting Rights Act, which is now widely considered for now at least, dead. The speech was well received by the President's supporters, but many liberals were horrified and aghast.

The transition period was far from smooth. As soon as Wallace won the elections, riots broke out in major urban centers. These riots became quite violent, with cars flipped, store windows smashed and stores burned. City officials deployed riot police to quell the disorder, and things got bad when several rioters were killed. President Nixon begged governors and mayors to "bring peace back to the streets" and while in some cities the violence died down after Dr. King called for an end to the destruction of property in a nationally televised speech, President-elect Wallace fanned the flames when he said President Nixon was "bowing to anarchists and criminals" and called for a stronger police response. In the South after the Wallace victory the Klan ran wild, burning crosses and parading in the streets. Governors did little to stop the intimidation and harassment of black people in the South. The Klan even planned a March on Washington on inauguration day, but they were eventually persuaded to hold it a week before, which they did. It was a far cry from the 1925 which had over 25,000 Klansman march, but around 5,000, 10,000 hooded KKK members marched through the streets with the American and Confederate flag celebrating the Wallace victory and called for an end to non-white immigration. President-elect Wallace called them "hooded fools" but his harshest words were reserved for the black power activists continuing agitation in the cities.

On January 2nd, Vietnam burst again. A series of bombs went off across Saigon, at the US Embassy, at several bars frequented by US Soldiers, and at Republic of Vietnam government buildings. A series of attacks in the countryside followed. A US ship operating near the coast was even mined from below the surface of the ship and nearly sunk. Called the "New Year Attacks" the Viet Cong once again was again back in the headlines, although this time investigations showed that the evidence that the North was behind arming and supporting the attacks was clear (at least that's what the Secretary of Defense showed). President Nixon however refused to call for an emergency session of Congress to give the President permission to act, and in fact did nothing but allocate more resources to the soldiers already stationed in South Vietnam. Many believe he just didn't want to allocate more powers to the incoming President.

But now, Wallace was in the White House. His first photographs from the Resolute Desk was nothing but big toothy smiles, if you were with the guy you could feel the power high. He signed executives orders repealing a variety of Nixon, Eisenhower, even Truman era regulations on environment, business, and farmers. However "big city banks" as Wallace called them were not including in the executive deregulations. Wallace appointed a very much conservative cabinet. Curtis LeMay took over from Robert McNamara at the Defense Department, Robert Bork took over from Thomas Dewey at the Justice Department, and Nelson Bunker Hunt took over at the State Department. Gone were Civil Rights suits filed by the government, and gone were government investigations into (mostly southern) businesses and individuals. Gone were planned talks with Alexei Kosygin in Montreal and gone were plans to dedicate more funding to NATO. The administration was moving in a very different direction. That being said, Wallace kept his promise to the party insiders. He filled the rank and file of the federal bureaucracy with loyal Democrats, many of whom did not share his segregationist views.

Riots continued into the first few months of the Wallace Administration. Black power activist Malcom X was shot and killed by believed Nation of Islam agents, sparking more fighting in the streets. President Wallace just said that "order must be restored, and I hope that anarchists and racists like Malcolm Little will not sow division in our streets."  Wallace however, was far less reluctant to use force. He sent in Federal Marshals to restore order in New York over the protests of Mayor Wagner and Governor Rockefeller. Armed with lethal rounds several rioters were killed, which led the violent response. New York erupted into further violence which persisted into the spring. New York wasn't the only city though, Wallace asked Congress for more police funding and more military grade equipment for the police to crush the rioting. Martin Luther King Jr called for an end to the violence, but also called President Wallace, "the most powerful man in America, and also the most powerful and dangerous racist in America." Wallace responded loudly calling King a "deceptive fake Minister associated with communists and foreign agitators." This all occurred while peaceful demonstrators led by King were beaten and abused in Selma on what is known as Bloody Sunday.

While chaos unfolded at home, Wallace took revenge for the New Year's Attacks. Congress approved the January Resolution which effectively gave President Wallace authorization to escalate the war, despite the efforts of many Republicans and liberal Democrats in Congress. Curtis LeMay and newly appointed William Westmoreland were relentless in Operation Rolling Thunder.  Bridges, rail yards, docks, barracks and supply dumps were targeted, but military factories in urban centers were targeted too. The bombing was unyielding, with a level of destruction quickly comparable to Allied Bombing in the Second World War. Wallace also sent 7,000 combat troops to South Vietnam to secure important cites and try and stem the threat of the Viet Cong. The Vietnam War was just beginning.

Wallace's domestic agenda was taking off the ground too. Though the idea of a constitutional amendment reversing Brown vs Board was considered, it was deemed impossible to pass and far too risky. Instead the Wallace White House focused on satisfying the economic populists who got him elected. Healthcare for the elderly had always been a major issue that Nixon had tried to address but ultimately did not. Wallace pitched a Medicare plan to Congress. They plan was a national health insurance plan for the elderly (those after 65) that divided into four parts would effective end most costs for retiree's healthcare. It would be paid for under the social security tax and the plan would be an amendment to that program. It included programs for disability insurance and for poor. The program finally brought liberals in both parties on board with a Wallace proposal. Fiscally austere Southern Democrats like Harry Byrd were angered that "their man" George Wallace would propose such a massive government program. But Wallace justified it that "only those who worked" would be covered by the program. The Bill had trouble in Congress, but by the summer was on his desk, which he signed into law in the Oval Office. Liberals though they hated Wallace, had to be happy with the passage of such major legislation.

Despite this, chaos in the nation continued. Race riots continued, southern police violence against peaceful protestors continued, and the anti war movement exploded throughout the nation. As Wallace escalated the draft, more and more burned their draft cards and more and more marched in the streets. The Anti-War movement saw massive marches in New York and D.C., with the Pentagon filled with leaflets and the bits and pieces of charred draft cards left in the streets. Police violence was met with violence from rioters, all the while the President of the United States put more military vehicles in the streets and called for order at all costs. He denounced the counter culture movement now beginning the emerge, saying that "these hippies just don't know these two words, w-o-r-k and s-o-a-p." The Wallace Presidency had begun.

[OSR stands with Israel]

How does the cabinet look like

[KaiserDave]

How does the cabinet look like

I'm not going to list the entire cabinet as honestly that would just take too long for my taste to do the research, and I'm more interested in long term political changes then stuff like that. I mentioned some in the post (Bork for AG, LeMay for Defense), but safe to assume they are either conservatives from either party (but a lot of conservative Republicans) or illiberal populists.

[OSR stands with Israel]

How does the cabinet look like

I'm not going to list the entire cabinet as honestly that would just take too long for my taste to do the research, and I'm more interested in long term political changes then stuff like that. I mentioned some in the post (Bork for AG, LeMay for Defense), but safe to assume they are either conservatives from either party (but a lot of conservative Republicans) or illiberal populists.

Thats alright though I dont think Bork would be AG given he wasn't a known figure at the time. I think its more likely James Eastland or John Sparkman would be named Attoreny General .


Also who would be Sec of State(would it be Thurmond)

[KaiserDave]

How does the cabinet look like

I'm not going to list the entire cabinet as honestly that would just take too long for my taste to do the research, and I'm more interested in long term political changes then stuff like that. I mentioned some in the post (Bork for AG, LeMay for Defense), but safe to assume they are either conservatives from either party (but a lot of conservative Republicans) or illiberal populists.

Thats alright though I dont think Bork would be AG given he wasn't a known figure at the time. I think its more likely James Eastland or John Sparkman would be named Attoreny General .


Also who would be Sec of State(would it be Thurmond)

It’s Nelson Bunker Hunt, prominent Wallace backer, donor and right wing businessman

[KaiserDave]

Gallup Poll: President Wallace Job Approval December 1965



Wikimedia Commons

Approve: 54%
Disapprove: 44%

[OSR stands with Israel]

One last question , who would you prefer this George Wallace or Donald Trump. I would take Trump

[KaiserDave]

One last question , who would you prefer this George Wallace or Donald Trump. I would take Trump

Trump. Although if you asked me to consider George Wallace without the odious racism and everything that came with it.....well I guess that's not George Wallace anymore so it's an irrelevant point. Although later in life he did apologize and recant his segregationist views.

[Elcaspar]

This is going to be a wild ride. Can't wait to see what happens, especially with the midterm elections.

[KaiserDave]

Wikimedia Commons and Alabama Gov Archives

The Wallace Administration

1966 did not begin easy. Another civil rights activists was murdered in south, Vernon Dahmer burned to death by firebombs thrown by the Klan. President Wallace had nothing to say. He gave police a blank cheque to do whatever it took to end the riots in the streets, and all necessary force. Needless to say this only led to more violence. Even Martin Luther King was losing patience, he called for "peace in the cities" and called for rioters to abandon violence as a strategy but his harshest words were for "President Wallace who beats down the Negro with the nightstick and plants a cross in his yard. That is his America and we are all in grave danger as long as he is in the White House." Hubert Humphrey and Robert Kennedy were disgusted, as well as other liberal Democrats, all denouncing the President of their own party. But Wallace had not forgotten Senator Humphrey and his independent bid. He isolated Humphrey from every policy decision he could isolate him from, and used all the clout he had to force out any party official who supported Humphrey in '64. Liberal Democrats who kept quiet and didn't endorse were out too, Wallace's party men were in. This led to a lot of disgruntled Democrats, and many new Republicans.

The Vietnam War continued to escalate. President Wallace said in a nationally televised speech, as well as including the talking points in his state of the Union that his policy was thus:

"We will commit the full and total might of the United States military against the communist threat in Indochina. If Vietnam falls to communism it will not be long before the whole of the Orient is red, and therefore the death of human freedom in Asia. There is no doubt in my mind that one day these communists will come to America and beat down and persecute us all. Indeed in many respects they already have in their infiltrations of the so called "anti-war" and "black power" movements. We will commit these full resources on land, in the air, and on the sea. The government of the Republic of Vietnam is committed totally to our efforts to liberate the entire country under their democratic government that respects the god given rights of property and liberty. If in time we see that with these full resources we cannot win the war, we will leave. But we will win." The mood in Washington was hawkish, so for now Congress supported the President as he escalated the bombing of North Vietnam to extreme levels including against the capital Hanoi, and oversaw the deployment of 5,000 more soldiers to Vietnam. Outside of Washington support for the war was still the majority, but the anti war and counter culture movements were growing-and fast.

In global Cold War politics the post Cuban Missile Crisis Nixon thaw came to an end as the Soviet government, infuriated by the American bombing in Vietnam took a more hostile and defensive stance. Especially when President Wallace authorized an American mission to help remove Juan Bosch of the Dominican Republic. Moscow sold new SAM systems to the North Vietnamese government and expanded efforts to boost the military capabilities of not just eastern bloc states like Romania, Bulgaria, East Germany, and Poland, but also to any states outside American orbit, nations such as Egypt, Cuba, and North Korea. On the other hand, Soviet relations with China have worsened as the Sino-Soviet split deepens.

The US Economy grows, but the growth rate slows every quarter as unemployment inches up. The Wallace administration has continued the tight monetary policy of Eisenhower and Nixon, with Wallace saying that "federally backed inflation is the death of property and liberty in this nation." President Wallace has pushed for spending cuts, with massive cuts to the newly formed Environmental Protection Agency and as well as to many federal departments with the exception of Defense. Many liberals and moderates in both parties have accused the Wallace administration of having an inconsistent economic policy as economic growth slows. The White House has just kept pointing to the strong value of the dollar and strength in areas like real estate and sectors of manufacturing. Critics of the Wallace economy have come from both parties. Hubert Humphrey has said on Face the Nation that the Wallace administration economic policy "ultimately only helps those businesses who can afford to operate under such tight interest rates, therefore the biggest businesses who have received the biggest of Nixon tax cuts." Michigan Governor George Romney, briefly Treasury Secretary under Nixon (who has not hesitated to criticize Nixon when necessary) has called for fair housing, further tax cuts where possible, and expansions of the government to help the poor and most vulnerable.

As the midterms approached, the economy was slowing, the streets were in chaos, and President Wallace had polarized the nation.

[KaiserDave]

Gallup Poll: President Wallace Job Approval October 1966



Wikimedia Commons

Approve: 50%
Disapprove: 45%

[America Needs R'hllor]

Oh boy... 60s Jewish American Parrotguy is really angry and definitely changed his registration from D to R.

Great TL!

[KaiserDave]

Election 1966

Hello and Good morning, I'm Walter Cronkite and this is  the CBS Evening News. The results are in for midterm elections of 1966 and here they are.


United States House of Representatives
Democrats: 226 (-37)
Republicans: 211 (+37)

United States Senate
Democrats: 65 (-3)
Republicans: 35 (+3)

Flips: New Hampshire (D to R), Oregon (D to R), Illinois (D to R)


Years of Democratic domination in the House of Representatives appear to coming to an end as the Republicans picked up a whopping 37 seats. Though they are not the majority party, they will certainly wield more clout. Indeed one could say the House of Representatives has a liberal to moderate majority, as the liberals and moderates in both parties could probably work together to pass legislation. The freshman class of Republicans are hardly Goldwaterites, they are primarily northern Rockefeller like liberal Republicans from northern cities where they were abundances of retiring mainstream Democrats and many were defeated outright. The Democrats kept an iron grip on the South, although in south Florida Republicans made gains. Gerald Ford's Republicans making a big leap here, perhaps giving them a shot at the majority in two years time. In the Senate Democrats held close sears in Tennessee and Oklahoma, but lost in Oregon, New Hampshire, and Illinois so they will lose three Senate seats. Hubert Humphrey won unopposed in Minnesota as the Republicans did not put up a candidate against him. Senator Johnson still has a strong control of the Senate, but it appears that the President has abandoned Johnson style political negotiation in favor of acting on his own. The Republicans rejoiced at this wins, with Gerald Ford declaring at his election party that, "the President's unrestrained lack of sense and instability ends now. We promise civil rights, peace in the streets, and justice, justice in all the nation." One noticed that a portrait of the Great Emancipator Abraham Lincoln above the American flag at Minority Leader Ford's election party. President Wallace celebrated, saying that the people had "rejected Republican deception and corruption in favor of the honesty of the Democratic Party" despite the losses in the Senate and House. Senator Robert Kennedy said that, "the President must be held accountable, by either party." And that's the way it is, Walter Cronkite with CBS news on November 9th, 1966.

[KaiserDave]

Oh boy... 60s Jewish American Parrotguy is really angry and definitely changed his registration from D to R.

Great TL!

Thanks!

Yeah the Democratic Party is definitely headed in a bad direction.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Oh boy... 60s Jewish American Parrotguy is really angry and definitely changed his registration from D to R.

Great TL!

Thanks!

Yeah the Democratic Party is definitely headed in a bad direction.

By the way, if it's going in the direction it seems to be going, I'm definitely expecting a certain someone to become President

[KaiserDave]

Oh boy... 60s Jewish American Parrotguy is really angry and definitely changed his registration from D to R.

Great TL!

Thanks!

Yeah the Democratic Party is definitely headed in a bad direction.

By the way, if it's going in the direction it seems to be going, I'm definitely expecting a certain someone to become President

Whaaat
WhaaaaaaTTTT
WHAAAAATTTTT 

If I understand what's your saying than I'll leave you with a maybe, but it's gonna be a long road to that. I can't wait to show you guys the long road all the way to 2020 (and beyond?)

[America Needs R'hllor]

Oh boy... 60s Jewish American Parrotguy is really angry and definitely changed his registration from D to R.

Great TL!

Thanks!

Yeah the Democratic Party is definitely headed in a bad direction.

By the way, if it's going in the direction it seems to be going, I'm definitely expecting a certain someone to become President

Whaaat
WhaaaaaaTTTT
WHAAAAATTTTT 

If I understand what's your saying than I'll leave you with a maybe, but it's gonna be a long road to that. I can't wait to show you guys the long road all the way to 2020 (and beyond?)

Yep, I believe that's what I was referring to. And I like the current pace, going over the years quickly but still not that quick, looking forward for more!

[OSR stands with Israel]

Does Reagan still win the 1966 Gubernatorial Race

[KaiserDave]

Does Reagan still win the 1966 Gubernatorial Race

Yes he does, though he is increasingly on the fringe of the party.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Does Reagan still win the 1966 Gubernatorial Race

Yes he does, though he is increasingly on the fringe of the party.

Well at least there is some hope Economic Conservatism can be saved

[KaiserDave]

Does Reagan still win the 1966 Gubernatorial Race

Yes he does, though he is increasingly on the fringe of the party.

Well at least there is some hope Economic Conservatism can be saved

What's your full analysis of the Wallace presidency?

[OSR stands with Israel]

Does Reagan still win the 1966 Gubernatorial Race

Yes he does, though he is increasingly on the fringe of the party.

Well at least there is some hope Economic Conservatism can be saved

What's your full analysis of the Wallace presidency?

So far he has been a total disaster, sowing division and hatred like no president ever and incoherent economic policies are disastrous too(You need a coherent economic philosophy). Vietnam its still to early

I hope he is weakened by a primary challenger and then defeated in a landslide in 1968

[KaiserDave]

Does Reagan still win the 1966 Gubernatorial Race

Yes he does, though he is increasingly on the fringe of the party.

Well at least there is some hope Economic Conservatism can be saved

What's your full analysis of the Wallace presidency?

So far he has been a total disaster, sowing division and hatred like no president ever and incoherent economic policies are disastrous too(You need a coherent economic philosophy). Vietnam its still to early

I hope he is weakened by a primary challenger and then defeated in a landslide in 1968

Do you have anyone in mind of 1968 on the Republican side?