Keys to the White House: 1948 a different America (1960 election)

[Orwell]

The year is 1948 and the situation in the United States, we will begin at the 1948 DNC/RNC and you will be able to draft candidates for Local, State, and Federal offices and we will also sim the elections using the keys. I will give an example of the use of points to influence an election:

I would like Strom Thurmond to run for Governor in 1950 for 2 points

This would make Strom Thurmond win the Governorship of South Carolina in 1950 and would set you back 2 points. This game is mainly about world-building and having fun.


Hello! I am here today to announce a new kind of game to the Election and History game field, and this is called Keys to the White House, I am sure many of you are familiar with how the Keys to the White House work, basically if 5 or fewer of the statements are false then the incumbent party will win reelection, but when 6 or more are true then the incumbent party will lose the election, just a note though that the keys only serve to predict the popular vote not the electoral college.

The Keys

1. Party Mandate: After the midterm elections, the incumbent party holds more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives than after the previous midterm elections. This Key cannot be altered through player point expenditures​
2. Contest: There is no serious contest for the incumbent party nomination. This Key cannot be altered through player point expenditures
3. Incumbency: The incumbent party candidate is the sitting president. This Key cannot be altered through player point expenditures​
4. Third party: There is no significant third party or independent campaign.
5. Short term economy: The economy is not in recession during the election campaign.​
6. Long term economy: Real per capita economic growth during the term equals or exceeds mean growth during the previous two terms.​
7. Policy change: The incumbent administration effects major changes in national policy.​
8. Social unrest: There is no sustained social unrest during the term.​
9. Scandal: The incumbent administration is untainted by major scandal.​
10. Foreign/military failure: The incumbent administration suffers no major failure in foreign or military affairs.​
11. Foreign/military success: The incumbent administration achieves a major success in foreign or military affairs.​
12. Incumbent charisma: The incumbent party candidate is charismatic or a national hero. This Key cannot be altered through player point expenditures​
13. Challenger charisma: The challenging party candidate is not charismatic or a national hero. This Key cannot be altered through player point expenditures

​


Points:
Points can be earned through a lot of ways, the most common ways on AH.com are wikiboxes and roleplay.

Cost of Offices:
Elected to State Legislature: Free
Elected to HoR: 1 for 4 years
Elected to Senate or Governorship: 2, and at least 4 years spent in either the state legislature or House of Representatives
Appointed to a low-level Cabinet position: 3
Name added to Vice-Presidential Ballot: 3
Appointed to a high-level Cabinet position: 4
Name added to Presidential Ballot: 5, and at least 4 years spent in any other elected or appointed office
Name added to Presidential Ballot with no prior experience: 7

Other Point Expenditures:
Boost a major party downballot: 3 points
Boost a minor party downballot: 6 points
Change a Key (Player decides if value is true or negative, can be done once per player every 2 elections): 10

Character Sheet:
While characters are not required to play, I do suggest that you create a character as it will make it easier to roleplay, but you can still earn/spend points if you don't have a created character.

Photo:
Name:
Age:
Political Party:
Occupational History:
Bio:

the DNC and RNC will be open at 12 pm EST, April 22 and will end at 12 PM EST 23 all you will have to do is choose a candidate in both races! Enjoy I hope to see some characters!

Characters


Michael Feinberg (Asenath Waite)- 2 points
Anton Jepsen (Elcaspar)- 2 points
Marcus A. Jackson II (NTP)- 1 point FL-3
William Angler (KaiserDave)- 2 points VT State legislature

[Asenath Waite]

Awesome! I'm in

Name: Michael Feinberg
Age: 23
Political Party: Republican
Occupational History: Codebreaker during WWII, currently in training to be an FBI agent while taking classes at Georgetown on the GI Bill.

Biography: Michael Feinberg was born into a working class Jewish family in Brooklyn, the youngest son of Polish immigrants. From an early age he was picked on, unlike his older brothers who were highly athletic track and field and basketball stars he was awkward, bookish and wore thick glasses from an early age. However he was an excellent student who excelled in Math and Science and he became a voracious reader with a contrarian streak. It was this contrarian streak that led him to become a harsh critic of FDR and the lone conservative in a family of New Deal Democrats and Socialists (one uncle fought for the loyalist side in Spain.) In 1940 he went door to door campaigning for Wendell Willkie and was pelted with rocks in his heavily Democratic neighborhood.

After graduating high school early he attended Brooklyn College for a semester before attempting to enlist in the Army after Pearl Harbor where he was rejected for his poor eyesight but due to genius level intelligence and an understanding of German was recruited to be a codebreaker. After serving behind the lines in Europe during the war he discovered he had a knack for intelligence work and decided to make a career out of it. After the war he was recruited by the FBI to go undercover infiltrating subversive leftist groups.

Domestically Feinberg is a relatively moderate Eastern Establishment Republican and on foreign policy is a zealous anti-Communist with a particular venom (bordering on self-hatred) of Jewish leftists and communists who he fears will lead to hardworking patriotic Jews such as himself being victimized by anti-Semitism and eventually bring about an American Hitler. On Civil Rights Feinberg is conflicted, he's avowedly anti-racist because growing up he became friends with the black kids at his school who he sympathized with as a fellow outsider (He also enjoys pointing out to his pinko friends that they're the ones voting for a party filled with southern segregationists) but for the aforementioned reason believes that Jews should have no place in advancing the cause of civil rights. Currently he's even more tortured at the prospect of having to report on the political activities of his fiance, a young Jewish nursing student who he met at a singles weekend in the Catskills last winter who is supporting the presidential campaign of Henry Wallace.

[Elcaspar]

I have never tried this before, but i will join because it seems like a cool idea!

Name : Anton Jepsen
Age : 32
Party : Democratic/Progressive, Formerly Farmer-Labor
Occupational History: Instructor of Political Science at the University of Minnesota 1939-1942, Soldier 1942-1946.

Bio : Anton was born into a family of Danish-American farmers in rural Minnesota, with him being the youngest son of WW I and Polar Bear Expedition Veteran. He grew up at a family farm that was struggling by the time he was ready for elementary school, due to the depression that affected farmers ever since the end of WW I. But this only made Anton more determined to help at home in any way he could alongside doing his elementary school studies.  This hard-working and diligent nature would stay alongside Anton for the rest of his life, with him continuing into high school while still helping in any way he could at the family farm.

He would grow up in an political household, as the farmers depression would color the family's political views. His father returned home in 1919 to happy reunion with the family, and the optimism in the family was never higher than when Anton's mother gave birth to a little sister named Marie. But the happiness was not to last, as an economic depression hit farmers all over the country due to a lack of demand for agricultural products after The Great War and the cancelling of guarantees in 1920. This made both his mother, but especially his father join and get involved with the burgeoning Farmer-Labor Party, as well joining the National Farmer's Union branch in Minnesota. The naturally colored Anton's views as well, with him becoming a staunch Farmer-Laborite alongside his father and mother.

As soon as Anton graduated from high school in 1934 he went to study at the University of Minnesota, the first in the family to study at a university. During his time there he got involved with the university's debate club, where he rapidly developed his debating skills and became a star of the university's debate team in no time. He frequently clashed with opponents of FDR and the Farmer-Labor Party, and was often decried by the same people as a radical due to his Farmer-Labor Party membership. This was also where he met his future wife Christina, as they dated throughout the university years. Finally he graduated with high marks and honors in 1938 and married Christina the year after they both graduated.

In 1939 Anton and Christina moved to Minneapolis. Anton worked as an instructor of Political Science at the University of Minnesota, while his wife Christina worked as a high school teacher.
This state of affairs remained until late 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed and America joined the Allies. History repeated itself as Anton was chosen for the draft in 1942, just as his father was in 1917. With his non-interventionism shaken by Pearl Harbor, he didn't object to the draft and joined the army in what he perceived as a fight for freedom. He was among the first who landed in Africa during Operation Torch, and fought trough tough conditions in both the African and Italian Campaigns. Finally he returned to his wife in 1946 a changed man from experience in war,  and his wife gave birth to their first child in 1947 which they gave the name Eva. He plans to return to his instructor job in 1949.

Domestically Anton is a full-out progressive due to his legacy as a member of the Farmer-Labor Party, and on foreign policy he views himself as a careful internationalist who supports the advancement of human rights.  Anton is avowedly anti-racist, and is a strong supporter of civil rights due to the stories his father told him when he was growing up. Anton is currently supporting Henry Wallace's campaign for President.

[S019]

I'd like to join and will post a character profile later tonight

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Name : Marcus A. Jackson II
Age : 30
Party : Democrat
Occupational History : Businessman (1938-1942; 1946-Present); Soldier (1942-1946)

Bio : Marcus A. Jackson II was born the youngest of a family of 7 in Gainesville, Florida following the aftermath of the Great War. His father, Great War, Spanish American War, and Phillipine Insurrection veteran Phillip Jackson and his grandfather, Mexican-American and Civil War veteran Marcus A. Jackson I, were seen as local heroes for years on end due to their service in the Military. Shortly before his grandfather's death in 1922, the Jackson family began a local small business that quickly expanded outwards into Northern Florida and some parts of Southern Alabama and Georgia, though it is mainly known from within Northern Florida.

Being from a solidly Democratic Family, Marcus consistently found himself agreeing with the ideas of men like Grover Cleveland and Champ Clark instead of Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, or Harry Truman. His family itself would vote Republican four straight times in a row from 1920-1932 on the Presidential Level before voting for FDR in and 1940. As a old styled bourbon Democrat, much like his father and grandfather, Jackson found himself being a supporter of FDR in most instances due to circumstance and even wrote a few pamphlets during his time in University of Florida from 1936-1938. He was, however, at most, deeply conservative and does still personally believe there are some flaws in the New Deal that need to be fixed before more things are added in.

In 1938, he and his father continued to run their business, giving aid to families in need of it and even giving out some profits to some of the poorest families in the South, which helped raise their name recognition and even saw President Roosevelt write a letter to them personally giving thanks and inviting them to the White House. While Marcus eagerly took up the offer, his father declined to continue to work in the business. While in Washington meeting with the President, the then young 20 year old man became friends with Roosevelt despite ideological differences with both being concerned about the rise of fascism/communism across the world and the increasing favor of isolationism in the United States itself. At the same time, Marcus was able to take notes and find out how to act, look, and sound like a politician.

As war broke out in Europe, the young Marcus spoke up about the need to intervene on the side of the Allies in the War, stating that fascism was a great evil that needed to be stamped out quickly and effectively. Despite being unpopular, he continued to preach this sentiment, even writing essays in the local newspaper, controlled by his father, stating his case. When the Japanese Empire bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, Marcus was the first among many across the country to sign up for service in order to combat the Axis. Seeing combat in North Africa, Italy, France, Germany, and the Pacific, Marcus quickly rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant by Early 1945. His most intense moments were the Battles of Guadalcanal, where he was shot twice in the right leg but continued to assault the Japanese position despite that, Normandy, where he was shot clean through the left hand palm, and Remagen, where he was hit in the groin by a sniper round but barely made it out alive. Following the end of the war in 1945, he would continue to stay in the service until May of 1946 when he retired and returned to his home in Gainesville. Upon returning, he was given a hero's welcome and a two day celebration was held, during which, he would meet Miss Elizabeth Anne, which he marry in the summer of 1947 after courting her for the prior year.

While all this was going on, Marcus found himself in severe disagreement with the ideas of Roosevelt's successor, Harry Truman. The failure of the President to intervene in the Chinese Civil War deeply displeased the Floridian as he sees the potential loss of China to Communism as the biggest failure in history. While he still remains a Democrats and has shown himself to not be a fan of Strom Thurmond and his ideas, its clear that the young Jackson and the President differ on various issues and so he has requested that the President not campaign for his race. On November 18th, 1947, Marcus, with the support of his 68 year old father that still ran the family business, his wife Elizabeth, and his older brother and Florida State Senator Louis Jackson, announced his plans to run for Florida's 3rd Congressional District in the United States Representatives. While remaining neutral on the Presidential Election, he has made it clear that if he had no choice, he'd vote Truman.

[Orwell]

A different America

1948 DNC and RNC

The RNC

The more interesting of the two primaries is the Republican party, Governor Thomas Dewey the nominee from 1944 is the frontrunner, while the boy wonder Former Governor of Minnesota Harold Stassen won the most primaries this year, the other major candidates are General Douglas McArthur who is beloved by the American people for his role in the Pacific Campaign in World War II, US Senator from Michigan Arthur Vandenburg, and Governor Earl Warren of California.

Candidates

Governor Thomas E. Dewey
Senator Arthur Vandenburg
General Douglas MacArthur
Governor Harrold Stassen
Governor Earl Warren

Dewey gets my vote in this round due to his establishment support

The DNC

The primary candidates are the incumbent President Harry S. Truman and Richard Russell of Georgia who is fighting against the President's desegregation of the military. Truman is favored for the nomination and there is almost no way Russell would achieve the nomination himself.

Candidates

President Harry S. Truman
Senator Richard R. Russell Jr.

Truman gets +2 incumbency bonus and my vote for the nomination

[Elcaspar]

For the Republicans my vote falls on Harold Stassen. And for the Democrats it's Truman that gets my vote.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

For the Democrats, I vote Truman reluctantly but for the Republicans, I vote MacArthur!

[KaiserDave]

Photo: (WIP)
Name: William Angler
Age: 37
Political Party: Republican Party
Occupational History: Farmer (1931-1941), Soldier (1941-1945)
Bio:

Will Angler was born in in small town Lamoille county to an old Vermont family that had immigrated to the American continent in the 18th century. His parents, George and Allison Angler were farmers who owned a plot of land where they grew their crops in rural Vermont. Will Angler grew up on the farm, and he studied agricultural practices and agricultural public policy at the University of Vermont. These experiences taught him small town compassionate values, and gained a populist streak, as well as being a fierce anti racist.

He bought land of his own in 1932, and began to farm their and utilizing the latest in farming technology, which he began to pioneer himself. He became a supporter of the New Deal and a fan of Vice President Henry Wallace (whom he met to discuss farm technologies in 1937). In 1941 he left the farm to join the Army, he served in the European theatre where he was awarded a purple heart after being shot in the Battle of the Bulge. One notable fact about his time in service was that he was one of the soldiers who met with the Red Army at the River Elbe.

When he returned home from the war he took up farming again, but in 1946 he won a seat in the Vermont State Legislature. He is a Republican, as most Vermonters are, but a progressive one, to the left of many Democrats. He has distanced himself from Henry Wallace since Wallace's connections to communist groups have come up, but he remains a committed liberal Republican. He remains unmarried, which may be a problem for future political ambitions.


Voting History (Secret of course)
1932: FDR
1936: FDR
1940: Wendell Wilkie
1944: FDR

[KaiserDave]

Votes: Truman and Dewey Earl Warren, didn’t see him

[GoTfan]

Alright, what the hell?

Photo: (still deciding)

Name: Thomas Kenway

Age: 29

Party: Democratic, staunchly.

Occupational history: Civilian Conservation Corps (1937-1941); soldier, 101st Airborne Division (1942-1945); student (1946-present)

Biography: Kenway was born to a farming family in Iowa in 1919, the son of a German-born mother and and American-born father. His father had been a Marine in the First World War, wounded at the Battle of Belleau Wood. His own experience with agriculture was not a very productive one, and he never quite took to it. However, he did take to academics, and when a wealthy relative died and left his father a sizable inheritance, the decision was made to store the money away for Thomas to attend college down the line.

The Depreaaion however made Thomas question the intelligence of this decision, but his parents refused to dip into the inheritance to help their ailing farm. Thomas eventually packed his bags and joined the Civilian Consrervation Corps in 1937. Having been a poor farmer's son, he had a strong left-wing streak, and was a fantical supporter of Henry Wallace when the latter was made FDR's running mate in 1940. He returned home for a short time in 1941, just in time for the Japanese attack on pearl Harbor. Shortly after, he joined the army, enlisting in the 101st Airborne Division.

His war service was exemplary. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions at Carentan, and another during the heavy fighting around Veghel during Operation Market Garden.  His, and the 101st's finest hour however came at the Siege of Bastogne, where they held the line for a week in freezing temperatures without proper supplies or support. He would be awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal for covering his platoon's retreat during the heavy fighting around Foy at the start of the siege, along with a Purple Heart. Severe wounds sustained taking Neuville meant that he was effectively out of action for the rest of the war, despite the fact that he wasn't discharged until the end of the year.

Since his return to the states, he has used the inheritance to pay his way through college, studying law at the University of Iowa. Despite being a left-wing Democrat and one-time Wallace supporter, he has grown increasingly concerned about the latter's supposed connections to Communist organisations, and has become a firm Truman backer.

In terms of polical office, he is currently the Vice President of the College and Young Democrats of Iowa, and is considering a political carteer after gaining legal experience.

[Cabbage]

Eh. Why not?

Photo:

Name: Gerald O’Connor

Age: 26

Political Party: Democratic

Occ. Hist.: General day laborer during early years; “ninety-day wonder” officer in World War II, rising to the rank of captain by conflict’s end; currently a rising union official

Bio: Born in 1922 in western Chicago, Gerald was the son of Michael O’Connor and Bridget McCorley. Like many boys his age, he worked various odd jobs throughout his youth, at one point serving as an errand boy at the Chicago Federation of Labor offices. He was seen to have a natural knack for leadership, leading the neighborhood boys into all sorts of antics throughout the early Depression years. It is believed he even helped Bugs Moran’s gang transport some liquor by lying about a fire on Eighth Street (he would later deny this).

As O’Connor got older, CFL leader John Fitzpatrick saw his intelligence (the boy could recite unionist tracts verbatim after a few minutes of reading it) and leadership as a clear advantage, and ensured that O’Connor would have a bright future in the organization. It appeared that Chicago’s laborers would have strong, secure leadership for years to come.

Then came December 7, 1941.

O’Connor enlisted almost immediately, against Fitzpatrick’s wishes, but, in the end, with his blessing. He hurriedly applied to officers’ school, allowing him to be deployed to an infantry unit as a lieutenant by March of 1942. He quickly salted his military doctrine with a hard dose of reality gifted unto him by self-preservationist sergeants, and so often led alarmingly successful attacks on Japanese positions throughout the war. By September 1945, he was a captain.

Returning to Chicago, O’Connor quickly returned to his position as a low-ranking union official, only to be moved up to mid-level in 1946, following John Fitzpatrick’s death. Since then, O’Connor has become a name synonymous with the Chicago labor scene to many people, and some members of the CFL (perhaps out of desire to see themselves one day running the union, rather than him) have encouraged the man to run for Congress, now that he’s old enough. He’s entertained the idea, but is uncommitted as of yet.

[GoTfan]

Truman and Warren!

[Cabbage]

Truman and Warren

[Asenath Waite]

Let's say that Kenway served as a runner to intelligence headquarters in Europe and became friends with Feinberg. Could make for an interesting subplot since he might be able to serve as a good source of information on Wallace supporters and potential communist infiltration of the Young Democrats.

[GoTfan]

Let's say that Kenway served as a runner to intelligence headquarters in Europe and became friends with Feinberg. Could make for an interesting subplot since he might be able to serve as a good source of information on Wallace supporters and potential communist infiltration of the Young Democrats.

I'm fairly set on Kenway as things are. In addition, it's not exactly a secret that the 101st was particularly bitter towards Allied intelligence, especially after the extremely faulty intelligence they received during Market Garden.

[Asenath Waite]

Let's say that Kenway served as a runner to intelligence headquarters in Europe and became friends with Feinberg. Could make for an interesting subplot since he might be able to serve as a good source of information on Wallace supporters and potential communist infiltration of the Young Democrats.

I'm fairly set on Kenway as things are. In addition, it's not exactly a secret that the 101st was particularly bitter towards Allied intelligence, especially after the extremely faulty intelligence they received during Market Garden.

Okay, fair point

[It’s so Joever]

Is it too late to join?

[Orwell]

Is it too late to join?

No, there is no time limit on joining and people can join until the end of the game.

[Asenath Waite]

Is the game going on in a separate thread?

[KaiserDave]

Is the game going on in a separate thread?

I hope so

[Orwell]

A different America

The RNC: Vice Presidential selection

With Governor Earl Warren of California selected as the GOP Presidential nominee for 1948, the choice is now for Vice President, Warren is the first westerner to head the GOP's ticket since their original nominee John C. Fremont in 1856, PPT of the Senate Arthur Vandenburg, House Speaker Joseph Martin, Governor Thomas Dewey, Governor Harold Stassen, and Representative Charles Haddage of Indiana are the primary candidates for Vice President.

The selection will end at 7pm EST on Sunday night

[KaiserDave]

Can we get a game thread soon?


Also, Dewey for Veep!

[Orwell]

Is the game going on in a separate thread?

I hope so

Yes I'm posting it soon!

[It’s so Joever]

So I’m kinda new to roleplaying on Atlas, so hopefully this is good.

Bio:
Name: William Anderson
Age: 24
Location: Waco, Texas
Party: Republican
Occupational history: 1942-1946 (Soldier)
1946-Present (Student)

Biography: The son of Scottish-Americans, Malcolm and Ruth Anderson, William was born on June 9th of 1924 in Dallas, Texas. The early years of his life were relatively mundane, he and his three siblings all enjoyed a pretty happy childhood, courtesy of their father’s stable financial situation as a well known private attorney. However, that changed during the Great Depression, when his father’s earnings dwindled and business struggled. Like most families, materials became stretched and resources were reused far more than before. However, unlike many families, the Anderson’s never truly lost their home or saw their father become unemployed. At this point, young William was a perceptive teen who both gained influences from home, and his school, where he became deeply interested in history. Tragedy struck the family twice, when his younger brother, John, died of diphtheria in 1935, and his older sister, Eliza, was murdered by her spouse just two weeks after.

In 1942, William enlisted and fought in the navy. He was one of many Americans who fought at the battle of Leyte gulf. Finally in 1946, he returned home to Helen, and was a changed man (like most people who went to war) Desiring stability in his life, William sought to follow in his father’s footsteps, and is now a student at Baylor University.

Although his father was more conservative/limited government, and a critic of FDR, William is more moderate as a result of his encounters with men from lower income backgrounds during his military career, and the time he grew up in.
William believes in moderately limited federal government, but does support policies intended to give poorer Americans a chance if they work hard. He is staunchly anti-communist, and an interventionist in global affairs. Socially, William is relatively liberal (for the times) but strongly believes such laws should be determined by the States. Due to the deaths of his siblings, William is strongly pro-science and tough-on-crime (on a local level)
Politically, he is active and volunteers when possible for the local GOP.