America: Write Your Own History

New Croton Dam Broken; Hundreds Dead or Missing

Today, the New Croton Dam, located 22 miles north of New York City, broke, with the resulting flood inundating the town of Croton-on-Hudson. Authorities in Westchester County say that around 500 people died, while another 1000 went missing; they also said that flood caused $36 million in damages. The breakage occurred after five days of heavy rain; workers say that a hole was punctured through the dam, resulting in complete structural failure. The floodwaters then destroyed Croton-on-Hudson while heading towards the Hudson River. The surrounding towns of Ossinging and Crugers remain unharmed from the flood.

In addition to assistance from the New York and federal government, the governments of 18 countries, including Germany and Brazil, stated that they would provide emergency aid for the disaster. In addition, a number of NGOs, including the American and International Red Cross Societies, stated that they would provide on-the-ground assistance with the disaster. Organizers of an anti-war protest that was slated to happen today in New York immediately cancelled said protest, with many would-be protesters stating that they would volunteer in Croton-on-Hudson. The government of New York City is currently launching an internal investigation to determine the specifics of the breakage, and determine if any corners were cut during the dam's construction.

I change my vote to King.

DKVM said:

Anyone who voted no for reasons like the ones stated above are not true politicians. A true politician would do anything to get rid of opposing politicians and place their own people in power. Now baseballpie, him I can respect. A true politician there, even if he does support my candidate's opposition.

Click to expand...

Yeah, so what? We're elected to represent our constituents. Maybe I am more of a true politician because maybe my constituents support Bruce more and I want reelection, and am legitimately coming up with a reason rather than strictly voting on partisan lines and looking like a party machine. Us moderates don't do that. It's very hard to be a biased, extremist moderate.

CaterpillarKing said:

Foster

Let the workers rise
To answer those cries
Peace shall reign throughout the land
If only Americans would make a stand

Click to expand...

Moai_Spammer said:

Foster

the world is at war
blood flows through the streets
as the proletariat weeps.
but it is now time
for the left to at last rise
may the workers of the world unite!

Click to expand...

You do realize that Foster is a megalomaniac imperialist, and will do anything but bring peace throughout the land.

Royal Tenenbaum said:

Also, I extend to those who voted for King or Thomas to create a Coalition of Opposition against Foster for this election. What do you guys say?

Click to expand...

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Link to video.

Bruce.

If we allow Foster to be elected, the same evils that plagued Edwardian Britain and the Soviet Union will come to our nation! He will allow our cities to choke on their pollution in order to fight a war! Environmental restrictions would be lifted! We cannot allow this!

On the impeachment: No.

I change my vote to King

DKVM said:

Foster isn't the kind of communist I would have wanted voted in but I want at least one victory for the Communist Party before the endgame.

Click to expand...

Try to discover one to run that's less an imperialist warmonger then him. You may find someone because we have so many territories now that it can't be difficult.

So I vote YES for the impeachment. I don't care what the Congress has approved, those corrupt rats who do anything for money/power. The attack on Argentina was unethical to say the least.

And I vote YES to the coalition. Because without it we may not win against that Imperialist Red Pig that is disguised as Liberator of the People.


William Z. Foster

No to impeachment
Changed my vote to Hull

Spirictum said:

Try to discover one to run that's less an imperialist warmonger then him. You may find someone because we have so many territories now that it can't be difficult.

So I vote YES for the impeachment. I don't care what the Congress has approved, those corrupt rats who do anything for money/power. The attack on Argentina was unethical to say the least.

And I vote YES to the coalition. Because without it we may not win against that Imperialist Red Pig that is disguised as Liberator of the People.


William Z. Foster

Click to expand...

at least he has a fabulous fashion sense

That pig kinda looks like Bison from Street Fighter

On the point of alternatives to Foster, we could have a James Connolly from Ireland. He fits in this timeline.

if we annex Mexico, we could have Leon Trotsky as a candidate for, say, the 1940 election

Moai_Spammer said:

if we annex Mexico, we could have Leon Trotsky as a candidate for, say, the 1940 election

Click to expand...

heh ! I was actually considering Trotsky, he was an emigre sometime in the USA. I think after 1905. But that phase has passed. I say in this timeline he was in the US and then travelled back to Russia when it was reconstructed. He would have supported Deb's candidacy during his time in the US. So when Russia was rebuilt it went to Socialism. Now I see Trotsky and Lenin must've been deposed again. They're probably dead before their actual time .

what are the total votes at the moment. I'm not voting for anyone who doesn't have a chance at winning

Kathleen Silverstone was born in Massapequa, New York, but moved to Croton-on-Hudson at age five. She is currently attending the University of California at Berkeley. She attended the Seven-Fourteen protest against the Argentinian War when she heard about the Croton-on-Hudson Flood. She wrote this story a week later, and it was published in a number of student-run newspapers on the campus.

The Most Confusing Day of My Life, by Kathleen Silverstone (1928)

The protest was a time of great excitement. We were rebels, fighting against the establishment set up by the evil Bruce. Well, it wasn't just Bruce. Wilson, Debs, Dewey, Lockwood...they're just phonies. Phonies who only want money and power, regardless if they profess to be Democrats or Socialists or Republicans or Communists. They're all hypocrites, and Bruce just happens to be in power at the moment.

For these reasons - money and power - Bruce declared war on the good people of Argentina. Sure, there were riots in Montevideo, but does that make it different from our cities? Our cities where political gangs beat or occasionally shoot each other up on the streets, in front of entertained masses? That's who we are, hypocrites. And naturally, politicians are the most hypocritical of us all.

As a citizen of the East, I know what it means to be a hypocrite and a phony to advance him or herself. My dad was a freelance corporate lawyer. I loved him as a father, even though I despised him as a worker. Every so often, he went to court defending corporations that are obviously responsible for whatever they have done, whether it is abusing immigrants in meatpacking plants (and you thought Sinclair ended that?), knowingly making cars with shoddy brakes and broken ignitions systems, or dumping toxic waste in nature as if they were trying to give a middle finger to the Earth. He was good, too, and he usually won. But every night, when he came home, he went to the study and cried himself out until he falls asleep. I knew why. He was a good person, and if he didn't have a daughter to feed he would be actively waging war against the corporations as a Communist.

He was also opposed to the war. His job prevented him from joining with me on the streets; he would've been blacklisted by the military corporations, who give some of the most lucrative deals to my father. But he tactically allowed me to go to today's protest. It just happens that I'm going to college at UC Berkeley, and it so happens that Berkeley is Protest Capital in the United States. Before the war, protests happened once a week; now, twice a week.

This is why today was the best day of my life. Everyone around me was not a phony. They were willing to risk being ostracized from the hawks and conservatives in order to express their true inner voices. They had nothing material to defend; they were here because of principle. The man at the front with the guitar making mediocre music and dropping f-bombs every three words was the epitome of this freedom. He was shirtless, his hair was long and weedy, and half of his skin was covered with tattoos. He looked like the perfect type to guy to just get a gun, stand on a podium, and incite a world revolution this way. And as we stood on this hot summer day, we shouted what we can shout, and we said what we can say. This, not some phonies in Congress playing a game of chicken, was what the Founding Fathers wanted. I simply never felt so free, so liberated, so "rebellious," so to speak.

It is also the worst day of my life. Because that's when Croton-on-Hudson was wiped off the map. That's when my family died.

A neighbor of us - I don't remember his name - phoned me when I got back to my dorm that evening. He said that it had been raining for five days straight, that the dam broke, and now everything is destroyed. My parents had been killed. In fact, everyone who lived on my street, except for my neighbor, died. My heart fell into my stomach when I heard that, then jumped up and punched me in my neck.

I was unsure of my future at that point. I have friends and extended family, of course, but I still felt alone. Learning that you're an orphan is, alongside learning that you have a terminal illness, one of the most crushing, profound realities that you can learn. I honestly wish that I loved my dad more, even though I loved him very much. The thing is, I rarely saw him during the day; the same thing with my mom, who was a nurse. I wished that when they retired, I could spend more time with them, but now that's impossible.

And my shock turned to anger, and I started to punch my pillow. I was angry at the capitalist system, which made my parents work that way. I was angry at God for allowing such tragedies to happen ("He will protect us" some bollocks). I was angry for Fate for making this happen. I was angry at whoever made the dam for allowing it to collapse. I was angry at the capitalist system - again - for allowing whoever made the dam allow for the dam to collapse. It was just an endless circle of anger and rage. It was like the protest - a rail against the Powers That Be, whether they be people or organizations or the divine - but unlike the protest, it was destructive, not constructive.

I did not sleep that night. Which was weird, since when my roommate entered, she saw me but didn't ask me anything. I supposed that she thought I was simply sleeping with my eyes open.

Election of 1928: Pick-A-Polly

National Labor Party
Stanley Bruce, Age 45, Current President. World War veteran. Established United States Peace Officers to regulate political demonstrations to curb the political instability crises. His motto, "Men, Money and Markets", shows that he wishes to strengthen the military and labor unions, establish an unbiased, strong trade relation with the world while upkeeping good diplomatic relations, and improve stability and the economy. Established Court of Conciliation and Arbitration to appease Communists and allow an executive-branch body to dictate working conditions of factories. Initiated the Argentina-American War and annexed Argentina, while winning most battles against the coalition of nations that have warred America. Urges voters to re-elect him so he can continue to improve the economy as he has been doing with his innovative policies, while winning the war with his war experience and determination.


Industrial Worker Union
William Z. Foster, Age 43, Labor organizer and Marxist politician. Chairman of the Communist Party. Rejects the compromise and instead points to the constitution, stating that backed by the majority, he will legally be allowed to enact his policies. In 1910-1911, his tour of socialism in Germany and communism in Russia influenced him to unite several socialist/communist organization in America, creating the Communist Party out of the Socialist Labor movement. Understanding the the imperialist motives of Germany and Russia, he does not oppose war with the nations, and instead made a large profit from war bonds. To avoid prosecution, Foster stayed quiet during the communist riots and did not participate in them. He lead a very well organized steel strike at the end of the Wilson administration, gathering hundreds of thousands of dollars through well organized union taxes. He then rose money for the arrested protestors' legal fees. Will change the environmental civic to state property, to fight corporations and improve the economy. Wants to continue the Polly War to pacify those who declares war on the United States.

James Connolly, Age 59, Irish Union leader and socialist activist. Social Labor politician. Working for an eight-hour day, and an international, neutral language of Esperanto. Fiercely opposes imperialism, but supports intervention. Wants to liberate Scotland from England's rule, to instate a government better for the people. Wants to continue Polly War to pacify enemies, but does not want to annex these lands.


Socialist-Democratic Coalition
Norman Thomas, Age 44, Protestant Minister and pacifist, socialist political activist. Opposes the war and imperialism, and wants to end the Polly War as soon as possible. After constant oration and activism, always dressed formally, he has revived the Socialist Party and promised to revive democratic socialism following Eugene V. Debs' death in 1926. Energetically anti-communist, he gives regular speeches on the failures of communism in Russia and Britain.

William Lyon Mackenzie King, Age 53, Canadian politician. His motto is "Help those who cannot help themselves", and is a strong supporter of welfare. Noted for his lack of charisma or authoritative presence. Academic writer. Keenly sensitive to the nuances of public policy, King is a workaholic and has a profound understanding of how the economy and society works. He regards government as a mediator between affairs within the nation, and wishes to create laws to give corporations and political parties incentive to act morally and ethically. Wishes to end the Polly War as soon as possible. Wishes to re-expand the espionage system and boost scientific research. Supports strengthening the military to act in defense.

Al Smith, Age 54, Governor of New York. Dropped out of race in support of William Lyon Mackenzie King and a Coalition against the Communist Party.

Cordell Hull, Age 56, Tennessee Representative and Senator, and Secretary of State. In opposition to the majority of the Democratic Party, Hull supports annexation of Peru and Mexico as a means to bring unity and liberty to the Americas while basing just cause on the Monroe Doctrine. Also suggests the Good Neighbor idea, which states that annexation of Mexico and Peru would allow for less disorder on the borders and free access to the American Latin territories. Opposes imperialism in the Old World, and is disgusted by the rising antisemitism of Germany -- he demands an end to strengthening relations with the nation. Wishes to decisively defend against nations attacking the United States, but finds a diplomatic peace with the nations more viable then a forced peace. Strong advocate of taking advantage of the United Nations again.


Democratic Party Holds Referendum!



Capitalizing on the rising unpopularity of the Argentina-American War after-effect, the Democratic Party has petitioned for Stanley Bruce to be impeached before election; distributing his votes elsewhere (those who voted for him would have to revote) and retiring presidency to Vice-President John Baird, modest conservative who is non-confrontational and very compromising. His presidency would last from August 1928 (now) to inauguration on March 4, 1929.


Campaign News:
First Communist President! William Z. Foster Elected President!



William Z. Foster, supported this election by the Industrial Worker Union that united communist, far-left socialists, and the Irish socialist labor activists, won the election with 52.4% of the popular vote. This comes only a few decades from war with communist Britain and Russia, and only one decade away from the First Red Scare caused by the Reimer movement. James Connolly, last second Socialist Labor candidate, is regarded as making the victory possible as he drew many socialists to join the Industrial Worker Union with his more moderate views. Nevertheless, in the Industrial Worker Union Convention, Foster barely won over Connolly.

The referendum to impeach President Bruce also failed, supported by Al Smith of the Democratic Party but ultimately losing due to constitutional defense and political inventive to divide the communist opposition.

The Socialist and Democratic Parties, with 71.4% of both parties supporting a coalition, united their parties in an attempt to oppose the Industrial Workers Union. Unfortunately, even with the coalition, the entry of Irish politican James Connolly and the failure to impeach Bruce led to a landslide victory over the Coalition by the Union.

As one of the most historic elections in history, the election would be renown for the failed impeachment of Bruce to unite the opposition votes, the first communist president elected, the last second Irish candidate that turned the tables in Foster's favor, and the Liberal Coalition vs Industrial Union debates.

Ballot:
National Labor Party 3
•Bruce 3

Industrial Worker Union 11
•Foster 6
•Connolly 5

Socialist-Democratic Coalition 7
•Thomas 2
•King 2
•Hull 3

Democratic-Socialist Coalition? (5/7)
Democratic-Socialist-National Labor Coalition? (1/10)

Impeach President Bruce and Charge him in Court?
Yes 7.5
No 8.5

As you can see above, currently it appears that Bruce is on the track to impeachment. I'll wait for some more votes to come in, and for people to switch votes if they want to.

Also, the movement for a coalition is lacking votes both for a Socialist-Democratic coalition, and a Socialist-Democratic-National Labor coalition; although the last will be irrelevant if there is an impeachment.

Democratic-Socialist Coalition! Bruce will fall!

How long until the election finishes? Do you think we could have the election deadline extended to discuss the possibility of a Democrat-Socialist-(possibly National Labor) coalition?

impeachment- yes