Lord Bigfoot
King
You guys really want to elect the guy FDR head nightmares about becoming president into power?
America: Write Your Own History
- Thread starter Royal Tenenbaum
- Start date
GreekAnalyzer
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Dewey
Moai_Spammer
Ave, True to Caesar!
yes
i would prefer an exciting nightmare, not a happy dream
Spoiler'd: cause you probably can guess what's under here and you probably don't want to know
Spoiler :
Atlantic Pacf.
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United Nations Passes Resolution Condemning Genocide
Yesterday, on the heels of the failed attempt to instantiate democracy on all of the world, the UN has successfully passed Resolution 260. It is among the first documents that not only condemns mass murder, particularly the murder of specific ethnic or racial groups, but also provides for some mean of legal action; it is also special in that it defines the term "genocide" in legal terms. The resolution is expected to be put into effect on January 12, 1951. Secretary General Trygve Lie welcomed the resolution, stating that "reflects what all humans know - that mass killings are wrong, and that something should be done about it. Its passage is especially important because not only were mass murders done in the recent past, they are occurring on the Earth right now. "
Unsurprisingly, it was received with many criticisms, and it was modified as such. The original draft, for example, mentioned political killings, but such terms were rejected by the Soviet Union. The German delegation to the UN in particular stated that it "reflects the biases of the decadent democracies of the West, where they claim that all humans, no matter how weak or feeble they are, deserve the right to live." Many critics, despite appreciating the resolution's intent, claim that it goes against the UN's original jurisdiction and would violate national sovereignty. Supporters of it criticized the anti-resolution crowd by saying that their explanations were excuses for them to continue killing their own citizens.
Text of Resolution 260:
P.R.A.C. Praises Ayn Rand's Arrival; Denounces "Communist Remnants" in United States
Today, the Persian anti-Communist party P.R.A.C. (short for "Persian Resistance Against Communism") released a video praising the work of American novelist Ayn Rand. Rand herself arrived in the Iranian capital of Isfahan two days before, meeting with English language spokeswoman Danielle Glowinski and other high-ranking P.R.A.C. leaders. In the video, Glowinski commended Rand for "not only surviving, but thriving when both her original and adopted home countries fell to Communism." She continued on with a review of Rand's novel The Fountainhead, saying that "the protagonist Howard Roark continued to follow his dreams and achieved greatness, knowing full well that he would be condemned by his fellow countrymen. It's reflective of Rand's own struggles, to be an author and a philosopher when her own countrymen were outright persecuting her."
She went on talking about American politics in the second half of the video. "Now, the country has made great strides; not only did they topple the dictator Browder, but they went far beyond that effort. The reinstatement of capitalism will restore the American nation from its nadir to its former position of greatness." However, she held reservations on the process: "There are Communist remnants within the US government, wishing to destroy the progress that had been made. Some of them are open, calling them 'Trotkyists' [sic] as if it makes them 'better' than their Stalinist counterparts. But others...others are hiding. Who knows if that Senator or Supreme Court justice may be a closet Red. I'm warning all of you; your favorite politicians may not be what they seem."
Book Review of Luigi Guglielmo's "America: 1776-2020"
The exiled author's third novel, it's certainty a door-stopper at well over a thousand pages. But it's a great read, written in the author's characteristic "unobfuscated" prose. The story is essentially an answer to a simple question, one rarely asked, yet so simple and so devastating: "What if John Adams only served one term?" From that point on, both America itself and the world around it change into something fairly unrecognizable.
Like his two past novels, it meshes together Guglielmo's favorite interests: history, geopolitics, and technology. And thus it has the stories of political machinations performed by all of America's leaders, past, present, and future. But from time to time we see the world through the lens of the "common people." Normally, they would be adolescents who are struggling to find their identity in the world, as so many of them in real life do. Perhaps the reason for the surfeit of youngsters is based on Guglielmo's previous job as an educator, and because he knew that their worldview, as they transition from innocent children to knowledgeable, cynical adults, is a good reflection of the society that made them who they are.
The book begins with Adam's astounding defeat to Thomas Jefferson, due to his mishandling of a "Quasi-War" with France and for him passing the dictatorial Alien and Sedition Acts. From there on, both parallels and differences emerge. America pushes to its West, yet South Africa, Canada, and Australia all become British Dominions. Abraham Lincoln ends up as President during the Civil War, yet Reconstruction ended up just as badly for the colored people. Womens' rights in particular takes a hit, with suffrage not granted until 1920, and Belva Ann Lockwood becoming a mere footnote in history.
The start of the "Progressive Era" is especially interesting, for that is when this book can be interpreted as a triumph of capitalism; it at first appears somewhat unusual, given the author's Communist leanings. The Socialists and the Communists of this America become marginalized, as the Progressives reform both working conditions and societal norms within the constraints of industrial capitalism. Though the Browder Administration and its associated horrors did not exist, it was replaced by a Great Depression that put a quarter of Americans out of work. Even then, the vast majority cling onto the capitalist system, hoping that a better life would be "just around the corner." After a Second World War where the United States reached its apex, instead of its nadir, a Cold War starts between it and the Soviet Union, ending with the peaceful dissolution of the Soviet Union and the beginning of a Pax Americana.
So "triumph of capitalism" indeed, the book can also be interpreted as a critique of capitalism, particularly in its later, futuristic parts. We meet characters who, despite America ostensibly having the highest standard of living in the world, chafe under the hypercapitalism of the alternate society: minorities in squalid ghettos who have no choice but to turn to crime, illegal immigrants enticed by job prospects who face a hostile government and society, middle-class peoples whose lives had been hollowed out after multiple waves of job losses, soldiers deployed in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan who realized that the Pax Americana was a lie. We see a world divided into two halves: a developed world where people live extravagant lives, and a developing world where people eke out survival in the midst of poverty and violence. We see the effects of environmental degradation caused by the greed of capitalism, in a world where the Debs-era environmental reforms did not exist.
Ultimately, this book is a cautionary tale; to repeat the old cliché, be careful what you wish for. Though America did get a capitalist "democracy" instead of a Communist dictatorship, there are still people in the alternate universe dissatisfied with the course of events. If anything, it is a reflection on how human fallibility can turn what seems like a utopian system into one that brings a false utopia to those lucky and a true dystopia to those not. Perhaps it could be best summarized by the last sentence in the thousand-page book: "Under capitalism, man exploits his fellow men. Under socialism, it is the other way around."
Yesterday, on the heels of the failed attempt to instantiate democracy on all of the world, the UN has successfully passed Resolution 260. It is among the first documents that not only condemns mass murder, particularly the murder of specific ethnic or racial groups, but also provides for some mean of legal action; it is also special in that it defines the term "genocide" in legal terms. The resolution is expected to be put into effect on January 12, 1951. Secretary General Trygve Lie welcomed the resolution, stating that "reflects what all humans know - that mass killings are wrong, and that something should be done about it. Its passage is especially important because not only were mass murders done in the recent past, they are occurring on the Earth right now. "
Unsurprisingly, it was received with many criticisms, and it was modified as such. The original draft, for example, mentioned political killings, but such terms were rejected by the Soviet Union. The German delegation to the UN in particular stated that it "reflects the biases of the decadent democracies of the West, where they claim that all humans, no matter how weak or feeble they are, deserve the right to live." Many critics, despite appreciating the resolution's intent, claim that it goes against the UN's original jurisdiction and would violate national sovereignty. Supporters of it criticized the anti-resolution crowd by saying that their explanations were excuses for them to continue killing their own citizens.
Text of Resolution 260:
Spoiler :
P.R.A.C. Praises Ayn Rand's Arrival; Denounces "Communist Remnants" in United States
Today, the Persian anti-Communist party P.R.A.C. (short for "Persian Resistance Against Communism") released a video praising the work of American novelist Ayn Rand. Rand herself arrived in the Iranian capital of Isfahan two days before, meeting with English language spokeswoman Danielle Glowinski and other high-ranking P.R.A.C. leaders. In the video, Glowinski commended Rand for "not only surviving, but thriving when both her original and adopted home countries fell to Communism." She continued on with a review of Rand's novel The Fountainhead, saying that "the protagonist Howard Roark continued to follow his dreams and achieved greatness, knowing full well that he would be condemned by his fellow countrymen. It's reflective of Rand's own struggles, to be an author and a philosopher when her own countrymen were outright persecuting her."
She went on talking about American politics in the second half of the video. "Now, the country has made great strides; not only did they topple the dictator Browder, but they went far beyond that effort. The reinstatement of capitalism will restore the American nation from its nadir to its former position of greatness." However, she held reservations on the process: "There are Communist remnants within the US government, wishing to destroy the progress that had been made. Some of them are open, calling them 'Trotkyists' [sic] as if it makes them 'better' than their Stalinist counterparts. But others...others are hiding. Who knows if that Senator or Supreme Court justice may be a closet Red. I'm warning all of you; your favorite politicians may not be what they seem."
Book Review of Luigi Guglielmo's "America: 1776-2020"
The exiled author's third novel, it's certainty a door-stopper at well over a thousand pages. But it's a great read, written in the author's characteristic "unobfuscated" prose. The story is essentially an answer to a simple question, one rarely asked, yet so simple and so devastating: "What if John Adams only served one term?" From that point on, both America itself and the world around it change into something fairly unrecognizable.
Like his two past novels, it meshes together Guglielmo's favorite interests: history, geopolitics, and technology. And thus it has the stories of political machinations performed by all of America's leaders, past, present, and future. But from time to time we see the world through the lens of the "common people." Normally, they would be adolescents who are struggling to find their identity in the world, as so many of them in real life do. Perhaps the reason for the surfeit of youngsters is based on Guglielmo's previous job as an educator, and because he knew that their worldview, as they transition from innocent children to knowledgeable, cynical adults, is a good reflection of the society that made them who they are.
The book begins with Adam's astounding defeat to Thomas Jefferson, due to his mishandling of a "Quasi-War" with France and for him passing the dictatorial Alien and Sedition Acts. From there on, both parallels and differences emerge. America pushes to its West, yet South Africa, Canada, and Australia all become British Dominions. Abraham Lincoln ends up as President during the Civil War, yet Reconstruction ended up just as badly for the colored people. Womens' rights in particular takes a hit, with suffrage not granted until 1920, and Belva Ann Lockwood becoming a mere footnote in history.
The start of the "Progressive Era" is especially interesting, for that is when this book can be interpreted as a triumph of capitalism; it at first appears somewhat unusual, given the author's Communist leanings. The Socialists and the Communists of this America become marginalized, as the Progressives reform both working conditions and societal norms within the constraints of industrial capitalism. Though the Browder Administration and its associated horrors did not exist, it was replaced by a Great Depression that put a quarter of Americans out of work. Even then, the vast majority cling onto the capitalist system, hoping that a better life would be "just around the corner." After a Second World War where the United States reached its apex, instead of its nadir, a Cold War starts between it and the Soviet Union, ending with the peaceful dissolution of the Soviet Union and the beginning of a Pax Americana.
So "triumph of capitalism" indeed, the book can also be interpreted as a critique of capitalism, particularly in its later, futuristic parts. We meet characters who, despite America ostensibly having the highest standard of living in the world, chafe under the hypercapitalism of the alternate society: minorities in squalid ghettos who have no choice but to turn to crime, illegal immigrants enticed by job prospects who face a hostile government and society, middle-class peoples whose lives had been hollowed out after multiple waves of job losses, soldiers deployed in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan who realized that the Pax Americana was a lie. We see a world divided into two halves: a developed world where people live extravagant lives, and a developing world where people eke out survival in the midst of poverty and violence. We see the effects of environmental degradation caused by the greed of capitalism, in a world where the Debs-era environmental reforms did not exist.
Ultimately, this book is a cautionary tale; to repeat the old cliché, be careful what you wish for. Though America did get a capitalist "democracy" instead of a Communist dictatorship, there are still people in the alternate universe dissatisfied with the course of events. If anything, it is a reflection on how human fallibility can turn what seems like a utopian system into one that brings a false utopia to those lucky and a true dystopia to those not. Perhaps it could be best summarized by the last sentence in the thousand-page book: "Under capitalism, man exploits his fellow men. Under socialism, it is the other way around."
DKVM
Joker
Great news report as always Atlantic. I find it kind of cool how someone in the A.T wrote a book which is our timeline's history. Wouldn't it be cool if someone wrote a book which has this timeline's history?
Royal Tenenbaum
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I was thinking about it. Oh, DKVM and Atlantic, you two should vote.
baseballpie
Deity
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Dewey must win.
DKVM
Joker
Henry A. Wallace
Atlantic Pacf.
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I'm a stickler for tradition. Harry Truman it is.
jackelgull
An aberration of nature
I found this somewhere else and I'd thought that it would be perfect for this thread
The Tijuana index of freedom. The higher the percentage of victory in an election for a winning candidate or party the less free the nation
Totalitarian nightmare: >95% of the vote
Autocracy, military dictatorship: 80-95% of the vote
Democracy: 50-80% of the vote
Anarchies: <50% of the vote
With that in mind, America has had some suspect elections...
But then again this isn't meant to be an iron clad rule just a general guide line
The Tijuana index of freedom. The higher the percentage of victory in an election for a winning candidate or party the less free the nation
Totalitarian nightmare: >95% of the vote
Autocracy, military dictatorship: 80-95% of the vote
Democracy: 50-80% of the vote
Anarchies: <50% of the vote
With that in mind, America has had some suspect elections...
But then again this isn't meant to be an iron clad rule just a general guide line
Royal Tenenbaum
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I believe all but two elections have fallen between 50-80ish. One was where Lockwood got less than 50 percent of the vote but still the majority, and the other was Browder's rise to power. There might be some in the 80's, I would have to look. I know Lincoln had one of the biggest landslide victories.
Edit: Ah yes, one Lincoln election did have 84 percent of the vote. 11:2
Edit: Ah yes, one Lincoln election did have 84 percent of the vote. 11:2
Atlantic Pacf.
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Where did you find that? Even a Google search got nothing.
jackelgull
An aberration of nature
It's the Tirana Index not the Tijuana Index. Oops.
And I got this from an article in a newspaper known as the New Republic. It was written in 1982 by a prominent conservative in the US, Charles Krauthammer.
And I got this from an article in a newspaper known as the New Republic. It was written in 1982 by a prominent conservative in the US, Charles Krauthammer.
baseballpie
Deity
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A Dinner with Friends
Excerpt from Logan Whitmeyer's bestselling collection of memoirs, How My Life Was Turned Upside Down.
______________________
That evening was a fine Sunday evening, the sun setting behind the Hudson river as I welcomed Michael.
"It was nice of you to come," I told Michael, shutting the door behind him.
"The pleasure is all mine," he responded. "The view is lovely, as well."
He was telling the truth, after all. The view from my penthouse was immaculate; one could almost reach out and touch the Chrysler Building, newly renovated after being out of use for so long. The Hudson River, it's waters glistening with the reflection of the sun.
We sat down, ready to receive our meals. Beef Wellington served over mashed potatoes, one of Micheal's favorites, he told me before Garuda. The entire dinner was actually long overdue, stemming from a gentleman's agreement we had with a few other members of the United Front. If, after we retook the US from Browder (we were quite cocky at the time), the temporary capital was New York, I would host dinner. Micheal thought that the idea of a temporary capital was preposterous, so he stuck with Washington. Bigfoot, being a southerner, was sure it would be at Richmond, Virginia, while Lance speculated a provisional administrative center would be based at Philadelphia. Moai, always the oddball, went with Chicago. It ended up being New York, and I ended up hosting this dinner. Lance and Moai could not be with us that day, but we tried to make up the slack.
"Just wait until you see what I prepared for you," I told Michael. "It's your favorite."
He knew exactly where I was going. "Logan, you realize that I'm a vegan now, remember?"
The grin I had on quickly faded. "Umm... well... I mean... I didn't," I stammered.
Micheal burst into laughter. "I really had you there," he giggled in his signature high-pitched laugh. I joined in too, laughing at my own stupidity.
After the laughter subsided, Linz went on to inquire, "Where's Bigfoot?" I, of course, knew who he was talking about. "Bigfoot", Lord President of Dixie. His country was in no way independent anymore, but that was still how he styled himself. "Well," I answered, "He told me that he was running a bit..."
At that moment, Bigfoot burst through the door. "There's my favorite Yankees!" he pointed towards us. At age 61, he was not who he used to be, but he was still quite an imposing figure at 6' 9". The entire room was really quite imposing, filled with 3 politicians who emanated an aura of authority.
----------------
At about 11 P.M., after a wonderful dinner, a bad case of Michael's acid reflux, and an uncountable number of downed Budweisers, all three men were quite drunk.
"And here's a toast," Linz said in a slurred voice, "to those who aren't here. To Moai!"
"To Lance!" I added.
"And here's to Kenny," Bigfoot chimed in.
"Here here!" All three of us said together. We all laughed, remembering old times with those three.
"But seriously, fellows. There is something I called you both here for, something more important that old drinking songs," I said, suddenly starting to sober up. "I have this condition. The doctors aren't sure what it is, or how to stop it. All we know is that it severely compromises my immune system. Which means I have little to no protection against disease. I will die within the next week." I tried to raise another subject, but his hung over us like a storm cloud the rest of the night.
-------------
Editor's note: Whitmeyer spent the rest of the next day transcribing that night's transpirations. He would die later that day, November 24, 1948 of bronchopneumonia. He was 64 years old.
EDIT: OOC: Cookie if you know who in real life Whitmeyer's death was modeled after.
GreekAnalyzer
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OOC: I should have RPed more...
Lord Bigfoot
King
OOC: That was a fun read. Also it's time to retire Bigfoot and have his son take over. Also excluding Browder who do you think was the worst president we've had so far?
IC: Today I Lord Bigfoot, President of Dixie do hereby announce my retirement from and announce that my son George Washington Bigfoot will be taking over my duties and correspondence as of today. This may come as a shock but i'm getting old and I can't do as much as I used to. If i'm ever needed to defend the nation from Tyranny again i'll still be here though.
IC: Today I Lord Bigfoot, President of Dixie do hereby announce my retirement from and announce that my son George Washington Bigfoot will be taking over my duties and correspondence as of today. This may come as a shock but i'm getting old and I can't do as much as I used to. If i'm ever needed to defend the nation from Tyranny again i'll still be here though.
Moai_Spammer
Ave, True to Caesar!
I have a funny feeling i started a retirement/death trend...
oh well, it's time the younger generation rose to power anyways
TheNoob
Dank Memes
To be honest I should have died in 1942, as that was when James Hertzog did.
I should roleplay Daniel François Malan as he was prime minister until 1954
I should roleplay Daniel François Malan as he was prime minister until 1954
Sanguivorant
Submitter
Henry A. Wallace
