Presidents, 2017-2051
2017-2024: Donald Trump (R)
2025-2032: Gwen Graham (D)
2033-2040: James Comey (R)
2041-2044: Aidan O’Connor (D)
2045-present: Richard G. Fischer (I)
Trade and the Economy
One point of agreement between Republicans and Democrats during the Graham-Comey years was on protectionism — the U.S. gradually pulled out of NAFTA and implemented protective tariffs over the course of nearly three decades, but near the end of Fischer’s term the effects on the economy started to become prominent. As the world economy globalized, the United States stagnated, with China and Europe becoming the major decision-makers on the world economic stage. In many ways a haunting conflict between unions and chambers of commerce, Americans want a decisive stance on the future of America’s position in the global economy.
Social Security
Americans are living longer and longer, and social security became a major issue under President Graham when its benefits started to run out in 2032, at the end of her term. President Comey campaigned and won on privatizing the program, much to the chagrin of progressives, but moderate one-term Democrat Aidan O’Connor supported increased privatization, and President Fischer found himself unable to re-nationalize social security. Now, more than 15 years after the privatization of social security, many Americans still hope to see the program reworked and brought back into the public sector.
Asia
After the failure of Korean unification under President O’Connor, President Fischer swore to the American people that the United States was “done being the world’s mediator.” While North Korea has denuclearized and opened up to the world, its regime is still oppressive, and the South Korean government still fears that their neighbor could snap at any moment.
The Japanese economy has long since collapsed, suffering the slow blow of losing trade with the US, and with China and Europe becoming self-sufficient and the world’s producers of most goods.
China now has the strongest economy and the strongest military in the world, after several years of struggle with Russia to claim the title of superpower. This of course manifested in a decisive end to the South China Sea dispute — the Chinese control anything that goes through the channels — and in China’s increased global influence in diplomacy and trade.
In the Middle East, the Syrian conflict ended with a quiet Assad victory. The conflict in Yemen, too, was won by the Houthis. This can all be attributed to the increased strength of Iran — the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (or the Iran nuclear deal), brought back into force and ratified by the Senate under President Graham, empowered the Islamic Republic to take control over the region, forcibly stabilizing it. Israel and Palestine are still not friends.
Immigration
After President Trump left office, America became a whole lot friendlier to immigration. The wall was never built, blocked for years by the Democratic majority in Congress, and President Graham embedded in the American memory her famous “nation of immigrants” speech. President Comey continued to be friendly to immigrants, easing the path to citizenship despite its harm to Republican prospects in the South. This has only energized Southern Republicans, though — concerns about immigration still exist, and many Americans feel they’ve gone unanswered.
Healthcare
President Comey’s mandatory spending cuts hit healthcare the hardest, but averted an economic catastrophe. The Affordable Care Act is still in place, but premiums continue to rise and millions of Americans end up uninsured every year. The American populace is completely polarized on the topic: nearly half of all Americans believe healthcare for everyone should be totally privatized, and nearly half want to see the old Sanders “Medicare-for-All” proposal brought back.
Guns
After a failed attempt to repeal the Second Amendment, progressive advocates are still energized to see more federal regulations on weapons. The NRA is just as strong as it has always been, though, and continues to ensure that firearms remain an issue on the mind of lawmakers.
The Environment
The state of the environment has grown worse, though not quite to the degree some predicted. Still, frequent natural disasters disrupt American lives, and plenty of Americans — especially on the coasts, where hurricanes have become more frequent and land has started to disappear — are demanding to see something done about climate change.
Global Governance
President Fischer made a big effort in his second term to form a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, but it never came to fruition. While few regular Americans are concerned with global governance, world leaders, American politicians, and business leaders are increasingly concerned with the place of the United States in negotiations over what the governance of the world is going to look like 50 years in the future.