The Precedent of the United States: 2052 Election RP [IC]

by **Vienna Eliot** » Sun May 13, 2018 9:04 pm

A young woman in Iowa scrolls through her Facebook feed.

A segment on Politico TV is muted on the television. The headline at the bottom reads, "Former Oregon Gov Running For President," then "Oregon Democrats Decline to Endorse Former Gov."

On her bedroom floor lay a few news snippets. An open page from the Economist showing an infographic of average polls over potential and declared candidates:

An opened envelope from the state Democratic Party, with a flyer invitation:

A copy of Vox. The front page has a picture of the President with a younger man at an event of some kind. The headline reads, "Who is James Dykstra? The Democratic strategist running a GOP campaign — and winning."

She gasps, then lets out a long sigh. She clicks on an article and begins reading. "Jimmy Carter dead at 127."

by **Cainesland** » Sun May 13, 2018 11:59 pm

Jan 1st 2052 8pm
Theodore Whitehorse
Hotel

Theodore had a one queen size bed hotel booked about a block away from the Convention centre. He had the TV on in his room. The Channel was on CBC News. Theodore, on the other hand was sitting at the desk in the Hotel room with a piece of paper on his Desk. He could here the news report from where he was sitting.
_____________________________________________________________
(Reporter) Our upcoming story is the Republican national convention. We will be turning towards a Panel who will discuss what they think will happen.

(Panelist 1) Thank you. *Camera Zooms in. Panelist turns to the other Panelists* Based on a recent poll there 4 Major candidates. The Mayor of Albiquerque Ginger Caulfield, Oregon Governor Gareth Wright, the Republican Majority leader Theodore Whitehouse, and Californian Congressmen and Mayor Benjamin Egilson. What are your thoughts on these candidates?

(Panelist 2) Wright is currently in the lead with an expected 19.05% of the vote. He is a Businessman by Profession and seems to be popular with self employed voters, and grass roots conservatives.

(Panelist 4) He seems to be doing well raising money, and his recent interview has provided some recent attention which could account for his rise in popularity in the polls.

(Panelist 3) Ginger is the second highest in the poll by the economist. She is an economist herself by training, and is knowledgeable about state issues. She seems to be supported by women, and young voters.

(Panelist 5) Theodore Whitehouse is in 3rd place. He is the Senate Majority leader, and a University History professor by profession. He seems to follow fiscal conservative policies, and socially liberal policies. Well known among east coast voters, he isn't as well known among the public among the west coast. He is backed by Party conservatives, and rural voters.

(Panelist 4) Benjamin Egilson is in 4th place and is the pro family, anti-corruption candidate for the Republicans. He favours libertarian policies on both fiscal and civil issues. He is supported by family oriented voters, and Parents.

(Reporter) Thank you. Is there a clear outcome for the convention?

(Panelist 1) The most likely at this point, is Gareth Wright. But anything can happen at this point.

(Reporter) Thank you for your thoughts. We will now go back to he studio. Come back later, when we go over the Democratic nominees.
______________________________________________________________________________

Theodore had a sheet of paper in front of him on a clip board. He was taking notes for his campaign, based on recent projections and past experiences. Tomorrow was the convention. He was making a SWAT Analysis chart.

He knew he had the support of most of the party leadership and establishment, so he listed that as an opportunity. He had the support of farmers, ranchers, dairy producers, and forestry companies so he listed them under opportunities. Environmentalists, soldiers, and retired voters also seemed to favour him so he put them down, but he didn't know how long he would keep them. He needed a way of communicating with voters cheaply and put down fireside chats under opportunity.

Finances were an issue at the moment so he listed that under weaknesses and fundraising under threats. It was not so much that he could not fundraise so much as he needed help. But he could probably get help from the other Republican leaders. Most of his finances so far were small donations, and political donations from supporting companies. Shifting voter bases was also listed as a threat.

Strong voting record was put down as a strength.

Moving on for now from the SWAT Analysis, he wanted to look at the issues. He wanted to look at his platform, and see if anything needed to be updated.

Issues
- The country wants to know what their leaders will do about protectionism, as it has stagnated the economy.

- Americans want Social Security Renationalized.

- North Korea open but oppressive and Unstable. Japan Economic Collapse. China and Europe world manufacturing Hubs. China largest military, Russia second US third.

- Iran empowered for forcibly stabilizing regions, along with Yemen and Syria. Conflict continued between Israel and Palestine.

- Immigration Concerns.

- US Healthcare legal but unfunded. 50% want to see healthcare for all, 50% don't.

- Progressives want gun control, opposition is strong.

- Environment needs attention.

- Foreign affairs and Global Governance - few regular voters care. Good for gaining the attention and confidence of world leaders. United Nations Parliamentary Association.
---------------
The issues were fairly clear. There were pros and cons to each. Reducing Protectionism could help consumers, but hurt workers. Renationalizing Social Security would help people, but would be a large burden on the expenses as they try to balance the budget. Implementing a merit based immigration system based on ones skills, health, and languages could be beneficial to helping alleviate the immigration concerns in the south. Funding a healthcare for all would be expensive, but helpful. Guns are good for safety, recreation, and hunting. People die though, and when he was younger school shootings were a big thing. This would be something to think about. Environmental support would be good. Agreeing with climate change, introducing supports for sustainable energy, those might be good initiatives. Americas military is the 3rd biggest behind china and russia. Having a highly influential diplomatic position could be beneficial while they figure out how to deal with china and russia could be a good idea.

_______________________________________________________

With notes taken, he would go to bed trying to get ready for the next day.

by **Firaxin** » Mon May 14, 2018 6:31 am

Ask Me Anything
January 19th, 2052
Next World MMO Hubworld
6:00 PM

Next World is the most popular VR game in the world, toppling other streamed games, covering video websites gaming pages, and dominating entertainment news. It was no surprise to Andrew that its hubworld was buzzing with life. Players ran from place to place, most were ignoring the Representative. He walked to the plaza where the server admins had set up the AMA.

A relatively large group of people waited there in front of a small stage, with some admins floating above them all. Some of them were clearly unhappy he had brought politics into the game, and some of them looked like they didn't even know what was going on. One of the admins spotted Andrew and soon the mob was publicly muted, and their movement restricted. Andrew climbed onto the stage at the same time an admin floated down onto it.

"Okay, just to go over it again, just point to one of the players raising their hand and we'll unmute them for a question. You have as long as you like for the day," the Admin reminded.

"I understand," Andrew replied. The admin nodded and floated back into the air, announcing the rules to everyone else. After a minute, the AMA had begun.

"Why did you have an AMA here and on a typical internet platform? We don't want politics in our games!"

Hastings: "An AMA is much more personal when done in VR, and I wanted to get in touch with an audience I relate to. Whether you like it or not, games will become increasingly involved in politics due to the nature of corporations and connection to an audience. However, just because there will be more politics doesn't mean that people will tear communities apart over them, if you believe that, you do not understand empathy."

"Why are you Catholic?"

Hastings: "Simple. I was raised to be. I did have a belief crisis long ago, but that has since been resolved. You do not need to worry, I believe in secularism. The last time the Vatican had political power it didn't go so well for anyone, including Catholics."

"So you wouldn't uphold Catholic values while in office?"

Hastings: "Secularism does not mean abstaining from my values, it means separation of church and state. So no, if I earn the presidency, I will be upholding Catholic values."

"You claim to not be a neo-nazi, yet you hold many of the same beliefs. What's the difference between you and a Nazi?"

Hastings: "Well, first and foremost I hold none of the racial beliefs Nazis have. All humans are equal in possible ability, no matter their race, sex, religion, and culture. Now, that doesn't meant everyone has equal ability, because disabilities and personal problems exist, but no one should be discriminated against for those reasons when capability is in question. Next, while I am statist, I am not exactly authoritarian. The state's job is to the people and a better state equals better lives for the people. The state should not regulate the people unless the people are endangering themselves. Nazis believe that the state should be held above all else, where as I believe the people should be held above all else. Another difference is that Nazis were against market regulation, where I am totally for market regulation. Hopefully you'll have a higher opinion of me now."

"What's your opinion on the Democratic and Republican parties?"

Hastings: "The Democratic Party is corrupt and authoritarian. They know about and what fix the problems with our nation, but their solutions are worse than the problems. The Republican Party is more honorable but they are too detached from the reality of the states. I refuse to associate myself with either party for their negative appearance."

"You are against Capitalism yet you benefit from it, do you not realize this is hypocritical?"

Hastings: "I'm against capitalism because it fails to serve the people as best possible, not because it doesn't work. Capitalism has, does, and will work, but state socialism will always be a better alternative."

"State Socialism is too vulnerable to abuse to be beneficial to the people!"

Hastings: "Not if the state refuses to abuse it, which is what I want to happen."

The AMA continues on until 8:00 PM, when Andrew grows tired and ends the event.

by **Ascysia** » Mon May 14, 2018 11:14 am

January 23rd 2052

"I'm Dylan Golden with KATU ABC 2 broadcasting live from Portland, Oregon. Today we have a few guests with us, firstly Governor Faulkner who announced his campaign about half a year ago, as he prepares for the Iowa caucus which will take place shortly. Mr. Faulkner we'll address the elephant in the room before discussing your campaign and your vision for America, you haven't been faring well in polls recently, have you? Only 11.2%, if you get a result like that you will most likely walk away with no delegates, what do you say about your polls?" Golden asked.

"Well you know it's early on in the running. Ted Cruz won in 2016, George H.W Bush won it in 1980... I'm not worried about my campaign if I lose it. It's an important state, and like with all other states I will try and win it, I will go around seeing what the voters in Iowa want, what issues they prioritise... At the moment I do think I will lose, but you know we've got time to turn it around, the debates are always important so we'll see how that goes."

"Alright thank you... in your website you list two major fields you will work on: rebuilding inner cities and reinstating American global leadership. Lets look at rebuilding inner cities first alright? How do you plan on doing that?"

"Well its an issue that's floated about for decades, but we've done nothing to solve it. We lowered crime a bit here and there, fixed up some roads, nothing much to solve the lingering issues of poverty and drug use in these areas. As Governor of Oregon I took it upon myself to not only fix the roads and lower crime, but we built new houses, repaired old ones, and began encouraging investment into inner cities. Crime in Portland halved within those 8 years, it was by far my greatest accomplishment."

"One criticism from fiscal conservatives was that you achieved this by turning a previous budget surplus into a budget deficit within a single term, and increasing the size of government. What do you say to that?"

"I say they're spot on and I do like to style myself a fiscal moderate however the statistics don't lie. My spending was effective, and government spending, even budget deficits, aren't an inherent evil, in certain situations if they yield positive results then I see no problem with it, especially considering we didn't need to raise taxes to do it, and the deficit as a percentage of GDP was just 0.5% when we've had federal budget deficits as high as 10% under George W. Bush, and Obama at 8.7%, 8.5% and 7%, none of them like to compare it to other deficits we've had, they just say 'it's a deficit, that makes it bad.' and in my opinion that's very ignorant considering how effective it was."

"Very fair point to raise there... as for your goal to reinstate American global leadership, how do you go about this?"

"Well you know that's going to be the hardest goal for me to achieve, however I like to look back at our past presidents: FDR, Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy as examples of great presidents who helped lead the western world against fascism and then communism. Four great men that I intend to emulate. Everyone's aware of my track record of unrepentant Atlanticism and that will not change under a Faulkner administration. My goal is to get NATO together to protect our western interests, and to spread liberty and democracy. I intend to reopen our country up to free trade. We will negotiate a re-entry into NAFTA, and we will take measures to stop Chinese dominance of trade. More importantly, we will show the Iranians that the Middle East is not free for their colonisation, and with our allies in Jordan, Turkey and Israel, we will counter any expansion of their totalitarian influence."

"Thank you very much Mr. Faulkner it's a been a pleasure to have you on the show but I'm wary of the time, and do recognise you have to leave for Iowa very shortly. I wish you the best of luck and we hope to see you back in Oregon come the primary."

"Thank you very much for having me."

by **Zjaum** » Mon May 14, 2018 1:02 pm

"...but then they forget to shave their beep Adam's apple! I mean, do whatever you want, but I personally just can't take the movement all that seriously."

"...Okay, then. Thanks for giving your insight on that. We have another tweet from one of our guests. Quote: 'Fischer's incompetence has left this nation in a rut, and I'm sure the beliefs you have would be nothing but beneficial for the structure of our governing process. #Egilson, would you consider running for president? You'd have the support of my family, at least.' Well?"

The audience was fairly sizable, and the live chat at the side of the room was going haywire. There was a lot of murmuring from the audience, culminating in encouragement. Benjamin Egilson raised his hand, culminating in silence. He was a tad lost in thought, but still very aware of his surroundings. "All right, let me take you through my thought process. We have a number of... pretty good candidates. The Republicans all just feel samey, the Democrats operate on very Keynesian logic... Dykstra's actually a pretty good one, if you can believe it. Yeah, a conservative Californian speaking good of a Democrat; that's a first!"

There was a little laughter from the audience, but the live chat was (relatively) quiet, save for the stream of "DO IT!" from the more trolly of respondents. "I'd say that there are a lot of people who are only interested in pushing their side, rather than focusing on the means by which they push their positions. We all thought Fischer was going to do something, but he didn't seem to do much. I'd be fine with a number of these candidates becoming president, but I honestly think none of them are anywhere near perfect. That said, if I did run, I'd want to win. Running and losing practically ends, or at least stunts, my career."

He sat straight up. "You know what? beep it, I'm running for president."

There was a lot of cheering, both physical and virtual. Egilson knew that the gauge from the audience wasn't indicative of the rest of the country. He'd need to do a lot more work. Thankfully, though, he'd already done all that his constituents back home had asked of him, so he could focus exclusively on the campaign. Still, he'd need to get it past his family. He wondered how'd they'd react...

"Sure, fine by me."

The six of the family had all independently heard the news but had agreed to talk about it at the table. It was Irene's turn to cook, and she chose pasta. Abigail had just now voiced her opinion as the mother. Everyone thought she would be the hardest to turn, but she agreed without a hitch. Everyone was a little taken aback, Benjamin most of all. "Oh... okay, then..."

"No, seriously, this is a good idea for your career. Wives are supposed to be strong for their husbands, and I see no point in opposing this. I will keep our household strong for you, and you go do what you must."

There was a slight pause. Richard spoke up. "I think it's great! Taking your beliefs to the center stage, and fighting them in the open!"

"But do you think I'll win?"

Eric spoke up now. He was raised in a very strictly logical manner, and, while he wasn't the bastion of calm that Abigail was, he could be relied upon for an objective answer. "I'd say that you have a strong base, but they're scattered around all the states that won't matter in this election. Maybe you could act as a foil in the Libertarian Party and win over a state or two, but the odds are against you in the Republican Party. Trends just aren't pointing towards the nuclear family anymore. That said, the chances aren't impossible. If you could shift the ideology of the Republican Party and the independents towards social conservatism, you have a monopoly on that end, and you have a clear shot at the Republican nominee. I just don't see the country changing that much in a year."

"I can make the meals if you'd like!" stated Irene. She'd done that on the mayoral run, but she apparently still couldn't grasp the gravity of such an undertaking as a presidential race.

Benjamin smiled. "It's okay, honey. You don't need to worry about that. Faith, what about you?"

"Go ahead." Faith was a woman of few words.

"Then it's settled. Let's focus on a fundraising strategy together, and maybe we'll have something important by bedtime... oh all right, we can delay bedtime for a couple hours."

by **Helowi** » Mon May 14, 2018 1:50 pm

Gareth B. Wright Interview with Ronan Farrow for MSNBC
Ronan: Good Evening, Tonight I have an interview with U. S. Senator and Republican Presidential Candidate Gareth B. Wright. Gareth can you introduce yourself

Wright: Hello there Ronan, thank you for having me tonight, I am a huge fan of your work.

Ronan: Thank you, Senator Wright. Now off to the first question. You have been criticized by more party republicans and even the other senator from Minnesota for your more liberal positions. Do you believe that you are a RINO like other people think.

Wright: I don’t believe I am a RINO because, as mentioned before, I have an A rating from the national rifle association and have been praised by many pro-life organizations and politicians. I also support more school choice and the privatization and I also supported the Privatization of Social Security fine by President Comey. So I am not as RINO as other people think.

Ronan: I have another question for you, you are currently in the lead in Iowa but you are facing quite a challenge from Albuquerque Mayor Ginger Caulfield. Your thoughts?

Wright: Well I just believe it’s ridiculous how she’s trying to get from town hall to White House. She has never served in congress or the White House, she doesn’t even have a governorship. Her economic policies will not work and she has other policies that I believe will not be able to work on a national level.

Ronan: Can you name a specific economic policy that you don’t like of hers?

Wright: Well, I don’t like some of her Anti-Statist views. And while I do believe that sometimes we shouldn’t intervene with the economy, I believe in this current situation we must have some sort of intervention to save jobs.

Ronan: You have had some experience with private industry. Can you tell us how this will help you with the presidency?

Wright: Well, because I know a lot about business, I know a lot about what works in economics and what doesn’t. I have a cleverly crafted economic policies that are based off of my business experience that I believe will help with he current state of the economy.

Ronan: Recently, former President Jimmy Carter has passed away. What are your thoughts on President Carter?

Wright: I believe that even though he wasn’t an amazing president, he did have a great post presidency and was a great man who if I could meet in real life, I would have only compliments on his post presidency.

Ronan: As you know, I am an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. What will you do in your presidency to help LGBTQ+ people in your presidency?

Wright: I will try to do many things for these people such as fighting against discrimination in Housing, Marriage, Adoption, Employment, etc. I will also fight for the elimination of conversion therapy in the United States.

Ronan: We are running out of time, I just have one more question. If you could sum up your campaign with one word, what would it be.

Wright: [takes a drink of water and thinks for a second.] Experienced.

Ronan: Thank you for your time sir.

Wright: No Ronan, thank you for your time sir.

[Interview ends]

by **Convallaria** » Mon May 14, 2018 2:39 pm

Ginger Caulfield Rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

January 19, 2052

The lights were warm, comfortably so. Warmer than the chilly breeze that she had to face walking outside in the Midwestern winter. The auditorium had a good audience, but it was by no means full, not as full as Ginger would have hoped. At least 1,400 but not much more. The seats could have easily fit twice as many people; nonetheless, a decent crowd showed, and reporters lined the edge of the stage. Ginger had decided to wear a full navy pantsuit; it was conservative, and would appeal to the people in the crowd. As she walked from the curtains, there was a modest applause, but it lacked enthusiasm. Ginger flashed her smile and continued to the podium.

"Hello Cedar Rapids! Thank you for this great welcome. I am very pleased to be here with so many friends and terrific people." The last of the audience now died out. "Something is happening in Iowa right now, there is a wind of change. A wind that blows along the Mississippi River. From Des Moines to Omaha, where I was born, to Cedar Rapids, to Waterloo, to Fort Dodge. A wind of renewal coming from as far as Silver lake. Wind from every corner in Iowa, which will breathe new life into politics."

"In this election, Americans have said loud and clear. That too many factories are closing their doors. That too many seniors are living in poverty. That they have had enough of the same old debates. They deserve better. That is why we should dare to bring about change."

"Change that is now necessary because Washington is running in circles. Because for too long, we have replaced scandals with different scandals, scandals that Iowans could not tolerate anymore. Because some want to benefit from divisive politics. Because issues that matter to most Iowans are yet to be settled."

"You have voted to bring stability to America, but the mission in Korea has been left to rot. You have voted for a new economy, but still, your dollar is deflating at a rate we simply can't keep up with. You have rejected scandals that scarred politics, but again this year, we see the same story. Different leaders, same old scandals. For all these reasons, you believe it is now time for change."

"Iowans are ready for this change. Americans are ready for this change. My friends, I am ready to bring this change to Washington, so that Iowans have a strong voice in cabinet. In every corner of the State, my Iowa team is ready for this challenge."

"Old debates and negative politics that we have seen since the beginning of Fischer's campaign are exactly what Republicans stay away from."

"Some have claimed that I was too 'female' to be a politician, as if it was a weakness for a party leader to more personally understand what women have to say. (Laughter) My friends, I cannot promise to be less of a good person, you know where I stand and you know I will fight for the priorities you hold dear. To defend businesses and seniors. To return peace to the suffering allies abroad. To stop subsidizing hermit policies and instead invest in the economy. To give a voice to conservative Iowans in congress."

"I am committed to do things differently in Washington. I am committed to get results in the first 100 days as your President. Not in four years. Now. Because people need leadership now. That’s my commitment to you. My friends, whether you describe me as a mayor, a mother, a businessperson; I am ready to be your President, and I fully understand what this means."

"A President’s job is to make sure the government works for those who have elected them, and not for anyone else. A President’s job is to bring people together. Build bridges between the cities and the country and bring closer the views which exist in this country. A President must ensure a White House represents the values you cherish."

"Values like: Compassion, pride in what it means to be an American, respect for democracy, and cooperation. Those values are shared by all Americans. My friends, we will work together to bring those values back to Washington. No matter which side you supported in the past, we can put the old debates aside and work together to achieve real change."

"We can prove that the cynics are wrong. That it is possible for Iowa to have a to have a solid representation in Washington, not in the Opposition, but within government. Others will tell you that you have no choice but to vote for them. But that is, once again, old politics. You deserve better. You deserve change. And for that, we need to do more than block the Democrats. We need to replace them. And it is not the first time for Iowans to bring about major changes in our society. This isn’t the first time you’ve seen this. It means something is broken and we need to fix it."

"It starts with a vote – your vote. And so, I’m calling on you to mark your ballot for change. Together, we can do this. We can show that: Here, our priority is job creation, the economy and a better America. Here, we dare to use terms like “change” “hope” and “progress”. Here, we dare to look beyond old politics and have the boldness to ask for something better. Here, we dare to look cynicism directly in the eye, and have faith that the best has yet to come. And especially because there is so much to do."

"The time has come for someone to take on those responsibilities. We are ready to take on this challenge! It can’t be done without you. Let’s work together. Let’s roll up our sleeves and start the work right now. Thank you!"

The audience began to clap with passion, more so than when ginger went to the podium. Nevertheless, there were still people who weren't clapping, but this was a success for Ginger. As she waved and walked back to the green room, she felt a sense of pride, of confidence, that this was the right decision -- the clearest decision -- that she could have made. The journey had just begun, and she was prepared to step forward.

by **Helowi** » Mon May 14, 2018 2:44 pm

Gareth B. Wright Campaign Ad “Confessions of a City Councelor.” Airing in New Hampshire and Iowa.
[A man in a room is shown.]
“Hello there, my name is Barry Carson, a Republican City Councilor from Albuquerque. I’m here to confess something, I think Ginger Caulfield would be a disastrous President. She made quite a good mayor, but when I think about how her economic policy could affect America, it makes me scared. I’m afraid that she could make America lose jobs and money and is making too many promises that in the end, will not be upheld at all. if I were to choose a candidate that I trust, I would vote for Gareth Wright. And I hope you do to
Voice: Vote Gareth B. Wright for President.
Wright: I’m Gareth Wright, and I approve of this message.

by **Zjaum** » Mon May 14, 2018 4:19 pm

Benjamin Egilson turned on his camera. He thought the book might be a touch too much, but at least his fanbase would appreciate it. "Hello! I'm sure my spontaneous request to run requires a bit of explanation, and this video will cover my thoughts.

"As I said, the candidates presented are... passable, as pretty much all are. China may have the economy and military now, but America will never be invaded, nor her markets toppled, for decades if not a century. None of these major candidates will change that, if they even can. That said, none of them will ever really improve America. Our economy needs to develop and innovate further, and we should reclaim our title as the top nation of the world, with all due respect to my Chinese counterparts. One of the biggest aspects that I find woefully under-addressed is the nuclear family. In the past, this model has maintained stability and has grown our population reasonably well. We're experiencing stagnation in our time, and eventually we might face the same fate as the nation of Japan.

"I will fill this void and present my own candidacy for nomination. I am a registered Libertarian as most of you know, but I'm certain that the brief age of the third-party, hopeful as it was, is over. I plan to run under as a Republican for several reasons. Foremost, my political ideology aligns with theirs a little more, even though I do believe the party needs reform. Second, I find the lack of political diversity appalling. Cultural conservatives have no option or alternative, and I hope to represent them well in my campaign. Third, I believe that my ability to win is larger in the Republican Party. My support was 8.42% before I announced my candidacy, so I'm certain that my support will only increase.

"Most importantly, I have a large fanbase, one that I know, against my wishes, is fanatically, unironically loyal to me. Seeing as I cannot change this, I may as well use it. If you have any ideas for my campaign, I'd love to hear them. I doubt that door-to-door marketing will work, but you could try that if you don't have anything. I'm relatively late to the game, but I think I can catch up very soon. If you are interested in donating, I hope to open up a funds page soon. Thank you for listening, and hopefully we can make something out of this."

He turned off the recorder and published the video to his site. He thought to himself. He didn't have personal social media pages, and he wondered if he should start. His base was large enough as it was, and his fan sites were on social media (and doing quite well, oddly enough), so perhaps he'd be fine without them. Still...

by **Convallaria** » Mon May 14, 2018 6:29 pm

Ext. Des Moines - Freeway Ramp

A blue sedan pulls into the parking lot of an office park; the dinner hour has just started and the sound of the cars passing on the overpass above resonate in dusty complex. The engine shuts off, and Robbie and Ginger step out. She is instantly interested in the sight.

"Whoa," is the sole word she releases.

"Yeah," Robbie says in agreement.

"Shit," she reiterates.

"Yep. That's I mean...er...well now you know what the photos were for," he explains with a laugh.

"It definitely makes more sense now; do the analysts suggest it will be effective?" she asks out of actual interest.

Robbie sits on the hood and continues to gaze at the advertisement.

"They say these are as good as gold, we've put a bunch down the 80 and other areas in town. We'll need them before the commercials -- which, we're working on by the way. Tomorrow's dinner should bring more publicity in the meantime," he says.

"I'm getting eager; we're already getting attack ads thrown at us -- I mean Carson?" Ginger smiles and continues. "I wonder how much they payed that quack to talk. (Laughs)"

"I really h-h-he's, you know, a free spirit. But I wouldn't worry about it," Robbie condoles to her.

"Yeah, that's one way to put it...Wanna grab some coffee?" she asks.

"Sounds good," Robbie says, before hopping back into the car with Ginger.

by **Vienna Eliot** » Mon May 14, 2018 6:47 pm

Web Traffic — Friday, January 19th

featuring most frequently visited pages

www.wikipedia.org — 30,077,139

www.politico.com — 14,264,845

www.facebook.com — 2,428,400,740

www.nytimes.com — 41,103,267

www.benegilson.com — 14,934,215

www.cnn.com — 19,263,259

www.caulfield2052.com — 9,244,197

www.pornhub.com — 111,701,119

www.theonion.com — 10,274,190

www.wrightforpresident.com — 11,586,103

www.richardfaulkner.com — 13,839,875

www.whitehouse.gov — 1,706,081

by **Vienna Eliot** » Tue May 15, 2018 12:42 am

by **Ascysia** » Tue May 15, 2018 10:56 am

January 24th, Des Moines, Iowa

"Morning sir, here's another copy of your schedule" one of Faulkner's campaign team staff said. A short lad, no older than 20. Faulkner thanked him, asked him his name and then, noted him down for "later interest".

Monday 22nd - Meeting at Faulkner Political Group HQ (Portland, 1 PM - 3 PM)
Tuesday 23rd - Interview with Golden (Portland, 2:15 PM to 3 PM), plane to Des Moines (Departure at 7:15 PM)
Wednesday 24th - (10:30 AM - 1:30 PM) Financial Backing Meeting with Pattell (2:30-4:30 PM) Fundraiser dinner (7:30 PM-9 PM)
Thursday 25th - Rally at Des Moines Marriot Downtown (2,400 capacity, 7:30 PM to 8:45 PM), drive to Iowa City (9:20 PM-10 PM)
Friday 26th - Town Hall with Democratic voters (11 AM to 12:30 PM), Meeting with Iowa Businessmen (6:30 PM to ???)
Saturday 27th Drive to Cedar Rapids (8:30 AM to 9 AM), Rally at Hilton Hotel convention center (4:30 PM to 6 PM), Drive to Mason City (7 PM to 9:30 PM), Phone call with possible financiers (10:20-???)
Sunday 28th - Church 11 AM to 12 PM, Town Hall (12:45 PM to 2 PM), canvassing (2:30 PM to 4:30 PM) Mason City to Sioux City (6 PM to 10 PM)

"Hey kid, we got anything lined up for Sioux City?" Faulkner asked
"We were thinking a town hall and then canvassing again, squeeze out a few more votes." the lad responded. "How come, got anything in mind?"
"Sounds fine. It's a big place, if you can get anywhere cheap and on notice, maybe a capacity 3000+ hall, or have a stage set up in a park?"
"I'll see what I can do Mr. Faulkner."
"Thanks kid."

Des Moines, Thursday 25th

"Thank you all for joining me out here, I'd like to thank even more the speakers we had here, Republican state senator Mark Jerome, and Des Moines' very own Mayor, and my friend Kiara Correa, please give them another round of applause they have been great coming out here, both on short notice. Lovely, really, really lovely. Today I come to you to talk about Iowa, not my campaign. I have a good history with this great state. Back as a Senator, I had funding directed to creating solar farms to create green energy and jobs across the country. Iowa alone gained 1300 short-term jobs building four solar farms, and then an additional 2,100 long-term jobs to administrate them. In 2039, me and several other Democrats and Republicans united to stop cuts to farm subsidies, which could've cost hundreds of jobs and dented the economy of this state. I've been listening to the issues that face Iowa, and as with most states, you are sensible people that put the economy first. Time and time again my staff asked what issues were important, and jobs came out on top. So I'd like to talk about that because I've been quiet on the issue. As President I would fund numerous public works projects to build schools, hospitals, roads and green energy plants across the country, which will be great for the country, but some states have certain economic needs, and want to keep their traditional economic base. Iowa has a tradition of being an agricultural centre - a tough job done by tough people. The United States must continue to back her domestic farmers and manufacturers of agricultural products, which is why as President I will continue to subsidise our farms, and to help them sell their products both in the domestic market, and make it easier for them to sell them abroad. When I was coming here I couldn't help but watch out the plane window at the countryside. It may seem boring, plains and farmland for miles and miles and miles, but it's a special beauty. God gave us this world, and when we sit back and observe nature, looking at the detail, we see how beautiful it is. I want to become president to lead this country, but most importantly, to protect it. The environment is a key issue I will always bring up, and I seek to expand EPA funding to preserve it's beauty, so that decades from now, my great great grandchildren, and your grandchildren, can sit back together and see a beautiful countryside. The caucus will be held soon, so I hope that I will see many of you voting there, whether it's for me or not. Casting your vote is your civic duty, it's not mandatory, but it's something you should do, because in many parts of the world, people aren't as lucky as us to be able to cast a vote. On that note, I will be speaking about the rest of the world very soon, but my time is up here, and I thank you all for visiting."

Faulkner hung around, meeting the attendees. A 2,400 capacity, a good 1800 came, and around 1400 stayed to listen to him answering questions and have him sign their placards. Many read "Faulkner 2052 - Pragmatic yet Principled!" and "Faulkner 2052: Bring Back Leadership and Bring Back America!" The latter wasn't an official slogan, but his campaign team had made a few signs with it anyway, since many newspapers and websites made it the article headline on his announcement, adapting it from the very end of his speech. He got numerous questions regarding social issues, and made it clear that he respected the second amendment, but supported common sense gun control, and said he was pro-life, but respected the Roe v Wade ruling, and instead wanted to create an environment where women wouldn't see abortion as a necessary option to take.

"Mr. Faulkner we were able to secure $30,000 from the Pattell and his company. We recommend you seek the endorsement of the Bipartisan Policy Institute. We've also instructed the American Future PAC begins fundraising in New Hampshire and Nevada, so we can prepare to set up rallies and town halls, as well as fund transport and hotel rooms."

"That's great news. Getting the BPI on our side is a good idea, I'll ask Adam if he can arrange a meeting between us and them."

by **New Cobastheia** » Tue May 15, 2018 2:05 pm

December 4, 2051
Sacramento, CA
California Parliament Building

A crowd of journalists, political analyst, supporters, and passersbys gathered on the Lawn of the California Parliament Building, at the being of the month Guess told the world that by the end of the month, he would tell them all by the end of it. He set the 25th as the day. He walked out the door and the lights started flashing from every camera they brought.

It was a bright day out, his glasses changed from clear to black they were exposed to the sun. Stopping at the podium between the first and second set of stairs, he adjusted the microphone and began to speak.

"Seven years ago, when I was a Senator, I didn't want to run for Governor. I felt that I could be more useful to the causes I believed in, in Congress. How could a Governor of one state, help the people of the nation? I asked myself. But, then I saw the support I had at home, we had all seen how broken our system was in 2038. I saw that people wanted it fixed and that they wanted me to fix it. I knew that I had to come home and fix my home."

"Now, nearly a decade later, we see that our country needs to be fixed. Our nation's government has long forgotten that we do not control the Earth, San Fransico, Los Angles, San Deigo, San Jose. All face flooding at unprecedented levels and it will only get worse. We need to protect our environment, if we don't help the Earth, the Earth won't help us, it will only try to kill us."

"We've put Single-Payer in place in California, and just like every other place in the world that gives Medicare to its people, we've seen it work. The United States is still the only western country in the world that doesn't pay for its citizens. People who need medicine have it the worst here, lobbyist made it so our nation can't negotiate with big-pharma. Someone who's poor and need's medicine to live isn't a person to these companies, they're a piggy bank they found on the streets. They take these people and bleed them dry."

"He continued to speak, tearing up a little in the eyes, "Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Mount Shasta. Children have to go to school and fear for they're lives. People have to go to work wondering, in the back of their head's, will I make it home today. People shouldn't have to fear for they're lives to live their lives. Background checks need to be used for every single gun purchase, common sense gun reform needs to be implemented nation-wide!"

"Social Security needs to be re-nationalized. Social Security is no longer a security for our people. It's a flakey mess. No one knows when the economy is going to go belly-up. Were there warning signs before the Great Depression and the Crisis of 2008? Yes, did people listen? No. When the economy crashes people's who lives are thrown into disarray. Imagine that you are an elder. Imagine that tomorrow your going to retire. Now, imagine that the economy crashes tomorrow." There was a brief pause, "Social Security either needs to be renamed Social False-Hope or re-nationalized."

"The way it should be is that the Government's only role is to work for its people. This isn't the way it is. The Government, as it currently exists, only serves big-business and it's own self-survival. We need someone who will make the Government serve the people. I think that person is me as such I am running for President of the United States.

by **Zjaum** » Tue May 15, 2018 3:23 pm

Egilson had weaponized the city of Red Bluff.

Already, there were volunteers cold-calling out of their spare time. from 3-5 PM Egilson's family got back from school and called New York and the rest of the eastern seaboard. From 4-6, the first volunteers showed up to call Iowa and Texas, asking for spare time and spare cash. Egilson made sure not to push things on the viewers but to at least convince them of his competency as the potential president. From 5-7, a small subgroup of volunteers called the Four Corners states, asking for a couple bucks for conservative values. From 6-8, people called up friends and family on the western seaboard back home, telling them that now is the time for the conservative minority to rise up and have their chance in the spotlight. It was possible, if you just voted for Egilson in a few weeks. The pitch ran like this:

Hello, __? My name is __, and, if you have a few moments, I would appreciate talking with you about the fate of the country... Thanks!

Currently, our population is stagnating and could be in decline in the next few decades. The simplest, most non-controversial way to stop this is to promote strong family values, but we only have one candidate who does that.

[or]

Right now, our country has major divisions in culture, ones that need to be integrated. If you look at historical examples, such as New Zealand, ethnic groups that share a common culture tend to be friendlier towards each other. This is what we should encourage in our immigration process, but we only have one presidential candidate in this race for those values.

[or]

Our country used to be in first place in every category, but now we struggle to make it into the top five in almost everything. We can resurface to the top with just a few key innovations, but we only have one candidate who is competent enough to support innovation across the market.

I'd like to introduce you to Benjamin Egilson, a strong leader with conservative values. I'd love to talk with you more about his policies, but you can find them all on his website at egilson52.com or at __. I can put you on our contact list for fun new events coming your way, but you're under no obligation to do anything. We'd like to stress that point.

Benjamin had also set up his live camera again, to stream his life throughout the campaign. If not directly filming him, the camera would at least show something 24/7 on his website, to be spread through Facebook and other social media through his fanbase. Q&A sessions were announced for the following Saturday, as well as a gala in Texas the day after. Egilson knew that, even though Iowa was first, Iowa was nowhere near the most important state for the nomination, if even for the ultimate election. Texas was going to be a well-fought battle, and his goal was to get the support of the Republican, social-conservative minorities in electoral-point-rich states. Not the most ethical of strategies, but those voices needed to be heard regardless.

He'd also talked with Christopher Koch, the grandson of Charles Koch, the noted libertarian billionaire, and with a number of socially conservative millionaires around the South and Midwest: heirs/heiresses, industrialists, and innovators. His base knew full well that he held no ill will against the wealthy, so he knew he would be fine on that front. Most of them stated that they'd think about donating, and the potential donors who gave their permission had their calls posted on the website. Egilson wanted to make doubly sure that even the shadiest parts of his campaign were brought to the spotlight.

And so Egilson's campaign went from a 0 to a 10. He was already well behind the others; he needed to subvert their power grabs and get to new markets as fast as he could.

by **Helowi** » Tue May 15, 2018 3:45 pm

Gareth B. Wright Campaign Rally in Davenport, IA
There Gareth was. In his dressing room, getting a fitting suit, getting his hair done, and making sure he didn’t have any weird marks on his face. Suddenly, an aid burst into the room. “Your winning swimmingly in tons of counties and you are one of the most visited campaign websites out of all your opponents.” The aid screamed, though he didn’t mention about the deepfakes video. Gareth became excited, this pumped him up to go onstage.

He told his makeup person to be snappy. While he was waiting, he turned on the TV and saw Egilson on tv. He laughed so hard that he couldn’t breath. He turned to his aid “This guy as commander in chief. Alex Jones would be three times more reasonable than him!” He laughed so long that even his hair stylist and aids began to cry.

Wright had managed to settle down and began to wait offstage. He decided to look at the speakers for tonight:

Speakers
U.S. Representative Aaron Jackson (D)
Purple Heart Soldier Harold Craig
Factory Worker & Labor Union Leader Maria Anderson
Economics Professor Mark Danny Brown

The speaker ahead of him was looking good. Insulting the other republicans “Unreasonable” economic policies and how if the United States were to win under any of the republicans that the U.S. could go into another economic crisis. He ended with an endorsement and introduced me before coming onstage. He shakes hands with the professor and takes his stand on the podium. Taking a deep breath and getting ready to speak.

“Good evening, my fellow Americans. Today, we are facing an economic crisis that could be detrimental to the growth of the country that we know as America. We are having corporations lay off human employees in place of human employees. You might be wondering how we can fix this. Well, I am already trying to fix this with the AI Human Partnership Bill, which will require businesses to have 20% of their workforce be humans.

There was a huge round of applause, people were cheering including a group of factory workers who were sitting along with the Labor Union leader holding up a sign “Factory Workers for Gareth.” The crowd settled down and he was able to speak again.

“Thank you. Know I would like to address some of my opponents. We have a person who has probably never been to Washington D.C. in her life, liberal republican that might as well be running as a Democrat. And a party flipping “Republican” (Air quotes used) that has never known this party. And then you have me, a reasonable Republican Senator who has been registered ever since he was 18. And who are you gonna vote for…?”

“The Wright Guy!”

“That’s what I thought, now go out and vote Wright!”

by **Helowi** » Tue May 15, 2018 4:14 pm

Schedule for Gareth B. Wright
Sunday: Rally in Davenport, IA (See Above)
Monday: Rally in Ames, IA
Tuesday: Interview on “Meet The Press.”
Wednesday: Rally in Concord, New Hampshire
Thursday: Campaign Ad Airing in Iowa and New Hampshire Released.
Friday: Campaign visit at the University of Iowa
Saturday: Campaign Visit at Dartmouth College.

by **Cainesland** » Tue May 15, 2018 4:33 pm

Fireside Chats

Congressional Recess Day.
Senate Majority leader office.
Topic: Trade and the Economy

Youtube
(*Scene* Marble fireplace. Mirror above it, with a gold frame. The fireplace is lit. A Bust of Cato the younger is on the left. A bust of Cicero is on the right of the mirror. A tall iron pale with tools for stoking the fire is on the front left side of the fire place. To the centre-right of the fireplace, angled inwards is a Parlor chair. Theodore sits on the Parlor Chair, leaning forwards, the right leg crossed on top of the left leg.)

Hello. Today I would like to talk to you about an issue affecting the nation. The state of the nations Trade, and our Economy. I would like to start with talking about Trade. For the last few decades, this nation has had tariffs set up between us and the rest of the world. These tariffs have helped to insulate Americans from the economic chaos of the past, and helps to insure American Jobs and industries are protected. However, as the rest of the world has started to recover from the recession, the American Economy has remained isolated. While we continue to remain stable, the growth has stagnated somewhat and we are now isolated from the growth of the rest of the world instead of its decline. It is difficult to have a strong economy with such isolation, and this does not well encourage growth. Therefore, I would advocate for the slow lifting of some of the tariffs to help open americans and american businesses up to foreign markets and foreign products. I said the slow lifting. This is why. I would like to give our people time to prepare for the opportunity. Opening up to quickly could harm the economy. As president, I would decrease the Tariffs by 15% of its current value each year for the 4 years of my terms. This will hopefully allow people to benefit, while also allowing for a period of preparation to be allowed, as previously mentioned.

One Industry should be noted as something that I am cautious to lift tariffs on. That industry is the artificial Intelligence market. For the past few decades, Robotic technologies have grown to the point of being able to replace american workers, and quickly raising the unemployment levels. This is something I would like to avoid doing on mass. Therefore, if elected, this may be an area that would be considered an exception to the tariffs.

I will try and get another video out soon. If you would like to view my campaign platform, please go to http://www.ElectWhiteHorse.Com. (Website appears on the screen). If you have any suggestions please feel free to write a suggestion on my website and send that to me. If you would like to contribute to my campaign please visit my website, my kickstarter page, or my Patreon page.

Thank you for your time. Have a great day.

by **Vienna Eliot** » Tue May 15, 2018 6:40 pm

Polls — Saturday, January 20th

Republican

Iowa

Monmouth University
Polls of 712 likely voters
moe = +/-5.5%

First Choice
Andrews — 1.1%
Caulfield — 24.0%
Egilson — 16.2%
Whitehorse — 7.8%
Wright — 16.5%
Undecided — 34.4%

Second Choice
Andrews — 0.1%
Caulfield — 16.0%
Egilson — 19.5%
Whitehorse — 19.6%
Wright — 3.4%
Undecided — 41.4%

Lincoln Institute
Polls of 756 likely voters
moe = +/-4.1%

Caulfield — 27.8%
Egilson — 25.8%
Whitehorse — 15.2%
Wright — 18.6%
Undecided — 12.6%

Gallup
Polls of 803 likely voters
moe = +/-4.3%

Andrews — 2.3%
Caulfield — 24.8%
Egilson — 17.0%
Whitehorse — 11.9%
Wright — 16.6%
Undecided — 27.4%

Nationwide

Pew Research Center
Polls of 1,002 likely voters
moe = +/-3.4%

Andrews — 9.94%
Caulfield — 17.16%
Egilson — 25.60%
Whitehorse — 11.68%
Wright — 23.96%
Undecided — 11.66%

Democratic

Iowa

Monmouth University
Polls of 798 likely voters
moe = +/-5.5%

First Choice
Blackburn — 2.0%
Brae — 41.2%
Faulkner — 31.3%
Sobel — 10.1%
Undecided — 15.4%

Second Choice
Blackburn — < 0.1%
Brae — 18.2%
Faulkner — 17.9%
Sobel — 33.9%
Undecided — 29.9%

Gallup
Polls of 825 likely voters
moe = +/-4.3%

Brae — 39.8%
Faulkner — 37.2%
Sobel — 9.1%
Undecided — 13.9%

Nationwide

Pew Research Center
Polls of 1,100 likely voters
moe = +/-3.4%

Blackburn — 7.0%
Brae — 26.9%
Faulkner — 25.6%
Sobel — 10.1%
Undecided — 30.4%

Matchups

Nationwide

Pew Research Center
Polls of 2,102 likely voters
moe = +/-3.4%

Brae — 51.3%
vs.
Caulfield — 48.0%

Brae — 52.5%
vs.
Egilson — 46.2%

Brae — 52.2%
vs.
Wright — 46.4%

Faulkner — 49.3%
vs.
Caulfield — 50.1%

Faulkner — 49.3%
vs.
Egilson — 49.3%

Faulkner — 50.0%
vs.
Wright — 46.8%

by **New Cobastheia** » Tue May 15, 2018 7:38 pm

January 21, 2052
Iowa City, Iowa
The University of Iowa

"The reason I helped Mr. Guess set up this event this that we both felt that the best way to answer the voter's questions, is to answer the voter's questions." Said the college student, a leader in the University of Iowa chapter of College Democrats. He was sitting in the chair directly across from Guess. They were in the school's auditorium, the two of them sat in their chairs on the stage while a large audience sat in the seats meant for audiences. In the very back of the auditorium Theo could see a faint glimmer of cameras, he already knew that this AMA was to be broadcast all over the nation, he just thought the back was an awkward place for the cameras to be put. The College Student continued, "Over the last few weeks we've been asking students from all over campus, from all the colleges, undergrad and grad what they want to ask. I'll ask some of the most common responses we got."

"So, Mr. Guess, you are both an openly bisexual man, a known atheist, and a Native American. Do you really think the American will elect you when you possess all three of these traits?" Theo chucked as he heard this, he always liked this question, mainly for its stupidity.

"Do I think some people won't vote for me because of my sexuality, my lack of religion, or my race? Of course I do, there will always be people in the world who fear, hate, or are scared of something. Now, a better question would be if I think these people will have any major effect on how well I do? The answer to that is a simple, Hell no! Israel has elected three atheists to be Prime Minister, South Africa has elected a white man to their Presidency, numerous heads of state around the world have been LGBT. The people in our modern world have proved they don't care about the things we can't choose for ourselves, they care about what we believe in." Theo received a large amount of applause from the audience as he answered the first question.

"What do you think of the Israel-Palestine Conflict and what would you do as President to reach a conclusion to this decade-long event?" Asked the student with much curiosity, as Theo has never really spoken much about his beliefs about Israel and Palestine for a long time, and as such would be the first time he's brought it up while seeking a higher office.

"Israel and Palestine for a very long time have been looking for a two-state solution. However, its never gotten anywhere. A separate Israel and a separate Palestine are not going to become a reality anytime soon, they're too interconnected now with Israelis settling in the West Bank and Palestinians moving into Israel. The only solution that's feasible anymore is the one-state solution. The State of Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip all have to be merged together to form a new democratic state. It's the only solution I can see for peace."

These basic everyday questions continued for a bit, maybe an hour or so more, "Ok" Said the College Student, "That's all the question I ask on behalf of the student populous, we will now open it up to the students in the auditorium to ask any question they have."

A young black man with a Guess for President shirt on had been standing at the beginning of the line to ask questions for a long while now, maybe since the question first began. He started to speak, "Hi, Elijah Cotton, Senior, Political Science and Communications. I've been following what you've done to the Constitution of California, it's one of the reasons I first became interested in Political Science" Guess made sure to make a mental note of this student, "Part of the reason you want to be President is so you can fix the democracy of the country, much like you fixed the democracy of California, correct?"

Leaning forward a bit Guess spoke, "Yes. I saw something that is broken and I wanted to fix it, just like I do now with the United States."

"Good, so if elected to the Presidency, do you think you would need to go into such drastic measures as you did in California?"

"No, first off, I don't think the gridlocked system we have in the US would allow for it to be done. It would be much easier to pass a large number of reform bills ranging from electoral to medical than calling for a Constitutional Convention for the federal government."

"I'd also like to ask about what you think of the Third California Constitution currently being tested in Court?"

"While the United States District Court for Eastern California has concluded its debate and will issue their option soon, I personally suspect that they will uphold the new state Constitution. There is nothing in the US Constitution that says the states have to follow a Presidental System, they only need to have a republican form of government, which a Semi-Parliamentary system is."

"And if the District Court doesn't uphold your state's constitution?"

Guess interrupted before the student could finish his sentence, "My government has already formed a group of legal experts who would fight for the constitution in the Supreme Court if needed."

"So, you're saying that you would take the legal case to the Supreme Court?"

"I'm saying that state would defend it's constitution if court if need be."

The Student seemed to be satisfied by this and sat down, more and more students got to ask and get answers for their questions. This lasted for a few more hours, until around 8 pm.

"And I'm afraid that is all the time we have that was scheduled for this event." Said the College Student who was sitting on the stage. The crowd applauded, they seemed to be satisfied as a whole. Some cheered enthusiastically and others seemed to know who they would vote for now. Before Guess got off the stage to greet some of the students outside of the auditorium, he yelled out into the crowd, "May I guess who you're voting for?" To which the majority replied back, "Guess! Guess! Guess!"

by **Zjaum** » Tue May 15, 2018 8:59 pm

The day is January 20th, and thousands are online, ready for Benjamin Egilson's Q&A. Only a couple dozen have been following the live stream, so very likely half of this will be redundant. Oh well; time to start up his camera and address his people. First question:

Hey, there! I'm from Iowa. I really like your policies, but none of my political friends are talking about you. I see stuff for all the other candidates, though. What are you doing in Iowa?

"Ah, yes. I've been working on other states in the Union. Iowa has about five electoral votes and leans very Republican now. I need to focus on other venues, because I know Iowa will lean Red in this election, no matter who wins. I'm sorry that you're in the minority, but I have a dozen other minorities to care for. I apologize that I can't give you a better answer. On that depressing note, what's our next question?"

Hey, Ben, love your work! Have you seen the polls recently?

"Yes, yes I have. They could always be improved, and that's the stance my campaign consistently has. I don't know how many of you were old enough to experience the Trump-Clinton race, but Clinton thought she was going to win by a landslide. She did no relative work, despite the money in her campaign, and she lost dramatically. I will not make that mistake, I promise you. I don't make many promises on the campaign, but I will never be overconfident, not until the last electoral vote is counted. So, for now, the worst poll has me trailing at third. That is the position from where I will act. Next."

On a scale from 1-10, how hellish was it to live under Guess's California?

"Okay, I know this isn't the answer to your question, but I want to address this now. Unless the candidates are mentally or physically unfit for presidency, we will try our best to avoid mudslinging. We want to win on the battlefield of ideas, not of people. Even if we lose, we'll at least pave the way for a conservative sooner rather than later. But, yeah, that, said, it was a 2 or 3. The Senate-Assembly merger was the worst idea in California's history, and it's so fitting that we have a Premier, like they did back in Soviet Russia. F***ing h***, I mean... can I rant? Okay, sure, I'll rant. There's been a movement in northern California for, what, over a century at this point?... to split California into its Democratic southern half and its Republican northern half, and it's completely for s*** like this. 'Oh, yeah, who needs development in Glenn County? It's not like they're desperate for an economy or anything! Let's just block everything off from their own citizens, all because some twats in Hollywood and Silicon Valley told us so!' Yeah. I'm mad now. What's our next one?"

What's with the hotel? How's your family doing?

"They're taking this like champs. Seriously, if I had the fortitude they had, I would have won this d*** election already. Sheesh. But yeah, I'm at this hotel because I'm going to a gala in Texas. I've only invited certain people there because I can't stand protesters, and I'd appreciate their financial support, but... hey, after this, let's just have a meetup. Do we have some good ice cream recommendations in Houston?... Menchie's. All right, meet me up at [posts address] this address at 10 PM if you're in the Houston area. We'll have a gay old time... Flintstones? Nobody watched the Flintstones? Not even the remake? Ah, go culturally enrich yourself, you plebes! Next question?"

I've been debating with a friend over traditional marriage. How do I make an argument to him that doesn't make me sound like an ignorant Bible-thumper?

"Well, a little to unpack there. First off, 'ignorant' is never a title you want, but there's not that much wrong in Bible-thumping. It's been around for two millennia after the passing (and resurrection) of it's founder, so skeptics have had a long time to overthrow it. While it's adapted for nearly every environment, it still remains the worldwide religion. If it ain't broke... anyways, here's your argument for you. Life can only propagate when people of opposite sexes come together. While I don't consider life to be the end-all-be-all (I mean, just make sapient robots, and then you can mass produce life itself), I do think that we shouldn't encourage things that lead nowhere. Celibacy draws your attention to other things, sometimes God, sometimes work, but it's usually productive. Homosexuality is wasted affection. As to what homosexuality is. If it's a choice, well, okay, fine, above argument. If it's a genetic thing, then it could be a natural inhibitor, for example when a population of animals reaches its limit within its environment. Now, your friend is probably going to say something along the lines of, 'It's genetic. Get over it. Checkmate.' To which, at least I usually say, 'There are thousands of genetic, completely natural things that aren't good. Down syndrome, heart problems, et cetera. I don't hate homosexuals, in fact I don't hate pretty much anyone, but that doesn't mean that it's a good thing for the world.' Now, again, I have to stress this: Just because I don't appreciate it, doesn't mean I'm going to take action against it. That is a terrible mindset to have. Let gay people marry; it's not my concern. My platform is to encourage more traditional families, to produce a solid nuclear family, because that boosts America's head count and is ultimately better for the individual human psyche. And, until we get sapient robots with equal capability for creativity, we're going to need that extra population. Okay, that was a long one, but I needed to be extra succinct about that. People are probably still going to call me a homophobe anyways... Next."

Outside of America, what's your favorite country and why?

"Botswana. It's definitely... look, if you ever get in a conversation about socialism versus capitalism, always reference Botswana. South Africa and Zimbabwe were two of her neighbors, and they both went to s*** really quickly. Botswana engaged in massive amounts of trade with her other neighbors and with her former colonial powers, and their living standards are better than that of the rest of the continent. 'But free trade doesn't work!' Botswana. 'But socialism works-' South Africa. 'But imperialism was bad for everyone, the reason why Africa's so poor is-' Botswana. They won't know what Botswana is, so it will at least shut them up for a few minutes. Good, next."

There were about ten more questions, but those were the most important ones, or at least those discerning him from his peers.

by **Cainesland** » Tue May 15, 2018 11:10 pm

Schedule for Jan 2052

by **Urantia** » Wed May 16, 2018 7:36 am

This was not the way James was used to running campaigns.

Gareth was a totally new political animal to James. He had challenged all the conventional norms surrounding how a campaign is run. James was not in control of this campaign, Gareth was. This produced a nagging sense of dread in James. Not to mention the recent slip in poll numbers in Iowa.

The Senator and a female aide had just finished sparring about the future of social security, or rather lack thereof James had thought to himself. The campaign team had huddled in Saint Paul for debate prep. James knew a strong showing in the first debate would be a powerful boost to the campaign. He wanted to be sure the Senator was ready. James nodded in approval...

"Presidential debates are not like debates on the Senate floor, Gareth." James tried not talking down to elected officials but he often felt threatened by them. James hated being reminded of his own inadequacies.

He then gestured to the other aides in the room - "Hey everyone, could we have the room?" That was campaign jargon for "I need to be alone with the Senator". As the other campaign workers filed out of the room, the Senator approached James.

James took his glasses off and picked up the tablet he had been working on. He propped it up and displayed a map.

"You're getting sharper - it's good. But still not quite right. We have a little more work to do til you're ready, but you're almost there."

He gestured for the Senator to sit beside him.

"I've finished plotting our course to the nomination and I've identified our biggest hurdle to getting there. Ginger Caulfield. I think she may win Iowa... "

Gareth scoffed out-loud.

"Not only that, but I think she will be our biggest challenge in the debates. It boils down to this: we are trying to fill the same role in this campaign. That worries me. There are 3 tickets out of Iowa, and only 2 out of New Hampshire. Now, each cycle is different but usually a field boils down to 3 roles: front runner, under dog, and dark horse..."

The Senator nodded in agreement and sat listening attentively. Between the cold of Minnesota and Iowa coupled with debate prep, he didn't want to grow hoarse.

James continued..."Once we come in second in Iowa we will be well positioned to take New Hampshire. I have two prevailing thoughts about this - the first being that on your..." James stumbled across his words mid-sentence ..."our side. Our. Side. Our side. Sorry...." James took a moment and shrugged off the awkwardness...he wasn't used to being behind enemy lines. He wasn't used to being on a Republican campaign..."The GOP winner of the Iowa caucus usually flames out. Not to mention the fact that the base in Iowa is too religious and too socially conservative for you. Pat Robertson, Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz, even VP Pence all flamed out, crashed and burned after decisive Iowa wins. After taking NH the map looks favorable to us on mini-super Tuesday. Fresh off a win in NH we will win here at home as well as Maine and Vermont. While not pulling ahead just yet in delegates, we will dominate the media coverage and control the narrative moving forward into the next debate..."

Home? Home. How did this happen? James caught himself calling Saint Paul home. This was a disconcerting fact all by itself. Even more troubling was how wayward James had been since Elias. James didn't have a place to call home since the two of them had separated...

..."that brings us to Super Tuesday. The must win states are as follows: FL, CO, MD, MA, RI, WA and TX. Super Tuesday and beyond are all about the math of delegate counts. I want you to prepare yourself to lose the strategic places where our math doesn't add up. Given your Senate record and time in the private sector I think a more northern/western strategy makes sense. After Super Tuesday our campaign will move into phase two. Once we have some wins under our belt and the herd thins out we will re-evaluate our strategy. But be warned, Senator. This will not be easy. There are some heavy hitters in the running now. But America loves a comeback story. Polls fluctuate. You will have to seize every opportunity to direct the media coverage. Since you haven't written a book I suggest penning an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal to beef up your economic credentials..."

James could remember a time when he actually ran the campaigns he worked on. Motels and diners used to be the order of the day. James had talked himself into believing that running for president had changed since those heady days on Gwen's historic bid for the presidency. He was much younger then. His days were adrenaline fueled marathons once upon a time.

Now he was holed up in Minnesota, orchestrating the Senator's campaign from afar. James promised himself that once they had gotten off the ground things would change.

by **Zjaum** » Wed May 16, 2018 11:46 am

January 20th, 2052

Egilson was trash with forming long-time friendships, but he was an expert at making first acquaintances. That was the skill he'd need tonight. He'd have this singular chance before the primary debates, then off on a plane back to Washington, D.C. to represent his people once more. He saluted veterans, shook hands with doctors, and made quick bows with businessmen. Oil had long since been the big factor in the Texan economy, and the private sector had switched to tech and industry. Benjamin discussed the latest technological trends with a number of millionaires and talked about new opportunities for their businesses and the country. Soon, the time came for him to give the speech for the night:

"First off, I'd like to thank everyone for their participation. It really means a lot to have your support. I plan to do my best for the next half year and, with God's blessing, the next four years afterwards. [pause for applause] I'd like to talk to you tonight about innovation. It's clear that Silicon Valley is growing stale. A half-century of Californian regulation has taken its toll, and, mark my words, prosperity in California will go the way of Detroit in a few decades' time. What little hope we had of challenging China's economic power through there has since long passed.

But I would like to remind everyone that economic status can change on a whim. The Industrial Era shaped Great Britain from only one of many European powers to the undisputed ruler of the world. The Digital Revolution catapulted our great nation to the forefront of technology, and the Genetic Revolution helped shape our world. We need just one more of these revolutions, and we could reclaim the title we once lost. I believe that can happen here. [applause]

We have plenty of economic growth here in Texas, and I think the Midwest will develop shortly thereafter. We have brilliant minds and top-tier higher education. Most importantly, we have folks here who believe in hard work and are actively pursuing new ways to make capital. God willing, we will see the next great American revolution in our lifetimes! [applause]

And that's everything I have to say. You are all invited to a hangout at Menchie's tonight. God bless!"

The afterparty was considerably wilder. There were a bunch of people asking for signatures and selfies. Egilson mounted his GoPro to show his live stream back home. The store ran out of ice cream before Benjamin could get any, so a post on his website, carried through social media, sent the entire posse down to Berripop. There he got on a table and gave a bit of an impromptu speech:

"I began my campaign unsure of victory, and even today I hold caution. But I have talked with people of all classes, of all backgrounds, from the tech barons of Texas to the blue collar workers of Iowa! Everyone is looking for an answer together, and I will do my damnedest to find that solution! We work hard, not because of groupthink, but because each and every one of us has a vested interest in this country and of individual betterment. I do not know how much opposition may come, but I do know this: I do not run alone!"

Cheers resounded throughout downtown Houston as Egilson stepped off the platform. He was exhausted on the plane ride back to his job; while he usually didn't sleep well on planes, he slept soundly now.

by **Vienna Eliot** » Wed May 16, 2018 12:04 pm

The Precedent of the United States: 2052 Election RP [IC]

Who is online