The Times of Change
 | This article is incomplete because it is pending further input from participants, or it is a work-in-progress by one author. Please comment on this article's talk page to share your input, comments and questions. Note: To contribute to this article, you may need to seek help from the author(s) of this page. |
The Times of Change is a timeline in which FDR instead affiliated with the Republican Party, after Al Smith's unexpected victory in 1928 due to the uncovering of Herbert Hoover's involvement in the Teapot Dome scandal and Smith's good handling of the Catholic issue, allowing him to - despite great losses in the South - win the election through rallying Northern voters.
List of Presidents thus far:
- 1929 - 1933: Alfred E. Smith
- 1933 - 1945: Franklin D Roosevelt
- 1945 - 1953: Robert M. La Follette Jr.
- 1953 - 1957: Robert A. Taft
- 1957 - Present: Paul L. Robeson
Main events:
- Al Smith handles the Great Depression alright, however it still gets worse due to factors outside of his control.
- Roosevelt pursues economic stimulus, helps American economy get back on track; fights WWII.
- La Follette fights against Congress for most of his term, is unable to get anything done despite attacking the "Do Nothing Congress" in his vigorous 1948 campaign.
- Taft is a heavy isolationist and as such loses the war in Korea by not intervening, causing MacArthur to resign in anger and his failed primary challenge against him. Taft also repeals farm subsidies, causing anger among his core base. However, Brown v. Board happens and Taft accepts the decision, but due to his choice of VP and reliance on Southern support for the Congress, he leaves integration to the courts, saying his only duty was to follow the law. He also does intervention in South and Central America, and does a hard crackdown on the communists, even getting the CPUSA banned temporarily until the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in CPUSA v. USA, setting new precedent that the first amendment cannot be violated except in cases where violence is imminent. There are some strikes because of this, but the strikes mostly fizzled out over time.
- The Supreme Court seat formerly held by Robert H. Jackson was kept open after a dispute between the opposition Congress refused to consider Taft's nominee, who was viewed as too pro-big business. Taft refused to budge, expecting a victory in 1956. It was considered to fill this position between Taft's loss and Robeson's inauguration, however no nominee could be decided in time. Leibowitz was unacceptable to the People's Party, and, similar to Taft, Robeson waited until the midterms to fill this seat, and expected to compromise if his party lost seats in the midterms.
- Robeson is elected after an insurgent entryist campaign manages to take over the Conservative League and Henry Wallace orders his delegates to vote for him in exchange for policy concessions; Socialist-Prosperity split.
- Assassination of MLK investigation continues; Hoover arrested on suspicion of ordering assassination.