The Inaugural Attacks (01/20/2001)

[Inoeth]

Great update.

I wonder how the NU will look at the religious right- and I wonder, if they will be rejected from the party due to a want to be at least somewhat moderate. Given how vocal the religious right can be- and how hard-line they are, that'll really hurt their own movement if they're pushed outside, or perhaps take over the Republican party? or if they're accepted into the NU, the NU will loose a lot of legitimacy and support from moderates...

I'm also rather curious as to what kind of party the Koch Brothers will create to further their interests, or if they'll worm their way into the NU, given that in RL, they created the Tea Party.

I'm very curious to see how this all plays out... (and unless he's killed, it looks like Powell may be the first black President- given that he's got a solid amount of support to challange Rumsfeld). Most likely, I wouldn't like living in this America, but, we'll see how it all plays out and what the country looks like in this TL a decade or so from this point in time. There's a lot to happen in the meantime.

 

[Sabot Cat]

Rumsfeld is the president?!?

And he appointed all of this timeline's Supreme Court justices~ ^^

Man, a certain host in Austin, Texas is going crazy.

Alex Jones is indeed doing well for himself in this timeline, and only at the cost of misinforming the public with slippery reasoning fueled by a prevailing sense of paranoia~

So not all that different from OTL.

Love this TL. BTW, my mom's birthday is on the 20th of January.

Thank you, and that's an interesting coincidence as well!

Great update.

I appreciate that, I truly do~ Kind of nervous about it because we're broaching terra incognita with this update, and I didn't want to engage in any egregious implausibilities~

I wonder how the NU will look at the religious right- and I wonder, if they will be rejected from the party due to a want to be at least somewhat moderate. Given how vocal the religious right can be- and how hard-line they are, that'll really hurt their own movement if they're pushed outside, or perhaps take over the Republican party? or if they're accepted into the NU, the NU will loose a lot of legitimacy and support from moderates...

The NU's organizers will have the example of Pat Buchanan's failure to capitalize on the FEC resources during the 2000 elections, and the corrosive effects his factionalism had on the Reform Party. Further, the religious right wing are alienated from the whole enterprise by Powell being a key speaker for it due to his expressed pro-choice views. But don't count them out just yet...

I'm also rather curious as to what kind of party the Koch Brothers will create to further their interests, or if they'll worm their way into the NU, given that in RL, they created the Tea Party.

The next update will cover the financial backers and the primary demographics that will go into fueling the NU as we move closer into the special election season~

I'm very curious to see how this all plays out... (and unless he's killed, it looks like Powell may be the first black President- given that he's got a solid amount of support to challange Rumsfeld). Most likely, I wouldn't like living in this America, but, we'll see how it all plays out and what the country looks like in this TL a decade or so from this point in time. There's a lot to happen in the meantime.

Yep, and I hope to take you all through it in as interesting a way as possible~

As far as living in this timeline... well, so far it's not too bad. The Afghan Civil War is going a lot more smoothly than in our timeline due to a better figure to serve as the political locus of the anti-Taliban movement, while the United Nations is more careful about not committing atrocities or war crimes and the like.

 

[Amakan]

This is getting better and better.

 

[OnlyAlb]

This timeline is very good. Shows the flaws in constitution and chain of succession.

 

[Sabot Cat]

NOTE: I have edited in more bits about the Afghan Civil War going on that I forgot to include with the initial post~

This timeline is very good. Shows the flaws in constitution and chain of succession.

Thank you! I was partly inspired by a report produced on our continuity of government in the wake of an attack just like this one, and the defects thereof. Although parts of their scenario had some odd, soap opera like implausibilities (the Speaker of the House emerges from the rubble... but in a coma! Until about weeks later! And the President is in a similar situation! And the House has a quorum of like five people! Something like that, at least.)

This is getting better and better.

Much obliged! I'm glad you're enjoying it thus far.

 

[Unknown]

Sabot Cat, you need to have a post dealing with sports and pop culture in TTL.

For one thing, I can see the NBA and NCAA either postponing or canceling games for a week after the tragedy, and the NFL moving the Super Bowl back a week (making it the first held in Feburary).

Other than that, waiting for more.

 

[The Admiral Hook]

As tragic as this is, we can take some solace in the thought that most of the victims of 9/11 are actually spared in ttl...

...right?

Anyway, excellent TL. Don't let it fall by the wayside, I'm a fan.

Oh! And subscribed.

 

[Dustin]

Terrific. I'm subscribing.

 

[Sabot Cat]

Sabot Cat, you need to have a post dealing with sports and pop culture in TTL.

For one thing, I can see the NBA and NCAA either postponing or canceling games for a week after the tragedy, and the NFL moving the Super Bowl back a week (making it the first held in Feburary).

Other than that, waiting for more.

I was thinking of doing a retcon to fill in the details of post-Inaugural cancellations and cultural disruptions earlier, but they were usually so convergent that one could infer them (as you did) or so small/temporary as to not lend itself to this format. Nonetheless, I'll be mentioning the full extent of the pop cultural effects in the end of the year round up, and possibly interspersed in the next updates~

As tragic as this is, we can take some solace in the thought that most of the victims of 9/11 are actually spared in ttl...

...right?

True, although 4000+ have died in their place (and some are the exact same, such as NYC emergency personnel among others.)

Anyway, excellent TL. Don't let it fall by the wayside, I'm a fan.

Oh! And subscribed.

Thank you so much, and I hope to keep it coming until the present day~

Terrific. I'm subscribing.

Much obliged, and I hope you continue to enjoy the time~

 

[The Admiral Hook]

True, although 4000+ have died in their place (and some are the exact same, such as NYC emergency personnel among others.)

I try to find a diamond in a coal mine and you just bum me out more...

Still this is great.

If this were my TL, and thank god it isn't because you're amazing so far, I'd pick a few of OTL's 9/11 victims that survive ttl and give them something great to do or be. Interesting angle I think. Just a suggestion.

Anyway, again, excellent TL. When can we expect the next'un?

 

[LtNOWIS]

This is nuts. The political effects of 9 Justices appointed by Rumsfeld will resonate for the next half-century.

 

[Sabot Cat]

This is nuts. The political effects of 9 Justices appointed by Rumsfeld will resonate for the next half-century.

Especially because the average age of this Supreme Court is 49. Although the Supreme Court isn't completely immune to change through legislation, it's pretty hard to do it. Just ask FDR.

I try to find a diamond in a coal mine and you just bum me out more...

Still this is great.

Much obliged, and it is indeed unfortunate, but I appreciate trying to find a positive way of looking at things~

If this were my TL, and thank god it isn't because you're amazing so far, I'd pick a few of OTL's 9/11 victims that survive ttl and give them something great to do or be. Interesting angle I think. Just a suggestion.

I think you're too hard on yourself, but thank you~ That's an interesting suggestion, but I'm generally reluctant to include any real people in my timelines that aren't publicly available figures like politicians or judges or the like, especially in such a sensitive matter. However, if I do find someone like that, expect to see the butterflies~

 

[The Admiral Hook]

On newest update...

Well... that escalated quickly.

I'm not sure I buy all the butterflies in that last update, but I'm not convincing myself that I totally don't either.

Regardless, this sure is good reading. Keep up the good work.

 

[Sabot Cat]

I've elected to take down the last update because I found it somewhat implausible and not up to snuff. It's no biggie though, and expect the Memorial Day election cycle to be published in full within the next day, if not sooner!

 

[The Admiral Hook]

I've elected to take down the last update because I found it somewhat implausible and not up to snuff. It's no biggie though, and expect the Memorial Day election cycle to be published in full within the next day, if not sooner!

You're doing great. Looking forward to it, good work, and ready for updates.

I wanna see a light at the end of this tunnel.

 

[Sabot Cat]

SUPREME COURT RULES THIRD PARTY RESTRICTIONS UNCONSTITUTIONAL FOR THE 2001 SPECIAL ELECTIONS
​

From: The Indianapolis Star
Published: April 26th 2001

In a unanimous decision, the freshly appointed Supreme Court has ruled that many restrictions on ballot entry for third parties were a violation of the First Amendment, but only for the 2001 special elections.

Chief Justice Janice Brown: “The 2001 special election cycle is irregular, and the result of an unprecedented tragedy. Consequently, no new party organizer could have been prepared to make arrangements for them, and many of these new laws unfairly burden them coming out of the gate. As such, regulations for ballot access should relate purely to the amount of popular support they have at the lowest reasonable threshold, without reference to arbitrary time restrictions, for these particular elections.”

Acknowledging that there is likely to be further litigation over this definition, Chief Justice Brown set the 'lowest reasonable threshold' for ballot access petitions at “no more than three percent of the total votes cast from the last House election if they didn't meet that last time”. This was thought to be too precise in the concurring opinions of Supreme Court Justices Alice Batchelder and Viet D. Dinh, thus having “the air of legislation”, despite both agreeing with the overall legal rationale.

[...]

NATIONAL UNION AND REFORM PARTIES ACHIEVE WIDESPREAD BALLOT ACCESS​

From: The Washington Times
Published: May 2nd 2001

THE SECOND COMING OF NEWT GINGRICH
​

From: The Wall Street Journal
Published: May 11th 2001

He's back!

​

The unflappable Newt Gingrich has returned from a nearly two year sabbatical from politics to run in the 2001 elections.

“I hope this new chapter in American history will not only be marked by tragedy,” said a somber Gingrich to the press today, “and I think it will take someone who has extensive political experience to help marshal in the next generation of Congressmen. People like Senator Dole or Jack Kemp, who I hear is also running for the House, and, if the people of Georgia see to it, myself.”

OKLAHOMA BOMBING TERRORIST TIMOTHY MCVEIGH EXECUTED​

From: USA Today
Published: May 16th 2001

TOP CONTRIBUTORS FOR THE NATIONAL UNION PARTY AND THE REFORM PARTY
​

From: Center For Responsive Politics
Published: May 17th 2001

The non-competitive promise made between both parties has become something of a third rail, if the heavy public backlash to the partisan appointments made to the Senate were any indication. Nonetheless, the Democratic Party is beginning to face competition from the National Union Party and the Reform Party, both of which have made no such pledges. As such they've received millions of dollars from donors that we've identified as solidly Republican in the previous election cycle. It's believed that the centrist posturing of these parties have made them especially attractive for contributors, while the Reform Party is more likely to receive donations from right-wing ideological hardliners. The Republican Party itself has wisely opted to not directly fund either party, and has continued to honor its commitment to its pledge.

Top 10 PAC Contributors
1. National Association of Realtors
2. National Auto Dealers Association
3. National Beer Wholesales Association
4. American Medical Association
5. National Association of Home Builders
6. United Parcel Service
7. Associated Builders and Contractors
8. Credit Union National Association
9. American Bankers Association
10. FedEx Corp

Top 10 Soft Money Contributors
1. Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America
2. Microsoft Corp
3. Freddie Mac
4. Philip Morris
5. American Financial Group
6. AT&T
7. Bristol-Myers Squibb
8. Pfizer
9. Ameriquest Capital
10. Enron

ANTHRAX LETTERS: “SECOND WAVE OF ATTACKS”
​

From: Chicago-Sun Times
Published: May 18th 2001

“The United States has experience a second wave of attacks from Al-Qaeda and their allies,” said President Donald Rumsfeld from the Oval Office today. “At least nineteen people have come down with infections from letters laced with anthrax, a deadly bacteria known to have been used in the Iraqi biological weapons program. They were addressed to our Senators, the members of our free press, and eventually claimed the lives of hard-working post workers who simply wanted to be able to feed their families.”

​

He paused for a few moments, before continuing with a voice of deeper resolve, “I thus strongly urge the United Nations to begin new weapons inspections in Iraq, to determine their role in this matter if any. Finally, I urge all Americans to have faith in their country, as the FBI and the CDC are doing everything in their power to bring these violent extremists to justice.”

STORMY UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL NEGOTIATIONS; FRANCE, CHINA, AND RUSSIA OPPOSE MILITARY INTERVENTION IN IRAQ
​

From: USA Today
Published: May 24th 2001

THE NEXT JAMES CAMERON? INSIDE THE MIND OF PEARL HARBOR'S MICHAEL BAY
​

From: Entertainment Weekly
Published: May 25th 2001

Almost overnight, Director Michael Bay has been catapulted to the highest echelons of Hollywood with his critically acclaimed box office monster, Pearl Harbor. He's taken the time out of his busy schedule to discuss the inspirations and techniques that have contributed to the resonance of this romantic and historical epic for our readers.

[…]

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPECIAL ELECTIONS, 2001
​

From: Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
Published: Present Day

The 2001 United States House of Representatives special elections were mostly held on May 28th (Memorial Day), just 126 days after the Inaugural Attacks. In the latter event, thousands of people lost their lives, including the President and all 535 members of the Congress. The elections were thus overshadowed by the issue of terrorism, with a muted campaign atmosphere marked by mourning that inhibited negative campaigning or partisan debate, in favor of national unity themes. Nonetheless, an estimated $4.4 billion dollars was used to finance the candidates, the most spent on record for an off-year election and nearly two and a half times more than the amount spent in the 2000 congressional races.

​

Building upon the aforementioned theme of unity, the National Union Party was founded in a large rally at the National Mall on the fourth of April, with keynote speakers including Colin Powell and six sitting Senators from both established parties. The National Unionists often worked as blue-collar workers, pastors, or teachers and were typified as “Washington outsiders” with little prior political experience and thus no voting record or history of public statements aside from overtures of social conservatism and support of organized labor. They have been described as “nationalist”, “populist”, “producerist”, “Third Way” and as a “radical center” by various academics and news organizations. The Reform Party campaigned similarly, and aided by a new flow of funding from those who would have otherwise contributed to the Republican Party.

The results of the May 26th 2001 special elections were as follows:

(↓3) 218 Republicans
(↓64)148 Democrats
(↑44) 44 National Unionists
(↑25) 25 Reformists

The Democratic Party experienced the largest decrease in representation in the House since the elections of 1938, while the National Unionists and Reformists saw historically notable gains. The Republican Party possessed the slimmest majority maintained in the House of Representatives since the 72nd Congress of 1930. Nonetheless, Newt Gingrich (R-GA) was made the new Speaker of the House and Jack Kemp (R-NY) became the House Majority Leader.

The National Union and Reform Parties subsequently cooperated to propose a sizable number of reform proposals, including campaign finance reform, congressional term limits, a national initiative and referendum mechanism, abolition of the electoral college, minimum wage as congressional and presidential pay, among others. Almost all of these bills died in either House or Senatorial committees, and aside from those proposals the Reform Party almost always caucuses with the Republican Party, while the National Union Party consistently vote with Republicans on social issues (e.g. gun control and environmental legislation), and Democrats on certain economic issues (e.g. labor unions and corporate regulation).


House of Representatives party affiliations by congressional district:

Alabama
1: R, 2: R, 3: R, 4: R, 5: D, 6:R, 7: D

Alaska
At-large: R

Arizona (+2 Ref., -2 D)
1: Rf. (gain), 2:R, 3:R, 4:R, 5:R, 6:R, 7:Ref. (gain), 8:R

Arkansas (+1 Ref., -1 D)
1: D, 2: D, 3: R, 4: Ref. (gain)

California (+5 NU, -5 D)
1: D, 2: R, 3: R, 4: Republican, 5: D, 6: D, 7: D, 8: D, 9: D, 10: D, 11: R, 12: D, 13: D, 14: D, 15: D, 16: D, 17: D, 18: R(gain), 19: R, 20: D, 21: NU (gain), 22: R, 23: NU (gain), 24: R, 25: R, 26: R, 27: D, 28: D, 29: D, 30: D, 31: D, 32: D, 33: D, 34: D, 35: D, 36: D, 37: D, 38: D, 39: R, 40: R, 41: R, 42: R, 43: D, 44: R, 45: R, 46: R, 47: NU (gain), 48: R, 49: R, 50: R, 51: R(gain) 52: R, 53: D

Colorado (+1 NU, -1 D)
1: D, 2: D, 3: R, 4: R, 5: R, 6: R, 7: NU (gain)

Connecticut (-1 D)
1: D, 2: R, 3: D, 4: R, 5: R

Delaware
At-large: R

Florida (+4 Ref., -4 D)
1: R, 2: D, 3: Ref. (gain), 4: R, 5: Ref. (gain), 6: R, 7: R, 8: R, 9: R, 10: R, 11: D, 12: R, 13: R, 14: R, 15: R, 16: R, 17: D, 18: R, 19: D, 20: D, 21: R, 22: R, 23: D, 24: Ref. (gain), 25: Ref. (gain)

Georgia (+3 Ref., -1 R, -3 D)
1: R, 2: D, 3: R, 4: D, 5: D, 6: R, 7: R, 8: R, 9: R, 10: R, 11: Ref. (gain), 12: Ref. (gain), 13: Ref. (gain)

Hawaii
1: D, 2: D

Idaho
1: R, 2: R

Illinois
1: D, 2: D, 3: D, 4: D, 5: D, 6: R, 7: D, 8: R, 9: D, 10: R, 11: R, 12: D, 13: R, 14: R, 15: R, 16: R, 17: D, 18: R, 19: R

Indiana (+3 Ref., -3 D)
1: D, 2: Ref. (gain), 3: R, 4: R, 5: R, 6: R, 7: Ref. (gain), 8: R, 9: Ref. (gain)

Iowa
1: R, 2: R, 3: D, 4: R, 5:R

Kansas (+1 Ref., -1 D)
1: R, 2: R, 3: Ref. (gain), 4: R

Kentucky (+1 Ref., - 1 D)
1: R, 2: R, 3: R, 4: Ref. (gain), 5: R, 6: R

Louisiana
1: R, 2: D, 3: R,4: R, 5: R, 6: R, 7: D

Maine (+1 NU, -1 D)
1: D, 2: NU (gain)

Maryland
1: R, 2: R, 3: D, 4: D, 5: D, 6: R, 7: D, 8: R

Massachusetts
1: D, 2: D, 3: D, 4: D, 5: D, 6: D, 7: D, 8: D, 9: D, 10: D

Michigan (+2 NU, -3 D)
1: D, 2: R, 3: R, 4: R, 5: D, 6: R, 7: R, 8: R, 9: R, 10: NU (gain), 11: NU (gain), 12: D, 13: D, 14: D, 15: D

Minnesota (+ 1 Ref., -1 D)
1: R, 2: Ref. (gain), 3: R, 4: D, 5: D, 6:R, 7: D, 8: D

Mississippi (-1 D)
1: R, 2: D, 3: R, 4: D

Missouri (+1 Ref., -1 D)
1: D, 2: D, 3:Ref. (gain), 4: D, 5: D, 6: R, 7: R, 8: R, 9: R

Montana
At-large: R

Nebraska
1: R, 2: R, 3: R

Nevada (+2 NU, -2 D)
1: NU (gain), 2: R, 3: NU (gain)

New Hampshire
1: R, 2: R:

New Jersey
1: D, 2: R, 3: R, 4: R, 5: R, 6: D, 7: R, 8: D, 9: D, 10: D, 11: R, 12: D, 13: D

New Mexico
1: R, 2: R, 3: D

New York (+ 3 NU, -1 R, -1 D)
1: R, 2: NU (gain), 3: R, 4: NU (gain), 5: D, 6: D, 7: D, 8: D, 9: D, 10: D, 11: D, 12: D, 13: R, 14: D, 15: D, 16: D, 17: D, 18: D, 19: R, 20: R, 21: D, 22: D, 23: R, 24: R, 25: R, 26: R, 27: R, 28: R, 29: R

North Carolina (+1 Ref., -1 D)
1: D, 2: D, 3: R, 4: D, 5: R, 6: R, 7: D, 8: R, 9: R, 10: R, 11: R, 12: D, 13: Ref. (gain)

North Dakota (+1 NU, -1 D)
At-large: NU (gain)

Ohio (+2 Ref., +1 NU, -4 D)
1: R, 2: R, 3: NU (gain), 4: R, 5: R, 6: Ref. (gain), 7: R, 8: R, 9: D, 10: D, 11: D, 12: R, 13: D, 14: R, 15: R, 16: R 17: Ref. (gain), 18: R

-1 D

Oklahoma (+1 NU, -1 R)
1: R, 2: NU (gain), 3: R, 4: R

-1 R

Oregon
1: D, 2: R, 3: D, 4: D, 5: D

Pennsylvania (+ 4 NU, -6 D)
1: D, 2: D, 3: R, 4: R, 5: R, 6: NU (gain), 7: R, 8: R, 9: R, 10: R, 11: NU (gain), 12: D, 13: NU (gain), 14: D, 15: R, 16: R, 17: NU (gain), 18: NU (gain), 19: R

-2 D

Rhode Island

1: D, 2: D

South Carolina

1: R, 2: R, 3: R, 4: R, 5: D, 6: D

South Dakota

At-large: R

Tennessee (+1 Ref., -1 D)

1: R, 2: R, 3: R, 4: R, 5: Ref. (gain), 6: D, 7: R, 8: D, 9: D

Texas (+ 4 Ref., +5 NU)

1: Ref. (gain), 2: NU (gain), 3: R, 4: NU (gain), 5: Ref. (gain), 6: R, 7: R, 8: R, 9: NU (gain), 10: D, 11: NU (gain), 12: R, 13:R, 14: R, 15: D, 16: D, 17: Ref. (gain), 18: D, 19: R, 20: D, 21: R, 22: R, 23: R, 24: D, 25: NU (gain), 26: R, 27: D, 28: D, 29: D, 30: D, 31: Ref. (gain), 32: R

Utah:

1: R, 2: D, 3: R

Vermont (+1 D, -1 I)

At-large: D (gain)

Virginia (+2 NU, -1 I, -1 D)

1: R, 2: R, 3: D, 4:R, 5: NU (gain), 6: R, 7: R, 8: NU (gain), 9: D, 10: R, 11: R

Washington (+ 4 NU, -4 D)

1: NU (gain), 2: NU (gain), 3: D, 4: R, 5: R, 6: D, 7: D, 8: NU (gain), 9: NU (gain)

West Virginia

1: D, 2: R, 3: D

Wisconsin

1: R, 2: D, 3: D, 4: D, 5: R, 6: R, 7: D, 8: R

Wyoming

At-large: R

 

[Dragun]

F***ing Michael Bay got successful over Pearl Harbor?!

 

[Sabot Cat]

F***ing Michael Bay got successful over Pearl Harbor?!

Well, more successful; it made $449,220,945 at the box office, about four times its budget, in OTL.

You're doing great. Looking forward to it, good work, and ready for updates.

I wanna see a light at the end of this tunnel.

Thanks, and it has been posted~ Although I don't know if there has been any light yet.

 

[Dragun]

The question is the movie the same in OTL - dumb love triangle that was bombed by the Japanese - and only got more successful because of emotional backlash from the Inaugural Attack? It's critical review I was referring to.

Or is it something else that made Bay and Brukenheimer to redrawn the movie altogether because of the Inaugural Attack because of shock from the Inaugural Attack?

 

[Sabot Cat]

The question is the movie the same in OTL - dumb love triangle that was bombed by the Japanese - and only got more successful because of emotional backlash from the Inaugural Attack? It's critical review I was referring to.

Or is it something else that made Bay and Brukenheimer to redrawn the movie altogether because of the Inaugural Attack because of shock from the Inaugural Attack?

The movie was hastily recut in the days after the Inaugural Attacks on order of the studio, shaving significant portions of the movie so that it's little more than its centerpiece action sequence with context, cutting about 60 minutes to make it a ~123 minute action film. Nonetheless, the emotional backlash helped it along greatly.