Young Writers Society

Alternate History Story Line Synopsis--
Bernie Sanders became the Dem Nominee 2020. Centrists, Never Trumpers, and Anti-Berns came together to create a number of political movements that won electoral votes but were not enough to stop a civil war from erupting between a Trump America and a Sanders America.

2020 election results--
Sanders: 286
Trump: 148
3rd Party: 104
https://imgur.com/X0RkLoD

America became so divided that each state was asked to chose which candidate they thought would be the better president-- 25 remained in the Union, 7 split off into 4 neutral nations, and 18 became Trump's America.
https://imgur.com/a/bXJoxub

For this idea, I'm thinking about basing the story around an important person from each nation-- so, 6 main characters in all. These people would probably be Senators or something like that. I might do something different, I'm not sure.

Any feedback on this idea would be great!

@Vil

What's up with Iowa, just chillin' in the middle of everyone, doing its own tiny thing XD

I think it'd be pretty neat and you could make it work. The one thing I'd be most worried about structure-wise would be balancing six main characters, especially when it sounds like they will probably be separated a lot. You'd need something really solid to tie them all together into a single plot throughout the story. It might turn out to be something that results in a king of unconventional telling, but I think unconventional's pretty cool, so... XD

@Stringbean, Iowa was waaaaay more realistic than Tennessee, and I don't want someone to go "Tennessee Bias, that's all this is, yep, mhmm"

If I can handle Carolina, Edwin, Michael, Nelle, Phineas, Alexia, Sinestra, and... *insert what's-his-name's-name-here*... I can handle six characters XD

Seriously, though, I see what you're saying. I think I'd have to do something similar to what we did at the start of Dusk-- the back and forth, "what on does affects all" kind of thing. As for unconventional--

"VP always has a plan."

Vil wrote:@Stringbean, Iowa was waaaaay more realistic than Tennessee, and I don't want someone to go "Tennessee Bias, that's all this is, yep, mhmm"

If I can handle Carolina, Edwin, Michael, Nelle, Phineas, Alexia, Sinestra, and... *insert what's-his-name's-name-here*... I can handle six characters XD

Seriously, though, I see what you're saying. I think I'd have to do something similar to what we did at the start of Dusk-- the back and forth, "what on does affects all" kind of thing. As for unconventional--

"VP always has a plan." :wink:

XDDD

Yeah, that'd probably work, as long as it didn't get too complicated. Like it'd probably have to be a main plot they all affect each other in with each character's more specific plot on the side, rather than they each have a plot and by the way they all connect this way, if you know what I mean XD

But yes-- always a plan ;)

Stringbean wrote:

Vil wrote:@Stringbean, Iowa was waaaaay more realistic than Tennessee, and I don't want someone to go "Tennessee Bias, that's all this is, yep, mhmm"

If I can handle Carolina, Edwin, Michael, Nelle, Phineas, Alexia, Sinestra, and... *insert what's-his-name's-name-here*... I can handle six characters XD

Seriously, though, I see what you're saying. I think I'd have to do something similar to what we did at the start of Dusk-- the back and forth, "what on does affects all" kind of thing. As for unconventional--

"VP always has a plan."

XDDD

Yeah, that'd probably work, as long as it didn't get too complicated. Like it'd probably have to be a main plot they all affect each other in with each character's more specific plot on the side, rather than they each have a plot and by the way they all connect this way, if you know what I mean XD

But yes-- always a plan

So, in other words-- don't create an American 2.0?

2.0?

Lemme reword that--

Don't create an American version of 2.0. That's what I meant to say XD

Anywho, time to plan

This looks really interesting! I see what you mean about it being controversial, but I definitely think you should go ahead with it for NaNo - it'll be an interesting take on the political atmosphere of the US & a unique what-if scenario.

Thanks, @Magebird!

Vil wrote:Lemme reword that--

Don't create an American version of 2.0. That's what I meant to say XD

Anywho, time to plan

...Definitely not XDD

It's an interesting thought experiment and there's a lot you can do with the idea!!

I have so many logistical questions:
- I think it would be more likely that the states would change as well. Even in "blue" states there are very red counties and in "red" states there are very blue counties. I know right now part of California and Oregon are trying to join Idaho because of politics. So in the the scenario you describe with new nations being formed, I could see state lines going away or dramatically changing.

- Also, what happens to the the red people in California and the blue people in Texas (or other traditionally red or blue states) - and they do exist! :p I personally know a very red Californian and some very blue former Texans. Are they forced to assimilate or move?

- And while I no longer live there, I still consider myself to be an Iowan at heart. I love the idea of Iowa being its own special little place in the middle, but knowing Iowans I could see Iowa no longer existing and it splitting into some blue parts and some red parts because it tends to be a 50/50 swappy state.

- Which then also makes me so curious about the voting process of how they decide which state is what country because surely it won't be a unanimous vote and what happens to the people who are on the losing side of the vote?

- What happens if someone is like NO. NORTH DAKOTA IS MY HOME AND I WILL NOT LEAVE I WANT TO STAY AND FIGHT TO RESTORE NORTH DAKOTA THE WAY I WANT IT TO BE? Can people do that? Are they killed? Imprisoned? Just forced to live elsewhere?

- How are the blue states going to communicate and govern a country when there's a big blob of red separating the two sides?

- Is it like a North and South Korea situation where if parts of your family ends up in a different country too bad you can't see them anymore?

- How long does this civil war go on and what's the state of the country after? Are major cities destroyed? What about agriculture? Infrastructure? Etc.

I know I'll think of more logistical questions the more I think about it!

My only other thought is that I like the idea of doing POVs to represent each of the new nations. I hope that, no matter what your political beliefs are, that whatever the opposite of your beliefs are doesn't automatically become the villain and that no one becomes a caricature . I believe there are good and bad people on all sides of the political spectrum and I think your overall idea could be a cool way to get beyond "this person likes x candidate and therefore they must be dumb/evil/etc." and make a bigger statement about the party system as a whole or corruption as a whole or whatever you want.

@Carlito, Imma answer these so you know and I do, too!

- I think it would be more likely that the states would change as well. Even in "blue" states there are very red counties and in "red" states there are very blue counties. I know right now part of California and Oregon are trying to join Idaho because of politics. So in the the scenario you describe with new nations being formed, I could see state lines going away or dramatically changing.
- Also, what happens to the the red people in California and the blue people in Texas (or other traditionally red or blue states) - and they do exist! :p I personally know a very red Californian and some very blue former Texans. Are they forced to assimilate or move?
. Yes... and no. Doing a county-by-county map like I did with "America Gone" would a.) take forever and b.) still be highly unlikely given that some cities (e.g. Nashville or Memphis) would be islands of *political group*. I think some starts, like Florida, Georgia, California, and Texas might split, but I don't think every single state would. Rather, I think people would either a.) move to another country or b.) stay and try to make the best of it.


- And while I no longer live there, I still consider myself to be an Iowan at heart. I love the idea of Iowa being its own special little place in the middle, but knowing Iowans I could see Iowa no longer existing and it splitting into some blue parts and some red parts because it tends to be a 50/50 swappy state.
. I have my own reasons for Iowa being it's own micro-state-- namely, the fictitious Rust Belt Party that I've created. The independent nations that exist between the "left" and "right" Americas exist as... for lack of a better phrase, centrist mediators that seek to return the nation to a complete whole.


- Which then also makes me so curious about the voting process of how they decide which state is what country because surely it won't be a unanimous vote and what happens to the people who are on the losing side of the vote?
- What happens if someone is like "NO. NORTH DAKOTA IS MY HOME AND I WILL NOT LEAVE I WANT TO STAY AND FIGHT TO RESTORE NORTH DAKOTA THE WAY I WANT IT TO BE?" Can people do that? Are they killed? Imprisoned? Just forced to live elsewhere?
. I think each state's legislature would vote on-- well, it's not secession given some of the ideas I have in mind-- which nation to join. Dissenters could protest (depending on where they are) but they could also be attacked by strong supporters of separate Americas. I also think that people could work towards national reconciliation and re-establishing the OG states.


- How are the blue states going to communicate and govern a country when there's a big blob of red separating the two sides?
. Well, there are obvious forms of communication-- Zoom, phones, mail, etc-- but as for meeting in place... With some political ideas I've had to ensure national safety during a catastrophic event, things like the State of the Union would be given in the Capital, but members of Congress would watch it together at parties (kinda like how some people watched the DNC or RNC).


- Is it like a North and South Korea situation where if parts of your family ends up in a different country too bad you can't see them anymore?
. There would likely be a ceasefire similar to that of the Koreas, but I think people would be allowed to move in between the nations.


- How long does this civil war go on and what's the state of the country after? Are major cities destroyed? What about agriculture? Infrastructure? Etc.
. Looking at the over-simplified maps here, each nation (with the exception of Montana) dominates one or more industry or economic production group (e.g. Iowa and farming; Texas with oil, gold, and fishing, etc). The Left especially has a huge population advantage, dominates fishing and research, controls many northern railroads, retains the most contact with Canada (thus probably has stronger relations with NATO and the UN), and controls a lot of production facilities.


My only other thought is that I like the idea of doing POVs to represent each of the new nations. I hope that, no matter what your political beliefs are, that whatever the opposite of your beliefs are doesn't automatically become the villain and that no one becomes a caricature . I believe there are good and bad people on all sides of the political spectrum and I think your overall idea could be a cool way to get beyond "this person likes x candidate and therefore they must be dumb/evil/etc." and make a bigger statement about the party system as a whole or corruption as a whole or whatever you want..
I intend to rename the Sanders/Trump people just so that I'm not sued for using their names, but I think at the very least each character will retain some of the same rhetoric. I don't intend for there to be a "bad guy," per se, though I really don't intend for there to be a "good guy," either.

Thanks for asking these questions! I loved answering them.

So, made some names and wrote a couple of mini bios.

President Dorothy "Dolly" Winthrop of the USA, 58 (born 1952)
A democratic socialist from Maine, Pres. Winthrop is widely viewed abroad as the legitimate US president as she won the Electoral College and the popular vote. Winthrop went to the University of New England, where she earned degrees in philosophy and political science. She was elected to the House of Representative in 1996, and later to the Senate in 2012. Shortly after her landslide reelection in 2018, Winthrop announced her 2020 bid and was immediately a frontrunner among liberals. She has based her eastern capital in Albany, New York and her western capital in Sacramento, California.

President Calvin Nickson of the ALS, 45 (born 1975)
Pres. Winthrop is a Tea Party Republican from Louisiana. A successful businessman, he owns a large chain of Cajun restaurants all across the Deep South. Having studied economics in college, Nickson had previously served as Secretary of Commerce between 2005 and 2008 before he resigned after his father's untimely death. His capital has not been firmly established yet, though a shortlist of three cities has been made-- Nashville, Memphis, and Corinth.

Governor Roy Davis of Texas


Governor George Flite of Iowa


President Amy Montgomery of the Free South


Governor Tucker Carlton of Montana

Governor Roy Davis of Texas, 57 (born 1963)
Gov. George Davis is a firm Rockefeller Republican that ran as the Southern Rights Party nominee in 2020. He recieved the third largest number of votes nationally, and he recieved fame as the best third-party candidate since Teddy Roosevelt. With his capital situated in Austin, Davis is most concerned with keeping the citizens of Texas safe. The Texan constitution is currently the law of the land. He served as Attorney General under President Turner from 2017 to 2018.

Governor George Flite of Iowa, 44 (born 1977)
Gov. George Flite was a supporter and friend of Governor Davis. As the VP nominee on the Southern Rights Party, he helped his party win the second largest number of votes in Iowa. He situated his nation's capital in Des Moines, though there is talk of a merge with the Republic of Texas and the taking of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. He has served as governor of Iowa since 2002.

President Amy Montgomery of the Free South, 38 (born 1982)
As the leader of the Free South, Amy Montgomery was a US Senator before the country divided itself. She rallied the southeast and created an independent southern nation. With Charlotte, North Carolina as her capital, the Georgian has remained firmly center-right and kept relations with only Texas. Aside from the United States, they are the only nation that has been admitted to the United Nations.

Governor Tucker Carlton of Montana
Tucker Carlton, governor of Montana, led his state to secede from the Union less than three days after the election. A member of the Democratic Party, he ran in the 2020 primaries, ultimately losing to President Winthrop. He refused to join either nation, though there is talk of Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and North Dakota joining Canada. Carlton's capital is based in Helena.

This map closely details how terrible this election was.

https://www.270towin.com/maps/Bl6Dp