United States Political Parties (Scorched Banners)

The following is a list of political parties and their starting leaders at the start of the Scorched Banners timeline.

## The Democratic Party

**The Democratic Party** is the oldest surviving political party in American History. At the start of the scorched banners, the Democratic Party controls the Presidency and holds many seats in Congress. At the start of Scorched Banners, the New Deal Liberals are the dominant faction in the Democratic party, though the Conservative Democrats under Pat Buchanan may retake control in the upcoming 2008 election.

*(ruling party)*
Liberalism

## The Republican Party

**The Republican Party** has been a dominant force in American politics since the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Throughout the Civil Rights movement, the Republican Party was a very liberal party on issues such as Civil Rights and were in staunch opposition to segregationist Democrats such as George Wallace. However, the party under the leadership of George Bush and Ross Perot has shifted further to the right and has become more staunchly conservative. Despite this, there is a classic liberal wing of the party which opposes the ruling neoconservative faction.

## The Reform Party

**The Reform Party** is an insurgent party which gained traction after it won the Presidency under Ross Perot. Under the Perot Presidency, it was a more centrist political party which gained supporters from the left and right. After Perot's Presidency, the leadership of the political party went to Ralph Nader, who has brought the party towards a center-left party. While not winning the Presidency since the 1980s, the Reform Party remains the third largest party holding seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

## The Dixiecrats

**The Dixiecrats** are a fringe far-right political party that split from the Democrats in the 1990s. Prior to splliting from the Democrats, the Dixiecrats were considered the segregationist wing of the Democratic Party which gained power during the Presidencies of Democrats George Wallace and Strom Thurmond. Following the election of Michael Dukakis in 1992 and his liberal reforms, the Dixiecrats created their own party, preaching the segregationist principles of the late George Wallace. To date, the party only holds 6 seats in Congress , all in the House of Representatives and all spread throughout the deep south.

## The Liberty Union Party

**The Liberty Union Party** (LUP) is a far-left democratic socialist minor party that formed in Vermont in the early 1970s. The Party made national news with its upset victory in the 1972 Vermont Senate election in which Bernie Sanders narrowly defeated the Republican and Democratic candidates and dragged Vermont to the left. So far, the party is mostly limited to Vermont; controlling several seats in the state legislature and position of Lieutenant Governor. The Party holds 4 seats, 3 in the House and 1 in the Senate.

## Minor Parties/Factions/Organizations that do not hold Gov positions

### American Party of Labor

The **American Party of Labor** is a fringe Marxist-Leninist Party in the United States which holds no political power. The leader of the party is hardline Stalinist Alfonso Casal.

### Department of Defense

**The Department of Defense** is a branch of the executive branch of the United States which advises the President on issues pertaining to national security. The department is controlled by the uniform leadership of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. While not initially despotic, the Joint Chiefs of Staff may take over in the event of a military invasion by the Soviet Union. Though the odds of that happening are next-to-none.

### New York Stock Exchange

**The New York Stock Exchange** is the world's largest stock exchange and the most powerful in the United States. Despite not being an official political organization or political party, several members and beneficiaries of the stock exchange have lobbied Congress in favor of de-regulating wall street and has opposed several of President Bradley's progressive reforms. Many online left wing conspiracy theorists believe that the Stock Exchange is part of a diabolical plot with the military-industrial complex and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg to overthrow the Presidency in favor of a corporatocracy. Though this is mostly just conspiracy theorist jargon...or is it?

### Christians Against War

**Christians Against War** is an anti-war Libertarian Socialist think tank founded in 1998 by anti-war activist and famous folk song artist Pete Seeger. The group acts more as a policy institute rather than an actual political party, though they have endorsed mayoral and Congressional candidates throughout the country. Due to its fringe Christian Libertarian Socialist beliefs, the group is not taken seriously by more mainstream think tanks.