Conservative Party (United States)

**Official color(s)** | Orange

The **Conservative Party**,also known as the Conservative Union (or CU) since 2073, is one of the major contemporary political parties in the United States and its Associated states. It was formed in the 2030s and is positioned on the right of the American political spectrum. The party's current leader since 2153 is Nel Shen, son of former party leader Steven Shen, who served from 2133 to 2141

The Conservative Party is the chief successor to the Republican Party. Until 2028, the Republicans had been one of the two major parties of the United States, before internal divisions resulting from the administration of Donald Trump led to the party's dissolution as a coherent political entity. Several minor conservative parties attempted to gain a foothold during the 2020s and 2030s, but were largely unsuccessful at winning elections under the US First Past the Post system. This is partly what led to many prominent conservatives becoming outspoken proponents to the electoral reform amendments passed in 2027, as it gave them a chance to compete against Democrats who typically won by splitting the vote.

The most moderate of the right-wing parties, the Conservatives, had the greatest deal of success in the elections of 2076, having been formed from members of the more globalist factions of the Democratic and Republican Parties, who saw the return of nationalism as a dominant political force as a destabilizing threat. The early Conservative Party's platform could trace its ideological standpoints from the book A State of Merit. The Second Depression had resulted in majority of voters swinging in favor to the Conservative party, which had helped lead to the election of the first Conservative president; Oscar Lachman.

## History

### **Founding and early struggles**

The second half of the 21st century saw election of a series of Progressive and Liberal Presidents. The Conservative party could trace its origins directly to the second National Union party, founded by Mitt Romney and Kyrsten Sinema. The second National Union party was formed after the schism and collapse of the Republican party during the White Tide. The Conservative party became its chief successor some time following the dissolution of the National Union party. It was founded in the Northern states some time between the 2030s by globalization activists, entrepreneurs, and elements of former Democrats, Liberals, Libertarians, and Republicans. The Conservative Party was formed in the principal opposition to the dominant Progress and Liberal Parties. By the mid-21st century, they gradually gained a sizeable foothold in state elections and legislatures, but still fail to capture the presidency themselves.

The main cause of their meteoric rise was the Second Depression and the failure of President Fadel and Duchesne to provide an appropriate response, blaming Progressive policies in place. The South-western Conservatives saw the dismantling of immigration barriers as a great evil. The first public meeting of the general "anti-immigration" movement where the new name "Conservative Union" was suggested for a new anti-immigration party was held on February 1, 2073, at the San Mateo event center. The name was partly chosen to establish themselves as a "true conservative" brand where the Republican name had become synonymous for the worst elements of right-wing politics, and to reflect the previous two national union parties that were formed by members of the Republican party during the first American Civil War and the White Tide.

### **Lachman revolution**

The party struggled nationally, but from 2077 to 2081 the party controlled a coalition in the House of Representatives and were a formidable force in local politics. The Second Depression and election of Oscar Lachman in 2080 saw a party-wide revival that pushed the conservatives to national prominence, and would remain the country's dominant party until the election of 2132, closing the Eighth Party System.

### **Levin and Post-Levin Era**

Thang Levin's Presidency resulted in a unity ticket with the Dignidad Party in 2128 Presidential Election, resulting in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party. However, the victory had soon resulted in a surge in popularity of the Dignidad Party in the Southwestern states. This reached new heights when the MLP had gained many seats within the Southwestern United States in the midterm elections of 2130. This had caused a sharp division that resulted in a breakdown of the coalition when many prominent politicians, including those from the Conservative Party, became concerned with the growing power of the MLP in the Southwestern States. The tension between the politicians of Dignidad and the politicians of other parties resulted in violence in the streets as crowds began attacking each other during rallies.

President Levin sent troops to try to maintain peace within the Southwestern states resulted in backlash when police began to be seen attacking civilians that had met with harsh criticism from the media, whom many citizens had watched with mixed reactions all over the country. Coupled with the fact of denouncement of Mexico with such acts and alienation of much the country when public outcry was ignored had resulted in the secession of the southwestern United States, which would quickly became known as the United States of Aztlan.

The outbreak of the Second American Civil War, which was soon followed after by the Third Mexican-American War, caused a schism to form in the party between Union Conservatives who had quietly opposed the party's alliance with the MLP, and libertarian leaning Conservatives who opposed the War and felt peaceful separation was preferable. The party would've collapsed if it were not for Steven Shen, who led the party between 2133 to 2141. Shen allied with with more conservative elements of the Union Party and once the Second Civil War grew into the Third Mexican War, Shen pushed the party to directly oppose Mexico as an aggressor against global unity, and crafted the doctrine of "New Globalism" which sought to refine old neoliberal theories on internationalism to adapt to what would eventually become the American protectorate system. These reforms to the party would make it a formidable player in Earth-Commonwealth politics.

### **New Vigor**

In 2148, the party had helped successfully negotiated an alliance with the Libertarian and Liberal parties, whom were growing dissatisfied with the domination of the Union Party during this era after the fracture of former President Halvidar's coalition and with their slow declination. The Libertarian party would experience a slow and steady decline that would result in the party later disbanding in 2151 with it's members flocking to the Conservative party, who would form a Conservative-Liberal coalition by 2156, and may soon pose a challenge for the United Progressive Party in the 2160s during the rise of the Tenth Party System.

## Historical Factions

### **Alt-Right**

Some former supporters of Donald Trump had joined the party in its early years, as they were opposed to the culturally left platform of the Progress Party. However, the Conservative Party's dominant emphasis on globalization and austerity measures were typically considered poison to these voters, who were more economically nationalist. They would ultimately function as swing voters, as their cultural values would clash with their economic values from election to election.

### **Third Way Democrat**

Centrist or right-leaning members of the Democratic Party had joined the Conservative Party following the collapse of both the Democratic and Republican Parties. They would do this due to an ideological opposition to Progressivism. Examples are Joe Manchin, Barack Obama, and Kyrsten Sinema.

### **Neoconservative**

Survivors from the Reagan wing of the Republican Party would join the Conservative Party after the collapse of the Republican Party. They delighted in the party's emphasis on the "respectable" conservatism of the pre-Trump era. Examples are Mitch McConnell,Mitt Romney, and Jeb Bush.