2020 Presidential Election [VCCzar version]
[This election was updated by the Historical Scenario Commission on Nov 29, 2017. It was updated again on February 4, 2018, and it can be downloaded here: United States – 2020-Feb4th2018
Backstory
It is July 2019, and President Trump’s approval rating has never been above 40% in the average poll.
Donald Trump’s presidency has proven to be as controversial as his 2016 campaign. While his Midwestern base is exceptionally happy, he has alienated many Republicans, mostly with his unique presidential style, but also with his connection to scandalous figures from the Russian probe and some of his policies. Republicans are mostly against impeaching Trump.
Meanwhile, Democrats struggle between reformist establishment figures and populist progressives leading the party, but they have managed to narrowly retake the Senate and the House. As such, impeachment seems likely as more evidence comes in from the Russia probe.
Both parties continue to struggle with making their voters happy, while maintaining the stability and order that the establishment of both parties think is required for American supremacy.
great job, though I would argue there are almost too many events. I would space them out more.
in other words, you’ve essentially packed an entire presidency into just like two months, and it hurts the realism of the scenario.
Excellent. I’ve been waiting on somebody to do a 2020 unseat Trump scenario. Can’t wait to play this one through.
Please add Dwayne Johnson as a Republican candidate(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2020#Speculative_candidates) and Kanye West as a Independent candidate.
Yes, could please add Kanye West as an Independent candidate?
Needs more Lincoln Chafee
I would of liked one just with copy and pasted polls from this results to in 4 years Democrats are slowly imploding,and to assume Trump is going to be a doomsday scenario is ignorant,I would of just liked a neutral scenario.
To one sided.
@TJ agreed,literally assuming somebody is going to be a failure of a president when they have not even been in office yet seems quite ignorant.
Actually, it’s impossible for anyone to not be ignorant about what will happen in this election or Trump’a presidency, since this hasn’t occurred yet. Thus, the two of you are ignorant in assuming that one can be other than ignorant in making this election. Now, the charge of bias or lack of neutrality is valid, however. I have made this election based of what I’ve seen of Trump on campaign. 1) He’s not desired by most people 2) He upsets the establishment. 3) He’s wildly populist. 4) He’s wildly popular in the Midwest. 5) He has no true ideology. 6) He has very little self-control in regards to what he says 7) He has a thin skin 8) He’s very confident. All of these are included in this scenario. He has a lot of positive events in this, too. Like on campaign, he even gets boosts for saying stupid stuff that his base might enjoy. Everything I’ve included are all things he could possibly say or do, or have happen to him, if he doesn’t change. It is made based on evidence from his behavior on campaign. This is a possible scenario but it isn’t impossible to say that it is probable or even likely, since it is too soon. Thus, charges of ignorance is impossible and charges of a bias is valid. I don’t think a neutral Trump campaign can be made, he transcends neutrality. All campaigns created will have their bias, until they become historical campaigns and must follow the truth we find. For 2020, there are no truths yet.
I’m not saying his presidency will be positive or negative, my only point was that I feel that there are too many events packed into it, and some of them aren’t overtly realistic. That’s alright though, because otherwise its a very good scenario, and i’m a fan of events in the game, and feel there aren’t enough in many user made scenarios.
Assuming Trump’s presidency will be a failure probably means you’re both literate and prescient… not ignorant. If you don’t like it, don’t download instead of complaining about a fictional game online.
How about a Trump 3rd party, with great strength in the midwest and moderately strong in red states, meant to be used when Trump loses the nomination?
Anyway, great scenario. Loved the events, especially parts like Huntsman speaking Mandarin and reaching a trade agreement.
I haven’t had a chance to play this one yet, as i’m currently embroiled in obsessively playing and replaying your 2016 sim.
However, with Joe Biden’s tease about 2020 revealed today (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/joe-biden-2020-presidential-race-im-committing-run/story?id=44005843), will you be including him in an update…?
Contrary to several of the previous comments, the jam-packed events are what make this scenario so great, in my humble opinion. The same round of scripted events gets really old. It was fun reading the headlines, because, again, contrary to previous posters, they seemed so real. “Trump Tweets Rubio Is Weak And Sweaty” is classic. Honestly, thanks for “sprucing up” the events section. It made for an entirely new and different experience. Frankly, I wish more scenario-makers would do the same. Especially with the historical scenarios. You don’t even have to make anything up with those – the events are there in history. Just add them to the game.
@Brandon
Thanks. I’ll be adding events to 1788-1956
Great new update. Not sure if you plan on updating this scenario again, but in the event that you do, I’d like to lobby that Michelle Obama be an option for the Democratic Party.
@VCCzar: I’ve already started adding events to the 1868 mod; do you want me to send it when finished…?
@Os Davis
That’s great. send it when you’re done!
@VCCzar: Great. I will send on my edited version within 1-2 days; i have to girue one more thing out and then i’m done!
Also, i’ve been rereading some of the comments on the one-sidedness of this scenario. I took a peek at it, spece-barring about 1/3 of the way through and i thought the storyline was quite interesting and mostly believable — though i figure the country is in a pretty serious Depression by 2020 whether Trump or Pence is president, and would further guess that the trade war with China will have begun by then.
But.
I don’t want to pile on work, but what about making the outcomes of the events “more random” (for lack of a better expression)? For example, for a “Trump Impeached for 3rd Time” event, your outcomes could be multiple: Trump gets impeached and loses like a million momentum; Trump is impeached, but little effect on the population (or even Trump’s mo goes up a tiny bit while all other professional politics go down slightly); Trump gets off again because he’s teflon, etc.
The same could be done for a “Trade Talks with China” event. You know, in one, talks break down and Trump dumps; in another, he actually makes a HYOOGE DEAL, a tremendous deal, and his numbers go up.
What’d you get is a really interesting, short of random choose-your-own-adventure kinda scenario. And what the hell, it’s all speculative at this point, right?
Just thinking….
@VCCzar: I’m set with the 1868 scenario; how can i get it to you? (Also posted to the page devoted to the 1868 scenario on this site.)
Joseph Kennedy III would be an interesting addition to the cast. Provides another “coastal elite” if you need one, with the added bonus of being a Kennedy! However, he’s a little inexperienced and he might want to stay on as Governor of Massachusetts, as you have him currently. Another name I’ve heard tossed around for 2020 is Admiral William H. McRaven, who has been critical of the Trump presidency so far and is the man who helped kill Bin Laden. Anyways, keep up the good work vcczar!
John Bel Edwards is center-right on abortions.
Could you add Nikki Haley?
Can you add Jason Kander?
@Scott
I’ve updated Edwards
@Kevin
I might in a later update
@Conner
I might in a later update, especially if more rumors of him running come out.
California recently moved their primary up to March 3, if you haven’t updated the scenario to account for that.
Some more notes:
-I’m having some errors selecting Mike Pence for the GOP primaries. I think it may be because he has no potential VP’s selected for him. Also, his wife’s first name is Karen.
Also, could you add these candidates?:
– Jerry Brown (D – CA Gov, fmr by 2020) | Far left on social issues, moderate/right on economic issues
– Dwayne Johnson (R – actor) | Moderate “Rockefeller Republican”
– Stephen Colbert (D – comedian)
– Eric Holder (D – fmr Attorney Gen) | Moderate on foreign policy & crime, Center-left on social issues
– John Hickenlooper (D – CO Gov, fmr by 2020) | Moderate to center-left
– Richard Blumenthal (D – CT Sen) | Center-left (integrity problems?- ‘Nam record)
– Jamie Dimon (D – businessman) | Center-left, moderate on economic issues
– Jason Kander (D – fmr MO Sec of State) | Center-left, left on gun control
– Caroline Kennedy (D – fmr ambassador to Japan)
– John Kerry (D – fmr Sec of State) | Liberal, moderate/center-left on foreign policy
– Amy Klobuchar (D – MN Sen)
– Mitch Landrieu (D – Mayor of New Orleans)
– Jeff Merkley (D – OR Sen) | Progressive liberal
– Deval Patrick (D – fmr MA Gov)
– Mary Ruwart (Libertarian – physician) | Conservative libertarian
– Jeffery Tucker (Libertarian – activist) | Anti-Trump libertarian
– Winona LaDuke (Green – activist)
@Joe, I fixed the primary in my internal version a few days ago. I must have fixed the VP issue with Pence, because I have three possible VP choices for him.
I’ve added Hickenlooper, Klobuchar, and I think I added Merkley (don’t know why I don’t remember this.). All these others will be added if I here more about their potential for running. Thanks for the 3rd party suggestions especially
good update! Just a note on one of the early events: Putin ain’t addressing congress, like, ever.
Bernie Sanders portrait is over-posterized.
John Kasich’s Susan Collins’s description say “inter-party critic”, but should say “intra-party critic”.
Also, Trump wouldn’t be giving a commencement speech in mid october
@Lyly and @TJ
Thanks for your feedback. I’ll check this comment thread again before the next update. I had the Commencement speech at a different date, but it interfered with a different event, so I moved it, without considering that. I’ll probably change it to a different sort of major speech. Boy Scouts or something.
I understand most of Donald Trumps ratings. But corruption 5? I’d move it 3/4 personally. Correct me if I am mistaken but are you assuming the Russia probe turns out an indictment?
@astrok
Yes. This scenario assumes that there is an indictment. The events show this as well.
It just says “connections” though.
An interesting scenario. Quite possible. I noticed there were substantially more options for Democrats.
Some more Republicans that could be added:
Nikki Haley
Mitt Romney
Rick Scott
Greg Abbott
Cory Gardner
Dan Sullivan
Condoleezza Rice (it’s a stretch, but I feel like she’d be popular. Maybe a vice-leader option?)
Peter Thiel
A few others I thought of as well:
Jan Brewer
Mia Love
Carly Fiorina (eh, vice leader?)
Charlie Baker (very popular Governor)
Paul Ryan
@Tyler
I’ll probably add some of these. Thanks
I do not believe the Democrats will win the house. But that is your decision, but I double believe Pelosi will not be their spkr she will be Boehner’d.
@Astrok
Obviously, I’ll make changes based off what happens. There are too many pundits projecting a Democratic wave for the time being for me to revert the House back to them. I also don’t think Pelosi will be Speaker, so I’ll probably change this when I update the scenario.
Where’s the changelog?
Just to notify you according to the two main aggregates Trump’s approval is 41% currently
RCP:
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_trump_job_approval-6179.html
538:
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/
Sorry, I just dislike political inaccuracies on data.
@Astrok
I haven’t updated the Description for the Scenario since the first version of the game. This will obviously be updated at another point. I’m focusing primarily on more important elements of the game in the limited time I have to update 2020. If I remember, I’ll change the description for the next update at the end of the month or so.
I’m new to president infinity so I’m not sure how to download this onto the game. I have it downloaded but I can’t figure out how to put it into the game.
@Ryan
When you download the file, it should download as a .zip. Inside the zip should be a folder, “2020-United States,” I think (something like that). Put that folder in the “User Scenarios” folder for the game. I should also mention that I have updated this scenario, but I haven’t put the updated version up for download on the website yet. It can be downloaded in the Forums. I won’t upload that version up here until it is a complete update. There’s a lot I need to change.
Some suggestions:
Mr. Mark Cuban (R) OFF
Mr. Andrew Yang (D) ON
Maybe Mr. Bob Iger (I)
Also, maybe a Kasich-Hickenlooper Unity ticket set to OFF
Sorry, I missed Kasich and Cuban. My bad.
Still needs Yang, though.
Requesting addition of Brad Henry (former Oklahoma Gov) as VP and Joe Manchin as Pres, thx
Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH) would be a great dark horse candidate in this campaign. Pretty sure he’s going to run, too (I am an Ohioan).