To Struggle and Strive: The Combined Syndicates of America in 1932. A Kaiserreich Quest

Meet With Long Pt. 2

Long considers. "Fair enough, I suppose. I was hoping for more, but this is good enough. You get your people in line and consider my offer. And my door is open anytime, Mr. Reed."

He sounds a little disappointed, but only a little. He stands up and shakes your hand firmly before turning to leave.

At the door, he pauses and looks back. "We might end up opponents in '36, but I wish you the best of luck all the same."

It seems like he might say more, but then he leaves without a word. After he goes, you check with the Red Guards (the Minutemen behaved, except for catcalling a couple passerby) and the tail Schenk had on Long (he went back to his own offices.)

You don't hear from Long personally for a time, but word trickles up of Share Our Wealth Clubs and Minutemen branches cooperating with Red Guards throughout the South, and you suppose he's hearing the same things.

And you field some irritable complaints from CSA members, especially from the Red Grange. At least most of your inner circle is supportive, especially Schenk. Your spymaster reasons that either the Minutemen will serve as cannon fodder for Red Guards or radicalize through exposure to them. And he views both options as acceptable.

Then about a week later, he calls. "Would you consider something a bit closer if I throw in something to sweeten the deal? There's a copy of a bill that will do quite a bit of damage to your cause on my desk, and I will give you it and have the AFP stonewall and sabotage it every chance we get in exchange for a more formal alliance. It doesn't need to be everything, but it needs to be more."

[] [LONG] No. You aren't renegotiating.
[] [LONG] Yes. How about you make an official speech praising Long for cutting off the National Populists?
[] [LONG] Yes. How about we arrange some low-level fusion tickets?
[] [LONG] Write-in

Negotiate with the Co-Ops Pt.2
Jordie sat before the SPA delegation wearing his best clothes, an old, slightly musty black suit. Beside and behind him were arrayed nearly three-quarters of the leadership of the Fix The Price Movement.

Across was Jack Reed, who half the country thought would be the next President. He didn't quite know how to handle that.

He was taking very careful breaths as he signed the creamy paper of their agreement then passed it over to Reed, who did the same. He collapsed back into his seat and let out a sigh. Reed stood up and began to give another speech, but Jordie was too tired to care.

He had spent a long time traveling, speaking at co-op after co-op. They had common grievances, his plan was simple, and the Red Guards didn't try to stop him, but the sheer amount of travel he did wore him out. Even with all his tickets paid by some grain speculators hoping to take advantage.

A faint smile crossed his lips. Those speculators and the men loyal to their money were the only ones unhappy with this settlement. They had railed against him and his fellows after they decided the agreement was fair, but not one who hadn't been bought and paid was persuaded.

Union-Integrated Planning: 2 Influence, 1+19+32=52[
The SyndIntern advisors meet with the men and women responsible for setting up the planning commission of the CSA. They don't quite approve of the concept as a whole, but think your implementation of it is at least generally sound.

They have also uncovered some seriously flawed assumptions in how an industrialized economy works as a whole and sharply curtailed them. Projections for agricultural growth are revised downwards, further emphasis on transportation is included in the general planning.

Other than that, the situation goes on as it does. General data on agriculture and industry is gathered, with wide error bars included. Connections between local union branches are established to help coordinate. In many cities, offices spring up to let each factory know what's being produced and what's being sent their way, connected by a fragile network of telegraphs and telephones.

And still, the Planning Bureau churns away, always asking for more paper, more calculators, more personnel.

Perhaps even the current decentralized state is not enough. Many of the SyndIntern advisors have suggested that you decentralize either and not bother to plan consumer goods at all except for the most basics, and leave that to the unions and cooperatives entirely.

This has gotten the Planning Bureau up in arms, as they insist they can handle it with complete confidence.

The disagreement has provoked some serious tension, especially as the SyndIntern advisors continually hold their earlier corrections above the heads of the Planning Board.

Eventually, both groups decide to go to you. By this point, it has become a point of pride.

[] [PLAN] Why should we plan how many children's toys are produced? (Pleases the SyndIntern and the IWW. Consumer goods are no longer centrally planned.)

[] [PLAN] It's a vital sector of the economy. (Pleases the ASA. Consumer goods will continue to be centrally planned. Additional -1 Resources per month cost.)

Socialist Markets: 3 Influence, 61+53+13+25=152

The outpouring of support behind the concept of the labor voucher is overwhelming, even if many seem to consider it nothing more than a slightly different currency. But the statement behind establishing it has set many hearts and minds afire. While the federal government protests and threatens to burn any labor voucher and arrest any carrier, their impotent bellowing is given the weight it deserves.

And in Pittsburgh, a grand council of economists, socialists, syndicalists, anarchists, foreign observers, journalists, and many more is convened. There are many issues to be discussed, and the halls of the convention center chosen are filled with panels and meetings and discussion groups. These conversations spill out into the street, as ordinary workers debate the issues of the day. Pamphlets and papers describe the possibilities in great detail.

A few matters are decided relatively simply. Everyone will get a moderate number of vouchers of a low value for free, to enable them to purchase the basic necessities and a little bit more no matter what. Then comes a general array of vouchers representing labor, with a few higher levels for rarer or more specialized work like being a doctor. Also added in is a system for individuals to be democratically awarded additional vouchers for good citizenship, impressive feats of labor, and other such accomplishments.

However, the matter of currency immediately comes up. Not everywhere will be able to convert to the voucher system immediately, and there will be a great deal of cash lying around for a great many years. And there is the question of foreign exchange...

In addition, many people running credit unions want to know their future role in a voucher-based economy and many workers wonder if they will have some way to save vouchers.

[] [CASH] As an area transitions to the voucher system, there will be a grace period in which cash can be exchanged for vouchers. Afterwards, it will be worthless.
[] [CASH] Cash can be exchanged for vouchers at any time. Once we win, we will stop printing, destroy any we are given, and let the supply decrease.
[] [CASH] Under the circumstances, we will accept a parallel cash and voucher economy, but will attempt to set exchange rates to favor using vouchers
[] [CASH] Money is just a social construct and one we declare to have no meaning.
[] [CASH] Write-in

[] [CREDIT] Credit unions are simply a transitional structure
[] [CREDIT] Credit unions will help workers create or expand their own enterprises in the future by helping invest capital
[] [CREDIT] Write-in

[] [SAVE] Vouchers will have no formal expiration date
[] [SAVE] Vouchers will expire eventually, but there will be a way for people to fund large purchases such as houses and cars.
[] [SAVE] Vouchers can be converted into some sort of alternate form that has limited uses but can fund large personal purchases.

Offer an Alternative: 2 Influence, 96+34+7=137

While many of those who would have been targeted have found other sources of solace and conviction, there are still many adrift or trapped in ideologically uncomfortable places. So you work with the AFL to reach out to them, and many respond. The numbers of the AFL swell in response. Unfortunately, the most right-wing section of it swells the most, triggering a response from the rest of the union.

While they are not expelled, they are censured. Many of the most reactionary either fall in line or leave altogether, while the most revolutionary have begun forming an organized pressure group within the broader union, determined to "hold Lewis's feet to the fire, and burn them off if he doesn't give."

The end result is a few grateful upper-level AFL-CIO officials distracted from lobbying for moderation by internal difficulties, growing radicalization among their ranks, and a general increase to their size.

All in all, a satisfactory effort. And there's still more to be done.

Result: Action continues.

Personal: Spend Time With Family
Spending time with your family takes a different form than normal. Louise and Hannah are both very excited by the various debates going on about the role of women in a socialist country, and you are going to support the both of them. Whether that takes the form of being an audience for Hannah to practice her speeches in front of, shepherding the two across New York in your car, or sitting in the audience watching, you step back and let the two of them be the fiery speakers and determined organizers for a change.

Your wife's competence is familiar to you, and it gets a cheerful round of applause and a warm smile whenever she makes a salient point or trounces a debate partner.

Hannah's is brand new and as precious as gold. She might have a couple rough spots, including a tendency to hesitate, but she does better than you at her age, and her enthusiasm is tireless and infectious. You celebrate her victories and console her after defeats, and when she persuades you that part of liberation for women means her learning boxing you find her a gym. It doesn't take women at first. Then you ask nicely.

And you have your Red Guards ask that nothing bad happen to her in the gym. They also ask nicely.

Result: Stress lost.