The 1980 election sees the new parties, born from radicalization and economic ruin, come out into the open. WTP, frustrated by an increasingly centrist Democratic Party, runs in an attempt to make themselves heard.
The Republicans nominate Donald Rumsfeld, a former moderate radicalized by the Agnew debacle. Facing him is Hugh Carey, a prominent liberal. Due to third party spoilers, the Dems lose to a man who got less votes then they did.
From 1981-1984, Rumsfeld could be regarded as Agnewesque or Goldwater in his behavior. He embraces economic conservatism, bashes even moderate politicians as socialists, pursues a dangerously belligerent foreign policy, openly shakes the hand of people like Magnus Malan, and ignores any opportunity at detente, and worse of all, scraps America's military alliances.
Normally, a man like this should be vulnerable to defeat in this election, and should not be allowed to do the things he's doing?
Unfortunately, Congress is perfectly willing to go along with anything Rumsfeld wants. Because the Congress is controlled by hyperpartisan Republicans willing to go along with whatever the President wants (snarling about liberal conspiracies), and Democrats who are willing to side with Rumsfeld in a desperate attempt to remain relevant. This is leading to the further radicalization, especially by Libertarians and WTP, the latter increasingly enraged by the more craven conservative Democrats. Of course, it is the WTP that is more damaging.
There is also Hughes Network, which is conditioning people into accepting these unsound policies.
In 1984, the Democrats, hoping to topple Rumsfeld, manage to form a unity ticket between an influential centrist who is a former Republican, and a far-left Democrat. Unfortunately, this does little to quell the far-left, who see little in the McCloskey motto of "I am not Rumsfeld."
This allows the relatively unpopular Rumsfeld to rig the election, but still win despite getting just over 30 percent of the vote, largely with the help of a business community eager to keep its privileges. The Congress, controlled by partisan conservatives, brushes off concerns about voting fraud (possibly as a liberal conspiracy) and hands Rumsfeld the job. Also a majority Republican congress is elected, that is completely unresponsive to the needs of the American people, because of the spoilers.
Not needing even a majority of voters to get elected, and having a Congress and court system that is willing to enable him, Rumsfeld begins pushing an even more dangerous policies, like privatizing social security, and even turning the Pentagon into a mercenary organization. He begins to use the American system of law to both punish his opponents, and strengthen his supporters. Entire public offices, business assets, and properties are being handed off to corporations. Hughes Network gains more power and prestige, and uses it to show out any "socialist subversives," and broadcast Rummy's line Meanwhile, those business leaders and media outlets who are opposed are being subjected to predatory regulation and faulty lawsuits.
Unfortunately, the remaining centrist politicians who ought to be standing up against these horrors are either cowed, being dragged off to mental asylums, or are somewhat supportive of these policies. WTP, frustrated by this perceived cowardice, continues to grow. But this inadvertently feeds into Rummy's plans, as the Dems are further broken apart. And WTP becomes a good boogeyman for Rummy, as Hughes can point to them as a example of what "Democratic Communism" will bring, pushing a moderate middle class into passively accepting Rumsfeldia.
Finally, between 1986-1987, you see a Constitutional Amendment that blatantly expands government power and oppression being passed that pushes many opponents out of the Senate, a blatantly rigged Congressional election that sees Rummy Republicans handed control over Congress, and a secession crisis that gives Rummy the opportunity to eliminate his opponents in the Supreme Court, in favor of his own loyal reactionaries. The international community
But all is not well: several conservative military officials and even Vice President Edwards began to oppose the growing lunacy of the chief executive. They attempt a coup, only to be done in by their own timidity at taking such a dangerous step. This allows the CV to become the sycophants of the President, as this "betrayal" leaves Rummy unable to trust his ostensible allies, including the loyal Cheney. So he picks some random CV person, Jeremiah Denton, to serve as his vice-president.
At what could be the height of his madness, Rummy, secure in his power, begins to push his anarcho-capitalist policies to ridiculous levels. He also launches an invasion of Cuba, that sees a truly fiendish example of American greed: wounded soldiers shot like dying horses.
His ostensible supporters, namely the corporate junta, the CV, and many other Republicans, are fed up with these shenanigans, and anti-climatically push him out the door.