North American Federation
The North American Federation (NAF), sometimes referred to as North America or simply America is a federal state located mostly in North America. It is the second largest country by land area and the fourth largest by population, being home to 510 million people as of the 2150 census. Its largest cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Toronto, and its capital is Washington, DC.
The North American Federation was formed on 5 October 2045 from the United States of America and the Republic of Canada, whose federal governments merged together after decades of economic integration between the two countries. Many people from the English-speaking parts of former-Canada, especially Ontario, still identify themselves as Canadians.
The government of the NAF is federal, presidential, and constitutional republic. It is split into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch is primarily the Congress of North America, which is a bicameral legislature. The upper house is the Parliament of North America, which is led by the Prime Minister and elected by national proportional representation, and the lower house is the Senate, which is led by the Vice President and elected from single member districts. The executive branch is led by the President, who is elected alongside the Vice President in a nationwide ranked-choice election. The executive branch also oversees many federal departments, which are led jointly by the President and Prime Minister. The President is considered the Head of State and Head of Government of North America.
The United States was a major player in the Second Space Race, so upon its formation, the North American Federation was already a strongly established power on the Moon and Mars. The country lost most of its Martian colonies during the Martian Revolutions, but still maintains a few. Following that, the North American Lunar colonies were reorganized into semi-autonomous states with special representation in Congress, preventing revolutionary ideas from taking hold in the remaining North American colonies. Many of the most influential Martian settlements are formerly-North American colonies, including Jezero, the capital of the Empire of Mars.
History
See also: Wikipedia: History of the United States, Wikipedia: History of Canada
Prior to Unification (2016 - 2045)
Following the end of the First Cold War and the fall of the Soviet Union, the Democratic Party in the United States shifted away from labor-liberalism and towards neoliberalism. However, the Presidential Election of 2016 between Democrat Bernie Sanders and Republican Donald Trump saw this shift reversed. Sanders ran on a platform of social democracy and expanded workers rights, and won the election with particularly strong support in the Rust Belt. His first term saw the expansion of the Affordable Care Act into a universal healthcare system, as well as a raised minimum wage and further protections for worker unions. During the 2020 election, Sanders ran against the Republican Marco Rubio. In contrast to Trump's populist campaign in 2016, Rubio ran on a moderate conservative agenda, referring to Sanders as a socialist. Although Rubio outperformed Sanders in the southern states, Sanders consolidated support in the Great Lakes region and won reelection, though by a smaller margin than in 2016. Sanders' second term saw few legislative successes due to disloyalty from moderate Democrats in Congress.
The 2024 Presidential Election in the United States saw the Democratic Party nominate Elizabeth Warren, Sanders' Vice President, against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Warren promised to continue Sanders' pro-worker and pro-industry policies, while DeSantis campaigned on a socially conservative and pro-business agenda. Due to slow economic growth during Sanders' second term, DeSantis' pro-business policies resonated with moderates, but his staunch conservatism was off-putting to some voters. Ultimately, Warren won the election thanks to narrow margins in Ohio, Indiana, and Virginia. While the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress, many Democrats routinely sided with the Republican minority, undermining Warren's ability to pass policy. Some of them left the Democratic Party altogether, forming the Liberal Democratic Caucus.
By January 2028, many moderate Democrats and some moderate Republicans became attracted to the Liberal Democratic Caucus' policies. By March, it was clear that Warren would be the Democratic Party's nominee, so these moderates formed the Liberal Democratic Party. The 2028 Presidential Election became a three-way race between Warren, nominated by the remaining Democrats, Dan Crenshaw, nominated by the Republicans, and Josh Shapiro, nominated by the Liberal Democrats. Shapiro gained strong support in liberal-leaning suburbs and managed to win 108 Electoral College votes. Since no candidate won enough electoral votes for a majority, Shapiro pledged his electors to support Crenshaw in exchange for a cabinet position. However, due to faithless elector laws, only 64 of Shapiro's votes could be cast for Crenshaw, leaving him still short of a majority. Congress voted to reelect Warren, making Shapiro her Vice President.
