After the Sons of Liberty government won the American Civil War, its military began expanding across the world. By 2035, every region on Earth—from London to Canberra—was under the control of the United States. Now, the Sons of Liberty government is preparing to hold a global presidential election to decide who will lead the planet in the future. Since the end of the Civil War, the Democratic Party has been the government’s largest opposition force. It strongly criticizes the current president’s philosophy of limited government and sees this election as its best chance to regain power.

  
The current president understands that most ordinary people are not interested in pure libertarian ideals. They are more concerned about practical questions: *Who will help me if I become sick, lose my job, or face a disaster?* He believes that without reforming the idea of limited government, he has a high chance of losing the election to the Democrats. Although many radicals within his own movement argue that such changes betray the original mission of the Sons of Liberty government, the president takes a pragmatic approach. He has already made his decision: winning the election comes first.

  
Washington, D.C. — the site of the global presidential debate.  
CNN Moderator: “For the past decade, the Sons of Liberty government has followed the principle of a smaller government. However, according to CNN’s recent global opinion poll, many voters believe that a government focused only on personal responsibility cannot provide enough security. To both candidates: How do you respond to people who believe the Sons of Liberty government has focused too much on reducing the government’s role while ignoring citizens’ need for protection and support?”

  
Democratic Candidate: “Over the past decade, the Sons of Liberty government has built a powerful nation. It has a strong military, a strong economy, and advanced technology. But the true strength of a country is not only measured by how many resources it possesses. It is measured by how it treats ordinary people. When a worker loses his job because of automation, he does not need to hear, ‘You should simply compete again.’ When an elderly person faces a serious illness, they do not need to hear, ‘This is only your personal responsibility.’ They need to know that society still cares about them. The government should be a protector of its people, not a bystander.”

  
President: “First, I want to thank the citizens who have expressed these concerns, because their questions are real and important. I admit this: ‘A government that only tells people to take responsibility, but does not help them during their hardest moments, is an incomplete government.’ Therefore, I am introducing a new vision for the Sons of Liberty movement: Limited Government, Limited Protection. We will not create a society that depends on the government for everything. Instead, we will build a society where people can maintain their freedom and dignity even when they face hardship.”

  
CNN Moderator: “Next, we will discuss the welfare system. For the past decade, the Sons of Liberty government has opposed large-scale welfare programs, arguing that government should not take on too many responsibilities. However, more and more voters now want the government to play a larger role in healthcare, unemployment support, retirement security, and disaster relief. At the same time, progressives argue for an even larger welfare system with comprehensive social protection. My question is: How much support should the government provide?”

  
Democratic Candidate: “A welfare system is not a gift from the government. It is a promise that modern society makes to its people. We live in a highly complex world. A person’s life outcome is not determined only by personal effort. Economic changes, illness, technological revolutions, and natural disasters can all change someone’s future. Therefore, a civilized society must answer one question: when ordinary people face difficulties beyond their control, are we willing to help them? My answer is yes. I support universal healthcare, public education investment, housing assistance, strong unemployment insurance, and a complete retirement system. These are the foundations that allow everyone to truly pursue their dreams.”

  
President: “We will not create a full welfare state, because that would require much higher taxes and a much larger government. However, we will not allow people to fall into situations from which they can never recover. We propose a basic protection system: the government will ensure that no one dies because they cannot afford treatment for a serious illness, that unemployed workers have opportunities to return to the economy, and that children have access to basic education. We still believe government should remain limited. But limited does not mean uncaring.”

  
After a fierce election campaign, the CNN studio displayed a massive electronic map showing the voting results from around the world. Yellow represented the Sons of Liberty Alliance, while blue represented the Democratic Alliance. The two colors covered almost equal areas of the map.  
CNN Moderator: “According to certification by the Global Election Commission, we congratulate the Sons of Liberty government on winning re-election by a narrow margin.”  
Inside the White House, the president finally relaxed. He had nearly lost to the Democratic candidate. This was by far the most difficult election victory of his political career.

The Clash Between the Sons of Liberty Government and the Democratic Party