Arian Lawrence

Arian Lawrence
Arian Lawrence
	Lawrence's official portrait, 2021
35th President of the United Commonwealth of America
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 20, 2021
Vice President	Mitchell Vargas
Preceded by	Michael Abarough
United Commonwealth Secretary of the Army
	In office; February 5, 2013 – January 22, 2021
President	Michael Abarough
Preceded by	Adrian Castle
Succeeded by	Daniela Moore
Personal details
Born	October 7, 1967 (age 56); Davis, Hispaniola, Antilles
Nationality	Antillean
Political party	Federalist
Spouse(s)	Angeline Davis (m. 1993)
Children	3
Alma mater	Columbia Military Academy
Religion	Antillean Christian
Military service
Allegiance	Antilles
Branch/service	Antillean Army
Years of service	1986-1999 (active) ; 1999-2013 (reserve)
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel

Arian John Lawrence (born October 7, 1967) is an Antillean politician, educator, and former soldier serving as the President of the United Commonwealth of America since 2021. A lifelong member of the Federalist Party, Lawrence previously served as the TBD Secretary of the Army under President Michael Abarough from 2012 to 2021. Before entering politics, Lawrence was a lieutenant colonel in the Antillean Army.

Born in Davis, Hispaniola, Lawrence was born into a prominent military family, with his grandfather serving in the Continental Revolutionary War. Graduating high school in 1985, Lawrence enlisted into the Antillean Army, attending the Columbia Military Academy in Columbia City. Following his basic training, Lawrence was placed into active service in 1986, being station at Fort Lee in Stuartville. After ten years of service, Lawrence retired from active duty service, becoming a army instructor at the Providence Military Training Center in Saint John in 1999. Along with training new recruits, Lawrence also taught classes on civil service and governance. In 2006, after an armed intruder entered Providence and killed three people, Lawrence identified, shot, and killed the intruder, becoming known nationwide. In honor of his actions, Lawrence was invited to speak at the 2008 Federalist National Convention, making his unofficial entry into politics. In 2011, Lawrence announced his candidacy for Governor of Puerto Rico but was narrowly defeated in the primaries.

In 2013, Lawrence was nominated and appointed as the TBD Secretary of the Army by newly-elected president Michael Abarough, a personal friend of Lawrence. As Secretary of the Army, Lawrence supported the enactment of intensive recruitment programs, hoping to increase the number of enlisted volunteers. Lawrence also supported the raising the army retirement age from 60 to 65, but was met with opposition from both members of the National Assembly and in the Executive Council.

In 2019, Lawrence announced his candidacy for the Federalist nomination in the upcoming presidential election. Winning the endorsement of the retiring Abarough and gaining the favor of conservative and nationalist elements of the party, Lawrence secured the Federalist nomination in July of 2020, being officially nominated in August. Selecting Representative Mitchell Vargas as his running mate, Lawrence advanced to the general election, facing off against Civic Democratic nominee William Abernathy and his running mate, Allen Paul. Lawrence and Vargas went on to defeat Abernathy and Paul, receiving 57% of the vote, the lowest turnout for a Federalist candidate since democratization. Lawrence was inaugurated as the 35th president of the United Commonwealth on January 20, 2021, becoming the first president not hail from Hispaniola. Lawrence's early presidential activity has been largely centered around economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, with Lawrence supporting polices that have aimed to revitalize the Antilles' large tourism industry. Along with that, Lawrence has continued the expansion of the executive branch started by his predecessors, becoming at odds with many county and state officials. During his tenure as president, Lawrence has received moderate approval ratings.

Early life, education, and career

Lawrence's portrait as an instructor at the Providence Military Training Center in 2004.

Arian John Lawrence was born on October 7, 1967 in Davis, Hispaniola to Henry and Lydia Lawrence. His father, Henry, was a retired lieutenant colonel of the Antillean Army, who served during the Great War and briefly in the Cuban insurgency. Lawrence's mother, Lydia, was a stay-at-home mother and was a prominent member of the National Federation of Federalist Women, serving as president of the Davis chapter. Lawrence was born the eldest child and first son of the Lawrence family, having two younger siblings, a brother and sister. The Lawrence family lived in suburban Davis in an upper middle class setting. During his childhood and teenage years, Lawrence was a member of the Federalist Youth of America, the Federalist Party's youth wing, and a member of the Boy Scouts, receiving the rank of Eagle Scout at the age of eighteen.

At the age of six, Lawrence began his educational career, attending Davis Elementary and Intermediate School from 1973 to 1981. At the age of fourteen, Lawrence attended Robert E. Lee Preparatory Academy, which like most other high schools at the time, was centered towards eventual military service. During his time at high school, Lawrence joined his school's baseball team, playing as a pitcher and first basemen. He became the team's captain during his senior year. Lawrence graduated from Robert E. Lee Preparatory School in 1985. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Lawrence began attending Columbia Military Academy, the nation's premier military school, and enlisted in the Antillean Army.

Military career

In 1986, Lawrence completed basic training at Columbia Military Academy. Instead of continuing general education, Lawrence decided to immediately be placed into the Antillean Army, being assigned to the TBD division. He was stationed at Fort Lee in Stuartville, the same fort where his father was stationed during his service in the military. After ten years of active service, Lawrence retired and become a member of the large Antillean Army reserve corps. He took up a position as a military instructor at Providence Military Training Center in Saint Johns.

In 2006, an armed intruder entered Providence Military Training Center, open fire and kill three people. While escorting students off site, Lawrence confronted, shoot, and kill the intruder. Lawrence's actions gained nationwide attention and received the praise of President Carlton Woodbridge for his bravery. Despite a significant push, especially by then-Secretary of the Army Bill Gladsdale, Lawrence was not be awarded for his actions. Lawrence continued to serve in the reserve until 2013, where he officially retired before ascending as Secretary of the Army.

Political career

2012 Puerto Rican gubernatorial bid

In October 2011, Lawrence announced his candidacy for the Federalist nomination for Governor of Puerto Rico in the upcoming gubernatorial election. Lawrence had long been considered a potential political player, especially after his acts of bravery in 2006 propped him into nationwide fame. He announced his campaign on social media before holding a press conference a day later. Lawrence entered a crowded race, with many Federalist candidates running to potentially replace scandal-ridden and unpopular Civic Democratic governor Felipe Diaz. During the early stages of the race, Lawrence emerged as a major contender for the nomination, being viewed as a representative of the socially conservative and nationalist sections of the Federalist Party. Lawrence's main opponent was local activist Richard Glands, who represented a moderate wing of the party.

Although initially leading in some polls, Lawrence generally trailed behind Glands, whose moderate conservative rhetoric appealed to independent voters, who were allowed to vote in primary elections in Puerto Rico. Lawrence and Glands clashed primarily on social issues, while agreeing on economic policies, such as the lowering of personal income taxes in Puerto Rico. Lawrence placed second behind Glands, earning 43.1% of the vote. He conceded the election a day following the results, and endorsed Glands. Glands went on to be defeated by Diaz, who pulled one of the most surprising election victories of the 2012 electoral cycle.

Lawrence's primary campaign gained the national attention for his right wing policies, which openly defied the moderate platform promoted by party leaders at the time, and for his strong accent and mannerisms "which were largely foreign to the Antillean political scene", according to CBS News.

Secretary of the Army

Lawrence at a press conference (2017).

Following his primary defeat, Lawrence used his newly-founded political weight to campaign for other Federalist candidates in the 2012 election cycle. In June 2012, shortly after his primary defeat, Lawrence joined the presidential campaign of Michael Abarough as an advisor, and frequently campaigned for him in Puerto Rico. After Abarough secured the Federalist nomination, it was speculated that he would select Lawrence to be his running mate, or appoint him to some sort of government position. While Abarough went on to select Governor of Hispaniola Jonah Smith as his running mate, following his victory in the presidential election Abarough announced his intent to appoint Lawrence as the U.C. Secretary of the Army.

Lawrence's official portrait as Secretary of the Army.

Lawrence was ceremonially confirmed by the United Commonwealth Senate before being officially appointed as the TBD Secretary of the Army on February 5, 2013. Immediately following his appointment, Lawrence announced his overall goal as the secretary of the army was to improve the declining recruitment rates for the Antillean Army "through any means necessiary". In a statement released shortly following his appointment, Lawrence declared the declining recruitment numbers for the army a "national emergency" and a "product of a Continental propaganda program aimed at reducing American readiness", a claim based on little evidence. On May 6, 2013, Lawrence approved the allocation of funds towards recruitment programs, and pushed for greater benefits for serving the army.

In reaction to Continental Navy training exercises in 2014, Lawrence stated his intentions on lobbying for the raising of the army recruitment age, as he believed that a Continental invasion was imminent. He was heavily criticized for the proposal by political opponents and members of his own party, who claimed that increasing the retirement age for the army would decrease overall productivity. In a political first, Lawrence's proposal to the National Assembly was rejected by a narrow majority of members. Following his legislative defeat, Lawrence petitioned the president to sign an executive order increasing the army retirement age, which was also rejected.

In May of 2015, Lawrence was the subject of international criticism after suggesting to mobilize the armed forces in response to Black Lives Matter protests in the Antilles. He defended his suggestion by claiming that the riots in Montgomery warranted military action as rioters were committing "acts of domestic terrorism". He also suggested that individuals arrested for rioting should be "treated as domestic terrorists" and be sent to the Guantanamo Bay prison.

Throughout 2014 it was rumored that Lawrence was seeking to replace the dress uniforms of the Antillean Army. In December 2015, a directive signed by Army Secretary Lawrence restored the Army Greens as the service dress uniform of the U.C. Army, and it would replace the current Army Blues uniform. The Greens are based on the distinctive green uniform worn by Antillean soldiers during the Great War, and Lawrence told the Columbia City Herald that the new uniform honors the nation's heritage from its victory in the Great War and inspires nationalism, which would improve recruitment numbers and troop morale. The Greens uniform is being rolled out, being issued to all soldiers along with the Blues starting from 2017, and it will completely replace the Army Blues by 2026.

In 2016, Lawrence announced a 5% increase in the budget of the Antillean Army, which was reportedly use to modernize technology in army bases and to increase recruitment efforts amongst African and Hispanic Antilleans. Despite army recruitment numbers improving during his tenure as secretary, it was reported by members of his staff and senior department officials that he was "extremely paranoid" about recruitment statistics, and was under the impression that even minor declines in monthly recruitment numbers would be disastoruous for the Antillean Army.

In March of 2020, it was reported that the Department of the Army was being managed by Deputy Secretary Daniela Moore while Lawrence was focused on his campaign for president. Lawrence strongly denied the claims during the fourth and final Federalist primary debate, and claimed that he was "very much involved" with the daily proceedings of the army department. He did, however, admit that he had taken a step back regarding certain functions of his office, with some of his duties being carried out by Moore. After securing the presidency, Moore went on to be appointed as Secretary of the Army as apart of Lawrence's Executive Council.

Presidency

Election

Lawrence's campaign logo during the general election.

In March of 2019, Lawrence announced his candidacy for the Federalist Party's nomination for president in the upcoming 2020 presidential election. Lawrence was the first high-profile Federalist to enter the soon to be crowded race. During the primaries, Lawrence emerged as the leading candidate of the growing conservative populist faction within the Federalist Party, and following the first Federalist primary debate, he received a jump in the polls. Lawrence secured a majority of the party's delegates in June of 2020, and was officially nominated in August. With his nomination, Lawrence became the first person nominated from Puerto Rico.

In August of 2020, before the Federalist Party convention, Lawrence announced U.C. Representative Mitchell Vargas as his vice presidential running mate. The two moved on to face Civic Democratic nominees Minority Leader William Abernathy and Mayor Allen Paul of Montgomery. The 2020 presidential election was viewed as much more competitive than previous elections. That, coupled with controversial statements made by Lawrence during the campaign, boosted the poll numbers of his opponents. Despite this, Lawrence and Vargas went on to defeat Abernathy and Paul on election day, securing a majority in the Electoral Congregation and the popular vote. Though receiving a lower percentage of the vote than his predecessor, Lawrence received the highest amount of votes for a Federalist candidate.

First 100 days

Military parade at the inauguration of President Lawrence.

The inauguration of Arian Lawrence as the 35th president of the United Commonwealth of America occurred on January 20, 2021 in front of the Antillean Capitol Building in Columbia City. His inauguration was met with both celebrations and protests just outside of the venue, the latter of which was one of the largest in post-1983 Antillean history. In his first days in office, Lawrence signed executive orders reaffirming Antillean support towards the "global fight against Landonism", which included increasing the budget of the United Commonwealth Expeditionary Force and increasing international aid to nations designated as "suspectable to Landonism". During the latter half of his 100 days, Lawrence also signed legislation aimed at improving healthcare costs in the Antilles, which had reached an all time high in the midsts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foreign policy

Lawrence signing the Lisbon Charter in March 2021.

Early on in his presidency, Lawrence signed executive orders to make combating the potential spread of Landonism and other communist and socialist ideological influence globally a core part of his foreign policy which included increasing funding to the United Commonwealth Expeditionary Force which has since been described as "Lawrence's crowbar" in opposing the influence of the United Commonwealth by numerous political observers and commentators while supporters have described it as the Antilles' symbolic sword and shield in a more positive description. Many have also come to refer to the UCEF as the unofficial fourth branch of the Antillean military due to its increase in size and international involvement.

In March 2021, Lawrence signed the Lisbon Charter, a document originating in Europe (Spain and Portugal specifically) that acts as an official declaration of opposition towards alleged Landonist influence by the United Commonwealth and its allies to undermine liberal democracy and freedom in the Western world (primarily the Americas and Europe), during an official summit in Whiteport which was attended by other signatories and anti-Landonist individuals, both politicians and civilians, as a sign of solidarity. Lawrence described the document as a "declaration to preserve world freedom" and defended it against allegations of it being an extremist document. In September 2021, Lawrence created the Commission on Inter-American Relations to help improve the Antilles' relations with the Conference of American States including discussing issues the island nation has with the CAS and vise versa, addressing any grievances both parties have, and ensure potential accession into the supranational union occurs within the near future.

Following the start of the Caribbean diplomatic crisis in December 2021, Lawrence has taken an active role in the crisis by supporting Brazil and the CAS as a whole against the United Commonwealth and the United People's Committees due to their roles in the Amazonas incident. Emergency mobilization was declared hours after the sinking of the Amazonas and in February 2022, Operation Poseidon's Watch was launched, a defensive military operation in the Caribbean Sea meant to protect all civilian merchant ships from CAS and European Community member states among other nations from potential Andean and/or Continental military aggression. Providing armed escort to civilian ships of the Caribbean merchant fleet, the operation is the largest military operation in Antillean history since the Antillean War of 1987 and has boosted his profile internationally, especially after the Caribbean Sea incident. Since the beginning of the crisis and Poseidon's Watch, sympathy for the Antilles has grown internationally and Lawrence has used that to convince politicians in the CAS and its member states to recognize the Antilles as an independent and sovereign state, gaining support in countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Superior, Brazoria and even the Kingdom of Sierra.

Domestic policy

In July 2023, he signed into law the Military Service Promotion Act of 2023, which was introduced by Baron Avery of the Federalist Caucus in the House of Representatives. The Act aims to address the Antillean military recruitment crisis by implementing several policies to assist in military recruiting, including a controversial provision to potentially return military service as a requirement to vote. The bill was heavily opposed by Civic Democrats in the House and the Senate, but was supported by President Lawrence and the majority of Federalists.

Economic policy

Health care

Social issues

Climate change

Education

Political positions

Lawrence describes himself as a social conservative, nationalist, and "American patriot", and has been categorized as such by news media outlets and political experts. Many experts have describe Lawrence's personality and ruling style as "authoritarian", and some have accused him of accelerating supposed democratic backsliding in the Antilles, both of which Lawrence and his allies have vehemently denied.

On social policy, Lawrence holds socially conservative beliefs. He is an opponent of gay marriage and abortion, opposing the push to legalize both within the Antilles. He is also a proponent of "American values", supporting overtly nationalistic rhetoric in schools and public settings. He has maintained support for voting laws that have been viewed as restrictive, claiming that the "enhance democracy". On economic policy, Lawrence is an opponent of universal healthcare, believing that it provides better options than a public healthcare system. Lawrence is an opposed to the legalization of labor unions in the Antilles, referring to them as "subversive", though has stated support for federally granted worker protections in his past campaigns. On foreign policy, Lawrence has had a mixed view on the Conference of American States. While he supports Antillean ascension into the organization, he believes that the CAS is "extremely corrupt" and believes that the Antilles should "wait for their problems to be sorted out" before joining. More recently, he has been identified as Ameroskeptic, more frequently speaking out against the organization.

Lawrence supports reunification with the American Mainland through the United Commonwealth of America, and has opposed efforts supporting reunification under the Continental States or through a "one nation, two systems" method. During the 2020 presidential campaign, when asked on his preferred method of reunification, Lawrence stated his support for a peaceful transition into reunification, though he was not opposed to "taking back our home by force" if he was required to do so. He has spoken out against the Antillean independence movement and Antillean nationalism on a number of occasions, in some instances calling followers of both "traitors" and "enemies of the state". When asked for his position on Antillean nationalism, Lawrence denounced the movement, saying that declaring an Antillean nation would create a weakened image and would allow for more Continental aggression.

Personal life

Marriage, family, and interests

While stationed at Fort Lee in Stuartville, Lawrence met and befriended Angeline Davis, who was a helicopter pilot. The two began a romantic relationship and eventually married in 1993. The couple went on to have three children: Wilma in 1996, Calvin in 1999, and George in 2001. The Lawrence family currently resides at the Presidential Palace in Columbia City, also reside in a upscale neighborhood in Saint Johns. Lawrence identifies as a Georgian-Antillean, with his grandfather and his family fleeing from Savannah during the Great Retreat. Historical accounts also document his family primarily being based in Kentucky before his grandfather's birth. Lawrence describes himself as a "devout Christian", being a member of the Antillean Christian Church.

Lawrence is best known, both domestically and internationally, for his deep Southern United Commonwealth accent (known as the "Southern drawl" in the Antilles). This has caused a lot of miscommunication between Lawrence and other world leaders, most notably when Sierran Minister of Foreign Affairs Joe Millard was unable to understand Lawrence's greeting after the former arrived for a diplomatic summit in Grand Llano, Brazoria in 2017. Lawrence is a fan of baseball, being a supporter of the Davis Red Sox and has supported the push for the admittance of Antillean teams into the Conference Baseball Association. He is also a fan of American football, but has not identified which team he supports.

Lawrence's family has had a role in many historical events in the United Commonwealth of America's history. Lawrence's great-great grandfather, William Lawrence, served in the Continental Army under Nathaniel Greene, and participated in the Battle of Cowpans. His great grandfather, Henry Lawrence, served in the Union Army during the American Civil War and the War of Contingency. His grandfather served under the Federal Army during the Continental Revolutionary War and assisted in evacuating civilians during the Great Retreat. His father served in the Great War and was briefly deployed to New Charleston during the Cuban insurgency. His family's military history was a primary factor for Lawrence enlisting in the armed forces.

Electoral history

2020 Antillean presidential election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Federalist	Arian Lawrence/Mitchell Vargas	10,053,148	57.1%	-TBD
	Civic Democratic	William Abernathy/Allen Paul	7,478,127	42.4%	+TBD
Majority			2,575,021	%14.7%	-TBD
	Federalist hold		Swing

Arian Lawrence

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