Tasker Lowndes Oddie

    

The Right Honorable Tasker Lowndes Oddie OM ORS KON
Oddie's Official Portrait in 1921
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sierra
In office February 8, 1916 – March 2, 1919
Monarch	Louis I
Deputy	P.H McCarthy
Preceded by	Robert Landon
Succeeded by	Hiram Johnson
In office June 13, 1921 – April 4, 1923
Monarch	Louis I
Deputy	Earle Coburn
Preceded by	Hiram Johnson
Succeeded by	Hiram Johnson
Leader of the Democratic-Republican Party
In office February 8, 1916 – April 4, 1923
Preceded by	Robert Landon
Succeeded by	Clancy Ermert
Leader of the Opposition
In office March 2, 1919 – June 13, 1921
Monarch	Louis I
Preceded by	Hiram Johnson
Succeeded by	Hiram Johnson
Member of Parliament for Pahrump
In office June 13, 1900 – October 20, 1933
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Pat McCarran
Personal details
Born	October 20, 1870 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	February 17, 1947 Pahrump, Clark, Kingdom of Sierra
Resting place	Lone Cemetery, Pahrump, Clark
Nationality	Sierran
Political party	Democratic-Republican
Spouse(s)	Claire Gardner MacDonald (m. 1903) Daisy Rendall MacKeigan (m. 1916)
Education	New York University School of Law
Profession	Attorney
Known for	Leading Sierra through the Approbatio period

Tasker Lowndes Oddie OM ORS KON (October 20, 1870 – February 17, 1947) was the 12th Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sierra from 1916 to 1919 and 1921 to 1923. A life long member of the Democratic-Republican Party of Sierra, Oddie served as the party's leader from 1916 to 1923 and is considered to be one of the most consequential leaders of the party in its history for his support for cultural republicanism over political republicanism and reaffirmed the decision to support the former as stated in the Convention of 1903 that he attended.

An immigrant from New York, he moved to Sierra to work as an attorney. Later, this led him to become a politician who served as a representative from Pahrump, Clark. At attorney before entering politics, he studied at the New York University School of Law and graduated before formally moving to the Kingdom of Sierra. During his time as an attorney, he would witness the start of the Sierran Cultural Revolution and became supportive of the Democratic-Republican Party, joining it shortly after moving to Sierra. In 1900, he was elected to the House of Commons. While initially obscure, Oddie rose to prominence during the Convention of 1903 in San Joaquin for his support for cultural republicanism on the belief that it was more practical and continued support for political republicanism (radical republicanism) was electorally unviable and had been since the Sierran Civil War and emerged as a major figure in national politics as a result along with his conflict with Hiram Johnson during the convention who would become his top political rival throughout his entire political career.

Tasker was known for his determined attitude and support for Sierran expansionism but generally pursued economic growth and investment policies. His premiership witnessed a tumultuous period during the height of the Sierran Cultural Revolution, that included regional civil unrest in the Styxie. He was the Minister of Defense during the Robert Landon administration. Oddie was initially hesitant toward the Cultural Revolution, however he later supported it during the First National Government, the first Cornflower coalition government in Sierran history. While supportive of the revolution in the latter half of his premiership, Oddie spent much of his tenure fighting to preserve Sierra's democratic political system and institutions during the Approbatio period admits intervention by King Louis I and political violence by radical monarchists and militant revolutionaries. Oddie's premiership was also dominated by his opposition towards Johnson and other nativist anti-revolutionary forces as well.

After his tenure prime minister had ended, Oddie remained in public office for at least another decade before he resigned from the House of Commons in 1933. He was later diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1937, before succumbing to the disease in 1947 at the age of 76. In the years since his life, historians have given different interpretations and historic rankings of Oddie, being viewed as a controversial and middling prime minister. Oddie has been criticized for his handling of the Little Civil War and political violence during the revolution, but has also been praised to preventing the complete collapse of Sierra's political and constitutional principles and ensuring the country remained a democracy into the future. He has also been praised for his opposition to Hiram Johnson (often ranked as the worst prime minister by historians) and the far-right Reformed Republicans during his premiership and tenure as Leader of the Opposition as well.

Early life

Tasker Oddie was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 20, 1870, the son of Henry Meigs Oddie and Ellen Gibson (Prout) Oddie. From a young age his parents struggled with money and his father worked days and nights. His mother cared for young Tasker and he was often Homeschooled. His Father eventually gained a large Inheritence and from then on Tasker attended the public schools of Brooklyn until he was 16 when ill health caused him to Drop out. By This time Oddie was a Young man and had been working as a clerk at his local Post Office. He eventually was Fired for poor performence and his Father kicked him out. Oddie then Traveled with a group of Chinese Immigrants where he settled in Omaha, Nebraska. For his First year there he lived from Hotel to Hotel but in 1898 he found work as a Cowboy on a Ranch. He moved to Rural Nebraska where he continued several different side jobs with no Success. He remained there until 1894 after he Decided that the West had nothing to Offer for him. Upon returning east, he settled in East Orange, New Jersey, where he became active in the real estate business. He later became a clerk for a New York City wholesale importing firm, followed by work as the assistant manager of the estate of Isaac Newton Phelps, who had died in 1888, and John Bond Trevor, who had died in 1890. In the Real Estate Buisness he made his fortune from Renting out Buildings to prosperous New Jersey Aristocrats and often mantained a good relationship with his clients and co-workers.

While managing the Trevor estate, Oddie attended the New York University School of Law at night and graduated with an LL.B. in 1895. He was Described by his Teachers and Colleges as a hard and persistent learner. He was admitted to the bar the same year and practiced in New York until 1898. He became known along the East Coast as a Prestigious lawyer who often only took the most Honorable Clients.

Oddie then relocated to Sacramento, Sierra to become the attorney and business agent for wealthy businessman Anson Phelps Stokes. He managed Stokes' real estate, banking, railroad, and mining operations for several years, in addition to becoming active in mining in his own right. Oddie became wealthy as the developer and manager of gold and silver mines, railroads, cattle ranches, and farms. Oddie's buisness ventures never slowed down and in 1899 he moved to Las Vegas where he Attempted to make it big in the Nevada Gold Mining Industry. He believed that the Closer to the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range that the more Gold there was to be. After only a week in Las Vegas he met with a Former Plantation owner turned Prospecter named Wilson Raymond. He and Wilson Collaborated together to create a Mining buisness that they believed would one day Rule Nevada. The Two venture Capitalists moved to a small Indian Settlement called Pahrump where the Two believed they would find there forture. Raymond and Oddie built an Outpost where Raymond would Manage the Buisness while Oddie would attempt to locate Natural Resource Reserves. In Early 1900 Oddie Travelled North where he Located a group of Native Americans a Few miles outside of Pahrump who Informed Oddie of a Deposit of Gold that was nearby. Oddie and Raymond hired the Men as Navigators and Later Construction Workers and they began creating a Mineshaft under the Ground. The Mine was name the Starling Gold Mine after Presiding Prime Minister Joseph Starling. After the Discovery of gold, Pahrump became the Destination for thousands of Prospecters, Miners, and People who wanted to make a Fortune. By this time Oddie and Raymond had become Rich beyond there Desires and had Considering entering Politics to strengthen there Hold on the Industry.

Ascension into Politics

In Mid 1900 because of Pahrumps Exponetial growth it was given a Seat in Parliament and Oddie easily won the seat and became Member of Parliament for Pahrump in 1900. Pahrump later grew to become a hotspot for Migration and Oddie became a Major politician in Clark. He later attended the Convention of 1903. The Convention was possibly a cause of Oddie's Speeches in Parliament which led to Oddie being the Figurehead behind the Cultural Republicanism Movement but Oddie would later Denounce in an Attempt to Reconcile the Reformed Republicans and the Democratic-Republicans. During Oddie's Ascension into Major Politics in the 1910s, Oddie gained Positions in the Democratic-Republican party. Oddie eventually got into the Robert Landon Administration as Deputy prime Minister beating out Hiram Johnson but there was Tension between Landon and Oddie. Oddie Blamed Landon for the Split of the DRPS (Democratic-Republican Party of Sierra) despite Oddie being the main proponent of the Convention of 1903 and felt that Landon was too soft on the Monarchy and that he had transformed into one of the Royalists. Another Governor from Sierra named Hiram Johnson first met Prime Oddie while in Parliament and the Two Clashed over Economic Policies and Monetary Interests. They pursued a Lifelong Feud which mainly began at the Convention of 1903 Things Broke down in the Parliament in 1915 and the Two got in a Fist fight in which Hiram knocked out Oddie. Oddie Sued Hiram which went nowhere because Oddie had Challenged Johnson and Even Hit him first.

Photo of Oddie in the 1910s

First Term as Prime Minister

Oddie Decided to run for the Election in 1916, where he Narrowly Beat his Rival, Hiram Johnson with a Less than 2% Margin. The Election was Disputed and Left in a Lot of Controversy. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party and was a "Man of the People" and by 1916 he was very popular in Clark and the Surrounding areas. He allied with the Women Suffragetes's Movement, Supported the Creation the Minimum Wage, gave support to the Working Class and early in his career favored Landonists over the Royalists, but He wasn't All Perfect. Oddie was a Staunch-Anti Cultural Revolution and Believed that because it had split the Democratic-Republican Party in two and that it Would Allow for the Royalists to Gain a Majority in the Government. Oddie suppressed the Cultural Revolution during its Formative Years and therefore he got a lot of Backlash but Hiram and His Landonists overshadowed his Crackdown. Oddie knew that the Revolution would Become a Catalyst for Auth-Right Politics and a Paternalistic Society. Louis I Supported the Revolution and therefore many of the People Participating adopted the Royalist Party's Conservative Views. During Oddies First term the Approbatio period began and the Reformed Republicans had Gotten much too Radical and Revolutionary and had been getting into Mini Conflicts Known as the Little Civil War mostly in Styxie because Hiram Believed that Oddie, the DRPS, and the Royalists had become to Liberal and that the Democratic-Republicans had veered too far away from the Pre-1900 version of the Republicans. With a Resurgence in Landonism in Sierra and in the United Commonwealth, the Landonists and Trade Unions Allied with the Reformed Republicans Believing Oddie to be in Kahoots with the Royalist Party. These Socialists and Workers because allied with Hiram and the Reformed Republicans Opposed the Cultural Revolution and therefore Aligned more Racist and Anti-Immagration. Though Oddie was Generally Anti-Cultural Revolution even he knew that the Reformed Republicans were too Wild and Radical and he Temporarily Allied with the Royalists in fear of a Second Sierran Civil war. Eventually, a Political Organization called the Purpleshirts arose to Fight against the Landonists and Reformists. The Organization was Pro-Cultural Revolution and in many Cases illegally Kidnapped and or Executed alleged Reformed Republicans and Landonists. Oddie Denounced them in 1918 and called them Terrorists but they Continued to Pursue any opposition. Hiram Johnson Beat Oddie in 1919 marking the beginning of the Landonist Government. Oddie resumed his tenure in the Parliament and stayed out of Political Affairs wanting to Settle down. But he returned in 1920 after the Burbank Declaration to join in on the Chaos.

First National Government

In 1921 Tasker Oddie returned to Avenge 1919 and Joined in Coalition with the Royalist which was Named the First National Government. They joined the Alliance to Take down the Dangerous Radical Republicans and uphold the Burbank Declaration. Oddie Revised the House Rules by re-introducing the filibuster, which had been removed in 1902. Pressure from the Royalists Made Oddie give more Authority to the Purpleshirts and Oddie supported a National Crackdown on the Landonist Revolutionaries. Eventually Fights Broke out between Oddie and Earle Coburn. Oddie and the DRPS wanted to strengthen workers' rights regardless of the Royalist's Socialist fears because to Oddie it was crucial to the nation's economy and infrastructure while Coburn and the Royalists disagreed. Oddie was himself accused by party members of compromising the DRP's economic values in favor of conciliatory relations with the rival Royalists. There was also disagreement over Sierra's involvement in Mexico and other Latin American countries. A group of 18 Democratic-Republicans, known as the Green Hounds angered with Oddie, defected in February to the Reformed Republican coalition, and were able to pass a motion of no confidence.

Fall from Politics

Hiram Johnson and the Reformed Republicans were able to regain control over the House in 1923 after the motion of no confidence and vowed to overturn the Sedition Act, as well as rein in the powers of the Senate. Johnson and the Reformed Republicans introduced eugenics into its party platform, calling for racial purity and the reintroduction of racial segregation and anti-miscegenation laws. Now Oddie was quite Frustrated with Johnson, helped the Royal Bureau of Investigation testify, and charged 11 members of parliament and 3 Senators for Treason. Oddie also brought up Hiram and his Altercation in 1815 but it never went anywhere. Eventually just like the Democratic-Republicans did in 1916 the Reformed Republicans split because of differences between rival leaders and another Election occurred with, Johnson losing to Major Figure in the First National Government, Earle Coburn. Oddie Supported Coburn but didn't particularly like him or the Royalists and after the whole situation, Oddie Reaffirmed his Support for the Democratic-Republicans. However, after the 1920s, the Democratic-Republicans had Revitalized their Principles and ideals and Oddie didn't support the new Candidate for the DRPS named Poncio Salinas either over differences in Economic ambitions or just blatant racism. Anyways Oddie ran and won a Seat in Parliament for Pahrump and served until 1933 when he retired.

Later life

After Oddie retired in 1933, he had largely withdrawn from public life all together and spend the remaining days in Pahrump with his support for the formal delegation of war against the United Commonwealth following the outbreak of the Great War being his last major vote in parliament.

Oddie was Diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1937 at age 66 and his health slowly declined from there. He spent his final years with his wife on a Ranch outside Pahrump. He died on his ranch on February 17, 1947, and was buried at Lone Cemetery in Pahrump, Clark.

See also

• Cornflower coalition
  • First National Government
• Approbatio period