Jim Jones (PJW)

James "Jim" Jones was an American religious leader, Governor of Pennsylvania, and for a brief time, 39th President of the United States.

Charismatic and egotistical, Jones, a communist himself, become radicalized by the fierce anticommunism of the Wayne administration. Leading a movement known as the People's Temple, Jones managed to be elected an alderman from Philadelphia. His fearlessness in espousing his ideas of equality under God's name resulting in widespread support as well as fear from other politicians. Considered too radical by other Democrats, Jones joined the growing Citizens' Party.

In 1971, after a rousing campaign, Jones would be elected Governor of Pennsylvania. He became the fiercest critic of new President Frank Carlucci, an anticommunist who used widespread interventions and heavy-handed oppression to defeat communist. The growing conflict between Jones and Carlucci would come to a head in 1977 when Jones would be arrested on charges of espionage. Despite his extremism, protests for the imprisoned governor led to the near collapse of the Carlucci administration and the unsuccessful Governors' Plot in the 1980 presidential election.

Jones himself was thrown into a labor camp, where he grew popular due to his orating skills. When Acting President Alexander Haig announced a special election in November 1981, the Citizens' Party was the only coherent political party left in the United States. Jones' return from imprisonment inspired many voters, and Jones would be elected president.

Jones and Haig, who increased the power of the Chief of Staff of Army, remained in conflict during his few months of presidency. Jones would focus his administration on attempting to fix the chaos in America, though many realized that his plans of fixing crime was the same as many presidents before him; jailing dissidents and oppressive tactics.

The stresses of the presidency got to Jones, and during the Sino-Soviet Exchange he suffered a breakdown and ordered the launching of America's nuclear arsenal. Haig and the military attempted a second coup, but the president's men inside Fort Myer had armed the old nuclear artillery stored inside there during the Wayne era. Though no nuclear weapons were launched elsewhere, the artillery was launched on Washington DC, killing both Jones and Haig. The simultaneous nuclear war in Asia as well as the devastation to America's leadership resulting in a near breakdown of the country and the ascension of General Norman Schwarzkopf to the Acting Presidency.