LogFAQs > #974123672

LightningStrikes posted...

I will say, I think basically all the effects of Reagans presidency would have happened without Reagan himself. The hard neoliberal shift of the 80s was on its way regardless - of course Thatcher predates Reagan by a year, but even the left wing governments of continental Europe were pushed into adopting lighter versions of these policies that decade. Given that its America of course Reagan went much harder into it than anybody and also let AIDS run rampant while destabilising the Middle East. However I think there always would have been a Reagan. I dont think there always would have been a Bush or a Trump.

My galaxy brain pick is Nixon over JFK in 1960 - back then IIRC Nixon was pro-civil rights, if he wins no Goldwater and the southern strategy that has effectively plagued the world for decades. Also he likely gets assassinated before he can do so many crimes. The US probably ends up with two functionally identical parties with different factions across the spectrum. Not great but better than the current situation.

I don't think so, Carter winning in 1980 at the very least butterflies away the PATCO firings, which is one of the things that absolutely broke organized labor in this country. You also have to consider if John Hinckley had still gone through with his assassination attempt, if he'd shot Carter and Carter had lived, Carter might've been able to cash in the groundswell of sympathy to get us something like universal health care.

In 1984, it'd be Mondale vs. either George H.W. Bush or Bob Dole, right? Neither of them would've been as bad as Reagan, especially not Pappy Bush, and I could see us getting Mondale in 1984 if Carter's second term goes better than his first.