The New Frontier

[Thomas Jefferson]

Rockefeller Takes Office

The New York Times, front page, January 20, 1977

Rockefeller Calls for Strengthened Drug Laws

The New York Times, front page, March 2, 1977

Shamir Takes Power in Historic Israeli Election

The New York Times, front page, May 17, 1977

Rockefeller Signs New Drug Bill, Marijuana Remains Legal but 15 Year Minimum for Transport Across State Lines

The New York Times, front page, August 3, 1977

Sadat Reopens Diplomatic Relations With Jordan, Possible Precursor to Treaty With Israel

The New York Times, front page, November 19, 1977

[TxCoatl1970]

I love the overall direction of the TL. James Dean is a positive Ronald Reagan who accomplishes a lot of what JFK & LBJ would have, quicker and cleaner.
I like a lot of the touches of more muscular civil rights legislation/enforcement, far better national energy policy and standing up the Arab oil embargo positively. Also the genesis of NEPA- assessing all those public works projects' environmental effects is and interesting detail to yours truly. The scale you're mentioning of dam and nuclear plant construction's off the chain though. Still awesome ideas.

People forget how active Al-Fatah was in the 1960's, but it ignores the OTL factionalism that made it so difficult for Israel and the West to deal with it, and what many insiders felt was excessive secularism and restraint to their campaign.
Thus PFLP and other offshoots doing what Fatah didn't have the stupidity to greenlight.
FWIW, this may have been disinformation to deflect Western pressure on the PLO to knock it off. YMMV.

Fatah however, was never Al-Qaeda, even when they hijacked airliners in the 1970's. It was political theater. They didn't abuse hostages or do anything really insanely stupid as the various religious extremists (Hizballah, et al.) did later in the 1980's.
What you're proposing is political suicide. Sure, the PLO got money and arms and training from the Soviets, but they depended just as much on Western European goodwill to organize, raise funds, and so forth. Taking potshots at US VIPs would completely flush all that. They'd be outlaws and NOBODY would want that kind of heat to shelter or publically support them.
If Kosygin's in power, I don't think offhand he'd be terribly happy with sponsored liberation movements going that rogue.
You could have an interesting CIA/KGB/Mossad team-up to wipe the PLO off the face of the earth.

[Thomas Jefferson]

Originally Posted by TxCoatl1970

People forget how active Al-Fatah was in the 1960's, but it ignores the OTL factionalism that made it so difficult for Israel and the West to deal with it, and what many insiders felt was excessive secularism and restraint to their campaign.
Thus PFLP and other offshoots doing what Fatah didn't have the stupidity to greenlight.
FWIW, this may have been disinformation to deflect Western pressure on the PLO to knock it off. YMMV.

Fatah however, was never Al-Qaeda, even when they hijacked airliners in the 1970's. It was political theater. They didn't abuse hostages or do anything really insanely stupid as the various religious extremists (Hizballah, et al.) did later in the 1980's.
What you're proposing is political suicide. Sure, the PLO got money and arms and training from the Soviets, but they depended just as much on Western European goodwill to organize, raise funds, and so forth. Taking potshots at US VIPs would completely flush all that. They'd be outlaws and NOBODY would want that kind of heat to shelter or publically support them.
If Kosygin's in power, I don't think offhand he'd be terribly happy with sponsored liberation movements going that rogue.
You could have an interesting CIA/KGB/Mossad team-up to wipe the PLO off the face of the earth.

Fatah is more extremist because Arafat's dead and they're being funded by Syria/Iraq/Egypt (who would be international pariahs if Europe and East Asia weren't reliant on their oil) rather than the Russians, who are moving towards a much more positive relationship with the US under Kosygin. The US isn't pursuing a George W. Bush style policy of regime change because Sanford and Rockefeller are afraid of getting into a quagmire like the Russians had in Cuba and the US almost had in Jordan and Vietnam, and the various regimes officially deny supporting the PLO. On the bright side, the PLO has made themselves obnoxious enough to swing Jordanian public opinion in favor of the Hashemite monarchy and peace with Israel.

[Asnys]

Originally Posted by TxCoatl1970

I like a lot of the touches of more muscular civil rights legislation/enforcement, far better national energy policy and standing up the Arab oil embargo positively. Also the genesis of NEPA- assessing all those public works projects' environmental effects is and interesting detail to yours truly. The scale you're mentioning of dam and nuclear plant construction's off the chain though. Still awesome ideas.

In terms of numbers of nuclear reactors, this is actually pretty similar to what was done IOTL. In fact, given that we haven't seen any numbers other than the one post, it's possible it's actually slower. Late 60s and early 70s is the Great Bandwagon Market, when everyone and their mother was building Gen-II LWRs.

A nuclear sector focused around a National Power Administration will likely be healthier in the long run than OTL's gamut of private reactors. It will hopefully force some standardization, for one thing, as well as lower capital charges. On the other hand, I would worry about accidents and public perception of accidents, with the *NRC part of the same organization that's building the plants.

[Thomas Jefferson]

Originally Posted by Asnys

In terms of numbers of nuclear reactors, this is actually pretty similar to what was done IOTL. In fact, given that we haven't seen any numbers other than the one post, it's possible it's actually slower.

The numbers would be somewhat higher, and all the planned reactors would actually get built thanks to federal spending and an earlier drive to reduce oil dependency.

[Thomas Jefferson]

Sharon Tate Files for Divorce from Roman Polanski

People Magazine, cover story, February 1, 1978

Anita Bryant Wins AIP Gubernatorial Primary, Will Face Askew in General Election

The Miami Herald, front page, April 1, 1978

Is There a Diesel Bubble?

Time Magazine, cover story, June 15, 1978

Rockefeller to Open Negotiations Between Sadat, Shamir at Camp David

The New York Times, front page, September 5, 1978

Democrats Pick Up Seats in Midterms, AIP Resurgent in Statehouses

The New York Times, front page, November 8, 1978

Milk Assassinated; Suspect Had History of Anti-Gay Activity; Succeeded as Mayor by Dianne Feinstein

San Francisco Chronicle, front page, November 27, 1978

Rockefeller Found Dead of Heart Attack; Stock Market Slides, Dole Appeals for Calm

The New York Times, front page, January 29, 1979

[Richter10]

Would Space-based Solar Power have a chance to be developed in this TL?

[Thomas Jefferson]

Originally Posted by Richter10

Would Space-based Solar Power have a chance to be developed in this TL?

It would have attracted alot of attention in the early 1970s, but interest would have waned as new cars switched over to biodiesel and the price of fuel dropped.

[Thomas Jefferson]

Sadat Signs Peace Treaty With Israel

The New York Times, front page, March 26, 1979

Thatcher Wins Second Term

The New York Times, front page, May 4, 1979

Bear Market Continues as American Diesel Files for Bankruptcy, Carter Industries Expected to Purchase Assets

The Wall Street Journal, page A2, July 16, 1979

Lord Mountbatten Dead in IRA Bombing

The New York Times, front page, August 28, 1979

US Officially in Recession, RomneyCorp CEO Says Fuels Still Growth Market

The New York Times, October 27, 1979

Clinton Announces Presidential Candidacy

Arkansas Democrat Gazette, front page, November 7, 1979

Proxmire Wins Iowa Caucuses

The New York Times, front page, January 25, 1980

Clinton 'Comeback Kid' With New Hampshire Win

The New York Times, front page, March 8, 1980

Bryant Blasts Clinton for Gay Rights Stance, Campaigns With Helms

The Miami Herald, front page, March 14, 1980

Marshal Tito Dead

The New York Times, front page, May 4, 1980

Shah of Iran Dead

The New York Times, front page, July 27, 1980

Clinton Accepts Nomination, Announces Reagan as Running Mate

The New York Times, front page, August 14, 1980

Iraq and Syria Launch Surprise Attack on Iran; Shah Calls for US Aid

The New York Times, front page, September 22, 1980

Clinton Defeats Dole

The New York Times, front page, November 5, 1980

[Lord Grattan]

Bill Clinton was not eligible to serve POTUS until August 19, 1981, so the "comeback kid" will have to come back another day.

Perhaps Dole defeats Reagan in spite of the weak economy in 1980? Young Bill Clinton can be inaugurated President in 1985 at the age of 38.

[Thunderbolt]

If you read the first post of this thread correctly, the age minimum has been lowered to 25. So, however implausible it may be, Clinton is eligible in 1980.

Having your running mate be more than twice your age (69 v 34) would be somewhat of a distracting issue though.

[Lord Grattan]

Originally Posted by Thunderbolt

If you read the first post of this thread correctly, the age minimum has been lowered to 25. So, however implausible it may be, Clinton is eligible in 1980.

Having your running mate be more than twice your age (69 v 34) would be somewhat of a distracting issue though.

Yes, I did miss that.

[Thomas Jefferson]

Originally Posted by Thunderbolt

If you read the first post of this thread correctly, the age minimum has been lowered to 25. So, however implausible it may be, Clinton is eligible in 1980.

Having your running mate be more than twice your age (69 v 34) would be somewhat of a distracting issue though.

Clinton's pick of Reagan will help assuage the voters' worries about his 'youth and inexperience' (While James Dean was actually four years younger in 1960, he was also a war hero and came off as much less callow ITTL). Reagan also appeals to more fiscally conservative Democrats, as well as the remaining Cold Warriors, who remember his anti-communist stance, as well as those who would be considered libertarians IOTL, who like his support for free speech after the horrors of Nixon's term as Governor, and his legalization of sodomy, abortion, and marijuana in the late 1960s.

[TxCoatl1970]

Here's a POD from hell re: Iran- see if they can be admitted as NATO member!

Have the Turks and US obliterate Syria and swing east from Damascus toward Baghdad and the Iranians roll up from Basra. Khomeini dies in cross-fire.
New Shah decides to pull a Juan Carlos and as part of NATO treaty alliance, restict himself to constitiutional monarchy, SAVAK disbanded, and the Majlis be a ruling parliament more or less as OTL Iranian revolution intended.
All the political pressure for reform goes into infighting and campaigning in the Majlis.

Now that Iran is the front-line for NATO, d'ya think the Soviets would've been so eager to flex in Afghanistan? of course, for the Soviets, it's the Near Abroad and as much their sphere of influence as Mexico is to the US.

[Thomas Jefferson]

Originally Posted by TxCoatl1970

Now that Iran is the front-line for NATO, d'ya think the Soviets would've been so eager to flex in Afghanistan? of course, for the Soviets, it's the Near Abroad and as much their sphere of influence as Mexico is to the US.

The Soviets aren't up to anything in Afghanistan. They have bigger problems in Eastern Europe, with Czechoslovakia threatening to leave the Warsaw Pact, Yugoslavia leaderless, and rumblings of popular discontent in Poland. To top it all off, Kosygin's on his last legs, and there is uncertainty as to who will replace him.

[Thomas Jefferson]

In First Act as President; Clinton Orders Troops to Iran

The New York Times, front page, January 20, 1981

Reagan Shot

The New York Times, front page, March 31, 1981

Papal Assassin Was Working for Iraqis

The New York Times, front page, May 23, 1981

Gorbachev Condemns Use of Chemical Weapons, Recalls Ambassadors from Syria and Iraq

The New York Times, front page, July 6, 1981

Polish Cardinal Crowned Pope Paul VII

The New York Times, front page, September 3, 1981

Sadat Killed by Syrian Agents

The New York Times, front page, October 6, 1981

Poland to Allow Multi-Party Elections in Response to 'Solidarity' Protests

The New York Times, front page, December 13, 1981

[Thomas Jefferson]

Captain David Petraeus to Receive Medal of Honor for Heroism in Iran

The Poughkeepsie Journal, front page, January 3, 1982

Syrian Invades Jordan

The New York Times, front page, February 3, 1982

UK Declares War on Syria, Thatcher Calls on NATO Members to do Likewise

The New York Times, front page, April 2, 1982

75,000 Attend Anti-War Rally in Central Park

The New York Times, page A2, June 12, 1982

Powell: Iraqis Pushed Back to Border, Increasing Use of Chemical Weapons

The New York Times, front page, August 4, 1982

US-UK Advance Halted By Nerve Gas

The New York Times, front page, September 10, 1982

Car Bomb Explodes at Conservative Party Conference in Brighton; Hundreds Feared Dead; IRA Claims Responsibility

The New York Times, front page, October 8, 1982

Scotland Yard: Reason to Believe Iraqi Involvement in Brighton Bombing

The New York Times, front page, October 10, 1982

The Iron Lady: 1925-1982

Time Magazine, cover story, October 12, 1982

Reeling Britain Hit With Sarin Gas Bombs in London Tube

The New York Times, front page, November 3, 1982

]

Nunn: Terrorists Could Strike Inside US

The New York Times, front page, December 20, 1982

[Thomas Jefferson]

NATO Troops Make Inroads in Northern Iraq

The New York Times, front page, January 2, 1983

Maintenance Issues Force Shutdown of Salem Reactor

The Philadelphia Inquirer, page A2, February 23, 1983

NATO Forces in Sight of Baghdad, Powell Warns of Intense Fighting for City

The New York Times, front page, April 13, 1983

Whitelaw Secures Sweeping Mandate in UK Elections

The New York Times, front page, June 9, 1983

US Casualties in Baghdad Reach 1000

The New York Times, front page, August 8, 1983

Baghdad Falls: Saddam Hussein Flees to Syria

The New York Times, front page, October 23, 1983

POW Robert Goodman Rescued in Daring SEAL Raid

The New York Times, front page, December 23, 1983

Inside the New Apple Macintosh

Popular Science, cover story, January 24, 1984

Winter Olympics Open in Gothenburg Despite Protests From Milosevic

The New York Times, front page, February 9, 1984

Clinton Heads to Tehran for Chemical Weapons Summit

The New York Times, front page, April 4, 1984

Syria Agrees to Disarm, Assad Flees to Exile in China

The New York Times, front page, July 20, 1984

Anderson Selects Former Commerce Secretary Bush as Running Mate

The New York Times, front page, August 20, 1984

As US Withdraws, Iraq Plagued by Sectarian Violence

The New York Times, front page, September 6, 1984

Clinton Wins Reelection With Unprecedented 62 Percent of Popular Vote

The New York Times, front page, November 7, 1987

[Thomas Jefferson]

Gay Community Calls for Federal Funding to Treat AIDS Virus

The New York Times, page A3, January 3, 1985

Reagan Pushes for Nuclear Disarmament in Meeting With Ryzhkov

The New York Times, front page, March 13, 1985

Iraq Observers Warn of Total Collapse of Public Order

The New York Times, front page, May 16, 1985

US Recalls Ambassador from South Africa

The New York Times, front page, July 20, 1985

AIP Filibusters AIDS Bill in Senate; Robertson Calls Disease God's Judgement; Clinton Blasts 'Heartless' Opposition

The New York Times, page A2, September 28, 1985

Nuclear Disarmament Summit Begins in Geneva

The New York Times, front page, November 19, 1985

[Thomas Jefferson]

McAuliffe Becomes First Civilian on Moon

The New York Times, page A3, January 28, 1986

China Walks Out of Geneva Talks Over Taiwan

The New York Times, front page, March 9, 1986

Fire at Russian Nuclear Plant Causes Severe Radiation Leak

The New York Times, front page, April 27, 1986

Pope Paul Travels to Poland, Will Meet President Walesa, Address Parliament

The New York Times, page A2, May 25, 1986

Rogers Commission: Dangerous Safety Lapses at Nuclear Plants

The New York Times, front page, June 8, 1986

AIP Targets Romney, Estevez in Bid to Expand Influence Beyond South

The New York Times, page A5, August 9, 1986

New Disarmament Talks Begin in Iceland, This Time Without China, India, or Pakistan

The New York Times, front page, October 11, 1986

AIP Picks Up House Seats With New Evangelical Votes, Midwest Governors Hold Hout

The New York Times, front page, November 5, 1986