Reagen dies in 1981

[tulsademo]

what if the attempt on Reagens life was sucsesuful in 1981? How does this affect the Cold War and politcs in the 1980s? What affect does it have on the Bush family Dynasty? discuss

[Xen]

If Reagan dies in 1981? Hmm, well the big question is who would get nominated as Bush's veep? For the sake of irony let us say it is Dick Cheney. Four years later does Bush get re-elected? Possibly he can use Reagan's call to arms to get the sympathy vote, and lets face the DNC is likely to give their nomination to Mondale, only in ttl, Mondale does not get smoked, but still loses.

Relations with the USSR are warming but not as hawkish as they were under Reagan, and Gorbachev is slower to implement some of his programs.

In 1988 Dick Cheney campaigns for and wins the GOP nomination, but the DNC decide to run someone tougher, lets say due to butterflies, Mario Cuomo agrees to run for President and wins a convincing victory over Cheney who has the personality of a rock. Cuomo selects Al Gore as his veep.

Cuomo wins re-election in 1992 and in 1994 watches as communist regimes begin to fall in Eastern Europe, but not Russia, he also oversees the Second Korean War (this nearly occured in 1994 in OTL) and by 1996 the US controls much of the Korean Peninsula, PRC complains and rattles its saber, but its economy has become to intertwined with the American economy to risk war. Due to the victory in the Cold War, and in the Second Korean War, and a healthy economy Al Gore defeats Bob Dole in the most boring election in human history in 1996. The DNC remains in control of Congress, but the country has other problems.

In 2000 after 12 years out of office, the GOP wins back the White House riding on John McCain's coattails. There is no September 11, but several foiled plots to destroy American landmarks by Al Queda, the US and its closest allies begin air strikes in Afghanistan but have difficulty getting Pakistan to support the operation. John McCain wins reelection in 2004.

[black angel]

Dick Cheney? thats unlikely, the man was a rep from Wyoming at the time (only 3 years on the job) way more likely VPs are out there.

Alexander Haig (Secretary of State)
Bob Dole (Senator, former vice presidential nominee, ran for President 1980)
John Connally (Former Governor of Texas, Former Secretary of Treasury ran for President 1980)
Phil Crane (leading conservative, member of the US House 12 years ran for president 1980)
Howard Baker (Senator, Senate Majority Leader, ran for President 1980)
John Jacob Rhodes (House Minority Leader)

any way Bush is uncharismatic, i don't know that he'd win in 1984. i see the dems running hard against him, maybe EMK will run,

[Emperor Norton I]

Volcker was the one that really carried the economy, so if he remains Chairmen of the FED, you'll see the same economic boom you did, but with H.W. Bush you have a more moderate person than Reagan who wasn't any supporter of what he termed "Voodoo economics", so you could avoid the massive Reaganomics Debt and Deficit.

The Soviets were also very much on their last legs Reagan or not, so unless you somehow see a massive turn around either through a harsher regime or just a crack down on corruption to stabilize it, or even Gorbachev introducing reforms at a more steady pace than he did in the OTL (his rushing the transformation led to a lot of destability that could have been avoided if reform came slower), the USSR is going to collapse at some point soon after this either when it actually did or perhaps a few years later.

[Xen]

Originally Posted by black angel

Dick Cheney? thats unlikely, the man was a rep from Wyoming at the time (only 3 years on the job) way more likely VPs are out there.

He was also the White House Chief of Staff under Gerald Ford from 1975-1977, Cheney as Bush's Veep is about as likely as Bush as Reagan's Veep

[black angel]

Originally Posted by Xen

He was also the White House Chief of Staff under Gerald Ford from 1975-1977, Cheney as Bush's Veep is about as likely as Bush as Reagan's Veep

Reagan picked Bush because Bush came out of no where in 1980 and almost beat him to the Nomination, and if you can name any of G. W. Bush's White House Chief of Staff (off the top of you head) i'd be amazed

[Xen]

George W. Bush, the only one I could think of is Andrew Card, I dont remember who replaced him, but I just liked the name Andrew Card. Weird eh?

[black angel]

Originally Posted by Xen

George W. Bush, the only one I could think of is Andrew Card, I dont remember who replaced him, but I just liked the name Andrew Card. Weird eh?

wow, most people can't name ether of them, Joshua Bolten is the other. any way Chief of Staff is a wock job and most people don't know or care who they are