DBWI Ford not assassinated

what if Squeaky Fromme hadn't killed President Gerald Ford in 1975? what would America look like without a Rockefeller Presidency?
 
Well, without Rockefeller and his rocky personal life becoming an issue in the 1976 campaign, one might have seen less open involvement of religious groups in U.S. politics. President Carter certainly energized a large segment of voters to vote him into office in 1976. Of course, Carter won reelection in 1981, only to be assassinated by John Hinckley, bringing to power Walter Mondale, who would serve until 1988.

Nonetheless, I see the late 1970's and early 1980's as being less chaotic in a timeline wherein Ford lives. Obviously, if Ford is still alive going into 1976, then his nomination probably won't be seriously contested. I see Bob Dole and Ronald Reagan as deciding not to contest the race if Ford was still alive. Ford would probably be defeated as Rocky was, however, but for pardoning Nixon rather than issues in his personal life. As such, Carter, McGovern, or even Udall is probably nominated by the Democrats and wins. Assuming that the Iran crisis is still handled controversially, and the economy remains sour, I think that it may be possible to see Ronald Reagan elected president. With Carter leaving office disgraced, and Reagan clearly a libertarian and militarist, I see the religious movement inspired by Carter's success abruptly ebding in such a timeline, being remembered as a minor fluke if it was even noticed at all.

Perhaps the biggest effect I see stemming from Ford's survival is the demise (rather than the reduction and reformation) of the Soviet Union. One needs to look no further than Reagan's 1976 campaign pamphlets and later autobiography to understand why such a different outcome could occur. All in all, the world could be quite different today. One interesting effect might be that it's still plausible in this alternative for Ron Paul to be elected President of the United States sometime in the 1990's or early 2000's.
 
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