Who can tell. Reagan was a interesting person. To many butterfly opportunities. It was a miracle anyway democrats won the 1980. election anyway. Though over time Carter's policies, while some them rather naive, have mostly been redeemed.
It was Carter administration that guided Soviets into their foolish adventure in Afganistan. Remember, USSR withdrew from Afganistan in spring of 1992. and it was to late to salvage domestic situation. Iron Curtain collapsed, Baltic republics broke away... With Russia annexing Russian populated parts of Ukraine and Belarus, but loosing the rest of Soviet empire in 1993.
And it was Carter's energy policy, continued by his successor that drove oil prices down with US energy independence and made USSR lose a huge share of its incomes. And that was the straw that broke camel's back.
Though even the moderate secret support of Taliban forces in Afganistan had disastrous consequences. When UN invaded lead by US and NATO in 1998. it was still after DC and LA bombings had taken place.
Remember how rabid republican Hawks sounded during mid and late 80es. They were almost accusing Democrat administration of treason, and when USSR disintegrated they were nowhere to be heard.
And still we can hear people talking about lost prosperity and comfort of life in US. You guys still have and always had had living standard better than most of the Western Europe. What you called "socialist sacrifices" were just common sense measures. And they worked FFS! US achieved energy independence in 1994.