DWBI Jimmy Carter wins 1976

Jimmy Carter was a subtle and contemplative man. He presented himself as a simple as a simple southerner, but he was quite the intellectual. He would understand that a cold intellectual would need to be appointed to the Fed, someone like Paul Volcker. While Volcker's strict policies would actually reign in inflation near the end of Carter's term, there would be pain. That pain might favor the Republicans.

I shudder to think what might have happened if Carter would lose to Reagan in 1980. Reagan's "starve the beast" spending and tax policy coupled with Reagan's idiocy would be the beginning of the end for the Great Society.

But a lot of this would depend on the Iran Crisis. Ford sent in the Marines, they did indeed "rescue" some of the hostages, one third of them, and many marines were killed. Carter was a submarine guy and would try something stealthier, though probably riskier. If this mission failed, Carter is doomed and some nutbar like Reagan might get the nomination and win. If it succeeded, Carter would be unbeatable.

And don't think carter would be soft on defense. He was good friends with Harold Brown , who would likely become SecDef. Brown would be a great leader in making the transition to a post draft professional military unlike the muddled mess we got with Ford.
 
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