James G
Gone Fishin'
Ted Kennedy beats sitting POTUS Carter for the Democratic nomination and goes on to win the White House over Reagan. Yeah, I know, a challenge and a half. But, the gods shine on him and he does it.
What is his presidency like?
Nuclear freeze. With Reagan as POTUS in OTL, Kennedy pushed for a nuclear freeze and blamed Reagan's nuclear build-up (which actually started under Carter) for increased tensions. If he was president, would he carry on with Carter's build-up like Reagan or have a freeze like he proposed in the mid-80s but earlier?
Universal medical insurance. Would Kennedy have gotten that through Congress? The make-up of Congress would be different without Republicans winning on Reagan's coattails. Would it have bankrupted the country? How hard would lobbyists for medical companies fight?
Sex scandals to rival Clinton's? He and his wife were separated from '77 but staged events together and kept that private. They divorced in '81 but I can only presume she would still be First Lady. Would Ted follow his brother's example and spend his presidency with his flies undone? And be caught out, resulting in a scandal that tumbles onwards through twists and turns leading to impeachment?
Ulster. How would Britain deal with such a man whose views on Ulster had to be listened to because he was POTUS and not just an annoying senator? Would Britain have to do as he wished?
I've made plenty of assumptions on these already. What do you think?
What is his presidency like?
Nuclear freeze. With Reagan as POTUS in OTL, Kennedy pushed for a nuclear freeze and blamed Reagan's nuclear build-up (which actually started under Carter) for increased tensions. If he was president, would he carry on with Carter's build-up like Reagan or have a freeze like he proposed in the mid-80s but earlier?
Universal medical insurance. Would Kennedy have gotten that through Congress? The make-up of Congress would be different without Republicans winning on Reagan's coattails. Would it have bankrupted the country? How hard would lobbyists for medical companies fight?
Sex scandals to rival Clinton's? He and his wife were separated from '77 but staged events together and kept that private. They divorced in '81 but I can only presume she would still be First Lady. Would Ted follow his brother's example and spend his presidency with his flies undone? And be caught out, resulting in a scandal that tumbles onwards through twists and turns leading to impeachment?
Ulster. How would Britain deal with such a man whose views on Ulster had to be listened to because he was POTUS and not just an annoying senator? Would Britain have to do as he wished?
I've made plenty of assumptions on these already. What do you think?