The 1960 US Presidential Elections was one of the closest in history. Now imagine that Nixon narrowly wins, and like Nixon IOTL, JFK wants and does makes a comeback in 1968. What do you think would happen, in six spheres?
1. Social?
My opinion:
Nixon would most likely pass the CRA and VRA. Nixon was pro-Civil Rights in 1960, and I believe there would be no Southern Strategy by 1968, killing the Republicans in the South.
I think JFK would have carried out a mandatory rehabilitation regime to suppress drugs.
How about Busing? If Nixon's the POTUS signing the CRA and VRA, the Democrats wouldn't back busing by 1968, as they keep the Solid South and would appeal to social conservatives ITTL.
2. Economic?
My two cents:
I don't know how Medicare and Medicaid will progress here, as well as Universal Healthcare.
Poverty will go down, but slower without Johnson's War on Poverty.
3. Military/Foreign?
My take:
I'm under the impression that Nixon would have successfully led the Bay of Pigs Invasion, as he's going to be more willing to provide air support for the Bay forces.
In Vietnam, Nixon will experience the same problem, and will be the incumbent as riots intensify in the late 1960s.
How about China? Will Kennedy initiate OTL Nixon's rapproachement policy? Some say the reason why Nixon was able to do so was because of the "Kill the Communists!" rhetoric of Nixon. Perhaps if Kennedy instead does that, I don't know.
4. Supreme Court?
A few thoughts?
Nixon had three appointments, and Kennedy's picks would be much different than IOTL. There were some rulings that were pivotal at the time, namely 1) Furman vs. Georgia, 2) San Antonio ISD vs. Rodriguez, 3) Milliken vs. Bradley, and 4) Roe vs. Wade.
On Roe vs. Wade, some say that if all anti-abortion laws were banned in all 50 states via the 13th Amendment, the abortion would have been destroyed in the long run. What are your thoughts about it?
5. Party Alignments?
In my opinion:
Dixiecrats will remain the Democratic Party, and Blacks would be Republican. The GOP would still be to the right in both social and economic spheres, although they will not become reactionary like IOTL. I think they would be center-right party, not hard conservative, in such a scenario. They would be strong in the Northeast, the Midwest and Great Plains, and the Pacific Coast sans California.
Meanwhile, the Democrats would be the home of socially-conservative (like OTL Republicans, but will want national enforcement of morality instead of "States' Rights!" ITTL), fiscally progressive figures. They appeal to the working class, whites, Jews, and later on, Latinos. With Latinos on board, the Democrats won't be reactionary ITTL. They would be strong in the South, the Mountain West, and present-day California.
I think the scenario above would shift the US to the left economically, and much more to the right socially.
-----------------------------
What do you think? I'm interested in your ideas, especially since I may not have listed all the things that could be possibly changed with a JFK '68.
P.S. for JFK's successor and POTUS, I left it blank for your ideas.
1. Social?
My opinion:
Nixon would most likely pass the CRA and VRA. Nixon was pro-Civil Rights in 1960, and I believe there would be no Southern Strategy by 1968, killing the Republicans in the South.
I think JFK would have carried out a mandatory rehabilitation regime to suppress drugs.
How about Busing? If Nixon's the POTUS signing the CRA and VRA, the Democrats wouldn't back busing by 1968, as they keep the Solid South and would appeal to social conservatives ITTL.
2. Economic?
My two cents:
I don't know how Medicare and Medicaid will progress here, as well as Universal Healthcare.
Poverty will go down, but slower without Johnson's War on Poverty.
3. Military/Foreign?
My take:
I'm under the impression that Nixon would have successfully led the Bay of Pigs Invasion, as he's going to be more willing to provide air support for the Bay forces.
In Vietnam, Nixon will experience the same problem, and will be the incumbent as riots intensify in the late 1960s.
How about China? Will Kennedy initiate OTL Nixon's rapproachement policy? Some say the reason why Nixon was able to do so was because of the "Kill the Communists!" rhetoric of Nixon. Perhaps if Kennedy instead does that, I don't know.
4. Supreme Court?
A few thoughts?
Nixon had three appointments, and Kennedy's picks would be much different than IOTL. There were some rulings that were pivotal at the time, namely 1) Furman vs. Georgia, 2) San Antonio ISD vs. Rodriguez, 3) Milliken vs. Bradley, and 4) Roe vs. Wade.
On Roe vs. Wade, some say that if all anti-abortion laws were banned in all 50 states via the 13th Amendment, the abortion would have been destroyed in the long run. What are your thoughts about it?
5. Party Alignments?
In my opinion:
Dixiecrats will remain the Democratic Party, and Blacks would be Republican. The GOP would still be to the right in both social and economic spheres, although they will not become reactionary like IOTL. I think they would be center-right party, not hard conservative, in such a scenario. They would be strong in the Northeast, the Midwest and Great Plains, and the Pacific Coast sans California.
Meanwhile, the Democrats would be the home of socially-conservative (like OTL Republicans, but will want national enforcement of morality instead of "States' Rights!" ITTL), fiscally progressive figures. They appeal to the working class, whites, Jews, and later on, Latinos. With Latinos on board, the Democrats won't be reactionary ITTL. They would be strong in the South, the Mountain West, and present-day California.
I think the scenario above would shift the US to the left economically, and much more to the right socially.
-----------------------------
What do you think? I'm interested in your ideas, especially since I may not have listed all the things that could be possibly changed with a JFK '68.
P.S. for JFK's successor and POTUS, I left it blank for your ideas.