I posted a thread a couple of weeks ago asking what would happen if a moderate Republican was elected in 1980 in place of Ronald Reagan. I was not very specific about what I wanted out of answers and the thread ended up dying quickly. This time, I have more specific points that'll help people give more detailed answers. What if a Moderate Rockefeller Republican became President in 1980 and had the following intentions in office:
* They would continue the policy of detente that Eisenhower, Nixon and Ford espoused. There would be no massive buildup of arms against the Soviet Union, as well as no massive expansion of the military.
** In addition to this, the Rooseveltian philosophy towards military would be practiced. What is this you may ask? Well, remember what President Theodore Roosevelt said; "Speak softly and carry a big stick". Therefore, there would be no macho posturing about the malevolent USSR. We would be on guard, but our policies would emphasize protection and home security, rather then offensive policies.
*** There would be no funding towards dictatorships in Central America that aim to defeat communism. Simply put, there'd be no Iran-Contra-esque scandal.
* There would be no supply-side economics; instead, there would be flat tax-rates and spending cuts across the board.
** Spending would be reduced and conservatively practiced.
* The Drug War would be significantly reduced, with legislation towards legalizing at least medical marijuana being proposed and rehabilitation being emphasized over incarceration.
* Increased emphasis on environmental concerns, with the warnings regarding acid rain being taken more seriously.
* Welfare would be more difficult to achieve, it being reserved only for individuals who make below a certain income and cannot find work in spite of attempts to do so.
* No Moral Majority enforcing strict censorship on entertainment.
* There would be a much quicker response to the AIDS crisis, with relief immediately being sent out to many of the sufferers and televised addresses on the dangers of the disease.
* Abstinence based sex-education would be replaced with education emphasizing protection and proper methods of how to avoid impregnation.
* Tying into the reduced military budget, there would be no Star Wars program.
* No rhetoric such as: "Tear down this wall!" or "Evil Empire".
That's all I can think of for now. So, how do you people picture culture, the economy, the military, foreign relations and our nation's overall state being altered?