WI: No 9/11?

For a current example, look at Iran. For all intents and purposes from the outside it looks like Iran is developing a nuclear bomb (and they prolly are). However, no one is talking of invasion because the public wouldn't accept it.

Actually, no, the reasons why the mainstream media isn't talking about an invasion are
(1) we'd lose the war: Iran 2009 is better fortified than Iraq 2003 in almost every conceivable way, and
(2) the only person on the planet with the authority to send U.S. troops into Iran -- Barack Obama -- has made clear that he doesn't want to do it.
 
America wouldn't loose the war, but it would go badly. They would have to rely on Saudi Arabia or maybe Turkey letting them cross their air space. Mobilizing that many troops would be hellish, and the war would destroy all international diplomatic success Obama has had. They Could win it, but they would never start it in the first place.
 
Possible electoral shifts as a result...

2001: Mark Warner and Jim McGreevey are elected Governors of their respective states, as IOTL. Notably, however, Mark Green defeats Michael Bloomberg for the Mayoralty of New York City, absent concerns about national security. Giuliani's reputation, likewise, is not rehabilitated.

2002: As I've noted before, the bad economy is probably bad enough to put the Democrats back in control of the House and Senate.
Senate: Max Cleland (D-GA), Jean Carnahan (D-MO) keep their seats. Paul Wellstone retires, as he promised, after two terms, with no Iraq War looming in the background. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) probably beats Sununu six years earlier than she did IOTL. There's also the possibility that Wayne Allard loses in Colorado to Tom Strickland, and Erskine Bowles beats Liddy Dole in North Carolina. That puts the Democrats with a 54 seat majority, including, of course, Jim Jeffords. It's not stellar, but it's certainly an improvement.
House: Democrats can pick up as much as eleven seats here, putting the Republicans into the minority. Pelosi becomes Speaker four years earlier than IOTL. Hastert probably doesn't last long as Minority Leader, and is likely replaced by someone like John Boehner.

2004: George W. Bush beaten by Democratic candidate, but [insert candidate here] also has significant coattails.
Senate: Democratic pickups in Alaska (Tony Knowles), Illinois (Barack Obama), Colorado (Ken Salazar), Kentucky (Dan Mongiardo), while holding seats elsehwhere. Probably a 59-41 split similar to 2008's election.
House: Democrats probably increase their majority from 223 to somewhere between 230 and 245. Nothing earth-shattering.

Further than that, I'm not exactly sure. That all depends on how the new Democratic administration operates.
 
Actually, no, the reasons why the mainstream media isn't talking about an invasion are
(1) we'd lose the war: Iran 2009 is better fortified than Iraq 2003 in almost every conceivable way, and
(2) the only person on the planet with the authority to send U.S. troops into Iran -- Barack Obama -- has made clear that he doesn't want to do it.

I humbly disagree. Don't want a slinging match so I'll leave it at that.
 
Further than that, I'm not exactly sure. That all depends on how the new Democratic administration operates.

That will depend very much on how the housing/lending issue is handled. Will the Democratic majorities slap on controls to keep the 2008 collapse from happening? After all, the crisis came from private sector decisions. If the crisis still happens, you will see the GOP win in 2008. Who might be the candidate in such a scenario?
 
That will depend very much on how the housing/lending issue is handled. Will the Democratic majorities slap on controls to keep the 2008 collapse from happening? After all, the crisis came from private sector decisions. If the crisis still happens, you will see the GOP win in 2008. Who might be the candidate in such a scenario?

That would depend on the Democrat who wins in '04. If it's Gore, who leans to the neoliberal side of the party, I doubt much Wall Street reform goes forward. Edwards, though, I think, would probably tackle it. Even if the crash still happens, though, a Democratic administration that introduced something like a universal health care system, though, I would see as still favorable to win re-election, but barely.

GOP 2008 candidates: John McCain, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, Mike Huckabee, et al. Probably the same roster from OTL, minus the less prominent Giuliani. Powell is also a possibility.
 
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