1968: Bobby Kennedy alive

[CPT MikeyMike]

Kennedy/McGovern: 299EV
Nixon/Agnew: 175EV
Wallace/LeMay: 64EV

Some notes: Kennedy runs weaker in the south thus Wallace gaining Tennessee and South Carolina from Nixon. Nixon picks up Texas. Of course with Daly in Chicago, there was no way a Kennedy was going to lose Illinois. Kennedy also picks up Missouri, Wisconsin, New Jersey and California from Nixon.

Nixon, heartbroken from a second loss to a Kennedy, becomes very depressed and ill and dies of a heart attack in August 1970.

By 1972, after 12 years of Democratic control, America wants a change. Kennedy is still stuck in Vietnam and unable to to deal with inflation and race riots at home. Wallace, upset over Kennedy's social and economic policies, becomes a Republican in early 1971 and announces he will run for the Republican nomination. There are several challengers for the nomination.

1. Wallace
2. Nelson Rockefeller
3. Bob Dole
4. Ronald Reagan
5. Spiro Agnew

The race comes down to Wallace and Rockefeller. At the convention in July '72, it is deadlock with neither side budging. The delagtes begin to think of 1964 and Barry Goldwater and know his message was right but it came eight years too early. Now his message was perfect for America.  Reagan, Dole and Agnew pressure Wallace and Rocky to compromise on Goldwater. Wallace, knowing that Goldwater's and his own views are somewhat alike, agrees on Goldwater. Rocky agrees only after Goldwater makes him his running mate. Goldwater, knowing how the party was divided in '64, now sees a Goldwater/Rocky ticket as a chance to unite the party in '72. Goldwater, agrees on Rocky. Therfore  the '72 race is between Goldwater and Kennedy.

Wallace campaigns like a work horse for Goldwater and with Rocky on the ticket, the Republican party is more united than ever. After four years, Kennedy is worn and tired, looking like Jimmy Carter in 1980. Southern Dems begin to flock toward Goldwater. Finally, the people speak on November 7, 1972.


Goldwater/ Rockefeller: 55.6% 488EV
Kennedy/McGovern: 44.2% 50EV

I'm begining to have too much fun with this, I'll try to do '76 and '80 in a bit!

[CPT MikeyMike]

During his inaugual address, Goldwater makes clear that he would use any means, including force, "to resolve any conflict, anywhere, anyplace and at any time." Clearly referring to North Vietnam. Goldwater, send several nuclear warships to be placed on the coast of North Vietnam in order to force North Vietnam to the bargining table. By May 1973, North and South Vietnam agree to a ceasefire and establish a demilitarilzed zone, like Korea. American are angry at Goldwater when he ignores the Democratic congrees pleas to withdraw troops but keeping soliders in Sotun Vietnam. Vietnam turns into the 70's version of Korea.

At home, Goldwater reduces the capital gains tax by 35% and reduces Social Security taxes by 25%. Most Americans are angry to begin with but by mid-1975, Inflation has slowed down to 4% and unemployment, which was around 8% under Kennedy, is down to 5%.

Goldwater also used military force to resolve race riots in Detriot and Chicago that have been a constant issue since 1967. Using the national guard, and ordering marhsall law in any city that intends to riot, riots slow down by the end of 1973.

By the 1976 election, things look god for Goldwater. However, many moderate to liberal Americans do not like his brut force with the race riot and his hard nose approach to Vietnam dispite the cease fire. The Democrats look to Goldwater's biggest critic, Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy as their man. After being unopposed in the primaries, the Democrats select Teddy with Walter Mondale as his running mate.

At the Republican convention, Rockefeller, who feels that Goldwater has not treated him like a partner, gracefully bows out. Goldwater, now selects his so called student, Ronald Reagan to be his running mate. Polls show a very tight race.

The race is a tight one through September and into early October. The debates between Kennedy and Goldwater do movement in the polls.  On October 19th, CBS News posted thier electoral maps. Too many close to call states.



Undecided: 396EV
Kennedy: 65EV
Goldwater: 104EV

On October 20th, a story leaks out in the New York Post about Senator Kennedy driving, under the influence, an Oldsmobile off a bridge in Martha's Vinyard in July 1969, killing an aide from former President Bobby Kennedy's administration. Never before was this information released as evidence from the case was hidden from the press under President Kennedy's orders.  Both Senator Kennedy and former President Kennedy refuse comment while Goldwater questions Kennedy's ethics and his abilty to be president. With Chappaquiddick now all over the headlines for the last few weeks of the election, polls show a surge for Goldwater as scandle ruins another Kennedy. November 2, 1976 shows the end for the Kennedy political era.



Goldwater/Reagan: 62.2% 531EV
Kennedy/Mondale: 37.5% 7EV

To make matters worse, Kennedy loses his senate seat to former Massachusetts Governor John Volpe.

[CPT MikeyMike]

By 1980 the US would be all red, as in Communist.  He would have pulled out of Vietnam and gutted US military spending and turn it into handouts to the poor.  By 1976 the US military would be a paper tiger.  When faced with a Soviet invasion of Europe in 1978, he would choose to surrender instead of launch a world ending nuclear war.

In 1984 the Soviets would invade China, which would respond with nuclear weapons.  The USSR and China would be devastated in the war; neither could be considered a nation state.

This would shortly be followed by a general insurrection in the US, which has seen a large amount of partisan style resistance thanks to the right to bear arms, which was suspended shortly after the surrender.  Without a mother country, the occupying Soviet soldiers would be heavily outnumbered and without a lot of armor/air support, which was shipped home before being lost in the Sino-Soviet War.  They would surrender and Premier Kennedy, allowed to keep his positioning the surrender, would be overthrown and democracy restored. 

Laissez-faire economics would be the word of the day, with an income tax used primarily to support a large and capable military.  The new Constitution would clearly limit the powers of the government with an exact and exhausting list of powers they can exercise.   Today's Republican Party would represent the political left of the political spectrum in the United States.

Without as many weapons available to the population, Europe would take longer to get out from under the grip of communism.  After they do, fascism would rise again for a while, before it too falls and a European Union is established with a general weakening of national power.

Asia, having seen a nuclear war, would be royally screwed.

Africa would still be a screwed up mess.

Israel would actually be a bit better off.  Without the US supporting it, the Soviets would not back the Arab states against it.  Why arm your next conquest?  Iraq never gets nuclear technology from the French. 

South America is in better shape thanks to US refugees bringing money and knowledge.

I think that trend would have happened only if Goldwater didn't win in '72!