Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Politically very different. Culturally not so much. We'd still have the 2008 crisis. I agree with a McCain as POTUS and winning two terms. I think by now, as one of Obama's I'll say "pros" was being so new public image wise when he ran, the *** would be up and Obama wouldn't have enough appeal to run in 2016. We'd have Hilary vs a more stronger republican candidate. For example, Rubio.
It is interesting to consider what McCain would have looked like as President after a failed Bush presidency. In the period prior to 9/11 McCain was beginning to become much more moderate, particularly on economic issues, to the point some people were seriously suggesting he might switch parties. I think he would have to swing more to the right again to win the nomination, but without the effect of 9/11, he probably wouldn't have run as far to the right as he did in our reality.
Rubio potentially wouldn't have a national political career. He originally won his senate seat by hijacking the Tea Party movement in 2010, challenging the establishment/moderate Republican governor Charlie Crist (who of course later became an independent, and is now a Democrat). Without the Tea Party, he quite possibly wouldn't have broken through.
Less resurgence of wacko Rah Rah 'Murka contingent.
Possibly none of the terrorist violence in Europe.
Less polarization of the country.
This is a good start. ISIS is such a large force now because of the vacuum of power left in Iraq due to our invasion. Unlike other terrorist networks, holding and controlling physical territory is a primary goal for ISIS - they are apocalyptic and believe they are creating the new pure Muslim state. So without a major upheaval in the ME they wouldn't have anywhere to set up shop.
I disagree about none of the European terrorist violence though. Even if 9/11 didn't happen, Europe has been importing millions of ME immigrants and poorly integrating them into their societies. Think about our national disgrace - poor, largely black ghettos within our major cities. Now replace black with Muslim. Now treat them worse. That's what is happening in Europe. That is fairly independent of 9/11.
Also, if 9/11 didn't happen and we didn't have the justification (falsely IMO) to invade Iraq, Bin Laden, AQ et al still would hate America. Their vendetta stretches back to the 1980s. They would have struck somewhere, at some time.
No passport needed for travel back from Canada. You could cross with just a driver's license before 9/11 IFRC.
I honestly don't think our politics would be as polarized as they are now and the tea party wouldn't have happened.
Flying would be less of a pain.
Iraq wouldn't have happened IMO as it would have been way harder to get any support for it if there was no fear of terrorism like there was for the first few years after 9/11. And before anyone says, I know Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, but recent events before the invasion made garnering support for doing it way easier.
Politicians use the 9/11 disaster as a way to further their political agenda. If 9/11 didn't happen, politicians would have to find another way to justify their argument.
I think the culture of the 1990s would've lasted longer than it did, and the economy would be slightly better. Iraq probably would never have happened, because the Democrats and Republicans who only backed the war because of 9/11 wouldn't have otherwise, in all likelihood. The US population would've been less fearful of terrorism, and more concerned about global warming (the 2004 tsunami, Hurricane Katrina) and gay rights. Dubya still would've led us towards economic decline and people would likely not him out. Kerry may not have run in '04; Gore may have, and possibly could've won and won two terms at that. If he did, the Great Recession wouldn't have happened. And it would be easier to go to Canada and fly anywhere.
Wait, if Gore is president recession doesn't happen? Uh...no. That was a massive, multi-decade bipartisan cluster.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
