[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

The right-wing backlash of the 1970's worked for four main reasons. First) the trashing of the Bretton Woods System by DeGaulle, which might still be in this setting. Second, the Oil Crisis which is countered by the solar satellites. Third, the desertion of the Unions by the Democratic Party and the subsequent desertion of the Democratic Party by many Union and former Union members, which doesn't happen if Kennedy gets in office. He fought against dumping the Unions. And Fourth, the seeming success of Ronald Reagan. Which is moot in this world because Reagan in this world is a mere also ran.

With three of the four main reasons the backlash was powerful removed, I assume the backlash would be more limited to the Deep South. And as the economy kept growing, and working class life got better, most younger people wouldn't line up with the backlash.

You're overlooking two to three entire generations, starting with many of those that fought in 'Nam under LBJ and Nixon, in those areas that were raised to believe the 1950s were a "golden age", rampant sexism and racism are good things, and that anyone not conforming to their social norms should be imprisoned (or worse).

The timing of the social backlash may be different, but realistically it WILL happen. Economics may play a part in delaying it, yes, but those who vehemently disagree with "LGBTs are guaranteed the same rights" and Roe vs Wade - and anything else that disagrees with their worldview, left or right of the aisle - will always need to be factored into these things.


Call me a pessimist (I consider myself a realist), but living and working among [snipped to avoid a RealPolitik rant] makes me wary of any "Republican/Democratic/Libertarian/Centrist utopia" setting, because of my experiences - and the feeling I get that they're pushing the author's viewpoint down the throats of the opposition and saying "see how much better things would be!" (I don't consider Authoritarian "utopias" to be a thing, though they make great dystopias for gaming.)