Jimmy Carter Second Term: What can he realistically achieve?

[Historyman 14]

As it says in the title, assuming a victory in the 1980 election over Ronald Reagan. (POD take your pick, no Playboy interview, no Eagle Claw fiasco/partial success of Eagle Claw, or even no hostage crisis to start with, or one where it is resolved quickly without much drama, etc.)

What can a Two Term President Carter can pull off in the next four years of his Presidency? And would he failed at?

 

[Domrémy-Scorniçesti Axis]

My POD is US forces succesfully defeating the Iranians to rescue the hostages, and Carter campaigning on the economy like Bill Clinton did in 1992.
Carter would sign a renewable energy tax credit, 12 days of unpaid leave and a SALT III treaty.

 

[Somedevil]

first the Cold War still ends late 80's early 90's but I think it starts to thaw out a year or two earlier then it does in our time.
Second I feel the EPA ends up a much more powerful agency . There be more help to the small family farmers in the Midwest in 83 and 84 when the big floods happen. Which might mean there is less factory farming today.
More money on the national level for Education.
Aids and HIV is addressed way sooner with lots more funding at the federal level under a Carter presidency
A smaller war on drugs. Marijuana might even be legalized or at least decriminalized under Carter.
The Air Traffic controllers union and unions in general are in a better spot with Carter.

the Interesting thing does Mondale win in 1984 and who is his running mate ?

 

[West234]

the Interesting thing does Mondale win in 1984 and who is his running mate ?

I feel like he would still pick Geraldine Ferraro more then likely because he was in favor of it IOT and she would appeal a lot to his bace. He definitely has a better shot after a relitively successful carter administration and it would not be a complete steam roll for him. However he would still have a lot of problems. One he is quite left wing, much more then carter, which would still be used against him by his conservative opponents just like IOT. Another problem he will have is the genaral postion of public frustration that happens almost univsially after one party has ruled for two long. Issues like handling the economy , unemployment Middle East and foreign policy against the Soviet Union will all be topics that Mondale will have to justify his experience and ability handling. In conclusion I think it will be a close race that depends a lot on the Republican opponent and their actions and how well Mondale can use his track record with the carter administration to back up his foreign policy commitments and strength regarding domestic policy especially the economy. His opponent will in all likelihood not be Bush his fire would have already burned out succnifcantly though I think he might make a go for it. If I had to guess maybe someone like Jack Kemp seems likely. If it was him I will lean towards it ending with a very narrow win for Walter Mondale but it may be a toss up.

 

[Somedevil]

I feel like he would still pick Geraldine Ferraro more then likely because he was in favor of it IOT and she would appeal a lot to his bace. He definitely has a better shot after a relitively successful carter administration and it would not be a complete steam roll for him. However he would still have a lot of problems. One he is quite left wing, much more then carter, which would still be used against him by his conservative opponents just like IOT. Another problem he will have is the genaral postion of public frustration that happens almost univsially after one party has ruled for two long. Issues like handling the economy , unemployment Middle East and foreign policy against the Soviet Union will all be topics that Mondale will have to justify his experience and ability handling. In conclusion I think it will be a close race that depends a lot on the Republican opponent and their actions and how well Mondale can use his track record with the carter administration to back up his foreign policy commitments and strength regarding domestic policy especially the economy. His opponent will in all likelihood not be Bush his fire would have already burned out succnifcantly though I think he might make a go for it. If I had to guess maybe someone like Jack Kemp seems likely. If it was him I will lean towards it ending with a very narrow win for Walter Mondale but it may be a toss up.

See I would think it be a moderate Republican like Bush. Since The GOP would of had Nixon disgrace and then the losses by classic conservative Ford and Hard core Conservative Reagan plus the Goldwater loss in 64