1980[]
- The Iranian hostage crisis ends with the safe return of all US captives back to the US, President Carter narrowly wins a re-election against Ronald Reagan the following week.
- President Carter begins to aggressively push for more infrastructure spending by congress to revitalize the US economy. Much of this legislation is directed toward weening the US off of Middle East oil.
- President Carter nominates Sandra Day O'Connor to the Supreme Court, she is confirmed the same year.
1981[]
- The US raises the CAFE standards to 100 mpg by 1995. Automakers are taxed if they do not meet yearly emissions and milage standards.
- President Carter's approval ratings are still not much higher than 50% overall, and remain as such for much of the year.
- Congress passes the renewal of federal funds for medicinal marijuana.
- The Republicans in Congress pass renewals to the tax code, lessening the burden on businesses, and bringing mild deregulation to certain areas of public life. These reforms are led by TIP O'Neil, but are far less radical than those by Reagan in OTL.
- Congress passes President Carter's infrastructure plans along with support for American Manufacturing and Urban Renewal efforts.
1982[]
- President Carter meets with members of the Soviet Union to begin discussing massive reductions in nuclear proliferation.
- Chrysler begins massive weight reductions in their automobiles, and begin a switch to aluminum body vehicles.
- Congress caps the national speed limit at 55 mph similar to that during WWII.
- President Carter signs the Clean Energy Act of 1982, directing federal dollars toward Solar, Hydro and Wind energy technologies.
1983[]
- The recession begins to come to an end. The Infrastructure policies of President Carter put many people back to work, his approval ratings rise to 58% overall.
- The Soviet Union and the United States begin to openly discuss ending nuclear proliferation.
- President Carter signs the Montreal Protocols, calling for the phasing out of CFCs to heal the ozone layer.
1984[]
- President Carter signs a trade agreement with Brazil to allow the sale of Brazilian ethanol in the United States.
- The Soviet Union and the United States sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
- Vice President Mondale defeats Ronald Reagan for the Presidency. Reagan, was seen as "too Old" for the presidency and had a series of memory lapses during the campaign costing him the young vote.
- President Carter signs new environmental and product safety legislation pertaining to plastics and dumping trash into the oceans.
- In his State of the Union address, President Carter announces plans for a new US Space Station.
1985[]
- President Carter negotiates greater autonomy for Palestine, though any hope of a two state solution is many years away.
- President Carter leaves office with a 60% approval rating for his economic polices and efforts toward peace.
- General Motors releases the first flex-fuel vehicle for consumer use.
1987[]
- President Mondale signs the Rio accords, declaring the Amazon Rainforest the worlds largest Wildlife reserve. The areas that have already been logged can still be used for tree farms.
1988[]
- President Mondale loses the 1988 election to Kansas Senator Bob Dole.
- President Dole moderately continues to push for lower taxes as he did in the Senate
- General Electric releases the first Thin Film Solar Cells for Commercial use. The technology was developed through the DoEs research funds.
1989[]
- The Cold War ends.
- Afghanistan receives reconstruction funding from the US following the withdraw of the Soviet Union. The funds create an infrastructure network, along with schools and hospitals for the millions of displaced Afghans.
- President Dole announces the New Frontiers Project. The goal of which is to build three new space shuttles, and increase funding to the new Space Station. The project also introduces funds to develop a craft that can be assembled on the new station and launched in space to the moon, and potentially Mars.
1990[]
- Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait. The US condemns the action, but chooses not to get involved, as the US dependance on Middle Easter oil has been declining since the Carter administration and the OPEC gas hikes.
- Government scientists debut the first practical thin film solar cells. These only increase American opposition to intervening in Kuwait, as the cells make cheap electrical power possible for every American.
1992[]
- President Dole defeats to Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton for the his re-election. Dole continues to implement his much more moderate semi-Reaganite policies.
- Congress passes its lowest tax on people making over $2 million a year since Eisenhower at 65%.
- Space Station Freedom is completed. President Dole invites astronauts and scientists from Europe to join the station.
- President Dole sends forces into Bosnia to stop the Genocide.
1994[]
- With a narrow Democrat majority in Congress, President Dole passes the Medicare Reform Act.
- President Dole ends aid to Afghanistan during the budget cuts. Afghanistan has an agrarian society, and a level of political stability similar to neighboring Pakistan, somewhat unstable, but considerably better than OTL.
- General Motors releases receives heavy taxation when they fail to meet the 1981 CAFE standards.
1996[]
- Tennessee Senator Al Gore defeats Vice President Kemp for the Presidency.
- GM releases the 1997 Chevy Impala, essentially a more advanced EV-1. The taxes are lifted as the EV-1 gets 100 mpg equivalent.
- The first Frontier Command Module is mated to the Earth Departure stage on Space Station Freedom. The capsule launches for a lunar flyby.
1998[]
- President Gore passes the Universal Healthcare Act.
- The first joint US-Russo Lunar mission returns humans to the moon.
- John Glen becomes the oldest person to return to the Moon.
2000[]
- President Gore defeats Senator Orin Hatch for his re-election
- Congress passes the US emissions Cap and Trade system.
2001[]
- President Gore continues his steady reduction in military funds.
- Russia joins NATO
2002[]
- Former President Carter wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
- The United States retires the aging space shuttle fleet in favor of the new Orbital Spaceplane.
2004[]
- Senator McCain of Arizona is elected President of the United States. He immediately begins to fund much larger veterans benefits to prevent former soldiers from joining PMC groups.
- Mir 2 is completed, it gives the Russians easier access to the Moon.
- President McCain sends US bombers over Somalia to stop the genocide in Darfur.
2008[]
- President McCain wins a re-election over Senator John Edwards.
2009[]
- President McCain dies in April of a brain hemorrhage. Vice President Hagel is sworn in as the President of the United States.
Cultural Effects[]
- The television show "Boston Legal" doesn't have the character Alan Shore becoming such a champion of liberal politics, due to there being less need for a statement to be made on such matters.
- The television show "The West Wing" is not made until 2004, featuring President Arnie Vinick, a moderate Republican.
- V for Vendetta never came to the US as a popular comic book until the mid 90s.
List of US Presidents[]
- 1977 - 1985: Jimmy Carter (Democrat)
- 1985 - 1989: Walter Mondale (Democrat)
- 1989 - 1997: Bob Dole (Republican)
- 1997 - 2005: Al Gore (Democrat)
- 2005 - 2009: John McCain (Republican)
- 2009-Present: Chuck Hagel (Republican)
List of US Vice-Presidents[]
- 1977 - 1985: Walter Mondale (Democrat)
- 1985 - 1989: Geraldine Ferraro (Democrat)
- 1989 - 1997: Jack Kemp (Republican)
- 1997 - 2005: Hillary Clinton (Democrat)
- 2005 - 2009: Chuck Hagel (Republican)
- 2009-Present: Colin Powel (Republican)