You can travel back in time and change one historical event. You can not travel back beyond your

[ohiosmith]

date and time of birth. Therefor the event you change must have occurred during your lifetime. What would you change? I would prevent the death of Mary Jo Kopechne. A tragedy that likely prevented Ted Kennedy from becoming President.

[KamaAina]

1. "If Ted Kennedy drove a Volkswagen, he'd be President today"

Ever hear the OxyMoron preface a Ted Kennedy bit with the sound of screeching tires and a splash? Stay classy, Rush.

For me: The 1980 presidential election. St. Raygun really started things spiraling out of control.

[ohiosmith]

3. Good one!

[trof]

69. Here's the ad from the National Lampoon:

[RevStPatrick]

2. I would kick the gun out of...

...Mark David Chapman's hands.

I think the world would be a little better place if John Lennon was not killed that night. I actually see that as much of a world-changing moment as the night the Beatles were first on Ed Sullivan. Those two events bookend an era.

I think that John needed to understand that he couldn't just walk around the streets anymore, that he was in danger, that's why I chose to phrase that way rather than something sillier like "preventing Chapman from being born."

That's just the first thing that popped into my mind. The second was to kick the gun our of Sirhan Sirhan's hands, which probably would have been a better choice.

[ohiosmith]

4. Two of my top ones.

[Bertha Venation]

5. I would see to it that

people actually responded to Kitty Genovese's cries for help, thus preventing her murder.

[ohiosmith]

6. Wonderful!

[lastlib]

7. Gulf of Tonkin resolution.

No Vietnam War, no Nixon, no Watergate, no Reagan, no "Reagan Revolution", we still have a Constitution instead of a "G**-D***** piece of paper".....almost sounds like paradise.

[ohiosmith]

9. Outstanding!

[madinmaryland]

8. Operation Eagle Claw would have succeeded. Jimmy Carter was then reelected to a second term.

Ronald Reagan would have only been a two term Governor and two failed runs for President.

[ohiosmith]

10. Bravo!

[Gidney N Cloyd]

12. Crap. Beat me to basically the same thing.

I'm not sure what would be better, though. Successful rescue operation would have made Carter look stronger but I'm thinking avoiding the hostage crisis altogether might have been better for our relations with the mideast.

[madinmaryland]

15. It might have given him enough of a boost to win in November 1980, which would have eliminated

Reagan from running again. Of course, one of the unintended consequences of that might have been the George HW Bush could have gotten elected in 1984.

ETA to correct a date.

[arcane1]

13. Dammit, you beat me to it!

[taterguy]

51. Holy shit, that's actually a smart response

End times, baby

End times.

I'm heading for the hills.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

11. Prevent the Iran Hostage Crisis

I'm probably being naive but I'm thinking...
No crisis>Stronger looking Carter Presidency>Carter Re-election (No Reagan or Bushies)>Renewable Energy Plan> and who knows what else.

[ohiosmith]

14. Excellent!

[madinmaryland]

16. I don't know. Carter was seen as a weak president, and he would probably have seen

a primary challenge from Ted Kennedy. The only thing about the hostage crisis, was that it diverted the attention of the nation from Carter's own use of the "malaise". He needed something that would look bold, like the rescue.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

21. You may be right.

Still, on the one hand, a successful mission means 6 months of sitting around looking powerless and being beaten over the head by Ted Koppel every night but on the other hand if there was no crisis at all Carter's got the spotlight on him for the malaise thing, swimming rabbit attacks, brother Billy's antics and other lame stuff. Maybe the best scenario would have been the hostages get taken but very quickly afterward there's a successful rescue.

[hifiguy]

17. I'd tell RFK to leave the ballroom via the route

he originally intended to take.

[ohiosmith]

19. Excellent!

[Doctor Who]

31. Second.

Oh, what might have been.

[GoCubsGo]

36. Well, if you are going to save him...

...I'll try to keep his nephew, John, out of that airplane. I think he could've been President, or at least a Senator.

[treestar]

83. +1 million

He would have been President, no Nixon and Watergate, thus no distrust of government, more progress during those years, no Reagan. Norquist and ilk would have been fringe like. No Bush Presidencies.

[RZM]

18. I'd prevent 9/11 n/t

[ohiosmith]

20. Brilliant!

[madinmaryland]

27. by making sure that Al Gore was elected President in 2000?

[RZM]

28. No. I'm not convinced that would have prevented it

Maybe it would have, but I'm kind of skeptical. The only way to prevent it for sure would be to go back and do so.

Going back to 2000 and having all of the votes counted would be on my list, but not at the top.

[BlueIris]

78. Wow, someone else who shares that opinion.

I don't think Gore's response would have been all that different either (although we might have been spared the Iraq War.)

[RZM]

81. Almost certainly there would have been no Iraq War during a Gore administration

We probably would have attacked Afghanistan, assisted the Northern Alliance, and overseen the removal of the Taliban. Whether we would still be there now I'm not so sure about.

Of course, Gore wouldn't have been guaranteed two terms either. There's no way to know, but if he had taken a less hawkish approach or waffled after 9/11, he would have faced a firestorm of criticism. McCain would probably have been the opposition's standard-bearer and I suspsect he would have been the Republican nominee in 2004. He might have even gone on to beat Gore.

It's interesting stuff, but it's all speculation. Too bad we'll never know . . .

[GoCubsGo]

37. That would have prevented a whole slew of unfortunate events.

Starting with two wars. I don't know if he could have stopped 9-11, but he certainly would not have ignored the warnings the way Shit-for-Brains did.

[trof]

74. That's what I would choose. Nobody remembers the Hart-Ridman Report.

Incoming Bush admin was WARNED by outgoing Clinton admin that bin Laden was the #1 terrorist threat to U.S.
Gore would have pursued recommendations of the Hart-Rudman Report.

January 31, 2001: Bipartisan Commission Issues Final Report on Terrorism, but Conclusions Are Ignored

The final report of the US Commission on National Security/21st Century, co-chaired by former Senators Gary Hart (D-CO) and Warren Rudman (R-NH), is issued. The bipartisan panel was put together in 1998 by then-President Bill Clinton and then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Hart and Rudman personally brief National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and Secretary of State Colin Powell on their findings.

The report has 50 recommendations on how to combat terrorism in the US, but all of them are ignored by the Bush administration.
Shelved by White House - According to Hart, Congress will begin to take the commission’s suggestions seriously in March and April, and legislation is introduced to implement some of the recommendations. Then, “Frankly, the White House shut it down.… The president said, ‘Please wait, we’re going to turn this over to the vice president‘… and so Congress moved on to other things, like tax cuts and the issue of the day.”
http://www.historycommons.org/entity.jsp?entity=commission_on_national_security/21st_century

[WhoIsNumberNone]

22. Only one?

There have been some pretty good ones posted already. Without duplicating anything that's already been posted, here's my list of choices:

1-Set the precedent by making sure all those Nixon Administration clowns did some jail time- not just fall guy G. Gordon Liddy (maybe prevent the creation of Fox "News" in the process if Roger Ailes were swept up in my web of justice...)

2- Make sure Rush Limbaugh remained in his parents' basement.

3- Stop the Supreme Court from appointing W president.

4- Ensure the impeachment of Ronnie Raygun for the Iran-Contra Affair.

or

5- Give John Hinckley some shooting lessons.

(footnote; Ensuring the failure of John Lennon's assassination & the success of Operation Eagle Claw would also have made my list)

[ohiosmith]

24. Just one.

You know, #5 will bring you some shit. Just saying!

[WhoIsNumberNone]

29. Well, if #4 were exposed early enough

(Like, say, during the 1980 election when it all began) #5 wouldn't be necessary. Ronnie Raygun & Bush Sr tried for treason... I'd be plenty satisfied with that.

[liberaltrucker]

23. I wouldn't have married my first wife

[ohiosmith]

25. Hahahaha!

[pipi_k]

26. After reading

"November 22, 1963" by Stephen King, I would have to think long and hard about changing any past event for fear that changing it would set into motion something even worse. Or maybe, at the very least, not being able to change something that was fated to happen anyway, only at a different time, and in a different way.

As example...in 1974 I found myself pregnant with a third child and considered abortion but couldn't go through with it.

If I had gone through with it and, regretting my decision and went back and did not have the abortion, the end result would have been the same.

She died anyway, at the age of three months.

So this makes me wonder if certain things are meant to happen no matter what we do or don't do.

[ohiosmith]

32. Actually, that book is what prompted this thread.

[pipi_k]

54. No kidding!

So did you like it?

It wasn't quite what I expected, but then, Stephen King is usually always full of surprises.

Along with the plot of the book, I also enjoyed Jake Epping's trips back in time to the late 50s - early 60s. I really thought he would stay there in the end...

[OriginalGeek]

30. Sorry to be selfish

but I'd prevent my mom from meeting my stepfather.

[ohiosmith]

33. Not selfish at all. Thinking of your mom. Good for you.

[Wait Wut]

34. Damn. I can't top yours.

Although, I think Uncle Teddy did a lot more in the Senate than he could have in the Oval Office. Maybe.

[ohiosmith]

38. You may be right.

[pink-o]

35. Agree with all of them, and add:

I would have found a way to make those in power pay attention to the AIDS epidemic in the early 80s and worked towards ascertaining there'd be a cure by now! Then so many of my beloved friends would still be alive, enjoying their late middle age.

I miss Freddie Mercury. He and the rest of them basically died from neglect. And yes, I'm still angry.

[ohiosmith]

39. Including my brother who died in 1990.

[hunter]

40. I'm from the future...

... I've come to change something here.

[ohiosmith]

53. Before you go back,.......

who wins the all the Super Bowl and World Series championships between now and the time you are from. Just wandering!

[hunter]

57. There are no Super Bowl and World Series championships...

[ChazII]

41. I'd warn Dr. King

and have him stay in his room or switch hotels.

[tblue]

45. Oh dang. Good one.

I agree with most everyone's posts here.

[dana_b]

71. that was my first thought too n/t

[denbot]

42. If I could I would have prevented Gore vs Bush..

No dubya, no 911, no Iraq war, no U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.

[ohiosmith]

61. Outstanding!

[Art_from_Ark]

43. I'd try to warn JFK about going to Dallas

[ohiosmith]

64. Good one!

Read: "November 22, 1963" by Stephen King

[Art_from_Ark]

77. That will be Number 2 on my list

after I finish "1968" recommended by EFerrari

[FayeKane]

44. I'd go back and have sex with every boy on campus instead of hiding in the grad lab saturday nights

No, on second thought, I'd explain time travel to myself so I'd win the Nobel Prize at 22 and get to fuck Feynman. Then with his help, we'd figure out how to make the time machine go back to medieval times so we could trade cigarette lighters, laser pointers, and cheap flashlights for bars of gold.

-- faye kane, idiot savant
http://tinyurl.com/kanescave

[ohiosmith]

67. Good plan.

[Dragonbreathp9d]

46. Prevent the Genocide in Darfur

[ohiosmith]

70. Cool!

[LeftyMom]

47. I'd fix something REALLY important. 10-9-2011

Get Harbaugh to stop running up the score on the Bucs (the Niners beat them 45-3 that day, that's a comfortable enough lead even for a hyper competitive maniac) and put in the second stringers, thus sparing wide receiver Josh Morgan from injury.

With a healthy receiver and kick returner the Niners don't rely on the hapless Kyle Williams and some practice squad guys in the playoffs, beat the Giants in the NFC championship game and end their completely unexpected season with a trip to the Super Bowl.

You guys stopping wars and assassinations and piddly stuff like that need to look at the big picture!

[JonLP24]

49. I think

Ted Ginn Jr injuring himself in the Saints game was the driving factor behind that. There is no guarantee they wouldn't of used Kyle Williams because he is a speedy guy who returned punts for Arizona State. Ironically, he muffed a crucial punt against Arizona late in the game but he was the reason why the game was tied in the first place by catching the game tying TD.

To your theme, I'd tell Fitzgerald to take a knee at the 1 in order to not leave enough time for Pittsburgh to drive down the field.

[LeftyMom]

59. At least we're focusing on important problems.

[sarge43]

48. Stopped Colonel Brandt from shifting Colonel Stauffenberg's explosive filled brief case, 20 Jul 44.

At minimum a few million lives could have been saved.

(Born 12 Jan 43)

[ohiosmith]

75. Excellent!

[YankeyMCC]

50. Challenger

[ohiosmith]

76. Ah! Good one.

[raccoon]

52. Well, you made it so I can't prevent my mother from marrying my father, so guess I'll pass.

I'd try to have her marry someone else.

In that case, you may say, "But Raccoon, you wouldn't be you in that case." And you may be right.

[NoPasaran]

55. Iowa, 2004

Send the proper audio of Howard Dean (full room mix, not just iso mic) to the media feed the night of the Iowa Caucuses.

[Initech]

56. I'd stop Bush V. Gore from happening.

All it'd take would be to show pictures of 9/11 and Katrina and say that both of these things happened while Bush II was in office. I'd think that'd seal it.

[sakabatou]

62. +1

Make sure all of the votes get counted. If they were, Gore would've won Florida.

[MicaelS]

58. Prevent JFK's Assassination, No question...

Yes, I'm that old.

[benld74]

60. Prevent Prescott Bush from fathering ANY offspring,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[BlueIris]

88. Good call.

The thread is won.

[WillParkinson]

63. I would prevent the death of Harvey Milk....

He had so much to teach.

[Bake]

65. What a bunch of do-gooders!

What? Nobody gives themselves the winning Powerball ticket?



This IS The Lounge, isn't it????



Bake

[avebury]

87. OK then - How about opening a

safety deposit box (where I know it will still be later on) and putting in a cheat sheet of stock tips (what to buy and when to sell it) and great power ball numbers and dates).

I should have added that I would prepay the rental rate to get it to the point in time when I could access it and take advantage of the information - LOL!

[LeftishBrit]

66. As regards the world at large, it's between three things

(1) Avoid the escalation of the Vietnam War (avoiding the war at all would have been even better, but the beginnings were before I was born). This would have prevented a lot of deaths in Vietnam, and also related horrors like the rise of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.

(2) The West would not have encouraged and armed the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan - this might have prevented lots of disasters, including the level of oppression in Afghanistan, the current war, and very likely 9-11.

(3) Avoid the Rwandan Genocide.


As regards my own country specifically: not to have elected Margaret Thatcher!

[tabbycat31]

68. Historical event--- Bush v. Gore

Personal event-- I would have grown a spine and stood up to my parents when it came to college.

[Rex]

72. Impossible, I need three.

MLK, JFK and Malcolm X. All murdered in my lifetime. I could not pick which one to stop if I only had one choice.

[Nye Bevan]

73. Don't forget the Blinovitch Limitation Effect (nt)

[bigwillq]

79. Ronald Reagan being elected president (nt)

[BlueIris]

80. If I must pick just one, I'd stop myself from moving in with that sociopath.

Actually, I'd prevent myself from ever meeting him.

July 4, 1994, I wish I'd gone to the library that night.

[HopeHoops]

82. Probably the great tequilla tragedy of '83. I'd let myself know to slow down a little.

[yellowcanine]

84. After seeing "Back to the Future II" I am not changing anything!

Who knows how much harm we might do? Newt Gingrich could be President or something.

[yellowcanine]

85. I would definitely have passed on that one night stand.

And that is all I am saying about it.

[avebury]

86. How about dropping Grover Norquist (before formed

Americans for Tax Reform) either in the middle of the Amazon jungle or on an extremely deserted island.