imported post
If we had not had the assassinations in the 60s the world would be so profoundly different as to be possibly unrecognizable. I am not a fan of JFK, however, his death left us with LBJ, one of the most vile and harmful POTUS in the history of this nation. If JFK had survived it is possible that we would never have become so involved in Vietnam nor had the huge socialist agenda passed into law in the mid-60s as while JFK was a democrat, he was more fiscally conservative than the majority of leading conservatives are today. If Bobby had survived, LBJ probably would have been the first sitting president to not receive the nomination of his party. If Bobby had become president we would have probably been out of Vietnam 5-6 years earlier. If Martin Luther King had survived today's prominant race-baiters would have been smacked down and exposed for the shams they are long ago.
All of these factors would have had profound effects on crime and the liberal agenda in this nation. By extension, they would have had a profound effect on gun control as well. What is less certain and more debatable, is what effect? I think that if JFK and MLK had lived we would not have many of the firearm restrictions we have now. Even Bobby would have assuaged much of the left's furor and likely have reduced crime and prevented some of the explosion of gov't programs. Bobby would likely have been elected in '68 & '72 meaning no Nixon, no utter break down in people's faith in gov't...
Interesting question. It would be easy to write a book on the topic and I'm sure someone has.