Can’t do it. Got a medical condition that wasn’t identified until the 1990’s, easily treatable with a class of medications developed in the 1950’s.
Wouldn’t mind a visit back to 1971, but I’d hate to make a permanent move there, unless I got to take my family with me.
If I could do that, I’d be game for the move. By 1971, I’d already made most of my lasting friendships. Hell, I could have some interesting conversations with my 17 year old self and his/my friends. I’d have a pretty good idea of what to invest in and what to avoid. And I’d have some pretty good ideas on how to nudge the politics of the intervening 4 decades in a more favorable direction, by contributing enough money to the right pols.
The hard part would be waiting for Al Gore to invent the Internet. 
1911 - I’ve got good genes, most of my ancestors made it into their 80’s and 90’s in those days, so I would not worry about a short life back then.
Also, I’d love to talk to some of my ancestors. Then I’d set up an iron-clad trust for myself, so that I would have been wealthy for my entire current life.
End result, a lifetime of vast wealth with which I could try to effect positive changes.
A billion dollars in 1911 is too tempting to ignore. John D. Rockefeller’s fortune was comparable and with that kind of money, he established or substantially grew Spelman College, the University of Chicago, Rockefeller University, the school of public health at Johns Hopkins University, a medical college in Beijing, and a whole lot more. I’d take the money in a minute.
IF you guys kill Hitler, and otherwise change history, then it will not be very long before you have no idea what is going to happen, or who will be the replacing bad guys, the replacing evil governments.
IF there is no Hitler, and no WW2, there might not ever be any computers.
As far as going back, I would prefer to go back to 1911 even without that much money, I would prefer less people, more horses.
The deal breaker is modern medicine, and modern dentistry.
If I could go back to 1911 and bring my doctors, my dentist, and all of their equipment and medicines, then I want 1911.
Rich then. I’d put must of the billion into a foundation to study the cure for diabetes, and then I’d be dead within a couple weeks knowing I’d done something valuable with my life.
I’ve got asthma that flares up when I get a respiratory infection and I’m 50, so I’m not sure I would survive the Spanish flu or the rest of the time without asthma inhalers or antibiotics. I’m also female so I’m not sure how well I’d get along in that early society before we got the vote, although a billion dollars certainly would help. I’d be likely to say no just on the health issues alone.
Admirable.
And for all the non-whites / women. Just buy a small Asian or African country and proclaim yourself king / queen. You’ll do just fine as the exotic royalty.
I’d choose 1911. All those opportunities, the adventure. It’s all too exciting. I just hope I don’t fuck it up and ruin it for all you poor people in the present. 
I just entered a GQ on this: Wouldn’t we all be safe from Spanish Flu? At least those who get regular flu shots?
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=16690323#post16690323
Things diverged when you arrived with your future knowledge, but I suspect that that knowledge would actually be worthless beyond a year or two, especially for stock market speculation. You’d be rich enough that your own investments would change things completely.
No - the influenza virus mutates rapidly. That’s why new flu shots are needed each year.
All you need to remember is to invest in land and property.
absolutely not. even though we are considered lower end middle class, and do mean lower end ! lol…
Nope… besides, I’d miss breaking bad 
I live in poverty. Even if you can afford modern conveniences, that doesn’t mean you can afford to maintain them. And/or you get ripped off because you can’t afford to manage your money in a way to make the most of it. I’m not really complaining, but for all the convenient stuff I have I also find myself with the following: microwave is 20 years old but works alright- so no complaints, furnace works intermittently- if I can stay up all night and turn it on and off every 30 minutes I can keep the house heated, same goes for sump pump that has to be jiggled to keep from flooding. Roof leaks, which also rots the wood around the house and doors. Washer is broken, but I can use a relative’s occasionally (I don’t even think laundromats exist around here). Have a dishwasher (my parents don’t, so it is a luxury), but it leaks under the house if I run it. Think the fridge is going- It shouldn’t take 2 days for the freezer to make ice in trays, should it? Bath tub/shower has never had hot water. Have another room with standing shower stall, though- so not too bad. Garage door opener ripped off from the door and the door fell (fortunately no one was under it), but again I do have the use of a house with a garage- so I understand I’m pretty fortunate for that.
Cars- I have 2, both were inherited - 1 partially from my wife’s ex-husband. So that’s fun. Both have cracked or broken stuff going on underneath. Not sure what exactly, but apparently that stuff just wears out after around 60k miles. One has a cracked windshield and I if I could even come up with the 200 bucks to get it fixed, I worry that the same trucks that purposely drop stones on the Interstate will get me again. Timing belt is cracking. It’s very difficult to even afford gas (I mostly use grocery store points) or oil changes. I have figured out how to manipulate my car insurance payment plans online to delay that as much as possible. Replacing a windshield wiper costs about as much as a day of food for 4 people. Everything small is a financial emergency.
TV- my mother gave me one for Christmas about 12 years ago. It doesn’t even have the dvd player hookup. I have purchased 1 CD or DVD in the last 9 years. Most of my pants have holes in the crotch and where the pockets attach.
Medicaid here is for kids and pregnant women. The income limits are actually pretty decent for kids. I think a family of 4 can make around $42,000 and have kids covered. But adults with children, and only adults with children can get it at all (which is better than many states), can make like $1000/mo for a family of 4.
All that said, HOPE keeps me going. Right now things are looking up, and there’s a good chance I will be earning considerably more money around the New Year. Though I’m in a such a hole and need so many repairs and so many debts it would take me several years of above-average income to really get out.
If I had NO HOPE to ever be out of poverty? No way I would accept that. I’ll take the Billion $ in the old days. Those wishing for modern poverty, other than those who would not be treated as persons 100 years ago and have very legit reasons, probably have never been poor and have romanticized notions or have learned to accept living in poverty. But for me, living in poverty is way too stressful to sustain much longer. I say that as a person who has managed to live a long time with no money and no access to things most people take for granted.