# What are some "next thing you know" cases that never happened **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 19, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-next-thing-you-know-cases-that-never-happened/349024 "2006-03-19T19:12:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-next-thing-you-know-cases-that-never-happened/349024/41 "2006-03-26T16:44:10Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > How about, “If we elect Ronald Reagan, he’ll blow up the world”? I don’t recall anyone saying that in 1980 . . . but I do recall RWR’s “We begin bombing in five minutes” schtick. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-next-thing-you-know-cases-that-never-happened/349024/42 "2006-03-26T18:25:09Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I don’t recall anyone saying that in 1980 . . . but I do recall RWR’s “We begin bombing in five minutes” schtick. Oh, but it’s true, there were many who felt Reagan was a dangerous trigger-happy cowboy who was willing to go beyond a tough policy to an outright aggressive confrontation with the Evil Commies that would lead to a major conflagration. Or even worse, that Ron would accidentally press the button during a moment of distraction. There were quite a few for whom Ron then was scarier than GWB is today. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-next-thing-you-know-cases-that-never-happened/349024/43 "2006-03-26T19:57:00Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Perfectly politic to mention it, but it might be foolish to take it seriously. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeptical\_environmentalist#Criticism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeptical_environmentalist#Criticism) Read Lomborg’s rebuttals. Many of the criticisms he has faced are completely without merit, in fact, some are cringe worthy. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-next-thing-you-know-cases-that-never-happened/349024/44 "2006-03-26T20:18:02Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I don’t recall anyone saying that in 1980. I do. In fact there was a political ad (either Carter or Anderson ran it, I don’t recall which) that had “people on the street” saying things like “Reagan is too agressive. He’ll definitely get us into a huge war” and “I’m worried about World War 3”! :rolleyes: > [@Jackmannii](#): > > “If we pass legislation legalizing the licensed carrying of concealed weapons in (your state here), next thing you know there’ll be vigilante and road rage shootings all over the place!” Current events: The Kansas legislature just overrode the Govs veto to legalize CCW. I’m waiting for the streets down there to be flowing with blood because of permit holders like they are in 40+ other states.:rolleyes::rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-next-thing-you-know-cases-that-never-happened/349024/45 "2006-03-26T21:53:48Z")
> [@Walter Windchill](#): > > So what are some historic “next thing you know” arguments to use as non-examples? What calamaties were supposed to befall the republic if we integrated schools or gave women the right to vote? Sometimes it works the other way. The Suffragists, some of them, predicted enfranchising women – obviously so much more kind, gentle, generous and compassionate then men are – would turn America into a humanitarian utopia. Didn’t happen. As it turns out, women are no more of one mind than men are on practically anything you can name, and their voting behavior, like men’s, is all over the political map. With one exception – things that actually and distinctly involve the interests of women as women. Enfranchising women **did** lead to relevant laws and institutions gradually being reformed to favor them, or at least not disfavor them, because now politicians had the women’s vote to think about. ---
**Author:** ![Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Age_Quod_Agis)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-next-thing-you-know-cases-that-never-happened/349024/46 "2006-03-27T05:03:56Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Of course, there’s the less hysterical (but hardly more accurate) corollary: > > “Pass the concealed carry law and hoodlums will be afraid to hold up honest citizens; the crime rate will plummet.” Actually, concealed carry laws appear to [decrease violent crime and burglaries](http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/JLE/journal/issues/v44nS2/012203/brief/012203.abstract.html). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-next-thing-you-know-cases-that-never-happened/349024.md?page=2)