I watched the 1968 election returns all night (Nixon v Humphrey) at the age of nine. I remember Kennedy getting assinated at age 5, but don't really recall the expansion of the war in Vietnam. My awareness probably began in 1966-1967 with the images on the nightly news.

But consequential? How about Bush's decision to pivot from Afghanistan and invade Iraq ?

Trump, if elected, or Vance should he succeed Trump, probably won't be able to end democracy entirely but they (with Project 2025) will surely cripple it. Gutting the civil service will return the system to a veritable spoils system like we had in the 1800s with political hacks making bureaucratic decisions.

Trump/vance actions won't just affect the federal bureaucracy- it will embolden and enable a return to "states rights" in which states run by Republicans will create a new Jim Crow with regards to voting rights, women's equality and renewed attacks on LGBTQ

Trump was already consequential (with McConnell) in getting conservatives onto SCOTUS -these mullahs on the bench are disregarding standing, disregarding precedent and using made up doctrines to have a multigenerational effect on the nation. The next administration will either cement this right wing majority (likely replacing Alito and Thomas) or the next administration can reverse the 6-3 condition with a new 4-5 liberal leaning bench.

So yeah- very consequential.