Ford & Ford & CarterCarter

Gerald FordGerald Ford 1913 – 20061913 – 2006 3838thth President (1974 – 77) President (1974 – 77) Former Univ. of Michigan Former Univ. of Michigan

football player, WWII veteran, football player, WWII veteran, and 25 year Congressmanand 25 year Congressman

Self-deprecatingly once Self-deprecatingly once described his abilities as described his abilities as president with, “I’m a Ford, president with, “I’m a Ford, not a Lincoln”not a Lincoln”

Only president to never be Only president to never be elected to the office of elected to the office of president or vice-president, president or vice-president, since he was appointed since he was appointed Nixon’s vice-president after Nixon’s vice-president after Spiro Agnew resigned due to Spiro Agnew resigned due to scandalscandal

Nixon’s PardonNixon’s Pardon Only a month into his Only a month into his

presidency, Ford issued presidency, Ford issued a presidential pardon to a presidential pardon to Nixon, ending the Nixon, ending the Watergate scandalWatergate scandal

Ford explained his Ford explained his actions as helping to actions as helping to heal the nation, but heal the nation, but many suspected that many suspected that Nixon had negotiated Nixon had negotiated the pardon out of Ford the pardon out of Ford in return for making in return for making Ford president with his Ford president with his resignationresignation

Economic Economic DownturnDownturn

Ford inherited an Ford inherited an economy that was economy that was quickly failing, due to too quickly failing, due to too much deficit spending on much deficit spending on the Vietnam War and the Vietnam War and Great Society programs Great Society programs under Johnson and Nixonunder Johnson and Nixon

Inflation was on the riseInflation was on the rise Overdependence on oil Overdependence on oil

imports left the US imports left the US economy vulnerable to economy vulnerable to fluctuations in oil pricesfluctuations in oil prices

Oil EmbargoOil Embargo In anger over US support for In anger over US support for

Israel, most Arab states began Israel, most Arab states began to seek ways to punish to seek ways to punish America, and the most America, and the most effective way was to damage effective way was to damage the US economy by restricting the US economy by restricting oil productionoil production

The predominantly Arab oil The predominantly Arab oil cartel OPEC (Organization of cartel OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Petroleum Exporting Countries) cut back production Countries) cut back production and raised prices, leading to a and raised prices, leading to a gas shortage in the USgas shortage in the US

Oil that was $3/barrel in 1973 Oil that was $3/barrel in 1973 climbed to $30/barrel by 1980climbed to $30/barrel by 1980

Increased fuel costs meant Increased fuel costs meant less money to spend on other less money to spend on other things, which led to a things, which led to a recessionrecession

StagflationStagflation Economic stagnation + Economic stagnation +

inflation = stagflationinflation = stagflation Economists had not Economists had not

believed that it was believed that it was possible to have both a possible to have both a recession and inflation recession and inflation at the same time, at the same time, believing that prices believing that prices should only rise if should only rise if demand increased, but demand increased, but it turned out they were it turned out they were wrong!wrong!

Whip Inflation Now Whip Inflation Now (WIN)(WIN)

Plan put forth by Ford Plan put forth by Ford which asked Americans which asked Americans to voluntarily reduce to voluntarily reduce energy and fuel energy and fuel consumptionconsumption

When that failed, he When that failed, he tried cutting tried cutting government spending government spending and raising interests and raising interests rates, but that didn’t rates, but that didn’t work eitherwork either

South Vietnam South Vietnam FallsFalls

March 1975March 1975 North launched a full-North launched a full-

scale invasion of the scale invasion of the SouthSouth

Nixon had promised US Nixon had promised US aid if the North violated aid if the North violated the treaty, but Nixon had the treaty, but Nixon had been forced to resign been forced to resign due to the Watergate due to the Watergate scandal and Congress scandal and Congress refused to approve any refused to approve any new involvement in new involvement in VietnamVietnam

By April 30, the North By April 30, the North had conquered the Southhad conquered the South

Helsinki AccordsHelsinki Accords 1975 meeting of NATO 1975 meeting of NATO

and Warsaw Pact and Warsaw Pact leaders leaders

Soviets promised to Soviets promised to uphold basic human uphold basic human rights, but when they rights, but when they did not keep that did not keep that promise, American promise, American enthusiasm for détente enthusiasm for détente began to fade and the began to fade and the Cold War began to Cold War began to deepen once againdeepen once again

MayaguezMayaguez IncidentIncident

May 1975May 1975 Cambodia seized an Cambodia seized an

American cargo ship off its American cargo ship off its shore that they claimed was shore that they claimed was spyingspying

Ford ordered the ship Ford ordered the ship retaken by the Marines, but retaken by the Marines, but the rescue attempt (which the rescue attempt (which proved unnecessary since proved unnecessary since the ship’s crew had already the ship’s crew had already been released) proved been released) proved costly, with 41 Marines killedcostly, with 41 Marines killed

Still, rescue attempt was Still, rescue attempt was seen as a success and seen as a success and helped Ford’s reputation helped Ford’s reputation both at home and abroadboth at home and abroad

Election of 1976Election of 1976 Republicans nominated Republicans nominated

FordFord Democrats nominated Democrats nominated

former Georgia former Georgia governor Jimmy Carter governor Jimmy Carter – a Washington – a Washington outsider who promised outsider who promised to restore morality and to restore morality and honesty to the honesty to the government, as well as government, as well as major reforms to US major reforms to US energy, welfare, and energy, welfare, and economic policieseconomic policies

Carter won in a close Carter won in a close electionelection

Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter 1924 – Present1924 – Present 3939thth President (1977-81) President (1977-81) Graduate of the US Graduate of the US

Naval Academy, but Naval Academy, but took over his family’s took over his family’s peanut farm after the peanut farm after the sudden death of his sudden death of his fatherfather

Won the Nobel Peace Won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his Prize in 2002 for his lifelong commitment to lifelong commitment to human rightshuman rights

Economic FailureEconomic Failure Tried to fix the Tried to fix the

faltering economy faltering economy by increasing by increasing government government spending and spending and cutting taxes – it cutting taxes – it didn’t workdidn’t work

Reversed course and Reversed course and killed his own hard-killed his own hard-won programs and won programs and tax cuts – that didn’t tax cuts – that didn’t work eitherwork either

Energy ReformEnergy Reform Created Dept. of EnergyCreated Dept. of Energy Called on Americans to Called on Americans to

conserve oil and to conserve oil and to develop new forms of develop new forms of renewable energy like renewable energy like solar, geothermal, & solar, geothermal, & nuclear powernuclear power

Continued instability in Continued instability in the Middle East led to the Middle East led to another oil shortage in another oil shortage in 1979, further 1979, further complicating America’s complicating America’s energy problemsenergy problems

National Energy Act of National Energy Act of 19781978

Placed higher taxes Placed higher taxes on cars that weren’t on cars that weren’t fuel efficientfuel efficient

Gave tax credits to Gave tax credits to homeowners who homeowners who improved insulation improved insulation or used solar energyor used solar energy

Provided funding for Provided funding for research into research into alternative energy alternative energy sourcessources

Three-Mile Three-Mile IslandIsland March 28, 1979March 28, 1979

One of the nuclear reactors at One of the nuclear reactors at the Three-Mile Island power the Three-Mile Island power plant in Pennsylvania suffered plant in Pennsylvania suffered a core meltdown, releasing a core meltdown, releasing radioactive gas into the radioactive gas into the surrounding environmentsurrounding environment

Although there were no Although there were no deaths directly contributed to deaths directly contributed to the accident, cancer and the accident, cancer and infant mortality rates in the infant mortality rates in the areas downwind showed areas downwind showed marked increases in the years marked increases in the years immediately followingimmediately following

Since the accident, use of Since the accident, use of nuclear power has declined in nuclear power has declined in the USthe US

DeregulationDeregulation Carter approved Carter approved

removing government removing government regulations on several regulations on several industries:industries:

Oil industry – to Oil industry – to encourage increased encourage increased domestic productiondomestic production

Airlines – to open up Airlines – to open up free market free market competition and competition and reduce prices for reduce prices for consumersconsumers

Affirmative ActionAffirmative Action Policy which requires Policy which requires

any companies or any companies or institutions which do institutions which do business with or receive business with or receive funding from the federal funding from the federal government to actively government to actively recruit minorities and recruit minorities and often sets required often sets required quotas for how many quotas for how many minorities must be hired minorities must be hired for jobs or admitted to for jobs or admitted to collegescolleges

Univ. of California Regents v Univ. of California Regents v BakkeBakke

19781978 Supreme Court handed Supreme Court handed

down a complex ruling down a complex ruling regarding affirmative regarding affirmative action, stating that action, stating that racial quotas are not racial quotas are not permissible, but that permissible, but that considering race when considering race when accepting students for accepting students for admission is OK if the admission is OK if the college is attempting to college is attempting to achieve racial diversityachieve racial diversity

Amnesty to Draft-Amnesty to Draft-dodgersdodgers

Carter issued a blanket Carter issued a blanket amnesty for anyone amnesty for anyone who had fled the US to who had fled the US to avoid being drafted avoid being drafted during the Vietnam Warduring the Vietnam War

This cost him the This cost him the support of the hundreds support of the hundreds of thousands of of thousands of Vietnam veterans who Vietnam veterans who had done their duty as had done their duty as American citizensAmerican citizens

Failing Our Failing Our VeteransVeterans

Returning veterans Returning veterans were treated as pariahs were treated as pariahs rather than as heroes rather than as heroes who had served their who had served their countrycountry

Many suffered from Many suffered from Post-traumatic Stress Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from Disorder (PTSD) from the psychological the psychological stresses of fighting an stresses of fighting an enemy who was willing enemy who was willing to sacrifice human life to sacrifice human life on a scale foreign to on a scale foreign to American sensibilitiesAmerican sensibilities

The WallThe WallVietnam Veterans’ Vietnam Veterans’

MemorialMemorialDedicated in 1982Dedicated in 1982 Inscribed with the Inscribed with the

names of all US names of all US military personnel military personnel killed or missing killed or missing in action during in action during the Vietnam Warthe Vietnam War

Returning the Panama Returning the Panama CanalCanal

Carter convinced the Carter convinced the Senate to agree to a Senate to agree to a treaty which would treaty which would transfer control of transfer control of the Panama Canal to the Panama Canal to Panama on Dec. 31, Panama on Dec. 31, 19991999

Intended to help Intended to help repair US image in repair US image in Latin AmericaLatin America

Camp David Camp David AccordsAccords

19781978 Carter brokered a peace Carter brokered a peace

agreement between Israel agreement between Israel and Egypt, creating hope and Egypt, creating hope for a stabilized Middle for a stabilized Middle EastEast

Menachem Begin (Israel) Menachem Begin (Israel) and Anwar Sadat (Egypt) and Anwar Sadat (Egypt) shared the 1979 Nobel shared the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize for their Peace Prize for their efforts, but Sadat was efforts, but Sadat was assassinated 2 years assassinated 2 years later, largely due to his later, largely due to his willingness to negotiate willingness to negotiate with Israelwith Israel

Iranian RevolutionIranian Revolution January 1979January 1979 Iran’s pro-US Shah (king) Iran’s pro-US Shah (king)

was forced to flee due to was forced to flee due to civil unrest, leaving Iran civil unrest, leaving Iran in the control of Muslim in the control of Muslim fundamentalists under fundamentalists under the Ayatollah Khomeinithe Ayatollah Khomeini

When the US allowed When the US allowed the fugitive Shah to the fugitive Shah to receive cancer receive cancer treatments in the US, treatments in the US, tensions boiled overtensions boiled over

Iranian Hostage Iranian Hostage CrisisCrisis

Nov. 4, 1979Nov. 4, 1979 Angry college students Angry college students

stormed the US Embassy stormed the US Embassy in Tehran and seized 66 in Tehran and seized 66 members of the embassy members of the embassy staff as hostagesstaff as hostages

Ultimately, 52 hostages Ultimately, 52 hostages were held for 444 days, were held for 444 days, released only once Ronald released only once Ronald Reagan was sworn in as Reagan was sworn in as president (female and president (female and black hostages had been black hostages had been released almost released almost immediately after the immediately after the embassy was taken)embassy was taken)

Failed Rescue Failed Rescue AttemptAttempt

Operation Eagle ClawOperation Eagle Claw April 1980April 1980 Daring plan was to rescue Daring plan was to rescue

the hostages using the hostages using helicopters, but one of the helicopters, but one of the helicopters crashed en helicopters crashed en route and the mission was route and the mission was abortedaborted

The failure of the mission, The failure of the mission, and of Carter’s diplomatic and of Carter’s diplomatic attempts to gain the attempts to gain the hostages’ release, badly hostages’ release, badly damaged his already damaged his already shaky reputationshaky reputation

Soviet Invasion of Soviet Invasion of AfghanistanAfghanistan

In December 1979, Soviet In December 1979, Soviet troops entered Afghanistan troops entered Afghanistan to help the communist to help the communist government put down a government put down a rebellionrebellion

US responded to this US responded to this “invasion” with a grain “invasion” with a grain embargo against the Soviet embargo against the Soviet Union, by boycotting the Union, by boycotting the 1980 Olympic Games which 1980 Olympic Games which were being held in Moscow, were being held in Moscow, and by refusing to ratify the and by refusing to ratify the recently agreed to SALT II recently agreed to SALT II treatytreaty

Détente completely Détente completely collapsedcollapsed

The Religious The Religious RightRight

The “sex, drugs, and rock The “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” culture of the late and roll” culture of the late 1960s and 1970s prompted 1960s and 1970s prompted a backlash that led many a backlash that led many Americans to embrace Americans to embrace religious conservatism religious conservatism during the 1980sduring the 1980s

Many were greatly Many were greatly concerned by such things concerned by such things as the as the Roe v WadeRoe v Wade and and Engel v VitaleEngel v Vitale decisions, decisions, and the feminist and gay and the feminist and gay rights movements, which rights movements, which they saw as eroding to the they saw as eroding to the moral fabric of Americamoral fabric of America

The Moral The Moral MajorityMajority

Powerful lobbying groupPowerful lobbying group Founded by Jerry Falwell Founded by Jerry Falwell

in 1979, dissolved after in 1979, dissolved after the 1988 electionthe 1988 election

Designed to promote the Designed to promote the interests of evangelical interests of evangelical Christian groupsChristian groups

Their support of Their support of Republican candidate Republican candidate Ronald Reagan was a Ronald Reagan was a major factor in his win in major factor in his win in the 1980 presidential the 1980 presidential racerace

1980 Election1980 Election Democrats nominated Democrats nominated

Carter despite his growing Carter despite his growing unpopularity; many unpopularity; many Democrats would have Democrats would have preferred to nominate Ted preferred to nominate Ted Kennedy, but an old Kennedy, but an old scandal cost him the scandal cost him the nominationnomination

Republicans nominated Republicans nominated conservative Ronald conservative Ronald Reagan, while a more Reagan, while a more moderate Republican, John moderate Republican, John Anderson, chose to run as Anderson, chose to run as an independentan independent

Reagan won in a landslide, Reagan won in a landslide, carrying all but 5 statescarrying all but 5 states

Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan 1911 – 20041911 – 2004 4040thth President (1981 – 89) President (1981 – 89) Former actorFormer actor Former Gov. of CaliforniaFormer Gov. of California Reagan promised to rebuild Reagan promised to rebuild

the US’ military strength the US’ military strength and to fix the economy, all and to fix the economy, all while creating a balanced while creating a balanced budget and cutting taxesbudget and cutting taxes

"A recession is when your "A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose depression is when you lose yours. And recovery is when yours. And recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his." Jimmy Carter loses his."