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The Ford and Carter Presidencies

The Ford and Carter Presidencies. Gerald Ford. Star football player at University of Michigan Fought in the Navy in WWII Won House seat and served for 25 years Minority leader Seen as hard-working, full of integrity, and dependable. Presidential Pardon (A misstep).

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The Ford and Carter Presidencies

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  1. The Ford and Carter Presidencies

  2. Gerald Ford • Star football player at University of Michigan • Fought in the Navy in WWII • Won House seat and served for 25 years • Minority leader • Seen as hard-working, full of integrity, and dependable

  3. Presidential Pardon (A misstep) • VP Gerald Ford assumed office after Nixon resigned • 1st thing Ford did – pardon Nixon of wrong-doings • Goal: “to end long, national nightmare”

  4. Ford at the Helm Politically – nation was angry and distrustful of the president Economically – nation still dealing with stagflation

  5. Détente (part II) • Helsinki Accords • Ford and Brezhnev sign document agreeing to basic human rights • Criticized for not pushing political rights as well • S.A.L.T. II • Limited production of new armaments

  6. 1975 – Southeast Asia • Vietnam falls • US declines to help • Boat People (1,500,000 people) • Mayaguez Incident • US marines free Cambodian held merchant ship crew • US gets some hope and optimism from the success

  7. Bicentennial Celebration

  8. Space…again Viking I and II probes land on Mars Space excitement rekindled

  9. A Declining Presidency • Pledges to make gov’t more transparent • Economy weak • Ratings plummet from Nixon’s pardon

  10. WIN – Whip Inflation Now • Economy tanking as inflation soars and unemployment rises • Ford’s plan not working • Idea was to make inflation into public enemy number one to spark a public campaign to defeat it • Came with bumper stickers and lapel pins

  11. 1976 Election – Ford only gets one • Not seen as in control • Challenged from inside his own party • Ronald Reagan • US people don’t trust or believe the gov’t • Jimmy Carter (D) takes the advantage

  12. Jimmy Carter Father was a farmer and businessman and mother a registered nurse Came from a small farming community Graduated from Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology Went to the United States Naval Academy in 1946 1971 – became Georgia’s governor When he came to the presidency he was a relative rookie (1x governor, 2x Georgia state house representative

  13. Carter in Office • Wins close election • AID: backlash against Watergate and mistrust • “Citizen’s President” • Walks inaugural route • Dresses in common clothing • Carries his own things

  14. First Steps in Office • Pardons draft dodgers from Vietnam (bad idea) • Angers the silent majority • Give Chrysler federal bailout to survive oil crisis • Angers fiscal conservatives

  15. Economy Continues to Decline • Price of oil per barrel goes from about $40 in 1976 to about $80 in 1980 • Shortages in fuel and heating oil cause factory and business closings • Americans freeze in homes during brutal winters of 1976 - 1978

  16. A Weak Response • Carter raises taxes • Price controls • Inflation on the rise • Raises interest rates • US businesses hurt = more unemployment

  17. Foreign Policy Problems • Announces US policy will be guided by human rights interests • Direct challenge to communism • Undercuts spirit of détente with the Soviets

  18. Soviets Invade Afghanistan • Carter’s response • Withdrew from S.A.L.T. II • Imposed sanctions on trade • Boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympics • Communism begins new era of expansion

  19. Stance Toward Central America Changes • Nicaragua – Carter cuts US support to ruling Somoza family • Sandinista rebels overthrow the dictator install far leftist gov’t • Socialism growing in Central America, Asia, Africa, and South America

  20. Castro is baaaack… • Castro and Carter negotiate deal to let Cuban political exiles leave Cuba for the US (Mariel Boatlift) • Castro empties his prisons into the US • Movie “Scarface”

  21. US Pulls Out of Panama • Panama broke away from Columbia in US aided revolt (1903) • US given canal zone for its role • Carter negotiated to return canal to Panamanian control in 1999

  22. The Camp David Accords Egypt had been leading attacks against US supported Israel since 1948 Carter brokers deal, Israel gives Sinai Peninsula for Egyptian Peace

  23. Iran • US ally, Shah of Iran, was hated by the lower classes • In US for cancer treatment • Religious exile, Ayatollah Khomeini, returned and led a fundamentalist coup

  24. Iran Coup Pulls in the US • Khomeini demands the US return Shah for trial (death sentence for guilt) • US refuses • US embassy stored by Iranians • Embassy workers held for 444 days

  25. More Public Opinion Problems • Carter sends Special Forces to save captives (Operation Eagle Claw) • Helicopters crash in sand storm • Ayatollah seen as victorious, US weak

  26. The Malaise Speech (1979) • Effort to rally sour American mood • Claims we are all glum and down in the dumps but we could be great again • Seen as desperate, negative, and defeatist • Rallies Republicans

  27. Religious Revival? • 1970’s “me generation” • Concerned with personal happiness not societal success • Perceived as fundamentally flawed • The ‘Moral Majority’ • Televangelists decry excesses of the 60s and 70s • Want to return to traditional values • Reagan and the Conservatives on the rise

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