The Ford Presidency

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The Ford Presidency

Domestic Policy

Energy politics

Led to a complete gridlock of US politics-- bad relationship with Congress

1974 election saw a young, Democratic Congress

Congress wanted to impose government rationing of gasoline

Ford vetoed maintaining price controls and allocating gas for public transport

In response to the rising price of imported oil Ford wanted to make US oil cheaper

Democrats objected-- they claimed this would raise inflation and hurt the poor

Wanted to boost federal taxes and end oil prices controls

Strategies against unemployment

Worked for the summer of 1975 but inflation began to rise

Interest rates cut to 8%

Worked for tax cut legislation

Produced a deficit of $60 billion

CIA

Created a committee to look into domestic spying and questionable methods

Ford accidentally revealed the role of the CIA in assassinating foreign leaders to the press

Agents revealed many secrets

WIN

Failed miserably-- factories closed, demand dropped, and unemployment rose

Encouraged people to stop spending in order to reduce demand

Stood for "Whip Inflation Now"

Voluntary economic program

Nelson Rockefeller (gov of New York) as Vice President

Pardoned Richard Nixon

Foreign Policy

Middle East

Oil prices (controlled by Arab nations) rose sharply

Southeast Asia

South Vietnam falls to North Vietnam

Ford organizes Operation Babylift to remove Vietnamese orphans

Started a refugee crisis as people left on boats (boat people) to find safe places to settle

Did not intervene in the Khmer Rouge genocide

One exception: Khmer Rouge troops took over a US ship, the Mayaguez, so Ford sent in Marines to get the ship back

Soviet Union

Pursued nuclear treaties further

Led to SALT II

An agreement for both countries to limit their production of nuclear arms

Ford and Brezhnev were party to the Helsinki Accords

Ensure/enumerated the human rights people were supposed to have

Kept Henry Kissinger as Secretary of State

Said he would keep Nixon's foreign policy

Path to the White House

Presidential image is hurt by Nixon-- Nice Guy Presidenttm to replace him

Stagflation was a major issue

Public distrust in government

CIA could not keep secrets-- books and leaks

Nominated for vice presidency during Watergate, under the 25th amendment

Nixon resigned and Ford took over

Background

House minority leader in 1965

Served for 25 years in Congress after WWII

Fought in the Navy in WWII

Football player for the University of Michigan