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Ending the National Nightmare

Page history last edited by Mr. Hengsterman 11 years, 10 months ago

APUSH  Talking Points
The Presidency Gerald Ford  1974 to 1977
” President by Appointment”

 


Fast forward to 41:07 for Gerald Ford

 

Ford and the 25th Amendment (ratified in 1967)
 “ if the office of Vice President is vacant, the president appoints a new one”

Gerald Ford became the first person to reach the White House without being elected president or vice president. In 1973, President Richard Nixon appointed Ford to replace Spiro Agnew, who resigned his position as vice president before pleading no contest to charges of bribery and tax evasion.

 

 

 

 

Ford Pardons Nixon and Draft dodgers

During his first month in office, the new president faced perhaps the toughest decision of his political career—whether to grant the embattled Nixon a pardon. Believing that prolonged legal proceedings would harm the morale of the country and keep Congress from dealing with other issues, Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he might have committed as president before formal criminal charges were filed. Public response to the decision was not favorable for the president who was still trying to adjust to the power of his new position. (the decision damaged his bid for re-election in 1976)

 

Ford granted a pardon to Vietnam era draft dodgers provided they took an oath to support the United States and do two years of good works (effected 22,00 out of 124,000)

 

Ford concentrated on the problems his new administration inherited

#1 Inflation (caused by spending on social welfare programs and Vietnam War)

 

#2 Rising unemployment figures coupled with the worst recession since the Great Depression created a gloomy economic outlook for the United States.

 

#3 Oil crisis and fears of energy shortages 1973 Oil Embargo, 1974 OPEC raises oil prices which contributes to high costs- transportation etc.) Solutions? Increase conservation; Alaska pipeline, smaller cars, 55 MPH speed limit explore alternative energy sources

#4 Problems in Southeast Asia: Cease-fire agreement in Nam was not followed and by 1975 Communist controls the entire country.

 

WIN!!! Ford refused to approve legislation to control wages and pricing, opting instead to support voluntary restraints by promoting a campaign to "Whip Inflation Now." WIN buttons circulated throughout the country and became a national joke, prompting critics to declare Ford's response to inflation ineffective.

 

Helsinki Accords (1975)

In 1975, President Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger flew to Helsinki, Finland, to meet with Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev and representatives from more than 30 other European nations. Conference attendees signed the Helsinki Accords, which called for human rights guarantees and increased commerce between the Eastern and Western blocs. The group also legitimized the expanded post-World War II Soviet boundaries in Eastern Europe.

 

Congress rejects addition aid to South Vietnam (1975)

North Vietnamese forces scaled a full force attack on South Vietnam, Ford asked Congress for more money and weapons to stop the invasion. The legislators refused, and on May 1st, the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese army overtook Saigon, which they renamed Ho Chi Minh City.  The collapse of South Vietnam happened so quickly that remaining Americans had to be evacuated by helicopter. Approximately 140,000 South Vietnamese, many of whom feared death because of their allegiance to America, were also rescued and given asylum in the United States. Eventually, a total of 500,000 Vietnamese refugees sought safety on American soil. The longest war in U.S. history had finally ended at a cost of $118 billion and 56,000 dead and 300,000 wounded Americans.

 

Ford's poor handling of the economy and foreign affairs damaged the public's confidence in his performance.

 

The Election of 1976
Despite his weak record, the incumbent defeated challenger Ronald Reagan for the Republican presidential

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