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The Carter Presidency

Page history last edited by Mr. Hengsterman 8 years, 10 months ago

The Bicentennial Campaign and the Carter Victory

In 1976, Jimmy Carter barely squeezed by Gerald Ford (297 to 240), promising to never lie to the American public, and he also had Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress. After 4 years of the Carter presidency, both inflation and unemployment were considerable worse that at the time of his inauguration;

The Economic Crisis

Inflation: Rose from 4.8% in 1976 to 6.8% in 1977, 9% in 1978, 11% in 1979, and hovered around 12% at the time of the 1980 election campaign.

Federal deficits:Although Carter had pledged to eliminate the deficit, the deficit for 1979 totaled $27.7 billion, and for 1980 was nearly $59 billion.

Unemployment:8 million people out of work; nationwide average of about 7.7% by the time of the election campaign, but it was considerably higher in some

industrial states.

Energy Issues

Carter’s Energy Plan —To save on rising oil prices, Carter asked Americans to conserve fuel in their homes, cars, and businesses. He also created a new Cabinet department, the Department of Energy.

Weak U.S. dollar: Many analysts blamed the decline on a large and persistent trade deficit, much of it a result of U.S. dependence on foreign oil

Other Failures: National health-insurance bill; Proposals for welfare reform; Controls on hospital costs; Proposals for tax-reform

The president warned that Americans were wasting too much energy:

#1 Domestic supplies of oil and natural gas were running out

#2 Foreign supplies of petroleum were subject to embargoes by the producing nations, principally by members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

In mid-1979, in the wake of widespread shortages of gasoline, Carter advanced a long-term program designed to solve the energy problem.

He proposed:

A limit on imported oil

Gradual price decontrol on domestically produced oil

A stringent program of conservation

Development of alternative sources of energy such as solar, nuclear, and geothermal power, oil and gas from shale and coal, and synthetic fuels Ø In what was probably his most noted domestic legislative accomplishment, he pushed a significant portion of his energy program through Congress.