In the Shadow of Nixon
11-1 Team C
Background
Gerald Ford
- Appointed Vice President due to resignation of Spiro Agnew
- Assumed role of President due to Nixon's resignation
- Took Oath of Office in East Room
- Sole elected individual to be President without being on a ticket.
Domestic Policy
- The economy would remain an issue as the inflation soared to double digits in 1974 and 1975
- Like Nixon, Ford tried to fight inflation; His Whip Inflation Now program attempted to solve the problem, largely voluntarily through personal saving
- He also signed two tax reduction acts into law
- These efforts, however, failed to fix the economy and led to more unemployment. Ford’s popularity plummeted due to the economic failures and the pardon.
Southeast Asia
- Ford wanted to distance the US from Southeast Asia
- Didn't intervene when Cambodia slaughtered civilians.
- Vietnam also fell during the Ford administration
- Many refugees who worked with the US fled Vietnam by boat, many reaching the West
- Approach to Southeast Asia reflected a broader sentiment of war-weariness among the American people.
Foreign Policy
- Continued Nixon’s policy of détente
- Met Leonid Brezhnev twice to discuss human rights
- Agreed to the Helsinki Accords
- Guaranteed basic rights in Europe including the sovereignty of nations
- Prefered arms control over humans rights reforms
- The two leaders negotiated on the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT II), which limited nuclear production
- Senate never ratified the treaty in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, meaning it never went into effect
Ford's Pardon of Nixon
Pardon of Nixon
- He pardoned Nixon (primarily because of their friendship) as his first act, however, this may have doomed him from the start
- By associating himself closely with his disgraced predecessor, Ford’s reputation was severely diminished by the Watergate scandal.
- There were large protests against his pardon - “Is Nixon above the law.”
- The speech highlights a Gallup poll commissioned by the New York Times, which showed a significant drop in Ford's popularity following the pardon.
Background
Jimmy Carter
- Campaigned as a Washington Outsider
- One time Georgia Governor
- Held town halls, wore casual clothes
- Unusual for a politician at the time
- No close ties with Democratic congressional leadership
- Bills he submitted rarely passed Congress without major modifications from his own party.
Domestic Policy: Economy
Domestic Policy
- Proposed $900 million corporate tax cut, increase in public works budget, and an economic stimulation package entitling each citizen to a $50 taxation rebate.
- Heavier emphasis on budget balancing & inflation control over combating unemployment.
- Signed Comprehensive Employment and Training Act after facing backlash from his party over lack of focus on unemployment
- $19 billion tax cut with Revenue Act of 1978
- Government deficit remained at $70 billion, overall deficit during 1980-1981 fiscal year reduced from 4% to 2.5%
- Ratio of total debt to economic output decreased
Domestic Policy: Energy Crisis & Environmentalism
Energy Crisis
- Gasoline prices massively increased throughout the decade
- $0.40 in 1973 to $1.20 by 1980
- Arab Oil Embargo effects felt throughout the decade
- Winter of 1966-67 was unusually cold, amplifying oil requirements
- Rise of environmentalism & oil crises encouraged efficiency in automobiles, push for alternative energy methods
Foreign Policy: Focus on Human Rights
Foreign Policy
- Granted a full pardon to Vietnam-era draft evaders
- Major focus on Latin America
- Somoza regime in Nicaragua no longer supported by the US under the Carter administration
- Cut off relations with many leaders known to violate human rights
- Publicly criticized Augusto Pinochet of Chile, Ernesto Geisel of Brazil, and Jorge Rafael Videla of Argentina.
- Voiced strong opposition to white minority rule in countries like South Africa and Rhodesia
- Appointed Andrew Young as ambassador to the UN
- One of the first Black diplomats appointed to such a high-ranking position
- Signing of SALT II Treaty
Foreign Policy: America & the Middle East
Middle East
- Camp David Accords
- Egypt & Israel were keen to improve relations by 1977
- Egypt opposed Israel's existence since its founding.
- Carter assisted in these negotiations by inviting both leaders to Camp David, to create the framework for a peace treaty.
- Treaty stated that Egypt would formally recognize the nation of Israel, while Israel withdrew all troops from the Sinai Peninsula (occupied since 1967)
- Iran Hostage Crisis
- Subtopic Below
Iran Hostage Crisis (11/04/1979 - 01/20/1981)
Iran Hostage Crisis
- Opposition to the Shah began to grow within Iran, leading to him fleeing to the US in 1979 for cancer treatment.
- Enraged that the Shah fled to the US & seeking to cut ties with their past, radical Iranian students invaded the U.S. Embassy & took 66 Americans as hostages.
- Operation Eagle Claw was a major failure
- Carter’s repeated failures to bring the hostages home were viewed as signs of weakness in his leadership, and he was unable to campaign effectively against Reagan due to it.
Crisis of Confidence
- Carter gave the speech to boost morale during economic hardships.
- The speech essentially echoed the themes of every citizen’s contribution mattering, and encouraged citizens to take action against hardship within their own home.
- Carter's speech was right to do. He encourages citizens to actively involve themselves in causes, and claims that every little drop makes an ocean larger.
- The speech doomed his presidency. His reputation had already been one of avoiding problems to chase after more superficial issues. He was seen as someone who couldn’t take care of affairs. A speech essentially blaming citizens for not doing more painted him in an extremely negative light.