Ford Carter and Reagan Administration Ford Administration Before

Ford, Carter, and Reagan Administration

Ford Administration

• Before becoming Vice President, Ford had been a Congressman for many years. • He had been a college football star, but he was often awkward in public • He was a likeable and unpretentious man, but many people questioned his ability to be president.

The Pardoning of Nixon • In the first month of Ford’s presidency, he pardoned Nixon for all crimes that he might have committed. • Ford was accused of making a “deal” with Nixon. • This cost Ford much support from the American people.

Economy • He encouraged voluntary steps to be taken by the American public to rid themselves of the inflation. • Ford tried to find ways to combat the incredibly high inflation rate during his tenure. • Not only did inflation continue, but the economy also sank deeper into a recession • The Unemployment Rate also rose to 9%

Southeast Asia • Ford could not get funding to help support the South Vietnamese who were facing a strong North Vietnamese army. • South Vietnam fell shortly after. • Cambodia also fell to the Khmer Rouge, a radical Communist faction that conducted genocide against over a million of its own people

Cambodia • A US merchant ship, the Mayaguez was captured by the Cambodian military. • Ford called for an attack. 38 US Marines died in this assault, but 39 crewmen were freed.

1976 Election • In 1976, Ford ran against Jimmy Carter. • Carter ran successfully as an outsider. • Carter “squeaked” by Ford to win by an electoral vote of 287 -241.

Carter Administration • Carter cultivated an informal style to end the idea of an “imperial president. ” • In his inaugural parade, he walked down Pennsylvania Avenue instead of riding in the presidential limousine. • Unfortunately, his outsider status hurt him in dealings with Congress, and his reliance on his politically inexperienced advisors from Georgia also hurt his presidency.

Panama Canal • A new treaty was negotiated with the country of Panama. • In 1978, after a long debate, the US Senate ratified a treaty that would gradually transfer operation and control of the Panama Canal from the US to Panama. • This was a very unpopular treaty with many people in the US

Camp David Accords • Carter’s greatest single achievement as President was arranging a peace settlement between Israel and Egypt. • He invited the leaders of Egypt and Israel, Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat, to meet at the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland. • The Camp David Accords led to a later treaty that made Egypt the first Arab nation to recognize the nation of Israel.

The Cold War • Carter tried to continue the Nixon-Ford policy of détente with China and the USSR. • 1979: US ended its official recognition of the Nationalist government of Taiwan and completed the first exchange of ambassadors with the People’s Republic of China. • 1979: SALT II Treaty with the USSR was signed, but the Senate never ratified the treaty as a result of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Olympic Boycott • The US feared the invasion might lead to a Soviet move to control the oil-rich Persian Gulf region. • Carter reacted by: • Placing an embargo on grain exports and the sale of technology to the Soviet Union. • Boycotting the 1980 summer Olympic Games held in Moscow

Iranian Revolution • In 1979 Islamic fundamentalists, led by the Ayatollah Khomeini’ overthrew the government of the Shah of Iran. • The Shah had been supported by the US and he had sent large amounts of oil to the US. • A large part of the Iranian population was upset with his policy of westernization and his autocratic rule. • When the fundamentalists took power, oil production ground to a halt causing the second worldwide oil shortage of the decade and another round of price increases.

Trouble with Iran • Iran demanded the United States turn over the Shah so that he could be tried in Iran. • Carter refused.

Iran Hostage Crisis • November 1979: Iranian militants seized the US embassy in Teheran and held more than 50 members of the American staff hostage. • The hostage crisis dragged on throughout Carter’s term. • In April, 1980, Carter approved a rescue mission but it failed • For many Americans, Carter’s inability to bring the hostages home was a symbol of a failed presidency.

Three Mile Island

Domestic Issues • Inflation became a terrible problem during Carter’s term. • His attempts to curb inflation were entirely unsuccessful and inflation seemed completely out of control and reached the unheard of rate of 13% in 1980. • The Fed attempted to stop inflation by raising interest rates higher and higher, to 20% in 1980. • The Federal Deficit grew to $60 billion by 1980. • Carter viewed as a weak and indecisive leader. • By the election his approval rate had fallen to 23%

1980 Election • Democrats nominated Carter and Mondale for reelection. • Republicans nominated Ronald Reagan and George Bush. • John Anderson, a Republican from Illinois, ran as independent candidate. • Pollsters predicted a close election.

1980 Election • Reagan got a number of traditionally Democratic voters. • He won by an overwhelmingly majority in the electoral vote (489 -49)

• In 1981, there was an assassination attempt on President Reagan, but it failed.

1984 Election • The Democrats nominated Walter Mondale for President. • The Democrats also nominated Geraldine Ferraro for Vice President. • She became the first female Vice Presidential nominee of a major party

1984 Election • Reagan won over Mondale by a landslide electoral vote of 525 -13.

Domestic Events • Cuts in domestic Spending: Reagan got congress to make sharp cuts in social programs such as welfare, Medicaid, and student loans. • Tax Changes: Under Reagan, income taxes on individuals and businesses were lowered significantly, while payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare) were increased. • Budget Deficits: As a result of the lowered tax rates and massive increases in military spending, the US had tremendous budget deficits during this time. • The government had to borrow billions of dollars each year to pay for its programs

Appointments to the Supreme Court • Reagan made three appointments to the Supreme Court while he was in office. • Sandra Day O’Connor became the first female justice on the Supreme Court • Antonin Scalia was Reagan’s second addition. • Anthony Kennedy was Reagan’s third appointment

Challenger Disaster • On January 28, 1986 the space shuttle, Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds into its flight due to the failure of an O-ring seal in its right solid rocket booster at takeoff. • All seven members of its crew lost their lives, including the first civilian member of a crew, Christa Mc. Auliffe. She was the first member of the Teacher in Space Project.

Foreign Policy • Congress stepped up military spending and expanded the nation’s nuclear arsenal. • Reagan also called for a new space-based defense system which was officially named the Strategic Defense Initiative, but was commonly referred to as Star Wars

Soviet Union • Reagan took a hard line against the Soviet Union, calling it an “evil empire, ” but tensions eased after Mikhail Gorbachev took over as Soviet leader in 1985. • In 1987, Reagan and Gorbachev signed the INF Treaty and in 1989, Soviet troops pulled out of Afghanistan.

Middle East • 1983: US Marines were sent to Lebanon by President Reagan as part of an international peacekeeping force. • October 23, 1983: A suicide bomber crashed an explosives -laden truck into a US Marine barracks in Beirut killing more than 200 Marines. • 1986: US bombed Libya in retaliation for alleged Libyan sponsorship of terrorist attacks.

Central America • US tried to prevent the expansion of Communism into Central America. • Reagan sent “military advisors” to prop up the pro. US government in El Salvador. • He also provided covert aid to the “Contra” rebels opposing the anti-American Sandinista government in Nicaragua. • October, 1983: US sent a force to Grenada to kick out a Marxist government that had overthrown and killed the prime minister there.

Iran-Contra Affair • A number of American hostages had been seized by Muslim extremist groups in Lebanon. • At the same time, the Sandinista government in Nicaragua was solidifying their grip in Central America • Reagan repeatedly requested Congress to provide military aid to the Contras fighting against the Sandinistas. • Congress refused. • In 1985, American diplomats secretly arranged arms sales to Iran in return for Iranian aid in obtaining the release of American hostages held by Middle Eastern terrorists. • At least one hostage was set free.

• Meanwhile, money from the payment for the arms was diverted to the Contras. • This violated a congressional ban on military aid to the Nicaraguan contras as well as Reagan’s promise never to negotiate with terrorists. • Reagan claimed he was innocent of wrongdoing and ignorant about the activities of his subordinates, but a congressional committee investigated and held hearings.

• Criminal indictments were brought against several members of the National Security Administration. • Two men were found guilty of criminal behavior, Col. Oliver North and his boss, Adm. John Poindexter. • These revelations hurt President Reagan’s credibility.