Gerald Ford

The Impact of the Ford Presidency on US Domestic Politics

August 1974 Gerald Ford entered White House
A difficult time for the US whose political system had been damaged by Watergate
There was rising inflation and unemployment
In foreign affairs 1974-5 the Portuguese Empire fell
Extreme Left-wing governments came to power in Angola and Mozambique
1975 communists took South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
When he became President he was the only one never to have been elected to the post of either President or Vice-President but he held both offices
He had some advantages – good-humoured, honest and straightforward

The Nixon Pardon

8^th September 1974 gave Nixon a full pardon for ‘any and all crimes’ committed during his Presidency
Without this Nixon would have faced trial and possibly prison for Watergate
Ford said he wanted to end the crisis facing the US which had dragged on for 18 months

Economic Policy

October 1974 introduced his plan to solve economic problems facing the US
His WIN (Whip Inflation Now) programme he asked for voluntary pay restraint
This had little effect on rising prices
Ford cut Federal spending
Supported the Federal Reserve Board (US central bank) when it raised interest rates
His failure to bring major economic change resulted in a severe economic recession 1974-5
Major cause of recession was the world economic slowdown which was accelerated by the 400% increase in oil prices made by OPEC in October 1973 following the War of Yom Kippur between Israel and the Arabs
By election year 1976 unemployment was 8%
Areas such as Detroit badly hit by competition from more fuel-efficient Japanese cars

1976 Elections

Democrats in a strong position: fall of Indo-China to the Communists; severe economic recession; the fallout from Watergate
Held 61 Senate seats and 291 out of 435 House seats after 1974 mid-term election
Despite all this Ford only narrowly lost the election
Carter 49.9% of the vote; Ford 47.9%
Carter 297 against 240 Electoral College votes
In Congress the Democrats kept 61 seats in the Senate and their House representatives increased by one

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