1. The United States Looks Ahead

2. Life of Gerald Ford Born : Omaha Nebraska 1913
Grew Up in: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Education: University of Michigan, Yale
Military: Lieutenant Commander in Navy WWII
Occupation: Lawyer
Married: Elizabeth Bloomer
Political Party: Republican
Died: December 26, 2006

3. Gerald Ford Becomes President Takes Oath August 9, 1974
Nixon Resigns Ford takes Oath
First man to become President without being elected President or Vice-President!
First Vice-President to be chosen by 25th Amendment
Problems Facing the United States
People’s faith in the honesty and integrity of their political leaders were shaken
Congress and Executive Branch at odds
Economy sank to the worst recession since WWII
Inflation Soared

4. The New President
Ford’s 25 years in Congress gave him the knowledge and wisdom about how Washington Functioned
Ford Wanted to put an end to:
Watergate Problems
Restore people’s faith in their gov’t
Cure the Nation’s Economic ills – biggest inflation
Promised to run an Open Administration and to work with Congress

5. The New President Cont
Ford took office on Television, he reminded the nation’s voters that:
“Since they have not chosen him, he has a special duty to earn their confidence”

6. Selecting a Vice President
Under 25th Amendment – Ford had to pick a new Vice President, which has to be confirmed by both houses of Congress
Nelson A. Rockefeller– New Vice President
Liberal Republican
Grandson of John D. Rockefeller
Ran for President 1964 and 1968
Served Presidents in both Parties from FDR to Eisenhower
– Governor of NY

7. Domestic Affairs
Two acts done within weeks of his Presidency that would cost him public support
1. Pardoning Nixon
Granted Nixon a Full Pardon
Ford feared that unless the people and the gov’t put Nixon and Watergate behind them, it would be impossible for him to govern effectively

8. Domestic Affairs Cont. 2. Clemency
Announced a program of Clemency for those who deserted the Armed Forces or evaded the draft during the Vietnam War
They would not be punished – if they took the oath of Allegiance to the United States, and did 2 yrs of alternative service in jobs that “promoted national health, safety, or interest”
Since plan was not an outright pardon – most of the 124,000 draft violators refused Ford’s offer
Many Americans felt that these men who ran away from their duties must be punished!

9. Domestic Affairs Cont. Controlling CIA and FBI
Watergate and impeachment hearings led to serious crimes against CIA and FBI
Ford appointed a commission under Vice President Rockefeller to study the CIA
Committees in House and Senate started their own Probes of the CIA and FBI

10. Domestic Affairs Cont. Controlling CIA and FBI cont
Studies showed under 6 presidents - FDR to Nixon – FBI abused their powers
Without legal permits agents tapped telephones
Read private s
Broken into buildings
Places listening devices in homes and offices
Kept records on thousands of innocent people

11. Domestic Affairs Cont. Controlling CIA and FBI cont
Also spying on Americans – opening their mail
Experimented on unsuspecting people with dangerous mind-control drugs
Abroad- worked secretly to bring down a democratically elected, Marxist regime in Chile
Then denied doing so to Congress
Accused of having plotted to assassinate unfriendly foreign leaders

12. Domestic Affairs Cont. Why we needed CIA and FBI
CIA – gathers information from every part of the world
FBI- enforce Federal Laws
Congress wanted to oversee both agencies
Ford set up an Intelligence oversight board
Made up of three private citizens to monitor CIA
House and Senate had their own committee
Congress worked on laws to define more strictly the activities of these two agencies

13. Domestic Affairs Cont. Other Gov’t changes
1. Freedom of information act – passed 1966, strengthened with amendments 1974 & 1976
Gov’t agencies and dept. had to give copies of documents in their files to anyone who asked
Only a few exceptions for:
National Defense
Foreign Policy
Law enforcement

14. Domestic Affairs cont
2. Privacy act – 1974
Gave citizens right to see info about them and correct it
WITH THESE LAWS – US GOV’T BECAME MOST OPEN IN THE WORLD!

15. Domestic affairs cont.
3. Federal Election Campaign-Funding Reform Act – 1974
Limit size of political contributions
Provided federal funds for candidates in presidential primaries and elections
4. War Powers Act -1973
President must inform House and Senate within 48 hours of putting Troops where they may fight
President must bring troops home in 90 days unless both Houses voted them to stay.

16. Domestic Affairs Cont. 5. Budget and Impoundment Act- 1974
President could not “impound” funds – could not refuse to spend money Congress had voted
Nixon did this late in his Presidency
This law created:
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)- provide Congress with its own income and expense figures
Previous legislators had received budget figures from the President and had no way to check accuracy
Alice Mitchell – Professional economist – appointed head of dept.

17. Domestic Affairs Cont. Problems with Economy Biggest Problem Inflation
Ford Believed gov’t spending kept prices going up
Used his Veto power 66 times to try to help
Largest factor in the inflation was the price of oil

18. Domestic Affairs Cont. Oil and Inflation
Until 1953 the U.S produced more oil than it used
As economy expanded we used more than produced
Nation would need more and more imported oil