1. The Ford and Carter Years
“The symptoms of this crisis of the American spirit are all around us. For the first time in the history of our country a majority of our people believe that the next five years will be worse than the past five years. Two thirds of the people do not even vote. The productivity of workers is actually dropping…there is a growing disrespect for government and for churches and for schools…this is not a message of happiness or reassurance, but it is the truth and it is a warning.” Pres. Jimmy Carter, 1979
According to Carter, what was one symptom of America’s crisis of confidence? (for the 1st time, people believed that the next 5 years would be worse than the last five) Do you think this crisis continues today?

2. Ford faces Political and economic woes
Gerald Ford
Star football player at the Univ. of Mich.
Fought in WWII
US Congress-25 years
House Minority Leader 1965
Stellar reputation for hard work, integrity & dependability

3. Woes cont… Stepped into a hornet’s nest Ford pardons Nixon Critics:
Ford selected Nelson Rockefeller-VP
Meant to heal the nations wounds-he pardoned (officially forgive) Nixon
Critics:
Say he pardoned for the VP selection
Election 1974-lost 48 Republican seats
Watergate had scarred the public’s faith in government
Furthermore, the nation struggled with the most severe economic problems it had faced since the depression
Ford moved quickly to try and restore confidence in government

4. Woes cont… Stagflation plagues Inflation hit in double digits 1974-75
Ford promoted a voluntary plan of WIN (Whip Inflation Now)
Clear failure
Factories closed down
Consumer demand dropped
Rate of unemployment rose
Ford’s popularity plummeted

5. “Outsider” becomes president
Carter’s rise
Backlash against professional politicians
Fresh face, with no ties to Washington
Born-again Christian
Won support of Christian fundamentalist

6. Carter pays the Price for Inexperience
Sought to portray himself as a “citizens’ President”
No ties hurt
Had no ties to Democratic leadership in Congress
Submitted numerous bills but few passed
Amnesty (pardons) for people who evaded the draft
Problems sapped
Energy crisis
1973-Gas .40 gal.
1976-Gas 1.20 gal.
Severe inflation
Chrysler needed a federal loan to survive
Growing problem in the Middle East
Hoping this act would help the americans move beyond the division of Vietnam. The war remained an emotional thing. Americans criticized the president for forgiving those that did not fight.
Carter responded to the oil crisis by calling on Americans to conserve, and asked Congress to raise taxes on crude oil
The bill that final passed did not have many of the president’s ideas on it and this was just one more example of Carter’s poor leadership skills.

7. Iranian Hostage Crisis

8. Demography affects politics
Migration to the sunbelt
Northern industries suffered
Families moved to seek work in oil fields in Texas, defense plants in California
Influx of immigrants from Latin America & Asia continued thru the 1970s
Social and cultural changes begun in the 1950 and 60s continued unabated in the 70s. By the end of the decade it was a very different society than it had been a generation earlier. This gave rise to an ongoing debate about the nation’s values

9. The “Me Generation” Comes of Age
Counterculture of the 60s remained isolated
End of the 70s, these behaviors more common
Divorce rate doubled
2x as many children born out of wedlock
Called the “me decade”
Absorbed in self-improvement
Transcendental Meditation, practice of Eastern meditation
Increase in personal fitness
Jogging
Body-building
Fitness: millions began to jog. In men/women ran in the NY marathon/ 1980-more than 14,000 ran in the race. Body building took off largely due to the influence of Arnold Schwartzeneggar

10. Conservatives reassert traditional values
Fundamental Christianity in response to a shift in values
1 in 5 Americans considered themselves a religious fundamentalist by 1980
Ministers used the media
Televangelists
Jerry Falwell
Oral Roberts
Opposed
Many of the social changes from 1960s-70s
Supreme Court rulings
Legalized abortion
Restricted prayer in schools
Formed a new political majority
By 1980-Ronald Reagan used this to win election to the White House