President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford (Leslie King) was born July 14, 1913 in Omaha, NE. He was the 40th vice-president from 1973-1974 and the 38th president of the United States from 1974-1977. Before he became vice-president, he was a representative for 25 years for Michigan. When Spiro Agnew resigned being vice-president, President Richard Nixon selected Representative Ford to become the next vice-president to replace him. Gerald Ford was the only person to become vice-president and president without having to be elected. According to the 25th Amendment, if a vice-president or president left his spot vacant by a resignment, death, etc., then their spot may be replaced by someone. This isn’t simple though. There is a procedure that needs to take place for this to happen. I think the election happened this way for a good reason. The people who are voting are people who know their stuff about politics and if he would be right for the part.
On October 12, 1973, Vice-president Ford was selected by President Richard Nixon to take Spiro’s place. The Senate then had to vote on this first (92-3) then the House of Representatives voted on December 6, also(387-35.) The votes were all clear that Gerald could now be vice-president. Later that day, Ford became vice-president before a session with Congress.
Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974 due to the Watergate scandal. (Five men broke and entered into the headquarters of the Watergate complex. Tapes were recorded in the offices of Richard Nixon and some tapes proved that Nixon wanted to hide what those five men were doing. So he almost got impeached, but just later on resigned. That automatically moved Gerald Ford up from Vice-president to President. When he moved up to being president that means the vice-presidency spot was left open for someone to fill. Gerald chose Governor of New York, Nelson Rockefeller to fulfill the Vice-president duties.
When Gerald became President, he signed the Helsinki Declaration (a declaration between the USA, Canada and almost all European states to improve relations between the Communist Alliance and the West.)
During his presidency, Ford made a pardon to President Nixon and people did not like that at all because they thought Ford’s speech to the world was a “This for that” speech between Nixon and Ford. If Ford did this for Nixon, then Nixon would make Ford president. Ford says he pardoned Nixon because those two were simply good friends.
One of the first things Ford did to help the economy was to make the Economy Policy Board. He did a speech and told people to “Whip Inflation Now.” (WIN)
Also, Ford wanted a five percent increase on income tax to mainly wealthy people, so that would bring in more money and people would spend less. He passed an Education for all Handicapped Children Act which started education for handicapped people. Next, a recession hit and Ford wanted to now do a Tax reduction to start economic growth. People criticized this one-year plan because he wanted a tax raise, then a tax reduction (Tax Reduction Act of 1975.)
Also, when New York City was about to become bankrupt, Ford did not support the bail out of this, but he later changed his thinking and allowed loans to New York City.
The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) was continued from Nixon and Ford visited China to sign a report for the treaty.
One of Ford’s greatest challenges was dealing with the Vietnam War. He tried aiding South Vietnam soldiers but Congress disagreed. He made a speech saying the Vietnam war was over “as far as the United States is concerned.”
TWO assassination attempts occurred during his presidency. One on September 5, 1975 while he was in California, Fromme, a girl who followed Charles Manson, tried shooting a gun at Ford but a secret service agent stopped the trigger in time before it shot. Seventeen days later, while leaving a hotel in San Francisco, a woman named Sara Moore was across the street and pointed a gun at him. A former marine guy moved the gun and so when it shot, the gun shot at the wall behind Ford, less than ten inches away from his head! These shots I thought were not needed!
In the 1976 election, Ford was against Jimmy Carter. Jimmy gained votes because he was talking about what bad Ford did before, but Ford gained votes and caught up. But in the second debate, Ford was behind and didn’t get many votes because Carter was saying all of the right things and because Ford said, “There will not be a Soviet domination in Europe and there will never be under Ford administration.” Carter ended up winning the election overall.
I think Ford was a good president actually for not knowing he was going to be in that position. He may have made mistakes but he did a lot of good too. I also think people complained for the wrong reasons about the whole tax thing. At least their taxes went down for a year! His assassinations were not necessary!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Ford#Presidency.2C_1974.E2.80.9377
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/geraldford
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAfordG.htm
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