Lecture 14 The Triumph of Conservatism Part 2

Chapter 7: Gerald Ford's Presidency

7.1 Nixon's Resignation and Ford's Ascension

Nixon resigned before impeachment, leading to Gerald Ford, Nixon's Vice President, being sworn in as President in 1974.

7.2 Ford's Pardon of Nixon

Ford controversially pardoned Nixon, stating it was for the good of the country and to help it heal. This decision would haunt his presidency and affect his chances of being elected president.

7.3 Ford’s Conservative Policies

Ford was a conservative president. He frequently vetoed social welfare programs, viewing them as entitlements, as well as environmental and civil rights programs.

His relationship with the Democratic Congress was strained; he felt they didn't respect his authority.

7.4 Economic and Foreign Policy Challenges

Ford was unprepared for foreign policy issues, such as the OPEC oil embargo from 1973 to 1974. OPEC, a group of oil-rich Middle Eastern countries, decided to leverage their oil resources, leading to increased oil prices in the United States.

By 1974, oil prices had increased by 12%. Ford initiated the "Whip Inflation Now" (WIN) movement to encourage people to save money and reduce credit card use, aiming to fix the economy through public involvement rather than government intervention.

The WIN program proved ineffective.

Ford achieved one success with the Helsinki Accords in 1975, which established European boundaries, recognized human rights, and allowed freedom of travel. Although he signed the accords, he felt they were not particularly relevant to America.

Chapter 8: Jimmy Carter's Presidency

8.1 Carter's Election

The United States became disenchanted with Washington insiders leading to the election of Jimmy Carter in 1976 who was the governor of Georgia and former peanut farmer.

8.2 Challenges Faced by Carter

Carter faced many problems, including inflation, high gas prices due to OPEC, and environmental concerns such as the nuclear spill at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania in 1979.

He also dealt with Middle East tensions between Israel and Egypt.

8.3 Carter's Environmental and Diplomatic Efforts

Carter advocated for practical environmentalism, promoting alternative energy sources like windmills and solar power. He even had solar panels installed on the White House.

Carter also tried to negotiate a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, leading to the Camp David Accords in 1979. The leaders of Israel and Egypt came to Washington D.C. to negotiate. However, the peace process faltered after Anwar El Sadat's death in 1981.

8.4 Carter's Perceived Weakness

Carter was seen as moral but ineffectual. His approach to conflict resolution was always to negotiate. He attempted to renegotiate an arms deal with the Soviet Union, negotiate with the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, and resolve the Iran hostage crisis in 1979. The American public viewed him as a good but weak leader, not suited for the serious times.

Chapter 9: Social and Cultural Shifts

9.1 Media and Family Depictions

The media began reflecting the changing realities of American families and society. Divorces, once scandalous, were depicted in TV shows like "One Day at a Time." Other shows featured single mothers ("The Partridge Family") and blended families ("The Brady Bunch").

9.2 Women’s Movement

The women's movement continued to fight for equality. Organizations like the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the National Women's Political Caucus pushed for women's political participation. There was a push for the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) after 1972. The Supreme Court decided on Roe versus Wade in 1973, legalizing abortion; however, in 1976, federal funding for abortions was cut.

Gloria Steinem argued that women's personal lives are inherently political, introducing concepts like the "glass ceiling" and the "second shift."

• Glass Ceiling: The concept that women taking time off to raise children often hit a ceiling in their careers, preventing further advancement.

• Second Shift: The concept that women always have two jobs: the job where they earn a paycheck and all the unpaid labor they perform as a wife and mother.

These ideas influenced the media, showing working women and reflecting the acceptance of the women's movement. This included depictions of women having sex and dating; the old imagery of women being all stay at home wives and homemakers was no longer the norm in media consumed.

9.3 Minority Rights

Minorities continued to advance their social causes, with the effects of desegregation becoming more apparent for African Americans. In 1974, the Supreme Court upheld the protection of minority rights, and affirmative action programs were enacted.

Other minority groups became involved, such as the Latinx community in California with the United Farm Workers Union (established in 1975) and La Raza Unida, advocating for Mexican-American interests. In 1973, Native American tribes occupied Wounded Knee, and Richard Nixon recognized tribal autonomy with the passage of the Indian Self-Determination Act in 1974.

Chapter 10: Disillusionment at the End of the 1970s

By the end of the 1970s, many Americans felt disillusioned due to economic hardship and a sense that America was not as great as they had always believed. They looked

Summary

Gerald Ford became president in 1974 after Nixon's resignation, and his controversial pardon of Nixon and conservative policies strained his relationship with Congress. Ford faced economic challenges like inflation and an oil crisis, and his "Whip Inflation Now" campaign was ineffective. He did have a success with the Helsinki Accords. Jimmy Carter was elected in 1976, focusing on moral leadership, environmentalism, and diplomacy, but his presidency struggled with issues like inflation, the Iran hostage crisis, and perceptions of weakness. The 1970s also saw significant social and cultural shifts, including the rise of the women's movement, minority rights advancements, and changing depictions of families in the media. By the decade's end, disillusionment with America's direction was widespread.