Would Gerald Ford have been a successful President if elected in 1976?
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  Would Gerald Ford have been a successful President if elected in 1976?
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Question: Would Gerald Ford have been a successful President if elected in 1976?
#1
Yes, 1977-1981 would've been better with Ford as President
 
#2
No, America made the right choice in 1976
 
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Author Topic: Would Gerald Ford have been a successful President if elected in 1976?  (Read 2153 times)
DevotedDemocrat
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« on: July 13, 2013, 10:45:47 PM »

What do you think?
Had America decided to give President Ford an elected term of office, would he have done well? Or was America better off with Carter?
How can you see 1977-1981 going under a President Ford administration?
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Napoleon
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« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2013, 10:48:35 PM »

In hindsight he would be better than Carter. I liked Carter but its his fault Reagan was able to win.
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Dr. Cynic
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« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2013, 10:50:20 PM »

All things considered, I think Ford would have been better than Carter, but Mo Udall should have been elected in 1976.
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Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook
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« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2013, 12:12:26 AM »

You're asking this because it's his 100th birthday, right?
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H. Ross Peron
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« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2013, 12:17:58 AM »

Slightly better overall.
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barfbag
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« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2013, 01:05:12 AM »

I don't know anyone who would've voted for him and then said "wow Carter was the better pick." I think he would've done average.
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Down the Gurney
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« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2013, 01:39:06 AM »

I don't know anyone who would've voted for him and then said "wow Carter was the better pick." I think he would've done average.
I have to partially agree. All of the failures of the Carter administration, i.e. stagflation and the diplomatic/military failures in Iran, were all outside caused by factors that a Ford presidency would have failed to mitigate.

On the other hand, the Rs would have been blamed the the late 70s problems so we would have had to go through years of more Dem failures before we had the strongly conservative direction that took us out of our failiure.

Just a thought.
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barfbag
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« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2013, 01:40:57 AM »

I don't know anyone who would've voted for him and then said "wow Carter was the better pick." I think he would've done average.
I have to partially agree. All of the failures of the Carter administration, i.e. stagflation and the diplomatic/military failures in Iran, were all outside caused by factors that a Ford presidency would have failed to mitigate.

On the other hand, the Rs would have been blamed the the late 70s problems so we would have had to go through years of more Dem failures before we had the strongly conservative direction that took us out of our failiure.

Just a thought.

If things were as bad for Ford in 1980 as they were for Carter, Reagan would've won the GOP primary and been seen as different enough from Ford that he'd win the presidency as well.
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
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« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2013, 02:05:47 AM »

While there are two obvious areas Ford would almost certainly have handled better than Carter, picking a Federal Reserve Chairman and the situation in Iran, its hard to say what flubs Ford would have made that Carter would likely have not made because we have no way to know what mistakes he would have made.

What we can reasonably infer is the following:

Militarily we would not have been as prepared at the end of Ford's presidency as at the end of Carter's.  Even if Reagan wins in 1980, his military buildup would necessarily have to start slower because he wouldn't have been building on Carter's legacy here.

The Religious Right would not have gravitated as much to the GOP and with the disappointment of a Carter defeat (after all, he was the religious candidate in 1976) the Religious Right might not have even arisen or more likely would not have become as strong.  Indeed, depending on what happens during Ford's term, it's entirely possible that political religion would not have shift so far to the right and thus might well have remained part of the Democratic coalition, at least for a while.

Economically we certainly would have been better off during those four years.  It must have been difficult to imagine that there could have been a worse Federal Reserve Chairman than Burns, but Carter managed to find one in Miller and had to promote him to Secretary of the Treasury to get him out and put in Volcker.  If Carter had simply nominated Volcker for the Federal Reserve Chair in the first place and made no other other major changes in policy, I am certain he would have been reelected in 1980.  On the other hand, while the economy would not have gotten as bad as it did, the seeds of future growth that Carter planted and that Reagan got the political benefit from would not have been sown. The much needed deregulation of considerable parts of our economy would have had to wait another president had Ford been reelected.

Iran.Even if the Revolution would have happened, the outcome would have been different. Operation Eagle Claw which failed so disastrously would never have been attempted.  We wouldn't have had the capability to attempt so audacious a plan in the first place were it not for the military reforms Carter had begun, so even if Ford would have considered such an option, it wasn't an option for him to consider.

As for the courts, Carter never had a chance to make an appointment to the Supreme Court, so it would have likely remained unchanged during Ford's full term, altho maybe Stewart would retired in '79 had there been a Republican in the White House instead of waiting for Reagan to take office and retire in '81.
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
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« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2013, 02:12:52 AM »

If things were as bad for Ford in 1980 as they were for Carter, Reagan would've won the GOP primary and been seen as different enough from Ford that he'd win the presidency as well.

Reagan might well have won the nomination in 1980, but he would have probably lost the race to a Democrat such as Glenn, Askew, Jackson, or Hollings.
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RosettaStoned
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« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2013, 02:22:06 AM »

 Happy 100th Birthday President Ford! Cheesy
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barfbag
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« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2013, 02:24:29 AM »

If things were as bad for Ford in 1980 as they were for Carter, Reagan would've won the GOP primary and been seen as different enough from Ford that he'd win the presidency as well.

Reagan might well have won the nomination in 1980, but he would have probably lost the race to a Democrat such as Glenn, Askew, Jackson, or Hollings.

Maybe and maybe not. It depends on just how bad things would have been. We're talking about a double if at this point though. It would've been very interesting to see a second term for Ford.
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tpfkaw
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« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2013, 02:35:24 AM »
« Edited: July 14, 2013, 05:15:11 AM by wormyguy »

Someone from the same party being "seen as different" enough from the unpopular incumbent to win hasn't worked since 1880.  Admittedly it almost worked in 1968 (although Humphrey was seen as very similar to LBJ, so YMMV) and 1976 (if we consider Nixon the incumbent), but still, it didn't work.
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politicallefty
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« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2013, 06:04:26 AM »

It's very unlikely. I don't think anyone elected in 1976 would've had a good Presidency. In hindsight, I suppose we probably would've been better off if Ford had won that year. Reagan almost certainly would not have been elected and a Democrat almost certainly would have been elected in 1980 (and perhaps all throughout the 80s). Even if Democrats lost 1976, a two-term Democratic President elected in 1980 would've led to a radically different country (for the better, in my view). I do wonder what Democrat that would have been. I wonder if it could've been Ted Kennedy.
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« Reply #14 on: July 14, 2013, 07:39:17 AM »

He would've definitely been better than Carter. By '76 he'd stood up to some of the prevailing detente conventional wisdom & would've been much more prepared than Carter as of January 20th, 1977. Carter took about two years to get some sense, a learning curve Fird had the advantage of having had in his first term. Hell, he'd probably be more popular with the Democratic-controlled Congress than Carter the outsider ever was.
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Peter the Lefty
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« Reply #15 on: July 14, 2013, 09:11:32 AM »

Ford wouldn't have been able to run in 1980 in the first place, since took over less than halfway into Nixon's second term.
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
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« Reply #16 on: July 14, 2013, 11:31:30 AM »

If things were as bad for Ford in 1980 as they were for Carter, Reagan would've won the GOP primary and been seen as different enough from Ford that he'd win the presidency as well.

Reagan might well have won the nomination in 1980, but he would have probably lost the race to a Democrat such as Glenn, Askew, Jackson, or Hollings.

Maybe and maybe not. It depends on just how bad things would have been. We're talking about a double if at this point though. It would've been very interesting to see a second term for Ford.

Single if as already been pointed out.  Ford could not have run for reelection in 1980 under any circumstances.
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
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« Reply #17 on: July 14, 2013, 11:39:05 AM »

Even if Democrats lost 1976, a two-term Democratic President elected in 1980 would've led to a radically different country (for the better, in my view). I do wonder what Democrat that would have been. I wonder if it could've been Ted Kennedy.

Conceivably Kennedy could have won the nomination in 1980, but I think in a general election his chances of winning would have been as sunk as his car was in 1969.
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Down the Gurney
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« Reply #18 on: July 14, 2013, 01:32:26 PM »

He would've definitely been better than Carter. By '76 he'd stood up to some of the prevailing detente conventional wisdom & would've been much more prepared than Carter as of January 20th, 1977. Carter took about two years to get some sense, a learning curve Fird had the advantage of having had in his first term. Hell, he'd probably be more popular with the Democratic-controlled Congress than Carter the outsider ever was.
While I oppose detante as much as everyone, I don't think it would have been a good idea to confront the Soviets in the 70s when our army was only number one in doing smack.
I have to agree about congress, though. It is far easier to unite barely reformed segregationists with strong conservatives that it is to united barely reformed segregationists with New Left pinkos.
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Oldiesfreak1854
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« Reply #19 on: July 14, 2013, 02:44:13 PM »

Of course we would've been better off if Ford had won in '76.  We wouldn't have had to put up with Jimmy Carter (even if it was for one term), and he did what he thought was right regardless of what people thought.  Jimmy Carter is a good man, but so was Ford.
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« Reply #20 on: July 14, 2013, 07:17:05 PM »

He would've definitely been better than Carter. By '76 he'd stood up to some of the prevailing detente conventional wisdom & would've been much more prepared than Carter as of January 20th, 1977. Carter took about two years to get some sense, a learning curve Fird had the advantage of having had in his first term. Hell, he'd probably be more popular with the Democratic-controlled Congress than Carter the outsider ever was.
While I oppose detante as much as everyone, I don't think it would have been a good idea to confront the Soviets in the 70s when our army was only number one in doing smack.
I have to agree about congress, though. It is far easier to unite barely reformed segregationists with strong conservatives that it is to united barely reformed segregationists with New Left pinkos.

Beyond that, Ford had experience with Congress. He'd already been forced to piss off the Democrats in Congress and would likely be more willing to unite upon a second term. Carter, meanwhile, was caught between Republicans and liberal Democrats, and with the Democrats being such a large group, it was natural that they'd easily split, especially with the situations Carter faced.
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Erc
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« Reply #21 on: July 15, 2013, 12:18:41 AM »

If things were as bad for Ford in 1980 as they were for Carter, Reagan would've won the GOP primary and been seen as different enough from Ford that he'd win the presidency as well.

Reagan might well have won the nomination in 1980, but he would have probably lost the race to a Democrat such as Glenn, Askew, Jackson, or Hollings.

Maybe and maybe not. It depends on just how bad things would have been. We're talking about a double if at this point though. It would've been very interesting to see a second term for Ford.

Single if as already been pointed out.  Ford could not have run for reelection in 1980 under any circumstances.

If you want as much Ford as constitutionally possible, the most viable scenario would be an entirely different one, with Ford losing in '76, getting chosen as VP in '80, and succeeding Reagan in '81 after his assassination.  As Ford had never been elected President in the first place, he'd be eligible to run in 1984.

38.  Gerald Ford8/9/74 - 1/20/77
39.  Jimmy Carter1/20/77 - 1/20/81
40.  Ronald Reagan1/20/81 - 3/30/81
41.  Gerald Ford3/30/81 - 1/20/89

For a total of about 10 years and 3 months in office for Ford, assuming he runs for and wins re-election in '84.  I'd be interested in seeing folks' take on this.
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Supersonic
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« Reply #22 on: July 15, 2013, 11:06:25 AM »

Definitely better than Carter, though his '76 win probably rules out Reagan. Which is most upsetting.
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