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The [[economy]] was a major concern during the Ford administration. When taking office, [[Inflation]] was in the double digits, unemployment was rising and the gross national product was in decline. <ref>[Henry F. Graff, The Presidents, Pg. 538]</ref> Ford proposed a tight lid of $300 billion on the federal budget and asked for a $5 billion surtax on corporations and those in the higher income bracket. These were part of his "whip inflation now" policies. He did not have an easy time on Capital Hill with the Democratic-Congress. Sixty-six times he exercised his veto power. According to Congressional Quarterly, Ford won only 58 percent of congressional votes that he took a position on, the lowest level of support from any President. Therefore, Ford's inflation policies went no were.
 
The [[economy]] was a major concern during the Ford administration. When taking office, [[Inflation]] was in the double digits, unemployment was rising and the gross national product was in decline. <ref>[Henry F. Graff, The Presidents, Pg. 538]</ref> Ford proposed a tight lid of $300 billion on the federal budget and asked for a $5 billion surtax on corporations and those in the higher income bracket. These were part of his "whip inflation now" policies. He did not have an easy time on Capital Hill with the Democratic-Congress. Sixty-six times he exercised his veto power. According to Congressional Quarterly, Ford won only 58 percent of congressional votes that he took a position on, the lowest level of support from any President. Therefore, Ford's inflation policies went no were.
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Oil prices were also a major concern. Congress turned down Ford's proposals for phasing out the federal ceilings on the price of most domestic oil. Senate Majority Whip [[Robert Byrd]] (D-[[West Virginia]]) explained the Democrats refusing of Ford's plans, saying, ''"After all, he doesn't have a national constituency, his is an inherited Presidency."'' Ford and Congressional Democrats finally reached a compromise with the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975. ''"Half a loaf was better then none, so I decided to sign it"'' Ford would later write. Under matters of foreign policy, The [[Cold War]] was a significant issue. On November 23, 1974, President Ford and Soviet General Secretary [[Leonid Brezhnev]] reached an agreement by signing the SALT treaty, which froze the number of strategic ballistic missile launchers at existing levels. Being sworn into office just after the Vietnam War, Ford proposed emergency funds for South Vietnam, however, Congress rejected it, and Vietnam fell to [[Communist]] forces. <ref>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/38_ford/index.html</ref>  
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Oil prices were also a major concern. Congress turned down Ford's proposals for phasing out the federal ceilings on the price of most domestic oil. Senate Majority Whip [[Robert Byrd]] (D-[[West Virginia]]) explained the Democrats refusing of Ford's plans, saying, ''"After all, he doesn't have a national constituency, his is an inherited Presidency."'' Ford and Congressional Democrats finally reached a compromise with the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975. ''"Half a loaf was better then none, so I decided to sign it"'' Ford would later write. Under matters of foreign policy, the [[Cold War]] was a significant issue. On November 23, 1974, President Ford and Soviet General Secretary [[Leonid Brezhnev]] reached an agreement by signing the SALT treaty, which froze the number of strategic ballistic missile launchers at existing levels. Being sworn into office just after the Vietnam War, Ford proposed emergency funds for South Vietnam, however, Congress rejected it, and Vietnam fell to [[Communist]] forces. <ref>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/38_ford/index.html</ref>  
    
Gerald Ford was the subject of two unsuccessful assassination attempts. One in [[Sacramento]], [[California]] on September 5, 1975. by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme. Then in [[San Francisco]], Sara Jane Moore pointed a pistol at him, and just before firing a former Marine grabed the gun. Both were sentenced to life in Prison. However, Moore was paroled on December 31, 2007. <ref>http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local&id=4900159</ref>
 
Gerald Ford was the subject of two unsuccessful assassination attempts. One in [[Sacramento]], [[California]] on September 5, 1975. by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme. Then in [[San Francisco]], Sara Jane Moore pointed a pistol at him, and just before firing a former Marine grabed the gun. Both were sentenced to life in Prison. However, Moore was paroled on December 31, 2007. <ref>http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local&id=4900159</ref>
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*Ford was the longest-lived president in U.S. history, living to age 93.
 
*Ford was the longest-lived president in U.S. history, living to age 93.
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==See Also==
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[[Gerald Ford's 1976 Republican National Convention Speech]]
    
==External links==
 
==External links==
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