Cm'on does Gerald Ford deserve to be ranked higher than Jimmy Carter in this presidential survey?

[WI_DEM]

Ford is 22nd and Carter is 25th. Eight years ago Carter was 22nd and Ford 23rd in the rankings.

Ford's record (August 1974-Jan 1977)
Pardoned Richard Nixon
Initiated WIN (Whip Inflation Now)
Presided during the worse economic turndown since the depression up to that time--that actually brought inflation down, not the president's polcies.
Vetoed more bills than any president except for Grover Cleveland
negotiated the Helsinki Accords which did persue a policy of Detente with Soviet Union.


Carter's record (Jan 1977-Jan 1981)
Pardoned Vietnam draft evaders
Inflation and interest rates did rise steadily during his administration due to a world wide oil crisis.
Carter did pass the first substantial Energy Program in our history which resulted in a 50% reduction in foreign oil imports between 1977-1982, then Reagan dismantled the program.
The Panama Canal Treaties
The Camp David Accords
Negotiated SALT II but didn't present to the Senate for ratification due to Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
American hostages taken in Iran--eventually Carter negotiated their release.
Dept of Education and Energy created under Carter
The Alaskan Lands Bill was signed into law

I think that Ford's passing two years ago caused this brief rise. Carter clearly accomplished more than Ford, and come to think of it, many other presidents.

[leftofthedial]

1. ford was a placeholder

nothing more.

[alsame]

9. An unelected placeholder. I was young at the time, but I remember

being shocked that it was possible to have both a President and VP who were not elected.

Little did I know what was in my future in 2000...

[leftofthedial]

10. ford was a dress rehearsal for raygun

(empty suit figurehead),

king george was the ultimate repuke stepford "president" model.

[Captain Hilts]

12. More conservative than Nixon. nt

[alsame]

13. Sadly, that is very true. Let's hope this country has

learned its lesson and we have no more of them. I can't even imagine what the next in that line of repukes would be like.

[valerief]

2. Politics and analysis of it is all theater. This poll has less power than Lindsay Lohan's weight

fluctuations.

[WI_DEM]

15. true.

[Occam Bandage]

3. I'm surprised Ford is so high. He didn't do shit, and fellow shit-non-doer William Henry Harrison

is at the very bottom. Harrison at least had an excuse for not doing anything during his term, given the fact that he was dead for it.

[merh]

4. many people think Ford was wise to give the pardon

that in so doing, he helped to "heal" the nation x(

I personally think he screwed us, the shit that Nixon got away with, the repugs continue and have even escalated and made an art of - they continue to abuse the offices, their elected positions and the circumvent the law because they can - they are above the law and Ford did that.

I think Ford ranks just about GWB and GWB is last, my rankings are GWB last, Ford, 2nd to last and st raygun, 3rd to last.

[WI_DEM]

7. Yes, he even won a JFK Library "Profiles in Courage" Award

[merh]

8. I know

I don't put much stock in those type of awards because of who they deem worthy

[wuushew]

5. FORD, KISSINGER AND THE INDONESIAN INVASION, 1975-76

The Indonesian invasion of East Timor in December 1975 set the stage for the long, bloody, and disastrous occupation of the territory that ended only after an international peacekeeping force was introduced in 1999. President Bill Clinton cut off military aid to Indonesia in September 1999—reversing a longstanding policy of military cooperation—but questions persist about U.S. responsibility for the 1975 invasion; in particular, the degree to which Washington actually condoned or supported the bloody military offensive. Most recently, journalist Christopher Hitchens raised questions about the role of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in giving a green light to the invasion that has left perhaps 200,000 dead in the years since.

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB62/

[Goblinmonger]

6. Ford can kiss my ass.

He only became president because he agreed to pardon Nixon. Dick.

[Captain Hilts]

11. No. nt

[defendandprotect]

14. Only if you don't understand his role in covering up right wing crimes . . .