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She was an amazing woman from beginning to end. Gerald Ford was our only President not elected to the office or the office of Vice President. He was Nixon's pick after Agnew had to quite due to a tax scandal and then Nixon had to quit due to Watergate and he became President. That is when Betty Ford was forced front and center. And boy did she deliver.
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First Mama was her CB handle, back when CB Radios were hot, and long before the internet and talk radio. Betty was out speaking. She spoke for the Equal Rights Amendment (yes kids - once upon a time the United States almost said women were equal to men - but it fell 3 states short). She supported a woman's right to choose. Back then that was just believing in equality and was ok in the Republican Party - today, of course, it would be the sign of a liberal commie.
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Anyway, on top of these issues, she also came out vocally when she was addicted to Valium and wine. Many of you have no idea what a revolutionary thing this was. Her openness allowed people to come forward to fight addictions and struck a blow for people discussing problems rather than hiding them. Sure, people won't shut up now, but it is still better than the way it was before Betty.
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Back then, addition was treated in secret or not at all. And if you ever admitted to being treated for something, hell that was actually MUCH MUCH worse than having a problem. Better to drink at your desk and pop pills than go try to get help to stop.
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Betty moved the conversation forward. You will be missed. Godspeed.
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| Gerry and Betty Ford |
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Not surprisingly, much of the conservative portions of the country today didn't pass the ERA then.
