California Gov. Jerry Brown and the Gasoline Shortage

Although wage and price controls that had been imposed by President Nixon were largely ended in 1974, elaborate price controls on oil continued, producing a gasoline shortage. The shortage led to long lines at gasoline stations, particularly in California and rationing through "odd-even" plans based on license plate numbers. Gov. Jerry Brown went to Washington in May 1979 to complain to President Carter about the gasoline situation. Brown was a potential rival to Carter in the 1980 Democratic presidential primary, although he did not formally announce his candidacy until later in the year. In this clip, we also see California Senator S.I. Hiyakawa expressing his views on the shortage.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• California
• Jerry-Brown
• gasoline-shortage
• 1979
• Hiyakawa
• price-controls