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A sharper clash may come on a more comprehensive bill being pushed by two Democrats, Senator Hubert Humphrey and Congressman Augustus Hawkins of California. It would set "full employment" as a national goal to be met within perhaps three years; 3% would be the target unemployment rate. The President would have to submit plans to provide every American "able and willing to work" with a job, using a "standby job corps" to hire those unable to find employment. The independent Federal Reserve Board would be required to tailor its monetary policies to meet the employment target—a step toward a planned national economy.
Conservative economists consider the economy too complex to ensure jobs for all workers without rigid wage and price controls. Unless the economy nosedives unexpectedly, the Humphrey-Hawkins bill seems unlikely to be enacted—and the rising economic trend remains Gerald Ford's best argument as he seeks to retain the presidency.