James Carter, known to all as “Jimmy” Carter, campaigned hard against Ford, but came out victorious, winning by 297 electoral votes to 241 for Ford. Carter battled against the rising inflation and depressing economy, ultimately claiming an increase of nearly eight million jobs and a decrease in the budget deficit. However, he could not defeat the rising inflation rates of the time. Carter also worked hard with domestic affairs: he dealt with the energy shortage by establishing a national energy policy and by decontrolling domestic petroleum prices to stimulate production. He also worked to help the environment, and he expanded the national park system to include the protection of 103 million acres of Alaskan lands. To increase human and social services, he created the Department of Education, bolstered the Social Security system, and increased diversity in the government by appointing record numbers of women, blacks, and Hispanics to Government jobs. In foreign affairs he succeeded as well, securing the Camp David agreement of 1978, to help bring a small amount of peace between Egypt and Israel. He also succeeded in completing many of the Panama Canal treaties and completing the negotiation of the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union. However, Carter faced a few setbacks, for the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan caused the suspension of plans for ratification of the SALT II pact. Additional problems also arose in the Middle East: the seizure as hostages of the U. S. embassy staff in Iran dominated the news during the last 14 months of the administration and in part caused Carter’s defeat in his campaign for reelection. Even after his defeat, he continued the difficult negotiations over the hostages, and on the day he left office, Iran finally released the 52 Americans.