Picture an America recovering from a recession but still crippled by high inflation. An America whose middle-class lives pay-check to pay-check while the wealth-inequality gap widens. An America whose controversial decades long war ended in defeat with a tragic withdrawal. An America facing numerous international problems. And an America riddled with political corruption, scandal, and instability.
No, this America is not the America of the early 2020s. Rather this was the America that former President Jimmy Carter inherited in the late 1970s. Americans tend to view Carter’s presidency as mediocre at best with the most recent 2021 C-Span Survey ranking him at 26th by presidential historians. Due to his tragic passing on December 29th many have been reevaluating the late president’s legacy. There are some misguided beliefs that Carter’s failed 1980 re-election bid is emblematic of his failed tone-deaf presidency. However, these beliefs are the results of narratives crafted by Carter’s opponents. In actuality, Carter had many long-lasting successes and attempted to build a better, stronger, and more confident America rooted in her unchanging principles. Perhaps the nation can learn from the memory of Jimmy Carter.
Carter is often remembered as a weak president that was unable to project strength on the global stage. Despite his foreign policy not being as aggressive as presidents before and since, Carter’s successes helped solidify peace and stability in many parts of the world by easing regional tensions and strengthening international bonds. The first example of this is the 1977-1978 Torrijos-Carter treaties which set in motion America turning over the Panama Canal to the Panamanians. Though relations between the US and Panama took time to completely normalize and the US continues to struggle today in addressing its imperialization problem, this was still a great step towards an America that respects and advocates for the rights of free citizens and sovereign states around the world.
These foreign policy successes continued with the 1978 Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel. Since the UN’s recognition of the Jewish state of Israel in 1948, tensions between Arab-Muslims and Israeli-Jews have been rather tumultuous, and the current Israel-Hamas war seems to indicate that peace in the Middle East is a hopeless fairytale. Through the Camp David Accords, Carter’s successful mediation created a new hope that the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael could do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly together with God. Because of Carter’s emphasis on diplomacy and mutual cooperation, America can still aspire to stand strong as an advocate of peace and freedom.
Carter understood that advocating for global peace and stability under his administration would also require easing tensions with the Soviet Union. To be fair, Carter’s actions were a continuation of the foreign policy of Detente from the late 1960s. Even though the Soviet-American SALT II agreement was never ratified by either country due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the agreed terms were still more or less honored by both nations for years after Carter’s presidency. Many tend to forget the escalation of Cold War tensions by Carter’s immediate predecessor, leading to widespread American panic of nuclear war as shown through American films such as The Day After and War Games. If Carter had not continued negotiating for a softening of Cold War tensions and there was still an escalation in the early 1980s, one could only imagine how drastically different the world might be today.
Even with these numerous foreign policy achievements, American voters still saw Carter as a weak leader incapable of truly representing the nation on the world stage, and these beliefs weren’t without some just cause. Be it as it may, Carter’s handling of the Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1979 was a complete and utter failure. For decades now, it has been alleged, somewhat credibly, that Reagan adviser William Casey met with the Iranians in the summer of 1980, and told them that negotiations would be more favorable if Carter lost re-election. Regardless, Carter’s actions after the failed rescue mission of April 1980 demonstrate his goodness. He could’ve tried to pass the buck to someone else, but he took responsibility for his mishandling very publically. In a post-Watergate America, Carter attempted to reestablish the precedent that Americans deserve to have well-meaning and moral leaders who are transparent regardless of the politics. During the 1976 election, then candidate Carter promised to never lie to or betray the American people even to avoid controversial issues. The Iranian Hostage crisis shows that he never faltered on this promise. Although the initial rescue was a failure, Carter did bring the hostages home, albeit minutes before his term ended.
Beyond foreign policy, Carter’s presidency is still remembered by one word: stagflation. Carter inherited a stagnant economy recovering from a recession and crippled by high inflation due to an ongoing foreign oil embargo, causing high unemployment. The economy is regarded as Carter’s greatest challenge, but despite this, it eventually became his greatest unknown success. His opponents criticized him for contributing to the national debt and discouraging entrepreneurship. He did sign some small New Deal and Great Society style economic stimulus legislation. However, Carter overall took a more conservative approach of focusing on economic development and reducing deficits through deregulation and major tax cuts such as the Airline Deregulation Act and the Revenue Act of 1978’s $19 billion tax cut. Additionally, Carter’s appointment of Paul Volcker as Fed Chair was instrumental in reducing inflation by the early 80’s.
Granted, Jimmy Carter was certainly not a perfect president nor a perfect person. He made numerous mistakes before, during, and after his presidency such as his infamous Playboy interview, the Iranian Hostage Crisis, ordering resignations from his entire cabinet, and more. But despite this, Carter was a man of principle and faith who believed in the promise of America when many were becoming disillusioned. Carter assumed office in the midst of economic turmoil and in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and Watergate. He understood that longing for a return to an idealized past plagued the nation and the country needed to move forward with determination while grounded in principles.
My greatest fear is that the nation is once again losing their faith in the promise of America. I fear America is choosing a different path that Carter warned would lead to fragmentation and failure. I still believe that an America based on principles of unwavering freedom and liberty is possible, but only if we decide to choose the path of common purpose. As we mourn the loss of the late president, let us remember the enduring legacy he has left behind.
Rest in peace President Jimmy Carter. May your legacy never be forgotten.