Former President Jimmy Carter passed away at the age of 100
Jimmy Carter left office in 1981 one of the least popular American presidents ever. He died on Sunday, at the age of 100, according to his son. James E. Carter III, is one of the most beloved former presidents ever. Indeed, he redefined the role. Carter’s predecessor, Gerald Ford, who was never actually elected, was the Model A of the previous ex-presidential model, which included three components: speaking around the world; associate yourself in some way with non-controversial charities; and golf. Carter doesn’t have time to play golf. He’s too busy improving the world.
This is not to say that Jimmy Carter, as president, did not improve the world. He’s done it, a lot. He facilitated negotiations between Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin at Camp David, the presidential retreat, where the two leaders reached an agreement establishing a framework for first peace treaty between an Arab state and a Jewish state. He oversaw the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT II) with Russia; the implementation of an active and continuous foreign policy with China; and the important Panama Canal Treaty. Domestically, he tried to triple the amount of protected wilderness areas in the US and create two new government agencies: the Department of Energy and the Department of Education. There are no feats – and it all works fine.
Indeed, he died with a reputation for decency and good work, largely passed on through the Atlanta-based Carter Center, which achieved breakthroughs that no other president before or since has achieved. Okay. He worked tirelessly with his wife, Rosalynnwhom he married in 1946 – among countless projects, most notably their transformative partnership with Habitat for humanity; each year, the pair literally rolls up their sleeves and helps build affordable housing, often for underserved people in impoverished or climate-ravaged communities. He started an initiative to focus on election observation, monitors ballot box integrity in an effort to ensure free and fair elections around the world. He works to prevent life-threatening diseases such as guinea worm and malaria. And in 2002 he was was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts “to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, promote democracy and human rights, and promote economic and social development.”
From Bettmann/Getty Images.
Carter’s formula has since become the gold standard for former presidents. This is what you need. First, build a “museum” or “library” where the former president’s memorabilia and archives are permanently protected from the elements and where visitors can come and teach their children the surname of the greatness of the great man. Second, if possible, create a “center” or “institute” that is really just a front for the former president’s efforts to solve problems on all fronts – war, public health plus, etc. – through personal intervention. Third, write a book. (Carter wrote 32). And fourth, establish a program to appoint fellows and organize conferences on, oh, like the presidency, or bipartisanship, or something like that. In short, Jimmy Carter invented the role of the former president as a global busybody.
When he ran for president in 1976, as a Navy lieutenant, peanut farmer and former governor of Georgia, James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr.—a man of deep faith and moral strength virtuous—was ridiculed by many for his arrogance; for campaigning under his pseudonym; because of his Southern accent; for being from the small town of Plains, Georgia; to his hick brother, Billy; for its parody of a Southern mother, Miss Lillian; and about everything else about him. When he won his party’s nomination and then the election, the foreign press portrayed Carter favorably as Li’l Abner. Meanwhile, Carter himself pursued issues such as civil service reform with great seriousness. He went to the federal office building and told the workers there to go home and spend more time with their families.
Carter’s apparent failure in two crises during his presidency dashed his hopes of winning a second term. (Or rather, those crises combined with the emergence of Ronald Reagan dashed his hopes.) First was the economy and especially inflation. It was in the single digits when he took office in 1977, and in the double digits when it peaked in 1980, by which time voters were preparing to send him back to the Plains.
Unfairly, Carter will be remembered as a president who failed to tackle inflation. In fact, he is the hero of this episode. His predecessor, Gerald Ford, tried silly gimmicks like forcing people to wear “WIN” buttons (WIN stands for “Whip Inflation Now”). It’s stupid but harmless. Carter’s predecessor, Richard Nixon, tried wage and price controls that were foolish and extremely harmful.
