James Earl (Jimmy) Carter, America's 39th president (1977-1981) and nan 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner, whose aspiration to make authorities “competent and compassionate" was stymied by surging power costs and nan Iran hostage crisis, has died astatine his location successful Plains, Georgia. He was 100.
"Any strategy of economics is bankrupt if it sees either worth aliases kindness successful unemployment." - Jimmy Carter, DNC acceptance speech, 1976
Fight Against Inflation
Carter became president during a play of stagflation, erstwhile nan system knowledgeable some precocious ostentation and slow economical growth. Upon taking office, he projected what became nan Economic Stimulus Appropriation Act of 1977.
The connection called for a $50 taxation rebate for each citizen, a $900 cardinal trim successful firm taxes, and accrued spending connected nationalist works. The comparatively constricted spending successful nan act, a reflection of Carter's fiscal conservatism, drew nan ire of chap Democrats who wanted much attraction connected unemployment and little connected nan deficit.
"Although he faced terrible disapproval during his term, Carter accurately perceived nan changed fiscal scenery and nan request for a displacement successful Democratic policy." - W. Carl Biven, author, "Carter's Economy"
As ostentation worsened, successful October 1978, Carter announced "phase two" of his anti-inflation campaign, calling for voluntary costs and value controls. "
The anti-inflation argumentation that was forced connected Carter by nan economical realities of nan time included controlling nationalist spending, limiting nan description of nan use state, and postponing celebrated taxation cuts," wrote writer W. Carl Biven successful Carter's Economy. "Although he faced terrible disapproval during his term, Carter accurately perceived nan changed fiscal scenery and nan request for a displacement successful Democratic policy."
To woody pinch nan power situation of 1979, nan Carter management group automobile mileage standards and deregulated nan airline, trucking, and railroad industries. He established a nationalist power argumentation that deregulated lipid prices. The operation of little request and higher proviso led to little lipid prices. He besides created nan U.S. Department of Energy to modulate nan manufacture and money investigation connected replacement fuels.
Foreign Policy Challenges
Two awesome events, nan Camp David Accords, and nan Iran hostage situation shaped nan lion's stock of Carter's overseas argumentation legacy.
On March 26, 1979, Egypt and Israel signed a bid pact successful Washington, pursuing meetings orchestrated by Carter betwixt Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin astatine nan statesmanlike retreat.
In November 1979, a group of Iranians took 66 American captives successful Tehran, sparking nan Iran hostage crisis. Operation Eagle Claw, an effort to rescue nan hostages, ended successful disaster, severely damaging Carter's reputation. Ultimately, nan hostages were not released until aft Carter near agency connected January 20, 1981.
It has agelong been believed Ayatollah Khomeini and Iranian hardliners acted unsocial successful delaying nan hostage merchandise to guarantee Carter's defeat. However, caller reporting by nan New York Times found long-time Texas leader Ben Barnes said he met pinch Middle Eastern leaders successful nan summertime of 1980. Barnes said he was attempting to get a connection to Iran to hold nan hostage merchandise until aft nan predetermination to guarantee a Reagan triumph and a amended woody for Iran.
At immoderate rate, nan hostage crisis, Carter's assignment of Paul Volker arsenic Fed chair successful 1979, and nan resulting recession sealed Carter's destiny and ended immoderate chances of reelection successful 1980.
Carter's Legacy
During his post-presidency, Carter established what galore see his biggest and astir lasting legacy, a life of work to others. This includes nan constitution of nan Carter Center, teaching, penning galore books, and his individual engagement successful Habitat for Humanity.
He was awarded nan Nobel Peace Prize for 2002 for "his decades of untiring effort to find serene solutions to world conflicts, to beforehand populist and quality rights, and to beforehand economical and societal development."
“I person 1 life and 1 chance to make it count for something... My religion demands that I do immoderate I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for arsenic agelong arsenic I tin pinch immoderate I person to effort to make a difference.” - Jimmy Carter
Following a bid of infirmary stays, Carter, pinch nan afloat support of his family, elected to discontinue aesculapian curen and return to his location successful Plains to walk his remaining clip successful hospice attraction pinch his family.
Carter was nan longest-living president successful American history, and is survived by his 4 children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.