Monday, December 2, 3:15pm – 3:30pm, via Zoom
Elijah Walker-Haigh
Numerous articles and scholarly journals have discussed former President Jimmy Carter and his administration. Some have looked at the entire term, national policies, and international affairs. Others have looked at smaller aspects of Carter’s administration, like individual policies, his campaign, and speeches. Sometimes they focused on everything in between. Many of these have focused on his shortcomings. However, his presidency was also rife with unexpected problems for him to address. Considering the host of issues Carter faced throughout his presidency, the way he addressed them is impressive. Taking a closer look at how Carter’s character and values he campaigned on influenced the way he conducted politics shows a different side to the success of his presidency. This paper will demonstrate that Jimmy Carter came into the White House offering the American people an alternative to how the Oval Office should be run, at a time when they needed it most. With the energy crisis being at the forefront of the issues in America at the time, Carter looked to solar and a fundamental change in how the country functioned by lowering dependence on foreign oil. This approach to the crisis is a perfect example of how Carter’s policies reflected himself and the vision he had for America and its future.