Michael Sauers

January 16, 2025

Jimmy Carter was a unique president. He came out of Georgia and was not part of the Democratic Party inner circle. He ran a smart campaign and beat the party machine. He was immediately different.

Carter opened the federal government to civic groups. He took advice from Ralph Nader, opening the Administration to engagement and participation from long excluded progressive activists.

He vowed to be a consumer advocate. Promptly, he selected well known progressives and civic leaders to steer the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission and other consequential positions.

To his credit, Carter supported the creation of a consumer protection agency with the authority to sue other federal agencies. This was vigorously opposed by corporate America. Unfortunately, this effort was narrowly defeated. No president since Carter has tried to do this. Cowards!

Ronald Reagan reversed Carter’s consumer advocacy going as far as removing solar panels that Carter had placed on the White House roof. Reagan was a corporate lackey. He blew up the national debt and took full responsibility for the Iran-Contra Affair. Nice job, Ronnie!

Carter understood the anger of the Iranians towards the United States. As every president should be, he was a student of history. He knew the United States and Great Britain (oil interests) had brought about the overthrow of a duly elected Iranian Prime Minister, Mosaddegh. This eventually led to the brutal regime of the Shah of Iran. The Iranians hated the United States. The result was the take-over of the American Embassy in 1979. Carter inherited this oil, CIA created mess.

Naturally, Carter was not a favorite of corporate interests. They opposed him and played a part in the high gas prices and inflation rate that plagued his Presidency.

President Carter could not be controlled by Democrat Party bosses. They turned against him and he lost to Ronnie Reagan. He was 56 years old. He went on to do amazing and substantive work far surpassing that of other past Presidents.

He is truly a role model for all people.