Carter gets blamed for a lot, but the economic problems predated Carter. The oil shocks began in 1973 when OPEC decided to stop sending oil to the US because it supported Israel. Then OPEC jacked up oil prices by 400%. This led to rationing and lines, which ended by 1976.
Nixon also screwed up because he contracted the money supply by having the Federal Reserve raise interest rates, enacted price and wage controls and a short time later reversed himself and goes to an expansionary monetary policy, which jacked up prices across the board. Nixon ended the dollar conversion to gold which lowered the value of the dollar.
Carter inherited an economy where inflation had been rising since 1965. He appointed Paul Volcker as chair of the Fed, who is actually responsible for bringing inflation down. It just took him until 1982 to get it done. Reagan was just going along for the ride.
2007-07-03 13:58:12 · 11 answers · asked by Blade_III 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
No. I think a lot of the current criticism of Carter is just right-wing propaganda trying to distract from how truly awful Bush is.
The idea that Bush is the worst president in history had to be countered by something and Carter, a Democrat, had problems during his presidency and failed to be reelected. Therefore, he has become the target of these attacks which have not succeeded in diverting from the criticism of Bush.
2007-07-03 14:12:47 · answer #1 · answered by quest for truth gal 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Carter did not work well with others and could not even get members congress of his own party to side with him. He introduced human rights as an objective of our foreign policy before the cold war was over, so it was not popular then even though it is now, After the Iranian revolution he allow the Shah into the US which provoked an Oil boycott with gas line and high inflation much like what had happen in 1974. They also took the US embassy personal as hostages and when Carter authorized a rescue mission , it failed, and people blamed him for the failure. Bush invaded Iraq to rid the county of WMD and we later discovered they had none, some people think he lied and it was just an excuse and others think it was an honest mistake but one a president should not make, but when the casualties and the cost were much more than projected very few people supported his actions. The financial crisis that caused the a deep recession happened under his watch and many people think it was his fault because he appointed regulators that did not do their job and others are mad because he bailed out the banks and ran up the debt,
2016-05-17 21:24:09 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I became an adult in the early 70s and can clearly remember the Carter presidency. On economics, I can honestly say, with no reservation, the Carter years were the worst I have ever seen. The guy was totally clueless. I have taken quite a few hours of history in college and am analytical thinker. Looking at it, I honestly believe that Carter was the worst president ever. He dealt in theory, not reality. Note that Reagan inherited the same economic conditions Carter had and did get them turned around. Carter was all around bad. The man wasn't a leader. He was like a boat without a rudder. Again, I lived it.
Kent in SD
2007-07-03 14:12:49 · answer #3 · answered by duckgrabber 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I remember the Carter years well the entire country was in a depressed mood, we were an international joke Iran was rubbing our nose in **** and he had no response. Bad economic polycies lead to gas rationing run away inflation and the cost of Peanut butter rose 1000%
Carter was without a dought the worst president in my lifetime far worse then Nixon. Nixon was corrupt but Carter was inept he was the inspector Jacques Clouseau President.
And the Simpson's said that Carter is Histories Worst Monster, I concur
2007-07-03 14:30:09 · answer #4 · answered by Nancy P 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The ration lines were in 1979.They were from price caps put on the oil company's..Jimmy Carter WAS his own worst enemy. He wouldn't work with congress at all. Interest rates rose to 19% ,inflation went to over 12%, unemployment was in double didgits, and gold was $800 an oz. Sorry, he was the worst ever.
2007-07-03 14:10:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Carter had double digit inflation & at least close to double digit unemployment. Interest rates were at record highs. It was the worst economy since the 1930's.
He was clearly the worst president in my lifetime.
2007-07-03 14:06:58 · answer #6 · answered by yupchagee 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes Carter was so bad as President. He is also the dear who put social security into the general fund to balance his budget. SS has been going down hill ever since.
2007-07-03 14:07:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Jimmy Carter was like having Mister Rogers for president only Mister Rogers would have been better.
He was the only president ever to have to be protected by the secret service from a rabbit.
http://www.narsil.org/politics/carter/rabbit_original_750x564b.jpg
2007-07-03 14:57:17 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Sorry, I'm an Indie who usually votes Dem and even I think Carter was pretty bad. Not in the top 5, but pretty bad. The first thing I think of when I think of him is the endless hostage crisis and the pathetic failed rescue attempt - he was a eunuch.
2007-07-03 14:04:10 · answer #9 · answered by jhartmann21 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Jimmy "The Peanut" Carter was a piss poor President! He practically gave the country away. Interest rates were 19%, my Gawd the guy was just awful. He still is a total loser!
2007-07-03 14:45:53 · answer #10 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋