A question about Jimmy Carter?

[Guderian]

Carter was more conservative on domestic policy than either Nixon or Ford. Actually, he was one of the most conservative Presidents since Coolidge - besides him you could make an argument only for Ike or JFK. During his 4 years in office Carter did the following:

- started deregulating everything
- opposed Ted Kennedy's national health care plan
- opposed prices and wages control
- tried to implement balanced budget philosophy and opposed stimulus spending
- vigorously promoted free trade

All of this led to numerous clashes with Congress liberals. In Carter's diaries you see clear contempt for Ted Kennedy and Frank Church among others, and he gushes over Howard Baker all the time and even writes in one passage that he feels much better when he's around Republicans and fellow Southern Democrats than with Democratic leaders.

Republicans hate Carter mostly because of his foreign policy, and that's what he's mostly remembered for now, partially thanks to his post-presidential activities in that field. Also, he's widely perceived as a weak leader who had no idea how to get stuff done (again, observe how Reagan inherited Carter's anti-inflation plans but was much more effective in implementing them).

But another thing that must be kept in mind is that every story needs a villain, and Republicans  gave Carter that role, much like the New Deal liberals did when they decided that poor Herbert Hoover was laissez-faire devil himself. Hoover and Carter are incorrectly presented as antipodes to FDR and Reagan, but the truth is much more complex.