| − | [[Image:Carter1977.jpg|thumb|250px|President Carter's inauguration, 01/20/77]]On taking office Carter proposed radical energy programs, redistributive tax reform, public campaign financing, a consumer protection agency (that Ralph Nader had long championed), labor law reform, and enactment of the [[Equal Rights Amendment]]. He fought with fellow Democrats in [[Congress]] and achieved little or nothing. Meanwhile, "stagflation" hit the economy hard, as energy shortages, slow growth, escalating inflation and very high interest rates sapped the economy. | + | [[Image:Carter1977.jpg|thumb|250px|left|President Carter's inauguration, 01/20/77]]On taking office Carter proposed radical energy programs, redistributive tax reform, public campaign financing, a consumer protection agency (that Ralph Nader had long championed), labor law reform, and enactment of the [[Equal Rights Amendment]]. He fought with fellow Democrats in [[Congress]] and achieved little or nothing. Meanwhile, "stagflation" hit the economy hard, as energy shortages, slow growth, escalating inflation and very high interest rates sapped the economy. |
| | It was worse in foreign affairs. Carter did broker a temporary peace in the Middle East, but was forced to abandon détente when the Russians began to exploit American weaknesses around the globe. Carter was forced to restart the [[Cold War]] when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, but his belated actions validated the complaints of conservatives that he offered too little too late. Meanwhile, the nation was humiliated in [[Iran]], where militants held American diplomats captive for 444 days, while Carter proved helpless. | | It was worse in foreign affairs. Carter did broker a temporary peace in the Middle East, but was forced to abandon détente when the Russians began to exploit American weaknesses around the globe. Carter was forced to restart the [[Cold War]] when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, but his belated actions validated the complaints of conservatives that he offered too little too late. Meanwhile, the nation was humiliated in [[Iran]], where militants held American diplomats captive for 444 days, while Carter proved helpless. |