An honest president

Upon the death of the 39th American president on Dec. 29, we thought it worthwhile to revisit some of the thoughts expressed by Jimmy Carter in his farewell address given on Jan. 14, 1981.
While his term in the White House coincided with a tumultuous period around the world, much of it beyond his control or influence, Carter was one of the only presidents in memory who regularly spoke plainly and honestly to the American people about difficult issues — and his farewell address was in keeping with that tradition. In his address, he spoke of common threats and common interests that all of humanity faces, and the important role that citizens can play in a democracy.
Here are excerpts of the late president’s address in his own words:
“Tonight, I would like first to say a few words about this most special office, the Presidency of the United States. This is at once the most powerful office in the world and among the most severely constrained by law and custom. The President is given a broad responsibility to lead but cannot do so without the support and consent of the people, expressed formally through the Congress and informally in many ways through a whole range of public and private institutions. This is as it should be.
“Within our system of government every American has a right and a duty to help shape the future course of the United States. Thoughtful criticism and close scrutiny of all government officials by the press and the public are an important part of our democratic society. Now, as in the past, only the understanding and involvement of the people through full and open debate can help to avoid serious mistakes and assure the continued dignity and safety of the nation…
“Today, as people have become ever more doubtful of the ability of the government to deal with our problems, we are increasingly drawn to single-issue groups and special interest organizations to ensure that whatever else happens, our own personal views and our own private interests are protected. This is a disturbing factor in American political life. It tends to distort our purposes, because the national interest is not always the sum of all our single or special interests. We are all Americans together, and we must not forget that the common good is our common interest and our individual responsibility.”
Carter, as he often did, tried to offer inspiration by appealing to our common humanity. While he warned about the continuing dangers posed by nuclear weapons, he noted that the technology that made it possible to deliver nuclear warheads across the globe, had also sent humans peacefully into space.
“From that perspective,” he said, “we see our Earth as it really is — a small and fragile and beautiful blue globe, the only home we have. We see no barriers of race or religion or country. We see the essential unity of our species and our planet. And with faith and common sense, that bright vision will ultimately prevail.
“Another major challenge, therefore, is to protect the quality of this world within which we live. The shadows that fall across the future are cast not only by the kinds of weapons we’ve built, but by the kind of world we will either nourish or neglect. There are real and growing dangers to our simple and our most precious possessions: the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land which sustains us. The rapid depletion of irreplaceable minerals, the erosion of topsoil, the destruction of beauty, the blight of pollution, the demands of increasing billions of people, all combine to create problems which are easy to observe and predict, but difficult to resolve. If we do not act, the world of the year 2000 will be much less able to sustain life than it is now.”
“But there is no reason for despair. Acknowledging the physical realities of our planet does not mean a dismal future of endless sacrifice. In fact, acknowledging these realities is the first step in dealing with them. We can meet the resource problems of the world — water, food, minerals, farmlands, forests, overpopulation, pollution if we tackle them with courage and foresight.”
It can be hard to believe that while Carter’s words were uttered nearly 44 years ago, his warnings proved prescient as we continue to live in fear of nuclear weapons, and the global environmental challenges we face have grown more dire in those ensuing years. While Carter’s presidency was generally viewed as a mediocre one, he went on to engage in the most far-reaching and meaningful post-presidency of anyone in living memory. And he serves as a reminder of a time when the dishonesty and self-dealing that permeates our politics today took a holiday. Jimmy Carter was an honest man, motivated by faith and a tireless desire to serve others. If only we had such leaders today.