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Each American uses the energy equivalent of 60 barrels of oil per person each year. Many of these proposals will be unpopular. Intense competition for oil will build up among nations and also among the different regions within our own country. Carter was unable to solve most of the problems plaguing the country during his administration, including an ailing economy and a continuing energy crisis. Confidence in the future has supported everything else--public institutions and private enterprise, our own families, and the very Constitution of the United States. Demand will overtake production. On July 15, 1979, President Jimmy Carter addresses the nation via live television to discuss the nations energy crisis and accompanying recession. We will monitor our progress toward these goals year by year. World consumption of oil is still going up. Our imports have more than tripled in the last 10 years. A huge box-office hit, the film established Willis as a movie star and spawned three sequels. --to insulate 90 percent of American homes and all new buildings; A President is elected for just 4 years, a Senator for 6, and our Representatives in Congress for only 2 years. That is the concept of the energy policy that we will present on Wednesday. Down that road lies a mistaken idea of freedom, the right to grasp for ourselves some advantage over others. This difficult effort will be the 'moral equivalent of war' except that we will be uniting our efforts to build and not destroy. Each new inventory of world oil reserves has been more disturbing than the last. The confidence that we have always had as a people is not simply some romantic dream or a proverb in a dusty book that we read just on the Fourth of July. We've always had a faith that the days of our children would be better than our own. Industry will have to do its part to conserve just as consumers will. The Middle East has only 5 percent of the world's energy, but the United States has 24 percent. The ninth principle is that we must conserve the fuels that are scarcest and make the most of those that are plentiful. Carter prefaced his talk about energy policy with an explanation of why he believed the American economy remained in crisis. Two days from now, I will present to the Congress my energy proposals.. Its Members will be my partners, and they have already given me a great deal of valuable advice. You know we can do it. "I am a farmer, an engineer, a businessman, a planner, a scientist, a governor, and a Christian," Jimmy Carter said while introducing himself to national political reporters when he announced his campaign to be the 39th president of the United States in December 1974.. As journalists and historians consider Carter's legacy, this prelude to Carter's campaign offers insight into how he . Point three: To give us energy security, I am asking for the most massive peacetime commitment of funds and resources in our Nation's history to develop America's own alternative sources of fuel--from coal, from oil shale, from plant products for gasohol, from unconventional gas, from the Sun. ", And this from a young Chicano: "Some of us have suffered from recession all our lives. I have no doubt that this is the right decision, because the other nations of the worldallies and adversaries alikeawait our energy decisions with a great interest and concern. Two-thirds of our people do not even vote. And then I left Camp David to listen to other Americans, men and women like you. current level; --to cut in half the portion of U.S. oil which is imported--from a potential level of 16 million barrels to 6 million barrels a day; --to establish a strategic petroleum reserve of one billion barrels, more than a 6-months supply; --to increase our coal production by about two-thirds to more than one billion tons a year; Washington, D.C., has become an island. For the first time in the history of our country a majority of our people believe that the next 5 years will be worse than the past 5 years. Copyright 2023. Now we need efficiency and ingenuity more than ever. President Jimmy Carter - Address to the Nation on Energy - YouTube 0:00 / 4:35 President Jimmy Carter - Address to the Nation on Energy MCamericanpresident 10.4K subscribers Subscribe 830. Thank you very much, and good night. And the truth is that you cannot talk about economic problems now or in the future without talking about energy. With about the same standard of living, we use twice as much energy per person as do other countries like Germany, Japan, and Sweden. --to use solar energy in more than 2 1/2 million houses. Exactly 3 years ago, on July 15, 1976, I accepted the nomination of my party to run for President of the United States. We have more coal than any nation on Earth. These are the goals that we set for 1985: --to reduce the annual growth rate in our energy demand to less than 2 percent; --to reduce gasoline consumption by 10 percent below its. We will feel mounting pressure to plunder the environment. I feel like ordinary people are excluded from political power. FILE - Lillian Carter is flanked by her sons Jimmy, right, and Billy as she met them down at Billy's gas station, where the Carters and neighbors cleaned fish prior to a town cookout, June 26, 1976. Point five: To make absolutely certain that nothing stands in the way of achieving these goals, I will urge Congress to create an energy mobilization board which, like the War Production Board in World War II, will have the responsibility and authority to cut through the red tape, the delays, and the endless roadblocks to completing key energy projects. That price is now almost five times as great as it was in 1973. It's fitting that I'm speaking to you on an election day, a day which reminds us that you, the people, are the rulers of this Nation, that your Government will be as courageous and effective and fair as you demand You see a Congress twisted and pulled in every direction by hundreds of well-financed and powerful special interests. The congressional conference committees are now considering changes in how electric power rates are set in order to discourage waste, to reward those who use less energy, and to encourage a change in the use of electricity to hours of the day when demand is low. This is the direct cause of the long lines which have made millions of you spend aggravating hours waiting for gasoline. read more. These efforts will cost money, a lot of money, and that is why Congress must enact the windfall profits tax without delay. Following is a transcript of President Carter's address to the nation on energy problems last night in Washington, as recorded by The New York Times through the facilities of ABC News: It's. If we fail to act soon, we will face an economic, social, and political crisis that will threaten our free institutions. And above all, I will act. But we do have a choice about how we will spend the next few years. No one will be asked to bear an unfair burden. And I do not refer to the outward strength of America, a nation that is at peace tonight everywhere in the world, with unmatched economic power and military might. Although all countries could, of course, be more efficient, we are the worst offender. This change became the basis of the Industrial Revolution. The Arab oil embargo of 1973 sent energy prices soaring, and four years later, the impacts were still rippling through the economy. Former President Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.), was the 39 th president of the United States, serving from 1977-1981. We are strong. One of the most enduring aspects of Jimmy Carter's presidency is his green legacy he embraced environmental stewardship and renewable energy with an . Carter didn't directly recommend rationing, but it's clear he . Our energy problems have the same cause as our environmental problemswasteful use of resources. The world price is set by a foreign cartelthe governments of the so-called OPEC nations. Carter address's the crisis of confidence in America, but tells Americans to first begin addressing problems by addressing the energy crisis within their home. Carter then launched into his energy policy plans, which included the implementation of mandatory conservation efforts for individuals and businesses and deep cuts in the nations dependence on foreign oil through import quotas. Jimmy Carter November 08, 1977 Source National Archives Amid looming concern regarding the scarcity of oil resources President Carter delivers a message in stark terms, urging Americans to band together in order to eliminate the wasting of energy resources. Our fathers and mothers were strong men and women who shaped a new society during the Great Depression, who fought world wars, and who carved out a new charter of peace for the world. This lack of moral and spiritual confidence, he concluded, was at the core of Americas inability to hoist itself out of its economic troubles. We waste more energy than we import. We can be sure that all the special interest groups in the country will attack the part of this plan that affects them directly. The sixth principle, and the cornerstone of our policy, is to reduce demand through conservation. Every gallon of oil each one of us saves is a new form of production. Intense competition for oil will build up among nations and also among the different regions within our own country. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America. Tonight I want to have an unpleasant talk with you about a problem that is unprecedented in our history. So, I want to speak to you first tonight about a subject even more serious than energy or inflation. It's clear that the true problems of our Nation are much deeperdeeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages, deeper even than inflation or recession. The most important thing about these proposals is that the alternative may be a national catastrophe. that it be. The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. Conservation is the quickest, cheapest, most practical source of energy. Within 10 years, we would not be able to import enough oil from any country, at any acceptable price. The sixth principle, and the cornerstone of our policy, is to reduce demand through conservation. Jimmy Carter: "Solar Photovoltaic Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1978 Statement on Signing H.R. Let me quote a few of the typical comments that I wrote down. The political pressures are great because the stakes are so high, billions and billions of dollars. But over those years the subjects of the speeches, the talks, and the press conferences have become increasingly narrow, focused more and more on what the isolated world of Washington thinks is important. I'll read just a few. I will listen and I will act. With this new policy, the gross income of gas producers would average about $2 billion each year more than at the present price level. Jimmy Carter Has 'Still Got Some Time In Him,' So There's Still Time to Speak Ill of Him. With the exception of preventing war, this is the greatest challenge that our country will face during our lifetime. President Jimmy Carter (b. We know the strength of America. We simply must balance our demand for energy with our rapidly shrinking resources. During the 1960's, we used twice as much as during the 1950's. Our consumption of oil would keep going up every year. 4 min read. The fifth principle is that we must be fair. 4. READ MORE: Jimmy Carter: His Life and Legacy, Jimmy Carter speaks about a national crisis in confidence, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jimmy-carter-speaks-about-a-national-crisis-in-confidence. He also pledged a massive commitment of funds and resources to develop alternative fuel sources including coal, plant products and solar power. This major legislation is a necessary first step on a long and difficult road. In a few years, when the North Slope is producing fully, its total output will be just about equal to 2 years' increase in our own Nation's energy demand. But the sacrifices can be gradual, realistic, and they are necessary. Unless we act, we will spend more than $550 billion for imported oil by 1985--more than $2,500 for every man, woman, and child in America. Our Nation's economic and political independence is becoming increasingly vulnerable. In fact, it is the most painless and immediate way of rebuilding our Nation's strength. The seventh principle is that prices should generally reflect the true replacement cost of energy. I will be working closely with them. Our plan will call for strict conservation measures if we fall behind. Carter retreated to Camp David, where he met with Americans from various backgrounds and spoke . The second principle is that healthy economic growth must continue. There, in the next few weeks, the strength and courage of our political system will be proven. They made possible the age of automobile and airplane travel. Thereafter, I was so dismayed by his presidency that I betrayed my natal Democratic Party and voted for Ronald Reagan in 1980. We can drift along for a few more years. The 1973 gas lines are gone, and with this springtime weather, our homes are warm again. It has been an extraordinary 10 days, and I want to share with you what I've heard. Further delay can affect our strength and our power as a nation. place in this century, with the growing use of oil and natural gas. These are serious problems, and this has been a serious talk. Point four: I'm asking Congress to mandate, to require as a matter of law, that our Nation's utility companies cut their massive use of oil by 50 percent within the next decade and switch to other fuels, especially coal, our most abundant energy source. This is a special night for me. ", "Don't talk to us about politics or the mechanics of government, but about an understanding of our common good. We are the generation that dedicated our society to the pursuit of human rights and equality. We remember when the phrase "sound as a dollar" was an expression of absolute dependability, until 10 years of inflation began to shrink our dollar and our savings. All of us have heard about the large oil fields on Alaska's North Slope. Our excessive dependence on OPEC has already taken a tremendous toll on our economy and our people. Download media. The history of our Nation is one of meeting challenges and overcoming them. Twice in the last several hundred years, there has been a transition in the way people use energy. This has already started. This is one reason that I'm working with the Congress to create a new Department of Energy to replace more than 50 different agencies that now have some control over energy. If we do not act, then by 1985 we will be using 33 percent more energy than we use today. I hope that each of you will take steps to conserve our precious energy and also join with your elected officials at all levels of government to meet this test of our Nation's judgment and will. One problem is that the price of all energy is going up, both because of its increasing scarcity and because the price of oil is not set in a free and competitive market. On July 15, 1979, President Jimmy Carter addresses the nation via live television to discuss the nation's energy crisis and accompanying recession. The fourth principle is that we must reduce our vulnerability to potentially devastating embargoes. The eighth principle is that Government policies must be predictable and certain. Jimmy Carter, "Address to the Nation on Energy," April 18, 1977 (excerpts). On this day in 1979, with energy prices soaring and interest rates spiking, President Jimmy Carter told an anxious nation in a prime-time televised address that it faced "a crisis of. To jumpstart this program, Carter asked Congress to form an energy mobilization board modeled after the War Production Board of World War II, and asked the legislature to enact a windfall profits tax immediately to fight inflation and unemployment. It is a crisis of confidence. I'm convinced that we can have enough energy to permit the continued growth of our economy, to expand production and jobs, and to protect the security of the United Statesif we act wisely. We can regain our confidence. Jimmy Carter, Address to the Nation on Energy Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/243395, The American Presidency ProjectJohn Woolley and Gerhard PetersContact, Copyright The American Presidency ProjectTerms of Service | Privacy | Accessibility, Saturday Weekly Addresses (Radio and Webcast) (1639), State of the Union Written Messages (140). Some will cause you to put up with inconveniences and to make sacrifices. Good evening. These changes did not happen overnight. Jimmy Carter, "Address to the Nation on Energy," April 18, 1977 (excerpts). They want immediate and permanent deregulation of gas prices, which would cost consumers $70 billion or more between now and 1985. And I'm asking you for your good and for your Nation's security to take no unnecessary trips, to use carpools or public transportation whenever you can, to park your car one extra day per week, to obey the speed limit, and to set your thermostats to save fuel. But if we wait, we will constantly live in fear of embargoes. The statement marked a dramatic turning point in U.S.-China relations, as well as a major shift in American foreign policy. Naval Academy, he served in the submarine corps just after World War II. They want even higher prices than those we've proposed for "new" gas and oil, and they want the higher prices sooner. In the late 1970s, the United States faced a variety of challenges, including high inflation, rising interest and unemployment rates, and an energy crisis created by . to cut in half the portion of U.S. oil which is importedfrom a potential level of 16 million barrels to 6 million barrels a day; The Congress has recognized the urgency of this problem and has come to grips with some of the most complex and difficult decisions that a legislative body has ever been asked to make. Imports have doubled in the last 5 years. It is worldwide. The tenth and last principle is that we must start now to develop the new, unconventional sources of energy that we will rely on in the next century. We waste more energy than we import. We have no choice about that. This plan is essential to protect our jobs, our environment, our standard of living, and our future. Nearly everyone who is alive today grew up during this period, and we have never known anything different. You may be right, but suspicions about the oil companies cannot change the fact that we are running out of petroleum. ", And this is one of the most vivid statements: "Our neck is stretched over the fence and OPEC has a knife. In little more than two decades we've gone from a position of energy independence to one in which almost half the oil we use comes from foreign countries, at prices that are going through the roof. The president was scheduled to deliver a speech on July 4 but canceled at the last minute.