A graduate of the U.S. In the 1970s, oil and gas shortages experienced in many parts of the U.S. were erroneously blamed on resource exhaustion rather than government price and allocation controls. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America. The eighth principle is that Government policies must be predictable and certain. We can be sure that all the special interest groups in the country will attack the part of this plan that affects them directly. He outlined a plan to tackle the crisis . After a 2015 cancer diagnosis . We will feel mounting pressure to plunder the environment. First, it's fair both to the American consumers and to the energy producers, and it will not disrupt our national economy. World oil production can probably keep going up for another 6 or 8 years. The president was scheduled to deliver a speech on July 4 but canceled at the last minute. It's worse because more waste has occurred and more time has passed by without our planning for the future. 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. Conservation helps us solve both problems at once. ", And this is one of the most vivid statements: "Our neck is stretched over the fence and OPEC has a knife. But after listening to the American people I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can't fix what's wrong with America. 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. They were more convenient and cheaper than coal, and the supply seemed to be almost without limit. We will monitor the accuracy of data from the oil and natural gas companies for the first time, so that we will always know their true production, supplies, reserves, and profits. This button displays the currently selected search type. Last year we spent $36 billion for imported oilnearly 10 times as much. Our Nation's economic and political independence is becoming increasingly vulnerable. It's crucial that you understand how serious this challenge is. The first principle is that we can have an effective and comprehensive energy policy only if the Government takes responsibility for it and if the people understand the seriousness of the challenge and are willing to make sacrifices. 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. Extra to study for big quiz- history Flashcards | Quizlet And this year we may spend $45 billion. Embed. Nearly everyone who is alive today grew up during this period, and we have never known anything different. Many of these proposals will be unpopular. The third principle is that we must protect the environment. We can see this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our Nation. Confidence has defined our course and has served as a link between generations. But we still have another choice. Inflation will soar; production will go down; people will lose their jobs. ." President Jimmy Carter Address to the Nation, April 18, 1977 They made possible the age of automobile and airplane travel. Along with that money that we transport overseas, we will continue losing American jobs and become increasingly vulnerable to supply interruptions. We are the heirs of generations who survived threats much more powerful and awesome than those that challenge us now. We need to shift to plentiful coal, while taking care to protect the environment, and to apply stricter safety standards to nuclear energy. The world now uses about 60 million barrels of oil a day, and demand increases each year about 5 percent. Every $5 billion increase in oil imports costs us 200,000 American jobs. 12874 Into Law," November 4, 1978. Dubbed the Second Battle of the Marne, the conflict ended several days later in a major victory for the Allies. ", "Mr. President, we're in trouble. We can drift along for a few more years. 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; Talk to us about blood and sweat and tears. We will have to have a crash program to build more nuclear plants, strip mine and bum more coal, and drill more offshore wells than if we begin to conserve right now. We will feel mounting pressure to plunder the environment. 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. First of all, we must face the truth, and then we can change our course. The Middle East has only 5 percent of the world's energy, but the United States has 24 percent. We will protect our environment. Our cars would continue to be too large and inefficient. Selected Speeches of Jimmy Carter We know the strength of America. All rights reserved. to establish a strategic petroleum reserve of one billion barrels, more than a 6-months supply; It's always been easier to wait until the next year or the next term of office, to avoid political risk. It costs us business investments. Jimmy Carter - Key Events | Miller Center Jimmy Carter's Energy Speech of April 1977 (Is - Master Resource This is the direct cause of the long lines which have made millions of you spend aggravating hours waiting for gasoline. We must not be selfish or timid if we hope to have a decent world for our children and our grandchildren. No one will be asked to bear an unfair burden. But we do have a choice about how we will spend the next few years. With this new policy, the gross income of gas producers would average about $2 billion each year more than at the present price level. It hurts every American family. That's why I've worked hard to put my campaign promises into law--and I have to admit, with just mixed success. Carter was unable to solve most of the problems plaguing the country during his administration, including an ailing economy and a continuing energy crisis. to reduce gasoline consumption by 10 percent below its. Our excessive dependence on OPEC has already taken a tremendous toll on our economy and our people. 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. ", And this from a religious leader: "No material shortage can touch the important things like God's love for us or our love for one another. Restoring that faith and that confidence to America is now the most important task we face. We have no choice about that. This difficult effort will be the "moral equivalent of war," except that we will be uniting our efforts to build and not to destroy. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! There is not enough discipline among your disciples. It causes unemployment. This summer we used more oil and gasoline than ever before in our history. ", And this from a young Chicano: "Some of us have suffered from recession all our lives. Twice in the last several hundred years, there has been a transition in the way people use energy. Point one: I am tonight setting a clear goal for the energy policy of the United States. One of the visitors to Camp David last week put it this way: "We've got to stop crying and start sweating, stop talking and start walking, stop cursing and start praying. They are the ones that we must provide for now. Six years ago, we paid $3.7 billion for imported oil. I'm sure that each of you will find something you don't like about the specifics of our proposal. They will say that sacrifice is fine as long as other people do it, but that their sacrifice is unreasonable or unfair or harmful to the country. February 2, 1977: Report to the American People on Energy This change became the basis of the Industrial Revolution. During the 1960's, we used twice as much as during the 1950's. Industry will have to do its part to conserve just as consumers will. During the subsequent campaign, Goldwater said that he thought the United States should do whatever was necessary to win in Vietnam. We can continue using scarce oil and natural gas to generate electricity and continue wasting two-thirds of their fuel value in the process. During the next few weeks, attention will be focused on the Congress, but the proving of our courage and commitment will continue, in different forms and places, in the months and the years, even generations ahead. We've learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose. Jimmy Carter, "Address to the Nation on Energy and National Goals: 'The Malaise Speech,'" July 15, 1979. Play Video. With the exception of preventing war, this is the greatest challenge that our country will face during our lifetime. Whenever you have a chance, say something good about our country. That price is now almost five times as great as it was in 1973. This problem has come upon us suddenly. But our energy plan also reflects the optimism that I feel about our ability to deal with these problems. But the sacrifices can be gradual, realistic, and they are necessary. You may be right, but suspicions about the oil companies cannot change the fact that we are running out of petroleum. ", Many people talked about themselves and about the condition of our Nation. 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; On July 15, 1979, President Jimmy Carter addresses the nation via live television to discuss the nations energy crisis and accompanying recession. We must deal with the energy problem on a war footing. For them to pass an effective and fair plan, they will need your support and your understandingyour support to resist pressures from a few for special favors at the expense of the rest of us and your understanding that there can be no effective plan without some sacrifice from all of us. --to insulate 90 percent of American homes and all new buildings; I can't tell you that these measures will be easy, nor will they be popular. The oil and natural gas that we rely on for 75 percent of our energy are simply running out. Our decision about energy will test the character of the American people and the ability of the President and the Congress to govern this Nation. Surprising viewers, who were expecting a laundry list of proposals to deal with the energy crisis, Carter took a different tack. We have more coal than any nation on Earth. His remarks were broadcast live on radio and television. I will sign the energy bills only if they meet these tests. This major legislation is a necessary first step on a long and difficult road. President Carter speaks to the American people about the importance of an energy policy that focuses on conservation of the nation's natural resources and a new energy department. Conservation is the only way that we can buy a barrel of oil for about $2. The first was about 200 years ago, when we changed away from wood--which had provided about 90 percent of all fuelto coal, which was much more efficient. Our national energy plan is based on 10 fundamental principles. These are serious problems, and this has been a serious talk. All of us have heard about the large oil fields on Alaska's North Slope. If you will join me so that we can work together with patriotism and courage, we will again prove that our great Nation can lead the world into an age of peace, independence, and freedom. Jimmy Carter Has 'Still Got Some Time In Him,' So There's Still Time to Speak Ill of Him. Demand will overtake production. We were sure that ours was a nation of the ballot, not the bullet, until the murders of John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. We were taught that our armies were always invincible and our causes were always just, only to suffer the agony of Vietnam. The oil and natural gas that we rely on for 75 percent of our energy are simply running out. More than six months ago, in April, I spoke to you about a need for a national policy to deal with our present and future energy problems, and the next day I sent my proposals to the Congress. It will lead to some higher costs and to some greater inconvenience for everyone. Within 10 years, we would not be able to import enough oil from any country, at any acceptable price. God Bless You Jimmy Carter, Pioneer Deregulator | Newsmax.com What is being measured is the strength and will of our Nationwhether we can acknowledge a threat and meet a serious challenge together. November 8, 1977: Address to the Nation on Energy These were the promises I made 3 years ago, and I intend to keep them. They will endure. Carter became a one-term president after Reagan defeated him in a blowout victory in 1980, but Carter's political defeat intensified his lifelong quest to know whether he had done his best and . Last year we spent $36 billion for imported oil--nearly 10 times as much. 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. I'll read just a few. Jimmy Carter, "Address to the Nation on Energy," April 18, 1977 (excerpts). You may be right, but suspicions about the oil companies cannot change the fact that we are running out of petroleum. I'm announcing tonight that for 1979 and 1980, I will forbid the entry into this country of one drop of foreign oil more than these goals allow. The cost will keep going up. Our energy plan will also include a number of specific goals to measure our progress toward a stable energy system. I can't be too concerned about other things when I have a 10-year-old daughter to raise and I don't have a job and I'm 56 years old." The first principle is that we can have an effective and comprehensive energy policy only if the Government takes responsibility for it and if the people understand the seriousness of the challenge and are willing to make sacrifices. This plan is essential to protect our jobs, our environment, our standard of living, and our future. The Arab oil embargo of 1973 sent energy prices soaring, and four years later, the impacts were still rippling through the economy. In order to conserve energy, the Congress is now acting to make our automobiles, our homes, and appliances more efficient and to encourage industry to save both heat and electricity. Twice in the last several hundred years, there has been a transition in the way people use energy. If you will join me so that we can work together with patriotism and courage, we will again prove that our great Nation can lead the world into an age of peace, independence, and freedom. 4. It is a crisis of confidence. President Jimmy Carter delivered this speech on July 15, 1979, exactly three years after accepting the nomination of the Democratic Party to run for president. Let me quote a few of the typical comments that I wrote down. Our biggest problem, however, is that we simply use too much and waste too much energy. We've always been proud of our leadership in the world. We can begin to prepare right now. Our solutions must ask equal sacrifices from every region, every class of people, and every interest group. 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. Our emphasis on conservation is a clear difference between this plan and others which merely encouraged crash production efforts. The story of the human race is one of adapting to changing circumstances. So, I decided to reach out and listen to the voices of America. Address to the Nation on Energy | The American Presidency Project Jimmy Carter 39th President of the United States: 1977 1981 Address to the Nation on Energy April 18, 1977 Good evening. Jimmy Carter: Family affair to the White House and beyond | Nation That path leads to true freedom for our Nation and ourselves. The second change took. We can be sure that all the special interest groups in the country will attack the part of this plan that affects them directly. 1924) giving one of his fireside chats on energy. President Jimmy Carter (b. I know that many of you have suspected that some supplies of oil and gas are being withheld from the market. View Transcript. Tonight I want to have an unpleasant talk with you about a problem that is unprecedented in our history. We will not be ready to keep our transportation system running with smaller and more efficient cars and a better network of buses, trains, and public transportation. We must look back into history to understand our energy problem. If we do not act, then by 1985 we will be using 33 percent more energy than we use today. Copyright 2023. We will not be ready to keep our transportation system running with smaller and more efficient cars and a better network of buses, trains, and public transportation. A look at Jimmy Carter's legacy in Georgia and around the world Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia, November 8, 1977: Address to the Nation on Energy, Notice of Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity, Miller Center: November 8, 1977: Address to the Nation on Energy, September 7, 1977: Statement on the Panama Canal Treaty Signing, January 19, 1978: State of the Union Address, September 17, 1978: President Carter's Remarks on Joint Statement at Camp David Summit, October 24, 1978: Anti-Inflation Program Speech, December 15, 1978: Speech on Establishing Diplomatic Relations with China, January 23, 1979: State of the Union Address, July 15, 1979: "Crisis of Confidence" Speech, January 23, 1980: State of the Union Address, April 25, 1980: Statement on the Iran Rescue Mission, August 14, 1980: Acceptance Speech at the Democratic National Convention. I know, of course, being President, that government actions and legislation can be very important. One is a path I've warned about tonight, the path that leads to fragmentation and self-interest. In it, Carter singled out a pervasive "crisis of confidence" preventing the American people from moving the country forward. Both consumers and producers need policies they can count on so they can plan ahead. Jimmy Carter speaks on 'a crisis of confidence,' July 15, 1979 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. The Arab oil embargo of 1973 sent energy prices soaring, and four years later, the impacts were still rippling through the economy. A Democrat, he was governor of Georgia from 1971-1975, and a member of the state Legislature (in the Senate) from 1963 to 1967. We've always been proud of our ingenuity, our skill at answering questions. We've recommended that the price, for instance, of new natural gas be raised each year to the average price of domestic oil that would produce the same amount of energy. . The most important thing about these proposals is that the alternative may be a national catastrophe.
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