We can drift along for a few more years. We can protect ourselves from uncertain supplies by reducing our demand for oil, by making the most of our abundant resources such as coal, and by developing a strategic petroleum reserve. Thank you very much. Carter, who after the presidency would teach Sunday School, tried to rally the public to have faith in the future of America. The oil and natural gas that we rely on for 75 percent of our energy are simply running out. 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. We are the generation that dedicated our society to the pursuit of human rights and equality. We've always wanted to give our children and our grandchildren a world richer in possibilities than we have had ourselves. Supplies will be uncertain. Intense competition for oil will build up among nations and also among the different regions within our own country. Jimmy Carter speaks on 'a crisis of confidence,' July 15, 1979 Within 10 years, we would not be able to import enough oil from any country, at any acceptable price. And then I left Camp David to listen to other Americans, men and women like you. We will use research and development projects, tax incentives and penalties, and regulatory authority to hasten the shift from oil and gas to coal, to wind and solar power, to geothermal, methane, and other energy sources. But sometime in the 1980's, it can't go up any more. In this speech, Carter recognizes that Americans have lost faith in government, in part because of the energy crisis. April 18, 1977: Address to the Nation on Energy | Miller Center If we fail to act soon, we will face an economic, social, and political crisis that will threaten our free institutions. President Jimmy Carter asks Americans to sacrifice for the sake of greater energy conservation and independence. 4. 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. 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. The . ." President Jimmy Carter Address to the Nation, April 18, 1977 And I realize more than ever that as President I need your help. For Jimmy Carter, protecting environment has been an "exhilarating Download media. Note: The President spoke at 10 p.m. from the Oval Office at the White House. place in this century, with the growing use of oil and natural gas. Global Warming, The Moral Equivalent Of War But we still have another choice. We must look back into history to understand our energy problem. Never speak ill of the dead, the old saying goes, but Jimmy Carter, 98, still lives. The Secretary of Defense said recently, "The present deficiency of assured energy sources is the single surest threat to our security and to that of our allies." The seventh principle is that prices should generally reflect the true replacement cost of energy. But I think most of you realize that a policy which does not ask for changes or sacrifices would not be an effective policy at this late date. These are the goals that we set for 1985: Address to the Nation on Energy and National Goals: "The Malaise Speech 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. Well, I understand how he felt, but I must tell you the truth. We've always been proud of our ingenuity, our skill at answering questions. It costs us business investments. We will monitor our progress toward these goals year by year. to increase our coal production by about two-thirds to more than one billion tons a year; We can delay insulating our homes, and they will continue to lose about 50 percent of their heat in waste. 25 photos show Jimmy Carter's inspiring life, from humble beginnings to By acting now we can control our future instead of letting the future control us. We can't continue to use oil and gas for 75 percent of our consumption, as we do now, when they only make up 7 percent of our domestic reserves. 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. Our Nation's economic and political independence is becoming increasingly vulnerable. We have the natural resources. When President Jimmy Carter addressed the nation on April 18, 1977, the U.S. was in a crisis. On July 15, 1918, near the Marne River in the Champagne region of France, the Germans begin what would be their final offensive push of World War I. But, unfortunately, there are still some who seek personal gain over the national interest. President Jimmy Carter (b. Conservation helps us solve both problems at once. It can rekindle our sense of unity, our confidence in the future, and give our Nation and all of us individually a new sense of purpose. 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. The president was scheduled to deliver a speech on July 4 but canceled at the last minute. We can continue using scarce oil and natural gas to generate electricity and continue wasting two-thirds of their fuel value in the process. These wounds are still very deep. On July 15, 1979, President Jimmy Carter addresses the nation via live television to discuss the nation's energy crisis and accompanying recession. The most important thing about these proposals is that the alternative may be a national catastrophe. Inflation will soar; production will go down; people will lose their jobs. We often think of conservation only in terms of sacrifice. During the 1950's, people used twice as much oil as during the 1940's. All the traditions of our past, all the lessons of our heritage, all the promises of our future point to another path, the path of common purpose and the restoration of American values. Point six: I'm proposing a bold conservation program to involve every State, county, and city and every average American in our energy battle. Former President Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.), was the 39 th president of the United States, serving from 1977-1981. First, it's fair both to the American consumers and to the energy producers, and it will not disrupt our national economy. ", Many people talked about themselves and about the condition of our Nation. It gives us more freedom, more confidence, that much more control over our own lives. "Mr. President," he said, "I don't feel much like talking about energy and foreign policy. We've always believed in something called progress. The second change took. The ninth principle is that we must conserve the fuels that are scarcest and make the most of those that are plentiful. With about the same standard of living, we use twice as much energy per person as do other countries like Germany, Japan, and Sweden. Now we need efficiency and ingenuity more than ever. Along with that money that we transport overseas, we will continue losing American jobs and become increasingly vulnerable to supply interruptions. During the 1960's, we used twice as much as during the 1950's. State of the Union Address 1979. The first was about 200 years ago, when we changed away from wood--which had provided about 90 percent of all fuel--to coal, which was much more efficient. Carter's Presidency Flashcards | Quizlet Those citizens who insist on driving large, unnecessarily powerful cars must expect to pay more for that luxury. We could endanger our freedom as a sovereign nation to act in foreign affairs. They were more convenient and cheaper than coal, and the supply seemed to be almost without limit. Jimmy Carter, Address to the Nation on Energy and National Goals: "The Malaise Speech" Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/249458, 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). So, I decided to reach out and listen to the voices of America. 1924) giving one of his fireside chats on energy. Tonight I want to have an unpleasant talk with you about a problem that is unprecedented in our history. Jimmy Carter, "Address to the Nation on Energy," April 18, 1977 (excerpts). Exactly 3 years ago, on July 15, 1976, I accepted the nomination of my party to run for President of the United States. You see every extreme position defended to the last vote, almost to the last breath by one unyielding group or another. When we import oil we are also importing inflation plus unemployment. And we are the generation that will win the war on the energy problem and in that process rebuild the unity and confidence of America. This excessive importing of foreign oil is a tremendous and rapidly increasing drain on our national economy. producers deserve fair treatment, but we will not let the oil companies profiteer. Jimmy Carter, "Crisis of Confidence" Speech, July - Energy History All of us have heard about the large oil fields on Alaska's North Slope. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a Georgia state senator from 1963 to 1967, and as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975.. Carter was born and raised in Plains, Georgia, graduated from the United States Naval . The people are looking for honest answers, not easy answers; clear leadership, not false claims and evasiveness and politics as usual. Restoring that faith and that confidence to America is now the most important task we face. . Center on Global Energy Policy in Boydton, VA Expand search. After restoring faith in itself, the nation would be able to march on to the the battlefield of energy [where] we can win for our nation a new confidence, and we can seize control again of our common destiny.. All Rights Reserved. Jimmy Carter, "Address to the Nation on Energy," April 18, 1977 (excerpts). I believe that this can be a positive challenge. 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. We must deal with the energy problem on a war footing. Jimmy Carter and the Meaning of Malaise - JSTOR Daily But sometime in the 1980's, it can't go up any more. Down that road lies a mistaken idea of freedom, the right to grasp for ourselves some advantage over others. 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. This from a young woman in Pennsylvania: "I feel so far from government. This incentive for new oil production would be the highest in the whole world. 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. This is an effort which requires vision and cooperation from all Americans. 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. Tonight I want to examine in a broad sense the state of our American Union--how we are building a new foundation for a peaceful and a prosperous world. Carter didn't directly recommend rationing, but it's clear he . We are the heirs of generations who survived threats much more powerful and awesome than those that challenge us now. The Middle East has only 5 percent of the world's energy, but the United States has 24 percent. Point two: To ensure that we meet these targets, I will use my Presidential authority to set import quotas. 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. Details for: The Library of Congress presents historic presidential We are strong. But a common national sacrifice to meet this serious problem should be shared by everyone-some proof that the plan is fair. We've always been proud of our vision of the future. AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Jimmy Carter, the only Georgian to serve as president, was born in Plains on Oct. 1, 1924, to Earl Carter, a farmer and businessman, and Lillian Carter, a. 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. Supplies will be uncertain. President Jimmy Carter - Address to the Nation on Energy We can begin to prepare right now. With God's help and for the sake of our Nation, it is time for us to join hands in America. At one point, he talked about the possibility of read more, The critically acclaimed 2002 biopic Walk The Line depicts the life and career of Johnny Cash from his initial rise to stardom in the 1950s to his resurgence following a drug-fueled decline in the 1960s. Often you see paralysis and stagnation and drift. But we do have a choice about how we will spend the next few years. 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 will protect our environment. The fifth principle is that we must be fair. Whether this plan truly makes a difference will not be decided now here in Washington but in every town and every factory, in every home and on every highway and every farm. More than 6 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. More of our oil is coming from foreign countries. In 1979, America could still feel the effects of OPECs (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) 1973 cuts in oil production. President Jimmy Carter's Address to the Nation on 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. He recounted a meeting he had hosted at the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland, with leaders in the fields of business, labor, education, politics and religion. The political pressures are great because the stakes are so high, billions and billions of dollars. That path would be one of constant conflict between narrow interests ending in chaos and immobility. Launched in November 1964, Mariner 4 carried a television camera and six other science instruments to study Mars and interplanetary read more, Zebulon Pike, the U.S. Army officer who in 1805 led an exploring party in search of the source of the Mississippi River, sets off with a new expedition to explore the American Southwest. It will be money well spent. Presidential Speeches | Jimmy Carter Presidency When President Jimmy Carter addressed the nation on April 18, 1977, the U.S. was in a crisis. This change became the basis of the Industrial Revolution. Just as the search for solutions to our energy shortages has now led us to a new awareness of our Nation's deeper problems, so our willingness to work for those solutions in energy can strengthen us to attack those deeper problems. The cost will keep going up. Our solutions must ask equal sacrifices from every region, every class of people, and every interest group. With the exception of preventing war, this is the greatest challenge that our country will face during our lifetime. We can't continue to use oil and gas for 75 percent of our consumption, as we do now, when they only make up 7 percent of our domestic reserves. The strength we need will not come from the White House, but from every house in America.". This is the direct cause of the long lines which have made millions of you spend aggravating hours waiting for gasoline. They have never been healed. And this year we may spend $45 billion. It is a true challenge of this generation of Americans. They made possible the age of automobile and airplane travel. Conservation is the quickest, cheapest, most practical source of energy. We've always had a faith that the days of our children would be better than our own. During the 1950's, people used twice as much oil as during the 1940's. Remarks to the students and faculty at Moscow State University / Ronald Reagan -- Remarks to the residents of Leiden / George Bush -- v. 6. I'm sure that each of you will find something you don't like about the specifics of our proposal. Beginning this moment, this Nation will never use more foreign oil than we did in 1977--never. What can we do? A look at Jimmy Carter's legacy in Georgia and around the world 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. We can manage the short-term shortages more effectively and we will, but there are no short-term solutions to our long-range problems. And third, it protects our Federal budget from any unreasonable burden. We can't substantially increase our domestic production, so we would need to import twice as much oil as we do now. Little by little we can and we must rebuild our confidence. I promised you a President who is not isolated from the people, who feels your pain, and who shares your dreams and who draws his strength and his wisdom from you. If it were possible to keep it rising during the 1970's and 1980's by 5 percent a year, as it has in the past, we could use up all the proven reserves of oil in the entire world by the end of the next decade. to reduce gasoline consumption by 10 percent below its. What I do promise you is that I will lead our fight, and I will enforce fairness in our struggle, and I will ensure honesty. Many groups have risen to the challenge. The energy crisis has not yet overwhelmed us, but it will if we do not act quickly. Copyright 2023. Now, these 10 principles have guided the development of the policy that I will describe to you and the Congress on Wednesday night. It costs about $13 to waste it. current level; It will demand that we make sacrifices and changes in every life. An effective conservation program will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs. On the battlefield of energy we can win for our Nation a new confidence, and we can seize control again of our common destiny. But the sacrifices can be gradual, realistic, and they are necessary. On July 15, 1979, amid stagnant economic growth, high inflation, and an energy crisis, Jimmy Carter delivered a televised address to the American people. It is worldwide. Nearly everyone who is alive today grew up during this period, and we have never known anything different. It's worse because more waste has occurred and more time has passed by without our planning for the future. On July 15, 1979, President Jimmy Carter addresses the nation via live television to discuss the nations energy crisis and accompanying recession. 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. And in each of those decades, more oil was consumed than in all of man's previous history combined. Just since April, our oil imports have cost us $23 billionabout $350 worth of foreign oil for the average American family. Democrat Jimmy Carter served as president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. 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. And in each of those decades, more oil was consumed than in all of man's previous history combined. He also admitted that part of the problem was his failure to provide strong leadership on many issues, particularly energy and oil consumption. The 1973 gas lines are gone, and with this springtime weather, our homes are warm again. We can regain our confidence. Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. They want lower taxes on their profits. But the sacrifices can be gradual, realistic, and they are necessary. These 10 days confirmed my belief in the decency and the strength and the wisdom of the American people, but it also bore out some of my longstanding concerns about our Nation's underlying problems. I've given you some of the principles of the plan. In spite of increased effort, domestic production has been dropping steadily at about 6 percent a year. I will be working closely with them. This change became the basis of the Industrial Revolution. This button displays the currently selected search type. In it, Carter singled out a pervasive "crisis of confidence" preventing the American people from moving the country forward. It causes unemployment. On July 15th, Carter came down from the mountains and gave what came to be known as the "Malaise Speech," even though he never used the word in his televised address to the nation. Confidence in the future has supported everything else--public institutions and private enterprise, our own families, and the very Constitution of the United States. From now on, every new addition to our demand for energy will be met from our own production and our own conservation. Because we are now running out of gas and oil, we must prepare quickly for a third change--to strict conservation and to the renewed use of coal and to permanent renewable energy sources like solar power. On January 14, 1981, President Jimmy Carter delivered a farewell address to the nation, thanking his staff and the American people for the opportunity to serve, warning about the continuing threat . The ninth principle is that we must conserve the fuels that are scarcest and make the most of those that are plentiful. We can delay insulating our homes, and they will continue to lose about 50 percent of their heat in waste. Every act of energy conservation like this is more than just common sense--I tell you it is an act of patriotism. Jimmy Carter's Energy Policy Legacy This summer we used more oil and gasoline than ever before in our history. Jimmy Carter, Address to the Nation on Energy, Transcript, Miller Center at University of Virginia, April 18, . Address to the Nation on Energy | The American Presidency Project When Jimmy Carter stepped onto the national stage, he brought along those closest to him, introducing Americans to a colorful Georgia family that helped shape the 39th president's public life This major legislation is a necessary first step on a long and difficult road. And this year we may spend $45 billion. Second, as I've said before, it's designed to meet our important goals for energy conservation, to promote a shift to more plentiful and permanent energy supplies and encourage increased production of energy in the United States. Some will cause you to put up with inconveniences and 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. I propose the creation of an energy security corporation to lead this effort to replace 2 1/2 million barrels of imported oil per day by 1990. Looking for a way out of this crisis, our people have turned to the Federal Government and found it isolated from the mainstream of our Nation's life. It has been an extraordinary 10 days, and I want to share with you what I've heard. We have more coal than any nation on Earth. Yesterday, after careful consideration, I announced the postponement of a major overseas trip until after Christmas because of the paramount importance of developing an effective energy plan this year. His remarks were broadcast live on radio and television. We waste more energy than we import. I will sign the energy bills only if they meet these tests. Moreover, I will soon submit legislation to Congress calling for the creation of this Nation's first solar bank, which will help us achieve the crucial goal of 20 percent of our energy coming from solar power by the year 2000. 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.