Glad you brought up Jimmy Carter
He tried to do the ‘right thing’ that is promoted as great virtue by most individuals. But when those individuals became a voting whole, he did not match up to the America Dream, or the rugged frontiersman or whatever nonsense passes for progress in the mind of the American voter.
So Reagan brought everyone back into lockstep on the oblivion march, the one where the drumbeat of disaster is heard louder with every leader, and where the mindless followers cheer him on to thier utopia certainties.
Carter demonstrated exactly what would happen if Jesus did actually return and stand for president