Caleb Wellum on Jimmy Carter and Energy Policy

Caleb Wellum shared his expertise on President Jimmy Carter’s legacy and the 1970s oil crisis with Grist, an American nonprofit media organization dedicated to environmental issues.
Wellum reflected on the political and social disruptions caused by the 1973 oil embargo, particularly how it forced middle-class Americans, who had become dependent on cheap oil for suburban living, to confront the reality of oil shortages and high prices. When Jimmy Carter became president on January 20, 1977, the immediate impact of the gasoline shortages had subsided, but inflation, high oil prices, and reliance on foreign oil persisted. Carter focused on convincing Americans that the energy crisis remained a significant issue, even after the embargo had ended, as the underlying problems still needed to be addressed.
Wellum also discussed the tension within the Democratic Party, between traditional New Deal Democrats who advocated for affordability and the new left, environmentalists who challenged the ethics of consuming cheap oil. Meanwhile, Republicans insisted that gas shortages were the result of unfair government policies that hindered the free market. Instead of advocating for ways to reduce consumption, they advocated for an increase in the domestic supply of oil which they theorized would yield innovative solutions to the wider oil market and address the energy crisis.
In Energizing Neoliberalism: The 1970s Energy Crisis & the Making of Modern America, Wellum argues that President Carter’s economic policy marked a shift toward neoliberalism. Believing in market efficiency, he lifted the Nixon-era oil price controls, a decision criticized as benefiting the oil industry and reflective of the era's changing economic priorities.
As we watch and listen to services and tributes dedicated to the life of US President Jimmy Carter, energy is again central to American (and Canadian) politics. A new generation of political, social, and economic leaders continue to debate solutions to mitigate the effects of a different crisis – now we face the global climate crisis.
Read the article here: https://grist.org/politics/jimmy-carter-legacy-energy-american-politics/