How Jimmy Carter Won the Battle Of The Budget

The history books tell us that Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter in the presidential voting of 1980, then went on to win decisive re-election. And it unquestionably is Mr. Reagan’s handsome visage we see each evening on the TV news reports. That the Great Communicator is our President would not appear to be in doubt.

Were we not privy to this information, however, and were we reduced to inferring the results of the 1980 election from the conduct of certain aspects of our national business, we would be hard put to know that Reagan had emerged the victor. In numerous cases, despite the valiant efforts of the President, continuity of Carter policy, rather than reversal, is the rule. On federal budgetary matters in particular—a crucial zone of disagreement between the two contenders—current practice is much closer to the Carter trend than to goals repeatedly affirmed by Reagan. Carter lost the election, but Carter policies on the federal budget are with us still.

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M. Stanton Evans

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The history books tell us that Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter in the presidential voting of 1980, then went on to win decisive re-election. And it unquestionably is Mr. Reagan’s handsome visage we see each evening on the TV news reports. That the Great Communicator is our President would not appear to be in doubt.

Were we not privy to this information, however, and were we reduced to inferring the results of the 1980 election from the conduct of certain aspects of our national business, we would be hard put to know that Reagan had emerged the victor. In numerous cases, despite the valiant efforts of the President, continuity of Carter policy, rather than reversal, is the rule. On federal budgetary matters in particular—a crucial zone of disagreement between the two contenders—current practice is much closer to the Carter trend than to goals repeatedly affirmed by Reagan. Carter lost the election, but Carter policies on the federal budget are with us still.