The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, on the passing of former President Jimmy Carter:
“We join all Americans in remembering the legacy of President Jimmy Carter.
“One of President Carter’s most enduring legacies will always be the amazing technological advances that were a direct result of his support for sensible and cost-effective regulation to foster competition and innovation. As President Carter’s top domestic policy advisor, Stuart Eizenstat, told us, ‘This included deregulation of airlines bringing affordable air travel to the middle class, as well as deregulation of trucks, railroads, banks, and telecommunications, which helped usher in the era of cable TV. As a consumer champion, he believed free market competition benefited the American consumer, but never did so at the expense of safety.’
“President Carter’s 1978 Executive Order on regulatory reform began with a simple and common-sense set of principles: ‘Regulations shall be as simple and clear as possible. They shall achieve legislative goals effectively and efficiently. They shall not impose unnecessary burdens on the economy, on individuals, on public or private organizations, or on State and local governments.
“His 1978 Executive Order set the precedent for directing federal agencies to periodically review their existing regulations and decide if they should be kept, changed, or done away with. The direct results of his 1978 Executive Order include innovations like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other ‘permissionless access’ products that now generate more than $95 billion a year in incremental sales value.
“President Carter made the biggest shift to competition of any previous U.S. president. His approach to competition deregulating airlines lowered prices and made travel -- and thus business meetings -- more accessible to start ups and big companies alike.
“President Carter was also a visionary leader who led by example when it came to incorporating innovation into daily life. Before he was President, he studied nuclear physics and worked as a trained nuclear engineer under Admiral Hyman Rickover, the father of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear program. He also famously installed the first solar panels at the White House in 1979, used email on his presidential campaign in 1976, and even used the first campaign jet that was equipped with two computers.
“President Carter also loved audio technology. Living in Plains, Georgia, he bought the best audio system to play his beloved rock and roll and country music. His appreciation for music and closeness to musicians helped him connect with younger generations.
“He also was a moral president. He literally began his presidency with his very first words as president thanking his Republican predecessor, Gerald Ford, (and he later spoke eloquently at President Ford’s funeral.) His Presidency was defined by bipartisanship on several major issues and he was the most recent president to ask Americans to sacrifice and save energy to avoid reliance on fossil fuels. His analysis of the energy challenges we face and his focus on solar energy proved to be prescient.
“CTA thanks President Carter for helping make possible so much of our nation’s and our world’s progress over the past several decades, and our thoughts are with the entire Carter family.”
