In my opinion, Jimmy Carter was the most conscientious president among all U.S. presidents since the Cold War era - a true idealist who genuinely believed in human rights. However, this contradicted America’s fundamental self-interest, which is why he isn’t considered a good president and was seen as weak during his term.

Yet several things Carter accomplished, whether driven by personal conviction or American interests, became very far-sighted political legacies:

• establishing U.S.-China diplomatic relations initiated a golden age of Sino-American relations, making Reagan’s economic policies possible and giving confidence to push the Soviet Union to its limits;
• returning the Panama Canal stabilized America’s “backyard”;
• and his Middle East strategy gave the Bush family the opportunity to reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics through the Gulf War.

Whether you call it “moral diplomacy” or “showing weakness everywhere,” these long-term political strategies were characteristic of America in its platinum age. Compared to the actions of today’s U.S. government, times have changed. Trump was eager to emulate Reagan-era policies, hoping to win again with old tricks, but looking at recent news, it seems like while the old tune is being played again, the roles have reversed.

Rest in peace.