ABSTRACT
Jimmy Carter in and out of the presidency has been an advocate of civil liberties and human rights. A onetime farmer and Georgia governor before defeating Gerald Ford for the presidency in 1976, Carter arguably has been a greater advocate of civil liberties than many presidents who were lawyers. The recipient of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize, who as president emphasized the importance of advancing human rights as a foreign policy goal, he has worked tirelessly to see to it that not only Americans but citizens of other nations as well can exercise the fundamental right of voting. For civil liberties to flourish, government must be open, and Carter pursued such openness even when his actions were not popular, such as his successful efforts to secure ratification of the Panama Canal treaties in 1978. The National Organization for Women criticized President Carter and Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare Joseph Califano for opposing government funding of abortion.
