On December 29th, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter died in Plains, Georgia at the ripe old age of 100. As the new year replaces the old, it is as sad as it is depressing to see one of America’s most decent presidents depart the scene just as one with no basic decency at all prepares to resume the throne.

Carter brought high standards of humanity and integrity to the presidency. A son of the south, he became a champion of civil rights. He stripped tax-exempt status from all-white religious academies. On his second day in office he pardoned all Vietnam War draft dodgers. He introduced national energy and conservation policies that were ahead of their time, brought peace between Egypt and Israel, and negotiated the SALT II arms control agreement with the Soviets.

Unfortunately his term was cursed with a wave of bad luck: an energy crisis, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and perhaps the biggest blow to his political future, the Iran hostage crisis. The result was sour relations with Congress and ultimately the loss of the 1980 election to Ronald Reagan.

He may not have had the opportunity to reach his full potential as president, but in his post-presidency he came into his own. He established the Carter Center which has been active for decades in promoting democracy and human rights. A major focus has also been global health and the Center was instrumental in eradicating Guinea worm disease, a painful parasitic infection that afflicted millions in Africa and Asia. He is also well known for his work with “Habitat for Humanity.” In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work.

Not all his views were universally popular. For example, he opposed the Iraq War, scolding his country for its warlike nature. Although a man of deep faith, he once said that the world’s biggest problem was violence against women and girls, and he cited religious texts as a leading cause.

He lived a long, adventurous and productive life like few others, creating a new mold for ex-presidents. Americans took a step backward when they rejected him in his bid for a second term in favour of the reactionary Reagan.

Now history repeats itself as another thoroughly decent U.S. president is about to be replaced by a lesser man. Americans have taken an even bigger step backward, a choice that dwarfs by magnitudes their folly in choosing Reagan over Carter.

It seems to me that simple decency is fundamental to good leadership—an essential criterion. Apparently American voters don’t necessarily agree.