THE ADMINISTRATION: Sowing 'Seeds of Real Conflict'

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The record shows that Carter, once he has power, tends to use it—and use it forcefully. As the Governor of Georgia, he refused to back off when he met resistance. On several occasions he overcame state legislators' opposition to his plans by people-to-people appeals to their constituents, just as he has threatened to do if Congress tries to block his programs. Recalls an unforgiving critic in Georgia's statehouse: "There was only one way to do anything—Jimmy's way. Anybody who didn't agree just had to be wrong because Jimmy never was." Largely because of Carter's bullnecked ways, his relations with the legislature steadily deteriorated. In the last two years of his four-year term, his veto was overturned a record six times.

Now that he is in the White House, where the stakes are far higher and the penalties for failure more severe, Jimmy Carter has still not shown that he finds bargaining with opponents any easier. He may need to compromise to get through his major programs on energy, welfare and taxes.