If the government is Steve Urkel, then Carter seeks to paint the nation as Hulk Hogan in the power relationship we described when we talked about the motif of "The Government." By downplaying the effectiveness of legislation, by calling the government "isolated" and "an island," Carter puts all the power and responsibility for change in the Nation itself, in the people of the United States of America.

This is evidenced when he says:

First of all, we must face the truth, and then we can change our course. (38)

The "we" he's speaking about is the Nation, the people. So then, what's the "truth" that we the nation must face? That truth, according to Carter, is the idea that:

[…] we simply must have faith in each other, faith in our ability to govern ourselves, and faith in the future of this Nation. (38)

Notice that he doesn't say how we should have faith in the government. And he doesn't even say that we should have faith in the President. No, Carter places all of the power, all of the responsibility in nation itself.

He contends that we should have faith in each other, not the White House. That we must have faith in our ability to govern ourselves, not be governed. Oof. That's powerful stuff.

By limiting the government's capacity to address the ongoing crisis, Carter hopes to empower individual Americans to find their own solutions regarding their doubt and insecurities. He puts a premium on the Nation's ability to do this.

Power to the people, indeed.