Actually, Carter had one really good idea:
Zero based budgeting.
The norm in DC is to maintain each department's budget each year, and the debate is how much to add to each department's budget in the next fiscal year.
Carter wanted each department to start at zero, each fiscal year, and justify the need for continuing budget allocations for their continuing work and any additional funds for new work. They were also expected to phase out useless and outdated programs.
DC doesn't think like that, so the Congress and all the bureaucraps pushed back, and zero base budgeting died quickly. The democraps, RINOs in Congress, and the deep state will also work to derail DOGE, since it is a major paradigm shift. Loss of spending power means loss of power, and also loss of embezzlement opportunities.