The sole availability of early solar technology (which was all Carter had at his disposal) in no way diminishes his prescience in focusing the country's attention on solar power. Likewise, the end of the oil crisis in no way mitigates Reagan's lack of prescience by not replacing those "heaters," as you described them, following the resurfacing of the White House roof. Reagan was making a clear statement in favor of the oil economy. George W. Bush did exactly the same thing. Shortly after he was elected, Ari Fleischer, Bush's spokesperson, was asked by a reporter if the new president would be focusing on energy conservation. Fleischer's obviously pre-rehearsed answer: absolutely not - guzzling oil (or words to that effect) "is the American way." And so it has been under all recent Republican presidents.