The endless debates over the Carter-Torrijos Treaties was a time of division not only in Congress but also in the country. The contreversy over whether the United States should give control of the Panama Canal over to Panama was one that had lasting implications internationally and domestically. This feat of diplomacy took over ten years and four presidencies to accomplish but resulted in a solid negotiation that stabilized the Canal and opened new avenues for strong international relations but also may have cost Carter and the Democrats their political edge with the rise of the New Right. In the end, the Treaties were an symbol of the power that diplomacy has to unite, divide and transform nations and their roles in the world.