Why is Jimmy Carter History's Greatest Monter?
Whenever I open the newspaper to find an article about Jimmy Carter (or see him on TV) I scream, "Jimmy Carter?! He's history's greatest monster!" Alas, it's not my joke; it comes from an episode of "The Simpsons." Marge fails to make marshmallow treats for the town bake sale, which results in Springfield being unable to afford a statue of Abraham Lincoln. They settle for a bronze President Carter instead. When it's unveiled, someone shouts, "Jimmy Carter!? He's history's greatest monster!" and the town riots. " ~ Jonah Goldberg
Thunderbolt,
ReplyDeleteCan you provide a like to Jonah Goldberg's piece that you quoted? I read all I can that Goldberg writes, but I don't recall reading that one. Interestingly, I don't agree that Jimmy Carter was the world's greatest monster only because he was the most ineffective president of my lifetime.
PolyKahr
As I recall it, the Carter years saw a government friendly to the US, the Shah of Iran, deposed and replaced by the fundamentalist Muslim regime that still rules today. During the turmoil, the US embassy compound in Tehran was over-run, and many hostages taken. President Carter oversaw the bumbling and ineffective attempts to recover the hostages, for 444 days. The hostages were release the day before President Reagan's inauguration.
ReplyDeletePresident Carter oversaw changes to the economy. Customary credit card interest rates climbed from around 8% to 12% to over 28%. That part never did get rolled back. Thanks, Visa, Mastercard.
President Carter watched inflation begin to cripple our economy - seriously. President Reagan later took steps to turn things around. Reagan wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, he couldn't explain clearly what he was doing - but the people he relied on were top notch and true. Reaganomics was one of the less pejorative names given to Reagan's recovery plans by outraged Democrats screamed as they watched the pork barrel run dry. Reagan's recovery plan resulted, years after his presidency, in stability and recovery through his presidency, through Bush Senior's presidency, and almost all the way through the Clinton years. I consider the one true successes of the Clinton years that Reagan's economic plan was left intact - right up until the last summer before Gore was running. Then apparently they paid off some political debts that de-stabilized the economy - and that we are struggling with today. Yeah, economy fixes and wreckings take many years, longer than a single presidency, to ripple through.
Carter is a very bright, dedicated man. One reason his name gets linked so often today with Obama is they share an idealism that doesn't inspire those they have to work with to accomplish something - Congress. I recall President Carter pledging to work in blue jeans, as a 'working man', until the nation's woes were taken care of. At the time, we still reeled from Nixon's impeachment, and President Ford pardoning President Nixon. President Johnson's 'War against Poverty' was creating a welfare state, without seriously reducing poverty. And all of a sudden Carter was dressed in morning coat, full formal dress because otherwise now one would treat him with respect.
Perhaps Carter's single most attractive feature for getting elected was that he wasn't involved with Ford or Nixon, or anyone else in Washington, DC. But that was the downfall of his administration, Congress didn't take him seriously, and wouldn't work with him.
Jimmy Carter was a nice guy - still is, as far as I know - that was in a position of authority but couldn't *exercise* the authority.
And the former Navy officer could not pronounce 'nuclear' as in nuclear power' - Carter settled for 'nuke-you-lar' instead of the correct 'new-klee-ar'.
The Carter presidency was stunningly damaging to the US economy, foreign policy, and US prestige for such a good hearted, bright man. (Remember - US prestige abroad reduces tourist and military deaths.)
At least, that is what I think is meant by calling Carter a monster - the unexpected failures of his presidency as set against his good nature, his many talents, and his obvious desire to do well.
And here's me thinking it was something to do with the Panama Canal.
ReplyDeleteThe Panama canal TOO, timmeeee.
ReplyDeleteHere is one link to that Jonah article.
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