I just have to ask this question:
What are some opinions on Jimmy Carter? Those of you who already know me know where I stand (he stinks). But I'm always curious what others think. So do tell! And please explain why.
Also, I'm curious how much liberal nostalgia there is for George H.W. Bush. (I don't like him either!)
I promise longer posts on these two ex-presidents shortly. Just thought I'd take a little survey first.
4 comments:
Jimmy Carter has always struck me as a decent person interested in promoting democratic values. Fair elections, energy dependence, solar power, right to free speech and religious beliefs, and habitat for humanity are all ideas that I associate with Carter. I believe he was just clumsy, and subsequently seen as irrelevant. But unlike Bush, I think Carter cares a lot about human rights, liberties, and democratic ideals.
Anonymous,
Agreed. I think, however, that he was more than clumsy as President. I think that he was self-righteous and that in the end this is what hurt him most. In other words, if a member of Congress, for instance, disagreed with him then rather than try to work with that person and/or try to strike a compromise he would just ignore them. Carter felt that if someone did not take his side that it was because that person was a bad person. This was a frequent occurrence and it caused many members to not want to work with him (or even be able to if they wanted to). In addition, I think that he often holds a double standard for western countries when it comes to human rights. In particular, Israel. Or in that case I feel that it is an impossible standard.
He got a bad rap.
I disagree. I think he hasn't had a bad enough rap. And through his ineptitude we ended up with Ronald Reagan as President, which begat Poppa Bush, which begat the mess that we are in today (aka: his son). So I stand by my Carter-animosity.
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