Posted on 01/28/2009 8:36:55 AM PST by dbz77
How worthless is Jimmy Carter?
Haley Barbour, Governor of Mississippi, makes the point that when an opposition party seizes control of the White House from its rival, that party almost always holds the Presidency for two terms at least. This means that the odds heavily favor Barack Obama’s reelection in 2012.
In the last 112 years, an opposition party took over the presidency eleven times (McKinley in 1896, Wilson in 1912, Harding in 1920, FDR in 1932, Eisenhower in 1952, Kennedy in 1960, Nixon in 1968, Carter in 1976, Reagan in 1980, Clinton in 1992, George W. Bush in 2000). In ten out of those eleven instances the new White House party maintained control of the executive branch for at least two terms.
Only once in 112 years – since the distant days of William McKinley – did a new president turn out to be so feckless, so incompetent, so sanctimonious, so repellant, so self-destructive, so….well, worthless….that his party lost the White House (big time!) after only one term.
Now, can we guess who this appalling loser might be?
In the sweep of recent history, James Earl Carter, Jr., stands utterly alone in leading his party to capture the White House with overwhelming Congressional majorities (61 Senators, 292 members of the House – far bigger margins than Obama!) and then, after a brief four year demonstration of almost unimaginable ineptitude, handing the reins of government back to the opposition.
In looking ahead to the Obama administration, no one wants an economic or foreign policy repetition of the nightmarish Carter years – the Republic can hardly afford that sort of long-term damage.
But GOP loyalists should legitimately hope that the new president does manage to follow Little Jimmy’s political example – repeating the Carteresque feat of losing the presidency for his party after a single term of office.
In this regard, President Obama’s first week has already provided a promising start—displaying some of the nastiness, small-mindedness, insecurity, and self-righteousness that notably characterized the Georgia Peanut. The Inaugural Address included graceless digs at President Bush that undermined the promised theme of “unity,” while touchy, grumpy comments to the White House press corps stunned reporters who had previously displayed their infatuation with the new president. The odd remarks scolding Republicans with a reminder that “I won” and warning them not to listen to Rush Limbaugh, hardly characterize a self-confident, optimistic, coalition-building leader in the style of FDR, JFK or Ronald Reagan.
Of course, it’s still much too early to say that Barack Obama has chosen to follow the disastrous path of Carterism, but it’s worth noting that the appallingly loathsome 39th President is still very much on the scene and is out promoting a new book in which he offers the current incumbent his misguided advice on Middle East Peace.
If President Obama chooses to invite the Worthless One to any sort of White House meeting, then Republicans can take encouragement from the interaction and nurture renewed hope for a big comeback within four years.
A repeat of the Wilson years is more likely.
The worst President: William Henry Harrison.
Shouldn't the headline be "Will Obama Emulate The Last Century's Worst President?
If the Republicans showed any serious signs of resistance and leadership, they could regain control of the House in less than two years.
If that were done, the glass’d be half full.
I hear that Obama has one of those WWJD bracelets.....
What Would Jimmy Do?
“Shouldn’t the headline be “Will Obama Emulate The Last Century’s Worst President?”
Yeah, I guess so.
Let’s see ,,,,,,, Carter still has 71 more years to be considered the WORST PRESIDENT OF THE LAST ONE HUNDRED YEARS.
2080 - 2009 = 71 years.
Right??
Carter: WPOTLOHY
Obama: WPOTC
GWBush: BDSOTC - “biggest disappointing socialist of the century”
No.
He is going to break ground that will be all his own.
And we, here on FR, want him to fail.
Mostly.
“The worst President: William Henry Harrison.”
Yep—that was the worst month in US history.
This is an interesting study- the premise is that what gets President's elected and reelected is not ideology
It's the economy (stupid!)
So Carter did not lose and Reagan win because the American people shifted ideologically to the right- Carter lost because he screwed up the economy and people wanted...”change” (sound familiar?)
And if true, then Bambi did not win because the American people shifted ideologically to the hard left- he won because the economy is bad and people wanted...”change”
And if the economy is looking bad in 2 years or 4 years- then people won't vote for the right or for the left- they will vote for “change”
This is really worth the GOP considering, and keeping their distance from and open opposition to unproductive or counterproductive economic policies and moves by Obama and the democrats- which is exactly what is happening this week
But don't tell Pelosi and Obama and Reid- they think they “won” because the American people are ready to embrace hard core leftwing liberalism
They may be WAY overplaying their win as based on their ideology-
If this study has any merit, this should blow up in their smug marxist/socialist faces when their economic policies fail- as history shows us they will. Too bad for the suffering that has to occur, however.
Nice speech, though.
We would be well served these days by another “1948 do nothing Congress.”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0707/5104.html
Fixed it.
In fact, surveys and interviews reveal that the average nitwit Obamanoid had no idea what his ideology is. There were a lot of kneejerk liberals, as always, but the hardcore leftists worked hard to disguise their agenda, not publicize it.
It has occurred to me that Republicans in Congress should just vote ‘present’ (who does that remind you of?) on every bill and give the messiah and his apostles whatever they want. The quicker these guys screw up massively, the better for us AND for the nation, I would argue. If they really blow it fast and big, (big enough to get through to the sheeple who voted him into office and will take a lot of convincing) even ACORN will not be able (I hope) to fake enough votes to keep obama in power. Hawaii’s recent foray into socialized medicine (for the CHILDREN) fell apart after two years. I know the Republicans will never do what I suggested above, but they should.
obama incompetent sanctimonious says it all
Of course I'm also smart enough to know it won't happen.
Exactly. If those things didn’t sum him up completely, I might have felt the need to enumerate them...:)
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