The Troubling New Face of America

The Washington Post ^ | 5 September,2002 | Jimmy Carter, X-39

[Roy Tucker]

Fundamental changes are taking place in the historical policies of the United States with regard to human rights, our role in the community of nations and the Middle East peace process -- largely without definitive debates (except, at times, within the administration). Some new approaches have understandably evolved from quick and well-advised reactions by President Bush to the tragedy of Sept. 11, but others seem to be developing from a core group of conservatives who are trying to realize long-pent-up ambitions under the cover of the proclaimed war against terrorism.

[Roy Tucker]

Ah, Jimmy, Jimmy, where to begin?

largely without definitive debates (except, at times, within the administration).

Last time I looked, the Executive Branch is in charge of foreign policy under the Constitution (except as to the declaration of war). Since your administration had little or no foreign policy except to kiss Brezhnev on both cheeks, taking the forceful action of banning our athletes from competing in the Olympics when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, abandoning Taiwan and dithering while Iran violated US sovereignty, I don't think anyone should listen much to what you have to say about foreign policy.

We have ignored or condoned abuses in nations that support our anti-terrorism effort...

Considering you made yourself thoroughly reviled by our allies during the Cold War by criticizing their human rights records while ignoring the abuses in the Communist world, what the "respected international organizations concerned about these basic principles of democratic life" say about the US doesn't bother me one iota. We have elections and if the American people feel strongly that their democratic rights are being violated, they can vote the Republicans out, just like they voted you out.

while detaining American citizens as "enemy combatants,"

Gee, I think we have two. They should both be tried for treason, rather than plea bargainned and released. The American citizens are treated differently than the others, witness John Lindh's sentencing.

Several hundred captured Taliban soldiers remain imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay under the same circumstances, with the defense secretary declaring that they would not be released even if they were someday tried and found to be innocent. These actions are similar to those of abusive regimes that historically have been condemned by American presidents.

This really makes me mad, Jimmy. When you are at war with the people who have killed 3,000 of your fellow citizens, as Commander-in-Chief, your job is to protect them.

any belligerent move by Hussein against a neighbor, even the smallest nuclear test (necessary before weapons construction), a tangible threat to use a weapon of mass destruction, or sharing this technology with terrorist organizations would be suicidal.

Was it suicidal the last time Saddam invaded a neighboring country lobbing Scud missiles into Saudi Arabia and Israel? We know it wouldn't have been as long as you were President.

We have thrown down counterproductive gauntlets to the rest of the world, disavowing U.S. commitments to laboriously negotiated international accords.

Such as Kyoto and the ABM treaty with the Soviet Union which no longer exists? Kyoto was rejected by 95-0 in the Senate during Clinton's administration. Even your idol Ted Kennedy voted against it. Mr. President, you have gone off the deep end.

Our apparent policy is to support almost every Israeli action in the occupied territories and to condemn and isolate the Palestinians as blanket targets of our war on terrorism, while Israeli settlements expand and Palestinian enclaves shrink.

Okey dokey.

It is crucial that the historical and well-founded American commitments prevail: to peace, justice, human rights, the environment and international cooperation.

Jimmy, I think you meant "peace in our time" didn't you?

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Send Jimmy in to negotiate a settlement.

(Then drop the bombs.)

(Just kidding. I think.)

[patriciaruth]

He's such a sore loser. Still pouting about the 1980 election, is he?

[Always Right]

Too bad Jimmy is still not the President, we would still be at the mercy of Iran with our hostages.

[piasa]

I think you've about covered it.

[zarf]

Jimma Cahtah is so irritatingly mushy and mealy...he just sticks to the roof of your mouth like a peanut butter/marshmellow spread.

[goldstategop]

I am "belligerent" and "divisive." My existence is a nightmare to clueless liberals like Jimmy Doofus. His entire article is a farrago of untruths, half-truths, and wishful thinking. In restrospect, its all the more amazing we ever elected this living embodiment of the Peter Principle President of our country. Three decades after his one term nightmare Presidency emboldened the Soviets to advance Communism around the world and wrecked the economy at home, along comes Jimmuh Cartuh to dispense his unsolicited advice to President Bush. Its really full of marvelous gems, not a few of which reflect that lil Jimmy still doesn't get what really happened on 911 - and after. First off, he blasts our detention of terrorists who seek the destruction of America. Second, he pooh poohs the real danger from Iraq and intimates we should wait til New York City is a pile of radioactive rubble before we can defend ourselves Third, like all true liberals, Carter believes a piece of paper and not our fine and well honed military machine will stop the aggressive designs of America's enemies. Fourth, the fact that Oslo led Israel to the brink of national self annihilation and that appeasement aka territories for peace does not and will never work seems a lesson lost on him. Fifth and finally, our 39th President is totally oblivious to the reality that we still live in a dangerous world. To all of this, our one time failure of a President thinks we ought to bend over and be a glutton for punishment in our derriere since according to him, we're "belligerent and divisive." Translation According to the Gospel of Jimmuh: Its all America's fault. But then that's what he told us to get used to back in 1979 when he was still in the White House and thank God we had the good sense not to listen then and I sure hope that now he's no longer screwing up America from where he proved to be hopelessly unequal to the responsibility, that we don't listen to him now.

[uglybiker]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember this wuss being one of the hand-wringers warning us against going into Iraq the first time.

He's nothing if not consistent. A consistent WUSS, that is!!

[Roy Tucker]

I know, thank God for the American electorate and the 22nd Amendment.

[nopardons]

B-R-A-V-O !

[Roy Tucker]

No, I think in truth he has moved farther and farther to the Left as he left office. He actually ran as a conservative to middle of the road Democrat in 1976. Mo Udall and others were to the Left of him. Scoop Jackson to the right, but there is no longer a Jackson wing of the Democratic Party.

Jimmy made me a Republican for which I am grateful but he can still make my blood boil.

[Roy Tucker]

Thanks, but he is just so pompous, he gets my gander up.

[nopardons]

You deserve the well earned kudos; I don't give then lightly, nor often. :-)

Carter should thank GOD, every day and night, for X42; elsewise, he would have be this nation's worst president . The only thing, I miss about the Carter years, is the interest rate. If you had and " free " money, it was a bonanza. :-)

[goldstategop]

Jimmy Carter is the reason why people like us stopped being anti-communist liberals and became Republican conservatives. He made us realize the Democratic Party was beyond salvation. And reflection makes one realize that his zeitgest has continued to inform the Rats view on life in America and how we should deal with our adversaries abroad. One would think 911 would have discredited the hand-wringers and Nervous Nellies on our national scene so the vacuity of Jimmy's penetrating insights is an illustration that not even the slaughter of three thousand innocent Americans can get him and his ilk to finally wake up and admit they're wrong. Indeed as he once advised us to get over our inordinate fear of Communism, he seems to be advising us today to get rid of our inordinate fear of terrorism and radical Islam. As long as Jimmy can feel good about himself it doesn't matter whether America pays a terrible price down the road. We now have in the White House a President we can respect and a leader we can look up to. President Bush like Ronald Reagan before him, is more a man and American than Jimmy will ever amount to, a fact acknowledged by history.

[Roy Tucker]

I didn't have any money in those days and was still in college but it seemed to me that inflation caused everything to erode even real returns. I would rather earn 3 or 4 percent when inflation is zero than 12% when inflation is 10%.

I remember his misery index (combination of unemployment and inflation), lambasting Pres. Ford because it was around 8 at the time of the '76 election and it went to close to 18 during his administration.

I have to say that I actually think Clinton was a better President than Carter. The American people passed that verdict also. I am reminded of the great line of George Will "Clinton may not be the worst President we ever had, but he was the worst person ever to be President."

[Roy Tucker]

Well said and so true.

[nopardons]

Under Jimmy, interest rates went to 18 % and in some cases, 20+ %. Inflation wasn't as high and , whether they are telling you , or not, there is STILL inflation ; no one talks about it, though.

Lower interest rates make people borrow more ; which isn't always a good thing. Lower interest rates, also don't help the people ( the few who are still out there ), who save and don't invest in anything risky at all.

You don't think that selling ( and sometimes just giving away ) our national secrets are worse ?

There are four, really dreadful presidents, of the 20th century, who not only made things terrible, for their own country, but for the rest of the world , as well ; Wilson, FDR, Clinton, and Carter ... who was the least of the rotten apples, in this regard . JMHO

[backhoe]

True story- when Carter was elected President, I was having the Georgia Weather Wire teletype line installed in my house, and the Southern Bell technician seemed like a pretty sharp kind of guy, so I asked him what he thought of our new President.

I'll never forget his answer:

"Mr. John, it'll be just like it was here in Georgia... he'll come, he'll go... and nobody'll be able to figure out what the Hell he did..."

[chiefqc]

Hint to Jimmy, don't give up the paenut business.

[Roy Tucker]

Good story and boy, ain't that the truth. My parents lived in Atlanta at the time of his Presidency and Georgians were tickled that one of their own (particularly a cracker) was President, but no one could point to what he had done in Georgia to warrant it.