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The un-celebrity president: Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly

washingtonpost.com

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Re: The un-celebrity president: Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly

#61

Post by pmiller2 »

tptacek wrote: post #59
pmiller2 wrote: post #53

How has no one pointed out after 8 hours that this man who “shuns riches” receives a pension that puts him in the 97.7th percentile of income[0], a fully funded office, medical benefits, and no housing costs other than property tax? For a majority of America, that would be riches beyond belief. Let’s not forget he plays golf with billionaires. I’m sure Mr. Carter donates a substantial portion of his income and lives…

The article discusses his pension and, if you reread it, points out that he does not in fact get medical benefits from his tenure in government.

Yes, he gets medical benefits from Emory University. It’s irrelevant. Who cares where he gets them from? The point still stands that he has unimaginable riches compared to the vast majority of Americans.

Re: The un-celebrity president: Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly

#62

Post by dba7dba »

BrainInAJar wrote: post #44
pmyteh wrote: post #3

Jimmy Carter is without question one of the all-time great ex-presidents. Whatever the successes or failings of his administration, he's used his time since to improve the world, and is honest, uncorrupt, and suitably (ex-)presidential.

Funny you should say that on the anniversary of the Gwangju uprising, where Jimmy Carter sent the military to go massacre students protesting the US-installed military dictatorship in South Korea

Jimmy Carter did not send the military. It was local South Korean military/junta that did so.

Re: The un-celebrity president: Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly

#63

Post by doxavore »

pmiller2 wrote: post #53

How has no one pointed out after 8 hours that this man who “shuns riches” receives a pension that puts him in the 97.7th percentile of income[0], a fully funded office, medical benefits, and no housing costs other than property tax? For a majority of America, that would be riches beyond belief. Let’s not forget he plays golf with billionaires. I’m sure Mr. Carter donates a substantial portion of his income and lives…

I had the same reaction, though in comparison to other former presidents it could be considered accurate. I did find it interesting that he doesn't receive federal health benefits, having only 4 years of the required 5 years service. (He does receive them through Emory University.)

Re: The un-celebrity president: Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly

#64

Post by UncleEntity »

pmiller2 wrote: post #53

How has no one pointed out after 8 hours that this man who “shuns riches” receives a pension that puts him in the 97.7th percentile of income[0], a fully funded office, medical benefits, and no housing costs other than property tax? For a majority of America, that would be riches beyond belief. Let’s not forget he plays golf with billionaires. I’m sure Mr. Carter donates a substantial portion of his income and lives…

Probably because it doesn't matter.

Sure, he may receive a handsome pension for his service as the highest official in the land along with other benefits but what's the alternative, having other world leaders bumping off our former presidents (looking at you Saddam) because they decided to enter public service and can't afford world-class protection for themselves/family?

Re: The un-celebrity president: Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly

#65

Post by dba7dba »

pmiller2 wrote: post #53

How has no one pointed out after 8 hours that this man who “shuns riches” receives a pension that puts him in the 97.7th percentile of income[0], a fully funded office, medical benefits, and no housing costs other than property tax? For a majority of America, that would be riches beyond belief. Let’s not forget he plays golf with billionaires. I’m sure Mr. Carter donates a substantial portion of his income and lives…

He lives in a house that is worth less than the armored SUV parked outside his house.

And drinks cheap alcohol/food, and not for a photo op.

What more do you want him to do?

Re: The un-celebrity president: Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly

#66

Post by BrainInAJar »

tenken wrote: post #45
BrainInAJar wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny you should say that on the anniversary of the Gwangju uprising, where Jimmy Carter sent the military to go massacre students protesting the US-installed military dictatorship in South Korea

Can you please provide a source for this info? I can't find Jimmy Carter's name in this research: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwangju_Uprising

http://articles.latimes.com/1996-10-07/local/me-51336_1_sout...

Re: The un-celebrity president: Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly

#67

Post by mattkrause »

WillPostForFood wrote: post #47
rectang wrote: post #13

Modest living sets individuals and their ideas free.

The tennis court at former President Jimmy Carter’s private home is swept twice a day, his pool is cleaned daily and his grass cut, his flower beds weeded and his windows washed on a regular basis — all at taxpayers’ expense Relatively modest.

From a few lines below in that article:

“President Carter would be glad to reduce the frequency of routine maintenance at the discretion of the Park Service,” Ms. Congileo said.”

The back story is that he donated the house to the National Park Service. And, as even the Republican who oversaw that said, the cost is essentially a rounding error.

Re: The un-celebrity president: Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly

#68

Post by danso »

pmiller2 wrote: post #53

How has no one pointed out after 8 hours that this man who “shuns riches” receives a pension that puts him in the 97.7th percentile of income[0], a fully funded office, medical benefits, and no housing costs other than property tax? For a majority of America, that would be riches beyond belief. Let’s not forget he plays golf with billionaires. I’m sure Mr. Carter donates a substantial portion of his income and lives…

The premise of this article is that Carter is an “un-celebrity” who choose to avoid profiting from his presidential past, not that he’s living on the streets as a pauper.

Re: The un-celebrity president: Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly

#69

Post by mattkrause »

pmiller2 wrote: post #61
tptacek wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article discusses his pension and, if you reread it, points out that he does not in fact get medical benefits from his tenure in government.

Yes, he gets medical benefits from Emory University. It’s irrelevant. Who cares where he gets them from? The point still stands that he has unimaginable riches compared to the vast majority of Americans.

Again, how much do you think he should he get? He also had power—-and responsibilities and stress—-that are unimaginable compare to the vast majority of Americans.

And for what it’s worth, the median household income is around $60k. Three times that doesn’t seem crazy high.

Re: The un-celebrity president: Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly

#70

Post by danso »

pmiller2 wrote: post #61
tptacek wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article discusses his pension and, if you reread it, points out that he does not in fact get medical benefits from his tenure in government.

Yes, he gets medical benefits from Emory University. It’s irrelevant. Who cares where he gets them from? The point still stands that he has unimaginable riches compared to the vast majority of Americans.

But what does that point have to do with this article, which details how differently Carter lives compared to other former presidents? I think it’s self-evident that Carter, being one of the fewer than 50 men in the history of the U.S. to be elected president, has an existence generally unimaginable the the vast majority of Americans.
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