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Statement on President Carter’s Health

cartercenter.org

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Re: Statement on President Carter’s Health

#11

Post by rocket_surgeron »

fortran77 wrote: post #4
wkat4242 wrote: post #2

I have a lot of respect for Carter. Not only did he really seem interested in world peace instead of the warmongering from the MIC, he also remained active for all these years furthering humanitarian causes. And he was a brilliant nuclear engineer who cleaned up a nuclear accident with this team in Canada. I know he wasn't popular in the US which I don't really understand. It sounds to me like he fought the vested bi…

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Re: Statement on President Carter’s Health

#12

Post by lenzm »

wkat4242 wrote: post #2

I have a lot of respect for Carter. Not only did he really seem interested in world peace instead of the warmongering from the MIC, he also remained active for all these years furthering humanitarian causes. And he was a brilliant nuclear engineer who cleaned up a nuclear accident with this team in Canada. I know he wasn't popular in the US which I don't really understand. It sounds to me like he fought the vested bi…

I think the general image of him is that he was a good person, perhaps the "best" to ever hold the office, but was not effective as President. That he was idealistic, naive and impractical. I don't necessarily agree with the above and he was before my time.

Re: Statement on President Carter’s Health

#13

Post by Miraste »

wkat4242 wrote: post #2

I have a lot of respect for Carter. Not only did he really seem interested in world peace instead of the warmongering from the MIC, he also remained active for all these years furthering humanitarian causes. And he was a brilliant nuclear engineer who cleaned up a nuclear accident with this team in Canada. I know he wasn't popular in the US which I don't really understand. It sounds to me like he fought the vested bi…

He was unpopular for a number of other reasons, some of which were just bad luck. Inflation was high, the economy was poor, there was a massive oil shortage, and the Iranian hostage crisis went poorly. There were a lot of smaller issues too, like the 55mph speed limit. While he had good intentions and was far more forward thinking than other presidents, he wasn’t an adept administrator and didn’t manage to get buy-in on any of his plans. It’s another sad instance of good people making bad politicians.

Re: Statement on President Carter’s Health

#15

Post by whats_a_quasar »

wkat4242 wrote: post #2

I have a lot of respect for Carter. Not only did he really seem interested in world peace instead of the warmongering from the MIC, he also remained active for all these years furthering humanitarian causes. And he was a brilliant nuclear engineer who cleaned up a nuclear accident with this team in Canada. I know he wasn't popular in the US which I don't really understand. It sounds to me like he fought the vested bi…

Unless you have sources, I don't think there's much evidence either that he fought big money or was driven out of office by them.

He lost primarily because the economy was bad in the second half of his term, with inflation and oil supply shocks. Also, his adminstration botched the handling of the Iranian revolution, which lead to the hostage crisis, a huge public debacle.

He was a competent president, but not flashy, and presidents are not guaranteed a second term. So I don't think we need to imagine shadowy corporate interests to explain the election

Re: Statement on President Carter’s Health

#16

Post by mhb »

wkat4242 wrote: post #2

I have a lot of respect for Carter. Not only did he really seem interested in world peace instead of the warmongering from the MIC, he also remained active for all these years furthering humanitarian causes. And he was a brilliant nuclear engineer who cleaned up a nuclear accident with this team in Canada. I know he wasn't popular in the US which I don't really understand. It sounds to me like he fought the vested bi…

he was a brilliant nuclear engineer

There are some other views about that:

"He started nuclear power school (a six month course of study that leads to operator training) in March, 1953. In July 1953, his father passed away and he resigned his commission to run the family peanut farm."

https://atomicinsights.com/jimmy-carter-never-served-nuclear...

Re: Statement on President Carter’s Health

#17

Post by voz_ »

wkat4242 wrote: post #2

I have a lot of respect for Carter. Not only did he really seem interested in world peace instead of the warmongering from the MIC, he also remained active for all these years furthering humanitarian causes. And he was a brilliant nuclear engineer who cleaned up a nuclear accident with this team in Canada. I know he wasn't popular in the US which I don't really understand. It sounds to me like he fought the vested bi…

> I know he wasn't popular in the US which I don't really understand.

Note, these are not my opinions, but I am going to seek to answer this based on the things I have read on him.

In short, the general opinion is that he was a weak, pitiful, activist president. His overtures toward peace, anti-imperialism, humanitarian causes were laden with activism rhetoric that one would normally use if they were outside the structures of power. Once one is within the structure of power, then one is expected to speak less, and do more. Consider a parallel story of outspoken-activist-turned-president Theodore Roosevelt, speak softly and carry a big stick and all that. Carter spoke loudly and forgot his stick. This, combined with a perceived lack of policy and agenda, on top of a time of various crises, made him look rather unfit for the job.

Again, please remember that this is the summary of a general stance many hold. I was not yet alive and so cannot necessarily speak to the zeitgeist of the time, firsthand.

My personal opinion is that, if you squint, his presidency is a lot like that of Trump, in that his presidency lacked a focus and tried, and rather failed, to react to events at the time. And of course, rather different in that he was not a corrupt buffoon. To expand on this, I actually think that if we waved a magic what-if wand, and got Carter today, he would be hailed as a fantastic president, if only by comparison, so you know, context matters.

Re: Statement on President Carter’s Health

#18

Post by wefarrell »

I’m a huge fan of the man despite the fact that I wasn’t alive when he was president. He strikes me as possibly the kindest, humblest and most compassionate man who has possibly ever occupied the Oval Office.

The complaints about him that I’ve heard from the older generation of my family is that he was too nice and naive to run a superpower like the US.

Re: Statement on President Carter’s Health

#19

Post by vore »

fortran77 wrote: post #9
code_runner wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you elaborate a bit on this claim?

https://www.adl.org/resources/news/anti-semitic-reactions-ji...

The ADL has a stunningly broad definition of anti-Semitism. They claim they draw a distinction between criticism of the Israeli government vs the Jewish people, but they do not allow much daylight between the two. Criticism of Israeli government actions against Palestinians is actually denying Israeli self-determination which is actually anti-Semitism, sorry!
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