Carter was the best president we have had in my lifetime.

[PurgedVoter]

The day he was elected the smear campaign started. Even my high school newspaper attacked him. Peace was breaking out all over the world when Carter was at the Helm.

Bush Sr. and his cronies manipulated events to damage and later destroy the progress Carter made and was making.

Don't make the mistake the neocons and the freepers want you to make. Don't believe that a leader has to be dishonest and stupid.

Carter stood up to the Military Industrial Complex. Carter stood up to Big Oil. At the same time Carter strengthened and renewed the military. Look it up, Jimmy Carter, the Nuclear Engineer, used to read the blue prints before deciding to invest in new weapons systems. But invest he did. Show me the flaw in Carter that isn't shallow opinion based on repeated vapor.

Just because Rush and the like, constantly put Carter down, we have been deprived of a true hero. Remember that the Republiklan Party says 'How dare you attack the President of the United States of America,' only when a Republiklan is in office. The rest of the time they make shit up.

I am sick and tired of the vapor lies about Carter that even Democrats spout. Don't buy the propaganda, Carter fought for his county, and he is still fighting for his country. Carter is a hero and doesn't deserve the fucking disrespect he is given.

Every other discussion of presidents even here on Democratic Underground has some ignorant comment giving Carter a low rating. Damn, do some research people, base you beliefs on fact. We don't need to be ignorant, leave that to the freepers.

Let's look at the facts,
Carter writes his own books. Republican presidents ...
Carter reads books and papers. Republican presidents ...
Carter does fine woodworking as a hobby. Republican presidents dress up as a hobby.
Carter is for democracy. Republican presidents hate you for your freedoms.
Carter is a Nuclear Engineer and farmer. Republican presidents are actors and business men.
Carter Stood up to Big Oil. Republican presidents are Big Oil.
Carter helped negotiate strong relations with other nations. Bush Sr. made strong personal connections to dictators and terrorists.
Carter did not stop serving his country after he left office. Some Republican presidents have never served their country.
Carter practices Christianity instead of faking it. Republicans in general want to post the Ten Commandments that they have never read.
Carter has ethics. Republicans, hmmm.

We have not honored this man as he deserves.

[liberal N proud]

1. Definitely

[katmondoo]

2. The bad part was interest rates were up to 20%

A lot of businesses folded. I do not know why the rates were so high . Was it on purpose? I don't know.

[PurgedVoter]

6. rising oil prices had a strong impact on inflation.

Regan is generally given credit for ending high inflation. I guess Regan was a great finanical genius.

[Zynx]

62. There was a lot more to it than just oil prices.

Housing and auto prices went out of control as well.

[INdemo]

15. Those high interest rates could have been brought down earlier

but there again politics.The Fed Reserve Chairman purposely failed to act to insure an Republican victory..

[Toots]

77. Don't you remember Ford's slogan WIN "Whip Inflation Now"?

It wasn't Carter that brought us inflation but he was saddled with it just as the new Democratic President will be saddled with the ill feeling from around the world for the USA.

[RevCheesehead]

3. Carter is an evangelical, "born-again" Christian....

but doesn't exploit that for personal gain.

Thank you for this. Jimmy Carter is one of my heroes. :)

[DanCa]

4. Carter walked the walk and talked the talk

Just like you do.:hug: I love ya rev.

[AspenRose]

88. He was the first president to be labeled 'born again'

By Carter's own admission/preference.

Most people think it was Ray-gun.

Typical M.O.=take the positive attribute of a Democrat and credit the Republicans with it. :mad:

I was the only person of color in my 3rd grade class when we had a 'mock' election mirroring the Carter/Ford election. I voted for Carter, of course.

So when Ford lost, our 3rd grade teacher made the whole class write condolence letters to Ford....but no congratulations to Carter.

God bless you, President Carter, and thank you for your service, your wisdom and your contributions to peace and the poor and suffering who are struggling. :patriot:

[brmdp3123]

5. Carter is a good man,

but things sucked when he was president. High inflation, high interest rates, high unemployment, slow economy, Iranian hostages. Sorry, but I don't miss those years.

[Cassandra]

20. Carter inherited a lousy economy from Ford and Nixon...

who had taken a difficult economy from Johnson and made it worse. Nixon tried wage and price controls; that was a disaster. Ford has his stupid WIN buttons, Whip Inflation Now, that he thought were more important than prosecuting Nixon. Carter would have gotten at least some of the hostages released if Reagan hadn't gone behind his back and made a secret deal with the Ayatollah.

[LA lady]

46. Thanks

I was wondering if I was the only person here who remembered it that way!

[RangerSmith]

85. me either,

and I don't think the oil embargo was "standing up to big oil" as much as it was handing them millions of dollars.

Granted, almost any President would have done it, but thats some pretty good spin right there.

[ClintonTyree]

7. Even my Mom, a staunch Republican............

says that Carter was probably the most decent man to ever hold the office of President of the United States. When my Mom says something like that you can bet the farm, it's the truth. Carter was a victim of circumstances; some deliberate and man-made and some just poor timing. I think he is one of the finest human beings on this planet. Now, compare him to our current resident in the White House. Bush is the antithesis of Carter yet bush claims (loudly enough for all to hear) to be such a good christian. :rofl: Bush isn't worthy of wiping Jimmy Carter's ass.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

16. CLinton, you are very wrong.

Bush is just the guy to wipe Jimmy's ass. If only he could get through the picture book instruction manual.

[durrrty libby]

8. The vilification of Jimmy Carter, is reason enough to loathe the ignorant

repukes.

Just imagine if we had heeded his words about foreign oil, how different the world

would be today.

[Greyhound]

10. You are absolutely right,

except there were, and still are, a whole lot of Democrats that pushed the same crap for their own reasons. I wonder why they'd do that?

[LincolnMcGrath]

59. Even worse when it comes from the dlcentrist-zellocrat coalition here.

You see, the right has framed the issue Jimmy BAD! So the ever meek band of BullMoose worshipers feel like they have to fall in line.

[rogerashton]

9. I have to say, during my adult lifetime,

Since I was born during FDR's presidency.

Let me add this. Carter could almost certainly have been re-elected if he had sent US troops into Iran and played the "rally 'round the president in wartime" game. That would have made the disaster much worse, and would have been wrong for the country. Carter did the right thing even though it cost him the election. Can anyone think of a Republican who would do that?

Meanwhile, the Reaganoids were paying off the Iranian mullahs to keep the American hostages prisoners, since their release before the election would have helped Carter's chances.

About the 20% interest rates. Arthur Burns, a Republican appointee, broke tradition and refused to resign when Carter came in. This palace revolution placed the Federal Reserve even further beyond the control of the President than ever before -- probably a good thing on the whole, but it means that in practice no president since 1976 can fairly be held responsible for interest rates. Unfortunately, the Fed had some learning to do to handle its independence. When Burns' term ran out, it was understood that Carter had to appoint someone in whom "the financial community," i.e. bond traders, have confidence. Volker was the appointee under these circumstances. Volker tried the experiment of a policy based on "monetarism," the economic theory then popular with conservatives. Milton Friedman had been a major source of monetarist ideas, and Burns had given them lip service but not really followed them. Volker did. The experiment failed, and monetarism is now pretty much dead. None of this was Carter's doing: the Fed was under "conservative" control the whole time.

[Cosmocat]

21. It just is mind numbing ...

The other thing is ... Carter's response to the energy crisis ... He laid an extensive multi-faced energy program that Reagan tore as soon as he got into office ... Two and a half decades later we have calls for a "Manhatten Project" Style energy policy, when if Carter's program would have been implimented, we would be there already ...

First day in office about, Reagan tore down the solar panels Carter had put on the White House ...

But, the republican noise machine, with MSM in tow, and the clueless american public in tow behind the MSM, are left with the Carter was a disaster and Reagan should be on Mt Rushmore meme ...

WTF has this country come to ??? That a decent, intelligent, dedicated and highly competent man like Carter could be tore down, and a barely adequte president like Reagan made into a great president ???

BTW ... ALL you hear in defense of this retard today from his minions is how he is a victim to circumstances ... Funny how that doesn't apply to Carter ...

[PaDem]

25. remarkable.........

isn't it? How can American's compare and contrast Carter and Reagan and not come to a near consensus in Carter's favor?

One a bright, thoughtful, honest, genuine man. The other a propped up actor who's sole talent was his ability to communicate effectively on camera. What kills me is that Christians overwhelmingly supported Reagan despite the fact that he explicitly said that he wasn't "born again" and despite the fact that he clearly was an adherent to a cynical civic religion that's purpose was to exploit voters. Contrast that with Carter, who walked the walk and taught Sunday School.

[Cosmocat]

52. BIZZAIRE ...

Another good point ... Reagan, I won't impune his true faith ... But, Carter ... NO FREAKIN WAY you can say anything other than that he is pretty much THE spitting image of what god would want from a Christian, and as you noted, the "moral majority" turned on him like rabid dogs ...

NO more clear example that it ain't about god, but the politics of the "authoritarian" power grab by the freaks who have hijacked christianity in this country ...

[wakeme2008]

11. JFK

:)

[EST]

12. Carter is highly educated, highly intelligent, and a gentleman.

He is the most intelligent president we have ever had, at least in the last hundred years.
Carter represented a stumble in the Republican authoritarian march to domination and was reviled by the idiots who were sure that Nixon's downfall was a plot by democrats. rather than a result of his own excesses.

Carter's "born again christian" status, or, rather, the media take on it, represented a big distraction, especially for me, because I expected a host of unwelcome proselytizing, such as we have now, courtesy of the criminals in power.

He is misunderstood intentionally, maligned unconscionably, and, because he's an honest man, probably could never have been highly successful as president--he avoided striking back at the idiots attacking him.

[opihimoimoi]

13. Diogenes should have lived this long to see the Honest Man

Carter won the Nobel Peace prize

Bush is gonna win the BOOBY Prize

[izzie]

14. I also liked Carter a lot. I guessed this

The country likes wars and all that and he wanted peace. Having lived in the military society for many years I thought peace was a better deal. I had also started to think more about history in those years. I had grown up in a real GOP home and was always told war was a waste of people and goods and it took a village to raise a child so be sure you know what your taxes are doing in your town, I never got that out of my mind. From my Republic father. Who was a down right capitalist who wanted lower taxes. In those days they were well over 50 per cent in his income.

[Rhiannon12866]

17. K&R, PurgedVoter! Excellent post!

And I certainly can't disagree with anything you've said. I believe that Jimmy Carter was the best president in my lifetime, as well... one of the best, ever, IMHO, and I have always believed that history will prove this to be true...:-)

Criticism of my president, and it's still going on, sends me over the edge. They call him "a failure." The best that they can do is refer to him as "one of our best ex-presidents." Bullshit.:grr:

Your excellent list should be required reading for anyone who has ever criticized President Carter. They are facts, not opinion. Carter was the last president to bring something unequivocally positive to the American people. I'm not bashing Clinton, who is a brilliant man and worked tirelessly to wage peace and restore prosperity, but he followed Reagan-Bush, and the darkness had already fallen. The "culture of fear" had already taken hold.:-(

What people tend to overlook is that it was Carter, not Reagan, who was instrumental in bringing down the USSR, with his grain embargo. He was the one US president who met and worked with Pope John Paul II, but wasn't allowed on Air Force One to attend his funeral. Bush* has embraced John Paul II, after the fact, for political gain, even though this pope called Bush*'s war in Iraq "immoral"... And Carter actually did achieve peace in the Middle East, with his historic agreement between Sadat and Begin. He was finally awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, way too late for most people to remember.:-(

And he is still on the job, overseeing fair elections throughout the world and working with Habitat for Humanity, building houses for the poor. And he just finished his twentieth(?) book, bringing his unique perspective to a populace who desperately needs guidance and hope.:-)

I have long said that he would be the best emissary to send to the Middle East now, if we are really sincere in bringing peace to this troubled region, but I fear that, with this current crisis, it may be too late... And this administration is far too partisan to look past their own inner circle to work for a greater good.;(

I honor President Carter, my president, and yours.:patriot:

Rhiannon:hi:

[philly_bob]

18. Carter's loss to Reagan: Republican deal with Iran?

I distinctly remember that it turned out there was odd back-channel communication between right-wingers like Ollie North and the Iranians who held Americans hostage.

That Iranians held the American for 400 days, and released them 20 minutes after Reagan's inauguration.

Many believe that the Iranian hostages cost Carter re-election.

[philly_bob]

29. Related discussion on Carter

There's a related discussion going on at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1706797&mesg_id=1707287.

[reichstag911]

38. Check out...

...October Surprise by Gary Sick at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812920872/sr=1-2/qid=1153664099/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-3344311-8695968?ie=UTF8&s=books to learn more about the backchannel dealings between Bill Casey, George H. W. Bush (?), and the Iranians.

[Lasher]

48. The October Surprise

I am one who believes that the hostage crisis was treasonously perpetuated by Poppy and Saint Ronnie of Ray Gun, and that this did indeed cost Carter the election. Hit this link and decide for yourself.

http://www.geocities.com/thereaganyears/1980election.htm

Carter was a great president, and is highly admired throughout the world today as one of our finest ex-presidents. Saint Ronnie blamed Carter for nearly everything that went wrong, almost to the end of his 2 terms in office. A well-financed and determined propaganda campaign has been working since the end of Reagan's presidency to try to paint him as something he was not: a good president. These efforts have not helped the general perception of Carter, due to the scapegoating I've mentioned.

[wyldwolf]

19. No he wasn't. He's been the best ex-president..

...but let's not go revising history here.

Carter did not "stand up to the military industrial complex."

It was Carter who began the great anti-Soviet military buildup generally attributed to Reagan. Carter would have built 200 MX missiles; Ronald Reagan meekly accepted 50. Carter sent weapons to the Afghanis. Carter's National Security Council stated the goal of forcefully changing the character of Nicaragua's Sandinista regime.

He approved full-scale development of the MX missile system. He had a plan to run them by rail around the American West. His proposed military budget was bigger the Reagan's.

More here: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20021104/cockburn

I have all the respect in the world for Carter's work post-presidency, and it it true Carter was more often than not a victim of his circumstances during his presidency. And yes, he was probably the most "decent" man to hold the office in the last 60 years or so, but he was by no means the most effective.

It certainly would have helped had he not practically declared war on his own party in congress - resulting in a chilly relationship where very little got done.

[cali]

24. Well said!

Carter is an excellent ex-President, but was rather ineffective as President. Just because DUers like him, doesn't make him a good President.

[mtnsnake]

27. Right on, wolf

to all of what you so eloquently posted.

I don't understand how any Democrat could possibly say Carter is the best president in their lifetime unless it's a knock on Bill Clinton. Clinton is no doubt the best president since JFK. Relatively, times were good under Bill. Not perfect for everyone, but good for most....and improving steadily.

After experiencing the fucktard Bush and his insincere neocon religious right worshipping, it makes me appreciate all the more someone like Jimmy Carter who practiced religion sincerely in private and never tried jamming it down our throats. Nor did he use religion as a political means to win elections or to dictate public policy with it. Carter is a sincere, good person. I think if he had it to do over again in this time and era, he MIGHT have been one of the best presidents.

[Rhiannon12866]

67. I beg to differ with you, my friend.

I agree with the OP that Jimmy Carter was the best president that I have known in my lifetime. I don't have a lot of good choices (except for Bill Clinton, but I explained that), LOL, but I stand by my post...:-)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2736944&mesg_id=2737001

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

44. Agree. The "buck stops here" applies to Dubya and Carter.

He's a great ex-Prez but, no, he was not a great Prez.

[SaveElmer]

79. Pretty much right on...

Although his Presidency was not as bad as is often portrayed...he had many significant accomplishments.

His ultimate undoing, the economy, cannot really be laid at his feet. But he was not good at playin the political game, which is required to succeed in the White House.

Still, I would have preferred another Carter term to the awful Reagan terms!

[Lena inRI]

22. Absolutely Carter was my favorite. . .

because he was what philosopher Henri Bergson said:

"Let us think like men of action, and act like men of thought."

Carter had a conscience.

Moreover, he had my favorite First Lady, Rosalyn!

:thumbsup:

[HockeyMom]

23. No, William Jefferson Clinton was

in my lifetime. I am 57 and have seen a lot of Presidents. Clinton was the best, despite all his personal, human failings, which we all have. Jimmy Carter was/is a very good, caring human being. A very good example of a good, Christian man.

George W. Bush I consider the worst in my lifetime. Much more so than even Richard Nixon. I never thought I would live to see any President worse than Nixon. Never say, never, unfortunately.

[mtnsnake]

30. Yup, at least since JFK. Carter, though, may be the best humanitarian of

all as an ex-president. He's simply a wonderful human being who's sincere about the religion he practices because he's secure about himself, unlike Bush who's insecure about everything from his artificial religion to his pathetic self image.

[CPMaz]

75. Agree....

Bill Clinton was the best President of my lifetime (born during Johnson admin) and may be the most adept politician to hold the office in the 20th century.

Jimmy Carter was the best man to hold the office; in fact, he has accomplished more good in the world as an ex-president than any of his successors have while they held office.

W? Easily the worst. I used to think Reagan was, because he presided over the most corrupt administration ever, but W's is just as bad. And at least with Reagan, I never heard anyone say the he was corrupt personally. Just everyone who worked for him.

Nixon was bad, too, but in a weird sort of way, he forced Congress to act as a co-equal branch of government (as it was designed to by the Constitution.) In the end, he strengthened the Constitution, though the cynicism engendered by his crimes made the "Republican Revolution" possible.

If the Watergate break-in happened today, Woodward and Bernstein would be sent to Gitmo and the plumbers would get the Medal of Freedom.

W. challenges Harding for the title of most personally corrupt.

'nuff said.

[reprat]

86. We need another Clinton/not Hillary

I agree with hockeymom. I too have seen alot of Presidents come and go but feel Clinton will be judged accordingly. As one of this country's best!!!!! Under his guidance we enjoyed a booming economy-EVERYONE made money, not just the rich. Unemployment was at its lowest, millions more had health insurance-yet he reduced the welfare rolls, more kids attended college for the first time in our history, inflation was simply not a factor,we were at peace with MOST of the world, savings were up, more people were able to buy their first homes than ever before, CPI was being managed quite nicely, yet the only thing the Repubs could do was impeach him for lying about having sex with someone besides his wife!!! At least he never lied to the American people that caused thousands of our men and women to die over what turns out to be nothing more than a personal vendetta. I could go on.....As for Hillary. Don't people get it? The Repubs say she scares them but secretly they want her to be the party's nominee, why? Because she is polarizing and they know this. They feel if they can convince enough of the electorate to vote for her, they will win in a landslide. Think about it!! This country is way too divided to elect a woman President right now and they know that. They created it! It's a case of bait and switch. Look!! Vote for her, she's a winner!!! (chuckle, chuckle)

[AX10]

26. Kick and Recomended!

[silverojo]

28. Carter did one thing VERY wrong

He made it extremely hard for disabled people to get on disability, in an attempt to reduce the deficit.

No matter how bad things are, it's just plain WRONG to take from those who can't support themselves.

To this day, disabled people are still feeling the aftermath.

[Iowa]

56. I can recall Reagan doing that...

During the Reagan years hundreds of thousands of people were told they no longer qualified for SSDI/SSI benefits. Appeals were filed and the courts overturned many of those denials. Reagan's people restored the benefits of the court-case winners, but refused to restore benefits to people in like situations. People with similar claims were forced to file suit themselves. It was described as a "war" on the disabled, and it became such a national scandal that Congress passed a reform bill prohibiting further abuse.

I don't recall Carter making it extremely difficult for disabled people to get on disability. I worked with people on disability during those years, and I don't recall hearing about any problems until Reagan. And the Reagan abuse stands out very vividly in my memory.

[Pacifist Patriot]

61. My parents worked for SSA during the Carter and Reagan....

administrations. I could swear it was Reagan's bunch that initiated the difficulties for obtaining disability benefits. I distinctly remember my parents bitching like banshees when that happened.

[ima_sinnic]

68. you've got him confused with Reagan on that (nt)

[flordehinojos]

31. the BUSHES, beginning with bush sr., and even before with Prescott andwith

George Herbert Walker, his maternal grandfather, are all so dishonest. they also like to "bleat" a lot, about anything and everything. They can "bleat" about their dishonest and false virtues, as much as they can "bleat" out all they lies they can come up with about honest, virtues people whom they want to destroy.

NO MORE BUSHES. NO MORE BLEATING. NO MORE BLEATS. NO MORE BUSHES.

[The Backlash Cometh]

32. And the biggest lead weights that Carter had to deal with, is that

he had whores like Chris Matthews and Tim Russert working for him.

I loved Jimmy Carter. But I also think Clinton was a good president too. Remember, if Carter was being sabotaged secretly by the Bush Cartel, it was all out open warfare on President Clinton. If we ever look deeper into it, I truly believe we would have a case of conspiracy and treason against the GOP.

[peacetalksforall]

33. One of the proofs of the resepct that should be paid him, is the total

30 plus year attack on his character and legacy by the orchestrated batallions pumping up Ronald. They went after him until the lies were accepted without thinking by the young.

The reverends who pretend to be christians contributed on all their programs and sermons.

They have even ridiculed Habitat for Humanity.

[madrchsod]

34. i wouldn`t say he was the best president in my lifetime

but he was the best man ever to hold the job in my 59 years on this earth. best president was kennedy although he had some faults he was, in my opinion, clearly the best

[Glorfindel]

35. I had the honor of shaking his hand - and Mrs. Carter's, too!

when he was an ex-governor of Georgia and running for president, much to everyone's amusement. He is a great and good man, and I thought he was a great president. I'll go to my grave hating Walter Cronkite for his "America Held Hostage" countdown on the CBS Evening News. He didn't say, after Reagan's horrible invasion of Lebanon, "220 American are still dead because of idiotic Repuke policies." The WONDERFUL thing is that Mr. Carter has lived long enough to see himself honored worldwide, in every possible way, from the Nobel Peace Prize to the nuclear submarine named for him. I'm proud to be his fellow Georgian, and I wish him every happiness in his remaining years.

[OneTwentyoNine]

36. Took on the Oil Companies and said they were RIPPING US OFF..

Hell,that was back in 79 or 80 when gas was all of $1.00-1.15 around here. Now look....

[ShortnFiery]

37. 100% Agreement , K & R

:applause: :patriot:

[Fly by night]

39. I would vote for Carter again in a heartbeat.

Not only because he is smart and decent -- but because I am sure he learned a great deal from his experience the first time around. Lord, to have this country led by a smart, experienced and humble person -- just think of the possibilities.

[benny05]

40. You Should Listen to the Carter-Edwards Podcast

Go here..http://oneamericacommittee.com/; click on the pic on the splash page.

It's about 27 minutes long and discussion is centered around President Carter's latest book, Our Endangered Values. For those who want a summary, click http://blog.oneamericacommittee.com/story/2006/7/19/191928/473">here to read Iddybud's excellent post on OAC.

[Frosty1]

41. I agree 100%

:kick: :yourock:

[exlrrp]

42. "We have not honored this man as he deserves."

You said it all right here.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

43. If we had pursued his energy independence program it would probably

a radically different and safer world today.

[dogman]

45. He was a great man but suffered a failed Presidency.

He was unable to lead. The DINO's refused to share power. Unlike the GOP which gives a blank check to their President, the likes of Tip demanded control and failed to give him support. The Dem congress worked with Raygun after helping Carter's demise. I have more respect for Carter as a person than almost any other public figure.

[1monster]

47. Carter probably had the best agenda, but he didn't play nice with the

people he needed to make his agenda stick. He made too many enemies in his own party and that led to his downfall in the 1980 election.

That said, I have always maintained that Carter's energy policies were the root reason for Reagan being able to claim that HE ended the high interest rates and inflation.

Carter's policies put an end to OPEC's dominance of our fuel supplies (US usage of oil dropped) and that meant oil prices came down. When oil (and thus gasoline) prices lowered, so did the price of almost everything else.

And Reagan took the credit while dismantling every alternative energy policy Carter instated. And set the stage for today's world.

[mopinko]

49. loved him. stood up to the "dark actors", got swiftboated

the economy was tanked on purpose, so that he would be chased from office before he could take any real chunks out of the military industrial complex. he understood very well what he was up against, and did as much as any one human could do to fight it.
i mean, compare and contrast- first brother billy- *gasp* beer drinker, v first brother neil- pedophile, swindler, embezzler.....

[Raskolnik]

50. Great man. Mediocre President. Great ex-President.

n/t

[Bullshot]

69. Carter inherited the crappy economy from Ford and Nixon.

Things didn't improve under Carter, granted. But I get sick and tired of hearing these idiots proclaiming that Reagan turned Carter's economic disaster around. All Reagan did was take deficit spending to levels we'd never seen before and dumped money down that rathole called the Military Industrial Complex. That's not true economic growth.

Carter was a scapegoat for the failed economic policies of the Reagan/Bush administrations. I remember meeting with then Ag Secretary Clayton Yeutter, who continuously blamed the low farm prices on the Soviet grain embargo enacted under Carter. That was a decade after it was enacted! Cripe, there was a USDA report published under Reagan that concluded that the embargo's impact on farm prices was minimal.

Another myth propagated by the ignorant was that Reagan propped up the U.S. military. Carter actually reversed the military spending cuts that began with Nixon and Ford. Carter didn't military spending to the ridiculous levels that Reagan took them.

Repukes also like to believe that Reagan put Americans back to work. In Reagan's 8 years, 19 million jobs were created. Under 4 years of Carter, 9.5 million were created. That's the same jobs/year ratio as Reagan.

As for Reagan being a moral, family man of high integrity, how do explain the fact that Nancy was 5 months pregnant on the day she married Ronnie? Look it up if you don't believe me, freepers.

[Frustratedlady]

51. And he handled the office with wisdom, kindness and charity....

even with incredible roadblocks put in his path. Not only did he dedicate himself to the tasks at hand, while in office, he has conducted himself in an unprecedented manner since leaving office. Clinton is following his example.

We won't see another president continuing their practices until after 2012, as this dork surely won't be worth a plug nickel.

[Ronnie]

53. Human Rights

I have a very strong memory of someone on a news report about human rights around the world saying, "There are thousands of people alive today in South America because Jimmy Carter was president at just the right time." It was over ten years ago, but I still remember the man's face. There were tears in his eyes. And now there are tears in mine. I love Jimmy Carter.

[Bjorn Against]

54. I agree fully

I was very young when Carter was in office so I can not remember his presidency, but I certainly think he was the best President of my lifetime. Sure he made some big mistakes, but every president has made some big mistakes. He was certainly one of the most ethical and moral presidents we have ever had in this nations history, and I don't like how the press smears his presidency.

[smacky44]

55. I am inclined to agree with you.

And Johnson was a lot better than most tend to believe.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

57. Agreed.

[Stardust]

58. Agreed. I love him.//

[BrightKnight]

60. clearly the finest person to hold the office in my lifetime

He will always be remembered as one of the most honest, responsible, compassionate and decent people to hold the office.

The longer he has been in public life the more respect people have for him. That has become a very rare quality.

[RebelOne]

63. The only thing I have against Carter is when he let all

the Mariel refugees into South Florida. That's when Castro opened up his prisons and sent them to the U.S. The crime rate in Miami soared.

[Joe Fields]

64. Jimmy Carter, the ethicist and peacemaker.

It took Jimmy Carter to bring Egypt and Israel together, to live in peace. President Carter is our version of Nehru and Ghandi. He has never wavered from his humanitarian beliefs or the aid he gives. Habitat for humanity, monitoring elections. He even stood up to the Baptist church. If I could, I would cannonize him for sainthood.

God bless Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter. When he was president, he honestly made me proud to be an American.

[TayTay]

65. No, I'd have to go with Eisenhower.

Only because I missed Truman by a few years. Eisenhower was a good man and understood the danger that democracy was in from the advance of the military industrial complex and the effort to spread the defense industry out into every state and expand it's power. He was a good man.

[Peeves]

66. Almost brings a tear to my eye ...

... makes me long for the days of double-digit interest rates,
... and helplessly watching IRAN blindfold our citizens while thumbing their nose at us 'cause we hadn't the will to do anything,

Good memories ... :woohoo:

[PurgedVoter]

74. You mean the citizens kept prisoner because of Republicans?

Do you remember the secret deals with Iran by Republican leaders? Do you remember Bush leaking that Carter was going to trade arms for hostages? Do you remember Bush aranging a trade of arms for hostages? Good memories...

[Peeves]

80. Actually, what I do remember is ...

having an evening paper route and every day seeing the headlines:
"CARTER SAYS, 'LET MY PEOPLE GO!'",
"CARTER MOVES AIRCRAFT CARRIER OFF THE COAST OF IRAN",

and then when the Ayatollah didn't flinch, what did are fearless leader do?
Absolutely nothing.

I think Jimmy Carter is one of the biggest reasons Republicans are elected president.
because Democrats appear weak on defense.

I think Carter is a great man, but not a great president.

[CAcyclist]

84. And we can see how well that line of thinking gets us. nt

[Peeves]

87. What ever do you mean? nt

[AusGail]

70. I agree

It is a shame that when he was in office, the smear campaign obliterated all the good that he was doing.

Unfortunately, the former presidents who had charisma - eg Kennedy and Clinton get all the accolades.

I saw a documentary on Lyndon Johnson a few years back and since seeing that, I feel he was a much better president than Kennedy.

[LoveMyCali]

71. I adore Jimmy Carter

He was the first person I ever voted for. I was all set to vote for John Anderson since I was young and stupid and believed the propaganda about what a bad president Jimmy Carter was until Carter came and spoke at my college. I have honestly never been so impressed by anyone in my life.

If anything Carter may have been too good a person to be a great president because he just wouldn't play the political games. I would love to have him as my president except I wouldn't want to stick him with the mess we find ourselves in now. Remember how he aged the 4 years he was in office? The way things are now I'm afraid it would kill him unlike our squatter-in-chief who seems to have no conscience so never misses a night's sleep. :mad:

[Rhiannon12866]

90. I envy you, having seen him in person...

He's my favorite president, too, a great man and I honestly believe that history will find him to be one of our best presidents.:patriot:

BTW, what happened to your avatar? There were already too few of us...:shrug:

And I know someone who voted for John Anderson, though he is also a real admirer of Carter. I didn't understand it, at the time, and I never let him forget it.:evilgrin:

[Lindacooks]

72. People forget about the Camp David peace accords.

It literally solved the problem between Egypt and Israel. We've forgotten that Egypt used to be a great enemy of Israel. Now the Egyptians are not even mentioned, ALL because of President Carter's work.

[Robbins]

73. Carter

A fine man. he shows that Christins are not all Farwell and Robertsons. Something that should be said If some In the south last voted for a Democrat when Carter ran In 1976. George Bush's CIA buddies made sure iran keep the Hostages till Regan was sworn In. Still If he hadn't debated Reagan and John Anderson had not ran he might have pulled out a Electoral Collage victory. We all would be better off had that happened.

[Rhiannon12866]

76. And he was FINALLY awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

for his amazing and historic work, far too many years too late. I remember this, but not many people do.;(

[semillama]

78. If you visit only one Presidential Library

It should be the Carter Center in Atlanta. I strongly recommend it. He packed two terms worth of work into one.

I walked away with a much deeper understanding and appreciation for the man then I ever had. and I strongly agree he's been the best president we've had in the last 35 years.

[NJ Democrats]

81. The best of my life is Clinton

Then again there have been only 3 presidents in my lifetime.

[Totally Committed]

82. PurgedVoter: Do you mind if I ask you how old you are?

I'm trying to guage your "lifetime" of people you were able to vote for.

Carter is a wonderful man. The Carter Peace Center is a great place. He wouldn't be "the best" POTUS of my lifetime, but he was a good man.

TC

[CAcyclist]

83. I agree.

And if Americans would have taken Carter seriously about conserving energy , we'd be far ahead of the game.

[Freddie Stubbs]

89. Clinton did a better job standing of the Military Industrial Complex