President Carter (80's, economic, events, historical)
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Ironically, Carter possessed many qualities that tea partiers today find appealing. But like ILoveYou2 hinted at, many americans can't handle honest politicians.
I think that the make it/break it point in the Carter legacy came with the failed attempt to rescue the Iranian hostages. Had it worked, his entire image would have been altered favorably in the public mind. He had been taking a cautious, reactive approach to the crisis and was radiating a wimpy aura. He uncharacteristically decided to roll the dice and if the gamble had paid off, he would have been a huge hero and a much more formidable opponent for Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Instead the gamble backfired, and although the worst didn't happen, what did happen was bad enough. The mission failed in the early stages despite being unopposed. It handed the Iranians a tremendous propaganda boost, and made Carter and the US seem like a helpless joke. (And the joke at that time was..."What was the motto of the special hostage rescue team?".."I came, I saw, Iran.")
That unfortunate outcome defined the Carter image for the remainder of his term. In reaction to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Carter's response seemed mere petulance..boycotting the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The feel good, folksy image of the first years of his administration were overwhelmed by the embarrassments of the latter stages. It could have been different, the one time Jimmy went cowboy he got bucked from the horse right out of the starting gate and he never recovered.
I'd like to know about President Carter. Over on the politics board a lot of people talk about him with a lot of enmity and I have no clue as to why. I know he was a democrat and president during the 70s. I know there was a lot of inflation in the 70s. I know that is also the decade that crime began to skyrocket around American cities. I know a rabbit tried to attack Jimmy Carter once.
I don't want this to turn into a debate about his policies! But I would like to know what his policies were and how they affected the typical American family. My mother spent most of her childhood in the 70s and they really seemed to enjoy a good upper middle class life. My grandmother was one of those good housewives who just raised the kids and didn't really even understand economics, so she has no stories to tell outside of what she cooked for dinner. All I know is that the family fell apart right around the early 80s with that last bad recession we had and my grandfather who was the only one who would have understood those times left the family.
So what was Carter all about? What exactly did he sign into law or what direction did he try to move America in?
Full disclosure. I am a conservative Republican who twice voted against him.
He ran as pretty much a blank slate,and people pretty much saw in him what they wanted to. He was able to bring back some of the blue collar Democrats who had voted for Nixon,by opposing forced busing and actually being more hawkish than Ford. On the other hand,he was able to keep the newer liberals behind him.
As potus,he did some good things. Camp David was a great accomplishment. He was also able to get through the Panama Canal treaty(which had actually been in the works before his election. It was a very controversial subject,believe it or not). In hindsight a good move. Obviously,the hostage thing,and his reaction to simply have the Olympians sit it out were very controversial.
Policies. He did veto some pork barrel projects,which greatly angered his own party that controlled congress. Caused him to have a very poor relationship with Tip O'Neil. First potus to be kind of "green". Also promoted deregulation of the airways.
I think that the make it/break it point in the Carter legacy came with the failed attempt to rescue the Iranian hostages. Had it worked, his entire image would have been altered favorably in the public mind. He had been taking a cautious, reactive approach to the crisis and was radiating a wimpy aura. He uncharacteristically decided to roll the dice and if the gamble had paid off, he would have been a huge hero and a much more formidable opponent for Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Instead the gamble backfired, and although the worst didn't happen, what did happen was bad enough. The mission failed in the early stages despite being unopposed. It handed the Iranians a tremendous propaganda boost, and made Carter and the US seem like a helpless joke. (And the joke at that time was..."What was the motto of the special hostage rescue team?".."I came, I saw, Iran.")
That unfortunate outcome defined the Carter image for the remainder of his term. In reaction to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Carter's response seemed mere petulance..boycotting the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The feel good, folksy image of the first years of his administration were overwhelmed by the embarrassments of the latter stages. It could have been different, the one time Jimmy went cowboy he got bucked from the horse right out of the starting gate and he never recovered.
I'd say America should be more embarrassed by Reagan's actions in Afghanistan. But when it comes to foreign policy, most Americans are complete idiots (there is really no other way to put it). I'd be willing to bet that less than 5% of Americans know about Operation Ajax that Mark mentioned on the first page.
I think the answer would depend upon whether you agree with what he did or not.
The Panama Canal and US influence was given away during his administration. Do you agree that is a good thing or not?
Oil was cut off and to get gas for our cars, we had to buy on alternate days and the lines circled city blocks waiting to get gas and it often ran out. Heating oil was reduced so we cut our heat down and bundled up. Anticipated impacts to the manufacturing sector. good thing or not?
Interest rates were in the teens and twenties. good thing or not?
Military wise we were in a reduction. not smoothly done. good or not?
Pres Carter had a way about him during his televised speeches where he sat by a fireplace wearing a sweater that came across to some as too folksy and uninspiring. He talked of the malaise of America. Some thought of him as a bumbling peanut farmer. Some thought he was a micromanager who tinkered with the machinery of government at too low a level - didn't effectively delegate or maybe didn't select quality people to whom to delegate. Some thought his wife had too much influence on him and disliked that she sat in cabinet meetings and had a role. Some such as the Ayatollah etc thought he was a dupe and had no respect for him.
Some thought he was an intelligent man who did what he thought best. His Rose Garden strategy where he stayed in the White House working the Iranian problem might have hurt him politically, it might have helped resolve the situation - I don't know. But he stuck to it. His own party wasn't too happy with him and Teddy Kennedy mounted a very vigorous campaign against him for the second term nomination. So he had those problems as well.
As for me, I wouldn't want to live through those times again with him as President. Mostly for economic reasons. If you were just getting a start it was really hard getting that first job or buying that first house or keeping your gas tank full. But if you were established, it may not have been so bad. If you were a kid at home, in college, or renting an apartment, it could be a fun time. I personally like disco and though the clothes were great. Yellow and orange everywhere in the house. very colorful life I guess.
I can't find fault with his post presidency altruistic actiities. Good luck in your quest to find out more. It is an interesting question.
I do remember the Bicentennial year (1976) as being very hopeful and optimistic during the Carter campaign. After Watergate under Nixon, Ford really had no chance after the pardon. Carter's promise to restore ethics in leadership was kept, but the competence level in dealing with the economy and foreign policy was questioned not just by the right, but many moderate Americans, too.
Even watching the streakers during the long gas lines got old after awhile. I am a Democrat, but really can't blame American voters for making a change. I do agree his post-Presidency has been very admirable with his charitable activities (Habitat for Humanity, etc). I had no idea he personally scheduled the tennis court times until this thread. It seems I learn something new every other thread. I do specifically remember my mother worrying in 1978 (I turned 18 that year) during the required conscription about me being sent into battle overseas.
I told her "Jimmy Carter is President. You have no worries about that happening. It won't happen". I was right. He spoke against the Iranian hostage taking. He boycotted the Olympics. I was 100% certain he would not send troops overseas to fight and I was 100% right.
Back to Carter, I think he had great intentions, but probably should have owned up on some of his own policies that did not work. That would have taken more courage, but that is what great leaders do.
PS. As to disco, I did not mind it until they kept playing that silly "Disco Duck" song on the radio constantly. LOL.
Full disclosure. I am a conservative Republican who twice voted against him.
He ran as pretty much a blank slate,and people pretty much saw in him what they wanted to. He was able to bring back some of the blue collar Democrats who had voted for Nixon,by opposing forced busing and actually being more hawkish than Ford. On the other hand,he was able to keep the newer liberals behind him.
As potus,he did some good things. Camp David was a great accomplishment. He was also able to get through the Panama Canal treaty(which had actually been in the works before his election. It was a very controversial subject,believe it or not). In hindsight a good move. Obviously,the hostage thing,and his reaction to simply have the Olympians sit it out were very controversial.
Policies. He did veto some pork barrel projects,which greatly angered his own party that controlled congress. Caused him to have a very poor relationship with Tip O'Neil. First potus to be kind of "green". Also promoted deregulation of the airways.
The first crack in the armor was the so called Lance Affair. Carter had very high poll numbers starting his term in 1977, and with that came high expectations. He campaigned on the idea that his administration was to be squeaky clean, which is what people wanted in '76 after Watergate, and expected from Carter. Within 3 months, out comes bad news about his Budget Director and former campaign adviser, Bert Lance. He was charged with mismanagement and corruption while chairman of a bank back in Georgia, later found guilty of inappropriate banking practices. When this came out, Carter hesitated for several weeks in getting rid of Lance, and for that his poll numbers dropped 15 or 20 points, which he never recovered from.
In addition to the boycott of the Olympics, he implemented a grain embargo against the Russians for the Afghanistan invasion. This had a very negative and long term effect on the farm economy, as the Russians went to Argentina for their grain. It was a very unpopular decision in the farm belt. Another problem Carter had was just plain politics. He might have been a good negotiator thousands of miles overseas with Sadat and Begin, but not with congress in getting deals made and "greasing the wheels" to get things done. He was known not to return phone calls from key senators and congressmen, indeed, Carter often did not even try to engage himself like most politicians. He was seen as more and more inept as his term lingered on, and when he lost support of people like Tip O'Neil and Ted Kennedy, his presidency turned into a walking corpse. The deck was stacked against him, and twards the end, he seemed to be "escaping" from the nation's problems with all that jet setting around the world, fixing other nations problems, while ignoring our own. He was weak, but not crooked or stupid......or a playboy (he lusted but never touched).
If there was this scale in existence called the IDGAF Scale meant for US Presidents. President Carter would fly right off the scale in terms of not giving a damn.
The first crack in the armor was the so called Lance Affair. Carter had very high poll numbers starting his term in 1977, and with that came high expectations. He campaigned on the idea that his administration was to be squeaky clean, which is what people wanted in '76 after Watergate, and expected from Carter. Within 3 months, out comes bad news about his Budget Director and former campaign adviser, Bert Lance. He was charged with mismanagement and corruption while chairman of a bank back in Georgia, later found guilty of inappropriate banking practices. When this came out, Carter hesitated for several weeks in getting rid of Lance, and for that his poll numbers dropped 15 or 20 points, which he never recovered from.
In addition to the boycott of the Olympics, he implemented a grain embargo against the Russians for the Afghanistan invasion. This had a very negative and long term effect on the farm economy, as the Russians went to Argentina for their grain. It was a very unpopular decision in the farm belt. Another problem Carter had was just plain politics. He might have been a good negotiator thousands of miles overseas with Sadat and Begin, but not with congress in getting deals made and "greasing the wheels" to get things done. He was known not to return phone calls from key senators and congressmen, indeed, Carter often did not even try to engage himself like most politicians. He was seen as more and more inept as his term lingered on, and when he lost support of people like Tip O'Neil and Ted Kennedy, his presidency turned into a walking corpse. The deck was stacked against him, and twards the end, he seemed to be "escaping" from the nation's problems with all that jet setting around the world, fixing other nations problems, while ignoring our own. He was weak, but not crooked or stupid......or a playboy (he lusted but never touched).
I remember moving to rural Wisconsin,where I currently live,in 1980. Just out of the service. Lot more farmers then. Even though this area was not grain country,per se(lot's more corn and soybeans grown now with the decline of dairy farming)the farmers were angry with Carter. Now granted,farmers then as now lean more Republican than not,but I think almost all of the ones I knew hated the guy. Odd considering he had been one.
I remember moving to rural Wisconsin,where I currently live,in 1980. Just out of the service. Lot more farmers then. Even though this area was not grain country,per se(lot's more corn and soybeans grown now with the decline of dairy farming)the farmers were angry with Carter. Now granted,farmers then as now lean more Republican than not,but I think almost all of the ones I knew hated the guy. Odd considering he had been one.
Well, one would think a former peanut farmer from Plains Georgia might be a good president for the farm economy. Many farmers that normally voted republican, went for Carter. Buyers remorse to say the least. The embargo was short, but because we broke our grain contracts for political purposes, the US was seen as an unreliable supplier and this hurt in years to come.
One thing Reagan did to Carter, was paint him as a tax and spend liberal. This was not really correct, Tip O'Neil and Ted Kennedy were the tax and spend liberals, but Carter said no to them when they wanted more money for all sorts of things we couldn't afford. In fact, Carter cut spending for social programs. This is what got him in trouble with his own party. When Ted ran against him in 1980, he did more damage to Carter making it easier (if that was possible) for Reagan to defeat him. His sleezy brother Billy did not help matters either, with the Billy Beer, taking a pee on the airport runway in full view of the press, or when he got busted for taking a 220 K loan from Libya and arrested for acting as a foreign agent on behalf of Libya, influence peddling....or Billygate as it was called. Of course the 13% inflation, 21% interest rates, 8% and climbing unemployment, doubling of gas prices and shortages, and the fact that it rained rats and cockroaches for the whole of 1979 and 1980, did not help much either. Love Canal, Three Mile Island, Jonestown, Iran Hostage, Gacy, Mount St. Helens, boat people, the Village People......
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