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Favorable or Unfavorable #136: Jimmy Carter


vcczar

Favorable or Unfavorable #136: Jimmy Carter  

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  2. 2. Favorable or Unfavorable #136: Jimmy Carter



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Jimmy Carter (GA-D) is the longest lived president with the longest post-presidency. He's almost lived as much post-presidency life as he has pre-presidency life. Carter is the first elected Southern president that did not come to office via the VP'y since Zachary Taylor in 1848, although Eisenhower was born in TX (but moved at age 2 for KS). Carter is best known for being the "Great Post-Presidency President." 

It's really hard to tell what hurt Carter's reelection most. He inherited a terrible economy, which handicapped his entire presidency. He also had to deal with an energy crisis because of a Revolution in Iran. However, I think the major issue he faces was his relations with his own party. He had almost no Washington DC political skill--maybe it was different in GA where he's have more control. He micromanaged everything--executive and legislatively--and he was his own chief of staff! It's like what Dwight Schrute would do. His cabinet, Speaker O'Neill, Ted Kennedy, etc. couldn't stand him. He had a Congress that likely would have passed healthcare, but he fought over it with Ted Kennedy. As with some people with high integrity and a sense of their own high integrity, he gave speeches that were unpopular for their bluntness (malaise speech) when politicians were supposed to be uplifting (Reagan), and he committed some unpopular actions for the sake of doing the right thing (boycotting the olympics in Moscow). Nevertheless, Carter had a lot of foresight in regards to Alt-energy, Middle Eastern peace, Gov't integrity, etc. He compares with JQ Adams in being a brilliant man in politics who happened to lack political skill--the give and take, protocol, seniority, etc. 

Carter was president when I was born, but it was so late into the term that I have no memory of him, but I assuredly heard him unknowingly on the TV as an infant. 

While not an action, he's the only president to serve an entire term and never appt a SC Justice. 

His actions:

Carter, Jimmy 1971 Wins Gov of GA playing middle ground on race relations, but moves left in inaugural speech, upsetting some
Carter, Jimmy 1972 Backs moderates and conservatives over McGovern at Dem Conv
Carter, Jimmy 1973 Warns Democrats not to politicize Watergate
Carter, Jimmy 1974 Announces run in 1976 Dem primary with little name recognition outside GA
Carter, Jimmy 1976 Weirds out some in interview by admitting that he's "looked at a lot of women with lust"
Carter, Jimmy 1976 Wins the 1980 pres election
Carter, Jimmy 1977? Relations w/ Dem Congress tense over separation of power
Carter, Jimmy 1977 Calls for mandatory healthcare plan similar to Ted Kennedy's plan
Carter, Jimmy 1977 Takes office amid Stagflation/Great Inflation
Carter, Jimmy 1977 Pardons Vietnam War draft dodgers
Carter, Jimmy 1977 Fails in attempts for cost-effective Welfare overhaul
Carter, Jimmy 1977 Signs Compr. Employment and Training Act
Carter, Jimmy 1977 Opts to be his own Chief of Staff
Carter, Jimmy 1977 Signs a bill creating the Dept of Energy to deal with Energy crisis
Carter, Jimmy 1977 Sees Treaty through returning Panama Canal to Panama after 1999 (Torrijos-Carter Treaties)
Carter, Jimmy 1978 Unable to agree on Healthcare plan after big meeting w/ Ted Kennedy
Carter, Jimmy 1978 Signs the American Indian Religious Freedom Act
Carter, Jimmy 1978 Signs Indian Child Welfare Act
Carter, Jimmy 1978 Signs Revenue Act of 1978
Carter, Jimmy 1978 Signs Full Employment Bill
Carter, Jimmy 1978 Camp David Accords w/ Egypt and Israel, securing a historic lasting peace
Carter, Jimmy 1978 Signs the Airline Deregulation Act
Carter, Jimmy 1978 Clashes w/ Ted Kennedy over their healthcare plans
Carter, Jimmy 1979 Responds to bad economy and approval by mass firing 5 cabinet members
Carter, Jimmy 1979 Presides during energy/oil crisis in wake of Iranian Revolution
Carter, Jimmy 1979 Ends US Detente policy w/ USSR after Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Carter, Jimmy 1979 Delivers Malaise Speech
Carter, Jimmy 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis
Carter, Jimmy 1979 Signs SALT II treaty with Soviet Union
Carter, Jimmy 1979 Signs the Department of Education Act
Carter, Jimmy 1980 Despite incumbency, faces a strong challenge for nom by Ted Kennedy
Carter, Jimmy 1980 Outshined at Dem convention by Ted Kennedy's speech attacking Reagan, but not endorsing Carter
Carter, Jimmy 1980 Loses reelection in landslide
Carter, Jimmy 1980 Slaps Grain Embargo on USSR
Carter, Jimmy 1980 Issues Carter Doctrine
Carter, Jimmy 1980 Signs Motor Carrier Act, deregulating trucking industry
Carter, Jimmy 1980 Authorizes attempt to rescue Iran Hostages via military; fails
Carter, Jimmy 1980 Announces US will Boycott olympics in Moscow
Carter, Jimmy 1980 Signs Staggers Rail Act, deregulating railroad industry
Carter, Jimmy 1982 Founds Carter Center aimed at improving international quality of life
Carter, Jimmy 1984 Declines to run for 2nd non-consec term and endorses his fmr VP Mondale
Carter, Jimmy 1988 Rules out run for pres b/c Bush seems like the likely winner
Carter, Jimmy 1994 Sent as special diplomat by Clinton to North Korea
Carter, Jimmy 1996 Snubs Clinton's 2nd inauguration because of Lewinsky scandal
Carter, Jimmy 2002 Wins Nobel Peace Price for democratic and world peace efforts in post-presidency
Carter, Jimmy 2006 Authors book comparing Israeli policies directed at Palestinians comparable to Apartheid
Carter, Jimmy 2007 Calls Bush the worst foreign policy president in history during interview
Carter, Jimmy 2008 Advises Obama not to make Hillary Clinton VP
Carter, Jimmy 2010 Declares Israel's settlement policies as main obstacle to Middle Eastern peace
Carter, Jimmy 2016 Votes for Bernie Sanders in Dem primary over Clinton
Carter, Jimmy 2016 States that Russian interference got Trump illegitimately elected
Carter, Jimmy 2017 publicly critical of media's harsh treatment of Trump
Carter, Jimmy 2021 Joins living former Presidents in condemning Jan 6th Insurrection
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23 minutes ago, OrangeP47 said:

Also fun fact, the malaise speech was polling positive at first until the media narrative decided to run it into the ground and people changed their mind.

I like the speech. I've listened to it once or twice. 

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I remember analyzing the malaise speech for a AP Exam prompt, I think it was AP Gov. Memory’s a bit foggy. 
 

Nevertheless I don’t approve of Carter as President at all. However, I love him as a person and I’m glad he’s still with us. Without a doubt the greatest post-president of our time and I think it’s a shame how the New England elitists like Ted Kennedy, and other “progressive/liberals” treated Carter. Even if Carter was a bit arrogant or overconfident.

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