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It was 31 Years ago today...
Author: BobR    Date: 11/02/2007 11:01:15

Jimmy Carter was on his way... (apologies to the Beatles)

Nov 2, 1976: Jimmy Carter beats "incumbent" Gerald Ford to become the 39th President of the United States. For four years, the country got the best and worst of a Democratic president. It was a turbulent time with runaway inflation, worries of nuclear proliferation, and the populace awakening to the problems of pollution.

In Jan 1976, it certainly didn't seek like Jimmy Carter was going to be president. He was the first choice of only 4% of Democratic voters. Nine months later he was elected. Note: For anyone to say Hillary is a shoe-in, this should shut them up.

Ask any person who remembers Carter fondly, and they'll wax poetic on Carter's initiatives. He was the first (and only president) to put solar cells on the roof of the White House. He brokered a peace deal between Egypt and Israel that helped saved thousands of lives and untold destruction. He put together the SALT II treaty to help move away from nuclear proliferation. He imposed sanctions on countries that we had historically been buddies with if they were guilty of state-sponsored human rights abuses.

There are many detractors of Carter as well. Most people remember the double-digit inflation and the skyrocketing oil prices, the former which was already well under way when he took office, and the latter due to the OPEC oil cartel's limiting production to jigger the supply-and-demand mechanics to drive prices up. His inability to deal with those, and a hostile congress gave the impression of an ineffective president.

It was the Iranian hostage crisis and the Panama Canal treaty, however, that probably drove the nail into the coffin of his presidency. The rationale for the treaty was little understood and widely despised. The hostage crisis, however, was manipulated by Ronald Reagan to assure that he was able to beat Carter in 1980. Don't they call that treason?

Since leaving the Presidency, Carter has shown the kind of man he is, and has won the Nobel Peace Prize and the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism because of it. Despite his flaws and being in the right place at the wrong time, I believe that due to the good he has brought to our country during and since his tenure at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., history will remember him fondly.

With the 2008 primary season almost upon us, we would do well to remember one of the lessons that Jimmy Carter taught us: No one should be considered "unelectable", and sometimes the best man for the job IS the one that inspires us and leads by example.

Okay, that's two lessons, not one. So what? - it's Friday, ya bastahd.


 

157 comments (Latest Comment: 11/03/2007 03:36:33 by livingonli)
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Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 13:07:48
: bumper sticker on a car in front of me this morning :

"PRO-LOVE"







That's right. Takin' back the slogans.



Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 13:18:06
"I'm goin' off the rails

on a Crazy Train!"






Comment by livingonli on 11/02/2007 13:19:54
Good morning all.



Just checking in before I take the car to the shop. I just hope my wi-fi will work there.



Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 13:21:16
Good morning!

Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 13:21:28
Hey Liv!





Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 13:22:54
Quote by livingonli: Good morning all. Just checking in before I take the car to the shop. I just hope my wi-fi will work there.
If not I am sure there is a free hot spot somewhere!

Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 13:23:07
It is 53 degrees and sunny today! Absolutely gorgeous!

I was walking towards my building telling myself to turn around and get back in my car.



But, alas....here I am; at my desk with one less piece of my soul.

I need a new job.



I love these autumn days though....

*sigh*

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 13:26:30
:rofl: Ed shultz with the man boobs!

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 13:27:10
It's friday Starling... just a few more hours till you are free!

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 13:29:06
I swear to god... if bush does a recess appointment again. :rage:

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 13:36:24
Does anyone on the hill still believe they should be scared when Richie rich stamps his feet?

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 13:37:34
Mukasey can't say it is, becuase then it means the JD would have to applpy the law to Bush, cheney Rummy, and on the rest of the crooks and the cronies.

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 13:42:02
:grumble: There goes my Blood pressure.

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 13:47:57
:prince::prince::prince::prince::prince::prince::prince::prince::prince::prince::prince:

Comment by TriSec on 11/02/2007 13:48:37
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.

Aesop

Greek slave & fable author (620 BC - 560 BC)





Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 13:49:45
Quote by Raine: Mukasey can't say it is, becuase then it means the JD would have to applpy the law to Bush, cheney Rummy, and on the rest of the crooks and the cronies.
CAller just said the same thing. ;)

Comment by BobR on 11/02/2007 13:55:06
morning, folks... :coffee:



IT'S FRIDAY, YA BASTAHDS! :bounce:

Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 14:02:52
:zzz:

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:04:10
GOP turns ethics tables
Senate Republicans said Thursday they would invoke new ethics rules to block Democratic efforts to send to President Bush the first appropriations package of the 110th Congress.
More at the link.

Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 14:06:34
Real Time Tonight



Bill will be interviewing Joe and Valerie Wilson. And, he'll have Kos on the panel.



Comment by wickedpam on 11/02/2007 14:07:38
Morning! :hug:

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:07:59
Quote by starling310: :zzz:
I give you permission to go home !

Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 14:09:07
Quote by Raine:

GOP turns ethics tables

Senate Republicans said Thursday they would invoke new ethics rules to block Democratic efforts to send to President Bush the first appropriations package of the 110th Congress.




More at the link.




The move will likely intensify a partisan battle over spending priorities and allow each side to blame the other for delaying funding for veterans.




I am really starting to hate ALL politicians.





Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 14:10:09
Quote by Raine:

I give you permission to go home !






Awww...that's sweet.



: pats raine on the head :



: continues working :

Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 14:13:08
Raine, how are you guys doing on the H2O situation? ? ?



Let me know if I should send you a bottle of Fuji, or something.



Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 14:14:16
http://i.treehugger.com/files/th_images/fuji.jpg


Comment by TriSec on 11/02/2007 14:15:08
Yes Chris...



Brunswick Stew, prepared in the traditional manner, includes squirrel.



The 'modern' recipe calls for chicken, but it wasn't always that way.





Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:15:40
I have eaten squirrel, I would not eat a jersey squirrel

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:17:06
HEY!!!! We new yorkers ain't awl dat bad!

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:18:34
Quote by starling310:
http://i.treehugger.com/files/th_images/fuji.jpg
I love Fiji water! Sadly we are still in dire straights.... Altho is seems as tho the three state water war has been callled a truce... but it didn't raise the level of the reservoirs...

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:22:54
As a matter of fact, I am reading the article about the Water deal made in WASHINGTON between Florida, Alabama and georgia, and first, it won't start for 2 weeks, and they say what it does basically, is it gives more time for metro Atlanta to figure out what to do when the water DOES run out... :grumble:

Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 14:24:11
We're running out of water.



We're RUNNING OUT OF WATER!



This is nuts!



Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:25:48
No voter ID in Georgia? Well they'll let you vote anyway... [quote[Voters without acceptable identification will be allowed to cast provisional ballots in next week's county and municipal elections, but those ballots will be counted only if the voters show appropriate photo identification to their county registrars within 48 hours of the polls closing.


Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:26:22
OMG, Latin caller at the Home Depot? Oh no hi diin't! :rofl:

Comment by Will in Chicago on 11/02/2007 14:27:48
Good morning, bloggers!!



Checking in while working on the Daily Headlines over at UNN.



As BobR's excellent piece points out, we should not count out any candidate. Here is a story from Brad Blog that might be of interest:



Zogby: Gore Leads 'Top-Tier' Democratic Candidates by Huge Margin in New 'Blind Bio' Pol
l

Comment by TriSec on 11/02/2007 14:28:32
Ah Raine....pity you're not near the ocean.



With your brewing skills, it wouldn't be too hard to rig up a still and make your own fresh water.



We're expecting 2 inches of rain from Noel tomorrow..pity the southeast didn't get hit by a hurricane this season, actually. It might have done some good for a change.









Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:32:17
I psoted this in a blog entry a few weeks ago... but... it making major headlines today. Orme Tennesseee has run out of water already.

Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:33:07
Good morning Mala and Will!

Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 14:33:14
I've never heard of a shortage of water like tis? 'Tis a new dilemna, no?



Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:35:20
yeah, Tri, it is very strange, being so far from an ocean. I have always lived near a major body of water, be it the Atlantic, the Long Island sound or the Hudson River... I mean you know, we had well run dry up in the country, so I really know what it is like to have no water. I do not think many of the people down here really get how serious it is. People keep wining about not being able to water thier lawns or wash thier cars... *sigh*

Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 14:38:07
Ugh...Hilary is the winner. Hilary is the winner! Blah, blah, blah. . . .





Comment by TriSec on 11/02/2007 14:39:04
Say Raine...along those lines:



Have all the automatic car washes been shut down?

Does Atlanta have city fountains or water features that have been turned off?

Are all the landscaping businesses still carrying on like nothing is wrong?

How about everybody's pools? Are those going dry, or can people still pump hundreds of gallons of water into them to keep them 'topped off'?

Have all automatic sprinklers been turned off?













Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:39:53
Quote by starling310: I've never heard of a shortage of water like tis? 'Tis a new dilemna, no?
morw than a third of the US is experiencing some kind of drought. I am trying to find a link to the graphic that I am looking at this morning Al, Ga, and SC are as severe as SoCal, and AZ.

Comment by TriSec on 11/02/2007 14:40:05
Oh, and I said it the other day...



I AM NOT VOTING FOR HILARY!



There. Sue me.





Comment by wickedpam on 11/02/2007 14:42:19
Hey Raine and all!

Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 14:42:22
Woh...what the? So, there is a delay?



And, now the s tr e a m is g o o o i ng real l l y s l o o oo o w.

:scratch:

Comment by TriSec on 11/02/2007 14:42:39
Point to ponder:



The diplomats are all up in arms about going to Iraq...many consider it a "death sentence", and they've been told that if they don't go, they'll lose their jobs.



Soldiers don't have any of those choices.



They go. They die. We argue about it.





Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:44:00
Quote by TriSec: Say Raine...along those lines: Have all the automatic car washes been shut down?
I have been told that they use recycled water of their own, but no. they still run.
Does Atlanta have city fountains or water features that have been turned off?
Yes, and the Aquarium has even closed the outdoor pond, World of coke did as well. The fountains have been turned off...
Are all the landscaping businesses still carrying on like nothing is wrong?
To a certain extent, they are still allowed to take care of new grass and new landscaping... basically. But business is very down.
How about everybody's pools? Are those going dry, or can people still pump hundreds of gallons of water into them to keep them 'topped off'?
Not too many pools that I have seen, but I know that they truck in the water...
Have all automatic sprinklers been turned off?
There are heavy fines now if they are not. There is no more outdoor watering allowed unless it is recycled, like say from a washing machine or a shower.


Comment by starling310 on 11/02/2007 14:44:44
Quote by TriSec:

They go. They die. We use it as political capital.





Fixxity.





Comment by Raine on 11/02/2007 14:45:26
I personally feel that Atlanta should put a moratoriium on any new construction until they can figure out how to temper the growth of this city with the amount of water NEEDED, compared to also the amount of water WASTED.