You’re not fooling me, Jimmy Carter. You did that on purpose! Dying when you did, I mean.
You chose last month to grab the global political spotlight once more to make a statement with the only Earthly move you had left: Checking out. What better way to make people ponder the state of political integrity in America than to reflect on Carter just the Trump Kakistocracy is moving its arrogant billionaires, corporate grifters, and ideological tyrants into our White House.
Sure enough, media coverage of Carter’s death highlighted his modest life in Plains, Georgia, plus the personal values of fairness and honesty that led him to a lifetime of roll-up-your-sleeves humanitarian efforts. What a damning contrast to the tawdry greedfest on display at Mar-a-Lago, with supposedly-respectable corporate executives flocking to “get theirs” in Trump’s sell-off of government favors and public offices.
And how amazed Carter must have been to see the gilded Trumpers flagrantly rejecting any pretense that theirs is to be a government of and for The People. He even saw Elon Musk – the prancing prince of plutocratic pomosity – practically move into Trump’s Florida mansion to shape the new government. To put a gloss of legitimacy on Elon’s self-serving role, Trump grandly named him head of an imaginary federal office he calls the “Department of Government Efficiency.” This DOGE should be pronounced “dodgy,” for it doesn’t actually exist and has no authority. But Musk is nonetheless flitting about officiously announcing that he will eliminate major programs that benefit people, while increasing government funding for – surprise! – corporations like his.
Even in death, the light of Jimmy Carter’s public integrity exposes the public corruption coming from Trump’s darkness.
Jimmy Carter was an intelligent, thoughtful, big-hearted man who saw the good in the American people and always chose to stand with and for what was best for this country and for us all! He will live on, guiding us with his passion for justice.
Jim, we always loved your way with words, but your description of Elon Muskrat, with those alliterations, has to be a highlight! We had our belly laugh of the day. In this time of mourning for our own beloved Jimmy Carter, and facing four years of full-on fighting, we needed that! Thanks! And love from Georgia!
Wowowow!!! This says it all and SO TRUE!!! Once again, and this time for the last time, Jimmy Carter gifts us with HOPE in an ugly world and an especially ugly period in our country!!! Thank yof for this eloquent tribute to an elegant human being!!!! Thank yiu!!! Gay Lloyd Pinder!!!!
well said mr Jim , God bless Jimmy Carter it would a better world if there were more like him
All four years of Jimmy Carter's presidency the press was cruel, unfair, and downright mean. He wanted to use some common sense and asked government workers to come to work in short sleeved shirts. Washington is beastly hot in summer. The press laughed. He put up solar panels and Reagan had them removed. His administration worked hard to have the hostages taken by Iran freed. Reagan took all the credit and the press let him. The press and the public didn't know what to do with a man of honesty and conscience. So they mocked him.
I was in basic training when the hostages were taken in Iran. Carter was blamed for the helicopters breaking down even though the president has no part of selecting or maintaining them. The hostages were released within days of Reagans inauguration without him doing anything. This was my first experience with alternate realities in government. R.I.P. JIMMY CARTER
What a contrast :Jimmy Carter,a genuinely sincere man of conscience with Don the Con, a creature with nary a single decent bone in his corpulent body or his conniving skull.We'll mourn you Jimmy and celebrate when Trumpolini vacates.
You have to love the irony of Jimmy Carter's passing in contrast to the inauguration(for the second time!! What were we-and by that I mean all the MAGA morons who voted for him, despite knowing he will do nothing for them-thinking??) of the most unqualified, immoral man to ever sit at the Resolute desk.
You could not plan a better retort to the circus that will be the opening of the second Trump term than to have the country honoring a moral, decent man who did so much for humanity in his retirement. The contrast could not be more stark. The karmic beauty of this is amazing. You'd like to think the new administration would shape up, having been convicted by their consciences upon some contemplation of Carter's life and work. But who am I kidding?? They have no conscience, and their only convictions will be for felonies.
The real exclamation point on the sentence is Trump's reaction to the flags being at half staff in honor of the former President, crying that he'll be the only president to have them at half staff during his inauguration(he's not; Nixon started his second term right after Harry Truman's death in late 1972. I'm not sure if Trump was in his usual lying mode when he said what he did; my guess he was probably ignorant of that fact), as if he was being picked on. It would be too much to expect for him to show some class, and maybe have a few words of tribute during his inaugural speech. But then, why would he make the effort to laud someone who isn't him. That would be way too much class for him.
RIP Jimmy Carter. You fought the good fight, you finished the race, you kept the faith.
President Carter was a good president and an outstanding human being. Now the White House will be infested with me first vermin.
This sign in is confusing!
Yes Jimmy did a good deed last week one more time. We are lucky to have had him to show us the way.
In our country, the bottom reflects the top and vice versa.
Bless you, Jim! Your insights turn on a light, every time I hit my Jim Hightower email. Jimmy Carter is a world hero and a role model for me. At 85, I remember both Roselynn and Jimmy as caring world citizens and examples of sterling humility and deep intellect.
Love "doge" = dodgy ... got that right!
interesting to see the Democratic Billionaires flocking to join the Republican billionaires - 1 snake 2 heads. stop voting for them and start voting for independent parties. We keep this going because we can not see beyond 2 parties - We can not see that we have proxy wars going on in Gaza (an open air prison) and Ukraine - Lets go out and murder more innocent people today - men, women and children. For being so smart we are pretty stupid.
I just thought Jimmy, like many of us, couldn't bear to live through even one day of trump rule. He always a smart cookie, and he will be missed by many.
Great Piece Jim! LOVED IT!!!
Happy New year from Boston
It is so good to know that Jimmy Carter exists and was President and more!
You could not have said it any better. I am so delighted that the news media took the time to bring into focus for Americans, a proud time in our history of acting like "One nation under God." President Carter during and after his time in office showed his true quality until the day he died. Amen
The service for President Carter brought me to remember what we can be at our best. The sincere and heartfelt eulogies, the Navy Hymn, the recounting of layers of decency and duty and dignity of an exemplary life resonated. What a repudiation of the scoundrel without scruples who will once again enter the White House. One had to imagine what kind of eulogy one could write for that man devoid of honor or altruistic impulse, one who never wore the uniform of any service, but rather insulted and derided those who have. At the eve of another Trump administration, we were given the example of a Christian gentleman, who lived his faith and values and served us all for his entire life. I hope we can remember during the next four years that there are Americans like President Jimmy Carter.
Amen
The comparison we have just seen should open peoples' eye to what trump is. bBt will it?
The Carter Administration was the closest to Democracy as our Nation has ever achieved in my opinion. Watching 'Argo' with Ben Affleck
Jimmy Carter's understated presidency did not do justice to the legacy he's left us. The qualities of honesty,integrity and a lifetime dedication to public service are things that should be a model for all of us, and our expectations for all elected officials.
Thanks for the epitath and the insight Jim. my deep longstanding respect for Jimmy Carter is increased. My disdain for the other two that you mentioned; also moreso!
Was Jimmy Carter put down by a rabbit? Carter's legacy is the best of America...I hope we can survive the worst!
And what a contrast between Carter's selflessness and the self serving Trump whose utter baseness was on display in his attempt yesterday to steal the headlines on Carter's state funeral by announcing his intention to take over Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal.
As January 20th looms, I feel a dark shadow creeping over our country. Your reminder that there is light, and good, decent people lifts me. Thanks!
.... and this is what America wants.... this is what most Americans voted for..... I am a senior - Medicare and Social Security make up a major part of my retirement income - I EARNED THESE as did other seniors. And Trump & company are going to eliminate them.... Frankly, I am very frightened. I am thankful we have a Higher Power - perhaps there is a shred of hope.
I know/hope there are others but you will have to seach very hard to find a man of Limmy Cater's quality anywhere ,let alone public figures and especially in politics, Rest in peace and God Bless you Jimmy Carter.
Not "got" one ... make that "I FOR one" 🤦
Keep speaking the truth, Jim. We all need to remember to do that at every opportunity.
How the HELL did we go from Jimmy Carter to the Abomination of Desolation ( Mark 13:14 also Matthew 23) in 44 years??? I am gobsmacked by the election of the Abomination. It's as if a man shot himself in the foot, and as soon as he got out of the hospital he shot himself in the other foot! It proves Hitler was right- "If you tell a big enough lie, loudly enough and often enough, most people will believe you."
The question is WHY did Dopey Joe and the dim-ocrats let Trump and Co run around telling great big lies for four years? That's like letting cobras or mambas breed in your barn for four years! Are the dim-ocrats really that stupid, or do both Parties really work for the same klepto-crat elite?
I think we have a problem with the First Amendment. I support protecting free speech, for sure, but I think our interpretations of that language fails to make a distinction between lies and speech. In my non-influential opinion, we need to go back to the drawing board to define speech that merits protection because it broadens our understanding and speech that we know is dividing us for spurious purposes.
Totally agree, Deanna. The First Amendment has been abused and exploited, and not just for spurious purposes for very obviously political ones. It seems that whoever is in power believes they have the right to make that definition. Where do we appeal??
Good question I got one would not trust SCOTUS with that one