Ex-president Jimmy Carter says that Pres. George W. Bush is “the worst president in history.” He should be an expert on bad times and there is no doubt he has a bad memory. I try to forget that I voted for the guy. There are three things I remember about the Carter leadership.
Carter made Iran what it is today. He was in favor of bringing to that country a “religious” leader who was in exile in France. Carter was in favor of dethroning the Shah of Iran, who was this country’s long-time friend and ally. He watched it happen.
And secondly, Carter’s man to lead Iran ordered the sacking of our embassy and the capture of 52 American diplomats. These people were blindfolded and paraded in front of television cameras for the whole world to see. I believe our inaction towards these hostile actions led to the popularity and strength of terrorism today. Every two bit dictator was encouraged to stand up for what they perceived as a weak America. Carter did practically nothing. The Iranians saw a change coming and believed that there would be action from Ronald Reagan. The hostages were freed the day after Carter left office.
The third item is that Carter seems to forget about the five and six percent interest rates which have brought about a strong economy for many years. Carter has the dubious distinction of having the prime interest rate reach 21.5 % during his administration. He set a new high for high interest rates which we hope will not be exceeded.
Those who clamor for change might be careful what they wish for. If the people vote into the office of president the candidate who promises the most give-aways, we might again see Carter interest rates. Will the poor people who are promised so much have the opportunity to receive higher rates of return on their investments and bank accounts? It is not the rich who will suffer the most.
The poor can least afford to pay more for everything they buy. A granted wish for change in our economy might not be what was expected.
