It violates the essence of what made America a great country in its political system. Now it’s just an oligarchy, with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or to elect the president. And the same thing applies to governors and US senators and congressmembers. So now we’ve just seen a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who want and expect and sometimes get favors for themselves after the election’s over… The incumbents, Democrats and Republicans, look upon this unlimited money as a great benefit to themselves. Somebody’s who’s already in Congress has a lot more to sell to an avid contributor than somebody’s who’s just a challenger.
—Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter: The US Is an “Oligarchy With Unlimited Political Bribery”
I am a California guy who lived in Georgia for 3 years in the early 70s. I have a healthy respect for Jimmy Carter who was running for Governor when I first went to Georgia for my company. Politicians absolutely lose me when they talk about a great America. And sometimes get favors for themselves? Our system is based on contribute vast sums of money and we will reward you. Jimmy is probably one of the most honest politicians but please cut the rhetoric. Give me Bernie and Elizabeth anytime.
Well, let’s just say that he’s been much better at speaking truth to power since he hasn’t been in power. And there are things I really don’t like about his presidency. To begin with, he was really the first New Democrat — pushing the party to the right economically. He was also extremely conservative with regard to the communists — more conservative than the Republicans before and after him. But these days, I find I mostly agree with him. It’s kind of like my relationship with Paul Krugman. I’m actually a lot more liberal than Krugman. But our economy is so far out of wack that I rarely disagree with him. It’s a indication of just how bad things are in modern America.