Bill Clinton once quipped that strong and wrong beats weak and right, and such a saying no matter its accurate historical context has incorrectly been used to describe the Carter administration.

With the passing of Rosalynn Carter, the one-term of the Carters will once again be discussed for its successes and failures, but perhaps a more balanced view will continue to emerge. Under the shadow of never-ending war and open conflict in the Middle East, not to mention the recent less than Presidential behavior at the White House, Mrs. Carter’s role as a wife, mother, and leader is a last reflective gift to the nation.

The Carter Doctrine focused heavily on peace and human rights, culminating in the landmark Camp David Accords - an achievement of peace between Jews and Arabs that still stands relatively alone to this day. Carter's active diplomacy embodied the idea that “waging peace” is possible through talks and dialogue, and Rosalynn Carter was always there. She helped plan and coordinate the details of the 13-day summit at Camp David with National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, and she was one of the very few people allowed to freely go between the rooms of the Israeli, Egyptian, and American delegations.

Mrs. Carter's role as First Lady expanded the definition of the position. She sat in on cabinet meetings and acted as a top advisor to the President - highly unusual at the time and instant fodder for the backroom dealmakers who used to have the best seat at the table. The Carters' equal partnership had not been seen since Eleanor Roosevelt attended to numerous official duties as the wife of FDR.

In an age of Christian Conservativism and the rise of evangelical politics, the Carters were the first real test of a couple elected with an open show of faith. They were a break from the past, an effort to also restore faith in government after a Nixon White House and a fruitless war in Vietnam. Yet it wasn’t only because they prayed publicly and spoke about faith, but that they could easily be judged by their works. Keeping the faith meant swinging the hammer, using the pen as a sword, and seeking the discomfort of dealing with problems not of one’s own making. Why the Carter term would later be deemed as a failure by some Christian conservatives is the real question to ponder, for by biblical terms, the Carters did everything right; practicing the patience of Job, turning swords into plowshares, and being blessed as peacemakers. Lest one try to apply the wimp factor, the Carter administration equally took a strong stance against a Russian invasion of Afghanistan, secretly arming the freedom fighters there much as we are doing in the open today in Ukraine. (Another parallel can be found in the multinational effort to protect and retrieve the hostages taken by Hamas, similar to the actions Carter took in prioritizing the hostages held by a zealous Iranian government.)

After leaving office, the Carters continued practicing their good works. They founded the Carter Center, which has monitored over 100 elections for fraud and worked to eradicate diseases in developing countries. They built houses for Habitat for Humanity into their 90s. Mrs. Carter, an early voice for mental health awareness in the 1970’s, continued to be a voice for those suffering from health issues and seeing to the needs of their caregivers.

In an age where judgment suffers more from personal taste than from hard-earned convictions, Rosalynn Carter’s was a life worth admiring and emulating. A supportive wife and mother, kind to strangers, balanced in her sense of self, a good neighbor, and from an accumulation of anecdotes, a wise and witty source of counsel.

More will be said at the time of the passing of President Carter, but if the proverb of behind every good man is a good woman is ever to be considered for challenge, it might be better to say beside every good man is a good woman.

Special Note: The morning we visited the Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains was a 5AM bus ride and I was under the weather but didn’t want to miss it. My oldest still remembers being there, though my youngest has no memory of Mrs. Carter running her hand through his hair and admiring his wonderful curls. 🙂 President Carter led the bible class and asked where people were from and was as engaging a man with stories and verse as you would expect. They stayed after the regular lesson to allow people the opportunity to get a photo which is the one we cherish today. My perception is that the Carters sincerely tried to occupy a place of no pretention, to humble oneself in the face of knowing there’s a God. Humble does not coincide with strength in today’s cultural churn, but that’s what they practiced and offered. They did big things without abusing power or trust. There was no need to look or be treated differently than those around you. It was unnecessary to bluster or parade to draw attention. A life worth living was one in service to others.

Do any of you still do political polls? I have been quite curious of whether the old days of randomly selecting phone numbers and cold calling is still the standard in the age of social media and texting. Polling has been around for a long time in politics, but getting an accurate read in an age of diverse communication methods has become much harder. Some of the old pollsters have been so wrong that new pollsters with new kids and new methods like FiveThirtyEight have come to the forefront.

Alas, the media, once a beacon of enlightenment, has a perilous fixation on old themes like this latest poll. Jennifer Rubin takes issues with such fixation, especially being a year out and given the track record of polling. Polls have been more wrong than right of late, and I question the capacity for the average citizen to not only have the time to do a poll anymore but to not have a little fun tinkering with their answers. In this age of information, where truth and falsehood have been purposely intertwined, these things need to be called out when they occur, for these narratives, this constant questioning, distraction, doubt, is doing a number on the general populace. We love our opinions and love to share them, but are polls more of a distraction, a shortcut, to doing a bit deeper work on our own?

The transition from reliance on oil and gas to a new economy centered around wind and solar is undeniably challenging, particularly when substantial resources are being allocated towards warfare, thereby further complicating the matter at hand.

Yet we’ve been here before. It becomes pertinent to contemplate how Teddy Roosevelt, a prominent figure in history renowned for his progressive policies and environmental conservation efforts, would approach this predicament. Would he advocate for a prioritization of short-term gains by corporations, potentially jeopardizing the welfare of future generations, or would he firmly believe that it is the responsibility of the government to intervene and ensure a sustainable and equitable future for all?

Ultimately, the guiding force behind such decisions lies within the realm of public policy, within the realm of voters and citizens everywhere, where the delicate balance between economic growth, environmental preservation, and social welfare must be struck.

It is imperative for policymakers to carefully weigh the long-term benefits and potential drawbacks of different approaches, considering the interests of both present and future generations, and they need to do a better job educating the populace on the differences. Energy policy is much more than the price of a gallon of gas. Only through thoughtful and comprehensive public policy can we pave the way towards a greener, more sustainable future.

Special Note: With the focus on the Carters, it was President Carter who first tried to start the transition to a solar economy, stopped and reversed by the next administration. Where would we be today had we stuck with the transition then?

I’ve had both relatives and friends with addiction issues. I know the pain and the frustration on dealing with it. I’m not confident on the solution, but what I don’t want to see is a pullback from trying different and alternative methods. Oregon’s effort is likely to be revamped but a society like ours that is built on trial and error, research, and science must never stop searching for better solutions.

Response to drug use may need a carrot and a stick approach, but I don’t see incarceration being the answer for users. I could see harsher punishment for providers, but even that I would like to see some data on. Let’s be human about this.

Special note: If anyone watched the recent Netflix series on the Sackler family, you’ll see how they marketed the hell out of OxyContin, stretching legal and public regulations to the max and spreading the wealth to do it. It’s not always some unseen cartel that’s the problem.

Full disclosure. I’ve had Vanguard funds for quite some time. I would not put them into the “nest egg” label yet, for there is nowhere near enough for us to retire on. However, understanding some basics about investment and where to park some money is one of the smartest things for you to do. Believe me, if you don’t study and consider the choices you have with your money, just know there are plenty of people out there ready and waiting to attract your money to them. Vanguard has a good rating from third party reviewers for its returns and the fees it charges. I am using them only as an example, not a recommendation.

Make sure your kids spend some time studying money as early as they can handle it.

The divorce rate in the United States is around 45%. Think about that. You have a 50/50 chance of getting it right, probably the biggest decision you will ever make, and you are just as likely to screw it up. My kids have cringed in horror when I introduce them to others who seem to be a good match, but the reality is I have as good of a chance to get it right as they do! Maybe there is something to say about arranged marriages. Enough of the digression. This was a good article to consider that these old, “slow” seniors have enough left in the tank to not only get online and search but to find new relationships. My adult kids are using apps. Why can’t the old codgers?

If any of you caught the brilliant Manhunter on Netflix, The Killer is another piece by Director David Fincher. Released straight to Netflix, this is an intense movie you can enjoy in the comfort of home. The Killer, a hired assassin played by Michael Fassbender, has a running dialogue throughout the film; how he approaches his work, his philosophy of life, and with very little remorse or emotional connection to the outcomes.

Until he misses.

Then you see the tools and trades of a man at his work when something doesn’t go as planned. There is graphic content, almost unavoidable in today’s filmmaking, but I go for the story, and this one had the goods.

And Now….

Some advice on the way out the door…

Hope to see you next time. Keep reading, and remember: Be a good human.