A Carter quote echoed by. . .Trump?

Peanut farmer from Georgia

Another quote that is really more a paraphrase from what was really said? I don't know about taking this kind of license. So I ought to verify the "tighten our belts" comment from Jimmy Carter. Already I knew that he did not use the word "malaise" in this famous or infamous speech. 

America has never been afraid of excess. The more the better for our personal lifestyle and possessions - that's the credo. And I'm not totally putting it down. Going for the moon is quite fine for anything. We must be thoughtful and be guided by the Judeo-Christian ethic. 

Republicans more than anyone would diss the idea that we'd have to "tighten our belts." They had an opportunity to show their attitude on this after the noteworthy Jimmy Carter speech in 1979. Americans were still listening to disco music. While our memories have been fading, think of disco and the decade should be revived nicely. 

Protests in Iran were persisting. The revolution there was causing international worry. A fundamentalist cleric took power. Oil production became limited, thus Americans faced rising prices. Carter saw his stock diminished. How about a speech to try to remedy? These were the days before our attention got carved up by the Internet. 

Bring on July 15, 1979. Carter gave his most important address to the nation. "Angst" might describe our collective state. I thought Carter's manner of speaking was fine. Most others thought otherwise. Through the prism of time the speech has not aged well. 

 

Movie flashback

I wonder how many people reacted like me to a scene in the movie about the "Miracle on Ice" hockey team. The team was unwinding with a game of touch football, as I recall. We heard the Carter speech in the background. What stood out for me was that the guys were oblivious to Carter's words. They were sharing some unbridled fun and paid literally no mind. 

The message: It is against the American nature to hear about sacrifice. I mean sacrifice to your personal lifestyle and living standards. Our capitalistic system ought to afford us the chance to "go for the moon." Earn and live well. I have no issue with the Republican pols on this. 

Then there is the separate matter of the sacrifice of lives for the sake of war. George W. Bush sold us on that for the Middle East. The sands have clearly shifted on this. Whereas you used to risk being called a "commie" for opposing war, today the leading element of the Republican Party appears totally against war. As a 70-year-old who certainly followed the tragedy of war, it's kind of mystifying. I mean the shape-shifting going on here. 

William Kristol

So the vice president J.D. Vance assails William Kristol on this front. Vance was responding to criticism. And I must say as a Democrat, Vance totally and decisively put Kristol in his place. Should have left him mumbling. 

The Republicans now just happen to have a leader that influences the party with such firmness, he can get them in line on anything. While I am scared of this about 100 percent, it is interesting how the party is now thumbs-down on war adventurism. So we've gone from George W. Bush to Donald Trump. And the self-styled and self-marketing "conservative media" has tagged along with each one. 

 

Word out of the ether?

Jimmy Carter gave what came to be called the "malaise speech." Which is fascinating because Carter never used the word "malaise." Sounds like a popular word for college professors. Yes, they're responsible for this I'm sure. Amidst the disturbing international circumstances which had ramifications here, Carter decided to question the self-indulgence and consumption of America. At the same time, he preached the need for sacrifice - individual and collective. 

Carter was certainly most well-intentioned. Sacrifice can be a noble thing, if we're not talking wartime death. If you're going to associate such an attitude with a political party, it would be the Democrats. They are cautious about pumping up "materialism." 

Republicans? I remember when "Fred Mertz" of the "Lucy Show" had a little kiosk called "Big Hunk of America" to compete with "Ricky's" "A Little Bit of Cuba." "A big hunk" is what Americans seek to go for, n'est-ce pas? I'll repeat that it is ingrained in our nature. 

I am fascinated to see that not only the word "malaise" was a post-speech invention, so too were the words "we'll have to tighten our belts." Man, I remember that quote being bandied about back in the day. But hey, it was a paraphrase! Ethical questions about journalism maybe, I mean if the wrong words gained currency. 

Today we have the grand "meritocracy of the Internet" enforcing precision. Don't let the professor types hold forth. Put aside "malaise" and "tighten our belts" as interpretations i.e. paraphrasing,which granted was accurate. 

 

Incongruous

Why am I bringing this up today? A very good and timely reason. You see, not only has DJT transformed the Republican Party into anti-war, he has now come out against excess consumption! This was with his "dolls" comment of the other day. Maybe these remarks will become a defining part of his presidency. Sheesh, there are so many other dubious parts clamoring for attention. 

Excess consumption? Girls wanting "too many dolls?" Really? DJT is trying to get us ready for the trials lying ahead because of his tariffs. Rising prices to be sure. Haven't we had enough of rising prices? Maybe we have. The Trump-supporting element of the USA wants to follow him so automatically, knee-jerk you might say. 

Michelle Fischbach

Ask our congressperson Michelle Fischbach about the need for sacrifice to "get along with less." She ought to put down such ideas. She is a Republican. But she is 100 percent Trump-supporting. Of course she will not question the Orange Man. I'll repeat: Someone should ask her sometime if there is anything Trump could do or say that she would disagree with. 

I predict that Americans are not vigilant or thoughtful enough about what is coming in the way of higher prices. I predict it really will "cross a line." And then we may fall into a true "malaise." Can it be remedied? 

The scary thing is that DJT has built up such a wall of power around himself, assisted often by the Supreme Court. Can the dam break? That is the big question. 

I'd love for someone like Carter to be our president again. Ah, memories come back of the story he told about the rabbit swimming toward his boat in the swamp!

  

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com