Jimmy Carter says America is more an "oligarchy than a democracy" calls on Trump to "tell the truth"

[kpete]

ATLANTA — Former President Jimmy Carter offered a damning indictment of U.S. foreign policy and domestic affairs Tuesday, saying money in politics makes the nation more like an “oligarchy than a democracy” and casting President Donald Trump as a disappointment on the world stage.

Carter’s criticisms, offered at his annual presentation to backers of his post-presidency Carter Center in Atlanta, went beyond Trump, but he was particularly critical of the nation’s direction under the Republican president’s leadership.

The 39th president, a Democrat, offered this advice to the 45th: “Keep the peace, promote human rights and tell the truth.”

Carter, 92, did not mention explicitly Trump’s threatening exchanges this summer with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, but the former president said the U.S. should engage directly with the insular leader and discuss a peace treaty to replace the cease fire that ended the Korean War in 1953.


http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/jimmy-carter-calls-trump-peace-truth-article-1.3492439?utm_content=buffere5aae&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=NYDailyNewsTw

[HughBeaumont]

1. Isn't it funny how right wingers use the term "oligarch" . . .

. . . to describe Democratic or foreign wealthy people . . .

But the Sheldon Adelsons, Donald Trumps and Rex Tillersons of the world are "leaders", "job creators", "Captains of Industry" or other such buuuulshit . . .

[DetlefK]

6. Putin is worth billions, yet he somehow doesn't count as a russian oligarch.

[SHRED]

2. Nice try

But it's tRump.

[BigmanPigman]

3. We are almost as much an oligarchy as Russia is.

[unblock]

4. Not yet

But give Donnie a full term, and yeah....

[tanyev]

5. I think for Donald the truth is whatever benefits him or makes him look good.

Anything that criticizes him or makes him look bad has to be a lie.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. Maybe Even Simpler, Tan

It's whatever "it" thinks. That simple. If "it" thinks it, "it" believes it is true.

[Beartracks]

7. Tough advice to follow: Trump can't tell truth from fiction. n/t

[malaise]

8. I love Jimmy Carter

Rec

[Roy Rolling]

9. Me too

He "walks the walk" and is fearless. His only naïveté was believing his domestic opponents wouldn't cut deals with America's enemies. A great president, a great human being.

[HughBeaumont]

10. Carter didn't give an INCH to the Ayatollah.

Reagan gave that terrorist arms and used the profits to fund more terrorists.

[bucolic_frolic]

13. It's like a giant game of bug killer or herbicides

once you hit them, you have to hit them harder the next time and the next time and ....

[calimary]

18. I do, too.

Remember when he said "I will never lie to you" during the 1976 campaign? After we'd suffered through Nixon and Ford's pardon. And everybody went "oooh..."

[bucolic_frolic]

12. Jimmy keeps paying dividends

too bad he lost to corporate control

[fierywoman]

14. And we, the American people, have been lost ever since.

[C Moon]

15. His whole life has been based on lying and cheating.

IMO, Trump is a dumb version of the rich and powerful. I believe they all think just like him; the difference being they are smart enough to keep their mouths shut, and not be in the public eye (out of site, out of mind—and let the rest of the U.S. believe they are living in a democracy).

[niyad]

16. THANK YOU, President Carter, for fearlessly speaking the truth, as always!!

[DemocraticWing]

17. We were an oligarchy before Trump too.

Jimmy Carter figured out a long time ago we don't live in a democracy anymore. It's government by the rich, for the rich.

The elections are just a show to keep us entertained.

[Scurrilous]

19. K&R

[argyl]

20. The most honest President in the 20th Century, maybe ever.

I remember when he admitted to " lusting in his heart" in a Playboy interview during his Presidential campaign.
He really took a lot of teasing for his honesty.
We were a much more secular nation then.