Could it be Worse than Carter?

I frequently allude to James Earl Carter’s administration (1977-1980) as the low point in the performance of American presidents. In the intervening twenty-eight years the people have only chosen one Democrat to assume the White House. His clumsiness and clueless foreign policy was supposedly balanced by his role as a Sunday school teacher. The peanut farmer proved no match for the leader of Iran and was embarrassed and politically damaged as a result of the hostage crisis. He did approve one lame attempt to rescue them but it took a total change of attitude in the oval office to resolve the matter.

Ronald Reagan took office in January 1981 and the hostage issue was concluded the very next day. It was well understood that Reagan would brook no such nonsense and the hostages were returned.

Mr. Carter also left us with another matter which provides interesting theater for those who follow such things. It was he who signed into law the registration of eligible young men for the military. Most liberals are unaware of this and are genuinely shocked when the truth is demonstrated to them. I thought of this as I thumbed through a newly acquired World Almanac 2008. In the process, I came across another set of very interesting facts.

In the aggregate, over the last sixty years, the highest average prices for crops occurred in 1980! Judging from my latest trips to the super market, I would have certainly thought that untrue. Obviously, there are exceptions, but on the whole, that has been the high water mark for the crops of US farmers. I love farmers and I love to see them financially secure but I also realize that their bonanza is a burden for consumers. Let’s take a look at some prices for comparison:



Commodity-----------1960———1980———1999———2006

Corn, bshl--------------$1.00--------$3.11-------$1.82-------$3.20

Soybeans, bshl---------$2.13--------$7.57--------$4.62------ $6.20

Wheat, bshl------------$1.74---------$3.91--------$2.48-------$4.26

Hay, 480# bale-------- $21.70-------$71.00-------$76.90------$109.00

Cotton seed-----------$42.50-------$129 00------$89.00------$110.

Peanuts--------------- $10.00------$25.10--------$25.40------$17.20

Potatoes---------------$2.00-------$6.55---------$5.77------- $7.42

Rice-------------------$4.55------ $12.80------- $5.93--------$9.75

Oats, bshl.-------------$.60--------$1.79---------$1.12--------$1.87


If you need more commodities, check page 92 of The World Almanac 2008, World Almanac Books.

These sky-high prices may not be attributed to the current pressures on many of them. Their use in bio-fuel production has elevated the price in an unnatural spiral. The prices shown here, especially 1980, were the result of extremely high interest rates and fiscal mismanagement at the highest levels of government. If prohibitive interest rates ban buying tools, you must reduce your production. When the production is decreased and the demand remains the same or increases, the market price soars. The biggest failure was the farmer’s ability to stay liquid and increase his output to take advantage of the escalating price. If you can’t get the money to buy the seed, fertilizer, pesticides and fuel to plant the crop you can’t reap the benefits.

In the midst of all this and to assuage his guilt over the poor, Carter engineered the Community Reinvestment Act and set up the failure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and other important financial institutions. So what does this have to do with our current situation?

In my Opinion, Obama is Jimmy Carter to the 10th power. Carter’s socialism was tempered by his misinterpreted Deacon’s view of the world and his failure to read all of text in the Good Book and not just that which justified his social ends. I do not believe that Obama gives a whit about the text and only uses those hunks and chunks which justify his excuses for the socialism he adores. Although all of Carter’s friends were not saints, they at least showed a measure of caring for the country. He was not totally surrounded by those who seek the outright destruction of America as we know it. Unlike the current candidate he did not court the likes of Ayers, Wright, Rezko, Alinsky, Dohrn, Phleger, and on and on and on.

Be not deceived; this is no hick Georgia peanut farmer who threatens the republic. It is a well packaged, expertly merchandised, deceiver of extreme talent in community disruption. His denials not withstanding, he is in the company of those with whom most of America disagrees if they only thought about it. He mocks God with his pretenses, lies about his true background, and has no intention of modulating his actions. Do not foolishly believe that his disrespect for life extends only to the unborn. Unlike most candidates, I truly believe that he will attempt to implement his ideas during a presidency. God help us all!

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon