History Lesson I-A

Editorial by Richard Aberdeen

Carter inherited the economic mess created by the Vietnam war and to this day, most Americans blame Carter for what was caused largely by policies under Johnson and Nixon and otherwise, by a brand new cancer on society called OPEC. Carter was actually one of our very best presidents and unlike Junior, Carter stood up to OPEC and managed to bring oil under control by the end of his much shorter term, as well as he managed to get a lot of hostages set free from the grips of a rather nasty religious tyrant in the Middle East, who apparently didn't like the fact we set up a ruthless puppet dictator called the Shah of Iran and helped him enslave a comparatively 'free' Muslim population. Even Newt Gingrich, who was Carter's biggest foe in Congress, later admitted that most of what Carter tried to get passed through a dumb-ass and even dumber-elephant Congress, was right and correct for the problems he inherited. Imagine that, ol' Newt himself disagreeing completely with Phil Valentine (see below).

The first four years of Reagan's "success" were in very large part, due to the small amount of wise policy that Carter actually did manage to get through a Dumb and Dumber Congress; the second four years of Reagan's term were not as "successful" and by the end of his eight years, similar to Obama, Bush Senior. inherited a big economic mess, although it was hidden more at the time Bush Sr. took over than now under Obama and, probably not as bad. After all, it was hard even for Reagan to outdo Junior in the financial disaster column, even though with his Merry MX Missile and Star Wars death ray shot into economic black hole oblivion, he gave it his best shot.

Although I wish otherwise, I think Obama has more than a 50% chance of ending up being viewed pretty much like Carter but perhaps, not quite as bad, because unlike Carter, it is clear in the mind of average Joe American and even Republican leaders admit, that Obama did not create this financial disaster, thus he has a leg or two up on poor Carter and unlike Carter, he at least ostensibly has Congresss on his side. Nevertheless, it is likely that within a couple of years, Obama will be shoulder the brunt of the blame and the actual cause of our problems, like those under Carter and Bush Sr., will be long forgotten.

What amazes me is not the historical and especially moral ignorance of average Joe American--I can expect high school and college graduates to vote a second time for an immoral Bush Junior and worse Dick Cheney, given the amount of blatant lies on right-wing radio and counter-balancing moral censorship approved by the ACLU in our public school system. What does amaze me is the profound ignorance of many American historians, who continue to label Carter as one of our worst presidents and Reagan as one of our best, while it is clear from a fair historical perspective, that the opposite is true.

And surprisingly even to me, Nashville right-wing radio enthusiast Phil Valentine has dug far back into the dust bins of Baby Boomer generation history, blaming poor hapless Carter for our current troubles. After all I guess, right-wing radio Phil can't both look in the mirror and blame Reagan and the Bush Klan, any more than apparently he can think and chew neo-convict Bazooka bubble gum at the same time. Maybe he should take a cue from the Smothers Brothers of, when all else fails, light up a joint or two and try and forget as best we can. (Of course, not that I would ever personally light up a joint, after all, whiskey is cheaper and well proven by my ancestors to be more effective.)


Richard Aberdeen
Freedom Tracks Records
615-889-1669 - 800-992-8084
richard@freedomtracks.com
www.FreedomTracks.com