Why do conservatives hate Jimmy Carter?

[DevotedDemocrat]

I don't feel it's just because he was a Democrat.
I've noted on conservative boards a special kind of hatred held for Carter, reserved only for Obama and the likes of Edward Kennedy. They seem to have grown to have a (very grudging) respect for Bill Clinton...But Carter is talked about as if he were some uber-socialist nightmare of a President, a horrid person.

But the guy was arguably just as Conservative as Reagan. I've read that in 1980, many people didn't see much difference in what Reagan and Carter were offering in terms of policies.

Carter:

-Wanted to slash taxes
-Began the process of deregulation, for example deregulated the airline and trucking industries
-Worked at welfare reform
-Was a Born Again, Evangelical Christian, and helped make the Religious Right into an organized, viable political group.
-Reignited the Cold War after a decade of relative calm and thawing.
-Increased defense spending at the expense of domestic spending

I mean, the guy was farther to the right than even George H.W. Bush, arguably, and probably even further to the right than George W. Bush, yet the conservatives act like he was a Socialist. I've only seen a greater level of hate aimed at our current President on the part of conservatives.

Why?

[Indy Texas]

Because he made America look weak on the international stage (during the Iran crisis) and petty as well (boycotting the Olympics).

Liberals dislike him for many of the reasons you listed. On domestic policy, he conducted himself more or less the way a typical conservative Southern Democrat of that era would.

In my estimation, his biggest flaw was his unshakeable belief that his own personal virtue surpassed that of everyone else in public life and his use of that as an excuse to get along horribly with everyone in Congress and even in his own Cabinet.

[TNF]

Carter is vilified by the right because he made the United States look weak and cared too much about trying to sort things out peacefully before sending in the Marines. Domestically, the man was a Republican in all but name. He busted unions, cut spending, deregulated the economy, and injected with it all a distinctly evangelical moralism. As of late I would say Carter is reviled by many on the neoconservative side of the spectrum for tepidly speaking out against Israeli apartheid.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Yeah Carter was a center-right Democrat. He was ineffective however, and his foreign policy was not aggressive enough for the far Right.

[Vosem]

As of late I would say Carter is reviled by many on the neoconservative side of the spectrum for tepidly speaking out against Israeli apartheid.

Do we really have to go through all the reasons that the comparison between modern-day Israel and apartheid South Africa is one of the most inane and stupid equivocations found in today's politics? To the extent that the rump PLO is probably more similar?

[TNF]

As of late I would say Carter is reviled by many on the neoconservative side of the spectrum for tepidly speaking out against Israeli apartheid.

Do we really have to go through all the reasons that the comparison between modern-day Israel and apartheid South Africa is one of the most inane and stupid equivocations found in today's politics? To the extent that the rump PLO is probably more similar?

Would you rather I compare Israel's expansion into Palestinian territories to the forced relocation of and stealing of Native American lands by the United States in the 19th Century? Because there are obvious parallels there, too.

[© tweed]

too maternal, looks bleak next to the bright Reagan star.

[publicunofficial]

It has to do with the Reagan worship. Republican history has turned Jimmy Carter into the socialist hippie dragon that ultra-conservative Reagan slayed and saved the nation. He's essentially the Republican version of how liberals view Herbert Hoover.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

As of late I would say Carter is reviled by many on the neoconservative side of the spectrum for tepidly speaking out against Israeli apartheid.

Do we really have to go through all the reasons that the comparison between modern-day Israel and apartheid South Africa is one of the most inane and stupid equivocations found in today's politics? To the extent that the rump PLO is probably more similar?

Would you rather I compare Israel's expansion into Palestinian territories to the forced relocation of and stealing of Native American lands by the United States in the 19th Century? Because there are obvious parallels there, too.

Or if you really want us to be incendiary, you two, shall we compare Israel's policies with Germany's desire for Lebensraum?

[DINGO Joe]

He put solar panels on the White House.

[DC Al Fine]

Reagan's opponent.

Personally he's my favourite Democratic President.

[dead0man]

As of late I would say Carter is reviled by many on the neoconservative side of the spectrum for tepidly speaking out against Israeli apartheid.

Do we really have to go through all the reasons that the comparison between modern-day Israel and apartheid South Africa is one of the most inane and stupid equivocations found in today's politics? To the extent that the rump PLO is probably more similar?

Would you rather I compare Israel's expansion into Palestinian territories to the forced relocation of and stealing of Native American lands by the United States in the 19th Century? Because there are obvious parallels there, too.

Or if you really want us to be incendiary, shall we compare Israel's policies with Germany's desire for Lebensraum?

Stop making fun of TNF, he doesn't know any better.

[memphis]

He told America the truth about their energy consumption. Republicans don't like politicians who talk to the public like adults.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

Because he's a liberal.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

As of late I would say Carter is reviled by many on the neoconservative side of the spectrum for tepidly speaking out against Israeli apartheid.

Do we really have to go through all the reasons that the comparison between modern-day Israel and apartheid South Africa is one of the most inane and stupid equivocations found in today's politics? To the extent that the rump PLO is probably more similar?

Would you rather I compare Israel's expansion into Palestinian territories to the forced relocation of and stealing of Native American lands by the United States in the 19th Century? Because there are obvious parallels there, too.

Or if you really want us to be incendiary, shall we compare Israel's policies with Germany's desire for Lebensraum?

Stop making fun of TNF, he doesn't know any better.

Actually, my target was both of them, which I've now made clear by editing my post.

[Gass3268]

As of late I would say Carter is reviled by many on the neoconservative side of the spectrum for tepidly speaking out against Israeli apartheid.

Do we really have to go through all the reasons that the comparison between modern-day Israel and apartheid South Africa is one of the most inane and stupid equivocations found in today's politics? To the extent that the rump PLO is probably more similar?

Desmond Tutu disagrees and he knows a thing or two about apartheid.

[angus]

But the guy was arguably just as Conservative as Reagan. I've read that in 1980, many people didn't see much difference in what Reagan and Carter were offering in terms of policies.

This is hardly the case.

Sure, Carter deregulated the beer industry and the airline industry.  Moreover, it was Carter, of all people, who came up with the doctrine of pre-emption long before GWB.  

But he was the only president elected in my lifetime who was publicly opposed to capital punishment in all cases.  He criticized the alleged use of torture in Guantanamo Bay.  He spends his spare time and money building habitats for the poor and homeless in places like Haiti and Viet Nam.  He has referred to Israel's occupation of Palestine as "control and colonization" and as "a system of apartheid."  In his Carter Center work, his goal is to alleviate suffering due to poverty, illiteracy, and disease.  No offense to Reagan, who was a wonderful President, but Jimmy Carter was a true bleeding heart Christian.  Deeply spiritual, a "bleeding heart" in the true sense.  You ever read his poetry?  I purchased one of his books, "Always a Reckoning," at a book fair where he was in attendance and he autographed it for me.  It's full of optimistic musings and wishful thinking.  

As for the 1980 race, I was only in the 8th grade, but I remember it well.  He stood firmly against Reagan's promises to unleash energy corporations and defeat the corporate windfall tax.  Moreover, Carter was the only candidate to support the ERA.  In his acceptance speech at the DNC, he highlighted the "justice of good jobs, decent health care, quality education, a full opportunity for all people regardless of color or language or religion, the simple human justice of equal rights for all men and for all women, guaranteed equal rights at last."  The only bible quote he gave in that speech summed up his nature well:  "Defend the poor and the fatherless; give justice to the afflicted and needy."


Anyway, the reason that many commentators don't like him, especially Republicans, is because he doesn't play the game well.  Never did.  He's a decent and honorable man, but he was an exceptionally bad president.  Now, as a former president, he opens his mouth and honestly answers every question he's asked, no matter how bad it makes the USA or the presidency look.  He then gets described by the rightist talking heads as an anti-American who makes a living criticizing the nation he once was given the honor to serve.  

[ElectionsGuy]

Gee, I don't know, maybe its because he ripped the economy to shreds. That's the reason I have a very low opinion of him, but not because I think he's some socialist lefty. I don't know whats up with some conservatives.

[RodPresident]

Foreign policy is the main reason: Nicaragua, Iran and Canal Treaty.

[Zioneer]

Because it makes Reagan look better, when in reality he was the 2nd most damaging modern President behind GWB.

It makes Reagan a saving grace to 'Murica.

This, I think. Your sentence structure is a bit odd, but if what you're saying is that Reagan was the 2nd worst modern president, I agree.

As for Carter, I think Mo Udall (assuming he wouldn't have had Parkinsons) would have been a much better president at that time.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

He functions as a FOIL, and serves to fit a narrative.

[Badger]

Because outside the laudible Camp David Accord, his presidency was essentially a mismanaged disaster.