"Godspeed, President Carter," by Steve Schmidt

It's worth either reading or listening to Jimmy Carter's speech delivered around 44 years ago. It led to him getting "primaried," resulting in a one-term presidency. Why? Because he spoke the truth about our political leaders' unwillingness to deal with complex issues. Clearly, matters have only gotten worse and as Schmidt notes, "can be applied to immigration, guns, debt, or a hundred other pressing problems that remain unsolved and unaddressed in a way that saps faith and belief in the system."

Yes, Godspeed, Jimmy Carter, for your words of truth and wisdom and for a life abundantly lived, a true icon and humanitarian.

My husband and I so wanted to make it to your Sunday School in Plains, Georgia. It just never materialized.  At least you got to sign my book that you authored titled, Living Faith. It was such a beautiful book that gifted me with peace at a crucial moment in my life and career. 

I so regret us not going. We so admire you and have you and your family—and the millions whose lives you touched—in our thoughts and prayers.

Peace / paz,

-Angela Valenzuela

Godspeed, President Carter STEVE SCHMIDT FEB 24 Open in app or online   SAVE ▷  LISTEN   James Earl Carter was born nearly 100 years ago. He was elected the 39th president of the United States nearly 50 years ago.  Many people have labeled the 39th president the ‘greatest former president’ in American history because of his commitment to peace, reconciliation and charitable causes. Implicit in the praise is a premise that President Carter’s presidency was a failure, overwhelmed by inflation, interest rates and the Iranian hostage crisis.  During a difficult political time President Carter delivered a speech to the country from the Oval Office that would be regarded as an epic political disaster that helped ensure he was a one-term president. The speech angered Senator Ted Kennedy, and it helped trigger his decision to primary Carter from the left. Ironically, Carter had been advised to talk about America through the prism of the pilgrims and John Winthrop’s alliterations towards the “city on a hill” that would become a mainstay of Ronald Reagan’s campaign that defeated him.  President Carter’s “Crisis of Confidence” speech was delivered in 1979, and came to be known as the “malaise” speech, though he never said the word.  President Carter delivers what came to be known as the '“malaise” speech on July 15, 1979

“We’re one election away from losing the country to people who do not believe in democracy.”

As former Republican strategist Steve Schmidt tells MSNBC's Lawrence
O'Donnell, December 10, 2020 was indeed a "9-11 moment" in U.S. history—a definite before and after moment when 106 republican members of Congress broke with democracy and the vote by the people. By refusing to accept that Biden won the election, they abandoned their own trust and belief in democracy.

The choice is ours as a country. Do we want democracy or do we want autocracy? The 2020 Republican Party Platform suggests as much.

The people did speak in the last election. Through their vote, the people did say they wanted democracy. The thing about democracy, however cherished or manifestly revered, it is still always contingent, negotiated, and fragile. Ominously, Schmidt captures our precariousness as a country in which we find ourselves:

“We’re one election away from losing the country to people who do not believe in democracy.”

Hence, the task of every new generation is to take up the work of rediscovering anew our democratic values, ideals, and institutions not the least of which is the right to vote who will represent us in government.

-Angela Valenzuela