The Carter record is a litany of despair, of broken promises, of sacred trusts abandoned and forgotten. Eight million — eight million out of work. Inflation running at 18 percent in the first quarter of this year. Black unemployment at 14 percent, higher than any single year since the government began keeping separate statistics. Four straight major deficits run up by Carter and his friends in Congress. The highest interest rates since the Civil War, reaching at times close to 20 percent, lately they’re down to more than 11 percent but now they’ve begun to go up again. Productivity falling for six straight quarters among the most productive people in the world.Through his inflation he has raised taxes on the American people by 30 percent, while their real income has risen only 20 percent. The Lady standing there in the harbor has never betrayed us once. But this Administration in Washington has betrayed the working men and women of this country.
The President promised that he would not increase taxes for the low and middle-income people, the workers of America. Then he imposed on American families the largest single tax increase in our nation’s history. His answer to all this misery? He tries to tell us that we’re “only” in a recession, not a depression, as if definitions, words, relieve our suffering.
Let it show on the record that when the American people cried out for economic help, Jimmy Carter took refuge behind a dictionary. Well if it’s a definition — if it’s a definition he wants, I’ll give him one. A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours. And recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his.
I would point out that there are now over 16 million Americans unemployed, many for the longest duration since WWII. And African-American unemployment is close to 17%, higher than when Reagan gave this speech.
Substitute “Jimmy Carter” for “Barack Obama” in Reagan’s speech and it still measures up today. I hope we make it to November 2012 when we can show Obama the definition of true recovery.
-Bruce (GayPatriot)
Thank you ever so much for posting this, Bruce. It reminds me of what leadership used to look like.
Now I’m depressed.
🙂
Jon Huntsmen’s suggested campaign slogan: “My name is Jon Huntsman and I do not want to defeat Barack Obama in 2012.”
Oh! goodie! A contest!
How about: “I come not to bury Obama, but to trade places with him.”
“Mr. Obama… tear down that South Lawn garden!”
Reagan doesn’t mince words; he took several different rhetorical blades at President Carter & flayed him. I love it!
Reagan was just speaking undeniable truths (otherwise known as statistics). My husband always says “it ain’t mean if it’s true”.
Re Jon Huntsman. I don’t trust any one that spells his name Jon.
John