[Thorzdad]

Jimmy Carter has passed. He was 100.

First person I ever cast a vote for.

[subego]

I was 5 in 1976, so he was my formative example of a President.

[reader50]

We're likely to lose more in the next few years. List of living Presidents:

#42 Bill Clinton (age 78)
#43 Bush Jr. (age 78)
#44 Barack Obama (age 63)
#45 Trump (age 78)
#46 Joe Biden (age 82)

I didn't come of age in time for Jimmy Carter, so never got to vote for or against. Parents were against, but in hindsight, I've read good things about his policies.

[ghporter]

Mr. Carter was president when I turned 18, when I enlisted in the Air Force, and through most of my first enlistment. He had class, even if I didn’t like the austerity of DoD budgets then (for example, we didn’t have enough money for chalk in classrooms).

Reagan blamed the Iran Hostage Crisis on him, and did some underhanded dealing to ensure the hostages weren’t released until after Reagan took office. A lot of people blamed a recession on him, even though he inherited it from Ford.

Later, in 1989, Mr. Carter was an international observer of Panama’s elections - elections marked by Noriega’s goons terrorizing voters, ballot stuffing, and more. Between the ingenuity of the Panamanian poll workers and the ineptitude of said goons, it was clear that Noriega lost, but he claimed victory and used military force to bully the voters. It didn’t work, and Mr. Carter was the voice of the international community in telling the world that Noriega stole the election.

Finally, until fairly recently, Mr. Carter actively BUILT HOUSES with Habitat for Humanity. In his freaking 90s! He quietly showed what it meant to serve, and he lived his commitment to his spiritual values.

[andi*pandi]

It's appalling the people out there casting aspersions on his character. He may not have been the most effective president but his heart was always in the right place. He was blamed for the hostages and Reagan was doing shenanigans so they wouldn't be released. More people should know that - and he had solar panels up on the white house which Reagan took down! So much petty.

RIP to a good man.