A Government as Good as Its People

by Jimmy Carter

Overview

A Government as Good as Its People, first published in 1977, presents sixty-two of the most notable public statements made by President Carter on his way to the White House. Formal speeches, news conferences, informal remarks made at gatherings, interviews, and excerpts from debates give a vivid glimpse into the issues of the time and the deeply held convictions of Jimmy Carter.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781610751704
Publisher:	University of Arkansas Press
Publication date:	05/01/1996
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	236
File size:	729 KB

About the Author

Jimmy Carter, the thirty-ninth president of the United States, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his time as president and his work through the Carter Center, which seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health around the world.

Table of Contents

Contents Introduction 1. Governor of Georgia, 1971-1974 From Plains to Atlanta An Inner Urge Things I Want to Change The Women in My Life Unfulfilled Dreams and Crushed Hopes The Two Most Regressive Taxes Those Who Are Frozen in Heart and Mind Martin Luther King, Jr. A Legitimate Humility Law Day Why Not the Best? 2. Toward the Nomination, 1975-1976 Two Very Basic Concerns News Conference I Intend to Win It's the Poor Who Suffer An Inevitable Role of Leadership Victory in New Hampshire The Dreams of the Common People The Country Changed "Ethnic Purity" I Believe in a Strong Defense The Essence of a Worthwhile Life Interview with Bill Moyers Nuclear Energy and World Order The Issue Is Faith I See an America ... The Prospect of Being President The Power of Love A Community of the Free 3. Toward the Presidency, July-November 1976 My Name Is Jimmy Carter and I'm Running for President A Special Responsibility We Have Been Through Too Much in Too Short a Time Pardon Yes, Amnesty No Coming Home to Iowa Peanuts Are a Hard Crop to Grow "Would You Please Let Me Vote?" I Owe the People Everything Human Rights Once the People Rule Again But I Don't Think the People Will Be Fooled From the Playboy Interview Closing Statement, First Carter-Ford Debate I Can't Win Without You From an Interview with Norman Mailer for The New York Times Magazine We've Lost the Spirit in Our Nation Brotherhood and Sisterhood The Family Is the Cornerstone of American Life The Second Carter-Ford Debate: Foreign Policy Warm Hearts and Cool Heads Crime Is Unacceptable We Don't Know God's Purpose on Earth Our Technology Has Outstripped Our Humanity Give Our System Another Chance A Child of the City Closing Statement, Third Carter-Ford Debate Different People ... Different Hopes ... Different Dreams News Conference You've Always Made Me Proud of You The Sun Is Rising on a Beautiful New Day 4. Inaugural Address, January 20, 1977 Inaugural Address

Editorial Reviews

It is astounding how little attention has been paid to Jimmy Carter's lifebefore, during and after his presidencyby publishers and biographers. University of Georgia sociologist Morris tries to fill the void with this thematic biography of a U.S. leader generally seen as a failure in office and a success as a statesman after defeat at the polls. Morris succeeds as an intellectual biographer but largely fails as the teller of a life story. He admires Carter as an above-board moralist during an age when such a persona could have been drowned by cynicism. But Morris is also convincing when he suggests that Carter's moralism didn't suit the country's needs during the last half of the 1970s. Morris is especially critical of Carter's failure to formulate and convey a platform for domestic policy reform. A president cannot, should not, try to govern with a foreign policy vision only, Morris asserts. While his decision to plumb the depths of Carter's moral lobe is a wise one, he could have done so while also giving more consideration to the events in Carter's life. That glossing of externalities often makes it difficult to understand Carter's moral judgments. Although Morris leaves the field open for a more thorough recounting of Carter's life before and during his presidency, his treatment of Carter at age 70 does offer satisfying insights. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly