[musgrove]

He's not the exception. Our presidents who leave office and amass enormous wealth (as well as celebrities and wealthy people Americans want to vote into office) are the global exceptions. Most "civil servants" in other countries serve their terms and go back to their regular jobs. The real story would be why America is the cultural anomaly.

[pasbesoin]

Truly, we in the U.S. need to look at ourselves for what we have wrought and currently suffer under.

We claim to want these things, then attack those who manifest them.

We preach understanding and forgiveness, then refuse to exercise it in understanding limitations others face -- external as well as internal -- and working with them to improve things.

No society's perfect. But, America has managed to raise sloth and hypocrisy to new levels.

As I've aged and observed, I've come to think of us more and more, as and become a bully nation.

Of course, a man like Carter doesn't "fit" into that. Which is a credit to him.

Or, depending upon your perspective, his ultimate failing.

(Something I associate with all too well.)