Thank You And God Bless You President Jimmy Carter

 Thursday, February 23rd, 2023

My Dear America:

There was recently a sad announcement from the Carter Center and the Jimmy Carter Family.

The announcement said that Former President of The United States, Jimmy Carter, had chosen to leave his hospital care and return home with Hospice Care.  This was a strong signal that life for Jimmy Carter is close to the end of his days on earth.  This news has left most of us who remember and admire Jimmy Carter with a sadness not only for Jimmy Carter but also a sadness for the Decency, Love and Respect for Others that he represented throughout his life and has been so lacking in Politics following the years when Jimmy Carter was President.

I am sure that there are a of of young people who don't remember much, if anything at all, about Jimmy Carter.  The younger they are the chances are that they don't remember a time in their lives when extremely decent and truthful people were elected all the time to high office in America.  Certainly in 1976 when Jimmy Carter was elected to the Presidency there was still a distinct trace of foul odor in the White House left over from the lack of decency that characterized the Watergate Scandal which had brought down the Administration of Richard Nixon prior to Jimmy Carter's arrival in Washington.

We are very lucky in America that, for the most part, we have had relatively decent people both Republicans and Democrats running for the Presidency over the course of so many years.

Presidents have not always been the most moral individuals but Jimmy Carter brought a sense of morality and decency which the country needed after the fall of Richard Nixon and Watergate.  

When Jimmy Carter began his quest for the Presidency almost nobody gave him a ghost of a chance to be President. 

The favorite expression of many people including late night comedians back in the day was the following:

"Jimmy Who?"

James Earl Carter Jr, who always preferred to be called Jimmy, actually had a pretty impressive Resume long before he ran for the American Presidency.  In his introduction of himself to the American People he always referred to himself as "A Peanut Farmer from Georgia."  

He certainly was that. 

But Jimmy Carter was always a great deal more than just a Peanut Farmer before, during and after his Residency at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for four years from 1977 to 1980.  

Jimmy's Peanut Farm was located in Plains, Georgia where I believe he still resides today with his wife, Roslyn.  He had four children ( Jack, Chip, Jeff and Amy) who he brought to the White House with him back in 1977.  Prior to his days of successfully running his father's farm Jimmy Carter had a successful career in the United States Navy following his Graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1946.  Jimmy was mainly assigned to work on Nuclear Submarines since he had an expertise in Nuclear Capabilities.  When a near Nuclear Meltdown occurred in Canada while Carter was still in the Navy he was called upon to lead a U.S. Navy crew to help deal with the situation, which included exposing himself to toxic levels of nuclear radiation.  Carter was also assigned to work on several Nuclear Submarines during his naval career.  In 1953 Jimmy left the Navy and returned to Plains, Georgia following the death of his father in order to take care of the family business.

In addition to taking on the responsibility of running the family peanut farm Jimmy also took on the responsibility of Teaching Sunday School at his local Baptist church, a responsibility that he has continued in his church until recently, when at 98 years old he finally felt as though he could no longer physically fulfill that responsibility.

In 1963 Jimmy Carter was elected to serve in the Georgia State Senate.  He remained a State Senator until 1967.

In 1971 after an unsuccessful earlier try for the Georgia Governorship, Jimmy Carter became the Governor of Georgia.  At the time of his election Jimmy Carter was walking a somewhat difficult political tightrope in Georgia trying to appeal not only to black Civil Rights Leaders but also to clearly racist voters, as well.

As time went on Jimmy Carter seemed to be showing his true colors and he became more outspoken about opposing racial segregation and supporting civil Rights Groups and leaders in his state.

As Luck would have it on May 4th, 1974 Jimmy Carter gave a Law Day Speech to a group of Georgia Lawyers at the University of Georgia Law School.  In addition to many lawyers at the speech including Ted Kennedy, also in attendance was Outlaw Journalist from Rolling Stone Magazine, Hunter S. Thompson who was in the process of writing an article about Ted Kennedy.  Gonzo Journalist Thompson was genuinely impressed with Carter's speech that outlined in specific detail what was wrong with the American Justice System. Mainly that it favored the rich and it screwed the poor Carter felt.  

Hunter Thompson was really impressed with Carter's speech.  Thompson called it "A King hell bastard of a speech" and he wrote an article for Rolling Stone Magazine called "Jimmy Carter And The Great Leap Of Faith."  I still have my copy of Rolling Stone featuring that article.  It was indeed a king hell bastard of an article and I know it introduced me and many other Americans to a previously unknown Georgia Politician named Jimmy Carter.

Although I had an interest in and an awareness of Politics during the Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford Years, when Vietnam and Watergate were topics of immense importance, I had never really been genuinely personally involved with Politics until Jimmy Carter ran for President.  I remember the night Jimmy won the Presidency when my good friend and fellow musician, John and I played and sang at a Jimmy Carter Victory Celebration.  We were overjoyed to be celebrating the Georgia Governor's election to the Presidency.   

John and I weren't the only musicians backing Carter's bid for the Presidency.  The Allman Brother's Band, Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Willie Nelson, Emmy Lou Harris, Johnny Cash and many others were also musical members of the Jimmy Carter Bandwagon.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of Jimmy Carter's Campaign for the Presidency was the fact that while Carter had many disagreements with other Democrats in the Democratic Primary and with President Gerald Ford in the General Election he was a proponent of disagreeing with his opponents without being disagreeable. That may have been one of the secrets of his success in the crowded field of Democrats who were also vying for the right to run for President in 1976.  The crowded Democratic field included: California Governor Jerry Brown, Alabama Governor George Wallace,  Morris Udall, Henry Jackson and Frank Church.

Many Republicans, most especially Ronald Reagan, have gone out of their way to denigrate the accomplishments of the Carter Administration over the years since Jimmy Carter left the office of the Presidency.  

The truth is that Jimmy Carter had quite a few important accomplishments while in the office of the President of the United States.  Some of those accomplishments were the following:

Probably Jimmy Carter's most important accomplishment during his Administration was negotiating With the leaders of Israel and Egypt in what were known as The Camp David Accords establishing peace between those two countries.  Indeed Israel's Begin and Egypt's Sadat kept the peace for many years and all three of the negotiators received the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts

His Administration continued Carter's opposition to Racial Segregation and his support of the Civil Rights Movement.

On his second day in the office of the Presidency Jimmy Carter pardoned all Vietnam Draft Evaders and invited those young men who had fled to Canada and elsewhere to avoid the draft during the Vietnam era to return to their home country of America.  Many of them did return to the United States.

Jimmy Carter established The Department of Energy. He also established a National Energy Policy including support for Conservation, Price Controls and New Technology.

He also established The Department of Education.

He pushed for and accomplished progress on establishing a Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty with the Soviet Union.

Issues that the Carter Administration had to deal with included the following:

The Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident.

The Nicaraguan Revolutiton.

The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan.

The decision to boycott the Summer Olympics in Moscow.

The decision not to proceed with the Neutron Bomb that would kill people but leave buildings standing.

Although Carter was a proud Christian he fully supported the separation of church and state.

The Carter Administration also provided support for the integration of women into the Military.

One of the most important issues that President Carter dealt with was The Iran Hostage Crisis which I will discuss in more detail.

The Iran Hostage Crisis

The Iran Hostage crisis occurred as a result of the United States and the Carter Administration allowing the Shah of Iran to be treated for cancer in the United States.  Despite the Shah running an Autocratic and hated regime in Iran he had been an ally to the United States and Jimmy Carter approved of the Shah seeking cancer treatment in the U.S. resulting in a Coup by Muslim religious leaders and radical students in Iran.  The students, angered by the U.S. taking in the Shah took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held the Embassy Staff and other Americans unlucky enough to be in the Embassy Hostage.

During the 1980 Presidential Campaign While President Jimmy Carter was working night and day to figure out how to free the Iranian hostages Carter's Republican Challenger for the Presidency, Ronald Reagan had his Campaign Manager, William Casey colluding with the Iranians to work out a deal whereby the Iranians would not release the hostages until after Ronald Reagan was elected and was inaugurated.  The deal involved Reagan secretly and unlawfully agreeing to munitions being sold to Iran through Israel.  While the American public was not aware of this deal prior to the Presidential Election in November of 1980 oddly enough the hostages were released minutes after Reagan's January 1981 Inaugural speech.  Reagan and Casey's dirty deal with the Iranians most certainly was an important factor in Jimmy Carter's landslide loss to Reagan in the 1980 Election.  

While Jimmy Carter had to be aware in retrospect of what Reagan and Casey had done with regard to the hostages as far as I know Carter never complained about Reagan's dirty dealing.  Carter has over the years seemed to be merely pleased that the hostages had finally been released.

Jimmy Carter's Post White House Accomplishments

Although Jimmy Carter accomplished a great deal during his Presidency unlike many other retired President's who did not accomplish much after their Presidential days were over, Jimmy Carter's accomplishments continued long after he left the White House.

Carter was well known for supervising democratic elections all over the world in order to  prevent elections from being stolen.

Carter was also very much involved with not only supporting the efforts of Habitat For Humanity but also participated in building homes for that group for many years.

Jimmy Carter was also involved with many other worldwide projects through the Carter Center in Georgia for many years.

Jimmy Carter was also the author of several best selling books 

At the end of the Jimmy Carter Story stands a man who lived his life in a manner in which he could be proud of what he accomplished in his life.  Jimmy Carter at all times during his life stood for something.  

He was a Good Husband.

He was a Good Father.

He was a Good Grandfather.

He Was a Good Sunday School Teacher.

He was a Good State Senator.

He was a Good Governor.

He was a Good President.

He was a Good American

And probably most important to him was the fact that he was a Good Man and when he gets to heaven there is no doubt that God will be waiting there for him at the Pearly Gates saying to him:

"Come on in, Jimmy Carter.  We've been waiting a long time for you to get here"

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

Tuesday Night Live In The Senate Chamber - State Of The Union - 2023

Saturday February 11th, 2023 

My Dear America:

It was Tuesday Night in Washington and Joe Biden was back in the building where he had already spent more than half of his life working as a United States Senator.

It was State Of The Union Night and President Joe Biden was on fire.  This was his night and he knew it.  He was ready.  He had spent a good deal of time preparing for this speech tonight.  He knew just how important this speech could be to his agenda and to his pending Presidential Campaign.  And he also knew just how much he had accomplished over the past two years he had spent as President of the United States.  Tonight he was not going to let anyone in that room or in any of the living rooms in America watching Television forget what he and the Democrats had accomplished in the past two years after Four Years of Donald Trump and his Republican Cohorts running Roughshod over America.

The Senate Chamber was loaded with Political Heavyweights and so was the gallery that surrounded the Chamber.

There Were Supreme Court Justices there.  Not all of them.

Samuel Alito, who had authored the decision striking down Roe V Wade didn't show.  I wonder why.

Most Democratic Senators and House Members showed up.  So did most of Biden's Cabinet members.

So did quite a few Republican members of the House and Senate.

Most Networks carried the State Of The Union Live, as well as cable outlets like CNN and MSNBC.

I watched it on MSNBC.  They  had pretty much all of their Heavy Hitter Hosts on the Panel during their Pre Speech Show and commenting afterward.  Those Heavy Hitters included Rachel Maddow as the Main Host, Joy Reid, Nicole Wallace, Alex Wagner, Chris Hayes, Lawrence O'Donnell, Ari Melber and various other MSNBC News Personalities.  

President Biden took his time entering the Chamber and spoke and shook hands with quite a few people on the way to the lectern where he would give the State of the Union Speech.  

He began his speech by congratulating the recently elected Republican Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy and he also congratulated the first black Democratic House Leader, Hakeem Jeffries.

He also gave Special Recognition to Outgoing Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, who he described as "The Greatest Speaker" in the History of the United States.

It didn't take the President very long to mention that during his two years in office a record 12 Million more new jobs had been created than any other Previous President had ever experienced in their Complete Four Year Terms.

Biden also mentioned the once in a generation Infrastructure Law building bridges as well as other American infrastructure.  He cited the fact that he signed over 300 Bipartisan laws since becoming President including the following:

Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. 

The Electoral Count Reform Act

The Respect for Marriage Act that protects the right to marry the person you love.

Biden stated that it was his intention to build an economy from the bottom up and the middle out, not from the top down. "Because when the middle class does well, the poor have a ladder up and the wealthy still do very well." He didn't forget to mention that he expected the wealthy and corporations to begin to pay their fair share of taxes.

The President stated that the Unemployment rate is at 3.6 %, a fifty year low and that means of course near record low unemployment for Black and Hispanic workers.

The President bragged that we've already created 800,000 good paying manufacturing jobs and that with the implementation of the Infrastructure plan and other government legislation many good paying Union jobs will be available to Americans.  Some of those will be six figure paychecks available to many individuals without a College Education.  

The President mentioned that Inflation which has been a serious problem seems to be coming down.  He mentioned that Inflation has fallen every month for the last six months while take home pay has gone up.  

Joe Biden also stated  that over the last two years a record 10 million Americans applied to start a new small business.

He mentioned that America used to make nearly 40% of the world's Semiconductor Chips and now we only make 10%.  This situation along with problems with importing Chips has caused serious problems with American Automakers who were unable to build cars due to Chip shortages. Low Chip availability has also caused production problems with the manufacturing of other items, as well.

"That's why we came together to pass the bipartisan Chips and Science Act," the President said.  

Companies have announced that they are investing 300 billion dollars in investments in American Manufacturing.

President Biden also cited the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as the largest investment in Infrastructure since President Eisenhower's Interstate Highway system was funded.  

"Already," he said "We've funded over 20,000 projects, including at major airports from Boston to Atlanta to Portland.

These projects will put hundreds of thousands of people to work rebuilding our highways, bridges, railroads, tunnels ports and airports, improving clean water and high speed internet across America."

Biden couldn't resist taking a jab at Republican Lawmakers who refused to vote for the Infrastructure Bill but ran back to their districts to take credit for the improvements that would take place in their districts as a result of the bill.

He said: "I sincerely thank my Republican Friends who voted for the law.  And to my Republican friends who voted against it but still ask to fund projects in their districts, don't worry.  I promised to be the President for all Americans.  We'll fund your projects. And I'll see you at the groundbreaking." 

Biden also promised replacement of "poisonous lead pipes throughout America that go into 10 million homes and 400,000 schools and childcare centers so every child  in America can drink clean water."

Biden also announced "New Standards to require all construction materials used in federal infrastructure projects to be made in America."

Biden also promised to assist Americans in making Healthcare more affordable and promised Seniors that he would protect and defend Social Security and Medicare from plans by some Republicans to seriously jeopardize these programs.

When Biden talked about Republican Plans to jeopardize Social Security and Medicare Georgia Representative, Marjorie Taylor Greene, dressed in white and looking like a cross between Cruella DeVille and a Howler Monkey, rudely shouted out 

"Liar"

Biden responded by getting legislators to appear to respond that they were almost all committed to the Preservation of Social Security and Medicare.

In the end Marjorie Taylor Greene looked like an out of touch rich bitch in a white fur coat who foolishly annoyed even members of her own party.

Biden also made a point of taking on what he called "Junk Fees". Which he identified as hidden surcharges that many businesses use to make you pay more.  Biden made a good point when he stated that Junk fees may not matter to the very wealthy but they matter to most folks in homes like the ones that Biden grew up in.  

Biden had a lot of good ideas and he showed himself to be a capable, honest and empathetic speaker.

He made mention of some very important people who were sitting in the Gallery including the following:

His wife, Jill Biden.

His Vice President's Husband, Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff.

Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, who was recovering from an attack by a right wing nut with a hammer and noticeably did not remove his hat during the night's proceedings.

Brandon Tsay - a 26 year old Californian who fought an intruder at his grandparents dance studio taking away the intruder's gun and preventing people from being killed.

The Parents of Tyre Nichols - A young black man who was beaten to death by several black Memphis Police Officers after a traffic stop.

Joe Biden asked the Congress to pass a ban on Assault Weapons.

He also pleaded for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and providing The Border Patrol with the equipment and officers to maintain the border.

The President also pledged to sign legislation that would codify Roe V Wade to protect every women's right to choose.  He also made it clear to Republicans that if they pass a national abortion ban that he will veto it.  

Biden also recommended passage of the Bipartisan Equality Act to ensure LGBTQ Americans, especially Transgender Americans that they can live with safety and dignity

Biden also made clear that America would continue to stand with Ukraine as that country attempts to defend itself from the terror of its unlawful murderous invasion by it's powerful neighboring country, Russia. 

Support for mental health legislation, burn pit legislation and legislation to drive breakthroughs in the fight against Cancer, Alzheimer's Disease, Diabetes and so much more was recommended by our President in the State of The Union message.

In the end Joe Biden not only told us but also showed us that on Tuesday Night, February 7th The State of the Union in America was Strong and so was America's President.

During the rest of this past week President Biden has been on the road letting Voters know just what his Administration stands for and how much he and his Democratic Legislative Partners and those Brave Republicans who have had the Courage to vote their conscience have accomplished thus far during the Biden Administration. 

Recent Polls indicate that Americans do not seem to recognize just how much legislative progress has happened thus far in the Two years that Joe Biden and his Democratic Allies have been in charge of the Federal Government.  Unfortunately Republicans have gained control of the House of Representatives and threatened to refuse to approve increasing the Debt Ceiling and have also threatened the continuation of Social Security and Medicare.

What has been the ending tagline for most of President Biden's speeches this week as he traveled around the country is something close to the following:

If You are a Republican Legislator and your dream is to get rid of Social Security and Medicare I (Joe Biden) am your worst nightmare.

Hold onto your hats, people, it looks to me as if during this week the Biden Campaign for a Second Term as President of the United States of America has already begun.

And God Bless Our Troops. 

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

Michael Cohen's Sweet Revenge

 Wednesday, February 1st, 2023

My Dear America:

Clearly the Michael Cohen of 2023 is a far cry from the Michael Cohen of Yesteryear when he was Donald Trump's Personal Attorney, Hatchet Man and Fixer.  When Michael Cohen was chosen by Donald J. Trump to be Trump's Right Hand Man, according to his very interesting and well written memoir "Disloyal," Cohen was honored to be chosen by someone who he thought was almost a hero to Cohen.  Cohen tended to believe the Trump Hype which Trump dished out every chance he had on every Media Outlet who would pay attention to him.  

At first Michael Cohen thought he had died and gone to Heaven but as today's 2023 Michael Cohen now knows instead he had gone to Hell.

Michael Cohen has been living in Hell now for many years.  When he was working for Trump Cohen was admittedly the Hatchet Man in charge of dirty deeds that Donald Trump wanted done. Cohen revealed details about some of those dirty deeds when he testified to the House of Representatives Oversight Committee in March of 2019.  

Some of the things Cohen revealed to the House Oversight Committee during his testimony were the following:

Cohen identified Donald Trump as a Racist, A Pathological Liar and a man who not only cheated on his wife but also cheated on his taxes.

Cohen gave the Oversight Committee photocopies of the check that Donald Trump had personally signed and paid to Cohen to reimburse him for the money that Cohen had used from his own personal funds to pay off Porn Star, Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 Presidential Election to keep her from revealing her sexual involvement with Trump.

Cohen told the Committee that although Trump stated time after time that he had no business dealings or negotiations with Moscow regarding business that Cohen was indeed during the 2016 Presidential Campaign negotiating with Russians on Trump's behalf and at Trump's direction regarding the prospect of building a "Trump Tower" in Moscow.  This could certainly have been one of the reasons that Trump had nothing but praise for Russian Leader, Vladimir Putin and Putin certainly could have used this obvious lie to blackmail Donald Trump.

Cohen admitted to the Oversight Committee that he made possibly as many as 500 Intimidating phone calls to people on Trump's behalf .  These phone calls included phone calls to Schools Donald Trump had attended, as well as the College Board warning the schools and the College Board not to release Trump's Grades or SAT Scores under threats of being sued by Donald Trump.

Clearly Michael Cohen has much to answer for during his period of employment with Donald Trump.  But at the beginning of 2023 one has to ask why it was that when the only person who gained anything by the Stormy Payoff was Donald Trump, why was Michael Cohen the only person that went to jail as a result of that illegal payoff.  Certainly this is a question that Michael Cohen has been asking for a long time and it seems as though we might soon be getting some answers to this question in a court of law.

Life in Hell has been pretty miserable for Michael Cohen for a long time now.  

Cohen has cooperated fully with investigations by The District Attorney's Office in New York City, as well as The New York State Attorney General and The United States Attorney's Office For The Southern District Of New York.

After pleading Guilty to Eight Federal Crimes including Campaign Finance Violations, Cohen was sentenced to serve 3 years in Federal Prison.  After Serving Thirteen and a Half Months in Prison Cohen was released to serve the remainder of his prison sentence in Home Confinement due to the national release of nonviolent Federal prisoners due to Covid concerns.

When Attorney General, William Barr found out that Cohen had been released to Home Confinement he tried to have Cohen returned to prison probably at the insistence of President Donald Trump.  When Cohen went to court regarding this situation Judge Alvin Hellerstein recognized the obvious unfairness of Cohen's situation and allowed Cohen to return to Home Confinement for the remainder of his three year sentence.  

Since returning to his Home Confinement and eventually completing his sentence Michael Cohen has written two best selling books, "Disloyal" and "Revenge."

Michael Cohen is also the host of the Mea Culpa Podcast and continues to testify occasionally in matters related to Donald Trump.  

Recently Michael Cohen spent an afternoon meeting with staff members of the New York City District Attorney's Office and rumor has it that District Attorney, Alvin Bragg is breathing new life into the investigation of Donald Trump's involvement in the case of the same Campaign Finance Allegations which sent Michael Cohen to prison.

Although in the old days Michael Cohen was famously quoted as saying that he would be "Willing To Take A Bullet For Donald Trump," Michael Cohen has had plenty of time in Prison and in his Home Confinement to reassess that statement and clearly these days there is no love lost between Michael Cohen and his old Boss, Donald Trump.  

Michael Cohen's days of serving as a Doormat for Donald Trump are over and have been over for years now.

To Donald Trump Michael Cohen is one more fool who was dumb enough to believe that Donald Trump was a Genuine American Hero.  Trump used Cohen and when he was done with him like so many other loyalists Trump cruelly discarded Cohen and let him rot in Prison.

But the joke was on Trump.  Michael Cohen had a lot of time to think in the Hoosegow and after a lot of soul searching Cohen has realized that he lost 3 years of his life locked up for a man who not only didn't give a shit about him but actually tried to keep him in Prison longer than he should have been.

So if and when Donald Trump is tried for the same Campaign Finance Crime that sent Michael Cohen to Prison There will be one witness who will be more than willing to testify to Trump's involvement in the case.

While many other Criminal Proceedings seem to be swirling around Donald Trump these days most of those cases are complex and might be difficult to prove and may never produce a jail sentence for Donald Trump.

In this case involving Cohen and Trump, however it seems like an open and shut case in which Cohen already served time for the crime and it is only right that Donald Trump, the person who benefitted from the crime and became President Of The United States as a result deserves the same sentence that Michael Cohen received and served.

We keep hearing that "No One Is Above The Law."

The Time has come to prove it.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher