One U.S. President conducts his life differently

Hail to Jimmy Carter!

By Moristotle

Former President Jimmy Carter has written 33 books since leaving office in 1981, according to this article in yesterday’s Washington Post: "The un-celebrity president Jimmy Carter shuns riches, lives modestly in his Georgia hometown" [Kevin Sullivan & Mary Jordan, photos by Matt McClain].
    I wonder whether there are enough willing ghost writers to write 33 books for Donald Trump?
    I suppose it’s possible, if they thought another Trump book would sell. After all, in a country like the U.S., there’ll always be a few million people who would buy a book said to be “by Donald Trump” – however bad his reputation might be among the majority of Americans who know some actual facts about the man.
    Excerpt from the article:

Carter was 56 when he returned to Plains from Washington. He says his peanut business, held in a blind trust during his presidency, was $1 million in debt, and he was forced to sell.
    “We thought we were going to lose everything,” says Rosalynn, sitting beside him.
    Carter decided that his income would come from writing, and he has written 33 books, about his life and career, his faith, Middle East peace, women’s rights, aging, fishing, woodworking, even a children’s book written with his daughter, Amy Carter, called “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer.”
    With book income and the $210,700 annual pension all former presidents receive, the Carters live comfortably. But his books have never fetched the massive sums commanded by more recent presidents....
    Carter costs U.S. taxpayers less than any other ex-president, according to the General Services Administration, with a total bill for him in the current fiscal year of $456,000, covering pensions, an office, staff and other expenses. That’s less than half the $952,000 budgeted for George H.W. Bush; the three other living ex-presidents — Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama — cost taxpayers more than $1 million each per year.
    Carter doesn’t even have federal retirement health benefits because he worked for the government for four years — less than the five years needed to qualify, according to the GSA. He says he receives health benefits through Emory University, where he has taught for 36 years. [read more]

Copyright © 2018 by Moristotle