At 100 years old, former President of the United States Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29, leaving a legacy of untold contributions to humanity. His tenure as Governor of Georgia was marked by denouncing the vestiges of racial segregation, strengthening the state's educational systems, and conducting governmental reform, which foreshadowed his combination of liberal social policies and fiscal conservatism as the 39th U.S. President.
Pat Merloe, contributor of many writings to the Fulcrum, shared this moving tribute:
"Upon founding The Carter Center, he and his wife and lifelong partner Rosalynn Carter championed causes for public health (including the eradication of the Guinea worm disease), promoted peaceful means for preventing and ending violent conflicts, and aided efforts to secure democracy through observing elections in numerous countries. I had the privilege of working closely with President Carter in elections on four continents, witnessing firsthand his ability to help opposing sides reconcile and peacefully accept credible electoral outcomes. That ability was based on his steadfast reputation for seeking truth through facts and pursuing the common good rather than seeking political favor or popularity. His strength was combined with warmth, and I always felt honored when he would greet me by saying, "There is my friend."
President and Rosalynn Carter's contributions will endure through The Carter Center, Habitat for Humanity, and the incalculable number of people whose lives they touched. We can benefit from reflecting on these words from his 1981 farewell presidential address: "[W]e know that democracy is always an unfinished creation. Each generation must renew its foundations. Each generation must rediscover the meaning of this hallowed vision in the light of its own modern challenges." And from his 1977 inaugural address: "Because we are free, we can never be indifferent to the fate of freedom elsewhere." It is up to each of us to meet those injunctions."
As we pay tribute to President Jimmy Carter, let us capture the profound impact and humanity of this great man by sharing some quotes from those who knew him best:
Former President Bill Clinton: "Jimmy Carter has always been a beacon of hope and a champion for peace and human rights. His dedication to improving the lives of others, even after leaving office, is truly inspiring."
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter: "Jimmy and I have shared a remarkable journey together. His unwavering faith and commitment to service have made a lasting impact on the world."
Nobel Peace Prize Committee: "Jimmy Carter's tireless efforts in promoting peace, democracy, and human rights have earned him a place among the world's most respected leaders."
Habitat for Humanity Co-Founder Millard Fuller: "Working alongside Jimmy Carter on Habitat builds has been one of the greatest honors of my life. His humility and dedication to helping others are unmatched."
Former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young: "Jimmy Carter's legacy is one of compassion, integrity, and a relentless pursuit of justice. He has set a high bar for all of us to follow."
Those words from those who admired and loved him indeed speak to the man President Jimmy Carter was. But some quotes from the man himself perhaps best convey the heart and soul of the 39th President of the United States.
"I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over. The test of a government is not how popular it is with the powerful and privileged few, but how honestly and fairly it deals with the many who must depend upon it."
— Inaugural address as Governor of Georgia. ( Carter Presidential Library)
"Our great nation now teeters on the brink of a widening abyss. Without immediate action, we are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy. Americans must set aside differences and work together before it is too late."
— Carter in a New York Times op-ed, January 5, 2022.
"We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles."
— This one's actually from Carter's grade-school teacher, Julia Coleman. Carter quoted it during his Nobel Peace Prize addressin 2002.
"The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices."
— Carter's closing remarksduring that same Nobel Peace Prize address.
"I have one life and one chance to make it count for something. I'm free to choose that something … my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, whenever I can, for as long as I can."
— Undated quote, cited by Carter's niece at Maranatha Baptist Church on February 19, 2023. ( AP)
David Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.
Pat Merloe is a member of the Election Reformers Network Advisory Council and provides strategic advice on democracy and elections in the U.S. and internationally..
U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One on August 14, 2026 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Trump is traveling to Long Island to tour law enforcement facilities in Nassau County and rally support for local Republican candidates ahead of the upcoming midterm elections
Travel Far Enough, You Meet Yourself
Is it possible that our President has simply not traveled enough?
Born and raised in Queens and attending Fordham University in the Bronx, Donald Trump has no record of traveling outside New York until he was over 20, when he transferred to a college in the neighboring state of Pennsylvania. Were his formative years amiss, then, in his learning about other places and other people?
Is his view akin to the famous New Yorker cover by Saul Steinberg, an illustration of the United States with New York City as the epicenter of the country and the Hudson River the border of the known world? We can now at least add Washington, D.C., and Mar-a-Lago to the map of “the realm.”
Our President has now traveled some, but what we recommend is another kind of travel. Not a state-sponsored trip or a venture to scout locations for future Trump Towers. This would be a genuine travel experience, enriching and eye-opening, showcasing other cultures and ways of living.
It will extend far beyond viewing military parades, hobnobbing with such “understanding” world leaders as Kim Jong Un, or taking tea with the King.
WHERE, then, should the President go? As Elon Musk’s Starship spacecraft is not yet ready to take passengers to Mars, perhaps he could explore our own vast country?
Maybe he could travel to “flyover country,” the farming states, where his ying-yanging tariffs and trade restrictions have played havoc with rural economies. Or possibly to California, number one in homeless U. S. citizens, and while there, regale homeless veterans (approximately 32,500 nationwide) with tales of his brave exploits invading and bombing foreign countries.
Or he might tour the Great Lakes, and rename the other four?
WHEN should he go? This will be tough, as he is very busy building his ballroom and renaming bodies of water.
How about a trip in early November, around the midterm elections? Despite the long-discredited accusation of widespread voter fraud, it would be reassuring to know he might be so caught up divvying out ladles of soup in a soup kitchen somewhere that he wouldn’t remember to deploy the military for “election security.”
HOW will he travel? He should definitely not take his Qatari-donated, newly renovated 747, especially after last time, when he had to be smuggled off clandestinely in a catering truck. It’s unlikely any traveling companions, like the Secretary of State or of the Treasury, are going to fall for the ruse a second time. Besides, we may need those people. No more decoys!
Perhaps the President could fly commercially, although this likely would expose him to undue suffering. Without gold bathroom fixtures and maple wood floors, the trip will be no “Luxury Experience.” If only he still had his “Trump Shuttle,” bought with a massive loan he later defaulted on, saying then, “I’m smart. I got out at a good time.”
Considering the potential pitfalls, maybe it’s best the President travel incognito, disguised perhaps as an elderly woman wearing a lot of bronzer.
Wherever, whenever, however: our President needs a vacation.
Moreover, we need a vacation from him.
If the President refuses our travel suggestions, here’s another idea:
Let’s get him a pet! He has never owned a pet. As we know with our children, pets teach essential life lessons: compassion and empathy; they instill a sense of responsibility. There is a well-established connection between those who can care for a pet and those who can care for people.
So, which pet should we choose? A puppy? A kitten? A boa constrictor?
Imagine, the President may even decide he likes having a pet. After all, what is more obedient than a well-trained dog, besides possibly the Cabinet? And what is more docile than a sweet kitten, other than plausibly the Supreme Court?
The President may even become more mellow with a pet afoot and less likely to slap tariffs on our allies, or attempt to annex our neighbors, or bully our Congress. (Realizing, of course, a bully requires active participation from the bullied to maintain his status.)
Maybe we should do both: get the President a pet and devise a travel plan for him. (Do you think we could possibly convince him to leave his phone at home?)
Let’s go for it! After all:
Travel far enough, you meet yourself. (David Mitchell)
And for our President, that would likely be the most profound discovery of all.
Amy Lockard is an Iowa resident who regularly contributes to regional newspapers and periodicals. She is working on the second of a four-book fictional series based on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice."