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Yes, he gets medical benefits from Emory University. It’s irrelevant. Who cares where he gets them from? The point still stands that he has unimaginable riches

Yes, he gets medical benefits from Emory University. It’s irrelevant. Who cares where he gets them from? The point still stands that he has unimaginable riches compared to the vast majority of Americans.

mattkrause 8y ago
Again, how much do you think he should he get? He also had power—-and responsibilities and stress—-that are unimaginable compare to the vast majority of Americans. And for what it’s worth, the median household income is around $60k. Three times that doesn’t seem crazy high.
danso 8y ago
But what does that point have to do with this article, which details how differently Carter lives compared to other former presidents? I think it’s self-evident that Carter, being one of the fewer than 50 men in the history of the U.S. to be elected president, has an existence generally unimaginable the the vast majority of Americans.
- pmiller2 8y ago
  That’s precisely what’s wrong. How can people who have “unimaginable existences” represent me?
  - tedunangst 8y ago
    And what does that have to do with the article?
    - pmiller2 8y ago
      It’s merely the example in front of me right now. Donald Trump or any of the people listed here (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_members_of_the_United_States_Congress_by_wealth https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_members_of_t...) would do just as well.
  - yborg 8y ago
    I get that you have an axe to grind here, and are going to have at it with a will, but let's not be intentionally obtuse. The act of being the President itself is an existence most people can't really experience. It is inherent in the office. It would be absurd to suggest he immediately resign from the office of representing the people because he instantly is no longer one of the people. It's an inherent issue with representative democracy.
  - danso 8y ago
    The article does not purport to represent you or the general readership of the Washington Post. It says right in the title that it is about former President Jimmy Carter, and presumably, people are interested in reading about other people's lives, even ones that are profoundly different from their own.
tptacek 8y ago
If you're not talking about the rewards from his government service, then it's hard to figure out what your point would be, because the vast majority of Americans do in fact have health coverage.

mattkrause 8y ago

Again, how much do you think he should he get? He also had power—-and responsibilities and stress—-that are unimaginable compare to the vast majority of Americans. And for what it’s worth, the median household income is around $60k. Three times that doesn’t seem crazy high.

danso 8y ago

But what does that point have to do with this article, which details how differently Carter lives compared to other former presidents? I think it’s self-evident that Carter, being one of the fewer than 50 men in the history of the U.S. to be elected president, has an existence generally unimaginable the the vast majority of Americans.

pmiller2 8y ago
That’s precisely what’s wrong. How can people who have “unimaginable existences” represent me?
- tedunangst 8y ago
  And what does that have to do with the article?
  - pmiller2 8y ago
    It’s merely the example in front of me right now. Donald Trump or any of the people listed here (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_members_of_the_United_States_Congress_by_wealth https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_members_of_t...) would do just as well.
- yborg 8y ago
  I get that you have an axe to grind here, and are going to have at it with a will, but let's not be intentionally obtuse. The act of being the President itself is an existence most people can't really experience. It is inherent in the office. It would be absurd to suggest he immediately resign from the office of representing the people because he instantly is no longer one of the people. It's an inherent issue with representative democracy.
- danso 8y ago
  The article does not purport to represent you or the general readership of the Washington Post. It says right in the title that it is about former President Jimmy Carter, and presumably, people are interested in reading about other people's lives, even ones that are profoundly different from their own.

tptacek 8y ago

If you're not talking about the rewards from his government service, then it's hard to figure out what your point would be, because the vast majority of Americans do in fact have health coverage.