Carter says rejection of health care reform is racist

Greetings readers,

How are we today? I sense a seasonal change at the moment - there's a a nip in the air, and the autumn leaves are beginning to fall. Still, there's something rather nice about the changing of the seasons, something which the Japanese seem to have a very special place in their heart for. Anyway, enough of my philosophical ramblings! I just wanted to share some thoughts on an interesting BBC article I have just read centering around recent comments made by former US President, Jimmy Carter. In a recent speech, the former president said that much of the vitriol against President Barack Obama's health reforms and spending plans is "based on racism".

In this public meeting Mr Carter was attending, he then went on to say there was "an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president". At the same time, Republican Joe Wilson was rebuked by Congress in a House vote for his outburst of "you lie" last week, aimed directly at Barack Obama mid-health care speech. The House resolution of disapproval described it as a "breach of decorum". Quite right I say. Indeed, there appears to have been a spate of such outbursts, and angry town hall meetings which have been held in vitriolic response to Obama's proposals for radical health care reform. However, many, including Carter, believe that this behaviour is as a consequence of something that runs deeper than just a rejection of policy: inherent racism.

"Those kinds of things are not just casual outcomes of a sincere debate on whether we should have a national programme on health care", Mr Carter went on to say at a public meeting in Atlanta. "It's deeper than that". Interestingly, it has been pointed out that Joe Wilson was once junior aide to a segregationalist politician - and that he was one of the few politicians to vote for the Confederate flag to fly over the state congress in his home state. A suspect character in my eyes.

Perhaps his outburst in Congress last week wasn't quite the innocent mistake it initially seemed. Of course, all of this is conjecture, but I am in no doubt that President Carter's recent remarks will have raised an eye-brow or two. Apparently Obama graciously accepted Joe Wilson's public apology over his outburst. However, it will be interesting to see how Obama responds to these recent remarks made by Jimmy Carter. No doubt the consummate professional in him will remain silent, ambivalent at best. However, it would be really interesting to know what the man in The White House is really thinking.

Currently listening to Resident Advisor Mix 172 by Still Going. NYC in the house.

Thank you for reading,

F.