I wasn't actually going to say anything about Jimmy Carter. Am I required to? So the latest Trump controversy is the President-Elect is upset that the Dems want to fly the flag at half-staff on the day of his inauguration to honor the recent passing of Jimmy Carter. So my thing is today is January the 4th. The inauguration is still slightly more than two weeks away. HOW LONG are the flags supposed to fly at half-staff anyway? What's the rule on this? Sure when a former head-of-state dies there'll be three funerals and the whole thing will go on for a month so I guess the funereal feelings can well wash up against Jan. 20 but again if anyone knows the rule on the flag thing let me know.
There's always been a kind of rough consensus that Jimmy Carter wasn't a great president but a decent human being. There were the long gas lines and the Iranian hostage crisis but he also negotiated the Panama Canal Treaties and of course is well known for the Middle East peace accords. He did better work post-presidency. Took up a hammer and nail for Habitat for Humanity and put his work pants on. A devout Christian also taught Sunday school. Made it to the 100 Club with Kirk Douglas. Must've been all the peanuts.
Thoughts?
"Per federal law, all government buildings, public schools, offices and military bases must lower their flags to half-staff for 30 days when a U.S. president or former president dies. The sitting president is also expected to issue an official announcement of the death, as well as authorize the closure of federal buildings, agencies and departments to observe a national day of mourning." Readers Digest. The precedent was set by President Eisenhower in 1954.
ReplyDelete"The flags were flown at half-staff during President Richard Nixon’s inauguration for his second term on Jan. 20, 1973, due to him having lowered them earlier for the death of former President Harry S. Truman on Dec. 26, 1972." With Trump, anyone's guess.
30 days that's a long time. Thank you Johnny-On-The-Spot.
ReplyDelete30 days? TV Ads claim you can lose up to 20 lbs in that time.
DeleteProbably Ozempic.
DeleteThoughts on Carter? The Iranian hostage crisis handed the presidency to Reagan.
ReplyDeleteHence the Iran-Contra Affair.
DeleteOllie North became a folk hero. Remember Fawn Hall?
DeletePoor old Ollie - elected president of the NRA and foreced out by Wayne LaPierre. Fawn is still around, her post-Ollie life hightlight was dating Rob Lowe. After a long bout with crack cocaine, she now works quietly in a bookstore Typical 70s stuff, right?
DeleteWhatever happened to having a drink or two at night to take the edge off a rough day? Now it's sniffing airplane glue, formaldehyde, almost choking yourself to death to get a sexual high......gimme the CB.
DeleteGrew up during the 70s. The Carter years. My sister's girlfriend drove into a gas station with the long lines. She had a bumper sticker on the back that said "Out of gas my ass. Fire Schlessinger." Everybody cheered. In them days the David Bowie hair style was popular. Nostalgia.
ReplyDeleteSo if the flag flying at half-staff issue is this cut-and-dried as per the federal law not getting the problem from Trump's pov. We're not installing a monarch. Thirty days seems like a long time to me though. Kept saying half-mast. Must have the sea in my blood.
ReplyDeleteNo problem, I say half-mast too. Son in law a retired Navy Commander, I guess. I drew flag ceremony as a Lt. in the Army. Detail proceeds sto the flag, lowers it, Retreat is played on a bugle and a cannon fires one shot. Kind of confusing being in command, but the cannon missed me.
DeletePeople are touchy about flags - some leave them at half-mast out of
ReplyDeleterepsect, some set them on fire at rallies. An enigma.
Maybe after Trump takes back the Panama Canal he can fix the flag issue. Dead presidents get two weeks out of respect that's it.
ReplyDeleteNah, when he dies he wants the flag at half staff for 8 years.
DeleteAnd a monument.
DeleteIs there a half-staff tradition for loyal feral cats?
Delete