Limbaugh mischaracterized accomplishments of '06 Nobel Peace Prize winner, smeared Jimmy Carter
On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh claimed that Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank Project, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 "[b]ecause he came up with a way to offer loans to poor people who couldn't pay them back." But Grameen Bank's monthly report for August 2008 shows a repayment rate of 98.08 percent.
During the October 10 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh mischaracterized the accomplishments of Muhammad Yunus, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. Limbaugh stated that Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank Project, received the prize "[b]ecause he came up with a way to offer loans to poor people who couldn't pay them back." According to the Grameen Bank website, Yunus started the Grameen Bank Project in 1976 to "examine the possibility of designing a credit delivery system to provide banking services targeted at the rural poor." The project was transformed into a formal bank in 1983 and, according to the bank's website, has since distributed $7.28 billion in microloans to people in poverty in Yunus' home country of Bangladesh. Contrary to Limbaugh's claim, the bank's monthly report for August 2008 shows a repayment rate of 98.08 percent.
Limbaugh went on to talk about former President Jimmy Carter, who was awarded the Peace Prize in 2002, saying, "He was one of the worst presidents -- the worst in my lifetime -- and one of the worst in American history. He got a Nobel Peace Prize, too. Look at the Peace Prize winners and look at how they screw up." Carter received the Peace Price "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development."
From the October 10 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:
LIMBAUGH: Two years ago, ladies and gentlemen -- two years ago, the Nobel Prize committee awarded the Peace Prize to a man named Muhammad Yunus. He was from Bangladesh. He works at the Grameen Bank. You know why Muhammad Yunus from Bangladesh got the Nobel Peace Prize? Because he came up with a way to offer loans to poor people who couldn't pay them back.
A statement from the Nobel committee, awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to a Bangladesh banker: "Lasting peace cannot be achieved until large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty. Microcredit is one such means." Microcredit? No credit. Endless credit. This stuff's been in the works for I don't know how long. We started it here in this country way, way back. Jimmy Carter, who -- by the way, Jimmy Carter today, ladies and gentlemen, blaming all of this on Bush. And why wouldn't he? Jimmy Carter famous for covering his own rear-end, and this is a big CYA move, because everybody that's looked into this knows it started with him.
He was one of the worst presidents -- the worst in my lifetime -- and one of the worst in American history. He got a Nobel Peace Prize, too. Look at the Peace Prize winners and look at how they screw up. [Former Vice President Al] Gore getting one. All these institutions that used to mean something are now nothing more than tools for leftists to award themselves.
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He was one of the worst presidents -- the worst in my lifetime -- and one of the worst in American history.
Really? Nixon and W around and you want to claim that?
I actually believe Nixon was 100X better than Bush, at least Nixon was intelligent. Psychotic but intelligent.
Be honest, now. Carter was SUCH a bad president that it took nearly 30 years after the end of his term before his catastrophic policies actually came to fruition in the lending crisis we're experiencing today. Given a typical 30-year mortgage, that means that those mortgages that went into default and brought down our economy did so in their last 2 years of being paid off. At least Bush and Nixon were able to enjoy their calamities before their terms were over.
Maybe Carter was thinking he would be pushing up daisies before we'd catch on, but instead he's forced to be ashamed of his incompetence, thanks to the real good smarts of the ol' Oxymoron...
Two or three decades from now we'll have an unpopular president and be hearing on the news of "the lowest approval rates since G. W. Bush." But those numbers will be hard to actually beat. And every disapproval point is well-earned.
Thus Godwin spake, and lo there was Godwin's Second Law:
"As a Usenet or any threaded online discussion: electronic mailing lists, message boards, chat rooms, blog comment threads or wiki talk page discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving neocons or Bush approaches one."
Reagan had to come in and clean up all of Carter's mistakes.
From the New York Times:
Now go away before I taunt you a second time...
...by tripling the national debt.
What a cute name! Did you come up with that one all by yourself, or was it painted on the side of your radio controlled 1/35 scale Israeli Merkava main battle tank?
Carter, the worst in his lifetime?
I guess Mr. Pilonidal was too busy carrying water for Nixon and George W to notice the harm done to the country during their reigns.
I think very few historians would argue that Nixon was in the running for the worst president in terms of his abilities and management.
I guess Mr. Pilonidal was too busy carrying water for Nixon and George W to notice the harm done to the country during their reigns.
During Nixon's time in office, Jeff Christie's time was occupied with male prostitutes in Pittsburgh - one of which was with him one night when he was arrested. And during a lot of W's time in office, Jeff Christie was strung out on OxyContin.
Destructive, I think, is a good antonym.
Contrary to Limbaugh's claim, the bank's monthly report for August 2008 shows a repayment rate of 98.08 percent.
Oooooo, burrrrrn. Oh, Rush, that's gotta hurt!
Damned facts and their liberal bias.
As for his comments about Carter...
Even the hardest of hardcore Democrats would have to agree that Carter was not a particularly effective president (arguments about him being hampered by obstructionist Republicans in congress notwithstanding). However, "being a good US President" not remotely what the Nobel Prize is about.
Rush's comments really show how little regard he has for any non-American person or organization.
Memo to Rush: there's more of them than there are of us. And, for a little historical perspective, Europe's been around a lot longer than we have.
Carter. Not a very good President, mostly because, he was TOO honest with the American people.
Carter, a career diplomat, who has done great things in his life that overshadow his presidency in my opinion. Habitat for Humanity for one thing, and tirelessly working for peace the world over for another.
Say what you will about his presidency, but his career as a diplomat and peace bringer is almost non paralelled.
I think he was a good president. Effective at home? Maybe not. What other president before or after got Arabs (in the form of Egypt) and Israel to the table, and gotten anything done? When I hear a rightie go off about Carter, It usually makes me chuckle because they don't know what theyr're talking about. They always either get the facts wrong, or leave out real and important accomplishments.
Rush is wrong about Carter being the worst President because W clearly is the most abominable of them all. That is coming from a conservative. As for loans, poor people that can't pay them back should not be given loans.
'As for loans, poor people that can't pay them back should not be given loans.'--Z
>>>The point here is that they in fact are paying them back as per MMFA:
The project was transformed into a formal bank in 1983 and, according to the bank's website, has since distributed $7.28 billion in microloans to people in poverty in Yunus' home country of Bangladesh. Contrary to Limbaugh's claim, the bank's monthly report for August 2008 shows a repayment rate of 98.08 percent.--MMFA
Wait a sec - isn't Jeff Christie himself a Nobel Prize nominee?
Wait a sec - isn't Jeff Christie himself a Nobel Prize nominee?
His was not a legitimate nomination. He was nominated by M. Rotten Levin. Only certain people are allowed to nominate prope or prganizations for a Nobel Prize, as listed on their web site:
The right to submit proposals for the Nobel Peace Prize shall, by statute, be enjoyed by:
1. Members of national assemblies and governments of states;
2. Members of international courts;
3. University rectors; professors of social sciences, history, philosophy, law and theology; directors of peace research institutes and foreign policy institutes;
4. Persons who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize;
5. Board members of organizations who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize;
6. Active and former members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee; (proposals by members of the Committee to be submitted no later than at the first meeting of the Committee after February 1) and
7. Former advisers appointed by the Norwegian Nobel Institute.
The Nobel Peace Prize may also be awarded to institutions and associations.
http://nobelprize.org/nomination/peace/nominators.html
Since M. Rotten Levin fits in none of these categories, the nomination was not valid.
I am sorry to say that I believe there is a legion of asinine misinformed racists in this country.
I am sorry to say that I believe there is a legion of asinine misinformed racists in this country.
And they tend to start conversations by saying one of two things: "Megadittos, Rush" or "Sean, you're a great American".
Why do I get the feeling that if this guy Muhammad Yunus' name was Marty Yunus instead...... Rush would not have bothered mentioning the name at all?
Of course.... if Mr Christie was not so pathetic......
Jimmy Carter did some things conservatives should like:
Carter deregulated airlines (The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978), trucking (The Motor Carrier Act of 1980), and railroads (The Staggers Rail Act of 1980). Carter began to phase out interest rate limits (imposed by Regulation Q) for struggling Savings and Loans, and eliminated some of the restrictions on banks (The Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980). Carter lifted the federal ban on home brewing of beer and wine in 1979.
Carter started to phase out oil price controls on June 1, 1979. Complete price decontrol was scheduled for Sept. 31, 1981. (When Reagan took office in Jan. 1981, he ordered complete price decontrol starting Feb. 1, 1981 - eight months ahead of schedule. Conservatives give Reagan all the credit, but it really belongs to Carter.)
Carter appointed Paul Volcker as Fed Chairman in August 1979. Volcker's new monetary policy, announced on Saturday October 6, 1979, resulted in high interest rates in 1980, but is now credited for solving the inflation problem. See "The Volcker Disinflation."
After nine straight years of declining real defense spending, Carter had four straight years of real defense spending increases.
Carter signed a directive on July 3, 1979, providing aid to the Afghan opposition movement (the Mujahideen) six months before the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. This is in the book "From the Shadows" by our current Defense Secretary Robert Gates and confirmed by Zbigniew Brzezinski, Carter's National Security Advisor.
Limbaugh and the likes have found a niche in the low-information segment of the american population, the same group that is touting Sarah Palin as the best thing since Apple Pie when it should be obvious to any one that she is the most unqualfied person ever for that position. It is unfortunate that a sizable fraction of the population goes for this kind of nonsense. Arguments presented by Limbaugh always start with setting up a strawman and then proceeding to demolish it with gusto. It's a shame that so many people fall for it.