I love to ask this question, because I’ve yet to find anyone that can answer it adequately, especially around this time of year. And I ask it now, just in time for this election, since this one is proving that the majority of American’s are clueless about politics – at least the people I’ve been talking to about this online… God, I hate it when people can’t argue their own arguments!
Before I get into the Clinton stuff, I have a random editorial: if I hear one more person say that Bush is Hitler, I’m either going to take the largest book I can find from WWII history and ram it up their ass or slap them upside their head with it. I mean, what the fuck is wrong with people? We’re keep concentration camps? We’re outlawing religions? We’re putting people in gas chambers? We’re invading other nations? We’re annexing their land? Making alliances with other empires? Do we not have two other branches in the federal government to check and balance the Presidency? Jeez… The closest analogy to the Hitler reference that I can only try to make here is that Bush is against gay marriage for his own personal reasons – which I do not agree with – but he’s not killing people for wanting to get married much less for being gay.
If you think George II is Hitler, go learn some history you worthless lowlife ignorant cretins before you ever open your mouth again. Ridiculous, the garbage that people spew.
And while I’m on the topic of this election, what in the hell is Kerry doing with Iran? I heard the other day that he’s already stated that he would allow them to work with nuclear materials, if they promised to not use them for weapons. What the shit is that? Stating policy before you’ve won? What are you thinking? Why not just say, “My office is for sale, if you help me get elected, ye friendly foreign power”? And what happens if (yes, if) he doesn’t win? How does Iran react to the offer that was extended and can’t be fulfilled? Pissed off at us? Hells yeah – I would be! Since when is it acceptable for a candidate to pitch policy offers to other countries, during an election? That’s just wrong.
I digress. Back to Clinton. Whenever a Bush or Kerry debate happens lately, I usually hear a “well Clinton was great!” comment. I jump on that, and ask a simple question: Why?
Why was Clinton such a great president? What did he do? I don’t give a shit about the sex scandal, although lying about it and then getting caught wasn’t exactly brilliant. And I don’t care about the “what is ‘is’?” bullshit either, even if it made us a laughing stock, worldwide. No, I’m talking about political achievement. What did he do?
The answer I always get first is “he helped the economy”. How? Bush I had already started to get the upswing going (no one can turn around a country in four months of a first term – so thank the prior president) much like Carter did for Reagan’s first term. Give Reagan some credit for keeping it going for both of his terms; can Clinton? Didn’t the bubble burst on his watch? Hm. Nevermind that there’s not one program you can point to that he started to help this.
Medicare reform? He had no way to pay for it, so Congress stopped him. Social Security reform? Same thing. Social Services? Nope, that too failed. Foreign policy? Yeah, cause terrorism only started during the first term of Bush II, never mind that the North Koreans started their weapons program during his terms. No, he didn’t do much for us politically, aside from starting the 1996 Olympics.
If anything, when I bring up this question, I always get a “Bush did this” or “Bust did that” in response at some point, usually after I shoot down their first reason. And a lot of times, those facts aren’t wrong either, but they don’t answer the question. Every single time, it happens.
We had a similar president in office, during the the 20’s: President Coolidge. He had two terms and he had the nation during an era of historic prosperity. The only thing I can credit Coolidge for is for not fucking up the already pushing wave. He let the nation ride it out and soak it for all it was worth, until the entire thing crashed in 1929. I can’t even give Clinton that much credit because the programs that he did try to start up would have been destructive if they weren’t contained – they would have eaten into the prosperity of the time, eating away cash, if they were passed. If he had succeeded in these programs, he would have crashed the wave, unlike Coolidge’s legacy to our nation.
Maybe there isn’t an answer to this question, after all?
NAFTA.
Just tell me this: How can you turn from a $5.6 trillion surplus into $5.2 trillion deficit in 4 years. (oh let me guess, you’ll blame Clinton for that too)
No, I more credit Congress for holding on the cash for the surplus and Bush spending it on military.
However, you prove my point, thanks :)
Lame.
Clinton persuaded a majority Democratic Congress to pass a budget that increased taxes on the wealthiest while cutting the size of federal agencies to start a reduction of the federal deficit. If I am not mistaken, the federal deficit was reduced in each of the eight years that Clinton was President, to the point where we ran a budget surplus. And before you say that it was Congress that did not spend, perhaps you forget that Clinton used his line item veto while he had it to cut pork barrell spending in districts both Democratic and Republican. Reducing the deficit also reduced the amount of the debt tat was financed by government, which reduced the cost of borrowing for all of us so that we can all start joining that ownership society that Bush mentioned last night. Personal home ownership grew under Clinton to record levels.
Clinton persuaded Europe and the UN to get off their butts and stop Serbian genocide in Bosnia (a bit too late) and in Kosovo, becoming directly involved in Kosovo as NATO fought its first war.
Clinton got welfare reform passed. Before you say that it was Congress that did that, perhaps you should remember that Clinton both promised to do so during the 1992 campaign and also ran a similar program in Arkansas prior to becoming President. Clinton also increased the Earned Income Tax Credit, which meant that people who went from welfare to work were able to keep more of their money than they would have otherwise.
Clinton charged Al Gore with figuring out ways to reduce the size of the executive branch of government, leading to a reduction in federal workforce for the first time ever. Of course the reality is that they contracted out a lot of the work, but still – the size of government workforce either declined in real numbers or had its growth sharply declined from prior administrations, including Reagan, Bush I and certainly Bush II.
Some of the things that he wanted to do but was unable to do include extending payroll taxes to wealthier people, taking some of the burden for social security and medicaid off of the middle class. Of course he tried to reform health care and was soundly defeated, but he did reduce the number of people without health insurance and had a bill passed that created CHIP, a program in which familes with children who had too much income for Medicaid but too little to afford health insurance the ability to get health insurance for their children. He did try to extend that program to the parents of these children as well, but I believe that did not pass.
These are just some of the things off of the top of my head.
Now, I see what you’re saying (about people making comparisons). The problem was that I guess I had to READ your entire post. It blah blah blah’d on and on, so I missed your point.
So, touche’.
However, here’s some more (which, proving your own point, you’ll have some rebutal on):
* Longest economic expansion in US history
* Highest level of home ownership in US history
* Lowest unemployment in 30 years
* Passed the Brady bill
* Passed FMLA
* Converted the largest decifit to the largest surplus with the 93 Deficit Reduction Act and the 97 Balanced Budget Act (and had NOTHING to do with congress ‘sitting on the money’)
The question is not whether Clinton was a good president or if any president was a good president. The better question would be what does it take to be a good president? Until we as a people can define this one question, how can we judge any president. However, with so many different people and cultures within one country would it be possible for the country collectively to define what it means to be a good president? To answer this question it would take a lot of time and work, which most of us would claim we do not have. Hell, most people do not even take the time to vote. So how could we collectively answer a simple question? The modern day presidents are not voted into office because of what they know, how effective of a job they can do, or if they have proven leadership skills. Sound bites, television ads, and the brochures their minions hand out are what win elections. In addition, money is another factor that will get any one elected president. Therefore, as long as a candidate has enough money either through fundraising or through personal money, he/she can win an election. I know people who put more thought and consideration into which toilet paper they are going to buy then whom they are going to choose to elect for president. Maybe if we treated people running for government office more like job applicants rather than celebrities. We might actually have someone in office that is actually more qualified for the positions they are seeking. Again, is this realistic? Probably not
For one thing, Clinton was great economically. He ‘got’ the country the most money we have ever seen. Over 3 trillion dollars! I know you don’t want me mentioning Bush so I won’t say where those 3 trillion went… Another good thing Clinton did economically was not attempt Trickle-down economics. Reagan started it, and it worked for a little bit, but then failed. Bush I tried it, and it failed. Clinton actually taxed the rich, which for some reason is unheard of for many Republicans. An easy way to look at it is if you tax the poor, and give tax cuts to the rich, the rich become richer and the poor become poorer. Clinton taxing the rich helped the economy a lot and gave a break to the lower class and in turn, more people in the lower-economy bracket became employed. Clinton largely favored the lower/working class and minorities, which is why he’s known to some as the ‘first black president’.
Your comment, Randy, about Clinton sort of ‘riding’ things can’t be held against Clinton. You’re right, he shouldn’t be praised if nothing happened. That’s why the 90’s, not Clinton, are credited as the gay 90’s because there wasn’t any big wars, etc. This under no circumstances doesn’t mean that Clinton wasn’t prepared. In fact, once Bush was elected, Clinton actually warned Bush of possible terrorist groups and their attacks and that security would need to be raised. Unfortunately, this was only looked into once 9/11 already happened. Supposing Clinton would’ve had to face this problem during his terms, he would’ve handled it much more diplomatically rather than rushing into war.
So wait let me get this straight in 8 years clinton did like 2 things 0_o an ignored a terroist problem?
is there a list of acchevments that the presidants did do i mean wtf do they do doing there years of presidacny?
I was a republican but seing the way bush is doing things i duno what i am anymore :*(
We’re keep concentration camps? We’re outlawing religions? Yes
We’re putting people in gas chambers? No, lethal injection. just as painful.
We’re invading other nations? Uh… ya?
We’re annexing their land? Aye.
Making alliances with other empires? The british empire to name one.
Do we not have two other branches in the federal government to check and balance the Presidency?
Yep, and they’re both republican.
hmmm.. soo.. how is bush not like hitler? Enabling act. Patriot act. Call it whatever you want.
i have no clue how to edit my post.. but under “We’re outlawing religions” the answer to that one would be “We’re fighting a war against one. This is a holy war, do not forget that”
And “we’re keeping concentration camps” the answer is, yes. We do. Do your homework.
Check and mate.
Owned.
Bush as Hitler? Yet another dim witted hippie that forgets history. Joy.
How many nations did we annex? Did we get a 51st state and I missed it? Better yet, how many nations did we INVADE for the sake of taking their land? Last time I looked, Hitler made invaded nations part of Germany rather than trying to help them set up a new government. Wait, how many people of a “special” religion have we indiscriminately gassed?
What concentration camps? Love to hear about that. Even with Manzanar – and how fucked up that was – we didn’t *kill* for the sake of killing. And that was over 50 years ago.
What outlawed religions? Do you mean something like NAMBLA? Scientology? WTF dude.
Gas chambers make people gag and gasp and try to CLAW their way out of a door to escape. Lethal injection first knock the guy out and then they are given a lethal dose to be killed. They don’t know a thing. And again, when are we doing this to citizens who committed no wrong? Or is this about capital punishment which has nothing to DO with gassing people?
The British EMPIRE died in the early 1800’s, mate. Get with the times.
Frankly, for you to make the suggestion that we’re living in the Nazi Germany shows how *little* you know about history.
Get off my planet. Now.
Your right Randy. Bush is nothing like Hilter. Around 1938, Hilter’s approval ratings were 95%. True, the Jews couldn’t take the poll. But The majority of his country loved him. Even if the rest of the world found him to be the most evil son of a bitch on earth. But Bush doesn’t even have that. Everyone on the planet hates him. And his approval ratings in this country are in the low 30’s and dropping.
Concentration camps? Okay, so they have more politically correct names now, but we have them. Just not in our own country so that makes it all better.
Religions not being discriminated against? Right… tell that to any muslim trying to visit New York on a plane.
Lethal injections are actually just as painful as gas chambers. Studies have found most prisons give the wrong dosage of the required sedative. So the people, who are straped down and paralized by the sedative, still feel pain. Potassium chloride, which is the drug used to stop the heart, is very caustic and burning. So the person feels like there are being burned from the inside out. How humane. They don’t have the liberity to claw at a door in pain.
The British Empire is just as alive today as it has ever been. Sure they call themselves a “democratic monarchy” now. But they still even call themselves the British Empire.
And by the definition of Annex, that’s exactly what we have done to Iraq.
Yeah, no simmilarities. at all.
I dont know why you support a president that is always failing his country. Anyone who thinks that we dont torture in our prisions off waters needs to really pay more attention to the news.If an inmate is in for the death penalty, give him death, and i dont care if it hurts, cause most of the time the crimes commited are atrocious, but you cant tell me that are methoods are humane. 32% approval rating, give me a break. He was a bad chioce from the begining, and it takes most of America now to realize it. Bright side only like 1000 days left of his inbred ass.
Fuckin’ A. This post is from September 04. Did anyone read it? It’s not about Bush – it’s about Clinton. It even says “[When asked Was Clinton a good president?] I always get a “Bush did this” or “Bush did that” in response at some point, usually after I shoot down their first reason. And a lot of times, those facts aren’t wrong either, but they don’t answer the question. Every single time, it happens.”
Furthermore where is the support for Bush that y’all are complaining about? Where does it say I approve of our the current Pres over the last 2 years? Where does it even say anything about how *I* feel about it? Thanks for asking me first. Whoo! Such open mindedness.
The last comment is simple. What I’m saying is it’s high time for anyone under the age of 35 to get a history book. Read a good deal of what Germany was like 1930 to 1945. Read anything by Elie Wiesel. Re-read the Diary of Anne Frank. Then read Farewell to Manzanar. Get a good picture of how things really were then. Fix it in your mind. Tour the Camps in person or online. Read about all the deaths and try not to think of them as fiction or “ancient” history. Then make the comparison of what we”re living in the states against non-Nazi’s living in Germany. If you feel just that the comparison is still accurate, stop posting here b/c I don’t want to hear it. People in this nation don’t know oppression. Muslims being harassed in airports… *snort* FDR – one of the most popular presidents evar – locked up anyone with Asian eyes on the entire Pacific coast. Random people locked up in GER for political reasons… that’s oppression. Polls mean dick.
After you get done with that, here’s a thought: stop believing everything the media hands you and treating it like gospel. We don’t own Iraq. If we did, we’re doing a shitty job of getting them statehood. We don’t pull ppl off the street and gas (or lethally inject) them, last time I checked. The fact no one has a concrete example speaks to that. And yes, I’m all for capital punishment. I’d televise lynching for certain crimes, if we could. There IS no British Empire: one nation does not an Empire make and their monarchy has NO power – they don’t even have colonies for God’s sake.
Know what? Never mind. Don’t bother. If you’re going to even attempt to compare Nazi Germany to modern day America, I’d have a better chance of convincing Gandhi to eat something from McDonald’s. Simply ridiculous and pointless. The very right that you get to VOICE this opinion negates the whole notion of Nazi-ism… to compare the two? Hah.
Its funny how some one else deviates from the subject, and someone else gets yelled at about it. And Clinton was awesome, compared to what we’re in now. You break out you’re history books too.
I really don’t understand why you even let people post. If a topic goes a little off, you call everyone an idiot. You should be glad your threads are still being read 2 years later, and when you speak your mind it sparks debate and discussion. I really don’t understand you. It’s seems like you just want people who agree with you to read or post on your blog.
It’s call frustration from people not reading the original post.
I say nothing about Bush support and I get accused of supporting him; oops, didn’t read. I ask “Was Clinton a good president” and “can the question be answered once and for all without bringing Bush into it?” but I’m then accused of being closed minded for not wanting to hear about Bush on this thread; oops, didn’t read. I say nothing of calling a person an idiot, when I haven’t said idiot anywhere; oops, didn’t read.
The entire site is filled with strife and conflict and remains – for the most part – uncensored. I’ve removed non-spam posts from three threads over six years: one that was for business reasons, another for over done insults [to someone that wasn’t me], and a third for too much information. Considering that two of the three have been from the same person, I don’t questions my policies or my conscience – I question some people’s judgement of what is “acceptable” on someone else’s web site.
And props to you Vi – that’s the type of argument worth having AND more to the topic of the post. The question still remains: what DID Clinton do? What were his accomplishments? I know the general feeling is “he was good” – why, is the question I ask. Is it because things feel so bleak now that he was better by comparison? Was it because we were all younger then? No one seems to be able to answer it, without bashing either Bush. Reagan seems to be above touch and Carter and Ford is too far back… maybe it’s like Carter, actually. Carter was a good man and I believe he could have been a better President if he had a better time in history and a more supportive press… this could be the inverse: good time of history and a supportive press and you don’t HAVE to have done anything. Except not fuck up :)
I think a lot of his accomplishments have been listed. Maybe he wasnt great, but i think he did very well. And I was young, but Ive always been interested in politics. Im just shocked i guess that people used to throw such a fit cause an intern went down on him, he lied, and everyone freaks. We’re getting wire tapped now, without our knowledge, or without the proper legal procedures, and no one cares. Those are the little things that irk me. Rising gas prices with no one to stop it, and what appears to be no change of fuels either. Maybe some stuff now could of been addressed before Clinton left, but vacationing for large chunks of time when you first get into office, and throwing away critical reports is a lil’ on the not so good end. Maybe the mess was both thier faults, but no one is cleaning it up, and that is where the problem is. Lets twist this, maybe star up a post on “What has Bush done?” He has had 6 years, and has two to go. What has he done, and what can he do?
Well, to Bush’s credit he handled 9/11 as well as any president could have. And I firmly believe Clinton’s lack of attention – either because he was woman chase or b/c he had to defend himself against the press for it – helped open us to that attack.
Problem is most of what he’s done after the first year of the first term has been a pooch screw either on the surface or by how the media has spun it: same net effect either way.
Gas prices are an interesting thing… last time we had problems with it we had a democrat in office and hostages in the middle east… the question is where does business and government collide. In fact, that needs another post…
I would blame Clinton more if it wasnt for the fact that the first few months of Bush’s presidency was spent vacationing. C’mon, when you first get in to office i think that you would want to know all thats going on and what needs to be handled asap, ect. But no, he spent huge chunks of time out on his ranch. Also that his own people saw him throw away the reports in regards to the treats of 9/11. Clinton had to have done something right to leave his second term, dispite all the scandals, with 65% approval rating.
I would agree except that 9/11 wasn’t planned with the election of Bush: it started back in the late 90’s, after some other successful. There were also other attacks, i.e. the USS Cole, during his second term and he turned a deaf ear to it.
As for Monday morning quarterbacks, if you said to anyone in 2000 that someone was going to fly a plane into a building in NYC, they would have thought it was a Clancy book. NO one thought it would happen. No one thought it COULD have happened. Frankly, I woulda thrown away the same reports: what they don’t tell you is that there were another dozen of reports with other types of possible attacks, each as unlikely as the next. It’s only after 9/11 that we say “obviously there was some merit to those reports!” because we can see that we CAN be attacked. Before that we thought “no one would dare attack us” – it’s what Clinton thought and I can’t fault him for that. I can fault him for basically ignoring a whole lot of international issues during both terms. But that’s just me.
And note, I’m not defending the vacationing. But I do think the 3-6 months following 9/11 he did a decent job of keeping us together.
Personally, I woulda given the job to Guliani on the spot.
Guliani did do an excellent job, and I actually really like him.
Well, that’s why I want him to run in 2008. I wanted him in 2004 but there’s no way with an incumbent. The dream ticket for me would be Guliani and [Christy Todd] Wittman [from NJ]. r0x.
aiite bitch…you fuckin suck…bush IS a mother fukin hitler… dont bring up the gay marriage shit you son of a fuking whore…bush is a mother fukin douche bag son of a fukin bitch…you know why cuz….hes a fukin slut for going to was with Afghanistan and Iraq wiht the premise that they had terrorist links. Firstly, no country in its right mind would claim that they are supportive of terrorist networks especially when messing with the United States since we’ve got nuclear warheads that can fuk the work 3 times over. Secondly, Bush only went to war cuz hes a selfish mofo that wanted Iraq’s oil. Hes got a dad, whom i have met and have figured out to be a rotten sob thats only interested in his money and nothing else. and thridly, bush is retarted….he is a hitler…b/c he is the reason behind the death of innocent Iraqis and Afghanis….you wanna talk about the comparison between Bush and Hissla…well the deal is that they both are/were maniacs that did not care about the value of human life…their meathods might not be teh same….bush has his fukin military and warheads…hitler had his gas chambers and concentration camps…but the essense beihind the whole deal was exactly the fukin same….its cool if you dont post this shit on your site…but dude….your fuked up…all conservatives are fuked up for voting for a retartd to office….BUSH IS GAY AND A MOTHER FUKING HITLER>>>I SAY IT PROUD AND LOUD>>>>>>FUK BUSH>>>>
OK, fuckin’ dumb ass. What part of “this has nothing to do with Bush” didn’t your pea brean comprehend? “Hissla”… whoo! Get the fuck out of my country until you can learn how to speak English. And if you do, THEN you can sit at the adults table and attempt to debate other people here.
Dumb ass low life cockgobbling twat.
Shoo!
Randy.. stop hugging on bush’s nuts.
“If anything, when I bring up this question, I always get a “Bush did this” or “Bust did that” in response at some point, usually after I shoot down their first reason. And a lot of times, those facts aren’t wrong either, but they don’t answer the question. Every single time, it happens.”
Can’t you READ?
First off..I totally agree with everything the author of this article states. I always hear comparisons between Bush and Clinton. Most people will say Clinton was an amazing president. He happen to come in at a time where our country was at a standing point for economic prosperty, Clinton did not create a stable economy, he simply did nothing to it. So people can stop giving him credit. Another point I hear is how Bush is so terrible because he ignored the UN when he chose to invade Iraq. Well, people seem to forget that Clinton was denied, twice, from congress to attack Yugoslavia in 1999 (Kosovo War anyone?) , and somehow he chose to do it anyway..hmm..sound familar?
Clinton was by no means a terrible president. I feel people give him too much credit over issues that he never affected.
So does that mean Clinton is Paul von Hindenburg ?
I must say the world has changed alot since this post was created. I do want to expand a little bit on what Ben said, Anti-Iraq/ Anti-Bush people forget that Clinton dropped bombs on Baghdad. One thing Clinton could have done since “Democrats handle issues with diplomacy” which is bullshit, is take care of Saddam then. Also good point on the War in the former Yugoslavia, something that we never seem to hear anything about. Amazingly there are still thousands of troops that have year long deployments there. I think Clinton did more to not screw up a good thing more than initiate movement for prosperity.
Wow, it’s like this article got the shit debunked out of it. I was going to list some things…but apparently everyone beat me to it.
Apparently “the majority of American’s are clueless about politics” and Randy is one of them.
=/
oO, look! A troll. Shoo! THis is no place for lemmings!
Randy,
You asked the questions “Why was Clinton a great president? What did he do? The following list should answer your questions.
Longest economic expansion in American history
The President�s strategy of fiscal discipline, open foreign markets and investments in the American people helped create the conditions for a record 115 months of economic expansion. Our economy has grown at an average of 4 percent per year since 1993.
More than 22 million new jobs
More than 22 million jobs were created in less than eight years — the most ever under a single administration, and more than were created in the previous twelve years.
Highest homeownership in American history
A strong economy and fiscal discipline kept interest rates low, making it possible for more families to buy homes. The homeownership rate increased from 64.2 percent in 1992 to 67. 7 percent, the highest rate ever.
Lowest unemployment in 30 years
Unemployment dropped from more than 7 percent in 1993 to just 4.0 percent in November 2000. Unemployment for African Americans and Hispanics fell to the lowest rates on record, and the rate for women is the lowest in more than 40 years.
Raised education standards, increased school choice, and doubled education and training investment
Since 1992, reading and math scores have increased for 4th, 8th, and 12th graders, math SAT scores are at a 30-year high, the number of charter schools has grown from 1 to more than 2,000, forty-nine states have put in place standards in core subjects and federal investment in education and training has doubled.
Largest expansion of college opportunity since the GI Bill
President Clinton and Vice President Gore have nearly doubled financial aid for students by increasing Pell Grants to the largest award ever, expanding Federal Work-Study to allow 1 million students to work their way through college, and by creating new tax credits and scholarships such as Lifetime Learning tax credits and the HOPE scholarship. At the same time, taxpayers have saved $18 billion due to the decline in student loan defaults, increased collections and savings from the direct student loan program.
Connected 95 percent of schools to the Internet
President Clinton and Vice President Gore�s new commitment to education technology, including the E-Rate and a 3,000 percent increase in educational technology funding, increased the percentage of schools connected to the Internet from 35 percent in 1994 to 95 percent in 1999.
Lowest crime rate in 26 years
Because of President Clinton�s comprehensive anti-crime strategy of tough penalties, more police, and smart prevention, as well as common sense gun safety laws, the overall crime rate declined for 8 consecutive years, the longest continuous drop on record, and is at the lowest level since 1973.
100,000 more police for our streets
As part of the 1994 Crime Bill, President Clinton enacted a new initiative to fund 100,000 community police officers. To date more than 11,000 law enforcement agencies have received COPS funding.
Enacted most sweeping gun safety legislation in a generation
Since the President signed the Brady bill in 1993, more than 600,000 felons, fugitives, and other prohibited persons have been stopped from buying guns. Gun crime has declined 40 percent since 1992.
Family and Medical Leave Act for 20 million Americans
To help parents succeed at work and at home, President Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993. Over 20 million Americans have taken unpaid leave to care for a newborn child or sick family member.
Smallest welfare rolls in 32 years
The President pledged to end welfare as we know it and signed landmark bipartisan welfare reform legislation in 1996. Since then, caseloads have been cut in half, to the lowest level since 1968, and millions of parents have joined the workforce. People on welfare today are five times more likely to be working than in 1992.
Higher incomes at all levels
After falling by nearly $2,000 between 1988 and 1992, the median family�s income rose by $6,338, after adjusting for inflation, since 1993. African American family income increased even more, rising by nearly $7,000 since 1993. After years of stagnant income growth among average and lower income families, all income brackets experienced double-digit growth since 1993. The bottom 20 percent saw the largest income growth at 16.3 percent.
Lowest poverty rate in 20 years
Since Congress passed President Clinton�s Economic Plan in 1993, the poverty rate declined from 15.1 percent to 11.8 percent last year � the largest six-year drop in poverty in nearly 30 years. There are now 7 million fewer people in poverty than in 1993. The child poverty rate declined more than 25 percent, the poverty rates for single mothers, African Americans and the elderly have dropped to their lowest levels on record, and Hispanic poverty dropped to its lowest level since 1979.
Lowest teen birth rate in 60 years
In his 1995 State of the Union Address, President Clinton challenged Americans to join together in a national campaign against teen pregnancy. The birth rate for teens aged 15-19 declined every year of the Clinton Presidency, from 60.7 per 1,000 teens in 1992 to a record low of 49.6 in 1999.
Lowest infant mortality rate in American history
The Clinton Administration expanded efforts to provide mothers and newborn children with health care. Today, a record high 82 percent of all mothers receive prenatal care. The infant mortality rate has dropped from 8.5 deaths per 1,000 in 1992 to 7.2 deaths per 1,000 in 1998, the lowest rate ever recorded.
Deactivated more than 1,700 nuclear warheads from the former Soviet Union
Efforts of the Clinton-Gore Administration led to the dismantling of more than 1,700 nuclear warheads, 300 launchers and 425 land and submarine based missiles from the former Soviet Union.
Protected millions of acres of American land
President Clinton has protected more land in the lower 48 states than any other president. He has protected 5 new national parks, designated 11 new national monuments and expanded two others and proposed protections for 60 million acres of roadless areas in America�s national forests.
Paid off $360 billion of the national debt
Between 1998-2000, the national debt was reduced by $363 billion � the largest three-year debt pay-down in American history. We are now on track to pay off the entire debt by 2009.
Converted the largest budget deficit in American history to the largest surplus
Thanks in large part to the 1993 Deficit Reduction Act, the 1997 Balanced Budget Act, and President Clinton�s call to save the surplus for debt reduction, Social Security, and Medicare solvency, America has put its fiscal house in order. The deficit was $290 billion in 1993 and expected to grow to $455 billion by this year. Instead, we have a projected surplus of $237 billion.
Lowest government spending in three decades
Under President Clinton federal government spending as a share of the economy has decreased from 22.2 percent in 1992 to a projected 18.5 percent in 2000, the lowest since 1966.
Lowest federal income tax burden in 35 years
President Clinton enacted targeted tax cuts such as the Earned Income Tax Credit expansion, $500 child tax credit, and the HOPE Scholarship and Lifetime Learning Tax Credits. Federal income taxes as a percentage of income for the typical American family have dropped to their lowest level in 35 years.
More families own stock than ever before
The number of families owning stock in the United States increased by 40 percent since 1992.
Most diverse cabinet in American history
The President has appointed more African Americans, women and Hispanics to the Cabinet than any other President in history. He appointed the first female Attorney General, the first female Secretary of State and the first Asian American cabinet secretary ever.
http://clinton5.nara.gov/WH/Accomplishments/eightyears-01.html
Of which he directly did nothing… well, maybe the most diverse cabinet, sure.
I mean honestly… giving him credit for lower crime? Schools connecting to the Internet? heh! Funny shit.
Randy,
Perhaps the question should be, why wasn’t Clinton a good president?
After all it appears that you will just dismiss most responses that credit Clinton for positive progress during his two terms as president.
Also, it would be interesting to find out what your opinion of who or what was directly responsible for the list of accomplishments posted by Cassie.
While I wasn’t a Clinton supporter I’m just as curious to hear your argument as to why he wasn’t a good president as you are other peoples’ arguments as to why he was.
Nah. I mean really? It’s like eight years old, four years past the original post, and on top of that, all of the people that used to swoon over Bill are now focused on Barak… we’ll see how he does, with a Democrat-led House and Senate. Maybe he will be judged on his merits rather than biased.
hat was so good about the Clinton Presidency?
(1) The first World Trade Center Bombings
(2) The bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania
(3) The bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Kenya
(4) The bombing of the U.S. Cole
(5) The Kohbar tower bombing in Saudi Arabia
(6) The genocide in Rwanda
(7) The �don�t as don�t tell� policy
(8) The major axing of the U.S. military
(9) The handcuffing of our counterintelligence agencies
(10) The selling of military secrets to the Chinese for campaign cash
(11) NAFTA
(12) The unemployment rate
(13) The collapse of the stock market
(14) The Bosnian/Kosovo war
(15) Sarajevo
(16) Sends U.S. troops to Haiti
(17) Oklahoma City Bombing
(18) Al Gore attends illegal fundraising event at a Buddhist temple in Los Angeles
(19) Clinton Business Partners take the fall for Clinton�s Whitewater deal
(15) Travelgate
(16) Monica Lewinsky
(17) Paula Jones
(18) Kathleen Willey
(19) Juanita Broaddrick
(20) Jennifer Flowers
(21) Sally Perdue
(22) Elizabeth Gracen
(23) Only the second president to be impeached
(24) Allowing Al Qaeda to grow without response
(25) Allowing Osama bin Laden thumb his nose at the U.S. without retaliation
(26) Whitewater- The deposition is a first for a sitting president and first lady
(27) Somalia-Black Hawk Down
(28) Pardoning child rapists, murders,
(29) The Brady Bill
(30) Taking bribes from communists for political gain
(31) Increased Taxes
Just wondering
I have this ten page essay due on Clinton, and I stumbled on this blog in hopes to get something out of it.
Oh gosh, pure entertainment!
Randy is thee most sarcastic asshole ever!
I love it.
Now THAT is the best comment I’ve seen on my blog to date :)
What up randy. Congrats. I see based on your beliefs just became a neo nazi just like me. not cause we like hitler follows his beliefs or we support bush. Just simply cause we have ideas and support them. but then again people who hated bush probably voted for our O.ne B.ig A.ss M.istake A.merica. but all people really should do is read the constitution. there was alot of bullshit on here but it entertains me here a school. . .o by the way thanks taxpayers for the grant haha. but seriously people read the constitution buy a gun and raise a malitia with me. . . or we can show u the difference between bush and hitler. . . peace through superior fire power they way the world has always worked and always will work
In my opinion he did great because the US was living a prosper life. Clinton however did not ignore terrorism, he chased Al Queda but that was towards the end of Clintons presidency. He however did leave a note with his plans on capturing Bin Lauden to the next president, and guess who ignored that note? President George W Bush. So ppl blame clinton for Bin Lauden? Let it be clear that Father bush sent American troops to Saudi Arabia to fight the Persian Gulf War and because of American presence in the Arabic states, Bin Lauden bombed the twin towers. I dont hate republicans because they have great ideas too but i can honestly say the two Bushes fucked up pretty hard.
President Clinton had alot of successes and in my books was a great president. Not the best but one of the best probably.
But as i conclude my opinion, all presidents are great because they all done something that shaped the United States for what she is today. Although we may disagree with our president, we must remember we elected them because we believed in them and if you dont like it, dont vote for them again or better yet, why dont you run for president? :P
Seriously people? You can not take the media seriously. And i know (because i’ve researched it) that everyone’s so called facts comes from the media, and if you look, they change their facts a week later. All you people do is find “facts” that help you with your arguement, and ignore the rest. And why do people blame bush for saying there was WMDs when there “wasn’t”. He just announces what he is told from the CIA. Plus a WMD does not have to be a nuke, it can also be chemical or biological weapons. And SEAL Team 3 did find chemical weapons in Iraq. And sorry for posting this so late