Funny how the people here who don't like Clinton concentrate on things he didn't accomplish, like universal health care. I read it here all the time - Clinton was bad because he didn't give us universal health care.
Guess what?
He didn't cure cancer.
He didn't invent an alternate fuel source.
He didn't reinvent the wheel.
Did he want to give us universal health care? All indications are that he did. You hold it against him that he couldn't do it? Should we go back and point out everything every president tried to do but couldn't deliver on?
You say he gave us NAFTA? Actually it was signed into law during Bush I's term. It was altered and refined during Clinton's tenure and like many things, it looked good on paper. Hind site is 20/20, folks. Many Democrats we hold in high regard supported NAFTA, including Howard Dean.
Welfare reform? You bet! The idea was very popular with the American people at the time. Why? Because the public and the rightwing were intent on it. It was going to get done so thank whatever god you pray to Clinton was the president when it happened and GHW Bush wasn't. Clinton turned back several worse congressional versions before settling on a more moderate one.
By the way, JFK and LBJ both supported various forms of welfare reform and FDR once said, ""The lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit. It is inimical to the dictates of sound policy. It is in violation of the traditions of America. Work must be found for able-bodied but destitute workers. The federal government must and shall quit this business of relief."
Media deregulation? Leftover from Bush I and Reagan.
We often criticize the rightwing for "revising" history. It seems some on the LEFT hated Clinton so much they ignore his vast accomplishments, sometimes denying they even happened. Could it be that, just like the right, they can't stand that someone who isn't one of them could be so damn successful?
The Strongest Economy in a Generation. Longest Economic Expansion in U.S. History. In February 2000, the United States entered the 107th consecutive month of economic expansion -- the longest economic expansion in history.
21.2 million new jobs were created since 1993, the most jobs ever created under a single Administration -- and more new jobs than Presidents Reagan and Bush created during their three terms. 92 percent (19.4 million) of the new jobs were created in the private sector, the highest percentage in 50 years.
Fastest and Longest Real Wage Growth in Over Three Decades. In the last 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased 3.7 percent -- faster than the rate of inflation. The United States has had five consecutive years of real wage growth -- the longest consecutive increase since the 1960s. Since 1993, real wages are up 6.8 percent, after declining 4.3 percent during the Reagan and Bush years.
Unemployment was the lowest Nearly the Lowest in Three Decades.
Highest Homeownership Rate in History.
Lowest Poverty Rate in Two Decades. The poverty rate has fallen from 15.1 percent in 1993 to 12.7 percent in 1998. That's the lowest poverty rate since 1979 and the largest five-year drop in poverty in nearly 30 years (1965-1970). The African-American poverty rate has dropped from 33.1 percent in 1993 to 26.1 percent in 1998 -- the lowest level ever recorded and the largest five-year drop in African-American poverty in more than a quarter century (1967-1972). The poverty rate for Hispanics is at the lowest level since 1979, and dropped to 25.6 percent in 1998.
Largest Five-Year Drop in Child Poverty Rate Since the ‘60s. Under President Clinton and Vice President Gore, child poverty has declined from 22.7 percent in 1993 to 18.9 percent in 1998 -- the biggest five-year drop in nearly 30 years. The poverty rate for African-American children has fallen from 46.1 percent in 1993 to 36.7 percent in 1998 -- a level that is still too high, but is the lowest level in 20 years and the biggest five-year drop on record. The rate also fell for Hispanic children, from 36.8 percent to 34.4 percent - and is now 6.5 percentage points lower than it was in 1993.
Improved Access to Affordable, Quality Child Care and Early Childhood Programs.
Increased the Minimum Wage.
Enacted Single Largest Investment in Health Care for Children since 1965.
Extended Strong, Enforceable Patient Protections for Millions of Americans.
An environmental budget that included a record $1.4 billion for Lands Legacy -- a 93 percent increase and the largest one-year investment ever requested for conserving America’s lands.
So much more on the environment, families, the economy, education, crime, etc.
Was Bill Clinton the perfect president? No. Will we ever have one? No. Is pining away for some idealistic Utopian liberal leader that will please everyone on the left a waste of time? Yes.
Here's another from Bartcop...
I have a quote - for the younger readers of bartcop.com
It's real possible you've never heard it before, because the press won't tell you anything about Clinton except which direction his cock leans.
Just before he was elected in 1992, our economy was pure-D shit. Reagan and Bush got their huge tax cuts for the super rich, they got us in wars and they dumped us into recessions not seen since the 1930's
You kids may not believe this - ask your parents - just 8-10 years ago, the economy was such shit, you couldn't get a job no matter what. If you didn't have a specific skill, they'd just laugh at you.
If you had a degree or advanced training, they'd say, "We can't hire you, because if the economy ever comes back, you'll leave us in a heartbeat."
It was hell, unless you were from old money or your daddy ran the CIA.
I forget who, maybe someone will remember, but some reporter stuck a camera in Clinton's face and said, "If we trust you with our vote, what can you do to save our economy?"
"I am going to focus on this economy like a laser beam. I will work non-stop to turn this
mess around and create new jobs and lower the deficit and fix the things that are wrong."
The Republicans, in unison, hooted like drunken hyenas and ridiculed Bill Clinton.
( I have the exact quotes buried somewhere in a back issue, but who has the time to look?)
"The banks will fail. Clinton's plans will only worsen the recession."
-- Armey the foul-mouthed Dick, Degree in Economics
"Clinton's pie-in-the-sky fantasies will crash our economy."
-- Phil Gramm, pornographer, Degree in Economics
"A guaranteed disaster, without a doubt."
-- Newt Gingrich, scumbag, thief, History professor
But, as always, their predictioons were dead wrong.
This is what happened...
And when it did, every lying son of a bitch Republican changed their tune.
"This is Reagan's recovery!"
-- Armey, the foul-mouthed Dick
"Reagan laid the groundwork, but Bill Clinton is trying to claim all the credit."
-- Phil Gramm, financial backer of "The Hitcher."
"Bill Clinton did not contribute anything to this recovery."
-- Newt the scumbag
"Name one thing that Clinton did to help the economy."
-- The vulgar Pigboy
That's right. After guaranteeing Clinton would ruin the country, they switched 180 degrees and said,
"We knew all along Reagan's genius would save us."
And the reason you younger kids are reading this story for the first damn time is the American whore press will only talk about Clinton's mistakes.
Look at the chart, one more time:
Look at that massive plunge we took in 1981, when Reagan was elected. Look at the plunge!
Then look what happened in 1993, when Bill's "laser beam" got focused on fixing the Reagan Error. Bill Clinton saved this damn country.
And how did America repay this multi-trillion-dollar gift Clinton gave us? We tried to fuck him. Oh, yes we did! What other man, besides Bill Clinton, could have survived that impeachment fraud?
That was a horseshit set-up from the start.
You say Clinton has his flaws? Yeah, he does. We know all about Clinton's weaknesses, because we all got a good look. We've never looked at another man so close in all of history. Elvis, JFK, the Beatles and Jesus Christ combined never had so many scurrilous, untrue, shit-for-brains lies told about them with as little proof or provocation as Bill Clinton:
- Nine years of the never-ending GOP hate machine and their outrageous lies.
- Drudge and the Internet, sending the wildest, unverified rumors around the globe in seconds,
and the American whore press gleefully printing every slur that Drudge's "secret sources" send him.
Some, like the New York Whore Times, right on the front page.
- The non-stop, 24/7 cable TV talk shows.
And when they didn't have a story, they just made shit up.
- Dateline, 20/20, Dateline again, Nightline, 20/20 Downtown, Dateline again, 60 Minutes,
the Today Show, Dateline again, Good Morning America, Fox News and on and on.
- The Sunday shows, starring Tim Russert and his Clinton's cock obsession.
(Read the conclusion here:
http://www.bartcop.com/kissmyass.htm)