The Presidency of Bill Clinton

Objective Determine the extent to which the Clinton presidency produced… –Economic successes –Foreign policy successes

I. The Election of 1992

II. Domestic Policy Prospering Economy –1993 economic package lowered the deficit from $290 billion in 1992 to $203 billion by By 1999, surging tax revenues from a booming economy had generated a surplus of $124 billion -- a development few would have thought possible in –Surpluses amounting to $1.5 trillion were then projected for the first decade of the 21st century (LOL). –low inflation and unemployment rates

II. Domestic Policy First Term Difficulties –“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” –North American Free Trade Agreement –Failure of universal health care initiative Lack of transparency Appointment of Hilary Clinton as head of health care taskforce

II. Domestic Policy The final product was a massively complicated and sophisticated measure, completely beyond the reach of the average citizen to comprehend. Nearly 1,350 pages long, the proposal had taken much longer to produce than originally imagined. Some critics immediately complained that the President had misstepped in not going to the public with the broad outlines of the plan that then could have been worked through the congressional committee process. Although Clinton's September 1993 speech on national health care effectively dramatized the need for reform, Republican opponents lashed out at the plan's size, incomprehensibility, and threat to small business and individual choice. A consortium of health-insurance companies funded a series of sophisticated, negative TV ads featuring "Harry and Louise," a middle-class couple deeply worried about losing the quality health care they had come to expect as Americans.

II. Domestic Policy First Term Difficulties (con’t) –Republican “Contract with America” Newt Gingrich Balanced-budget amendment; tougher anticrime legislation; welfare reform; a tax credit for families with children; reduced federal regulation; enhanced national security; reforms in product liability laws; and term limits for members Very popular; helped Republicans secure control of both the House and Senate in 1994 This was seen as a major blow to Clinton

II. Domestic Policy Reelection in 1996 –Clinton (“The Comeback Kid”) made a strong comeback Overextension of Republican attacks Clinton vetoes of unpopular budgets

II. Domestic Policy Clinton as Centrist –Pursued policy of triangulation Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 Gun Control (Brady Act, 1993) Crime Bill (Omnibus Crime Bill, 1994)

II. Domestic Policy Scandals! –Whitewater –Paula Jones –Monica Lewinsky

II. Domestic Policy Scandals! (con’t) –Clinton was impeached by the House for perjury and obstruction of justice, but not convicted by the Senate –Clinton remained wildly popular during the hearings (70% approval ratings) Some have attributed this to the economy

III. Foreign Policy Doctrine of Enlargement –Based on the idea of expanding the community of market democracies around the world, embraced free trade, multilateral peacekeeping efforts and international alliances, and a commitment to intervene in world crisis situations when practical Haiti Somalia/Rwanda Bosnia –Dayton Peace Accords (1995) –Kosovo (1999)

IV. Legacy? Clinton’s legacy is mixed –Skilled compromiser or lacking in principles? –A scandal president or a surplus president? –Provided strong leadership for a post-Cold War world, or ignored the growing threats of Islamic extremism?