The Clinton Years President of Bill Clinton- 1990s

Election of 1992 Objectives: 1. Who were the three major presidential candidates in the 1992 election? 2. What was their individual “angle” to winning the election? 3. Why did it seem very favorable for President Clinton to make good on most of his campaign promises?

Arkansas Launching Pad Attorney general of Arkansas at 30 years of age Governor of Arkansas – Nation’s youngest governor at 32 years Chaired the National Governors – Association in the late 1980s Chaired the Democratic Leadership Council – An organization of Moderate Democrats Democratic nomination for the presidency in 1992

Election of 1992 Clinton’s running mate was Senator – Al Gore of Tennessee Three way race between – Clinton( Democrat) – President George H.W. Bush – H. Ross Perot(Independent) Major Issues – USA WAS GOING THROUGH A RECESSION – HEALTH CARE – HUGE USA DEBT- BALANCE THE BUDGET- STOP SPENDING MORE THEN WE MAKE

Three Different Angles – Clinton “NEW DEMOCRAT” – Pushed for middle- class tax cuts – National health-care system – Blend of both Republican and Democrat ideas – President George H.W. Bush Winner of the Cold War and Gulf War – H. Ross Perot(Independent) Texas Billionaire Not a Politician- Spoke in simple terms Bush and Clinton Perot

Outcome of Election Outcome – Clinton won 370 electoral votes to – Bush’s 168, Clinton won less than 50 percent of the popular vote Perot won 19 percent of the popular vote

Clinton’s “Perfect Storm” President- Democrat Senate- Democrat Majority House of Representatives- Democrat Majority What does this mean? – Democrats are in charge of the government – Democrats can make and passes laws easily + + = PresidentSenateHouse of Representatives Democrats In Charge

Domestic Issues Objectives: 1. What was the Dilemma Clinton faced concerning his campaign promises and presidential solutions? 2. What was the “Contract to America”? 3. How did the President Clinton handle the tough issue of Gays in the Military

The Clinton Dilemma Campaign Promises 1.Universal Healthcare – Everyone gets healthcare 2.Balance Budget 3.End Recession 4.Cut Taxes How to solve Problem A. Raise Taxes B. Increase Gov’t Spending A. Raise Taxes B. Cut Gov’t Spending A. Increase Gov’t Spending B. Cut Programs A.Cut Taxes B.Cut Government Spending What is the Dilemma?

Give to Peter to Pay Paul Clinton had conflicting promises and solutions You need to Raise Taxes and Cut Taxes You need to Raise Government Spending and Cut Government Spending

1994 Election- Democrats Take a Hit The 1994 Election (Election in- between Clintons 1 st term) – Democrat Woes Clinton failed to deliver on campaign promises Health Car Plan Fails Clinton Raises Taxes – Republicans gained 54 seats in the House – Republicans gained 8 seats in the Senate – This gave them control of both houses. No more “Perfect Storm”

Republican Fight Back Birth of Newt Gingrich – Contract with America – Contract Plan = Balance the budget Fight crime Provide tax cuts Reform Welfare- Limit time people can be on it Contract with America Clip

Domestic Challenges Homosexual Openness – Military personal should be able to openly claim they were homosexuals Congress did not support Clinton – Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy- Substitute policy Homosexuals could be in the military so long as they don’ t tell anyone they are a homosexual. Policy Today Clip

Economic Success Record budget deficits have become record surpluses 22 million new jobs have been created, Unemployment and core inflation are at their lowest levels in more than 30 years – Drop from 8% to 4% The stock market remained strong throughout the Clinton presidency America is in the midst of the longest economic expansion in our history.

End of Day One

Foreign Policy Challenges Objectives: 1. How did Clinton change America’s approach to foreign conflicts? 2. What were some Positives and Negative aspects of NAFTA?

Clinton New Approach Pervious Presidential Ideal- U.S. vs. THEM – Lets be the world police – We might stand alone Clinton Ideal- U.S. + U.N. + NATO vs. THEM – Lets be the world police – We will help but not be alone

Foreign Policy Challenges Somalia – Somalia is in a Civil War – UN forces worked to end the fighting – After a number of Americans died, Clinton withdrew the remaining soldiers – “Black Hawk Down” Rwanda – Mass Murder of an Ethnic Group – 800,000 deaths – Hutu(Majority) vs. Tutsi (Minority) – U.S. supported the U.N. to help the Tutsi relocation Haiti – Clinton pledged the use of American troops to lead UN mission to remove a military dictator – Presence of UN forces helped bring a generally peaceful change in government

Foreign Policy Challenges Old Yugoslavia Bosnia-Herzegovina Bosnians vs. Croatians vs. Serbians – Ethnic Cleansing – US pairs up with UN – Stops Violence Kosovo – Serbians ethnic cleansing of Albanians in the province of Kosovo – U.S pairs up with began a massive air campaign against targets in Serbia and Kosovo

International Trade NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement Free Trade – Mexico – Canada – United States – NAFTA created the world’s End Trade Barriers – Tariffs- Tax on imported goods – Quotas-Limit amounts of imported goods – Embargos – Stop all imports

What Are the Advantages of NAFTA? It eliminated tariffs- Which reduces the cost of trade Increases personal investments- Motivates business to expand It decreases the cost of imports- Which reduces prices and inflation. It increased U.S. Farm exports- Mexico one of the top importers of beef, soybean meal, apples, corn, soybeans. Decrease American Oil prices- We started getting more oil from Mexico

NAFTA IS GOOD

What are the Disadvantages of NAFTA U.S. manufacturers moved jobs to lower-cost Mexico- Between 1994 and 2002, the U.S. lost 1.7 million jobs, gaining only 794,00, for a net loss of 879,000 jobs. U.S. Wages are suppressed- U.S factories threaten to move the factory if they have to raise wages Mexico’s rural farmers were put out of business by U.S. farms- U.S. had lower prices Increase in Maquiladora(Ma-Kee-lah-dora)-U.S. factories hired Mexican workers near the border- 30% of Mexicans worked in U.S factories Mexico Environment Deteriorated- Mexico used more fertilizers and chemicals to keep up with American farmers Maquiladora and NAFTA

NAFTA IS BAD

Clinton Impeachment Objectives: 1. What events caused President Clinton to be Impeachment? 2. What was the verdict of his impeachment?

Question Should the American people be concerned about their president doing “immoral” thing? – Cheating on their spouse – Buying XXX movies – Chewing Tobacco – Drinking

Scandal background Clinton was sued in a sexual harassment suit by Paula Jones One of the witnesses called was a white house intern Monica Lewinsky An improper relationship w/Lewinsky emerges Urged by a “friend” Linda Tripp, Lewinsky had kept evidence Paula Jones Linda Tripp Monica Lewinsky

Scandal background “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.” The investigation expands to see if Clinton lied under oath about the relationship Eventually, Clinton admits to a relationship Clintons speaks to public clip

Impeachment Kenneth Starr submits a report to Congress accusing Clinton of betraying his constitutional duties through lies about his relationship

Impeachment Votes in Congress House approved two articles of impeachment 1. Perjury 2. Obstruction of justice Senate does not find Clinton guilty of the charges