1. The 1990s – HW Bush and Clinton

2. President George H.W. Bush
Inherited Reagan’s problems
BUSH’S DOMESTIC POLICY –
•Promised America “no new taxes!”
•Broke his promise when the budget deficit mounted.

3. BUSH’S FOREIGN POLICY Cold War ends –
Communist governments in Eastern Europe crumble.
•1991 – Soviet Union dissolves – forms the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Berlin Wall removed at the end of Reagan’s Presidency

4. Persian Gulf War: 1990 – 1991
Saddam Hussein   orders an Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
Bush orders troops to fend off the Iraqi attack.
•U.S. air forces, in conjunction with
United Nations forces, pummel Iraq.
Saddam Hussein signs a cease-fire agreement, ending the Persian Gulf War.

5. The Clinton Presidency
Third youngest president ever elected

6. 1992 Election Running mate, Senator Al Gore of Tennessee
Three way race – Clinton (D), George H.W. Bush (R), H. Ross Perot (I)
Clinton presented himself as protector of the middle class

7. Bill Clinton - Democrat
Arkansas governor , – second youngest
Pushed for middle class tax cuts and a national health care system
Strong alliance with his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, when dealing with politics

8. Domestic Policy – Budget Deficit
Increased taxes (went against campaign promise to middle class) to deal with budget deficit
Critics felt tax increase would hurt economy – did not
Longest period of sustained economic growth in U.S. history

9. Domestic Policy – Health Care
Costs rising, millions had no health insurance
Hillary Clinton headed special task force proposing a government-sponsored program of health care – would ensure health care to all Americans
Defeated

10. Foreign Policy
Oslo Accords (1993) - Peace agreement between Israelis (Rabin) and Palestinians (Arafat)
Somalia (1993) – American forces, distributing food, were killed
Haiti (1994) – American forces led a UN effort to remove military dictators (Lieut. Gen. Raoul Cedras and Brig. Gen. Philippe Biamby)
NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) – passed

11. Domestic Terrorism
April 19, Terrorists exploded a bomb in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people. Alfred P Murrah Federal Building
Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were convicted

12. Scandals
Whitewater - Kenneth Starr led investigation into a failed real estate investment of Clintons in 1970s – no formal charges on Clintons
Paula Jones Sexual Harassment case – claimed to have taken place while Clinton was governor and she a state employee – case thrown out
Monica Lewinsky case – Clinton accused of lying under oath about his relationship with Lewinsky while he was president and she a White House intern
House approved 2 articles of impeachment
Senate did not have 2/3 majority to remove Clinton from office

13. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell 1993 policy regarding gay military members
Not allowed to be discharged for sexual orientation
Clinton compromise, wanted to repeal military’s ban on gay personnel
Policy failed to meet Clinton’s goals of decreasing discharges for homosexuality and reducing harassment

14. Post-presidency
Autobiography – My Life, New York Times bestseller list
Presidential library –2004, Little Rock, AR
Humanitarian efforts in Africa and Asia, AIDS epidemic
Clinton and former President Bush - humanitarian relief, victims of tsunami along coasts of Indian Ocean (2004)
Clinton involved in relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina (2004) and created the Haiti Fund to support Haitians after the earthquake (2010)