Bill Clinton Achievs Longstanding GOP Objectives

[zeitgeist]

Every now and then DUmmies and Moles unintentionally out themselves. 
This thread is an excellent example. 


http://upload.democraticunderground.com/12511967219

 Purveyor (28,217 posts)

Thomas Frank: Bill Clinton's Five Major Achievements Were Longstanding GOP Objectives

Thomas Frank, author of Listen, Liberal, discusses the Hillary Doctrine's basis in neoliberalism, how the Democratic Party stopped governing on behalf of the working class and how President Bill Clinton's major achievements actually enacted conservative goals, and ultimately hurt working people.

Mark Karlin: The innovation class, the creative class, the wealthy class, the professional class with Ivy League degrees: How did President Obama become the avatar for believing these groups should be the decision makers in government?

Thomas Frank: Obama thinks such people should be in charge because they came up through the same system as him. "Because he himself was a product of the great American postwar meritocracy," his biographer Jonathan Alter writes, "he could never fully escape seeing the world from the status ladder he had ascended."

Most of our other Democratic leaders (the Clintons, for example) came up the same way and believe the same thing. Indeed, what Alter describes is standard-issue stuff for Democrats these days. The Democrats are a class party in the fullest sense of the phrase, and the class whose perspective they reflect and whose interests they serve is the highly educated, white-collar professional class. Theirs is a liberalism of the rich.

Can you describe a little about what you call "The Hillary Doctrine," including how microlending is a good example of her belief in opening doors of entrepreneurship to solve the world's economic problems?

more...

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/36035-thomas-frank-bill-clinton-s-five-major-achievements-were-longstanding-gop-objectives

I really brought this over for the following exchange.  Most of the other posts to this thread are head bobbing 'amen brother' stuff.

Bigtree is a real chip off the ole block head. Drank the kool aid, licked the rim.

Star Member bigtree (63,276 posts) 
21. what a dishonest article, right from the title

try these:


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.


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.

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.

Not so fast Bigtree. You are about to be cut down to size.  We may have to start calling you twiggy after this pruning.

Response to bigtree (Reply #21)Mon May 16, 2016, 05:05 PM
idlisambar (928 posts)
25. Talking about different things

Frank was talking about the biggest legislative accomplishments that were initiated or at least significantly advanced by Clinton himself. Basically, he is referring to his signature legislative achievements.

By contrast, the big list above mainly consists of things that happened during the years he was president. There is no arguing that he presided over a period of relative prosperity but it is not clear at all how much of the credit for this should go to Clinton. It is not 0 credit of course (at the very least he did not get in the way), but especially in retrospect the great numbers were probably more about great timing than anything else - he came in during a recession and got out right before the Internet bubble burst.

Clinton did a lot of good things (who can argues with getting rid of nuclear warheads), but the only legislative accomplishment listed above that is at or near the same importance as NAFTA or other items on Frank's list is Clinton's 1993 deficit reduction legislation. That taxes were raised in this legislation and the boom happened anyway at least offered a great counter to those who exaggerate the importance of tax rates and insist that such a thing is not possible.

In the end it is difficult to point to anything Clinton did to lay a foundation for continued prosperity after the internet boom. On the other hand the time bombs he helped plant are easily identified and Frank does -- Wall Street deregulation, the trade agreements, Welfare reform, Crime bill.

And the money shot

Response to bigtree (Reply #21)Mon May 16, 2016, 05:10 PM
Skwmom (11,741 posts)
27. Clinton did not create those jobs.

Enjoy the rest of the thread if you go over but be sure to wipe your feet before coming back. 

[thundley4]

Clinton got credit for the wonderful things the tech bubble brought about, but no criticism for the shit that happened when the bubble burst.


Amazingly enough, all the gains made by minorities and working people during Bill Clinton's terms have been totally reversed by Obama.

[Patriot Guard Rider]

Clinton got credit for the wonderful things the tech bubble brought about, but no criticism for the shit that happened when the bubble burst.


Amazingly enough, all the gains made by minorities and working people during Bill Clinton's terms have been totally reversed by Obama.

Clinton was lucky he was in office at that time. Cankles will put him in charge of resurrecting the economy (Wait, I thought the economy was in GREAT shape under jugears), but there is no dot com bubble to prop him up.

Had he done so well, a lot of it would have been seen under Dubya. Alas.

[thundley4]

Clinton was lucky he was in office at that time. Cankles will put him in charge of resurrecting the economy (Wait, I thought the economy was in GREAT shape under jugears), but there is no dot com bubble to prop him up.

Had he done so well, a lot of it would have been seen under Dubya. Alas.

It seems odd that the economy was recovering under President Bush right up until democrats took control of congress.  The Obamaconomy stayed in the crapper until republicans took of both houses of congress.

Seems like a republican congress is good for the economy.

[CollectivismMustDie]

Clinton was lucky he was in office at that time. Cankles will put him in charge of resurrecting the economy (Wait, I thought the economy was in GREAT shape under jugears), but there is no dot com bubble to prop him up.

Had he done so well, a lot of it would have been seen under Dubya. Alas.

Madam Stumpy may have to resurrect him first.


CMD

[zeitgeist]

It seems odd that the economy was recovering under President Bush right up until democrats took control of congress.  The Obamaconomy stayed in the crapper until republicans took of both houses of congress.

Seems like a republican congress is good for the economy.

I  am just posting a link to one of what I felt was the most notable Clinton quotes.

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/19/us/clinton-angers-friend-and-foe-in-tax-remark.html

Suffice to say that coupled with the health care fiasco with Hillary gave the Republicans Congress with Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America taking Congress for the first time in 40 years.  The economy began to improve.  Coincidence?  Or cause and effect?   

Later Bush had a Democrat Congress to deal with which ended badly.  Again, coincidence or cause and effect?

[USA4ME]

Thomas Frank is the idiot who coined "voting against their own best interests,"  an arrogant statement from someone who doesn't have the credentials to be such, suggesting someone as foolish as a member of the modern-day political left could possibly know what is and isn't in someone else's best interest.

 

Still fun to watch liberals, who just a short time ago would have moved heaven and earth to defend the Clenis, now attack their former hero and state that support of him is supporting fascism.

.

[I_B_Perky]

Y2K had a lot to do with it.  Billions of dollars were spent updating systems that had been chugging along since the 70's.  Money was tossed at programmers worldwide, dot com companies were getting money tossed at them left and right and so on.

If Clinton had been president in 2001-2008, we would have had an economy like what we have now... which is pretty much no economy. If 9-11 had not happened, the libs in the MSM bashing Bush, the fed raising rates to cool down the economy, the housing BS, there would be no obumbles admin.  Fact.  Suck on it dummies. You dumbasses can toss stats around until you are blue in the face. Fact is, the MSM and the fed caused the recession. I refuse to call it the great recession because the one in early 80's was worse. Reagan got us out of that with no fed QE. Fact.

[thundley4]

Y2K had a lot to do with it.  Billions of dollars were spent updating systems that had been chugging along since the 70's.  Money was tossed at programmers worldwide, dot com companies were getting money tossed at them left and right and so on.

If Clinton had been president in 2001-2008, we would have had an economy like what we have now... which is pretty much no economy. If 9-11 had not happened, the libs in the MSM bashing Bush, the fed raising rates to cool down the economy, the housing BS, there would be no obumbles admin.  Fact.  Suck on it dummies. You dumbasses can toss stats around until you are blue in the face. Fact is, the MSM and the fed caused the recession. I refuse to call it the great recession because the one in early 80's was worse. Reagan got us out of that with no fed QE. Fact.

Um, democrats had a direct hand in causing the recession that Obama inherited.

[Carl]

Since everything in a DUmbass world is still the fault of Bush 43 then it stands to reason all good that happened in Bubbas Presidency was because of Reagan and Bush 41.

[98ZJUSMC]

Clinton was lucky he was in office at that time.

That's putting it mildly.

[98ZJUSMC]

It seems odd that the economy was recovering under President Bush right up until democrats took control of congress.  The Obamaconomy stayed in the crapper until republicans took of both houses of congress.

Seems like a republican congress is good for the economy.

  to honest people, at least.

that the economy was recovering under President Bush

Yes, sir.  By the numbers, we were out of the recession before the election.  Not that you have realized it listening to:



the usual suspects.
 

[DumbAss Tanker]

In addition to the coincidence of Clinton's term and the internet boom, the two other biggest contributors to the 90s economic boom were the end of the Cold War (Brought about mainly by Reagan and not-screwed-up by George H. W. Bush), and the fact that Clinton and the Dems lost control of Congress two years in and were therefore PREVENTED from pursuing the Democrat legislative agenda for the last six of his eight years as President.  He was not responsible, at least in any positive way, for any of the three biggest factors in the entire thing.