Many of us have expressed the view that, unique among the Democratic presidential candidates, Senator Clinton, if the nominee, would provide the Republican nominee with the opportunity to run as the “change” candidate, effectively by running against the previous Clinton incumbency as a symbol of Washington insider-ism.
The GOP frontrunners, Giuliani and Romney, are from outside Washington and will run against it if given the chance. That’s less of a case for Thompson (who nonetheless is more associated with Hollywood than for his lackluster years on Capitol Hill). Although McCain is a US Senator he – like Edwards and Obama on the Democratic side – is enough of a maverick to be able to run as a “change” candidate. Gingrich, if given the chance, would also run as a “change” candidate.
It seems to many of us that only a Clinton nomination by the Democratic Party would cede to the Republicans that golden opportunity in a year when voters are very angry at Washington. Still, this diary doesn’t seek to insist on that point or debate it. People either "get it" or they don’t.
Rather, it is an invitation to Clinton supporters to make the case and explain what the Clinton administration did accomplish….
We all had great hopes in January of 1993 when the first Bush presidency ended and the first Clinton presidency began. Those hopes waned progressively with each of the next passing eight years. Much of our time and resources were spent defending the Clinton presidency against unwarranted Impeachment charges but also against a sensational personal scandal in which the blame can’t fairly be placed on others. Al Gore had to carry much Clinton administration baggage into the 2000 elections and Republicans seem eager to make 2008 another referendum on the Clinton administration of the 1990s.
If we view the staff and consultants surrounding Senator Clinton (here’s a link to the top campaign staffers and what they are paid), it’s the same old group running the campaign and that would likely run another Clinton administration if it gets the chance.
The biggest Clinton administration accomplishments that we continue to have to live with today are:
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
“Welfare Reform”
Recently, a Clinton supporter mentioned these as its other accomplishments:
“A Progressive Tax Increase/Deficit Reduction Package”
Americorps
A Minimum Wage Increase
“Motor Voter”
“Family and Medical Leave”
“The Brady Bill”
Is that it?
That can't be the entire sum of eight years in the White House. Can it?
We can argue over whether that is “enough” to justify all the turmoil and setbacks of the Clinton era upon all Democrats in the 1990s, which carried into the early 21st Century, too. But for a lot of us the answer is clearly, “no, it was not enough.”
But, to be fair, let’s hear of any other “accomplishments” from those that believe the good old days were so good.
What else did the Clinton administration accomplish in terms of policy?
If there is a case to be made, let’s hear it.
Seriously.