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Politics : Bill Clinton Scandal - SANITY CHECK -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: mrknowitall who wrote (12855)	11/4/1998 5:56:00 PM
From: dougjn	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 67261

Clinton had lead the Democratic party towards a centrist, internationalist, tolerant but only moderately progressive, new direction. He really is a new Democratic. (Hilary, architect of and the push behind the early nationalized health care effort is much more of a old school liberal wing Democrat.) Specifics are the Clinton was very importantly part of balancing the budget. The Republicans wanted to do it entirely by cutting all government programs except for the military. Which never worked. The Democrats wanted to do it by cutting only the military, and perhaps raising taxes on corporations and the rich. Clinton worked out a compromise which involved cutting the military, cutting social programs, raising taxes mostly only on the rich but not at all on corporations (would hurt econ. investment). Clinton subsequently offered little resistance to cutting capital gains taxes --- because he knew that although it offended Democratic ideology and the leveling instincts of the left wing, it would actually probably help investment and even help net revenues for a number of transition years. Clinton pushed through Nafta, and free trade initiatives. The Oslo and Wye Middle East peace initiatives were importantly a result of the combination of his pressure, and mediation, applied to both sides. His economic hand as been excellent. Rubin and Summers have been steading influences throughout the Post Cold war decade of economic globalization...and have very much advanced American interests. Clinton supported Greenspan's reappointment as Fed Chairman, in recognition of his success, rather than pushing for a more Democratic replacement after Greenspan's initial term was up. Continued American leadership of Nato, and the continued sense that Nato was vital for Europe despite the collapse of the Warsaw pact is another achievement of American influence. And perhaps that's the most important result of the Bosnian and Kosovo accords, and preceding Nato pressure and involvement. How's that for starters? Doug