Soupbone,
Get a pen out, and take some notes, because it is time for me to take you to school. Like so many others, you do not want to give Clinton credit for the longest period of sustained economic prosperity in US history. Let me lay the facts out for you, and when I am finished, you can write back all you want with your disputes, but before you do that, go look it up, because it is fact and you will save yourself some embarrasment. 1st off, how many times do you recall during the 2000 election the Republicans bringing up the economy? NOT ONCE!!! Why? WEll, they didnt want anything to do with a piece of legislation that got the economy back on its feet, and not 1 Republican was going to be fool enough to utter a word about the economy. I'll explain:
Do you remember late '93 early '94, there was an economic stimulus package that Clinton sent to Congress? Of course you don't. Well, it was a package of sweeping econimic reform that the Republicans wanted nothing to do with. Do you remember what the Dow was at that time? about 7K points less than it is now; around 3k. WEll, the vote on clinton's economic stimulus package was just about straight party line. Not one single Republican voted for it, and Al Gore went in and cast the tie breaking vote to get it passes. Clinton signed it into law shortly afterwards. After the vote, the Republicans said, "We will not be held accountable for this Democratic econimic legislation". And they were true to their word. After the reforms of the package started taking place, the market went through the roof. Record economic times, lowest unemployment in history(Peace time). Alan Greenspan said that economic package had a signifigant impact on the state of the US economy. He did not say, nor am I saying, that that one peice of legislation was the GREAT HOPE for the US economy, but it had a large part in it. It was simpl actually, pay our bills so we can spend money in other places, and that is exactly what happened. There used to be a Deficit clock in NYC I think, and they wound up turning it off in Clinton's last 2 years, because it was running so slow. I wonder if it is back on now?? Remember, When Ronald Reagan came to power, there was no deficit of significant proportion. When Bush took over from Reagan, he promised no new taxes, but had to go back on his word because Reagan had not disclosed the true size of the deficit. That wound up being the downfall of Bush I. He was trying to do the right thing, but it was too late, and James Carville kept fresh in everyone's mind, "It's the economy, Stupid!" When Bush II took over from Clinton, the was a record surplus. It is not all but gone. I understand that there are costs associated with defending our nation, but lets also remember that we have a US economy in bad shape as well.
Clinton is certainly not single handedly responsible for the great things that happened in the 90's, but he did have a lot to do with it. Clinton made some terrible mistakes, and did some things that were out right wrong, but in that, he also did some GREAT things that we all seem to forget about. When your wife has a baby, and you are able to take time off and help here around the house and with the newborn, and still be able to go back to work after all of that, and the law requires your job to still be there, who do you think made that possible? TEll me, WHO!!!! Bill Clinton. That was his legislation. The hope scholarship and lifetime learning credits on your Taxes: Who made that possible? Who put that $ back in your pocket for college fees paid???? Who, you fool? Who did that? Bill Clinton. So dont sit up there and tell me he had nothing to do with the economy. I have studied that economy in depth, and he is responsible along with some others. But make no mistake about it, not one Republican, except for Greenspan, helped in the beginning. Greenspan told Clinton that he was not going to lower interest rates until some conditions were met, and Clinton didn't fuss or agrue, he just did them, and the Republicans hated it. Now look where we are.
As for all the accounting misdeeds, Clinton tried to enact reforms, but Trent Lott would not even let the Senate discuss it. Lott is from Mississippi, as is MCI. Harvery Pitt and Clinton hated each other becasue Clinton spoke out about his BS. Pitt was then appointed head of the SEC, and look where he is now. Unemployed becasue he was still up to his old tricks. Did you forget about that. Trying to get William Sessions to run the oversight committee, when he is in just as much trouble as the rest of them.....Please.
Frank Lorenzo was a huge contributor to the RNC and Bush during the 2K elections, and if you think he is not about to do as he wants, we will revisit that when it happens.
Sorry about the mispellings, but once again, I am in a hurry.
