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markpkessinger

(8,843 posts)

89. Lest we forget . . .

Sat Jul 26, 2025, 02:24 PM

Jul 26

Bill Clinton's presidency followed 8 years of Reagan and 4 years of George the elder. During that time, Republicans from Reagan on down endlessly hyped their demonization of government, as they began their slow dismantling of the FDR/Johnson New Deal/Great Society legacy. Many of us hoped Bill Clinton would reverse that. But no, Clinton, when he arrived in the White House, declared, "The era of big government is over!" With that, he made himself the best ally Republicans could ever have hoped for, and his administration not only continued, but actually accelerated, the long-standing Republican project of dismantling the social safety net!

And by embracing Republican rhetoric about "big government," he actually legitimized that toxic framing of it for at least a decade to come!

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Bill Clinton was the best president in my life time, [View all] speak easy Jul 25 OP

Same here. LisaM Jul 25 #1

Well thought out! I agree about Clinton except that his dalliance with the intern was staggeringly stupid. CTyankee Jul 25 #2

My very humble opinion KentuckyWoman Jul 25 #13

Bill Clinton balanced the budget and we ran a surplus. It felt good earning back Melon Jul 25 #3

" His personal life and adultry took headlines" speak easy Jul 25 #5

It wasn't just the affair Renew Deal Jul 25 #8

And what was the power balance between JFK speak easy Jul 26 #67

Yes, back in the 60s, the media seemed to have an unwritten rule about ignoring any presidential sex monkey business. ShazzieB Jul 26 #42

Message auto-removed Name removed Jul 26 #48

There was such a 'rule' Oeditpus Rex Jul 26 #52

Monkey Business sank Gary Hart in 1988. JanMichael Jul 26 #71

Ha, that's right! ShazzieB Jul 26 #78

Gary Hart was set up by Lee Atwater. markodochartaigh Jul 26 #103

And, it turned out that it was a setup by the right wing politicos. Not surprised. SharonAnn Jul 26 #110

Back in 2000.... ILikePie92 Jul 25 #4

In the 50's, 60s, and especially the 80's speak easy Jul 25 #11

Yeah, right! ILikePie92 Jul 26 #44

This message was self-deleted by its author ILikePie92 Jul 26 #50

It was under Clinton that China was granted Most Favored Nation status Fiendish Thingy Jul 25 #6

Yep, also signed the Telecommunications Act, which was bought and paid for by the corporate media lobbies still-prayin4rain Jul 25 #14

This and the lack of response to the Rwanda genocide LearnedHand Jul 26 #104

Not true -- China was first granted Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) status back in the 1980s. W_HAMILTON Jul 25 #15

The 2000 act made the MFN status permanent and no longer subject to annual audit/review still-prayin4rain Jul 25 #20

That wasn't the claim. Fact of the matter is that China had MFN status since 1980. W_HAMILTON Jul 25 #23

No, annual approval was not inevitable nor merely procedural still-prayin4rain Jul 25 #26

It was approved every year after it was first granted in 1980 until it was finally made permanent two decades later. W_HAMILTON Jul 25 #29

Overwrite is Oversite. speak easy Jul 25 #27

Did that detail change my point significantly? Fiendish Thingy Jul 25 #40

Of course it did. W_HAMILTON Jul 28 #115

And the 1994 Crime Bill ... terrible effects on society still-prayin4rain Jul 25 #17

Agreed. speak easy Jul 25 #24

Hindsight is 20/20. W_HAMILTON Jul 25 #31

True. A mistake. At the time though the CBC wanted it and folks like Sen Sanders voted for it, and campaigned on it. emulatorloo Jul 26 #107

He repealed Glass-Steagall. Zackzzzz Jul 25 #19

And W did nothing as the crisis exploded. speak easy Jul 25 #25

Why would they not? CTyankee Jul 26 #73

Beats me. speak easy Jul 26 #74

Clinton made some big mistakes Renew Deal Jul 25 #7

But life was good when he was my President. speak easy Jul 25 #10

That is how Trump got elected Renew Deal Jul 25 #12

Nah. It was the shit that he was a good business man speak easy Jul 25 #16

Fine point Cosmocat Jul 26 #55

"THIS IS WHAT I VOTED FOR! " speak easy Jul 26 #57

Indeed. Bankruptcies. The failure of Trump Airlines, Trump Vodka, Trump Airlines. criminal Trump University emulatorloo Jul 26 #109

For whom? choie Jul 27 #113

Me too. BC was actually "THE Big Beautiful Bill" oasis Jul 25 #9

Well Bill was photogenic, speak easy Jul 25 #18

Yes, that too. I was actually glowing about my oasis Jul 25 #21

He had a great policy on China: "strategic partnership". David__77 Jul 25 #22

Clinton failed, for along time, elleng Jul 25 #28

And he never did anything about what was happening in Rwanda TexasBushwhacker Jul 26 #72

It wasn't our war to get involved in Polybius Jul 26 #98

He wanted to TexasBushwhacker Jul 26 #100

I still get enraged when I think of then-SoS Albright saying in 1996 Seeking Serenity Jul 26 #96

The DLC. Triangulation. Seeking Serenity Jul 25 #30

Cut it out! Enough of the anti-Democratic party lies like "Banker Party #1 or Banker Party #2" Oopsie Daisy Jul 26 #62

Sorry, but Clinton's triangulation was, in fact, a thing markpkessinger Jul 26 #91

Try this link Seeking Serenity Jul 26 #94

Where's the lie when the Party's 2024 candidate received more Wall Street backing than the opposition candidate? Seeking Serenity Jul 26 #95

It means Wall Street knew Trump would tank the US economy. And Trump's doing a great job fucking the economy emulatorloo Jul 26 #106

Thank you. Indeed she was. Seeking Serenity Jul 26 #108

JFK H2O Man Jul 25 #32

Lyndon Johnson, by far, Civil Rights Act gab13by13 Jul 25 #33

There was a veto proof majority for the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act speak easy Jul 26 #82

and Medicare doubleplusgood Jul 26 #83

Yup. orangecrush Jul 25 #34

His backing NAFTA was responsible for Democrats losing the doc03 Jul 25 #35

I agree. OLDMDDEM Jul 25 #36

Mine was LBJ, but I'm 70. rickyhall Jul 25 #37

Clinton and Biden are tied in my book. BigmanPigman Jul 25 #38

Oh boy, the extreme right HATED President Clinton. C Moon Jul 25 #39

Obama, hands down for me. But of course, everyone loves precious JC ❤️ still-prayin4rain Jul 26 #41

And President Joe Biden was/IS a very good man, and achieved a legislative record Jack Valentino Jul 26 #43

What are your thoughts on the Oral Office thingy. Abolishinist Jul 26 #45

I was a republican until Bill Clinton led me away comradebillyboy Jul 26 #46

I thought it couldn't get any worse than W LS0999 Jul 26 #47

1000% 1992-2000 was peak USA. WarGamer Jul 26 #49

Absolutely no doubt about it! oasis Jul 27 #111

And both the right and extreme left hated him for it. RandySF Jul 26 #51

Disagree Starbeach Jul 26 #53

He signed that so-called welfare reform bill. raccoon Jul 26 #54

Johnson rates high in my history book. Emile Jul 26 #56

Because of the Vietnam War and the draft, he was unpopular during his later years. However, he did sign some raccoon Jul 26 #59

I've had 8 Presidents during my lifetime, 4 of them Democrats. Tommy Carcetti Jul 26 #58

I liked Bill Clinton, but Joe Biden is my choice for best POTUS of my lifetime LetMyPeopleVote Jul 26 #60

See my #63. speak easy Jul 26 #69

Joe Biden beats Bill Clinton GoCubsGo Jul 26 #61

The Biden Administration failed to bring Krasnov to justice for J6. speak easy Jul 26 #63

lol BannonsLiver Jul 26 #75

It the dot com bubble that made life in the 90's so great, before bursting in 2000. It had very little to do with WJC krawhitham Jul 26 #64

The the dot com bubble had little to do speak easy Jul 26 #65

That's a thoughtful way to put it. Torchlight Jul 26 #66

lived experience is often what sticks with us most speak easy Jul 26 #68

He is Big Dawg for a reason. hamsterjill Jul 26 #70

Golly the bad hot takes are think up in this piece. BannonsLiver Jul 26 #76

For me, Carter and then Biden. mjvpi Jul 26 #77

FDR was president when I showd up. I think Jimmy Carter was the best prez of my life. Ping Tung Jul 26 #79

I largely agree... WarGamer Jul 26 #80

LBJ Bluestocking Jul 26 #81

LBJ. n/t mike_c Jul 26 #84

My cousin was a conscripted Vietnam vet who died early speak easy Jul 26 #87

NAFTA. DiverDave Jul 26 #85

Media consolidation Buzz cook Jul 26 #86

The only reason things were better during the Clinton years Ritabert Jul 26 #88

Lest we forget . . . markpkessinger Jul 26 #89

Good President and it was a good time for me also mvd Jul 26 #90

I have mixed feelings Jarqui Jul 26 #92

100%. writerJT Jul 26 #93

Jimmy Carter was the best former president Thinker Cats Jul 26 #97

Mine too Polybius Jul 26 #99

Definitely! 💕👍 ... nt Raine Jul 26 #101

I ended the 1990s buying a home in Los Angeles DBoon Jul 26 #102

In spite of Republican Bullshit..... OAITW r.2.0 Jul 26 #105

I've read these posts praising Clinton choie Jul 27 #112

I started my own business when Big Bill was in office, Bayard Jul 27 #114