What was the worst political decision that President Bill Clinton made?
Based on the answers provided so far, it appears that I am the only person who considers the following a discussion of a political decision.In my opinion, the worst political decision that President Bill Clinton made was lying to the American public about his relationship with Monica Lewinski.I imagine that my own reaction was similar to that of many other people: Having sex with an intern was tawdry. Human beings are fallible.But flat out denying that alleged activities took place until a third party produced irrefutable, damning evidence (semen on a dress) was inexcusable. I was really angry, and I suspect that many other people were, as well.But the big-picture, long-term fallout from this decision was that Al Gore - also angry - felt totally estranged from Clinton. Gore couldn’t figure out how to embrace the positives of the Clinton presidency while disclaiming the negatives.The result on Gore’s presidential campaign was highly unfortunate. Gore had enough problems with his “wooden” presence. Even so, Gore and Bush had a very close race.As we know, Gore lost, and we had a two-term President Bush. It is easy to imagine and believe, however, that if Clinton had contritely told the truth about Lewinski rather than lying, Gore would have taken advantage of Clinton’s support and we would have had a two-term President Gore, instead.
What did non-Americans think of Bill Clinton during his time in office?
I lived in New Zealand during most of the Clinton Presidency. The general opinion of Clinton during is Presidency in New Zealand was that he was a good man being undone by his bad deeds. When Clinton was elected he was seen as a breath of fresh air after 12 years of Reagan and Co. Certainly for me he was the first Democrat in the White House that I had ever seen (I was three when Carter left office). The whole impeachment scandal and everything associated with it seemed to be a big deal at the time but really we thought the US had a decent President and one who seemed to be doing his job well.One thing I clearly remember is Clinton's visit to New Zealand - I think it was in 98 or 99 for an APEC summit. Firstly - he was the first US President to visit New Zealand in my lifetime. (I think he might still be the only one). Clinton visited with his daughter and my clearest memory is seeing them on the news the night they arrived. They left their Hotel and with secret service protection walked down the street in Auckland, got a coffee and visited a bookstore - chatting with members of the public as they went. I remember thinking how marvellous it was that a New Zealand could have been at a cafe buying a coffee and in walks the most powerful man on Earth.Sadly - I don't think that would be possible anymore. The Cafe would be closed, screened by Secret Service and the President would visit in secret.Such a shame.
How is Bill Clinton such a political genius, yet Hillary is so inept?
There’s a fundamental difference between President Clinton and Secretary Clinton. The former is a really excellent politician. The latter is a really excellent public servant. Bill Clinton is the guy you want charming your enemies into a false sense of security. Hilary Clinton is the lady you want solving world hunger or leading a joint government/industry innovation campaign to shift the US from fossil fuels to sustainable energy.Bill Clinton is a very charming person. He has an instinctively engaging speaking style. He is a master at modulating his pitch, speed, and vocabulary to make sure he brings his entire audience with him when he speaks. That is incredibly difficult to do, especially for someone who is not a natural public speaker, which Secretary Clinton is not.Hilary Clinton is ferociously intelligent. She’s comfortable dealing with lots of data analysis, with problems that have lots of moving parts, with difficult people who need to be managed. She is also very persistent. This is a great quality for someone to have once they are in office, but doesn’t really help on the campaign trail. She’d be a great President, but she’s a terrible candidate.I liken Secretary Clinton to a lot of us who are in science-related fields. We’re smart people, able to solve very difficult problems, able to look at a lot of data and make good sense out of it, but very few of us are also the kind of guy or gal you’d love to have a beer with. We’re more likely to be socially awkward and abrupt, which is a turnoff on the campaign trail. We are just not good retail politicians. And therein lies the grand paradox of democracy, really. The people you want crafting your policy and solving your problems are not the same people who are innately talented at getting the masses to put them in office. It’s very rare to find people who are good on both sides of that line and also actually want to be in office.
Bill Clinton said, "I loathe the military". Apparently Kucinich does too?
Clinton never said, "I abhor the military." Here's what he did write in a December 3, 1969, letter to Holmes: I am writing too in the hope that my telling this one story will help you to understand more clearly how so many fine people have come to find themselves still loving their country but loathing the military, to which you and other good men have devoted years, lifetimes, of the best service you could give
Is Bill Clinton really a Republican in Democratic clothing?
The more I read about his Presidency the more I realise he was a moderate Libertarian Republican. I would say in today’s climate he would be a Susan Collins/Lisa Murkowski Republican. Some of the legislation he signed into law, even Republicans didn't support! e.g.: some Republicans opposed repealing Glass-Steagallhe cut spending more than Reagan did! Government spending was 20.5% of GDP but when Clinton left 8 years later, GS fell to 17.3% of GDP!Welfare reform was a Conservative bill.I dont think Bill Clinton like ObamacareHe favours lower corporate tax ratesSigned NAFTA into law and fully supported it. He also supports TPPRepealed Glass-Steagall. Although it was a Republican bill, he supported it.Cut military spending- thats Democrat/Libertarian positionCut capital gains and dividends in 1997.Created the IRAs- private retirement accountsBut he signed S-CHIP into law- this did increase Medicaid spending significantly- it added 6 million more people.He did initially raise taxesHe supported HillaryCare- something the right opposed vehemently.Overall I would say Bill Clinton is not a Democrat in today’s polarised climate. Back in the 1980s/1990s there was still bipartisanship. The most conservative Democrats were more conservative than the most liberal Republicans. Today that is not the case.
Would Bill Clinton make a good Supreme Court justice?
He's a politician and a diplomat and a humanitarian and an incredibly smart man but none of that qualifies him for the Supreme Court. Being a Supreme Court justice requires years of experience in academic law. Almost every justice appointed to the court in the past 50 years was promoted from an appellate court and all spent their lives as lawyers focused on constitutional and appellate issues. One of the strong suites of the court should be that it is the last bastion of nonpartisanship in our country. In order to maintain that status it's justices must be concerned with the laws as they are written and have a principled interpretation of the constitution guided by years of case work. Bill Clinton obviously doesn't fit that mold.
Why was Bill Clinton not convicted and removed from office?
The constitution defines only that impeachment and removal may occur for “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors”. Everything else is left for the two houses of the legislative branch of government to work out for themselves. These are political bodies, and unlike the courts, they are not charged with pursuing justice.Impeachment and removal from office are therefore political actions, not a legal actions. The politics of the time dictated the Bill Clinton, would and should not be convicted because the voters whom many Senators represented did not believe that lying about an extra-marital affair in a civil case that never should have gone forward in the first place was a misdemeanor worth removing the President from office over.
Liberals, given the current political climate, have your feelings about President Clinton's "Lewinsky Affair" changed?
Monica Lewinsky is a person with a full name and who is entitled to tell her own story. She is not an affair that happened to a presidency. She is a human being who can say exactly what happened and how she feels about it.And she has. Extensively. I don’t get to tell it for her because it’s not my story to tell or twist or use to my advantage. Neither do you. Neither does anyone.Here is a link to the TED talk where Monica Lewinsky tells her story clearly about her affair with Bill Clinton as well as the impact of the aftermath and all that she learned. She shares her perspective in great detail:The price of shameThis talk has been viewed on this link alone nearly 13 million times in three years.Monica Lewinsky clearly states she had a consensual affair with her boss, the President at that time. That she wishes she had not fallen in love with him. But that the worst part of this was the bullying and public shaming that came from the public and press and that nearly drove her to take her life. She discusses this bravely in hopes of helping others who are targeted by public bullying.I’m not going to appropriate another woman’s story which she is using herself in anti bullying campaigns - the way she chooses to use her own story - for any other purpose.If 13 million people or more have heard her say she had a consensual affair that she regrets - but still we have those that want to say the affair was not consensual and draw comparisons to #metoo and to politicians accused of rape and sexual assault? For political advantage against liberals or for whatever reason? Then they should listen harder. To her. The woman who has the right to say.I personally believe affairs with wildly unequal power dynamics aren’t fair. But it it sounds like the worst part for Monica Lewinsky was public shaming.And we are two different people. And she owns her own narrative.I don’t twist other people’s words.Critically listen to her speak for herself at the link to TED and form your own opinion.It will certainly be more accurate then any opinion that is not formed with Monica Lewinsky as the primary source of information.