History of American Presidents

Spent a good chunk of the weekend looking at statistics for recent (last 50 yrs) presidents.

As much as I cringe at the thought - it appears that Bill Clinton was the most successful.

Criteria:

a) Get re-elected?
(Reagan, Clinton, and Bush)

b) Relatively peaceful conditions?
(Clinton wins)

c) Economic growth
(Clinton wins, although Reagan could be very close tie)

d) Federal budget
(Clinton wins)


Personally, I despise the Clintons. I feel they are liars and cheaters (Hillary really sounds like a liar to me, while Bill seems to be a cheater).

That said - the times that Bill Clinton served as President appear to be among the best times that America has ever seen - in spite of his behavior.

So - I'm not going to torture the facts. I'll accept them for what they are.

My question is ---- how do we re-create the conditions that contributed to Clinton's success?

Clinton was lucky to have been "in the right place at the right time" so to speak. The increased productivity that the development and implementation of the internet sparked a productive and profitable period the likes of which were astounding.

It was the equivilent of the industrial revolution in modern times. People were making money hand over fist and companies were finding ways to communicate and attract business and getting more done with less.

The internet provided America with a tremendous economic boom. It was truely a transitional period that provided astonishing gains in productivity.

Clinton was also working with a Republican Congress wheras Ronald had mostly a Democrat one.
Presidents occasionally are a tour-de-force and can rise above typical beltway politics but most of the more effective ones are the men who know how to work in Washington. Presidents get way too much blame and too much credit for much of what happens that they have no control over during their administration.

It is really funny to see the conservatives spin, spin, spin. Clinton fought hard against Republican opposition to enact his thoughtful economic policies of reducing the record deficit that he inherited from the previous 12 years of Republican presidents Reagan/Bush, of reducing spending while raising revenues by taxing the wealthiest 1.2% of Americans, and improving economic conditions for the poorest of Americans, which is just the opposite of what is being proposed by Republicans. He also concentrated on increasing foreign trade. These policies lead to greater investment, eliminated the deficit, record economic growth, record employment, low inflation, and greater median family income. These policies were opposed by the Republicans but he was able to enact them over their opposition.

This was quickly reversed with the ascendancy of the Republicans.

If we want to recreate the economy we enjoyed then than we have to get back out in front of emerging technologies. We've ceded our position as the primary incubator of new ideas in preference of protecting the profits of old but influential industries.

chickaree wrote: If we want to recreate the economy we enjoyed then than we have to get back out in front of emerging technologies. We've ceded our position as the primary incubator of new ideas in preference of protecting the profits of old but influential industries.

And unions, but that is slowly changing.

As long as special interest control our government we're not getting out of this hole.

bailey bud wrote: Spent a good chunk of the weekend looking at statistics for recent (last 50 yrs) presidents.

As much as I cringe at the thought - it appears that Bill Clinton was the most successful.

Criteria:

a) Get re-elected?
(Reagan, Clinton, and Bush)

b) Relatively peaceful conditions?
(Clinton wins)

c) Economic growth
(Clinton wins, although Reagan could be very close tie)

d) Federal budget
(Clinton wins)


Personally, I despise the Clintons. I feel they are liars and cheaters (Hillary really sounds like a liar to me, while Bill seems to be a cheater).

That said - the times that Bill Clinton served as President appear to be among the best times that America has ever seen - in spite of his behavior.

So - I'm not going to torture the facts. I'll accept them for what they are.

My question is ---- how do we re-create the conditions that contributed to Clinton's success?

OK, peaceful conditions? We were attacked more on our soil than any of the other Presidents. He just chose to grab an intern and ignore it, and that is why he never went after the terrorists and why we had 9/11? FAIL

And anyone who knows economics knows that he did NOTHING to help the economy. As was stated, he was in the right place at the right time when the dot com boom hit. A monkey would have created millions of jobs with that falling in their lap. He didn't do anything to create that job growth. Again.... FAIL

And the same with the Federal Budget. Anyone handed trillions (other than Obama) in the dot com boom would have a surplus. FAIL

When you look at the facts, if you had put Bush or Reagan in those same 8 years they would have actually done more with them and made this country much safer and prevented 9/11.

bailey bud wrote: Spent a good chunk of the weekend looking at statistics for recent (last 50 yrs) presidents.

As much as I cringe at the thought - it appears that Bill Clinton was the most successful.

Criteria:

a) Get re-elected?
(Reagan, Clinton, and Bush)

b) Relatively peaceful conditions?
(Clinton wins)

c) Economic growth
(Clinton wins, although Reagan could be very close tie)

d) Federal budget
(Clinton wins)

That said - the times that Bill Clinton served as President appear to be among the best times that America has ever seen - in spite of his behavior.

That's been pointed out here at least 100+ times, but the conservatives don't like to be confused by facts....

Well - I was looking at a tally of middle-east deaths by year - and noticed they were curiously low during Clinton's tenure.

Then, I noticed that Clinton is a hero in Kosovo (they have a bronze statue of him!)

Then, I looked at Clinton's economic track record (change in Real GDP).

Then, I looked at the annual budget deficit by year

Then I looked at debt as a percent of GDP.

I'm Republican - I don't like the conclusion - but the fact remains - there was something about the
90s that made Clinton prosperous as a President - in just about every measure we might imagine (except moral).

I don't like Clinton - but I'd like to see those conditions return!

(Clinton didn't raise the debt ceiling - so I'd rate him above Obama, any day)