During the administration of William Jefferson Clinton, the U.S. enjoyed more peace and economic well being than at any time in its history. He was the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second term. He could point to the lowest unemployment rate in modern times, the lowest inflation in 30 years, the highest home ownership in the country's history, dropping crime rates in many places, and reduced welfare roles. He proposed the first balanced budget in decades and achieved a budget surplus. As part of a plan to celebrate the millennium in 2000, Clinton called for a great national initiative to end racial discrimination.A NATION TRANSFORMED Clinton-Gore Administration Accomplishments: 1993 - 2000
After 9-11 "Our paradigm now seems to be: something terrible happened to us on September 11, and that gives us the right to interpret all future events in a way that everyone else in the world must agree with us, And if they don't, they can go straight to hell. We can't run, If you got an interdependent world, and you cannot kill, jail or occupy all your adversaries, sooner or later you have to make a deal. Since September 11, it looks like we can't hold two guns at the same time, If you fight terrorism, you can't make America a better place to be." 4-16-03 America "There is nothing wrong in America that can't be fixed with what is right in America." "I refuse to be part of a generation that celebrates the death of communism abroad with the loss of the American dream at home." Americans deserve better, and in this city today there are people who want to do better, and so I say to all of you here, let us resolve to reform our politics, so that power and privilege no longer shout down the voice of the people. Let us put aside personal advantage, so that we can feel the pain and see the promise of America. Let us resolve to make our government a place for what Franklin Roosevelt called "bold, persistent experimentation, a government for our tomorrows, not our yesterdays." Let us give this Capitol back to the people to whom it belongs. The light may be fading on the 20th century, but the sun is still rising on America. Being President "I did not run for this job just to warm the seat. I desperately want to make a difference." "I like the job . . . The bad days are part of it. I didn't run to have a pleasant time, I ran to have the chance to change the country, and if the bad days come with it—that's part of life, and it's humbling and educational. It keeps you in your place." "I am often troubled as I try hard here to create a new sense of common purpose . . . we oftentimes get so caught up in the battle of the moment, the heat of the moment . . . that sometimes we forget that we are all in this because we are seeking a good that helps all Americans." You know, when I was a boy, growing up in Arkansas, I thought it highly, I thought it highly unlikely that I would ever become President of the United States. Perhaps the only thing even more unlikely was that I should ever have the opportunity to be cheered at the University of Texas.
Bosnia Our mission will be limited, focused, and under the command of an American general. In fulfilling this mission, we will have the chance to help stop the killing of innocent civilians, especially children, and at the same time, to bring stability to central Europe, a region of the world that is vital to our national interests. It is the right thing to do. From our birth, America has always been more than just a place. America has embodied an idea that has become the ideal for billions of people throughout the world. Our founders said it best: America is about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. For nearly four years a terrible war has torn Bosnia apart. Horrors we prayed had been banished from Europe forever have been seared into our minds again. Skeletal prisoners caged behind barbed-wire fences, women and girls raped as a tool of war, defenseless men and boys shot down into mass graves, evoking visions of World War II concentration camps and endless lines of refugees marching toward a future of despair. In response, the United States led NATO's heavy and continuous air strikes, many of them flown by skilled and brave American pilots. Those air strikes, together with the renewed determination of our European partners, and the Bosnian and Croat gains on the battlefield, convinced the Serbs, finally, to start thinking about making peace.
Brady Law Data released today by the Department of Justice show that the Brady Law, since its passage in 1993, has helped block over 470,000 sales by licensed gun dealers to felons, fugitives, stalkers and others prohibited from purchasing firearms. In the last year alone, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System created under the Brady Law has blocked sales to over 160,000 of these restricted buyers. These numbers, of course, are not just numbers. They represent lives saved, injuries avoided, tragedies averted. They are a measure of what we can do to reduce gun violence -- and a measure of what still needs to be done. As a result of these efforts, and those of communities across the country, violent gun crime is down by over 35 percent since 1992 and the murder rate is at its lowest level in over three decades. Tuesday, November 30, 1999
George H. Bush "There's just no such thing as truth when it comes to him. He just says whatever sounds good and worries about it after the election." Bill Clinton Source: as presidential candidate describing his opponent, George Bush, Sr. (Quoted in the American Spectator, 10/28/92) Change The change we must make isn't liberal or conservative. It's both and it's different. The small town and main streets of America aren't like the corridors and back rooms of Washington. People out here don't care about the idle rhetoric of 'left' and 'right' and 'liberal' and 'conservative' and all the other words that have made our politics a substitute for action. These families are crying out desperately for someone who believes the promiss of America is to help them with their struggle to get ahead, to offer them a green light instead of a pink slip. This must be a campaign of ideas, not slogans. We don't need another president who doesn't know what he wants for America. I'm going to tell you in plain language what I intend to do as president. How we can meet the challenges we face--that's the test for all Democratic candidates in this campaign. Americans know what we're up against. Let's show them what we are for... Bill Clinton, 1992 Christian Conservative Movement "I think they should be worried about it. Because I think whenever religious people try to exercise political power in God's name, and to say that they have the whole truth and they can impose it ... that's always hazardous. Our country is the most religious, big country on Earth, with more different faiths flourishing and more regular observance because we haven't had a state religion. And we haven't had politics as religion. And we haven't had politicians claiming to be in possession of the whole truth." Bill Clinton Source:CNN, Larry King, 6-2-5 Each Generation "Each generation of Americans must define what it means to be an American." Economy One sentance in the platform we built says it all, The most important family policy, urban policy, labor policy, minority policy and foreign policy America can have is an expanding entrepreneurial economy of high-wage, high-skilled jobs. And so, in the name of all those who do the work and pay the taxes, raise the kids and play by the rules, in the name of the hard working Americans who make up our forgotten middle class, I proudly accept your nomination for President of the United States. Bill Clinton, 1992 El Camino "It was a real sort of southern deal. I had AstroTurf in the back. You don't want to know why, but I did." (Talking about an El Camino pickup truck he once owned) Family Leave Act "I'm very proud that the first bill I had the opportunity to sign into law as President was the Family and Medical Leave Act No parent should ever have to choose between work and family; between earning a decent wage and caring for a child." Fighter "Do you know who I am? I'm the big rubber clown doll you had as a kid, and every time you hit it, it bounces back. That's me, the harder you hit me, the faster I come back up." Bill Clinton to Newt Gingrich Bill Clinton Source:THE SURVIVOR: President Clinton and His Times Government Shutdown You need to know that a member of Congress who refuses to allow the minimum wage to come up for a vote made more money during last year's one-month government shutdown than a minimum wage worker makes in an entire year. Greatest Generation "They may walk with a little less spring in their step, and the ranks are growing thinner, but let us never forget, when they were young, these men saved the world." (In Normandy, France, for the 50th anniversary of the Allied landings there on June 6, 1944) Haiti "I know it is unpopular. I know the timing is unpopular. I know the whole thing is unpopular. But I believe it is the right thing." (On the invasion of Haiti)
Hillery "I believe I'm a better authority than anybody else in America on my wife. I have never known a person with a stronger sense of right and wrong in my life—ever." Jackie Robinson (first Black Baseball Player) I think we should remember that Jackie Robinson's legacy did not end with baseball, for afterward he spent the rest of his life trying to open other doors and keep them open for all kinds of people. He knew that education, not sports, was the key to success in life for nearly everyone. And he took that message to young people wherever he went. I can't help thinking that if Jackie Robinson were here with us tonight, he would say that we have done a lot of good in the last 50 years, but we can do better. And he would remind us -- look around this stadium tonight -- that as we sit side by side at baseball games, we must make sure that we walk out of these stadiums together. We must stand for something more magnificent even than a grand slam home run. We ought to have a grand slam society, a good society where all of us have a chance to work together for a better tomorrow for our children. Let that be the true legacy of Jackie Robinson's wonderful, remarkable career and life. Kosova "By acting now, we are upholding our values, protecting our interests and advancing the cause of peace," I know we see these pictures of the refugees on television every night and most people would like another story. But we must not get refugee fatigue. We must not forget the real victims of this tragedy. We must give them aid and hope. And we in the United States must make sure --must -- make sure their stories are told. Love and Hate "You can't say you love your country and hate your government." Bill Clinton 1995 Memories What you have to do is find out what you care about and try to apply yourself to it, and not just live with your memories. Middle Class Middle-class people are spending more hours on the job, spending less time with their children, bringing home a smaller paycheck to pay more for health care and housing and education. Our streets are meaner, our families are broke, our health care is the costliest in the world and we get less for it. The country is headed in the wrong direction fast, slipping behind, losing our way, and all we have out of Washington is status quo paralysis. No vision, no action. Just neglect, selfishness and division. Bill Clinton, 1992 Nation-State "There are a lot of very brilliant people who believe that the nation-state is fast becoming a relic of the past." Bill Clinton [William Jefferson Blythe III] (1946- ) Source: New York Times, November 25, 1997 http://liberty-tree.ca/qb/Bill.Clinton.Quote.A214 Oklahoma City Bombing The bombing in Oklahoma City was an attack on innocent children and defenseless citizens. It was an act of cowardice and it was evil. The United States will not tolerate it. And I will not allow the people of this country to be intimidated by evil cowards. Our Times "Thomas Jefferson believed that to preserve the very foundations of our nation, we would need dramatic change from time to time. Well, my fellow citizens, this is our time. Let us embrace it." Osama bin Laden Today I ordered our armed forces to strike at terrorist- related facilities in Afghanistan and Sudan because of the imminent threat they presented to our national security. Our target was terror. Our mission was clear -- to strike at the network of radical groups affiliated with and funded by Osama bin Laden, perhaps the preeminent organizer and financier of international terrorism in the world today. They have made the United States their adversary precisely because of what we stand for and what we stand against. A few months ago, and again this week, bin Laden publicly vowed to wage a terrorist war against America, saying -- and I quote -- `We do not differentiate between those dressed in military uniforms and civilians. They are all targets.' And so this morning, based on the unanimous recommendation of my national security team, I ordered our armed forces to take action to counter an immediate threat from the bin Laden network. My fellow Americans, our battle against terrorism did not begin with the bombing of our embassies in Africa, nor will it end with today's strike. It will require strength, courage and endurance. We will not yield to this threat. We will meet it no matter how long it may take. This will be a long, ongoing struggle between freedom and fanaticism, between the rule of law and terrorism. But in this day, no campaign for peace can succeed without a determination to fight terrorism. Let our actions today send this message loud and clear: There are no expendable American targets. There will be no sanctuary for terrorists. We will defend our people, our interests and our values. We will help people of all faiths, in all parts of the world, who want to live free of fear and violence. We will persist and we will prevail. From Text of President's Speech 20 August, 1998 (note: Republicians dismissed President Clinton's action as an effort to take American attention from the Impeachment in Congress) Persian Gulf "Our objectives are clear. Our forces are strong, and our cause is right." (Regarding the deployment of U.S. troops to the Persian Gulf) Personal Attacks "I don't suppose there's any public figure that's ever been subject to any more violent personal attacks than I have."
Whitewater report clears Clintons WASHINGTON, March 20 (UPI) -- The final Whitewater report was released by the independent counsel's office Wednesday, ending an 8-year investigation whose many phases cost the taxpayer a total of $70 million. Final verdict: No crimes committed by President Clinton or Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. (webmaster note: The GOP Congress has given 6 million dollars and a 2 year limit on the investigation of the failure preventing of 9-11) Quitting I was glad the allegations (against him) happened in New Hampsire because I trusted those people. I thought I got in the race for certain reasons, and nothing anybody said or did affected those reasons, or what I thought was my ability to do the job. I just figured I'd hired out the whole race, and if the people wanted to take me out, they were free to do it at any point along the way, and I was going to stay until they made the judgement. It never occured to me to quit, not a single time. To me , quitting would have been the worst thing. Getting beat in an election is not a dishonorable thing to have happen, and I certainly could understood it if at any time along the way the voters had decided they just didn't want to take a chance. They didn't know me, they knew all this bad stuff about me. Why should they risk this thing? I figured the best thing for me was to plow ahead every day and demonstrate a commitment to the things and people who had gotten me into the race. They say I'm on the ropes because other people have questioned my life, after years of public service. I'll tell you something--I'm going to give you this election back, and if you give it to me, I won't be like George Bush, I'll never forget who gave me a second chance, and I'll be there for you till the last dog dies. Bill Clinton 1992 Mad as Hell, pg 203 Race Today, we face a choice. One way leads to further separation and bitterness and more lost futures. The other way -- the path of courage and wisdom -- leads to unity, to reconciliation, to a rich opportunity for all Americans to make the most of the lives God gave them. This moment, in which the racial divide is so clearly out in the open need not be a setback for us. It presents us with a great opportunity and we dare not let it pass us by. My fellow Americans, our house is the greatest democracy in all human history. And with all its racial and ethnic diversity it has beaten the odds of human history. But we know that divisions remain. And we still have work to do. Republician Campaign Tactics For twelve years, Republicians have tried to divide us--race against race--so we get mad at each other and not at them. They want us to look at each other across a racial divide so we don't turn and look to the White House and ask, Why are all of our incomes going down? Why are all us losing jobs? Why are we losing our future? Bill Clinton, 1992 Thomas Jefferson "If Thomas Jefferson were alive today, I would appoint him secretary of state, and then Al Gore and I would resign so he could become president. Tyranny "The road to tyranny, we must never forget, begins with the destruction of the truth." -- Bill Clinton, Oct. 15, 1995 at the University of Connecticut. Us and Them "For too long we've been told about 'us' and 'them.' Each and every election we see a new slate of arguments and ads telling us that 'they' are the problem, not 'us.' But there can be no 'them' in America. There's only us."
Inaugural Address of United States President William J. Clinton
For The Record.... Longest Economic Expansion in US History In February 2000, the United States entered the 107th consecutive month of economic expansion -- the longest economic expansion in history. 22.2 million new jobs have been created since 1993, the most jobs ever created under a single Administration -- and more new jobs than Presidents Reagan and Bush created during their three terms. 91 percent (19.9 million) of the new jobs have been created in the private sector, the highest percentage in 50 years. Unemployment is down from 7.5 percent in 1992 to 4.0 percent in June 2000, and in April the unemployment rate was the lowest in over 30 years. The unemployment rate has fallen for seven years in a row, and has remained below 5 percent for 34 months in a row.
The poverty rate has fallen from 15.1 percent in 1993 to 12.7 percent in 1998. That’s the lowest poverty rate since 1979 and the largest five-year drop in poverty in nearly 30 years. Source: WhiteHouse.gov web site Dec 1, 2000 Pay off National Debt to reduce interest payments for all In 1992, the Federal budget deficit was $290 billion - the largest dollar deficit in American history. In January 1993, the Congressional Budget Office projected that the deficit would grow to $455 billion by 2000. The Office of Management and Budget is now projecting a $211 billion surplus for 2000 - the third consecutive surplus and the largest surplus ever, even after adjusting for inflation.
In 1998 and 1999, the debt held by the public was reduced by $140 billion, and the government is projected to pay down an additional $184 billion in public debt this fiscal year alone. Debt reduction brings real benefits for the American people -- a family with a home mortgage of $100,000 might expect to save roughly $2,000 per year in mortgage payments. Reduced debt also means lower interest rates and reduced payments on car loans and student loans. With the President’s plan, we are now on track to eliminate the nation’s publicly held debt by 2012. Source: WhiteHouse.gov web site Dec 1, 2000
Cabinet: Secretary of State Warren M. Christopher (1993-97) Madeleine Albright (1997-2001) Secretary of the Treasury Lloyd M. Bentsen (1993-94) Robert E. Rubin (1995-99) Lawrence H. Summers (1999-2001) Secretary of Defense Les Aspin, Jr. (1993-94) William J. Perry (1994-97) William Cohen (1997-2001) Attorney General Janet Reno (1993-2001) Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt (1993-2001) Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy (1993-94) Dan Glickman (1994-2001) Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown (1993-96) Mickey Kantor (1996-97) William Daley (1997-2000) Norman Y. Mineta (2000-01) Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich (1993-97) Alexis M. Herman (1997-2001) Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna E. Shalala (1993-2001) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry G. Cisneros (1993-97) Andrew M. Cuomo (1997-2001) Secretary of Transportation Federico F. Peņa (1993-97) Rodney Slater (1997-2001) Secretary of Energy Hazel R. O'Leary (1993-97) Federico F. Peņa (1997-98) Bill Richardson (1998-2001) Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley (1993-2001) Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown (1993-97) Togo D. West, Jr. (1998-2000) Hershel W. Gober (2000-01)
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