Archive for the ‘Clinton Budgets’ Category
The dreaded 1995 bogeyman
Will there be a government shutdown? If Senate Democrats and President Obama refuse to cooperate with the GOP-led House of Representatives and begin the process of cutting the government down to size before we reach the national debt limit, it’s possible.
The Democrats are betting that Republicans will blink and they are using the last, and what they believe to be the best weapon in their arsenal, the 1995 bogeyman, to scare them into abandoning their principled stand.
This boogeyman is without form or substance but in the years that followed those infamous government shutdowns, it has been known to strike fear into the hearts of the most dedicated fiscal conservative representatives on Capitol Hill. Indeed, this creature has left many a congressman shaking in his or her boots or stilettoes. Read the rest of this entry »
The Rehibilitation of Bill Clinton (his REAL spending record)
Do you find yourself longing for the lazy, hazy days when Bill Clinton was president, when the stock market was booming and deficit spending was headed in the right direction?
It’s true! Bill Clinton was the first president in 50 years to preside over a balanced budget (if you don’t count a trifling $17.9 billion in red ink or the 2001 budget he left for George W. Bush). But, before you give our 42nd president too much credit, you need a little perspective. Read the rest of this entry »
The Budget Compromise
(How to Blink with Both Eyes Wide Open)
Republican leaders have reached an agreement with President Clinton so who blinked? They all did — with their eyes wide open. It was an exercise in Washington doublespeak at its best. It did accomplish something — solved a public relations snafu. The rhetoric had reached a point where both sides had painted themselves into their respective corners and there was no room to compromise or back down gracefully. Read the rest of this entry »
Public Perception Verses the Budget
The polls show that the public is overwhelmingly in favor of a balanced budget, but thinks the Republican plan is too harsh. These sentiments appear to contradict themselves. The public seems confused, and little wonder. Read the rest of this entry »
Look Republicans, I Shrunk the Deficit
President Clinton upstaged Republicans as they opened debate on their budget reconciliation bill by holding a press conference to announce that deficit spending for fiscal year 1995 has come in lower than his original projections. Since Mr. Clinton has been in office the deficit has gone from a high of $290 billion to $164 billion, so the President proudly claimed, “My policy is working!” Has Clintonomics been good for the country and good for the economy, at least for the short run? Read the rest of this entry »
