Open Left

Bill Clinton was a good Moderate Republican President

He pushed "Heartland" values, had a good heart, supported somewhat reasonable, rational business policies and was pretty adept at managing our international relations.

But he left a lot of things undone:

• Failed to push  a comprehensive human rights agenda (allowing things like don't ask, don't tell to be enacted , the assault on choice to ramp up, and of course the lack of people-centered investments for starters)
  
• The Financialization of the US Economy continued and grew under his watch.
  
• Championed media consolidation and laid the groundwork for the reintegration of the baby bells (Telecomm Act of 1996 anybody?)
  
• Failed to help stop the Taliban's rise to power
  
• Failed to pursue an aggressive WW anti-povery agenda that might have mitigated some of the more extremist elements rise to power over the last 10-15 years
  
• Failed to push broad economic policies aimed at providing capital to poor and low income women in third world countries and in our inner cities.
  

Bill did a lot of small incremental things that continue to have value like Americorp.  His cops initiatives were the right approach at the right time to a serious crime problem in many cities.

However, He failed to take advantage of the Soviet Unions fall and to push a true multi-lateral people-based foriegn policy agenda.

That he's considered a real radical liberal by many is a true barometer of how far our national political discourse and identity has moved to the right.

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by: northcountry @ Wed Aug 22, 2007 at 09:17:15 AM CDT