There is a reason why the past administrations of Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 failed to achieve the economic and fiscal success of the Clinton administration. The former administrations never developed or adopted a broad economic plan as Clinton did. The former believed that their trickle down ideology was a policy that would address the economy, create jobs, balance the federal budget and have low unemployment. However none of those three administrations accomplished that. But the Clinton administration did.
President Clinton understood why the 12 years of Reagan-Bush 41 trickle down economics left his administration nothing but record deficits and a record increase in the national debt. Remember it "was the economy stupid" when Clinton defeated Bush 41. Clinton had the wisdom and savvy to learn from those past mistakes. He campaigned on an economic policy and after he was elected he introduced his economic and deficit reduction plan to the democratic controlled congress in 1993. Clinton's plan was passed by both houses of congress without any vote of any republican in either house of congress. They all predicted doom and gloom. It should be noted that the unemployment rate never exceeded what it was when Clinton took office during his full eight years as President. Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 never achieved that.
George W. Bush, Bush 43 when taking office took over a sound economy, record job creation, balanced budgets, surpluses, the lowest unemployment in over 40 years, the lowest average yearly price for a barrel of oil in over 30 years and a sound fiscal house. Bush 43 blew it all because he ignored the past success and lessons that Clinton learned and was bent on going back to the past of trickle down economics. The same old ideology of Reagan. Bush never developed a true economic or fiscal policy as Clinton did and the results of his eight years returned the past front and center. Only the great depression was worse.
Barrack Obama became President and inherited the carnage left by Bush 43. The situation was much worse than when the previous four Presidents took office. He also faced a republican party who vowed to make him a one term President from day one. President Obama failed to learn from the past also and failed to meet the dire situation of the country with a well thought out broad economic and deficit reduction plan. The stimulus worked to reverse the record job losses, saved and created jobs but did not put enough people back to work or reduce the unemployment rate to where it should be. Obama's actions were not based on ideology, but he lacked a true plan and still does not have one as of this writing. President Obama also showed a lack of leadership in thinking the republicans would work with him even after they said they would not. As a result the President lost a lot of valuable time pussy footing around with them and their unAmerican ideology.
It appears to this writer that our country and the average American is at a terrible disadvantage. In my judgement, Obama is a better choice than any of the announced republican presidential candidates because of their extreme right wing agenda that would return the country and its people back to the Bush 43 era. I also believe the democratic party has two or three people that would do a better job than Obama and show more leadership. I do not think any democrat would challange the President because that would probabley result in the election of the republican nominee.
I can not remember a worse time for the average American. The country is 14 months away from the next election and the republican's have completely ignored their plight by opposing every thing that Obama has proposed to get the country moving again and putting America back to work. Bill Clinton was a lot of things to a lot of people but his policies put the people and the country first. No one can successfully imitate another person in being President. One has to be himself but leadership, character, courage, wisdom with a knowledge of the past is the key to a successful future.
President Obama needs to make a decision as to his capabilities of dealing with the future. He is not going to change the republican hatred but does have enough authority as President to step out of the past. If the President is incapable of making that commitment he should not run for reelection and make it know in enough time for another democrat to run. I do not approach this subject casually. The country and its people deserve better than what is taking place now. But nothing is moving. The ball is really in the President's court and he has to show leadership, courage and wisdom for a better future.
