Clinton the original "new kind of politics" president?

[draft_mario_cuomo]

Here is what a prominent author, whose book has sold a million copies, had to say about Clinton's DLC Third Way:

==It was Bill Clinton's singular contribution that he recognized that the categories of conservative and liberal played to Republican advantage and were inadequate to address our problems.

He understood the falseness of the choices being presented to Americans. He saw that government spending and regulation could serve as vital ingredients and not inhibitors to growth, and how markets and fiscal responsibility could help promote social justice. He recognized that societal and personal responsibility were needed to combat poverty. Clinton's third way went beyond splitting the difference. It tapped into the pragmatic, nonideological attitude of Americans.

By the end of his presidency, his policies enjoyed broad support. That he failed, despite a booming economy, to translate popular policies into a governing coalition said something about the demographic difficulties Democrats were facing and the structural advantages Republicans enjoyed in the Senate.==

Do you agree or disagree with this?

[msongs]

1. bill clinton's legacy "failed" because of corrupt vote counting in Florida nt

[durrrty libby]

2. It was 8 great fucking years.

[Joe the Revelator]

5. Electing Hillary will not bring that back....

the reason it was "8 great fucking years" is because the Clinton presidency represented a definite change in Washington. Electing Hillary will just add to the problem that is now entrenched.

[durrrty libby]

8. I disagree with you 100 %. She is what I want

[Joe the Revelator]

9. For what reasons?

What does she offer that inspires you?

[durrrty libby]

15. If I believed you cared, I would answer. You blew it ...sorry, on my Loathe List

[Joe the Revelator]

18. I'll take it that your answer is "I don't know"

xxx

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Joe the Revelator]

25. Just as you, predictably, avoid any attempt at intelligent discussion

and instead resort to childish insults and baiting.

[durrrty libby]

27. So I have no patience with low IQ inmates. It is my downfall after all these years

[Joe the Revelator]

29. I'd guess you'd rather be obtuse and post cute little smilies

:puke:

[durrrty libby]

31. You guess? woop de doo

[draft_mario_cuomo]

28. Obama is not the only one who offers people "hope"

;)

[Joe the Revelator]

30. I never said he was...

....in fact, I think there are many candidates who offer a ton of hope and inspiration. I just laugh at the idea that electing Hillary will bring back the glory days of the 90's.

[emilyg]

20. So do I.

[durrrty libby]

21. ...

:loveya: :yourock: :applause: :applause:

[MannyGoldstein]

3. No

The Clintons understood that if they moved very, very close to Republican policies, they could co-opt voters in the middle, and the traditional Dems wouldn't dare vote for non-Dem voters. So they won elections (and we lost both houses of Congress - yahoo!) The problem is that the Republicans pulled further to the Right to differentiate themselves, and all of the sudden we were knee-deep in all sorts of crazy stuff.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

4. Or perhaps he was practicing a "new kind of politics" like the author in the OP thinks?

It depends on how you look at it. We know he split the difference between progressives and conservatives--the question is why. Is the author correct or is your common view correct?

[MannyGoldstein]

7. Let's Look At The His Points

"He saw that government spending and regulation could serve as vital ingredients and not inhibitors to growth" - He actually decreased government spending and regulation, just as traditional Republicans do. He slashed barriers to free trade - that may have increased the growth of bank accounts for the rich, but it screwed the rest of us.

"and how markets and fiscal responsibility could help promote social justice." - A traditional Republican meme. And it follows that, under Clinton, the gap grew between the rich and everyone else.

"He recognized that societal and personal responsibility were needed to combat poverty." - again, a traditional Republican meme.

I suppose that if you define pragmatic=Republican, the shoe fits.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

22. Take a guess who the author was nt

[alteredstate]

26. I think I've already posted the answer. n/t

[MannyGoldstein]

35. Well Done

Assuming that the autor was Mr. Obama, that was a good swipe.

[alteredstate]

6. So........ did you just pick up "The Audacity of Hope"? n/t

[durrrty libby]

10. Did you?

Hope is the dumbest reason to elect someone.
One might as well blow out candles

[illinoisprogressive]

11. No I don't agree. He was essentially an opportunist and self serving at heart and weak

If people would look at his presidency in the real eye of today instead of gauzy thinking they would see that Clinton was a weak man. And he was an opportunist who was mostly about himself.
the Clintons embody that selfish thinking of "It is only about me, me me."

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

16. So why kind of approach would you like to see that differs from the author's/Clinton approach? nt

[draft_mario_cuomo]

24. Who do you think wrote the things in the OP? Al From? Rahm? Holy Joe? nt

[Alamom]

33. Interesting.........(still ) no answer to your question.

:-)

[alteredstate]

34. I answered it n/t

[Tellurian]

12. Great forensic talking point question dmc...

Funny though- Obama supporters tend to disagree with the author's analytical view.

[illinoisprogressive]

13. Well, Tell, concidering your candidate is the most corrupt, I can see where you'd be jealous

You cannot point to anything like a real stand on the issues or any vision or anything other than just the same old selfish Clinton way of thinking only about themselves.

[Tellurian]

17. Ah, sour grapes coming from you because 'Obama Girl' is voting for Hillary..

"I have to say I'm very impressed with Hillary Clinton,"she tells Steppin' Out magazine's Chaunce Hayden."
"I watched the recent debates and I liked a lot of her answers!"

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/r_m/2007/08/23/2007-08-23_obama_girl_has_hil_thrill.html?ref=rss

[durrrty libby]

23. Wow ....so much crap

[wyldwolf]

32. is this the same author who wrote...

... the free market system is a good thing and who believes competition is vital? who rejects special interest, or single issue, politics based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or victimhood? who recognizes the global war on terrorism is real, and not a "bumpersticker slogan?" Who would not be hesitant to use military force against terrorists if the situation warrants it? Who is not influenced by the conspiracy theories of certain corners of the party? Who Doesn't believe the US government has been hijacked by an evil cabal or other such nonsense? Who believes that both societal responsibility AND personal responsibility is key for combating society's ills? Who realizes that not every New Deal or Great Society program, like welfare, has worked as advertised and is open to reforming them?

This sounds like a DLC whore! WHO IS IT???

[draft_mario_cuomo]

36. Yes it is. Who could it be? Did Al From ghostwrite his book? nt