34.1 The Clinton Presidency:America in the 1990s & the 2000 Election

Lesson Objective: To understand the Clinton Presidency

To understand the rise of domestic terrorismTo understand the 2000 election

Essential Question: What were the issues in United States during the 1990s

Key Terms

• BILL CLINTON• HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON• NAFTA• NEWT GINGRICH• CONTRACT WITH AMERICA• KENNETH STARR• AL GORE• GEORGE W. BUSH

Key Dates

• 1992: BILL CLINTON ELECTED PRESIDENT• 1993: 1ST WORLD TRADE CENTER ATTACK• 1995: OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING• 1996: BILL CLINTON RE-ELECTED• 1998: CLINTON IMPEACHED• 1999: COLUMBINE H.S. SHOOTINGS • 2000: GEORGE W. BUSH ELECTED PRESIDENT

The 1992 Election• Three way race:

– Republican- George H.W. Bush– Democrat- Bill Clinton– Independent- H. Ross Perot

• Issues– 1991 Recession– Bush promise not to raise taxes

• “Read my lips….no new taxes”• High deficits led to Bush to go back on his promises

– Clinton’s personal history• Did not serve in Vietnam- Accusations of draft dodger• Extra-marital affairs

• What was the deciding factor?– Ross Perot takes many votes away from Republican George H.W. Bush

• Results– Economic Issues seem to be most important

• “It’s the economy stupid.”• Clinton wins

– Popular Vote• Clinton: 43%• Bush: 38%• Perot: 18%

Bill and Hillary, 1975

Ross Perot

1992 Town hall Debate

“Slick Willy”

CLINTON ON THE ARSENIO HALL SHOW

Early Administration• Clinton governs as a moderate- “the era of big government is over” 1996

– Triangulation- uses ideas from both parties to find political center- and moves political center left

• Clinton does not attract lots of support from the far left– Hillary makers up for it

• Issues– The Economy– Healthcare– Welfare– Crime

• Health care– Hillary Clinton appointed to head health care reform legislation

• Why might people not like this?

– Dubbed “Hillarycare” – sound familiar?– Dems and Repubs. Can’t/ won’t compromise– Ultimately fails

• Welfare– Length of Benefits limited– States given money to spend on welfare

Early Administration• Goals: Balance the Budget / Fix the Economy• Clinton again works with Republicans to solve

problems– Federal Budget Balanced

• Federal Spending Cut by Billions• Taxes lowered (Republicans)• Programs for education and healthcare (Democrats)

– 1990s Economic Boom• What industry causes this?

– Stock market – Low unemployment– Fed. Tax income increase = Gov. has more money.

Rise in Domestic Terrorism

• Internal and International groups– 1993 World Trade Center Bombing– 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing– 1999 Columbine, Colorado H.S. shootings

OMAR ABDEL-RAHMAN,“THE BLIND SHEIKH”

►AL-QUEDA TERRORISTS

►Alfred P. Murrah Building, Oklahoma City

►MurrahFederal Bldg.,Oklahoma CityAfter bombing

Timothy McVeigh

Timothy McVeigh, U.S. Army, 1991

Columbine H.S.

Eric Harris Dylan Klebold

Columbine Massacre Memorial, Littleton, Colorado

Foreign Policy Problems• End of Communism causes new problems – Security of Nuclear Weapons– Ethnic Tension / Violence surfacing in former

communist nations• Yugoslavia– Breaks into smaller nations– Ethnic/ religious tension & hatred surfaces– “Ethnic cleansing” used by Serbs to gain control of

territory (Mass Killings, Pillage, Rape)– U.S. & NATO forces sent to Yugoslavia to keep peace

International Trade

• Internet Boom– What did the internet do for business?

• NAFTA– Bush’s Plan- Clinton supports it

• Free trade zone with U.S. Canada and Mexico– Would make business much easier and faster

• Pro: Would strengthen all three economies• Con:

– U.S. companies would relocate to Mexico for lower wage employees– U.S. unemployment would increase– Less border security– More crime/ illegal immigration

• Result: Passes congress in 1993

►N.A.F.T.A. “SUPER- HIGHWAY”

Was NAFTA the right policy?

Politics of the 1990s• Clinton & Republican Controlled Congress work

together for some new laws• 1994– “Hillarycare” fails to pass- damages Clinton approval-

down to 42%• Republicans uses this as an opportunity to regain

power in Congress• Newt Gingrich- R. Georgia– Creates “Contract with America”– Promises made to Public- IF REPUBLICANS WIN

CONTROL OF CONGRESS– Tax Cuts, Tougher Crime, laws and a balanced Budget

Politics of the 1990s

• Contract with America works– Republicans win House and Senate in 1994

• So…?– Republicans control laws created- harder for

Clinton to pass his agenda• 1996- Clinton wins re-election over Bob Dole• Government is divided

Monica Lewinsky Scandal • Whitewater Scandal:– Accusations that Bill and Hillary had been involved in

Illegal real estate deals while in Arkansas – Federal Court orders Investigation – Kenneth Starr is lead investigator – Investigation leads to revelation that Clinton had affair

with White House Intern– Clinton lied about affair during Whitewater Investigation

• Leads to Monica Lewinsky Scandal – Clinton is impeached by Republican Congress, But not

convicted of high crimes– Clinton is not removed from office– Reputation is further damaged

Bill and Monica

►MONICA LEWINSKY

The 2000 Election• Republican- Gov. George W. Bush• Democrat- VP. Al Gore• Green Party- Ralph Nader• Reform Party- Pat Buchannan • Issues:– Clinton Scandals Damage Democrats– Nader pulls votes from Gore– Florida Vote is disputed– Florida Re-Count– Bush Wins

2

1. How much you have learned.

2. How committed you were to this class (how hard did you work? How many hours a week?)

3. How much your writing has improved.

4. How your ability to use historical skills has improved.

On a scale of 1 -5; how would you rate…..

►NAFTA