Subject: Here is what Clinton did for the economy!

Bart,

In regards to the guy that wanted to know what Clinton did to improve
the economy, here's a short answer that you can provide to anyone who
questions Clinton economic achievement.

The Clinton economy was based on:
- fiscal discipline
- expanded trade
- domestic investments such as vocational training.

The Clinton economy also emphasized paying down the national debt. With
the plan being to eliminate the national debt by 2012. Anyone in grade
school can figure out how much the country pays in interest on such
massive debt - a shitload. Of course, with the Smirk economy, we'll
never meet that goal. This fiscal discipline provided the stability
that allows Wall Street to thrive. What we have now is investment panic
because of instability - brought on by our return to deficit spending.

Clinton's 1993 budget INCREASED taxes on the wealthiest wage earners.
This allowed the budget to be balanced. Before anyone says that this was "unfair"
(as the Republicans at the time did), keep in mind that these same wealthiest
benefitted from the highest percentage of increased income as well. Not only did
ordinary Americans become wealthier during the Clinton administration,
but the wealthy did even better.

Clinton also implemented some traditionally Republican measures that
assisted in our transition from budget deficits to budget surpluses.
Welfare reform and government downsizing being two major components.
Even though Clinton is criticized from the Left over welfare reform,
you have to remember that he tied in the Earned Income Tax Credit to
welfare reform - this is a significant tax cut for the poor to help
them transition into the work force. Clinton also implemented childcare
subsidies that also softened the blow of welfare reform.

In 1994, President Clinton designated 105 distressed communities across
the Nation as Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZs and
ECs). In January 1999, the initiative was expanded through a second
round of designations to include 20 new urban and rural Empowerment
Zones and 20 new rural Enterprise Communities. Just ask minority
leaders about what this meant to their communities. Communities such as
Harlem and Central Detroit that were dying until this initiative
ushered in economic expansion. This also helped bring about the lowest
female, Hispanic and African-American unemployment rates ever recorded.

I can go on, but you get the point. Clinton did a HELL OF ALOT for the
economy. Remember that the Republicans claimed that Clinton's 1993
budget would ruin the country!

Here are some other statistics from the Clinton era:

- The longest economic expansion on record (115 months)

- 22 million new jobs since 1993

- Lowest unemployment rate in 30 years

- Lowest female, Hispanic and African-American unemployment rates ever recorded

- Highest home ownership rate (some two-thirds of Americans now own their own homes)

- Lowest child poverty in 20 years

- Lowest poverty rate for single mothers; and a $6,000 gain in median
  family income since 1993 (stagnant between 1980 and 1993).

- The number of families who own stock rose 40%. Half of US households
   now own shares in some form of stock.

Now, I'm not saying Clinton alone was responsible. That would be a
ridiculous claim for any president. But to deny Clinton's significant
influence is disingenuous at best.

To simply say that the economic boom was a result of Internet commerce
is shortsighted to say the least. There were significant gains in
traditional Blue Chip companies as well as small business.

Face it dittomonkeys. It was the CLINTON MIRACLE ECONOMY.

- Morgan