Clintonism

is a center-left political approach involving fiscal responsibility and equal opportunities for women and minorities, globalist positions of international affairs, the backing of unfettered free trade... and moderate stances on social issues (i.e. Balancing a pro-choice position on abortion with support for the v-chip and ratings for television programs).

Clinton's amalgam of governing and politicking was part of what analysts call the 'third way.' 'Clintonism' is an indigenous version of it that has borne spectacular political results. Clintonism is not so much a coherent doctrine or political ideology, except, perhaps, in its amorphousness, its very fluidity, and its lack of coherence. The central tenents of clintonism include fiscal responsibility and equal opportunities for women and minorities... globalist positions of international affairs, in addition to backing of unfettered free trade... and moderate stances on social issues, balancing a pro-choice position on abortion with support for the V-chip and ratings for television programs. There are Clintonisms, too, those pithy slogans and witticisms that epitomize Third Way thinking, such as Clinton's frequent rhetorical linkages of 'opportunity' and 'responsibility.' Clinton's center-left political approach how he governed in 1995-1996 as opposed to 1993-1994 was ideally suited to the political climate of the 1990s.

is a commitment to tolerance and other non-economic liberal values, but on economic issues, there is no light between them and their republican opponents.

Clintonites are still committed to tolerance and other non-economic liberal values, but on economic issues, there is no light between them and their Republican opponents. This describes Hillary Clinton to a tee. Dissect her public persona and it is all there: the social liberalism, but also the economic neoliberalism and, above all, the reflexive animosity towards Russia and China inherited from the Cold War past.

is a cynical political approach that is symptomatic of the decline of progressive liberalism and perhaps also of the ill-fated hubris of well-meaning liberal intellectuals.

. . . Clintonism is symptomatic of the decline of Progressive liberalism and perhaps also of the ill-fated hubris of well-meaning liberal intellectuals, who invested too much faith, and hope, in the possibilities presented by the 1992 victory of Clinton.. . . I return, in the final chapter, to the theme of 'the third way,' and consider the ways in which its retreat from Progressive liberalism rests upon an accurate political diagnosis.

is a cynical political style characterized by free trade economic policies which, though bad for us workers, kept the party flush with donors' cash and helped win elections, leading directly to the bush epoch and its alarming inequality.

The second narrative aimed at the Clinton years, pursued mostly by Edwards, is the one about corporate corruption. This one argues that Bill Clinton turned the Democratic Party into a holding company for Wall Street financiers, pursuing a series of economic policies that were bad for workers but kept the party flush with cash. By this theory, balanced budgets and free trade were more about winning elections at any cost than they were about creating an expansive economy, and they led directly to the Bush epoch and its alarming inequality. This is why Edwards spent weeks hammering at Clinton over her continued acceptance of lobbyist' money (despite his own reliance on donations from trial lawyers, who do plenty of lobbying themselves). The point was to remind voters that when Bill Clinton rented out the Lincoln Bedroom, Hillary was sleeping down the hall.

is a political approach whereby the individual purchases 'security' and pays for it by accepting dependence on the state and hence on the political class.

Clintonism is a model for growing government and the public sector class. Clintonism is a new version of an old transaction: The individual purchases of 'security' and pays for it by accepting dependence on the state and hence on the political class.'

is a political style that, because it focused on day-to-day victories, carried enormous long-term costs in the shape of a lack of trust and respect.

Most of all, Clinton's political style, focused as it was on day-to-day victories, carried enormous long-term costs that he seemed to little comprehend. Clinton never engendered the trust and respect of the majority in the ways that the most successful presidents do (ABC News/ Washington Post poll 1999). This failure prevented him from commanding a popular majority in his two presidential elections and, more importantly, limited his effective range of influence in national debate on issues that hinged on questions of values or personal responsibility. There were many reasons fo the blot on Clinton's popular staning. But in the age of great popular skepticism of politicians, Clinton's often-deserved reputation for calculation, glibness, and equivocation is an important one. 'Slick Willie' was the name an unadmiring Arkansas editorialist tagged Clinton with in the early 1980s, and nearly two decades later, he continued to protest the accusation, though even many people once among his closes aids have essentially endorsed similar interpretations (Reich 1997... Stephanopoulos 1999).

is an economic policy of the center. It is a blurring of party differences on economic policy, while creating a deep division over values.

The Clinton years thus had the effect of equalizing the strength of the two parties, and this was not some statistical accident. What President Clinton did was blur party differences on economic policy, while creating a deep division over values. Clintonism is an economic policy of the center -a 'third way,' between left and right. A lot of it was stolen from Republicans. And it worked. It brought the country peace, prosperity, decreasing crime rates, and declining welfare rolls.

is concerned with personal responsibility, wherein every right is matched with a responsibility.

Kerry had even borrowed a Clintonism in his remarks, transforming the Arkansas governor's call for a 'new covenant of social and personal responsibility' into his own call for a 'social contract, a covenant wherein every right is matched with a responsibility.'

clintonism, n.All

clintonism