A Critical Analysis of the Foreign and Domestic Policies
Of George Bush and Bill Clinton
The president of the United States has many titles. Chief executive officer of the federal government, head of the executive branch, and the commander-in-chief of our nation's armed forces. With all these titles comes the power to develop treaties with other nations alongside congress, and appoint Supreme Court judges, and other government officials. Even while sharing power with congress, our nation's leader is the most influential person in the United States creating most of the legislative proposals that become laws. The President is also a principal foreign policy maker, making him one of the most influential people in the world.
Most presidents enter the oval office with a certain goal to accomplish. George Herbert Walker Bush was no exception. He believed his chief task was to bring an end to the Cold War. His "Family of Nations" policy toward the Soviet Union involved a diplomatic relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev, the president of the U.S.S.R. After the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th, 1989, Bush and Gorbachev initialed a treaty to end production and reduce the stockpiles of chemical weapons. His next step was to calm the fear of nuclear weapons. In July of 1991, they signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty known as START I. Bush's diplomacy helped to gain the support of the U.S.S.R. in the U.S. led effort against Iraq.
After a long border dispute between Iraq and Kuwait, Iraqi troops swept through the Kuwaiti borders and took control of the capitol on August 2nd, 1990. Four days later the U.N. imposed a trade embargo against Iraq, which only caused the annexation of Kuwait. Bush saw this as a fight between good and evil and assembled a 28 Nation U.N. coalition including the nations of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, and the Soviet Union. On November 29th, 1990, the coalition authorized the use of force and offered an ultimatum to Iraq. If Iraqi troops did not leave Kuwait before January 15, 1991, opposing nations were free to "us all necessary means" to free Kuwait. Many people within the U.S. were wary of war. All debates were pushed aside when congress passed a resolution to authorize the president to use force since many people believed that it was unconstitutional for the president to declare war. A massive air attack on Iraq began on January 17th. A month later, the U.N. ordered a cease-fire and on April 22nd the U.N. security council issued a resolution to Iraq to end sanctions. The resolution stated that Iraq would accept liability for damages, destroy all chemical and biological weapons as well as any ballistic missiles, stopping all nuclear programs and allowing inspectors to insure that these demands were met.
Bush was also known for adopting a policy similar to that of the Monroe Doctrine known as "Operation Just Cause". Manuel Noriega, the president of Panama, was indicted for drug trafficking in February of 1988. In the election of 1989, Noriega discarded the votes and remained in power even though he had lost the election. To protect the interests of the Panama Canal Bush personally ordered 24,000 troops to assist Panamanian forces. Nariega was captured and convicted on drug and racketeering charges in April of 1992. Over 500 Panamanians were killed and around 20 U.S. soldiers died.
One of the last things President Bush did while in office was send troops to Somalia. The U.N.-sponsored "Operation Restore Hope" This humanitarian helped those who were dying from starvation and civil war. Soldiers were sent in to prevent food and other relief items from being stolen from warring clans. In March of 1993, U.S. soldiers came under attack by armed clans and 18 U.S. soldiers were killed. This mission became very unpopular with American citizens and a year later Clinton finally withdrew troops from Somalia.
Clinton found more success in Haiti than in Somalia. In September 1991, military leaders led by lieutenant General Raoul Cédras forced Jean-Betrend Aristide, the countries elected president out of the country. He fled to the U.S. and with him came thousands of Haitian refugees, of which more than half were sent back by the U.S. coastguard. Clinton followed Bush's policy for returning refugees believing that allowing refugees to stay would only encourage more to make the trip. In 1994, he demanded that the new Haitian government step down and return power to democratic rule. Ignoring opposing members of congress, Clinton ordered a large military force to go to Haiti. Before the troops arrived, however, he sent former president Jimmy Carter to persuade Cédras to leave the country. Carter and Clinton were able to restore peace and democracy back to Haiti.
Clinton's main emphasis in foreign policy was that of "economic globalism". He strongly believed that U.S. security and prosperity depended upon trade with other nations. Removing barriers and helping to stabilize nations in economic troubles were his biggest goals. In his first term, Clinton managed to push two major trade agreements through congress while facing much opposition from members of his own party. The first agreement known as NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and was designed to help North America compete against the free trade zones of Europe and Asia. It was an agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada that lowered and in some cases eliminated tariffs on trade between the three nations. The second agreement organized what is known as the World Trade Organization. The WTO has the authority to administer and enforce all free trade agreements, world trade practices and to settle disputes among member states.
Most of President Clinton's foreign policies were continuations of those instilled by President Bush who preceded him. Clinton finished what Bush started in Somalia and continued his policy regarding refugees. Events in Iraq were very similar during both presidents' terms. In fact, Clinton ordered the U.S. Navy to attack Iraqi intelligence operations in downtown Baghdad after learning of the Iraqis plot to kill former President Bush during a trip to Iraq in 1993.
One of the biggest domestic problems Bush faced was that of the federal budget. The deficit had reached $220 billion a year and was now up to $3.2 trillion. Bush knew that the U.S. would not be able to play a leading role in world affairs if it were to stay in debt. His biggest problems came from both parties in congress who could not agree on an acceptable consensus. After promising no new taxes, Bush was forced to sign a statement calling for tax revenue increases. Later he sided with the democrats on a package that dramatically decreased spending and tax increases, many republicans felt betrayed. At the same time recession hit and more money was spent on welfare, which wiped out much of the deficit savings.
Bush found more economic troubles in the savings a loan industry. In the early 80s congress passed legislation allowing banks to make riskier investments than previously allowed to try to revive the banking industry. This caused more than 1,000 banks to go bankrupt. Bush released a comprehensive plan in February 1989 to save the industry. With help from congress, bush organized the Resolution Trust Corporation to take over bankrupt savings and load associations and sell their assets, which eventually cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. This corporation came out of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989.
Bush found praise from many civil rights acts he helped to pass. During his first year in office, he signed the Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1989. This raised the minimum wage to $4.25 by April 1991. That same year he passed a new anti-drug law that provided over $3 billion for expanding anti-drug programs. He also passed a Clean Air Act in 1990, which promised to cut acid rain pollution in half, and eliminate all industrial emissions of toxic chemicals be the year 2000. He also signed the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which made it easier for employees to sue employers for discrimination.
President Clinton continued Bush's work to improve the economy, especially the federal budget. Before taking office, he received a report that the federal budget would be $290 billion in 1993. Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, urged him to prepare a new budget. Clinton prepared a budget that would reduce the deficit by $500 billion over a five year period. This would be accomplished by cutting spending and raising taxes, which would mostly affect the wealthy. He received praise for expanding Earned Income Tax Credit. This aided lower-income families be reducing the amount of federal income tax they owed. By 1997, the U.S. was able to pay the national debt using surplus revenues.
Clinton expressed support for Health and Human Services policies. In little more than two weeks after he took office, he signed his first major piece of legislation, the Family and Medical Leave Act. This act required companies with more than 50 workers to allow workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave a year to cope with family concerns such as childbirth and illness. Clinton's first national service program called "Americorps". This program allowed participants to perform community service in return for money to finance college or to pay back student loans. One of Clinton's most promising bills was one that guaranteed lifelong health insurance. At that time, private health insurance or government health programs did not cover 44 million Americans. His wife led a task force that was determined to write a bill guaranteeing health insurance and bring down the rapidly rising cost of health care. This bill was criticized for giving the federal government too much power in deciding people's healthcare and was never passed. Clinton promised to "end the welfare system as we know it", and did so in 1996. He signed a bill that gave more power to the state government in decided who could be eligible for welfare.
Clinton was one of the first presidents to support diversity in politics. Clinton said he wanted a Cabinet that "looks like America." He appointed women such as Attorney General Janet Reno, the first woman to hold that office; Secretary of Energy Hazel R. O'Leary; and Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala. African Americans such as Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy and Hispanics such as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros also found there place in politics under the Clinton administration. In addition, in his first two years in office, Clinton appointed two new justices to the Supreme Court of the United States. Stephen Breyer replaced Harry Andrew Blackmun, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg became the second woman on the Supreme Court when she replaced Byron Raymond White.
Not surprisingly, both Bush and Clinton's domestic policies were also very similar. President Bush signed the largest tax increase in American history and three years later Clinton's tax increase surpassed his. Ironically, both presidents won their campaigns for promising no new taxes. The federal budget during the Bush-Clinton years was in dire need of repair. Both presidents attempted to remedy the situation, but it seemed like it only got worse.
Our President makes many important decisions and will always be remembered for the decisions they make. President Bush will be remembered for his commitment to diplomacy. His conduct during the Gulf War left him with the highest approval ratings of any president thus far in the Gallup poles. Clinton, unfortunately, will be remembered for his personal decisions and not his presidential decisions. He was the second president to be impeached, but perhaps his greatest trait was his ability to connect with people. He left office with the highest voter approval rating of all modern presidents.
Copyright 2003, smarcus. All Rights Reserved.