Asthe20thcenturycametoanend,PresidentBillClintonwasfacedwiththetremendous

taskofusheringinaneweraofAmericanpolitics.ThechallengeClintonfaceddidnotcomein
theformofawaroradepression.Rather,hefacedthechallengesoftransitioningAmericaintoa
globalagewhereAmericaassumedanewroleofbecomingtheworldsprotector.Whilesome
creditcanbegiventotheRepublicancontrolledCongressforthereformoftheperiod,Clinton
mustbecreditedasthechiefarchitectoftheeconomicandwelfarereformshepushedfor.
Clintonsachievementsaspresidentarecertainlyimpressive,buttheaffairsandscandalsthat
markedhissecondtermwillmarhislegacyaspresident.ClintonguidedAmericathrough
perilousforeignanddomestictimes,buthisimageandlegacyaretarnishedbythescandal
surroundinghissecondterm.
AllthroughoutAmericashistory,Americanshavegenerallytoutedtheprincipleof
isolationismeveniftheiractionsclearlysuggestotherwise.ItwasatremendoustaskforClinton
tosharplydepartfromtheisolationistsentimentsdeeplyinstilledintheAmericanpeople.A
biographyonClintonfromtheMillerCenterexaminestheClintonsforeignpolicyfeat:
Perhapshisgreatestaccomplishments,then,cameintheareaofeconomicglobalization
establishingseveralnewregimesoffreetrade,withNAFTAandGATT.Moreover,heandthe
RubinTreasuryDepartment,withtheimportantassistanceofTreasuryDeputySecretary
LawrenceSummers,headedoffanumberofeconomiccatastrophesinthedevelopingworld
(MillerCenter).ThetradeagreementsClintonworkedoutweretrulyinstrumentalinestablishing
theglobaleconomicmarketthatwouldstrengthentheAmericaneconomy.Clintonusheredina
newageofeconomicgrowthforAmericathattrulychangedthewayAmericawoulddealwith
foreigneconomicaffairs.

Clintonbrokeanotherprecedentbyimprovingtheeconomywithouthavingtoemploy
massivegovernmentspending.Heaccomplishedthisfeatbycuttingbackongovernment
spendingandreformingthewelfaresystem.Hispoliciesreducedcrimeandleadtoabalance
surplus(TheLegacyoftheClintonAdministration).Bybreakingtheprecedenceofthe
presidentswhoembraceddeficitspending,Clintonshowedthatadeptadministrationcould
improvetheeconomywithouthavingtoplungethefederalgovernmentintodeepdebt.
AccordingtotheNewYorkTimesarticleBillClintonDefendsHisEconomicLegacy,Clinton
wasmetwithsuccess,whenitcametoclosingincomeinequality:Medianfamilyincome
increasedto$48,950in1999from$36,959in1993.And,from1992to2000,unemploymentfell
to7.6percentfrom14.2percentforAfricanAmericansandto5.7percentfrom11.6percentfor
Hispanics(Chozick).DespitehavingaCongressrunbytheopposingparty,Clintonwasableto
pushallofthereformthroughtheforceofhisownconvictionandfaith.
Despiteallofhissuccessinbothdomesticandforeignaffairs,Clintonssecondtermis
markedwiththescandalthatdetractsfromhisimageasoneofthemostsuccessfulpresidentsin
the20thcentury.Althoughhewasneverremovedfromoffice,helackedhisauthorityand
presenceintheWhiteHousethathadenabledhimtoputforthsweepingchanges.(TheLegacy
oftheClintonAdministration).LikeRichardNixon,whowasnearlyimpeached,Clintonfell
outoffavorfromthepubliconceinformationonthescandalbrokeloose.Clintoncouldhave
accomplishedsomuchmoreinhistermaspresident,butafterhelosthisauthorityhecouldno
longerinciterealchange.

HistorywilllongrememberClintonasapresidentwhowasabletomeetbothforeignand
domesticeconomicsuccess,butalsoasapresidentwhosepersonallifegotinthewayofhis
politicallife.
Works Cited
Chozick, Amy. "Bill Clinton Defends His Economic Legacy." The New York Times. The New York
Times, 30 Apr. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.
"Miller Center." American President: Bill Clinton: Impact and Legacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.