Hey President Obama, Clinton Prosperity Requires Clinton-Sized Government

Forbes ^ | 11/21/2012 | Steve Forbes

[SeekAndFind]

There is a way for Congressional Republicans to reach an accord with Democrats that would enable the nation to avoid falling off “the fiscal cliff” into a searing recession.

Obama Democrats argue that the President only wants to restore the top rates that reigned during the Clinton presidency, which was a prosperous time. We should say: Absolutely, let’s do it. But in order to achieve a Clinton economy, you also must enact the other Clinton policies critical to the prosperity of those years: They include:

I. A Freer Economy

The oppressive ObamaCare of that time was HillaryCare, which was never enacted. If we want to re-create the Clinton economy, then we have to repeal ObamaCare. Are Democrats willing to do that?

The federal-regulation regime was also much easier then than it is now. Will the White House become serious about genuine deregulation?

II. Clinton-era Federal Spending Levels

Federal spending as a proportion of the economy was smaller in those days. That would mean budget cuts now of around $500 billion – not spread over ten years, but right now. How likely is that?

III. A Strong and Stable Dollar

The dollar in those days was almost as good as gold – a critical factor in that time’s economic boom. Will the White House ax Ben Bernanke and his destructive monetary policies?

[SeekAndFind]

Did Bubba really mean it when he exclaimed in his Jan. 27, 1996 SOTU speech :

"THE ERA OF BIG GOVERNMENT IS OVER"

[Jack of all Trades]

...and a Dot Com level bubble economy.

[griswold3]

Clinton also had an internet gold rush. Pets.com @ 900? That’s unreal. Next came the FIRE (FInance, Insurance, and RealEstate) economy, that too blew up. Obama is hoping for another boom economy to ensure his legacy. I think he’ll latch onto the new oil/gas boom and pray it holds up.
As for any organic growth, it’s over. I don’t see many willing to take the risks and exposure it takes to start a business. Because, ‘The Era of Big Government is back with a vengence’ and I do mean vengence.

[SoFloFreeper]

Does ANYONE really think Obamugabe WANTS America to prosper???

I mean anyone with intelligence. Not Zombies.

[SeekAndFind]

Folks,

Let’s not forget one thing -— we may all sneer when we hear the name, Dick Morris -— but Clinton DID listen to him and ADOPTED a lot of the Gingrich Congress policies and made them his own.

Count them — Welfare Reform, Capital Gains Tax cuts, cutting spending to less than 20% of GDP, and eventually — A BUDGET SURPLUS.

There was a term used for what Clinton did then — TRIANGULATION.

Those days aren’t coming back anytime soon.

[Zuse]

Clinton-era prosperity was already over before he left office.
The Bush/Gore debates focused on how they were going to spend the surplus. Ha. The markets were already slumping,capital gains revenues were drying up, and the recession was already on.

[Zuse]

Yes.
Clinton's timing was perfect.
Already, in hindsight, post-recession growth by the time he took office.
The Cold War “peace dividend.”
The republican congress.
The Dot-Com bubble.
Leaving office just in time to not get the next recession pinned on him.

[TurboZamboni]

Obama signed sequestration. I say let it happen.