But Under Clinton!

First, let me thank the Huffington Post for allowing me, a moderate independent journalist/blogger, to occasionally contribute to this site in these times of enormous political polarization.

"There was more polarization UNDER CLINTON!"

More than ever, what remains of the American middle is under pressure by left and right to definitively choose sides -- and a key reason is the increasingly unpopular Iraq war.

"There were unpopular wars, too, UNDER CLINTON!"

One of the most annoying developments in American politics is that whenever the Bush administration or White House come under fire, they and their supporters immediately point to something they said happened under Bill Clinton.

"We pointed to more problems under Clinton UNDER CLINTON!"

It's as if they think by pointing to someone else -- correctly or erroneously -- they are somehow erasing the original criticism. It's seems like a way to divert attention, shift the focus of debate away from the actual issue raised and to avoid personal responsibility.

"The White House evaded more responsibility UNDER CLINTON!"

It's getting to where they're getting quite tiresome.

"We were more tiresome UNDER CLINTON!"

I want to apologize, though, because this column may not be my best because I'm getting over a touch of the flu...

"You had double pneumonia and jock itch UNDER CLINTON!"

I better edit this column...

"People edited more UNDER CLINTON!"

Hey, what is going ON here?

"More went on UNDER CLINTON!"'

Rush Limbaugh has regained some weight....

"He gained more weight UNDER CLINTON!"

The sky is blue.

"The sky was grey UNDER CLINTON!"

I'm thirsty...

"You were thirstier UNDER CLINTON!"

You're a parrot.

"I was more of a parrot UNDER CLINTON!"

Republicans in 2000 talked a lot about how with Bush we would be entering into the era of personal responsibility but they often don't want to seem to accept any when things go wrong.

"The Democrats talked a lot too UNDER CLINTON!"

Anyway, you can see it's hard for me to talk amid all of this, so let me just say that even though many on the left and right feel times are tough, on balance I think no matter what the challenges, our future still seems bright.

"Our future seemed brighter UNDER CLINTON!"

Comments

[NotMyPrez]

I think we need to ban family dynasties in the WH. Something like the Sullivan law, at least until that President has shuffled off the mortal coil.

9 Republican candidates, 9 Nazghul...­.coinciden­ce? I think not.
lol.

[bringbackimus]

I don't think so. H. Clinton is not better than Bush & Co. I say no to any continuation of the Bush/Clinton dynesty. Lets move on and grow up.

[OtayPanky]

At this point only the most rabid (Bill Kristol, Rush, etc) would argue that the Bushco presidency is anything less than an unmitigated disaster.

The other totally failed presidency of recent memory - Nixon's - had some redeeming features. It's hard to see what the redeeming features are here.

[martinspringfield]

What do you expect? They have nothing left. But reminding people of Clinton is stupid. Only the true wingnuts don't long for the fiscal, organizational, and foreign affairs savvy of Clinton and only the craziest of GOP crazies don't recognize Bush as the biggest imperial disaster since Caligula.

Elsewhere today there is a post on the wisdom of crowds. The American crowd recognizes Bush and crew for the insane clown posse they are.

[AlButerol]

January 1, 2000: Thank God the nightmare of peace and prosperity has finally come to an end.

[LeftRight]

Yes, our future did seem brighter under Clinton, at least until Newt got it through his thick skull that a way to improve their chances of getting elected (at least temporarily) was to completely demonize Bill Clinton, a man who, whatever his faults were, truly cared about making America a better place for all to live their lives, get married, have babies, and let the cycle repeat. Unfortunately on the right he was so demonized that anything he tried to do is now regarded as pure evil.

I was talking to my brother in law the other day, a devout republican. Even though his life was better under Clinton, and he was able to work while his wife stayed home and raised their kids, and now he's unemployed, and cannot find a job (looking more than 8 months now) he is still claiming that everything is better now that we have a "religous" man in office.