PRESIDENT CLINTON1993-2001

ELECTION OF 1992

President Bush lost the election of 1992 mainly because of a bad economy

Bill Clinton & Al Gore focused on the bad economy & unemployment rates during the election campaign

Ross Perot ran a successful grassroots campaign as a very popular third-party candidate because so many people were upset with everyone in Washington

DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Clinton aimed at reducing the budget deficit; he did this by cutting spending & raising taxes.

Clinton passed strong gun control laws & the Family and Medical Leave Act

CONTRACT WITH AMERICA

In 1994 Republicans win a sweeping victory in both houses of Congress when they offered the Contract with America, which was a promise to get back to basic American Values

The Republican Congress and Clinton clash on a new federal budget in 1995 and as a result the government shuts down for 27 days

CLINTON WINS A SECOND TERM

Clinton easily wins reelection in 1996 due to a much improved economy and a historically low unemployment rate

The gross domestic product grows at a rapid rate in 1996 & 1997

President Clinton was able to balance the Federal budget in 1998 because a very strong economy

SCANDALS & IMPEACHMENT

President Clinton was accused of numerous scandals one being the giving of illegal loans to a Real Estate company while he was Gov. of Arkansas.

He was also accused of having an affair with a White House intern

An investigation into these accusations concluded that Clinton committed perjury, or lied under oath, to Senate investigators

Congress brought impeachment charges against Clinton but he was acquitted (not convicted) of these crimes

FOREIGN POLICY

Clinton passed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico & Canada: This eliminated trade barriers between the three nations

Many farmers and other workers feared this would cost them their jobs because of cheap Mexican labor costs

FOREIGN POLICY

Clinton was able to bring Israel and the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) together for a peace agreement in 1993: Israel recognized the PLO as the

representative of the Palestinians PLO recognized Israel’s right to exist

Both sides had trouble with the agreement and violence ensued in the Middle East for the rest of Clinton’s term