The Significance of the Clinton Presidency of the Democrat Party

The Significance of the Clinton Presidency of the Democrat Party

Clinton was the first Democrat to serve two full terms as president

since Franklin D. Roosevelt. His election ended an era in which the

Republican party had controlled the White House for 12 consecutive

years, and for 20 of the previous 24 years. That election also brought

the Democrats full control of the political branches of the federal

government, including both houses of U.S. Congress as well as the

presidency, for the first time since the administration of the last

Democratic president, Jimmy Carter. He was a much needed charismatic

and centrist leader to unite the party.

Clinton's first act as president was to sign executive order 12834

(entitled "Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Appointees"), which

placed substantial restrictions upon the ability of his senior

political appointees to lobby their colleagues after they leave

office. Clinton rescinded the order shortly before he left office in

executive order 13184 of December 28, 2000.

Shortly after taking office, Clinton fulfilled a campaign promise by

signing the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, which required large

employers to allow their employees to take unpaid leave because of

pregnancy or serious medical condition. While this action was popular,

Clinton's initial reluctance to fulfill another campaign promise

relating to the acceptance of openly homosexual members of the

military garnered criticism from both the left (for being too

tentative in promoting gay rights) and the right (for being too

insensitive to military life). After much debate, Clinton implemented

the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, which remains official military

policy.

The most important item on Clinton's legislative agenda, however, was

a complex health care reform plan, the result of a taskforce headed by

Hillary Clinton, aimed at achieving universal coverage. Though

initially well-received, it was ultimately doomed by well-organized

opposition from conservatives and the health insurance industry. It

was the first major legislative defeat of Clinton's administration.

After two years of Democratic party control under Clinton's

leadership, the mid-term elections in 1994 proved disastrous for the