[pipecorp]

To a large extent, Bill Clinton "got the values right" on welfare reform. And because he did, Clinton not only helped end welfare as we know it, but he helped end welfare as we know it before anyone even knew it.

IIRC, this "reform" was shoved down his throat, he did not embrace it.

revisionist history?

[Coldwater Creek]

Clinton's welfare reform must have been a one day stand, because the situation with the cradle to grave people here in memphis has only gotten worse.

[ClearCase_guy]

Critically, Clinton's rhetorical boldness helped create a climate where national leaders could finally acknowledge the obvious -- that unwed childbearing, not race, was at the heart of our nation's welfare problem.

Yes. Democrats always say this. Democrats always deny that race is a factor in poverty. Democrats always encourage sexual responsibility, and they always emphasize the importance of marriage between a man and a woman. Yup. They sure do.

And monkeys always fly out of my butt.

[Northern Yankee]

Didn't Clinton veto the bill twice, and only signed it, kicking and screaming, because his political advisors told him it would help his re-election chances?

[RexBeach]

OMG. Historical revisionism at its best.

Mr. Clinton was dragged to the welfare reform well by Republicans in the Congress. He kicked and screamed all the way.

I'll give the author this much, however: He sure can slice a cake thinly. My goodness, this is some mighty good parsing.

[Always Right]

Yes Clinton only played lip-service to conservative ideas, but I wish our current President would even play lip service to conservative ideas. I would love to hear Bush say something like 'the era of big government is over'.

[Leatherneck_MT]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[wayoverontheright]

If Clinton was so "right" he must not have been aware of it himself. On more than one occaision after signing the bill, he stated in reference to welfare reform, "I think we went too far".

Welfare reform is the only thing from his administration that has passed the test of time, I'm sorry, giving him credit for being "right" would require for me that what he did wasn't totally political, and would require a degree of certainty on his part. If history isn't revised, Newt Gingrich is responsible for welfare reform.

[Waco]

Seems we have a Robert Rectem problem today.

[callthemlikeyouseethem]

[reagan_fanatic]

At one point in the speech, the president imagined what Martin Luther King, Jr. would say if he were "to reappear by my side today and give us a report card."

Sometimes, you need a little reminder like that to fully appreciate Mr. Clinton's massive ego and understand what his Presidency was really all about - self-absorbtion.

[usastandsunited]

I think as time passes on, we will realize Clinton was a good president. Look at what party is parading in front of us now.

[Obie Wan]

We all know the facts but apparently Robert Rector doesn't !!!

[gedeon3]

Total bull sh*t. He had no choice because the bill was veto proof. He himself said he was signing it reluctantly.
Bill clinton was, is, and will always be wrong.

[Arrowhead1952]

Note to Robert Rector, you can gold plate a turd, but there is nothing but $#** under the gold.

Robert Rector is just doing his best to create a legacy for X#42.

[bandleader]

Is this a BARF ALERT?He vetoed the legislation when first presented!This sounds a little like "I Voted For It,Before I Voted Against It"(only in reverse)!!!!!!!!!!!

[ohioWfan]

Is Rector a liberal wolf in sheep's clothing, or just a fellow with a really bad memory??

[Condor51]

Going back and reviewing some Rector's previous work all I can say is -- someone replaced him with a mind numbed Pod Person who wrote this nonsense.

[hollywood]

Gosh, we had one heck of 2-man team back then, didn't we: one invented welfare reform, and the other, the internet. Oh, for the good old days.

[uncbob]

Next this author will be extolling Clinton's passage of the middle class tax cut

Oh wait I forgot "He never worked so hard at anything in his life but just couldn't find the means "