The Shreveport Times | March 25, 2002 | John Baldwin
Posted on 3/26/02 12:17 PM Pacific by Skooz
When conservatives object to spending money on social programs, they are quick to raise philosophical concerns about "throwing money at problems." They prefer to throw money at rich people, which they call "job creation" or "economic stimulus," or some such.
But what do they call the $70 million special prosecutor Robert Ray spent to prove President Bill Clinton and wife Hillary were innocent of wrongdoing in the Whitewater matter? Whitewater was nothing more than a ruse to cripple Clinton's presidency. Coupled with the negative effect of the Lewinsky affair, it contributed to the demise of several Clinton initiatives. There still is no prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients. Health insurance company clerks continue to determine the level of medical care available to clients, protected from lawsuits by a federal law unique to their industry. Universal health insurance still is years in the future.
I never will argue Clinton was a flawless leader. He had an obvious weakness for women. He followed the political advice of Sen. Trent Lott's pal Dick Morris even when that advice ran counter to the core principles of the Democratic Party. He capitulated to the Newt Gingrich-Lott cabal on Capitol Hill when it wasn't necessary to do so. But - he salvaged the economy in the face of near unanimous GOP opposition to his economic plan. He protected freedom of choice for women from Congressional attempts to narrow that right. He secured passage of the Family Medical Leave Act, allowing workers to care for members of their families without jeopardizing their employment. He proposed and won passage of an increase in the minimum wage. He eliminated unemployment as a serious problem for almost all working Americans. He appointed clear-thinking moderates to the Supreme Court.
Clinton did lie about his relationship with Lewinsky. I don't know of a married man with a daughter who wouldn't lie in similar circumstances. Frankly, if Clinton was lying to avoid hurting his family, I don't have much of a problem with that.
Clinton was not the best husband ever to occupy the White House, but then we didn't elect him because of his credentials as a family man. In his concern for the poor and minorities, his determination to rebuild the social safety net, his interest in the economic welfare of middle class Americans, he was the best president in my lifetime, even acknowledging his imperfections.
It's gratifying to know the special prosecutor, who now is running for office himself, ultimately determined Clinton to be guilty of nothing at all. I wonder what the American people think of his use of their tax dollars in the process.
John Baldwin is an educator who lives in Shreveport. His column appears Mondays. Write to him in care of The Times, P.O. Box 30222, Shreveport, LA 71130-0222.