10 th American History Unit VI – Looking Toward the Future

1. 10th American HistoryUnit VI – Looking Toward the Future Chapter 23 – Into the Twenty-First Century Section 1 – The Clinton Years

2. The Clinton Years • The Main Idea • Bill Clinton was a new type of Democrat, and his administration faced challenges for a new millennium—and scandals as old as politics. • Reading Focus • What were the key events in the political rise of Bill Clinton? • What were some of the major domestic policy questions facing Clinton? • What were some major foreign-policy challenges facing Clinton? • What events led to scandal and impeachment proceedings during the Clinton presidency?

3. Key Events in the Political Rise of Bill Clinton • Attorney general of Arkansas at 30 years of age • Nation’s youngest governor at 32 years of age (Arkansas) • Chaired the National Governors Association in the late 1980s • Focused on improving education and reforming the welfare system • Chaired the Democratic Leadership Council—an organization of centrists • Sought the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 1992 • Pushed for middle-class tax cuts and a national health-care system • Relied on his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, a top lawyer

4. The 1992 Election Clinton’s running mate was Senator Al Gore of Tennessee. Three way race between Clinton, Republican President George H.W. Bush, and an independent candidate, H. Ross Perot. Clinton presented himself as the protector of the middle class. Clinton won 370 electoral votes to Bush’s 168, although Clinton won less than 50 percent of the popular vote. Perot won 19 percent of the popular vote.

5. Election of 1992 • Election of 1992 • Candidates: • Republican- George W. Bush • Democrat- William Clinton • Reform Party- Ross Perot • Issues - primarily around economic issues and the end of the Cold War. • Campaign- • The third party candidacy of Ross Perot was a true wild card in the campaign. Perot, a self made billionaire, ran a one-issue campaign - deficit reduction. • Clinton’s image of youth convinced many to vote for him. • Outcome- Clinton wins close race 43%to 38% and 370 electoral to 168.

6. President William J. Clinton • 42nd President- 1993 - 2001 Democrat • Who was he? • Domestic Affairs • Health Care reform failed • Welfare reform and crime prevention • Brady Bill- waiting period for hand guns. • “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy toward gays in the military. • Balanced the budget • Appointed women to highest government positions- Albright- Secretary of State, Reno - Attorney General (Waco, Texas stormed by ATF) • World Trade Center Bombed • “Whitewater real estate controversy”- failed business dealings in Arkansas • 2nd President to be impeached. Found not guilty on two articles of impeachment

7. What did Clinton inherit? • Changes in the international position of the United States have complicated the making of its foreign policy • The Bush administration left Clinton a series of unresolved and difficult foreign policy challenges. • A last-minute deployment to the chaos in Somalia, • An escalating war in Bosnia, • An unrepentant Saddam Hussein still firmly controlling Iraq. • A NATO alliance on the verge of obsolescence. • A NAFTA treaty with little hope of being implemented.

8. Domestic-policy Questions Facing Clinton • What to do about the budget deficit • Campaigned on promise to reduce taxes for the middle class • Citing budget deficits, Clinton raised taxes. • Critics complained that the tax increase would hurt the economy but this did not happen. • What to do about health care • Health care costs were rising and tens of millions of Americans had little or no health insurance. • Hillary Clinton headed a special task force which proposed a government-sponsored program of health care. • The plan was defeated after months of debate.

11. The 1994 Election Clinton failed to deliver on his campaign promises, such as tax cuts and a health care plan. Discontent helped contribute to a major Republican victory in the mid-term elections. Republicans campaigned with a document called the Contract with America. The Contract had a plan to balance the budget, fight crime, and provide tax cuts. Republicans gained 54 seats in the House and 8 seats in the Senate—this gave them control of both houses. What to do about welfare? The Contract with America called for changes to the welfare system. Clinton proposed his own welfare-reform plan. It limited the amount of time people could receive benefits. It required most recipients to find work within two years of getting benefits. Congress approved this plan. Domestic Policy Issues

12. Other Domestic Challenges • The internet emerged as a major means of communication and commerce. • People were concerned about inappropriate material on the Internet. • The White House tried to pass a law to limit sexually explicit material, but the Supreme Court ruled that it violated the right to freedom of speech. Internet • Terrorists exploded a bomb in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people. • Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were convicted of the crime. Terrorism • In 1996 Clinton defeated Bob Dole of Kansas. Reelection

13. President William J. Clinton • Foreign Affairs • NAFTA- North American Free Trade Agreement • GATT- Global Agreement on Tariffs and Trade • Ethnic cleansing in Bosnia • Peace in Ireland and Middle East • Pulls troops out of Somalia • Signs START I • Grants diplomatic recognition with Vietnam. • Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles- Arafat and Rabin • 1996-1997- Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act- restricts the availability of suspension of deportation. Tougher for illegal aliens to get to stay due to hardship. Must be in US for 10 years 1st.

14. What were some major foreign-policy challenges facing Clinton? • The Oslo Accords—peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians • Somalia—American forces, who were there to help distribute food to Somalis affected by the civil war, were killed. • Haiti—American forces led a UN effort to remove a military dictator who had taken over the government. • Yugoslavia—Clinton helped bring about the Dayton Accords to stop fighting in the new country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. • NAFTA—Clinton fought for and won passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

15. Foreign Policy Challenges • Oslo Accords • Clinton hosted the signing of a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. • Agreed to self-rule for Palestinians in return for the Palestinians recognizing Israel’s right to exist • Never fully realized • Somalia • Bush sent troops to help the UN distribute food to victims of the civil war. • UN forces also worked to end the fighting. • After a number of Americans died, Clinton withdrew the remaining soldiers. • Stopped U.S. from sending help to Rwanda. • Haiti • Clinton pledged the use of American troops to lead a UN mission to remove a military dictator. • The presence of UN forces helped bring about a generally peaceful change in government.

16. Former Yugoslavia Violence raged between the new countries formed from the breakup of Yugoslavia. Clinton helped broker the Dayton Accords to end fighting in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He urged NATO to act against Serbia. The Serb army was forcing ethnic Albanians from the Serbian region of Kosovo. International Trade Under NAFTA, the United States, Mexico, and Canada became a free-trade zone. Clinton needed to win congressional approval of the agreement. Critics thought NAFTA would cost American jobs. Proponents believed increasing trade would help the economy. Clinton also helped create the World Trade Organization. Foreign Policy Challenges

17. Free Trade and Global Economy • 1994- US joins many countries is adopting GATT- General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. • 1995- WTO- World Trade Organization. (replaces GATT) • Organization that promotes trade and economic development- settling trade disputes and forming rules for global trade. • 1999- Demonstration in Seattle that WTO doesn’t use public input, and its decisions harm the environment, poorer countries, and American Manufacturing workers. • Growing importance of Multinational Corporations. (Enron, WoldCom, etc.) Benefit? • Set minimum standards for most forms of intellectual property. • World Wide anti-globalization protests- violent clashes. • FTAA- 2006 Free trade Area of the Americas- 34 Western Hemisphere countries.

18. NAFTA- North American Free Trade Agreement • Brings US, Canada and Mexico into a free-trade zone. • Supporters- it will strengthen all three economies, and create more jobs. • Opponents- • American jobs would be transferred to Mexico where wages are lower. More than 100,000 low-wage jobs went to Mexico after NAFTA passed. • Environment would be harmed due to Mexico’s lower standards. • Competition with foreign companies caused US companies to keep wages low. • Treaty Ratified- January 1, 1994

19. NAFTA- North American Free Trade Agreement 1:34 min.

21. Russia • President Clinton and his senior advisers have claimed a number of foreign policy successes here. • However, Russia criticized US intervention in Yugoslavia. • US protested Russian attacks against rebels in the Russian region of Chechnya.

22. China • President Clinton and his senior advisers have claimed a number of foreign policy successes here. • Clinton tries to lean on China to give citizens more rights. • Clinton increases trade with China- In Oct. 2000 he got Congress to give China permanent normal trade rights with the US.

23. North Korea • In 1994, Clinton negotiated and signed the Nuclear Accords with North Korea. • The underlying concern was that North Korea was developing nuclear weapons technology under the guise of a nuclear power plant. • In exchange for assistance with energy needs, North Korea agreed to abandon all ambitions for acquiring nuclear weapons.

24. Yugoslavia • 1991- Yugoslavia broke up into 5 nations. • 1991- Bosnia- Serbs began “ethnic cleansing” of certain ethnic groups. Millions of refugees, and over 200,000 killed. Clinton hesitates to help. • 1995- Dayton Accords- U.S helps negotiate a peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and US troops sent in to join NATO troops. • 1998- Kosovo- Serbs attack ethnic Albanians. US and NATO launch air strikes. Violation of International law? • US troops stayed longer than promised- drawing criticism. 9 Years.

25. #2 - History-1:59 min. Kosovo

26. Ethnic Cleansing [00:14]

27. Northern Ireland • The US was encouraged by efforts to end decades of violence between Protestants and Catholics. • 1996- Clinton asks a US Senator to lead talks • 1998- Good Friday Accords- agreement for major reforms in Northern Ireland • Power sharing between Protestants and Catholics. • Demilitarization of the Province • Voters would later agree.

28. Israel and Palestine- The “Oslo Accords” • 1993- PLO leader Yassir Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the agreement in Washington. • Difficult for both sides • Palestinian self-rule in the Gaza Strip and the town of Jericho on the West Bank. • PLO recognize Israel’s right to exist. • Not everyone on both sides agree • 1995- Rabin assassinated by extremist • 1999- New Prime Minister of Israel wants new talks. • Still unable to decide what to do about many things like Jerusalem.

29. Afghanistan and the Taliban • 1996- Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group, seize power. Sanctuary for Osama bin Laden and his terrorists. • Clinton demands the Taliban shut down the terrorist training camps and turn over bin Laden. They refuse. • In 2002, a UPI story stated that documents discovered in Afghanistan showed that al-Qaeda may have plotted to assassinate Clinton toward the end of his term.

30. When the Taliban Ruled Afghanistan [05:38]

31. Osama and Al-Qaeda • Al-Qaeda began to emerge as a major terrorist threat. Al-Qaeda ('The Base') is a conglomerate of groups spread throughout the world operating as a network. • 1998, the group bombed US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. • Aug. 20, 1998- Retaliation- Operation Infinite Reach- a US cruise missile strike on purported terrorist bases in Afghanistan and Sudan • Clinton also gave orders authorizing the arrest or, if need be, assassination of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden • Bin Laden typically selects a few historical incidents, takes them out of their context and twists their significance, and uses them as a rational and moral pretext for his terrorist crimes. • He lists his enemies as #1- America, #2- Sultanates of the Perisan Gulf, #3- Corrupted Islamic states. • Late 2000, the terrorists struck again with the USS Cole bombing. By this time, Clinton has stated he regarded Al-Qaeda as the foremost threat to national security. USS Cole

32. Iraq • Clinton launched military strikes on Iraq several times to punish violations of UN sanctions • Operation Desert Fox was the military code name for a major three-day bombing campaign on Iraqi targets from Dec. 16-18, 1998 by US and UK. • It was a major flare-up in the Iraq disarmament crisis. The goal of the cruise missile and bombing attacks was to "degrade" Saddam Hussein's ability to produce weapons of mass destruction.

33. Somalia- African Country • Pres. Bush had sent troops into Somalia to help distribute food to starving people due to a civil war there. • 1993- Mission had grown to try and end the Civil war there. • American service men were dying in the violence. The worst was Oct. 1993 in Mogadishu- 18 killed and 84 wounded. To capture Idide. • Clinton chooses to withdraw American forces.

34. Somalia- African Country 2:08 min.

35. Rwanda- African Country • 1994- Due to the experience of Somalia, Clinton refused to send forces to Rwanda to stop a terrible genocide claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. • Clinton criticized because he did not intervene militarily to end the Rwandan genocide.

36. Rwanda- African Country-1:54 min.

37. Haiti • 1991- Haitian Military leaders force the first democratically elected President (Jean-Bertrand Aristide) from office. • 1994-American troops were sent to Haiti to force the military rulers to step down.

38. Haiti: Crisis in the Caribbean [02:08]

39. Vietnam • 1994- Clinton lifted the Vietnam trade embargo • Clinton announces normalization of relations with Vietnam without a full accounting of U.S. MIAs and POWs—after having said as a candidate that this "was putting the cart before the horse."

40. Election of 1996 • Election of 1996 • Candidates: • Republican- Bob Dole • Democrat- William Clinton • Campaign- Despite lingering doubts about his ethics and character Americans voting in favor of President Clinton as the lesser of two evils. He skillfully reclaimed the center of political discourse, and successfully labeled the Republicans as the party of extremists. Clinton was aided by the fact that his opponent, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, never seemed to connect with the voter. If elected he would have been the oldest of any to assume the Presidency, and that was deemed by many as too old. • Outcome- Clinton wins wit 50 % of the popular vote.

41. What events led to scandal and impeachment proceedings during the Clinton presidency? • Whitewater real estate deal • Kenneth Starr led an investigation into a failed real estate investment the Clintons were involved in during the 1970s. • Paula Jones sexual harassment case • Jones sued Clinton for sexual harassment while he was governor of Arkansas and she was a state employee. • Information emerged suggesting that Clinton had an improper relationship with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. • Monica Lewinsky case • Clinton accused of lying under oath about Monica Lewinsky. • House approved two articles of impeachment but the Senate did not have the two-thirds majority necessary to convict Clinton.

42. The Impeachment and Removal of the President by Congress (03:38)