Bill Clinton Would Be 'In Charge of Revitalizing the Economy,' Hillary Clinton Says

[Jingthing]

I am actually surprised a lot. I see the Bill benefit but doesn't this kind of weaken her I am woman I am strong card. This would really be a 2 for 1.

[impulse]

Remember he was the start of the economic disaster!

Not quite. The big economic debate in Bush vs. Gore 2000 was how to spend the budget surplus left by 8 years of Clinton.

The budget surplus claimed by Bill Clinton was nothing but an accounting trick, which pushed current expenditures off into later years, after he was out of office.

Strange, then, that even the Republican candidates were debating in the primaries whether to use the surplus to pay down the debt, reduce taxes or fund new programs.

Tax breaks for the rich won out, of course. Tax breaks for the rich and $$$ trillion adventures in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Edited May 16, 2016 by impulse

[mgjackson69]

Remember he was the start of the economic disaster!

Not quite. The big economic debate in Bush vs. Gore 2000 was how to spend the budget surplus left by 8 years of Clinton.

The budget surplus claimed by Bill Clinton was nothing but an accounting trick, which pushed current expenditures off into later years, after he was out of office.

Strange, then, that even the Republican candidates were debating in the primaries whether to use the surplus to pay down the debt, reduce taxes or fund new programs.

Tax breaks for the rich won out, of course. Tax breaks for the rich and $$$ trillion adventures in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Not strange at all.

Neither party has a problem squabbling over spending money that does not exist. Clinton could "show" a surplus, and the voters would not listen beyond those magic words. It would require too much effort for too little gain, and an understanding of the governmental budgeting process, which unfortunately most of the US public does not have.

So then it became "let's figure out what the voters will like best about how to spend this surplus money that does not exist". Had there been a true budget surplus (more money taken in taxes than spent, in the same year), it should have been used to pay down the national debt. Or refunded back to the taxpayers on a percentage basis. Of course the liberals would not like that last option, because the person that paid zero taxes ("the poor") would not get any freebies.

[NovaBlue05]

I think Bill's payback to her for his decades of womanizing shenanigans should be considered paid in full on Inauguration Day. I don't think he wants the White House hassle one bit at this stage in his life. The best years of his post-presidency were no doubt the 4 years Obama kept Hillary out of the US as payback for Bill's 2008 endorsement. Just a few speeches and a small harem to keep him feeling young and he can do quite nicely

[Trouble]

Good. People of a certain age know the facts, that Bill Clinton performed remarkably well on economic issues. Trump's low information followers long for the good old days of Henry Ford style fascist isolationism, minorities under the thumb of white men ... the real good old days are the ECONOMY under Bill Clinton.

How is Hillary going to keep Bill off Jeffrey Epstein's private jet and his trips to the Caribbean for sex. Maybe she will help Bill bring in the underage girls to the White House.

[Trouble]

I think Bill's payback to her for his decades of womanizing shenanigans should be considered paid in full on Inauguration Day. I don't think he wants the White House hassle one bit at this stage in his life. The best years of his post-presidency were no doubt the 4 years Obama kept Hillary out of the US as payback for Bill's 2008 endorsement. Just a few speeches and a small harem to keep him feeling young and he can do quite nicely

Secretly, Bill is hoping Hillary will loose the election so he can continue on with his activities.

[Jingthing]

Good. People of a certain age know the facts, that Bill Clinton performed remarkably well on economic issues. Trump's low information followers long for the good old days of Henry Ford style fascist isolationism, minorities under the thumb of white men ... the real good old days are the ECONOMY under Bill Clinton.

How is Hillary going to keep Bill off Jeffrey Epstein's private jet and his trips to the Caribbean for sex. Maybe she will help Bill bring in the underage girls to the White House.

That comment is just too much of a flame and too stupid.

Welcome to my ignore list.

[boomerangutang]

"And especially in places like coal country and inner cities and other parts of our country that have really been left out."

That matches up nicely with "...we're going to put a lot of coal miners out of work..."

Coal mining is a career on the outs. The big coal corps are going under one by one. Republicans aren't expected to fathom this, but the trends (and the smart money) is going towards cleaner energy, renewables.

HRC got legislation passed to beef up coal miner's pensions - $30 million worth because many of the failing coal businesses didn't have viable pension plans.

What has Trump done for miners? ...except blow promises out his pie hole while attempting to get their adulation? Indeed, he wouldn't even know how to pass legislation, even if he wanted to. He thinks as prez he can just wave a golden wand, and his wishes will be fulfilled. It that doesn't work, no problem, he'll just yell and shout threats at people - he's good at that.

[Dagnabbit]

Well, there really are no words. Did she really tell voters to elect her because her husband knew how to do the job? I think senility is slowly setting in, and just in time for the FBI interview.

And people complain about nepotism in Thailand!

PMSL!

[arjunadawn]

Hillary Clinton, celebrating her candidacy by elevating her husband's, is a real time example of how very deficient and vacuous a human she really is.

Besides painting the non-elected de facto third term role of her husband as Putinesque, what she suggests seems very un-American!

HRC crafts a Frankenstein hybrid of Obama's legacy, but nepotistically splices in her husband, Bill, all under the banner of yet a third face, her own, and offers that she is fit to be president. Vacuous.

"Two for the price of one" proved to be double the amount of crap America had to wade through. Why on earth would anyone think wading through twice as much Sh%%t again would be a good idea?

These Springer Show dolts truly are the worst we offer as a people.

[keemapoot]

I am actually surprised a lot. I see the Bill benefit but doesn't this kind of weaken her I am woman I am strong card. This would really be a 2 for 1.

I think she is playing the "President Bill" card early. I think she always knew she had to pull him out of her hat, but because of all the negatives early in the campaign, her low popularity, and low trustworthiness, she is pulling him out her hat early. He may be the one thing that can guarantee her the Presidency as she is in the doldrums again, only this time against the weirdest, most incoherent candidate ever.

She has to find an important and ground-breaking role for Bill to play. Again, in a year where all the rules are off, this will redefine the role of the Presidency (without bypassing the constitution hopefully). It looks like this idea of Economy Czar is it. The Republicans not only have to slay Hilary, they have to KILL BILL this election.

[Boon Mee]

Heh...it's definitely 'flop-sweat' time if Hillary has to drag out her impeached husband.

[bassman]

Good. People of a certain age know the facts, that Bill Clinton performed remarkably well on economic issues. Trump's low information followers long for the good old days of Henry Ford style fascist isolationism, minorities under the thumb of white men ... the real good old days are the ECONOMY under Bill Clinton.

Oh, back to playing the race card. What's next the woman's card? Thought this was about Bill and his role in the Hillary administration.

[bassman]

Sure it's unconventional for a first man to take such an active role.

But welcome to lots of firsts.

Our first woman president.

Possibly our first woman vice president (Elizabeth Warren).

Our first first man.

Our first first lady or man who was previously a very successful TWO TERM president.

That sure beats the threat of our first psychopathic fascist demagogue with ZERO political office or governing experience.

And now JT throws out the woman's card. Hillary really is dropping like a rock in the poles, desperate times maybe.

The problem is Hillary is damaged goods, the more she talks the less she is liked. She has been running as an Obama clone, but now that Obama is breaking records deporting illegal aliens, she wants to reach back into the good ole days of Bill. And slick Willey gave America NAFTA extremely unpopular in the former manufacturing states that are now called the rust belt.

Could you please stay on topic?

[webfact]

Hillary Clinton and the 2-for-1 presidency
By LISA LERER and CATHERINE LUCEY

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The notion of a 2-for-1 Clinton presidency is back.

Recalling sunnier days of growth, low unemployment and budget surpluses under her husband, Hillary Clinton is telling Americans that Bill Clinton will be "in charge of revitalizing the economy" if she wins the White House.

What his work would be remains unclear: not a cabinet post, she indicated. But, as she has been saying for months, she expects him to play a leading role.

Bill Clinton reigned over a strong economy, especially in the final years of his presidency, yet his economic legacy is mixed.


The late 1990s were the last period to see sustained income gains for the typical American household. Middle-income wages have stagnated since then.

But his refusal to step up regulation of exotic financial instruments known as derivatives was blamed in large measure for the collapse of the financial sector years later. The tech bubble of his time burst. And his agenda was driven by support for free trade deals, including one that gave China better access to the U.S. market, that are held responsible by elements of both parties for driving jobs out of the country.

Still, in those pre-9/11 days, it's a stretch of peace and prosperity like Americans haven't seen since and with her latest remarks, in Kentucky, Hillary Clinton is more firmly laying out how important he would be to her agenda.

The situation is highly unusual: Not only would Clinton be the first president to have a "First Dude," she'd also be the first to have a former president in the East Wing.

Now, facing a two-front fight against Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, she's stressing that Bill Clinton would be an asset in her administration, particularly with the kind of Southern white voters who once backed him but now are drawn to Trump.

"Tell me anybody else who's been here as much or knows us as well," said Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, of Bill Clinton, during a campaign event in West Virginia. Hillary Clinton lost that primary — a state her husband won by double digits — earlier this month to Sanders.

The GOP front-runner and his team are making a different political bet. They see Bill Clinton's history of scandal as ripe for exploitation.

Still, in recent weeks, Clinton has begun sketching out a bit more of a role for her husband, though there is great ambiguity. She told West Virginians that he'd focus on helping economically distressed communities, like those in coal county, reinvent themselves in a changing economy.

"You'll get sick of seeing him," she said earlier this month. "This gets him really, really excited."

Spokesman Nick Merrill said Monday that despite the candidate's description of her husband's in-charge role, Clinton would be getting ahead of herself to talk about "any sort of formalized role for anyone." But, he added, Bill Clinton "has a lot to offer and it would be foolish not to use that in some capacity."

More any other political couple in recent American history, the Clintons have long viewed themselves as a joint package. Shortly after entering the White House, Clinton appointed his wife to head the administration's effort to pass a major health care bill. The failed measure became known as "Hillarycare."

But as the party has shifted to the left during the Obama administration, Hillary Clinton repeatedly found herself forced to repudiate key pieces of her husband's legacy during her primary campaign. She's distanced herself from the North American Free Trade Agreement, the federal law that defined marriage as between one man and one woman, and the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that banned gays and lesbians from military service. Hillary Clinton has also faced criticism for backing the 1994 crime bill, which led to tougher sentencing for drug offenses.

Her campaign is calculating that in the general election, Bill Clinton's strong economic record outweighs the criticism. Over the next 10 days, Bill Clinton is scheduled to campaign in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, New Mexico, California, South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana.

Late in Clinton's presidency, unemployment dropped to 3.9 percent, its lowest level since 1970. It's 5 percent now — and he set a record in monthly job growth in the post-World War II era. Growth averaged 3.8 percent, better than the record under Ronald Reagan and a far cry from the 0.5 percent of the last quarter or the 1.4 percent of the quarter before. But Clinton also came to office when a recession was ending; Barack Obama stepped into a worsening one that would be unrivaled since the Depression.

Broadly-shared prosperity is what President Clinton is known for, so I am thrilled Hillary is deploying my old boss," said former Clinton aide Paul Begala. "Wherever two or more are gathered, there, too, should he be."

Campaigning in a smoky diner in Paducah, Kentucky, on Monday, Clinton was surrounded by people who affectionately recalled previous visits by the Clintons. Bill Clinton campaigned in the town right before the 1992 election that made him president.

Joanne Clark, 54, exclaimed that she had shaken hands with Bill Clinton all those years ago. "He's gotta get out of retirement!" replied Hillary Clinton.

___

Lerer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Julie Bykowicz and Christopher S. Rugaber in Washington contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-05-17

[tomwct]

Remember he was the start of the economic disaster!

Yes, Billie, The Rapist" started the housing crisis. He appointed Cuomo of NY, now governor to Secretary of Housing. Cuomo did away with credit qualifications and the housing market went down from there. Any income, was accepted, including welfare payments, unemployment payments, Food Stamps were considered income, ect! Another words, the home loans were doomed from day one!

[keemapoot]

Trump's job just got harder. He has to work on discrediting Bill as well as Hilary now that Hilary has confirmed what everybody knew all along: Bill will be chief guru to Hilary in probably every meaningful way. He will act outside the cabinet, outside anything other than a consultant or something, but his presence and power will be palpable and if Hilary is CEO Bill is clearly Chairman of the Board.

Hilary always thought she could do it on her own, but she's learning that Bill is the real winner in the family. She will let him take his place as unofficial "3rd" term President. She's doing the smart thing, putting her ego aside early to win. Without this move, she is in danger of losing.

[lannarebirth]

Good. People of a certain age know the facts, that Bill Clinton performed remarkably well on economic issues. Trump's low information followers long for the good old days of Henry Ford style fascist isolationism, minorities under the thumb of white men ... the real good old days are the ECONOMY under Bill Clinton.

People of a certain age know there's a 5-10 year lag between the implementation of an economic policy and seeing any results from that policy. That differs from Federal Reserve directed fiscal and monetary policy which has a 6-18 month lag. people also know bill Clinton was the beneficiary of an internet inspired stock market bubble, with the accompanying "wealth affect". People also know that the only budget surplus in many years was a direct result of increased capital gains tax revenues as a result of that stock market bubble. So, does this mean another stock market bubble and resultant crash is in the works?

[lannarebirth]

Bill Clinton Would Be 'In Charge of Revitalizing the Economy,' Hillary Clinton Says.....

Well blow me......down!

Yet, HRC keeps parroting Obama with regard to how vibrant the economy is now. She lauds his economic policies, which are none.

[lannarebirth]

Hillary Clinton, celebrating her candidacy by elevating her husband's, is a real time example of how very deficient and vacuous a human she really is.

Besides painting the non-elected de facto third term role of her husband as Putinesque, what she suggests seems very un-American!

HRC crafts a Frankenstein hybrid of Obama's legacy, but nepotistically splices in her husband, Bill, all under the banner of yet a third face, her own, and offers that she is fit to be president. Vacuous.

"Two for the price of one" proved to be double the amount of crap America had to wade through. Why on earth would anyone think wading through twice as much Sh%%t again would be a good idea?

These Springer Show dolts truly are the worst we offer as a people.

"Two for the price of one". So you don't think she's going to try and work Chelsea into the act? I do.

[NovaBlue05]

Good. People of a certain age know the facts, that Bill Clinton performed remarkably well on economic issues. Trump's low information followers long for the good old days of Henry Ford style fascist isolationism, minorities under the thumb of white men ... the real good old days are the ECONOMY under Bill Clinton.

People of a certain age know there's a 5-10 year lag between the implementation of an economic policy and seeing any results from that policy. That differs from Federal Reserve directed fiscal and monetary policy which has a 6-18 month lag. people also know bill Clinton was the beneficiary of an internet inspired stock market bubble, with the accompanying "wealth affect". People also know that the only budget surplus in many years was a direct result of increased capital gains tax revenues as a result of that stock market bubble. So, does this mean another stock market bubble and resultant crash is in the works?

I now await the rebuttal that your assertion confirms Bill Clinton's genius as he had the foresight to name the inventor of the internet as his VP

[shirtless]

Cronyism at its best, Hillary could not run a bbq at a cattle farm.

[boomerangutang]

Looked at objectively (very difficult for Republicans to do) Bill is a very capable man. His mind is still sharp and he has compassion for less-fortunate folks.

As First Gentleman, he could focus on just about any topics he chose. He could opt to focus on environmental concerns (that would have been my first choice, if I were First Gentleman). Yet he's adept at economic issues, among several other things.

Take a moment to look at First Ladies: Each one in the historical record had things they focused on - things which they were particularly concerned (and usually knowledgeable) about.

>>>> Nancy Reagan had her "Just Say No" campaign (Republicans loved it, Dems knew it was a losing proposition. It wound up criminalizing tens of thousands of Americans who did nothing more than toke on a joint. It's a big reason why the US has so many prisoners).

>>>> Hillary, when First Lady, tried to start on a Health Care program which would benefit poor Americans (Republicans shot it in their zeal to protect Big Pharma).

>>>> Barbara Bush focused on literacy/libraries for children.

>>>> Michelle has a campaign to encourage Americans to grow organic veges.

So why (according to Republican Attack Machine) should Bill not have an area of concern to focus upon?

[Boon Mee]

So why (according to Republican Attack Machine) should Bill not have an area of concern to focus upon?

Bonking Bimbos on private jets to Caribbean islands courtesy of a convicted sex offender is not a valid 'area of concern of focus upon'

Edited May 17, 2016 by Boon Mee

[boomerangutang]

Cronyism at its best, Hillary could not run a bbq at a cattle farm.

Your cynicism is self-imposed. You'd feel better about yourself if you eased up on your 'sky is falling' fixation.

Edited May 17, 2016 by boomerangutang

[boomerangutang]

So why (according to Republican Attack Machine) should Bill not have an area of concern to focus upon?

Bonking Bimbos on private jets to Caribbean islands courtesy of a convicted sex offender is not a valid 'area of concern of focus upon'

Your desperation and lack of any reasonable argument (why the Clintons shouldn't do things to benefit Americans) is showing.

[slipperylobster]

Good. People of a certain age know the facts, that Bill Clinton performed remarkably well on economic issues. Trump's low information followers long for the good old days of Henry Ford style fascist isolationism, minorities under the thumb of white men ... the real good old days are the ECONOMY under Bill Clinton.

Many American friends and colleagues told me the reason Bill Clinton got off when caught lying to the American people was because the economy was o k at the time. He could be forgiven for lying about Monica but would have been crucified if the economy was crap at the time.

However, something distasteful about a country that considers itself god fearing, whatever sect you like to be, moral, ethical and like lecturing other countries, electing a known liar as President, who will appoint her husband, also a known liar, to a key position in her administration. Both are in the pocket of Wall Street; both are mercenary. Dubious at best.

That's not suggesting the opposition is a wonderful choice either. Welcome America to the sort of choices we in Europe have had to put up with for years - who is the least worst rather than the best!

" electing a known liar as President,"

That is the goal of both parties.

Trump is no more honest than Clinton.

The big difference is that Trump doesn't know enough about how the government functions to even realize he lies are only fantasies.

Even the pentagon has stated that if Trump becoms Comander and Chiet, the pentagon would be obligated by the constitution to disobey him if he tries to do what he claims he will do.

Both candidates are very dishonest.

One just has more experience in and knowledge of government than the other.

If a third candidate is not elected, the country and the world are in for a world of hurt.

If the majority of Americans elect either of these two, they will get what they deserve and regret it....

Regret it along with many other people of the world.

Clinton goes beyond lying...she is a criminal, involved in criminal investigations. FBI has it pretty much nailed, and expect charges to be filed within months.

Trump has no criminal investigations going on...as we speak (lol.)

By default, Trump will win. That is pretty much clear. Bernie can beat Clinton (and really only has to wait for the FBI to finish their criminal investigation). Bernie will get the nomination for this reason. However, he is no match for Trump, for the popular vote.

I don't care two bits how much experience crooked, lying hillary has....it's all bad. Nothing good came from it.

[mrwebb8825]

So, with Bill on the ticket, when Hill goes to prison will he just step right on up and continue campaigning as "Clinton for Prez"? After all, the name's the same. The only rules for POTUS is you can't be elected for more than 2 consecutive terms in the same party. No rules against being elected for a 3rd term 16 yrs departed from your last term.

Of course, they'd have to redo all the "vs Clinton" polls to see if he could be beaten. (<-pun intended)

[chilli42]

The fact that the US economy happened to be in good shape during his presidency has zero to fo with his economic prowess. Bill Clinton is a great brand name to throw around during the election but I have zero confidence that he has a prescription for the big down turn that is heading our way.

[boomerangutang]

The fact that the US economy happened to be in good shape during his presidency has zero to fo with his economic prowess. Bill Clinton is a great brand name to throw around during the election but I have zero confidence that he has a prescription for the big down turn that is heading our way.

So, do you think "a big (economic) down turn" is inevitable? Maybe so, but if Mr. Clinton wants to devote his time and smarts to trying to improve the US economy and to try to assist the downtrodden, then more power to him. I admired him before, and I admire him now. Usually men who have had great careers and are graying, are apt to downshift and relax in their senior years. Carter is another example of an energized former prez who is active every day, trying to do what he can to improve the lives of disadvantaged. Carter is involved with Habitat For Humanity, and he's actually out there hammering nails and rubbing shoulders with Latinos and others, ......sweating, sharing laughs, swapping stories. What did Bush Sr do when retired? Skydived. What did Bush Jr do when retired? I honestly don't know.

I'm in my 60's. I was never famous or rich, but I like to stay active each day - outdoors if possible. Yesterday and today I transplanted 9 trees which happen to be a type of palm which are the largest and among the oldest family of palms in the world. They existed for 15 million years, side by side with dinosaurs. I admire people like Carter and Clinton who choose to stay active in their senior years - to do what they can to try and improve the country they love.