Fiscal Commission Compared to Clinton
By Chris Edwards
The Obama fiscal commission’s draft report suggested that federal spending be reduced from 25.1% of GDP today to 22% by 2020, and lower after that. That’s a reasonable goal for a centrist kind of commission, but let’s remember that spending was just 18.2% in President Clinton’s last two fiscal years, 2000 and 2001.
For the final report, the commission’s staff might look to Clinton’s budgets for guidance. The chart shows federal spending as a share of GDP in fiscal 2001 and fiscal 2012. Fiscal 2001 was Clinton’s last year, and it was before all of President Bush and Obama’s spending increases. I choose 2012 as the end year because most of the “stimulus” spending will be finished by then, defense is supposed be down a bit as foreign troops are partly withdrawn, and the economy will have hopefully recovered. Based on President Obama’s Mid-Session Review, spending in fiscal 2012 will be 23.0% of GDP.
Total federal spending is expected to increase 4.8 percentage points of GDP between 2001 and 2012. The chart shows that increases have occurred in every part of the budget-entitlements, defense, and domestic spending. Thus, the Obama fiscal commission is on the right track to propose cuts across all areas of the budget. However, it needs to be about 4 percentage points of GDP more aggressive in downsizing the government to get us down to Clinton-level spending.
Fiscal Commission Compared to Clinton is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
Bill Clinton joins cast of The Hangover 2
First Mike Tyson and now … Bill Clinton?
Sure enough, that will be the former president sharing screen-time with the fun-loving guys in The Hangover 2, now filming in Thailand, a Clinton source confirms to PEOPLE.
FULL STORY
Bill Clinton to Appear in ‘Hangover 2′
Former President Bill Clinton will be appearing in the sequel of the hit film "The Hangover."
As reported by People Sunday:
Cantor Pre-Empts Clinton, Ctd
A reader writes:
You asked, “There are no parallels with this kind of direct undermining of the president on foreign policy that I can think of. Am I wrong?”
I can think of at least two from the Washington administration and one by Nixon against LBJ.
In 1791, Secretary of State Jefferson was involved in talks with the British ambassador. Hamilton, fearful that Jefferson would take too hard a line, “secretly informed British officials that the secretary of state’s views did not represent administration policy and hence implied that they could be disregarded with impunity.” (Alexander DeConde, A History of American Foreign Policy, p. 49) Three years later, he undermined John Jay, who had been sent by President Washington to negotiate a treaty with the British: “Fearing any action that might endanger relations with the British, Hamilton blunted the only coercive weapon Jay possessed. He told the British minister in Philadelphia that American policy was predicated on the principle of avoiding entanglement in European affairs and hence the US would not join the new armed neutrality. Hamilton thus weakened Jay’s already shaky bargaining position.” (DeConde, p. 55).
More recently, and infamously, in October 1968, fearing an “October surprise,” the Nixon campaign used Anna Chennault to communicate to the Thieu government in South Vietnam that it should resist pressure from LBJ to participate in peace talks with the North Vietnamese. Vice President Ky wrote: “out of the blue, Nixon’s supporters stepped into the picture. Approaches were made to Bui Diem, the Vietnamese ambassador in Washington, to the effect, ‘Hold on! Don’t accept the invitation to go to Paris. If Mr. Nixon is elected President he promises he will increase support for the Vietnam War.’” (Larry Berman, No Peace, No Honor, p. 33.)
These were all secret, of course – not public. But sadly we have a history of undermining a sitting president’s foreign policy, all talk of politics ending at the water’s edge notwithstanding.
The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan
Richardson Says Clinton Still Angry
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D), who served in former President Bill Clinton’s cabinet but then backed Barack Obama for president in 2008, told the Dallas Morning News “that he gets along great with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But Bill Clinton is another matter.”
Said Richardson: “We haven’t talked. He’s a little sore.”
Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire
Cantor Pre-Empts Clinton
He sides with the leader of a foreign country against the president of the U.S. on an issue of great diplomatic significance. Cantor, of course, directly supports Israel's continued occupation and colonization of the West Bank and uncontrolled settlement construction.Of course, just as significant as Cantor's direct attempt to undermine his own president by siding with a foreign leader is that foreign leader's agreement to meet with him in order to advance the cause of Greater Israel.
The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan
Clinton: Palestinians shouldn’t try for UN recognition, says talks need to resume, announces $150m more for Palestinians
ABC News’ Kirit Radia reports: With Israel announcing plans to build new housing units in East Jerusalem in the past week the Palestinians have reiterated their threat to seek UN recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state on their own in the absence of process in the Mideast peace talks.
Political Punch
The Lighter Side Of Hillary Clinton
We don’t often get to see Secretary Clinton in anything other than the most somber circumstances, so this chat she had with a couple of Australian comedians is quite fun. This clip closes with some news anchors wishing out loud that Clinton would emigrate.
Matthews: Had You Seen This Hillary Clinton in 2008 She Might Be President
Chris Matthews is suddenly getting a thrill up his leg for somebody other than Barack Obama.
On Tuesday's "Hardball," before playing a video clip of the Secretary of State joking around with some comedians in Australia, the host told his viewers, "Had you seen this Hillary Clinton back in 2008, I think a lot of people would have made her president" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
Matthews: Had You Seen This Hillary Clinton in 2008 She Might Be President
Chris Matthews is suddenly getting a thrill up his leg for somebody other than Barack Obama.
On Tuesday's "Hardball," before playing a video clip of the Secretary of State joking around with some comedians in Australia, the host told his viewers, "Had you seen this Hillary Clinton back in 2008, I think a lot of people would have made her president" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
