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1. Tonight is for the Clintons.

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2. I didn’t agree with a lot of what he did, but there is a lot that I do agree with. And he moved this country forward for 8 years and undid a lot of the damage inflicted by Reagan. (Reagan also did some good things.)

   It’s not so much their time is past as this is not their turn. But in another 8 years, who knows. We could have HRC on the ballot then. And who knows how her politics will evolve over the next 8 years.

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   1. 1. She’ll be 69 years old on Oct. 26, 2016.

      2. Eight years is a long time for Obama to develop a successor–a woman of his generation, for example. Do you think he’ll be eager to help HRC after what has transpired this summer?

      3. In response to redstateblues above, tonight is given over to HRC supporters, to acknowledge they are still stewing in their juices and giving HRC one more chance to call it quits and get her diehard supporters to come over to the Democratic Party’s nominee. It’s not about validating HRC or WJC as heirs to the Kennedy tradition, i.e. passing the torch. Just the opposite.

      I admit that I can’t bring to mind any accomplishments of Bill Clinton, who couldn’t stop the onrush of radical Republicans led by Newt Gingrich. At best he might have vetoed some of their more radical legislation. But maybe memory fails.

      As for Reagan doing some good things: For example (besides leaving office)?

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      1. Bill: eight years of incredible economic growth, reduction of government size, the FLA, pay off substantial portions of debt, and with the low interest rates both corporations and governments refinanced debt for greater profits or lower debt service costs.

         Nothing?

         RR: Worked closely with Congress to tweak Social Security and keep it running well. Broke the bank on military spending….oh, wait.  OK, one thing, anyway.

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         1. …I don’t know what you mean by “the FLA.” Fair Labor Association? Florida Library Association? Google and memory both fail me.

            What was it that Bill did to encourage rapid economic growth during his terms? Buy a new PC every six months? Learn to go online? I dare say Republicans would claim credit for some of that economic growth while they controlled Congress! Ditto Alan Greenspan at the Fed. Does Bill really get credit for corporations refinancing debt when interest rates are low? As for “reducing size of government,” is that an achievement in its own right while at the same time health care, to cite one example of a specific non-accomplishment of HillBill, remains a privilege not a right?

            To put it another way: the Democratic Agenda, at least as I understand it, did not advance during Clinton administrations, which is one reason that Democrats didn’t yearn to return to them good ol’ days when Hillary gave them the chance.

            For comparison, look at the JFK-LBJ eight years. The point of this whole election, and of last night’s convention program, is/was to underscore the idea that we now have a chance to pick up where JFK/LBJ left off. Human rights. Economic rights. Social welfare. The dismal period 1968-2006 was a Republican era, and neither Carter nor Clinton did very much to alter that–including seeing to it that they were succeeded by another Democrat in the White House.

            WJC can’t stand that thought, which is why, I submit, that he seemingly is having trouble reconciling himself to Obama. Barack represents a full-stop to the “Clinton era” that never quite was.

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            1. Family Leave Act?  Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA),  Yes, that’s more correct.  Sorry.

               On Secretary of Labor Robert Reich ” During his tenure, he implemented the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), fought sweatshops, successfully promoted increasing the minimum wage, improved workplace safety, successfully lobbied to pass the Pension Protection Act and the School-to-Work Jobs Act, and launched a number of job training programs.” (Wikipedia, of course.) That’s all under Bill Clinton who you say didn’t do anything.

               Turning to the economy, permit me to teach you some macro-economics.  Bill raised taxes on the rich to raise revenue, reduced the federal budget, those actions allowed the Feds to pay off huge portions of our debt run up by the previous Republcan administrations.  When the federal government isn’t borrowing money on the open market competing with corporations, the value (i.e., interest) of money drops.  Corporations, states, and municipalities could then borrow cheaper money and pay off old, more expensive debts.

               Man, I cannot believe how much hatred you have for the Clintons. You don’t have to love them, I don’t, but how about spending a few minutes away from the altar of St. Obama now and then?  You are as prejudiced as any Reagan worshipper.

               Clinton did a lot of things I don’t like: NAFTA, the 1996 Telecommunications Act, the hand out to corporate America.  But looking at the big picture, it was a good time for America.

               I don’t know about you, but I could use another eight years of peace and prosperity. I hope Obama brings it, and I think he can. (Hey, give me credit! Since there isn’t a Dem choice now, I’m seeing the good stuff in BO.)

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            2. Ok, forget those small things like Vietnam, The Bay of Pigs, ongoing deficit spending, and in JFK’s case, doing as little as possible on civil rights.

               They were both good presidents but they weren’t perfect.

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               1. LBJ was an amazing legislator, but a mediocre president. Vietnam turned into what it turned into because of his ignorance and micromanagement. His major domestic achievements were thanks to his mastery of parliamentary procedure, a skill he learned in the Senate. Had Kennedy lived, there would have never been a Johnson presidency.

                  Having said that, though, he got the country through a tremendously difficult time after the assassination. And you’re right David, Kennedy was a bust on civil rights, Johnson did far more–and sacrificed the South because of it.

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