These periodic ramblings are written, produced and directed by Ronald Dale Karr, University of Massachusetts Lowell. Obviously, the opinions expressed here are my own, not those of the University.
Amid yawns from voters everywhere Bill Clinton swept to victory over the luckless (and clueless) Beltway Bob. Subjected to what has to be among the dullest presidential election campaigns ever, the electorate STAYED HOME in droves: less than half bothered to cast ballots. Since Clinton received just under half of the total votes, this means that LESS THAN A QUARTER of American adult citizens voted for the President. Hardly a vote of confidence.
had no difficulty retaining control of BOTH HOUSES of Congress. This is the first time since 1928 the Republicans have managed to win control of both Senate and House in two consecutive elections--and it happened under a DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT! Even Eisenhower and Reagan couldn’t accomplish what Clinton has done.
The mood of the nation is STRONGLY CONSERVATIVE, as reflected in the GOP congressional triumph and the three right-of-center candidates from whom we were asked to choose the President. But, as The Newt found out, there are LIMITS. Although the vast majority of Americans champion the widespread use of the death penalty, punitive “welfare reform,” cutting the deficit, refusing to raise taxes, longer prison sentences, a draconian war on drugs at the expense of civil liberties. etc., they are less ready to embrace the rest of the right-wing agenda. Outlawing abortion and sex education, restoring school prayer, legalizing assault weapons, and the like, doesn’t play very well these days outside of the NRA-Militia-Christain Coalition right. Clinton knows it, and now so does the GOP, which was able to minimize the damage caused by the CONTRACT ON AMERICA. And woe betide the politician that threatens Medicare or Social Security!
What agenda? Not since WARREN HARDING have we had a President with virtually none. Presidents, as a rule, are MEN OF ACTION and vision, who want to leave their mark on the nation: winning wars, pushing back Communism, defeating depressions, establishing a New Deal or a Great Society, destroying liberalism or trusts. etc. Not Clinton. His greatest triumphs, NAFTA, GATT, deficit reduction, and welfare elimination, were hatched by either the Bush administration or by congressional Republicans. Of course, this means he’s unlikely to be disappointed by a Republican Congress, since he won’t ask for much in the first place. Anyway, the short list of issues that appear to be closest to his heart, such as more pro-corporate anti-labor trade agreements, are also dear to most Republicans. It’s not unusual for Presidents to be denied mandates from the voters. It is odd not to have even asked for one.
liberals can at least take comfort that two of the more liberal members of Congress, Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota, and Rep. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, were reelected by comfortable margins. Wellstone was the only Democratic Senator up for reelection to vote against the Welfare Elimination bill.
Ronald Dale Karr
karr@libvax.uml.edu
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