Governorships of Bill Clinton
Governor | ||
Party | Democratic | |
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Seat | Governor's Mansion | |
First term January 9, 1979 – January 19, 1981 | ||
Election | 1978 | |
Second term January 11, 1983 – December 12, 1992 | ||
Election | ||
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40th & 42nd Governor of Arkansas
42nd President of the United States
Policies
Appointments
First term
Second term
Presidential campaigns Controversies
Post-presidency
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Clinton's first governorship (1979–1981) saw him pursue many
After Clinton returned to office for his second governorship in 1983, he was more
Leadership style
Arkansas' state government was weaker than those of most other states. In addition, at the time Clinton was governor, the state government raised less revenue and spent less money per capita than any other U.S. state government, even after several tax increases over the course of Clinton's governorship. In addition, the state constitution permitted the legislature to overturn gubernatorial vetos with a simple majority. These factors meant Clinton had fewer tools at his disposal than governors of many other states.[2]
In May 1992, amid Clinton's presidential candidacy, David Lautner of the Los Angeles Times wrote,
Far from consistently taking on powerful interests, Clinton often has cultivated close relations with his state's power structure. At times, he has dragged his feet in confronting powerful interests, particularly in areas such as environmental pollution...His office possesses far fewer direct powers than those wielded by governors in states like California. And he has faced an often recalcitrant Legislature made up of part-time lawmakers, many of whom for years literally have been on the payrolls of...major interests...Clinton has built up considerable power through his control of appointments to state boards and commissions and through his influence over where the state spends money. He often has been able to gather votes in the Legislature by promising jobs or state projects to key allies.[2]
Lautner also observed that Clinton, "often made compromise his hallmark."[2]
Clinton attained the nickname "Slick Willie" from critics during his governorship for his alleged ability to use charisma as a tool for political trickery.[3]
In his first governorship, Clinton sought to implement a large number of liberal policies. After he returned to the governorship in 1983, Clinton was more narrowly focused on specific issues, limiting which battles he fought.[4]
In 1992, Dan Fesperman of The Baltimore Sun characterized Clinton's approach to governing in his first governorship as undiplomatic and bullying. He observed that Clinton learned from his failed reelection, providing more sharply focused leadership during his second governorship. Fesperman observed that, in his second governorship, Clinton obtained a "too-nice image", but still demonstrated a willingness to flex his power.[3]
In his second governorship, Clinton used
In 1991, a Newsweek poll of U.S. governors saw Clinton's fellow governors rank him as the "most effective" U.S. governor.[4]
First governorship (1979–1981)
In 1978, Clinton entered the Arkansas gubernatorial primary. At 31 years old, he was one of the youngest gubernatorial candidates in the state's history. Clinton was elected
Clinton pursued an agenda with a broad array of liberal policies.[4] In May 1992, David Lautner wrote in the Los Angeles Times,
In his first term as governor, from 1979-80, Clinton...[took] on most of the major interests in the state. Clinton took on the utility industry over electricity rates. His environmental aides held hearings around the state attacking the timber industry for clear-cutting forests. His state health commissioner pushed for more rural health clinics and fought with the medical association. Clinton pushed for higher automobile license fees to pay for highway improvements.
The biggest act of Clinton's first governorship was a highway program. The expensive program was paid for with increases to fees and taxes, including an increase in fuel taxes, registration fees on trucks and automobiles, and other vehicles fees. The increases to fees and taxes hurt Clinton politically, and he would personally blame his defeat for reelection on backlash regarding vehicle registration fees.[1]
In the first year of the governorship, Clinton appointed his wife, Hillary, to serve as the chair of the state's Rural Health Advisory Committee, tasked with working on the issue of providing healthcare to the more isolated areas of the state.[11][12]
As Governor, Clinton supported the
Clinton proposed modest reforms to the state's education system. He also proposed regulation on pollution and opposed the timber industry's practice of clearcutting.[1] Clinton floated the idea of determining the distribution of state funds to banks by using an assessment of the lending practices of banks. This move angered bankers.[1] Clinton also sought to strengthen regulations on the ability of utility providers to increase their rates. This angered the utility companies. He also fought against the successful effort by Arkansas Power and Light, the state's largest energy company, to garner state funding to pay for the costs of the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, a nuclear power plant in Port Gibson, Mississippi.[1]
Rudy Moore Jr. and
In terms of economic development, Clinton's first gubernatorial administration did not focus heavily on large industry, instead focusing on helping to generate new small businesses, as well as foster technological innovation and research and development. Clinton also sought to decrease regulation that impeded investment and sought to shape the marketplace so that larger banks and investment companies might fund new small business ventures. Clinton created state departments that assisted entrepreneurs through consultation. He sought to use research at state universities to spur related enterprises. Clinton also worked to provide some assistance the state's smaller communities in their efforts to generate local economic development. He also directed some funding to small; businesses that were doing innovative work related to agriculture.[6]
In 1979, Clinton founded the Arkansas Governor's School, which was modeled after the Governor's School of North Carolina.[17]
During Clinton's first governorship, there was a prevailing public perception that Clinton's gubernatorial administration was clumsy and chaotic in their handling of state government.[6]
Failed reelection and interregnum between tenures
Clinton was renominated by the Democratic Party in 1980. However, Monroe Schwarzlose received 31 percent of the vote against Clinton in the Democratic gubernatorial primary of the
Clinton joined his friend Bruce Lindsey's Little Rock law firm of Wright, Lindsey and Jennings.[18]
Second governorship (1983–1992)
In 1982, he was elected governor a second time and retained the office for the next ten years. Effective with the 1986 election, Arkansas had changed its gubernatorial term of office from two to four years.[19]
Clinton's final term as governor (1991–1992) was marked by a period of particularly extensive legislative success, due both to the resounding mandate he won from voters against a well-funded opponent in his preceding reelection, as well as the defeat of several major opponents of Clinton's in the state's legislature.[1]
Economic policy
During his second governorship, Clinton helped transform Arkansas's economy.[20] The start of Clinton's second governorship occurred during the early recovery from the early 1980s recession, and much of Clinton's governorship was during periods in which national economic growth in the United States was relatively. Arkansas was one of the United States' most impoverished states, and the state possessed more limited financial resources than other states. Due to this, Clinton made the state's economic development a primary focus.[2][3]
Even towards the end of Clinton's governorship, Arkansas had issues with unemployment in poverty, ranking 50th in youth unemployment.[3] Around the time of Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, the Republican-leaning think tank Corporation for Enterprise Development ranked the state the "45th worst in which to work", an assessment which Clinton disputed.[21]
Clinton often came into conflict with the AFL-CIO head J. Bill Becker, demonstrating resistance from trade unions to some of his policies.[3]
During Clinton's governorship, the state's budget increased at a rate similar to the federal government.[21] A challenge for Clinton's governorship was generating revenue to replace a decrease in federal funding under the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush (federal aid went from contributing 36% of Arkansas' state revenue in the early 1980s to 24% by 1990).[3]
Taxes and corporate incentives
To lure companies to the state, Clinton provided a number of
In 1984, Clinton secured the creation of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA).This organization was authorized to sell government-backed tax-exempt bonds to finance investments related to the growth of private businesses in the state. Per ADFA records, between 1985 and 1992, the state used $90 million of bonds to support roughly 70 private companies. This established 2,700 new jobs, while providing support to a further 3,000 jobs. This effort received criticism that accused the state of supporting wealthy companies that could have secured independent financing. There were also allegations that many of the companies that greatly benefited from this did so, in part, due to political connections.[2]
Clinton's governorships (both his first and second governorships) saw a cumulative 27 tax increases. Nevertheless, by the end of Clinton's governorship, Arkansas still ranked the 4th-lowest among states in terms of the tax burden on its residents.[3]
Arkansas' tax system was criticized as being among the nation's most regressive,
Clinton particularly focused on passing a significant amount of economic development legislation in 1985. The legislature approved most of Clinton's proposed program, which included reforms to the state's banking law. The program also included startup funding for tech businesses and significant tax incentives to encourage industries in the state to increase production and expand their workforce.[1] For the following six years, Arkansas was a leader among U.S. states in terms of the creation of new jobs. However, few newly created jobs paid high wages, and the state continued to have one of the lowest average incomes of any U.S. state.[1]
During the governorship, the extent of economic growth somewhat varied geographically.[2]
Education reform
In his second governorship, Clinton improved the state's education system.
The Arkansas Education Standards Committee was chaired by Clinton's wife, Hillary, who was also an attorney as well as the chair of the
In the years after the reforms were made, there were efforts by local school districts to lessen the strictness of state standards, making arguments that they were too expensive to achieve. However, Clinton refused to compromise on this, believing these standards were needed to improve the state's education and decrease its poverty.[2]
In 1987 and 1989, Clinton was unsuccessful in his efforts to pass tax increases that would providing further funding for education.[1] In 1989 and 1991, Clinton passed legislation for additional educational programs, which included making Arkansas the second U.S. state program to enable school choice, the merging of several small school districts for efficiency, the provision $1,000 annual collegiate scholarships for poor and middle-income pupils, increased teacher salaries, and an overhaul to vocational education programs.[4] Additionally, in 1990, the state passed a corporate income tax increase to fund vocational education programs. However, some state legislators objected to Clinton later taking credit for this that increase.[4]
Clinton gave his personal backing to national early child education programs like Head Start. Clinton and his wife introduced a program in the state known as the Home Instruction Program for Pre-School Youth (HIPPY). Modeled after an Israeli program, it trained low-income parents on reading and on how to educate their kids on basic skills.[2][4] By 1991, the program was serving 4,500 low-income families.[4] In the later years of his governorship, Clinton gave $15 million annually in funding for early childhood education.[4]
Even with reforms and significant improvements to education, the state still ranked 49th among U.S. states in school spending and teacher salaries towards the end of Clinton's governorship.[3]
Crime and punishment
Clinton continued to support the death penalty. In his 1982 election campaign, he pledged that he would no longer commute
Clinton commuted significantly less sentences during his second governorship than he had in his first. By January 1992, he had only commuted seven sentences.[2]
Racial and gender equity
Clinton supported affirmative action as governor.[5]
In a state with a troubled history racial relations, Clinton appointed more
Clinton attracted strong criticism when he obstructed an efforts by a number of black leaders to investigate allegations that officials from the state's economic development agency had provided a Japanese company data related to the racial demographics of towns that were being considered for a new factory by the town. Clinton's excuse for protecting this matter from inquiry was that he believed it would compromise the state's economic development work if they disclosed what information the state provided to companies.[2]
Clinton received criticism from some in the state's black community for what they saw as a failure to provide sufficient state assistance to minority owned businesses. Nevertheless, he received strong support from
Welfare reform
Clinton advanced welfare reforms that sought to move recipients into the state's workforce.[5]
Clinton's governorship had a state program that aimed to transitioning mothers on welfare off of welfare and into the state's workforce. The Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation concluded in 1991 that the program had seen small, but discernible, success.
Environment
Initially, Clinton was hesitant to strengthen state regulation regarding pollution, fearing that it might be to the determinant of his goals for business growth. Due to a lack of major polluting industry in the state, Arkansas was one of the least-polluted U.S. states. Additionally, despite the new industrial plants were constructed during Clinton's governorship were subject to federal environmental regulations, limiting their pollution.[2]
Environmentalism began to gain more ground politically through the 1980s. In the 1990 gubernatorial election, environmental concerns became a significant election issue. In 1991, Clinton secured the passage of stronger pollution regulations in the state legislature. This marked the first time since his first term that he had passed major environment legislation.[2]
As governor, Clinton gave new protection to hundreds of square miles of waterways and wilderness.[2]
A prominent environmental controversy regarded runoff in the northwestern area of the state from chicken waste. For much of his governorship, Clinton did not address this issue. Clinton, notably, received financial backing in his campaigns from
The remediation of the shuttered Vertac Corporation plant outside Jacksonville, Arkansas was a prominent environmental cleanup dispute. The site contained waste containing dioxin. Clinton and the federal government both sought to dispose the waste through incineration, viewing it as the least-dangerous way to dispose of dioxin. However, this faced local opposition. Activists in the area strongly were against this, as they believed an incinerator would pollute the area. The activists instead sought for the waste to be moved to a different location.[2]
In his second term, unlike his first term, Clinton did not make any significant attempt to combat the state's timber industry. Nevertheless, he gave low-key support to private efforts by environmentalists.[2]
A study by the Institute for Southern Studies, late into Clinton's governorship, ranked Arkansas low among states in its assessment of its environment regulation and environmental problems.[4]
Healthcare
Clinton earned praise for his efforts on enhancing healthcare in the state, particularly for residents in the more impoverished parts of the state.[4] Arkansas had one of the lowest rates of health insurance coverage among U.S. states. In 1991, Clinton supported a successful effort by Arkansas legislators to pass into law what was advertised as a "bare bones" workers insurance program.[28]
Clinton earned strong commendations for his efforts as governor to enhance medical services for pregnant individuals and newborn children. Clinton was successful in seeking more state funding for clinics serving these individuals. Clinton also supported the State Health Department's program's program allow for local school districts to have school health clinics disseminate information on family planning.[28] Clinton also supported the State Health Department's controversial distribution of condoms during clinics at high schools.[4] Clinton created programs related to prenatal care and healthcare for poor youths.[4] Arkansas' infant mortality rate declined. However, it did not change at a rank that significantly altered its ranking among U.S. states in infant mortalities.[28] In the summer of 1992, Clinton's wife, Hillary, unveiled a program to further decrease the state's infant mortality rate by helping to provide prenatal checkups to pregnant individuals.[29]
Towards the end of Clinton's governorship, however, Arkansas still was ranked the "45th worst" state for children in a study by the Center for the Study of Social Policy think tank.[21]
Lobbying reforms
In 1987, after facing heavy attacks on his agenda by lobbyists, Clinton angrily declared he would combat lobbying. Clinton placed lobbying reform legislation on the ballot in the following statewide election, and the legislation was approved by Arkansas' electorate. Despite the passage of those reforms, lobbying persisted even more strongly against Clinton's agenda. Because of this, Clinton put further reforms on the following statewide election ballot, which were also approved by the state's voters.[3]
Accusations of impropriety
After Clinton became president, allegations were made that Clinton had used
National politics
Clinton became a leading figure among the
Clinton presented himself both as a moderate and as a member of the New Democrat wing of the Democratic Party, and he headed the moderate Democratic Leadership Council in 1990 and 1991.[19][34]
Prospective 1988 presidential candidacy
In 1987, the media speculated that Clinton would enter the presidential race after incumbent New York governor Mario Cuomo declined to run and Democratic front-runner Gary Hart withdrew owing to revelations of multiple marital infidelities.[35] Clinton decided to remain as Arkansas governor (following consideration for the potential candidacy of Hillary for governor, initially favored—but ultimately vetoed—by the First Lady).[36] Clinton had gone as far as scheduling a presidential campaign announcement press event before changing his mind about running. He publicly cited the stresses that a campaign would impose on his family as his reason for not running.[1] For the 1988 presidential nomination, Clinton endorsed Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis. He gave the nationally televised opening night address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention, but his speech, which was 33 minutes long and twice the length it was expected to be, was criticized for being too long[37] and poorly delivered.[38] Afterwards, he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and made light of his bungled convention appearance, helping him to remediate some of the damage that had been done to his public image.[5]
Election as president in 1992
During Clinton's 1990 reelection campaign, he promised to serve out the entirety of the term he was seeking. However, Clinton reneged and instead successfully ran for president in 1992, defeating Republican incumbent George H. W. Bush.[1]
Clinton was the first sitting governor to transition into the presidency since Franklin D. Roosevelt did after his own election in 1932.[39] During his presidential transition, Clinton resigned from the governorship on December 12, 1992.[40]
See also
- Hillary Clinton's tenures as First Lady of Arkansas
- Presidency of Bill Clinton
- List of longest-serving governors of U.S. states
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Bill Clinton (1946–)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj Lauter, David (23 May 1992). "Clinton Arkansas Record: He Won a Few, Lost a Few: Candidate: He has boasted of changes wrought in his home state, but close look shows more ambiguous result". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Fesperman, Dan (February 8, 1992). "Clinton's record as Arkansas governor helps and haunts him". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Applebome, Peter (22 December 1991). "Clinton Record in Leading Arkansas: Successes, but Not Without Criticism". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Bill Clinton: Life Before the Presidency | Miller Center". Miller Center. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ ISSN 0018-2370. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ Cohen, Adam (December 12, 2007). "Bill and Hillary Clinton's Pitch in Iowa: 'I Love the '90s'". The New York Times. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-89526-439-8.
- ^ Kelly, Michael (November 27, 1992). "Little Rock Hopes Clinton Presidency Will Put Its Dogpatch Image to Rest". The New York Times. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-684-81890-0.
- ^ "Hillary Clinton Fast Facts | CNN Politics". CNN. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ Kelly, Michael (January 20, 1993). "The First Couple: A Union of Mind and Ambition". The New York Times.
- ISBN 978-0-316-92919-6
- ^ Nguyen, Alexander (July 14, 2000). "Bill Clinton's Death Penalty Waffle—and Why It's Good News for Execution's Foes". The American Prospect. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
In his early days, Clinton opposed the death penalty. And while he and his wife Hillary Rodham Clinton were both teaching at the University of Arkansas Law School, she wrote an appellate brief that helped save a mentally retarded man from execution. "Clinton was against the death penalty," says Arkansas attorney Jeff Rosenzweig, who, like Clinton, grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas. "He told me so."
- ^ Fournier, Ron (January 24, 1992). "Clinton's Prison Release Record Long, Possibly Troublesome". The Associated Press. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ Schmidt, Susan (March 9, 1998). "James McDougal Dies While Awaiting Parole". Washington Post. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ "Arkansas Governor's School coming to ATU -". couriernews.com. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
- ^ Jonathan W. Nicholsen. "Bill Clinton Timeline". Timeline Help. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7679-1412-3.
- ^ a b c Pendleton, Scott (July 21, 1992). "Governor Gets High Marks for Public Education Reforms". The Christian Science Monitor.
- ^ a b c Rosenstiel, Thomas B. (30 October 1992). "Bush Hits Clinton Record as Governor". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Ayres, B. Drummond Jr. (1 April 1992). "the 1992 Campaign: Candidate's Record; Despite Improvements, the Schools In Arkansas Are Still Among Worst". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-226-25464-7.
- ^ "Reinstatement of the Death Penalty". Findlaw. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ "Execution Database | Death Penalty Information Center". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
- ^ Applebome, Peter (25 January 1992). "The 1992 Campaign: Death Penalty; Arkansas Execution Raises Questions on Governor's Politics". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- S2CID 38112237.
- ^ a b c Ayres, B. Drummond Jr. (2 April 1992). "The 1992 Campaign; Clinton's Record in Arkansas Is Uneven on Health Issues". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ Leveritt, Mara (27 August 1992). "Hillary Clinton talks back in 1992". Arkansas Times. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- ^ ""Troopergate" - Collection Finding Aid · Clinton Digital Library". clinton.presidentiallibraries.us. William J. Clinton Presidential Library. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-316-01742-8.
- ^ Gene, Lyons (October 1994). "frontline: once upon a time in arkansas: Fool for Scandal". Harper's Magazine (reprinted by PBS).
- ^ "Bill Clinton, New Democrat". DLC. July 25, 2004. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
- ISBN 978-0-7432-8514-8.
- ^ "How Gary Hart's Sex Scandal Betrayed His Character".
- ISBN 978-0-684-81890-0).
- ^ Church, George J. (January 27, 1992). "Cover: Is Bill Clinton For Real?". Time. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
- Salon. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
- ^ "Eyes on the prize: Duke plans transition period". Newspapers.com. North Adams Transcript. Associated Press. 19 Sep 1988. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ "Bill Clinton resignation letter". arstudies.contentdm.oclc.org. Retrieved 23 November 2022.