James Hodges, Jr.
McCray
GS1140
Dec. 16, 2014
Week 2

Bill Clinton: Problem Solver Extraordinaire

William Jefferson Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, led an administration responsible for what was probably the most prosperous period in our nation’s history. His keen intellect, masterful problem solving skill, and exceptional ability for delegation were the tools that enabled him to accomplish this. In the area of economics, the Clinton administration is unrivaled. The U.S. experienced 115 consecutive months of economic expansion, the longest period of expansion on record. Over 22 million jobs were created during this time, the highest amount under any administration ever. He turned our biggest budget deficit ever into our biggest budget surplus and paid off over 360 billion dollars of our nation’s debt in just three years, the largest pay-down in our history. During the Clinton administration, at least 10 percent income growth was seen in all income brackets, including the lowest, which saw the highest increase at a little more than 16 percent. This came after many years of stalled out incomes. Additionally, our poverty rate dropped more than three percent, unemployment was at its lowest in 30 years, falling by over 3 percent, and welfare spending was the lowest since 1968. In fact, overall federal government spending was reduced by nearly four percent over the course of eight years, to the lowest level it had been in over 30 years. Solving