During the 1990s, President George H.W. Bush finished his four year term, while President Bill Clinton was elected twice. Both had their fair share of mistakes, but they helped give America a sense of pride as well.
President George H.W. Bush
(1989-1993)
Domestic Affairs:
President George H.W. Bush was elected because he promised not to change what former president Ronald Reagan, who Americans liked, did while he was in office. He planned to keep the economic policy of Reaganomics and campaigned on "No New Taxes". However, he soon found himself having to raise taxes as the federal deficit grew. In general, President Bush didn't do too much domestically. His administration decided to have a "limited agenda" at home because he was a Republican president with a Democratic Congress. One of the other things he campaigned on was being the "environmental president". Shortly after he was elected, there was a huge oil spill off of the coast of Alaska. This encouraged legislators to take an environmental stand. President Bush passed the Clean Air Act in 1990 in an attempt to reduce smog and pollution in cities, which is still used today. He appointed the first professional conservationist to head the Environmental Protection Agency. President Bush also passed the ADA, or Americans With Disabilities Act, which protected employees with disabilities from discrimination at work. It called for a lot of money, but he signed it anyway. Many believe it's because his son Neil had dyslexia. Though it helped many people, it also dug our economy into a deeper hole. Our country suffered from a recession until the end of 1991, during which poverty and crime rates were higher.
Foreign Affairs:
President Bush had to deal with the Tiananmen Square Massacre in China, where pro-democracy supporters were killed. He suspended the sale of American weapons to China. In Berlin, the Cold War ended after about forty years. The president enacted a move called the pauza, or, the pause. This allowed him to analyze the situation with the Soviets before he made any policies. The Communist empire broke up, and the Berlin Wall fell. The Soviet Union no longer existed after President Mikhail Gorbachev, whom Bush had supported, resigned. Bush insisted on restraint in U.S. policy towards the group of new nations. Also, he accused Noriega, of Panama, on accounts of drug trafficking and money laundering. He sent American armed forces to capture Noriega. Soon Iraq invaded Kuwait, and President Bush condemned their actions. This led to the Persian Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm, where the U.S. overpowered the Iraqi military. Forces refused to remove Saddam Hussein from power, though, so Bush's approval ratings wavered. He succeeded in getting Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan to sign a Nuclear Arms Reduction Agreement, as the last major foreign event in his presidency.
(1989-1993)
Domestic Affairs:
President George H.W. Bush was elected because he promised not to change what former president Ronald Reagan, who Americans liked, did while he was in office. He planned to keep the economic policy of Reaganomics and campaigned on "No New Taxes". However, he soon found himself having to raise taxes as the federal deficit grew. In general, President Bush didn't do too much domestically. His administration decided to have a "limited agenda" at home because he was a Republican president with a Democratic Congress. One of the other things he campaigned on was being the "environmental president". Shortly after he was elected, there was a huge oil spill off of the coast of Alaska. This encouraged legislators to take an environmental stand. President Bush passed the Clean Air Act in 1990 in an attempt to reduce smog and pollution in cities, which is still used today. He appointed the first professional conservationist to head the Environmental Protection Agency. President Bush also passed the ADA, or Americans With Disabilities Act, which protected employees with disabilities from discrimination at work. It called for a lot of money, but he signed it anyway. Many believe it's because his son Neil had dyslexia. Though it helped many people, it also dug our economy into a deeper hole. Our country suffered from a recession until the end of 1991, during which poverty and crime rates were higher.
Foreign Affairs:
President Bush had to deal with the Tiananmen Square Massacre in China, where pro-democracy supporters were killed. He suspended the sale of American weapons to China. In Berlin, the Cold War ended after about forty years. The president enacted a move called the pauza, or, the pause. This allowed him to analyze the situation with the Soviets before he made any policies. The Communist empire broke up, and the Berlin Wall fell. The Soviet Union no longer existed after President Mikhail Gorbachev, whom Bush had supported, resigned. Bush insisted on restraint in U.S. policy towards the group of new nations. Also, he accused Noriega, of Panama, on accounts of drug trafficking and money laundering. He sent American armed forces to capture Noriega. Soon Iraq invaded Kuwait, and President Bush condemned their actions. This led to the Persian Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm, where the U.S. overpowered the Iraqi military. Forces refused to remove Saddam Hussein from power, though, so Bush's approval ratings wavered. He succeeded in getting Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan to sign a Nuclear Arms Reduction Agreement, as the last major foreign event in his presidency.
Video of Bush's Announcement of Operation Desert Storm
President William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton
(1993-2001)
Domestic Affairs:
When President Clinton entered office, he faced high unemployment rates, a large federal deficit, the health care crisis, and welfare reform. He enacted tax increases and spending cuts that lowered the federal deficit by $87 billion by 1994. In 1999, the government even had a surplus of $124 billion. Unemployment rates decreased dramatically, and Clinton gained high approval ratings. He also increased minimum wage to $5.15 per hour, but he dropped the eligibility of legal immigrants for welfare assistance. President Clinton dealt with the hot topic of homosexuals in the military and decided to start a "don't ask, don't tell" policy where military servicemen and women would not have to disclose their sexuality. Many were disappointed by this decision. President Clinton also had a goal of getting affordable health care insurance for every American. He appointed his wife Hillary as head of the program for health care reform, which he was criticized for. His health care reform was not a success. Shortly after Clinton's second term began, news of his inappropriate affairs surfaced. Kenneth Starr found that Clinton lied on the stand, and it led to his impeachment. The Senate did not acquit President Clinton, and he remained in office as the second U.S. president to ever be impeached. He had low character ratings, but high performance ratings.
Foreign Affairs:
After the end of the Cold War, many new international problems appeared. Before Clinton was elected, Bush sent American groups to Somalia, a country in Africa. President Clinton decided to withdraw the troops by wisely and successfully sent peace-keeping forces to Bosnia, where there was lots of chaos. A killing spree in Rwanda broke out when the Hutu tribe slaughtered nearly the entire Tutsi tribe population. The United States didn't do anything to prevent the killings, but he did pay his respects in a trip to Africa four years later. Clinton also successfully bombed Iraq when their president, Saddam Hussein, stopped the United Nations inspections for evidence of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. He became more open international trade as well. In 1999, he pushed NATO(North Atlantic Treaty Organization). This created some rough water with the former Soviet Union, but it was soon resolved. Also, Bill Clinton started a global campaign to stop drug trafficking all around. He was very liked around the world and large crowds gathered when he traveled through South America, Europe, Russia, Africa, and China, trying to spread and teach more about United States-style freedom and rights.
(1993-2001)
Domestic Affairs:
When President Clinton entered office, he faced high unemployment rates, a large federal deficit, the health care crisis, and welfare reform. He enacted tax increases and spending cuts that lowered the federal deficit by $87 billion by 1994. In 1999, the government even had a surplus of $124 billion. Unemployment rates decreased dramatically, and Clinton gained high approval ratings. He also increased minimum wage to $5.15 per hour, but he dropped the eligibility of legal immigrants for welfare assistance. President Clinton dealt with the hot topic of homosexuals in the military and decided to start a "don't ask, don't tell" policy where military servicemen and women would not have to disclose their sexuality. Many were disappointed by this decision. President Clinton also had a goal of getting affordable health care insurance for every American. He appointed his wife Hillary as head of the program for health care reform, which he was criticized for. His health care reform was not a success. Shortly after Clinton's second term began, news of his inappropriate affairs surfaced. Kenneth Starr found that Clinton lied on the stand, and it led to his impeachment. The Senate did not acquit President Clinton, and he remained in office as the second U.S. president to ever be impeached. He had low character ratings, but high performance ratings.
Foreign Affairs:
After the end of the Cold War, many new international problems appeared. Before Clinton was elected, Bush sent American groups to Somalia, a country in Africa. President Clinton decided to withdraw the troops by wisely and successfully sent peace-keeping forces to Bosnia, where there was lots of chaos. A killing spree in Rwanda broke out when the Hutu tribe slaughtered nearly the entire Tutsi tribe population. The United States didn't do anything to prevent the killings, but he did pay his respects in a trip to Africa four years later. Clinton also successfully bombed Iraq when their president, Saddam Hussein, stopped the United Nations inspections for evidence of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. He became more open international trade as well. In 1999, he pushed NATO(North Atlantic Treaty Organization). This created some rough water with the former Soviet Union, but it was soon resolved. Also, Bill Clinton started a global campaign to stop drug trafficking all around. He was very liked around the world and large crowds gathered when he traveled through South America, Europe, Russia, Africa, and China, trying to spread and teach more about United States-style freedom and rights.
President Clinton announces his Missile Attack