Bill Clinton Research Paper
President William “Bill” Clinton, the 41st president of the United States of America, proved to be a great president, facing some obstacles in his childhood, early political career, great success in his domestic policies but mediocre in his foreign. President Bill Clinton left behind a positive legacy which reinforced his great status. He was a great president which shows in his actions and all his other reforms and attempts to try and become the best there was.
Nathaniel Neef, Family Life.
President Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas, three months after his father died in a traffic accident. Needing to find a way to support herself and her new child, Bill Clinton's mother, Virginia Cassidy Blythe, moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, to study nursing. Bill Clinton stayed with his mother's parents in Hope. There he was surrounded by many relatives who gave him love and support and who played a significant role in his upbringing. His mother returned from New Orleans with a nursing degree in 1950. When he was four years old, his mother wed Roger Clinton, an automobile salesman of Hot Springs, Arkansas. In 1956 Bill’s half-brother, Roger Clinton Jr., was born. In high school, he took the family name, and became the president as we know and loved then William “Bill” j. Clinton. After Clinton graduated from high school he went on to college at Georgetown University. After he had graduated from Georgetown University he had won a Rhode Scholarship to Oxford University. He received a law degree from Yale University in 1973 where he soon met he future wife, Hillary Rodham, a graduate of Wellesley College and Yale Law School. In 1975 the young couple got married in their new homes living room in Hope, Arkansas. In 1980 the 5 year couple had a baby and Chelsea, the Clintons only child. The Clintons described that day as the happiest one of their lives.
Nathaniel Neef, Personal Life.
Bill was always a happy person, and was the leader type, and was in to politics at a very young age in high school. As a teenager, Bill excelled in school and showed a passion for politics. On Bill’s free time he liked to play saxophone, He played saxophone in a high school band and especially loved the gospel music of his Baptist faith. He was even of thinking of going into the music business, but he was to into wrapped into politics. In the biography of Bill Clinton, It all began in a place called Hope, on Clinton4.nara.gov. “When Bill was in his senior year of high school, he was selected to go to Washington D.C., to be part of boys’ nation, a special youth leadership conference. The young men of Boys Nation and the young women of Girls Nation were invited to the White House to meet President Kennedy. Bill Clinton was one of the first in line to shake President Kennedy's hand in the Rose Garden. That event was one of the most memorable, important experiences of his youth. After that, he knew he wanted to make a difference in the lives of the people of America by becoming President. That same year Dr. Martin Luther king Jr. had his famous “I had a dream” speech, Bill watched that speech on television and was so deeply moved by Dr. King’s words that he memorized them. Dr. King became one of Bill Clinton’s Heroes.”

Nathaniel Neef, Major events.
Bill was involved in many major events and one of the biggest ones he was involved in was his health care reform, which was a big problem trying to give people health care but ended up not happening. Another big event was a tax reform. In David Maraniss, Biography of Bill Clinton: First in his Class, He says “it was being said that Bill Clinton was indecisive, reluctant to move on issues ranging from school consolidation to taxes. In 1993 The U.S. Navy, under President Clinton's orders, attacks Iraqi intelligence operations in downtown Baghdad after learning that Iraqis had plotted to kill former President Bush during his April 1993 visit to Kuwait. Also, the twenty-three tomahawk missiles fired reportedly kill eight people. In 1998, Terrorists bomb American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 224 people, including 20 Americans. United States intelligence believes that Osama bin Laden is behind the attacks. Bill Clinton wanted to be considered an education governor. Maraniss also says, “He was really involved in doing an education reform, but it was to challenging to.” Ad you can see Bill was really involved in many events even across the globe.
Maiqi pang, Domestic
President Bill Clinton proved to be a strong-willed and capable president, issuing numerous successful domestic polices while bringing the United States into the 21st Century as a stronger nation. As Clinton took office on January 20, 1993 towards the end of the Cold War, he was determined and had high hopes of creating a thriving country both socially and economically. “We must do what America does best, offer more opportunity to all and demand more responsibility from all." (Gerhard, Peters) Firstly, the subjects of his economic strategy focused on fiscal discipline; low interest rates, rapid growth of the stock market, investment in education, healthcare and technology. The Clinton administration passed budgets that combined tax increases on the wealthy with the government spending cuts, achieving the largest budget surpluses and debt reduction in U.S. history by 2000. Secondly, poverty levels also drastically fell, more than 20 million jobs were created, and unemployment rates consistently decreased over his two terms in office, reaching their lowest levels since the 1960s. Lastly, Clinton also launched a series of attempts to reduce crime in the United States, one of them being gun control and safety. Most notably the 1993 Brady Law which enforced background checks for handgun buyers and banning assault weapons. "Should people have to register guns like they register their cars? Do I think that? Of course I do.” (Safire, William) Community policing funds were also increased in 1994 and many programs were set up to help prevent youth crime and drug abuse. The overall crime rate fell drastically during the Clinton administration to the lowest level in a generation.
Maiqi pang, foreign
One of Clinton’s most distinguished foreign policies was the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. With the Republican’s support, President Clinton passed the NAFTA in 1993 which removed trade barriers in North America. It is an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. "Creating a free trade zone in North America — the largest free trade zone in the world — would expand U.S. exports, create jobs and ensure that our economy was reaping the benefits, not the burdens, of globalization.” (The Truth-O-Matter) In Addition, President Clinton had taken military action in Kosovo to stop ethnic cleansing and regional instability. Clinton deployed 47,000 NATO security forces in the province who secured the region with the unconditional return of 900,000 refugees. The UN also disbanded the Kosovo Liberation Army as well. Finally, Clinton later helped build healthy relations between Asia and the United States. Clinton maintained peace with China through the Taiwan Straits which preserved stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Maiqi pang, after presidency
As president Clinton left office in 2001, he continued to be an active public figure with a positive impact on society. Clinton regularly spoke and comments on politics and engagements around the world. . For example, by working side by side with the United Nations, Clinton brought up topics like famine, disease, war and poverty and possible solutions to end them. Notably was his theme of advocacy of multilateral solutions to worldwide problems. Additionally, he was the opening speaker for the Ontario Economic Summit which was held on November 13, 2007, which addressed various subjects, including environmentalism and access to healthcare in Africa. “We all do better if we work together. Our differences do matter, but our common humanity matters more.” (Bill Clinton>Quotes) Furthermore, Clinton also dedicated the William J. Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, which is the biggest presidential library containing the most archives. Another positive post-presidential foundation was the William J. Clinton Foundation which promotes and provides for a number of humanitarian causes. His own autobiography, My Life, was a sensation and viewed by many as positive and successful. “If you want to live like a Republican, vote like a Democrat.” (Clinton, Bill)
Maiqi pang, conclusion
President Bill Clinton was a great president. He had helped the United States recover from the recession, bringing more employment and dropping crime rate. He had achieved the largest budget surplus and debt reduction in history. Poverty also drastically fell because of him. Clinton’s domestic and foreign policies were triumphant as many had benefited from Clinton’s reform. Trade and economic growth flourished under Clinton’s reign. Even after his presidency, he had continued to struggle and fight for what he believed in. Creating a better place in the world. President Clinton was always be remembered as the one who had brought the United States into the 21st century as a stronger Nation.