1996 State of the Union Address: Main Idea
1996 State of the Union Address: Main Idea
By declaring, "the era of big government is over," Bill Clinton was not announcing total anarchy. Instead, he was simply announcing a major shift for the modern Democratic Party, which formed around the New Deal under president Franky D. Roosevelt.
Clinton, a moderate Democrat, adopted aspects of conservative politics and rhetoric to his platform. Basically, he was making nice with the conservatives and saying that he'd use some of their ideas. It was the political equivalent of getting a pizza that's half Meat Lover's and half vegan.
Some of his ideas were policy-centric: for example, he promised welfare reform that would move people back into the workforce with "time limits [and] tough work requirements" (25.4) Other stances were more style than substance, such as professing the belief that the family is the foundation of American life (17.2).
Overall, Clinton's new-look centrist politics helped him win reelection in 1996. He talked the talk…and won the walk.
Questions
- From what you know of politics, which parts of the 1996 State of the Union seem closer to what Democrats believe today? Which parts seem closer to what Republicans believe?
- Why might Bill Clinton have chosen to focus on family during a significant portion of his speech?
- Why do you think Democrats and Republicans disagree over the role of government in the economy and in citizens' personal lives?
Chew On This
In his 1996 State of the Union Address, President Bill Clinton unleashed a laundry list of conservative ideas and rhetoric to convince Americans he could work with both of the country's political ideologies, or camps.
The 1996 State of the Union Address was the last significant example of a President appealing to both parties. After that, divisions between Republicans and Democrats just got deeper and deeper.
Quotes
Quote #1
The era of big government is over. (7.4)
Talk about a perfect sound bite, right? This little nugget is the moment everyone remembers from the 1996 State of the Union. It represented Bill Clinton's shift to a centrist stance on welfare.
Quote #2
For too long our welfare system has undermined the values of family and work instead of supporting them. (25.2)
Critics of welfare believe that it takes away Americans' incentives to work hard and make people too reliant on the government. Clinton was savvy enough to know that dropping this line in there could help convince his conservative opponents that he heard their concerns.
Quote #3
To the media, I say you should create movies and CD's and television shows you'd want your own children and grandchildren to enjoy. (20.1)
Oh, that worked out real well. (Looking at you, Grand Theft Auto.) During the Clinton presidency, a lot of people were up in arms about the proliferation of sex and violence in the media. You couldn't be "too Hollywood" if you wanted to sound presidential.
Quote #4
We must not be the world's policeman. But we can and should be the world's very best peacemaker. (67.5)
After the Cold War ended, America was no longer in a constant nuclear standoff with the Soviet Union. (Phew.) Bill Clinton was the first post-Cold War president, and largely defined what America's military role in the world would become. The South Park creators had their own interpretation.
Quote #5
I challenge all of you in this Chamber: Let's never, ever shut the Federal Government down again. (86.1-2)
How'd that turn out? The government shut down again in 2013, spurred by increasing division between the political parties over the healthcare system; this sort of scuttlebutt has been going on at least since Clinton's administration. When you're against big government, one tactic is to simply stop governing, the political equivalent of plugging your ears and going "I can't hear you!" That's not how the game of compromise is played.