Bush & Clinton Synopsis Essay, Research Paper

William Jefferson Clinton, by far the MOST controversial President of our Time

On January 20, 1993, our current presiding president, William J. Clinton was sworn into office. For the past six years, one of the most flamboyant presidencies has been lived out and still continues to this very day. In the eyes of some Bill Clinton has been a savior to the United States, while others openly consider him the Anti-Christ. Either way, he has put us all on the track we are on now.

Bill?s first changes were to be made right here in the US. Domestic changes included the lengthening of un-paid sick leave in the work force to 12 weeks. This allowed anyone ill or childbearing to comfortably pace themselves before returning to work. Another domestic change took place in the military. President Clinton decided to lift the ban dis-allowing gays in the military. Though a great positive step forward, it was met with heavy opposition. Thus Clinton decided to implement a ?Don?t? Ask, Don?t Tell? policy pertaining to sexual preferences of those enlisted in the armed forces.

Aside from his domestic policies, Clinton reaffirmed the US as a missionary nation by aiding the small country of Somalia. With the goal of erasing famine and settling and political coups, Clinton sent both US and UN troops to Somalia. Once the domestic warring and overall famine had diminished, US troops were withdrawn and UN troops remained only until 1995.

Again Clinton portrayed the US as a ?Helping Hand? nation when we airdropped both food and supplies to refugees fleeing Rwanda after a wave of repression and public massacre overtook the nation. Also noted would be the Bosnia/Serbia conflict. When the two nations began to go to war, Clinton again stepped in and acted as a buffer while the two nations participated in peace talks.

Though William J. Clinton is over-all a Good president, his own personal matters always seem to be his downfall. With such scandals as: White-Water (a real-estate scandal) and various Campaign funding scandals, Clinton was not off to a good start. Despite his legal matters, Clinton trudged on, but by 1994, rumors of a sex scandal rocked the white house. It seemed Clinton had made sexual advances to a former state government secretary, Paula Jones. Upon the completion of her testimony, Ms. Jones wished to call attention to a pattern of sexual mis-conduct to other female co-workers of Mr. Clinton. No sooner did Monica Lewinsky arise. Ms. Lewinsky allegedly had sexual relations with Mr. Clinton while he currently held office. The Scandal rocked the nation and forever tarnished Clinton?s reputation.

IN all Mr. Clinton is making a valiant effort at the presidency, and though he may not have always used the best judgment, we aren?t in chaos, are we?

bush

George W. Bush

After becoming elected president, George W. Bush took no time in placing his own mark in the presidency. Bush was far more active than Reagan, both domestically as well as globally. With his morning jogs and ?Read my Lips? policies, Bush was a no nonsense leader with the public?s best interests in mind. Not only was Bush an excellent humanitarian, but a born military leader as well. With the successful execution of operations in the Gulf War, Bush helped re-affirm the nation as the primary military super-power.

In the winter of 1989, Bush decided to send 24,000 US troops to Panama, to assist in the eventual mutiny of leader Manuel Noriega. With the assault lasting less than a week, bush hoped to destroy all means of drug trafficking out of Cuba (Noreiga was a known king-pin in Panamanian drug trafficking). By the last week in December, the Panamanian cartel was mostly destroyed, and only 23 US troops lost their lives. Though Noreiga escaped the first assault, he captured a week later by the CIA and flown directly back to the US to await trial.

Aside from his dealings in Cuba, president Bush was an integral part in the execution of operation Desert Storm. When military leader Saadam Hussein decided to invade the tiny sheikdom of Kuwait, he instantly became in control of over 10% of the world?s oil supply. Within 10 more hours, Hussein had troops ready to invade Saudi Arabia (25% of the worlds oil reserves), included with Iraq; Hussein would control nearly half of the world?s oil reserves. Since Bush was friendly and accustomed to dealing with Saudi-Arabia, he would not tolerate the invasion. Within days, Bush deployed various bombers and fighter planes to assault various locations in and around Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. After the air strike, the US led a 100-hour land offensive that stopped the Iraqi?s dead in their tracks. With the allied losses around 120, and the middle-eastern losses at an estimated 27,000+ dead, the US and allied forces clearly had the upper hand. Within weeks the conflict was over, and happened to be the quickest victory in American Armed Forces History.

Aside from his militaristic successes, George Bush also accomplished a great deal in the field of domestic diplomacy. With the enforcing of many disabilities acts (Such as The American?s Disability Act of 1990), Bush broke the cycle of crooked legislation passed by Reagan. Bush also was one of the first presidents to focus on the global environment. Unlike Reagan whom had neglected the environment for the past eight years, Bush began to focus on such issues as: The Clean Air Act, and The Clean Water Act. Both acts addressed the effect of human and industrial waste on the environment and how we (the public) as a whole can minimize waste that is harmful to the environment.

George Herbert-Walker Bush led a very successful presidency. With many achievements left in his wake as well as a sense of hope, George W. Bush happens to be my favorite president of all time.