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Summary
Summary
Between Hope and Historyis the President's articulation of his political philosophy - a philosophy that underpins all his policies and programs as America enters the twenty-first century. The book is also a concise statement of the fundamental principles and values that have guided his administration since its inception in 1993. It continues, as he writes, "the conversation I have had with the American people about our destiny as a nation." InBetween Hope and History, President Clinton sees America poised on the edge of "the age of possibility." He declares that "the era of big government is over," and asserts his belief that the global economy will place a premium on education. The President also discusses the roles that individuals, families, businesses, and government must play as America prepares for the twenty-first century.
Author Notes
William Jefferson Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe IV on August 19, 1946 in Hope, Arkansas. His father, an automobile parts salesman, was killed in a car accident three months before he was born. At the age of fifteen, Bill changed his name to that of his stepfather Roger's as a gesture of goodwill to both him and his mother. Clinton attended Hot Springs High School where he was very active in the student government, among other things. In 1963, Clinton was chosen to attend the American Legion Boys State, a government and leadership conference in Little Rock, where he was elected a senator and given the opportunity to go to Washington D. C. and meet President John F. Kennedy. Clinton attended Georgetown University after he graduated from high school, where he majored in International Studies. He interned for Senator William Fulbright of Arkansas, and with him became an opponent of the Vietnam War. Clinton won a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford where he studied for two years before attending the University of Arkansas Law School. There he was issued a draft letter and joined ROTC, but was never called up since he received a high number for the draft lottery.
In 1970, Clinton entered Yale Law School and worked for George McGovern's presidential campaign in 1972. He graduated from Yale in 1973, and worked for a short time in D. C. as a staff attorney for the House Judiciary Committee. In 1974, Clinton entered his first political race, against Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt, losing to the Congressman by 2 percent. In 1976, he was elected Arkansas Attorney General and in '78 ran for Arkansas Governor, winning the race 63% to 37%. He lost the reelection two years later because of Cuban refugee issues, but regained the title in 1982, and held it till he became President in 1993.
Bill Clinton announced his run for President on October 3, 1991, and with Al Gore as his Vice President, took office on January 20, 1993 at the age of 46. He was one of the youngest men to hold the office of President and the first Democrat to be elected since 1976. As President, Clinton worked on health care reform, cut federal spending, created jobs, reduced the deficit and enacted the Assault Weapon Ban as part of the Crime Bill. He also helped Israel and Jordan achieve a peace treaty, enabled a peace accord between Israel and Palestine and contributed to the cease fire in Northern Ireland. Clinton stepped down from the Presidency in 2000 to make way for George W. Bush, and established himself in offices in Harlem, New York City, New York, while his wife was elected to the U.S. Senate, representing New York State.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (1)
Library Journal Review
President Clinton offers his vision of America, as is required of all incumbents and challengers during an election year. This work is better than the usual puffery written to produce votes through a rosy assessment of one's performance. Certainly, the president can be questioned about a number of his assertions. Have more and better jobs been created? Are there more police officers on patrol? Will the new welfare reform bill succeed without day-care and jobs provisions? However, he clearly articulates his agenda in a style reminiscent of his best speeches. Clinton's plans for environmental protection, deficit reduction, expanded educational and training opportunities, public/private partnerships, and peace and security are worthy of bipartisan support. But presidents are judged on their achievements far more than on their plans and visions. Recommended for public libraries. Purchase as demand warrants.Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, Pa. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Excerpts
Excerpts
Preface This book continues the conversation I have had with the American people about our destiny as a nation, our duty to prepare for the new century, and our need for a shared vision of twenty-first century America that will enable us to grasp the extraordinary opportunities of this age of possibility. The Proverbs teach us that "Where there is no vision, the people perish." I ran for President in 1992 because I thought that our nation lacked a unifying vision for our future and a strategy to achieve it, and that we were in danger of just drifting into the new era. My vision for America at the dawn of a new century is of a nation in which the American Dream is a reality for all who are willing to work for it; our diverse American community is growing stronger together; and our leadership for peace, freedom, and prosperity continues to shape the world. To achieve this vision we must pursue a three-part strategy. First, we must create opportunity for all Americans. Second, we must demand responsibility from all Americans. And third, we must forge a stronger American community. In the three main sections of this book--Opportunity, Responsibility, and Community--I explore the most important challenges we face today, the progress we have made in the last four years and what still must be done, and what responsibilities individuals and families, businesses and labor, community leaders and government have as we move toward the next century. We know that when we stay true to our values and work together, America always wins. I believe this is the path America must take into the twenty-first century. We have followed it for the last several years, and clearly it is beginning to work. We have 10 million new jobs; the deficit is down from $290 billion to $117 billion; our government is smaller by over 225,000 employees but is more effective; the crime rate has dropped steadily as we have put more police on the streets and taken guns away from felons, fugitives, and stalkers; our environmental and public-health standards are higher; our families are healthier and stronger. Still, there is clearly more to do. That is what much of this book is about. But first we must make a choice: shall we live by our fears and define ourselves by what we are against, or shall we live by our hopes and define ourselves by what we are working for, by our vision of a better future. This is the choice that each of us--every individual, every family, every community, every generation--must make every day. My balance scale tilts heavily in the direction of hope, just as America's does, and always has. We must be faithful to that tradition. If we are driven by our vision of a better future, we will achieve it. Excerpted from Between Hope and History: Meeting America's Challenges for the 21st Century by Bill Clinton, William Jefferson Clinton All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
