Mudcat: "The Clintons screwed us"

By: Lowell
Published On: 10/3/2007 7:38:10 PM

According to Dave "Mudcat" Saunders, consultant to the Edwards for President campaign:

"Who screwed us?" he asks, voice rising in incredulity. "The Clintons screwed us." And, he adds, "Anybody that says different is delusional."

The Clintons did it with NAFTA, and the Bubbas know it, Mudcat says. Why, it's no wonder Hillary once sat on the board of Wal-Mart.

Well, I guess I'm delusional then, cuz I kind of enjoyed those 8 years of peace and prosperity, thank you very much.  Maybe to some people the 1990s were awful, but after nearly 7 years of George W. Bush, that decade looks like paradise at this point.  

One other point:  then-Vice President Al Gore, who presumably the Edwards campaign is trying to court for his endorsement, appeared on Larry King in 1993 and passionately argued the pro-NAFTA side against Ross Perot (YouTube video on the "flip").  If "the Clintons screwed us," then I presume Al Gore did as well?  Hmmmm.

P.S.  By the way, I was a big fan of free trade back in 1993, but today am much more of a "fair trade" advocate and far less enamored of "free trade."  Still, to accuse the Clinton/Gore administration of "screwing us" because of NAFTA seems a bit harsh (and inaccurate) to me, even given my current views on trade policy.

Comments



"The Clintons Screwed Us" (soccerdem - 10/4/2007 11:44:45 AM)
Call me delusional but I strongly disagree in toto with "Mudsmearer" Saunders as to the Clintons screwing us.  Rather, I totally agree with Lowell that the Clinton 8 years were a time almost of total peace, happiness for our country, a sense of togetherness even with the impeachment, which further solidified our support of Bill Clinton right to the end.  The crime rate in inner cities dropped as jobs became more and more available for ALL workers.  Not a life was lost in Kosovo (thanks, Wesley Clark).  And unemployment--4.1%.

That's "screwed"?  And also right is that after 7 years of Bush all the  mouthwash in Fredericksburg won't wash away the taste of corruption, malfeasance, hypocricy, you name it, that the  system put in place by the Edgar Bergens controlling Bush's strings has left in our mouths.

Finally, I believe that had Gore been elected we would have seen (1)actions created by him to ease the transition to NAFTA, (2)actions taken to level the playing fields between Latin American and Chinese trade with us to ensure that jobs would not be outsourced en masse, and (3)all the humanitarian legislation required to retrain people, keep kids insured, and keep Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security safe, FOR THAT IS WHAT DEMOCRATS DO WHEN THEY ARE IN POWER.

If this is being "screwed," I will gladly lie back and enjoy it.