Honesty and integrity are the most important ideals to have for a president in America. The American people desire a trustworthy president, a civic-minded president who serves his country with the utmost dedication. Bill Clinton, even when he was in government, tried to balance his self-pleasures with his public image of a civic virtue. This strategy backfired in the form of some of the most embarrassing presidential scandals. Clinton’s crimes have diminished the respect that the position of president has gained in the United States.
Clinton’s most notorious scandals started long before his election as president. Clinton was involved in a scandal when he was Arkansas’ governor. He was accused of selling land that was not worth the money. Even though this scandal is not illegal, the decision was unethical. Clinton sexually harassed Paula Jones as a state employee of Arkansas while he served as Arkansas governor. His decision led to the discovery of his other affairs and ultimately, his impeachment. Clinton’s affairs have clearly weakened his credibility as Arkansas Governor. The position of governor was already considered insufficient to qualify him for the office of president. Clinton may not have understood the implications of his decisions, but he made a bad decision by running for president. He would be accepting this office with a lot of evidence against him that would eventually incriminate his while he is trying to perform his presidential duties.
Clinton’s previous scandals were no longer a concern for him in his first term, which allowed the first 4 years of the Clinton presidency to be an economic triumph. Clinton’s economic success was evident in the first four years of his presidency. It could be argued, that the two government shutdowns during the Clinton administration were necessary and ultimately beneficial for the American Economy. In the 1996 Government Shutdown, Clinton was put under tremendous pressure by Newt Giingrich the newly appointed Speaker. Clinton and Gingrich achieved a successful compromise, which resulted a significant reduction of the deficit. The Clinton administration was viewed positively for its economic performance because of this surplus and the fact that Clinton’s years were prosperous. In some ways, the economy prospered regardless who was President due to Bush’s tax increases and other economic aspects. But it is possible to argue that Clinton’s deal was very positive for the American economies. This was his most important accomplishment during his presidency.
Clinton would be haunted by scandal near the end his second term. Paula Jones was suing Clinton for sexual harassment. It seemed that an agreement would soon be reached. Monica Lewinsky testified about the affair she had with Clinton. Clinton initially denied the scandal. However, after the semen of Clinton was found on the dress owned by Monica Lewinsky, it became apparent that he had deceived Americans. This scandal’s deception was unforgivable. Clinton was eventually impeached, but not removed from office. It’s abhorrent that a leader would lie to hide the truth about a conflict between their personal desires and the needs and concerns of the nation. Clinton’s lackadaisical attitude is something America would like to never see again.
Clinton’s presidency had the potential to become one of the most successful in terms of economics in recent decades, despite not having a particularly successful foreign policy or passing a lot of important legislation. A thriving economy and low debt are the keys to achieving anything on either the domestic or foreign front. Clinton may have been able to provide a strong economy in the future if he had not distracted himself from his duties to the American people. Clinton put his personal desires ahead of his civic duties during his presidency. It is a disgrace that an American president would show such a self-serving attitude. Clinton had a lot of potential as a president in terms economy. But his self-serving nature hindered that.
