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Clintonism refers to the political and economic policies of Bill and Hillary Clinton, as well as the era of his presidency in the United States.

The Democratic Leadership Council, a pro-Democratic Party establishment, argues that Clintonism "stands for economic growth and opportunity; for fiscal responsibility; for work, not welfare; for preventing crime and punishing criminals; and for non-bureaucratic, empowering government" and further says that "these policies are key to the successes in the beginning of the 21st century."

On the other hand, some critics of Clinton associate Clintonism with "coddling big money (except guns and tobacco), financial scandals, winning at any cost, flip-flopping and prevaricating".

Characteristics

Clintonism refers to the centrist or neoliberal wing of the United States Democratic Party centered on former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former First Lady, Senator, Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, both in their times in office and subsequently. It is also thought to encompass many other prominent people, including campaign consultant Dick Morris, journalist Sidney Blumenthal, Democratic National Committee Chairman Steven Grossman, politician and governor Bill Richardson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros, Treasury Department Secretary Robert Rubin and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

While the primary qualification is being aligned with or part of the inner circle associated with the Clintons, the ideology can be said in broad outline to favor certain policies:

• Free trade : an essential component of his economic policy, Clinton worked to pass the NAFTA and create the World Trade Organization.
• Balanced budget: Clintonism is associated with restraining the growth of federal spending in order to allow lower interest rates and freer monetary policy.
• Greater willingness to use and fund the military
• A willingness to compromise on social issues such as abortion and LGBT rights. Bill Clinton signed the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, although it was struck down by the Supreme Court and repealed by the 2022 Respect for Marriage Act.
• Reform or reduction of some government programs, exemplified by the ending of Aid to Families with Dependent Children as part of welfare reform.
• Internationalism, particularly the expansion of NATO.

The ideology is sometimes thought of as part of the Third Way, a brand of politics that is said to include (at the time or since) Prime Minister Tony Blair's New Labour in the United Kingdom, the Liberal Party in Canada and the Social Democratic Party in Germany under Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. According to Vanity Fair, Clintonism is foundationally "based on the baby boomer credo that you truly can have it all".

See also

• Hillaryland
• Political positions of Hillary Clinton
• Third Way

References

1. "Clintonism Lives" Archived 2002-09-06 at the Wayback Machine, Blueprint, January 18, 2002.
2. "Democrats Suffer From a Bad Case of Clintonism" Archived 2007-06-13 at the Wayback Machine, Los Angeles Times, April 9, 2000.
3. Sherman, Gabriel. "Confessions of a Clintonworld Exile". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2020-12-03.

External links

• The New York Times cover story on Clintonism

v t e Bill Clinton
42nd President of the United States (1993–2001) 40th and 42nd Governor of Arkansas (1979–1981, 1983–1992)
Presidency (timeline)	Transition 1st inauguration 2nd inauguration Timeline 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 January 2001 Economic policy AmeriCorps Health care plan North American Free Trade Agreement Balanced Budget Foreign policy International trips Clinton Doctrine Oslo I Accord Israel–Jordan peace treaty Dayton Agreement 2000 Camp David Summit Cruise missile strikes on Iraq 1993 1996 Operation Infinite Reach Bombing of Yugoslavia Bombing of Iraq (1998) National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 Transportation Equity Act One America Initiative Riegle-Neal Act Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Regulation Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 Telecommunications Act of 1996 Communications Decency Act Section 230 Nannygate Lincoln Bedroom for contributors controversy Commerce Department trade mission controversy 1996 United States campaign finance controversy Clinton–Lewinsky scandal Starr Report Impeachment efforts inquiry trial White House Millennium Council Pardons list Cabinet Judicial appointments Supreme Court controversies Executive Orders Presidential Proclamations Presidential transition of George W. Bush
Life and legacy	Childhood home Early life and career Governorships of Arkansas Presidential Library Post-presidency Clinton Foundation Clinton School of Public Service Clinton Bush Haiti Fund Chairman, National Constitution Center Honors and awards Public image Troopergate Sexual misconduct allegations Whitewater controversy
Speeches	Joint session of Congress (1993) Joint session of Congress (health care reform) (1993) State of the Union addresses 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Elections	U.S. House 1974 Gubernatorial 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1990 Presidential 1992 campaign "Make America Great Again" primaries running mate selection convention debates election theme song 1996 campaign primaries convention debates election
Books	Between Hope and History (1996) My Life (2004) Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World (2007) Back to Work (2011) The President Is Missing (2018) The President's Daughter (2021) Citizen: My Life After the White House (2024)
Namesakes	William Jefferson Clinton Federal Building Bill Clinton Boulevard Clinton National Airport
Popular culture	Saturday Night Live parodies of Bill Clinton The War Room (1993 documentary) The Silence of the Hams (1994 film) Primary Colors (1998 film) The Final Days (2000 short film) The Hunting of the President (2004 film) The Special Relationship (2010 film) Clinton (2012 film) Hillary and Clinton (2016 play) Impeachment: American Crime Story (2021 miniseries) The American Presidency with Bill Clinton (2022 documentary series)
Family	Hillary Rodham Clinton (wife) Chelsea Clinton (daughter) William Jefferson Blythe Jr. (father) Virginia Clinton Kelley (mother) Roger Clinton Sr. (first stepfather) Roger Clinton Jr. (brother) Jeff Dwire (second stepfather) Socks (cat) Buddy (dog) Whitehaven (residence)
← George H. W. Bush George W. Bush → Category

v t e Hillary Clinton
11th Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast (2020–present) 67th United States Secretary of State (2009–2013) US Senator from New York (2001–2009) First Lady of the United States (1993–2001) First Lady of Arkansas (1979–1981, 1983–1992)
Secretary of State	Tenure as Secretary Foreign trips Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review Foreign policy of the Obama administration Hillary Doctrine Email controversy UN Security Council Resolution 1888 UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict
US senator	Senate career Family Entertainment Protection Act Flag Protection Act of 2005
First Lady	Tenure as First Lady 1993 health care reform Hillaryland Travel office controversy FBI files controversy "Vast right-wing conspiracy" Vital Voices Save America's Treasures State Children's Health Insurance Program Adoption and Safe Families Act Foster Care Independence Act White House Millennium Council
Arkansas	Legal career Career in corporate governance Tenures as First Lady of Arkansas Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families Rose Law Firm Legal Services Corporation Whitewater controversy Cattle futures controversy
Philanthropic	Clinton Foundation State Department controversy Onward Together
Speeches and policies	Political positions "Women's Rights Are Human Rights" (1995) "Basket of deplorables" (2016)
Writings	Bibliography Senior thesis (1969) It Takes a Village (1996) Dear Socks, Dear Buddy (1998) An Invitation to the White House (2000) Living History (2003) Hard Choices (2014) Stronger Together (2016) What Happened (2017) The Book of Gutsy Women (2019) State of Terror (2021)
Electoral history	Senatorial elections 2000 US Senate election in New York 2006 US Senate election in New York 2008 Democratic presidential primaries Campaign Endorsements Debates Convention 2016 US presidential election Campaign Endorsements political non-political screen and stage performers other celebrities Democratic primaries debates running mate selection convention Democratic opposition General election debates Hillary Victory Fund
Legacy	Awards and honors Books about Public image Clinton National Airport
Popular culture	Hillary 1984 Saturday Night Live parodies Hillary Clinton: The Power of Women (2015 documentary) Hillary and Clinton (2016 play) Hillary (2020 documentary)
Family	Bill Clinton (husband presidency) Chelsea Clinton (daughter) Hugh E. Rodham (father) Dorothy Howell Rodham (mother) Hugh Rodham (brother) Tony Rodham (brother) Socks (cat) Buddy (dog) Whitehaven (residence)
Other	Situation Room (2011 photograph) Activities after 2016

• Bill Clinton
• Hillary Clinton
• Presidency of Bill Clinton
• American political neologisms
• Democratic Party (United States)
• Liberalism in the United States
• Centrism in the United States
• Eponymous political ideologies
• Political positions of presidents of the United States
• Political positions of state governors of the United States