--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I look back at the Clinton administration…" description: "\"I look back at the Clinton administration as eight years of a fundamental transformation in the direction of the country - toward favoring big business..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/jeffrey-st-clair-53132_abuse_i-look-back-at-the-clinton-administratio_2109402.jpg" --- # I look back at the Clinton administration as eight years… ![“I look back at the Clinton administration as eight years of a fundamental transformation in the direction of the country - toward favoring big business, and toward almost frontal assaults on the most underprivileged members of the society. It was much more than cutting the social safety net…” quote by Jeffrey St. Clair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/jeffrey-st-clair-53132_abuse_i-look-back-at-the-clinton-administratio_2109402.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/jeffrey-st-clair-53132_abuse_i-look-back-at-the-clinton-administratio_2109402.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/jeffrey-st-clair-53132_abuse_i-look-back-at-the-clinton-administratio_2109402.jpg) > “I look back at the Clinton administration as eight years of a fundamental transformation in the direction of the country - toward favoring big business, and toward almost frontal assaults on the most underprivileged members of the society. It was much more than cutting the social safety net. Clinton followed that by the abuse of those at the lowest rungs of our society - in ways that I don't think Bush, for all of his manifest faults, has done to the same degree.” [Jeffrey St. Clair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-st-clair/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Clinton era shifted policies to prioritize large corporations and reduced support for the poorest, intensifying inequality beyond mere welfare cuts. **In simple terms:** Clinton favored big business and hurt the poor more than Bush. Key Takeaway Recognize policy impacts on vulnerable groups. Themes politics inequality policy social justice Mood critical reflective Type analytical political When to use this quote - voting decisions - advocacy campaigns - community organizing - policy analysis Key Concepts neoliberalism welfare state economic disparity Questions to Reflect On - How did policy changes affect low‑income families? - Can economic growth coexist with strong safety nets? A Different Perspective Some argue economic growth benefited all, not just the elite. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Big business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-business/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton/) [Clinton administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton-administration/) [Clinton Followed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton-followed-4252318/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Followed Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/followed-abuse-2235701/) [Lowest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lowest/) [Manifest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manifest/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/) [Safety net](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety-net/) [Think Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-bush-253363/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Transformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transformation/) ## Related quotes > [Hillary Clinton, who followed her heart to Arkansas, understands that the American Dream extends beyond the Mason-Dixon line and that South Carolina's motto, 'While…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-harrison/hillary-clinton-who-followed-her-heart-to-arkansas-understands-that/) [Jaime Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-harrison/) > [Shall I faint, now that I have poured out the spirit of my mind to the world, and treated many subjects with truth, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/shall-i-faint-now-that-i-have-poured-out-the-spirit-of-my-mind-to-the/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The Clinton administration opened the doors for Bush Junior in ways that Junior's father never did. Aside from the obvious Oedipal things going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-st-clair/the-clinton-administration-opened-the-doors-for-bush-junior-in-ways/) [Jeffrey St. Clair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-st-clair/) > [“I use “anticapitalist” because conservative defenders of capitalism regularly say their liberal and socialist opponents are against capitalism. They say efforts to provide a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/i-use-anticapitalist-because-conservative-defenders-of-capitalism/) [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [I think Bush has capitulated on affirmative action and government spending. Apart from that, he's OK, I guess. About the same as Howard Dean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brimelow/i-think-bush-has-capitulated-on-affirmative-action-and-government/) [Peter Brimelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brimelow/) > [I think Bush has a very selfish, arrogant point of view. I think he is interested in power, I think he believes his truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-think-bush-has-a-very-selfish-arrogant-point-of-view-i-think-he-is/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [They plan to ride into the White House on the Sweet Talk Express. Well, think again. Bush and Cheney are not compassionate conservatives. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-ireland/they-plan-to-ride-into-the-white-house-on-the-sweet-talk-express-well/) [Patricia Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-ireland/) > [I don't think there's any Bush baggage at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/i-don-t-think-there-s-any-bush-baggage-at-all/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [I don't think Bush was legitimately elected President.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-don-t-think-bush-was-legitimately-elected-president/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“Perhaps he didn’t eat the flesh of mammals, and was anti-American, or in any case anti-Bush – the latter stance gave people carte blanche…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/perhaps-he-didn-t-eat-the-flesh-of-mammals-and-was-anti-american-or/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [ I really think \[the Bush Administration\]'s foreign policy agenda is to spread irony through the world. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-really-think-the-bush-administration-s-foreign-policy-agenda-is-to/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [And then you've got Lieberman, who is for the war. And thinks the tax cuts could really help. He's basically for people who want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/and-then-you-ve-got-lieberman-who-is-for-the-war-and-thinks-the-tax/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Bush is smart. I don't think that Bush will ever be impeached, 'cause unlike Clinton, Reagan, or even his father, George W. is immune…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-is-smart-i-don-t-think-that-bush-will-ever-be-impeached-cause/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Probably we'll think of Bush in years to come as an American hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/probably-we-ll-think-of-bush-in-years-to-come-as-an-american-hero/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [I think Bush understands the Internet and the incredible expansion of global e-commerce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/i-think-bush-understands-the-internet-and-the-incredible-expansion-of/) [Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/) ## More by Jeffrey St. Clair > [Clinton provided the final transition between decaying old-style liberalism and the new neoliberalism and neoconservatism - which are kind of incestuous first cousins. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-st-clair/clinton-provided-the-final-transition-between-decaying-old-style/) [Jeffrey St. Clair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-st-clair/) > [Drone strikes, Albert Camus would argue, are not just meant to kill. They are programmed to terrorize. In this regard, whether the missile strikes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-st-clair/drone-strikes-albert-camus-would-argue-are-not-just-meant-to-kill/) [Jeffrey St. Clair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-st-clair/) > [Hillary Clinton is the one you would think would have some kind of political conscience - the good Methodist, the feminist, the crusader against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-st-clair/hillary-clinton-is-the-one-you-would-think-would-have-some-kind-of/) [Jeffrey St. Clair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-st-clair/) > [The Clintons are political invertebrates. They really don't have any kind of spine. They're infinitely flexible, because really, it's all about power for them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-st-clair/the-clintons-are-political-invertebrates-they-really-don-t-have-any/) [Jeffrey St. Clair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-st-clair/) > [The Clinton administration opened the doors for Bush Junior in ways that Junior's father never did. Aside from the obvious Oedipal things going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-st-clair/the-clinton-administration-opened-the-doors-for-bush-junior-in-ways/) [Jeffrey St. Clair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-st-clair/) > [Bill Clinton is the master politician. In one way, you can say that he was never really about self-enrichment - he was interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-st-clair/bill-clinton-is-the-master-politician-in-one-way-you-can-say-that-he/) [Jeffrey St. Clair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-st-clair/) [Explore all 7 Jeffrey St. Clair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-st-clair/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I look back at the Clinton administration as eight years of a fundamental transformation in the direction of the country - toward favoring big business, and toward almost frontal assaults on the most underprivileged members of the society. It was much more than cutting the social safety net. Clinton followed that by the abuse of those at the lowest rungs of our society - in ways that I don't think Bush, for all of his manifest faults, has done to the same degree.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeffrey St. Clair" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-st-clair/i-look-back-at-the-clinton-administration-as-eight-years-of-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-st-clair/i-look-back-at-the-clinton-administration-as-eight-years-of-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/jeffrey-st-clair-53132_abuse_i-look-back-at-the-clinton-administratio_2109402.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/jeffrey-st-clair-53132_abuse_i-look-back-at-the-clinton-administratio_2109402.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/jeffrey-st-clair-53132_abuse_i-look-back-at-the-clinton-administratio_2109402.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I look back at the Clinton administration as eight years of a fundamental transformation in the direction of…” — Jeffrey St. Clair", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jeffrey St. Clair", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-st-clair/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I look back at the Clinton...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-st-clair/i-look-back-at-the-clinton-administration-as-eight-years-of-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-st-clair/i-look-back-at-the-clinton-administration-as-eight-years-of-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```