The Clinton Economic Boom

By B.A. Marbue Brown

Book Overview

Bill Clinton often gets credit for being the architect of the longest economic expansion in U.S. history and for being the catalyst for 22+ million jobs that were created during his tenure. Based on... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1606472615
• ISBN13: 9781606472613
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Xulon Press
• Length: 212 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Cogent, enlightening and thoroughly researched

In this book the author dispels the myth of Clintonomics--former president Clinton is often credited with creating an economic boom during his presidency and accomplishing feats such as balancing the budget and creating 22 million jobs, among others. Marbue's central thesis is that the Clinton administration had little to do with the factors that led to this boom. A confluence of factors such as the rise of the web, the Y2k bug, Telecom Act of 1996 (which Clinton passed but only on prodding from republicans), availability of cheap money etc. caused the stars to align in such a way that it really didn't matter who was president. The boom would have happened anyway and Clinton just got lucky! He argues his thesis so persuasively and backs it with numerous authoritavite references that it is almost impossible to refute. Marbue's goal in writing the book is to educate the electorate at large so we can make better choices when electing our leaders, to help us understand what led to past successes so that our politicians can't fool us. I personally learned a lot about how the US economy and policy works from reading the book and will forever be distrustful of any democrat who says "Let's just go back to Clintonomics". I had two lingering concerns while reading the book. 1. Isn't it the norm to hold presidents accountable for what happens on their watch, good or bad? If so, Clinton should be able to take credit for the economic boom. If a confluence of factors that Clinton had nothing to do with had led to a depression wouldn't we have blamed him? 2. Marbue's goal is a noble one but my initial feeling was that the level of detail is beyond the grasp (or interest) of the average voter. Politicians use sound bytes for a good reason: They work. Most people are too lazy to do the work necessary to be properly informed and might not be inclined to read the book. On second thought, books like Freakonomics, The World is Flat, Guns Germs and Steel and Outliers could be said to be in the same broad genre and have enjoyed some level of mainstream readership. I truly hope this book does too!

Separating opinions from fact

This book provides an in-depth, well-researched look at the influencing factors behind the 'boom' years during the Clinton presidency in the 1990's. It makes a compelling case that economic conditions at the time combined to create a 'perfect storm' of prosperity, rather than any particular actions taken by the administration. The factual, non-political nature of the book makes it a credible source of historical perspective. Perhaps the new Obama administration should read it to get some pointers . . .

Not What You Might Think

Upon receiving this book I felt sure that it was just another partisan jab at the Clinton presidency. However, the book is very neutral in that it doesn't partake in any of the mudslinging and factual contorting that is often associated with writings about political figures. This book use several well documented and reliable sources to offer up the case that the economic boom during the Clinton presidency was not the direct workings of his policies. This seems absurd at first, even for many who were not fond of Clinton, but the evidence does lend some credibility to the notion. In a nutshell, that's exactly what this book is: a well-written and substantially based proposition that deserves closer inspection by anyone who lived through the illustruous economic explosion of the 1990s. It is also possible to extrapolate from this book the effects of certain policies and actions that have had a dramatic impact on the current economic crisis. One should not approach this book as another Clinton-bashing bananza, because he or she will be sorely disappointed. This is just an account of what really happened and why.

Just the Facts!!!

What a timely book, coming out near the peak of the current election season! Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said "Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think." "The Clinton Economic Boom, and Other Myths of the Clinton Presidency" is an easy to read book, by a thinker, for thinkers unwilling to settle for soundbites and the conventional wisdom, as they face key decisions that will affect the future of this great country. This meticulously researched book, with nearly 300 references, is both an entertaining and educational read. Brown carefully, thorougly, and convincingly investigates and documents the primary contributory causes of the economic boom, balanced budget, and welfare reform that occurred during the Clinton years. Giving credit where credit is due, Brown's painstaking determination of where credit is due, or not, is based on solid data. This book will be engaging to people of all political persuasions. Though the primary focus is on debunking myths, the book details several policy issues where Clinton was "Out in Front." The book also has a section, of particular interest to policy makers, on the lessons learned from the economic boom of the 90's. I'm a better prepared citizen and voter, having read this book. You will be too. KWB

Let the Debates Begin!

The Clinton Economic Boomis a must read for the scholar and interested bystander alike. Whether your interest is history, economics, politics, journalism or some other field, you will find this book a compelling read. From the opening paragraph through to the conclusion, Mr. Brown puts forth compelling arguments backed by carefully researched and documented evidence. Whether one agrees or not with the premise behind the arguments, one is sure to at least have some doubts about the conventional wisdom surrounding the boom of the Clinton years. Too often we get bombarded by the media with stuff that we eventually come to believe as true without ever bothering to question its veracity. Then along comes Mr. Brown to not only challenge the widely accepted notion that Mr. Clinton was primarily responsible for the economic boom during his presidency, but to lay out convincing evidence that Mr, Clinton had little or nothing to do with the phenomenon commonly called the Clinton Economic Boom. I will highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the economic debate during the current election season, as well as those interested in getting their hands on a well written work.