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I know we're all sick of the mess in Washington; and I know you don't want to hear more about it. But from the response I got to last week's essay, ("When Does the Politics End?," it is obvious that I have a little more explaining to do on the topic. Please stick with me here; this is important.
Many of you replied that the mess is a private matter between two consenting adults, and therefore none of our business. You thought that I was writing about Monica Lewinsky. Go back and read it again; I barely mentioned her name. (Of course, never mind that what is alleged to have happened between the two of them occurred in a building that our tax dollars pay for, and never mind that no chief executive officer of any major corporation in American would be allowed to get away with it. And never mind The 10 Commandments. But OK, have it your way: it doesn't matter.)
Some of you said, "How do we know he was lying"? And some of you said, "So what? They all do it." That is what I am addressing today. This essay is about what is on the record, what we do know - not speculation; not rumor; not innuendo.
First and most important, this is not about sex! There is not one mention of sex with Monica Lewinsky in the remainder of this essay.
It is not about sex; it is about a pattern... a long, unbroken pattern of lies, deceit, abuse of power, and contempt for the American people. You need to understand that. I'm going to list just a few examples, along with links on this page to some details. You can click the number to jump to the details:
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1. The president lied about his military draft status. 2. The president lied about his use of marijuana. 3. Governor Clinton lied to the people of Arkansas about his intentions of running for president. 4. The president lied about his intentions of raising taxes on the middle class. 5. The president lied about his intentions of giving a tax cut to the middle class. 6. The president lied to or misled the American people about his plan to balance the federal budget. 7. The president lied to or grossly misled the American people about his intention of linking civil rights in China to his trade policy with China. 8. The president lied about his intention of returning refugees to Haiti. 9. In one of the biggest frauds of his first term, the president lied to the American people about the reduction of White House staff. 10. The president mislead the American people about his intent to use military forces in Haiti. 11. The president mislead the American people about keeping U.S. troops in Bosnia. 12. The president misled the American people about his intended use of military forces in Somalia. 13. The president misled the American people about his intention to put more criminals behind bars. 14. In another huge legislative fraud, the president lied to American people about additional police officers in his crime bill. The administration boasted over and over again about "100,000 new cops on the street" as the cornerstone of the bill. There never was, there never will be 100,000 new cops on the street as a result of the bill. And everybody in Washington knew it all along. 15. The president lied to or misled the American people about the existence of a legislative program. 16. The president lied to the American people about his desire to add additional mandates and regulations. 17. The president was wrong about his claim that a Republican plan would close 700 hospitals. And when faced with the facts, the White House said, "The President stands by his statement" - his false statement. 18. The president lied when he said he did not have an affair with Gennifer Flowers. 19. The president lied when he said he never told anyone to lie. 20. The president grossly misled the prosecutors when asked about gifts given to Monica Lewinsky. 21. The president lied when he said he was looking forward to his grand jury testimony. 22. The president lied when he said, through his lawyer, that he was volunteering to testify. 23. The president lied when he spoke about black churches burning in Arkansas. 24. The president lied to or grossly misled the American people about his intention to request the line item veto. 25. The president grossly misled the American people about his emphasis on ethics. 26. The president lied to or misled the American people about tax deductions he took. 27. The president lied to or grossly misled the American people about making campaign contributions calls from the White House. 28. The president grossly misled the American people when he promised a cabinet that would "look like America." 29. The president grossly misled the American people on whatever stand he has on family values. 30. The president lied to or grossly misled the American people on his belief in the use of campaign contributions to gain access to the White House. 31. The president grossly misled the American people on his belief in spending programs using our tax dollars. 32. The president lied to the American people when he said he preferred "more rather than less; sooner rather than later."
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To show that he has no grasp of the difference between fact and fiction, the president said, during a trip to Italy, "Just think, we are walking on the very ground where Romulus and Remus walked." Romulus and Remus are fictional characters.
I suppose it is just a small detail, but the president is quoted as saying, "I haven't eaten at McDonald's a single time since I've been president." But the facts clearly show otherwise.
I know the stuff about China and Somalia and Haiti is boring. But you said you did not want to hear about Monica Lewinsky. And China and Somalia and Haiti are what the president deals with... and part of what the president has lied about.
And I haven't even touched on illegal campaign contributions - perhaps the most serious offense. Over 90 witnesses have taken the fifth, refused to testify, or fled the country to avoid having to talk about that. But as yet, the complete facts in this scandal are not yet known; and you wanted me to stay away from mere accusations.
So forget the sex, forget Monica Lewinsky, forget the unproven accusations. We have, on the record, dozens of lies, exaggerations, misleading statements, and outright deceit. This president's utter and absolute contempt for the American people is despicable. That is what you should be concerned with.
Fortunately, I am not alone in my assessment. Democratic Senator Bob Kerrey was quoted in Esquire magazine as saying, "Clinton is an unusually good liar, unusually good." Ken Auletta, a media columnist for the New Yorker, wrote, "There is a feeling among reporters that the truth and Clinton don't often go together. Reporters have a feeling he is a man without conviction." How often has a respected journalist said that about a president? Don't tell me, "They all do it."
Want more? On Wednesday, August 12, the New York Times published an editorial by their respected columnist, Maureen Dowd. The title: "The Lying Little Boy in the White House." Who do you suppose she was writing about? George Bush?
And last week, columnist Bob Herbert wrote in the New York Times, "Bill Clinton was never about dignity or integrity or respect for others, qualities that should be prerequisites for the Presidency. He raised hopes with his style and his rhetoric, but it turned out there was very little that was authentic about the man. His contempt for the truth is legendary. His idea of ethical behavior is to operate as close as possible to the borders of corruption. His treatment of women, as the world knows, seemed at times both compulsive and atrocious, and became a source of profound embarrassment to the feminists who supported him so strongly."
So don't even think of comparing this level of deceit to other administrations. Don't you dare dismiss it as, "Well, they all do it."
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And if, after all this, you are still a supporter of the president, then
you have to say that you do not believe all the irrefutable evidence that
your president is a habitual liar and has a total disregard for the
truth. Or, you have to say that "these lies do not matter." And if these lies do not matter... what lies do?
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For more on this topic, read the BBHQ essay titled, "Why the Truth Matters."
And if you are not afraid of the truth, and want to learn more, try these books: "Blood Sport," by James Stewart; "The Agenda," by Bob Woodward; and "First in His Class," by David Marranis.
| "The lesson, of course, is that character does matter. The voters will probably remember that the next time around. In the meantime, Mr. Clinton may or may not be contemplating a mea culpa. It doesn't matter. It wouldn't be any more sincere than anything else he has said. If he had any sense of dignity or personal responsibility, he'd be working on his resignation." - Bob Herbert, New York Times; August, 6, 1998. |
This essay is dedicated to Phyllis, Margie, Louise, Melissa, Don, William, Rich, and Roberta.... and they know why.
Boomers Respond:
"I think that the President of the United States should be a person of integrity and strong ethics. I don't think that it is unreasonable for someone who represents me and my nation to be someone that I can be proud of and be willing to say that I voted for him or her." - Sarah
"The lies do matter; ethics matter; morality matters; lack of respect for everything most Americans are supposed to hold decent matters: but most of all--OUR VOTES MATTER!!" - JB
If you want to write more, we're open to offerings from other boomers. If you have something to say of interest to boomers, write it as well as you can in 500-800 words, and send it to us. We can't guarantee we'll publish it, but we'll surely consider it.
Hershel will have something else to say on Monday, August 17; mark your calendar to come back to BBHQ every Monday.
| The BBHQ Album of the Month is "Old Friends Live on Stage (Deluxe Edition) (2 CD/1 DVD)," by Simon & Garfunkel. If you were fortunate enough to see them in concert last year, I do not have to sell you. The concert was terrific! This album collection includes 55 songs, plus their new recording, "Citizen of the Planet," and one of the songs sung by the Everly Brothers during the concert. The DVD was recorded during their concert in Madison Square Garden in 2003. For any S&G fan, this is a must have! But then, you knew that already, didn't you? |
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The BBHQ Book of the Month is
"Vinyl Highway," by
Dee Dee Phelps. You remember her as Dee Dee, of Dick and Dee Dee.
Together, they took a decade long ride on the rock and roll roller
coaster. It was a heck of a ride! Dick Clark, Quincy Jones, the Beach
Boys, Glenn Campbell, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Vinton... Dick and Dee Dee
rubbed shoulders with all of them. This is her "behind the scenes" story.
It's pretty cool.
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Here is the supporting evidence and details:
1. At the state level, Clinton was able to get away with this explanation about why he was never drafted: "I was just lucky, I guess," When we learned that his statement was in stark contrast to the truth, Clinton said, "I'd been in public life a long time, and no one had ever questioned my role." Actually his draft record has been raised in almost every political campaign of his life. At one time he said he never received his draft notice... but he stopped saying that when the official record proved otherwise. And his dodging of the draft is now on the record... and legendary.
2. In 1991, Governor Clinton was asked: "Have you ever used marijuana or any illegal drugs?" His response: "I've never broken any drug law." Asked again and again in 1992, he finally said, "I've never broken a state law. But when I was in England I experimented with marijuana a time or two..." But later in that same interview he said, "No one has ever asked me that question point-blank." (New York Times, March 30, 1992.)
3. In 1990, as a candidate for re-election, Governor Clinton promised the Arkansas voters that it they re-elected him, he would not run for president in 1992. The night of his re-election, he went back to the governor's mansion... and began planning his campaign for the presidency in 1992.
4. While running for president in 1992, candidate Clinton said, "I will not raise taxes on the middle class to pay for these programs. If the money does not come in there to pay for these programs, we will cut other government spending or we will slow down the phase-in of these programs. I am not gonna raise taxes on the middle class to pay for these programs." In fact, a giant raise in taxes for middle-class taxpayers was always part of his economic plan.
In February, 1993, the new president said, "I can't [avoid raising taxes on the middle class] because the deficit has increased so much, beyond my earlier estimates." But in fact, "[S]enior Administration officials, including Bentsen and Panetta, concede that the professed shock at higher deficit estimates issued after the election was largely feigned. Moreover, the new Clinton team issued initial budget projections soon after taking office that put absolutely the worst face possible on the deficit outlook, manipulating data to reinforce the impression that Bush had left Clinton with a fiscal nightmare." Los Angeles Times, April 24, 1994. The budget projections over which the administration feigned surprise had been published in the U.S. News and World Report during the summer of 1992.
On Sept. 8,1992, Bill Clinton said, "The only people who will pay more income taxes are the wealthiest 2 percent, those living in households making over $200,000 a year."
In response to a Bush-Quayle ad that people with incomes of as little as $36,000 would pay more taxes under the Clinton plan, Bill Clinton said on Oct. 1, 1992, "It's a disgrace to the American people that the president (Bush) of the United States would make a claim that is so baseless, that is so without foundation, so shameless in its attempt to get votes under false pretenses."
Yet the New York Times, in the analysis of Clinton's budget, wrote, "There are tax increases for every family making more than $20,000 a year!"
"While Clinton continued to defend his middle-class tax cut publicly, he privately expressed the view to his advisers that it was intellectually dishonest." (The Agenda, by Bob Woodward.)
5. "I've offered a comprehensive plan to get our economy moving again. It starts with a tax cut for the middle class and asks the rich to pay their fair share again." Clinton's first campaign ad, January 1992.
"We will lower the tax burden on middle class Americans by asking the very wealthy to pay their fair share. Middle class taxpayers will have a choice between a children's tax credit or a significant reduction in their income tax rate." Putting People First, September 1992.
But this is what the president said after the election: "From New Hampshire forward, for reasons that absolutely mystified me, the press thought the most important issue in the race was the middle class tax cut. I never did meet any voter who thought that." January 14, 1993.
"To middle class Americans who have paid a great deal for the last 12 years and from whom I ask a contribution tonight..." February 17, 1993. And then he enacted the largest tax increase in American history.
6. "I would present a five-year plan to balance the budget." June 4, 1992. It never happened. It flat-out never happened. During his first term, the president made several statements about balancing the budget. It could be done in 5 years, 6 years, 7 years. But in fact, he never had a plan to balance the budget until after the Republicans gained the upper hand in Congress and presented a plan of their own. Then the president came up with a plan, and has been taking credit for it ever since. But the truth is that the balanced budget we enjoy today has little to do with either party.
7. Candidate Clinton said, "We should not reward China with improved trade status when it has ... failed to make sufficient progress on human rights since the Tiananmen Square massacre. We will link China's trading privileges to its human rights record and its conduct on trade and weapon sales." August 13, 1992. But a year and a half later, President Clinton said, "I am moving, therefore, to delink human rights from the annual extension of most-favored nation trading status for China."
8. "I am appalled by the decision of the Bush administration to pick up fleeing Haitians on the high seas and forcibly return them to Haiti before considering their claim to political asylum.... If I were President, I would -- in the absence of clear and compelling evidence that they weren't political refugees -- give them temporary asylum until we restored the elected government of Haiti." - May, 1992. But after he took residence in the White House, he said, "For Haitians who do seek to leave Haiti, boat departure is a terrible and dangerous choice.... For this reason, the practice of returning those who fled Haiti by boat will continue... Those who do leave Haiti...by boat will be stopped and directly returned by the United States Coast Guard."
9. "We will reduce the White House staff by 25 percent..." - Putting People First, September 1992. But according to the Washington Post, "What the cuts [to White House staff] have become, instead, is a struggle to make the numbers come out right, a study in creative definitions of what constitutes the White House staff, and a flurry of pink slips sent to career workers...Figures provided by the White House...show increases in spending on the White House office staff, the vice president's staff, the Office of Administration, the Domestic policy office and the National Security Council...The Office of Management and Budget and the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, show slight increases as well. Despite all this, the president continued to claim a 15% reduction because he presumed you never would know the difference.
10. On the use of U.S. military forces in Haiti, the president said, "I have no intention of asking our young people in uniform...to go in there to do anything other than implement a peace agreement..." But six months later, he said, "...I think that we cannot afford to discount the prospect of a military option [in Haiti]."
11. President Clinton initially promised that American troops would be in Bosnia for only a year. That was way over two years ago, and they are still there. There is no end in sight to the use of U.S. troops in Bosnia.
12. On the use of U.S. military forces in Somalia, the president said, "The ultimate goal is to make sure that the United Nations can fulfill its mission there and continue to work with the Somalis toward nation building." But three months later, he said, "The U.S. military mission is not now nor was it ever one of 'nation building.'"
13. "We need to put...more criminals behind bars." Putting People First, September 1992. But in fact, prison construction decreased in the president's first term.
14. "Clinton Crime Plan Falls Far Short on Cops: Bill Clinton campaigned for president promising to put 100,000 more police on the nation's streets by 1996, but the crime package he sent to Congress calls for only half that number. What's more, Clinton's package authorizes $3.4 billion for more cops over a six-year period, or $650 million per year beginning next year. That's enough to pay the salaries of only 13,000 police at the average national cost in salary and benefits of $50,000 per year, and even less in big cities where costs are higher--and crime is at its worst." Roll Call, October 7, 1993.
"What I am advised is that there are 17,000 officers that can be identified as being on the streets." --Attorney General Janet Reno, media availability, 5/16/96.
Worse, not all of these cops are fighting crime. "At least $7.2 million in COPS grants has been used to hire 86 officers for state parks, marinas and other areas seemingly far removed from violent crime." --Investor's Business Daily, 7/16/96.
15. "I intend to have a legislative program ready on the desk of Congress on the day after I'm inaugurated. I intend to have an explosive 100-day action period." June 23, 1992. But the first explosive item on the president's agenda was gays in the military. "People of the press are expecting [us] to have some 100-day program. We never ever had one." Dee Dee Myers, January 12, 1993.
16. "I am going to stop handing down mandates to you and regulating you to death." June 22, 1992. Need I remind you of the president's health care plan, which included 1,3000 pages of government mandates and regulation? Ditto the Family Medical Leave Act.
17. According to the president, "The Republican Medicare plan will close 700 hospitals. So said the American Hospital Association" (AHA). No, the AHA informed the White House; that is not what they said. The White House response: "The President stands by his statement."
18. Before a national television audience, the president denied having an affair with Gennifer Flowers. But in the deposition for the Paula Jones civil suit, he admitted that he had indeed had an affair with her.
19. We have a tape recording of a conversation with Gennifer Flowers in which he said that if both parties to an event deny it, then there is nothing "they" can do about it.
20. In the deposition for the Paula Jones suit, the president was, at best, vague about gifts he had given to Monica Lewinsky. Question: "Have you ever given any gifts to Monica Lewinsky?" Answer: "I don't recall. Do you know what they were?" He knew very well what they were. (By the way, the White House has never denied that gifts were exchanged; so don't tell me that this only speculation.
21. If you believe that the president is looking forward to the grand jury testimony, then nothing I might write would change your mind.
22. The president refused five requests to testify before the grand jury. He agreed to testify only after he learned that he would have little support among his party members if he refused to do so, and that he would likely lose a court battle if he refused.
23. During a radio address to the nation, President Clinton tried to show his compassion and concern over a rash of church burnings in the south. "I have vivid and painful recollections of black churches burning in my own state when I was a child." The problem with this is that no black churches have ever burned in Arkansas... ever!
24. "To eliminate pork-barrel projects and cut government waste, we will ask Congress to give the President the line item veto." - Putting People First, September 1992. In fact, the president never asked Congress for the line-item veto. Never It was a Republican Congress that passed the legislation.
25. "We will have the most ethical administration in the history of the country," so the president said. That statement is so ludicrous at face value that it does not require elaboration.
"If I catch anybody using the State Department like that [searching files] when I'm president, you won't have to wait till after the election to see them gone...I just want you to know that the State Department of this country is not going to be fooling with Bill Clinton's politics, and if I catch anybody doing it I will fire them the next day; you won't have to have an inquiry or rigmarole or anything else..." - November 12, 1992. The reality: private FBI files of over 800 political opponents were found in the White House. To date, no one has taken responsibility for collecting the files. Craig Livingstone took the fall only after the press revealed the details.
26. The president said he had always erred on the side of caution when it came to preparing his tax returns. But he claimed $4 per pair of used socks that he donated to charity and paid fines three times for improperly prepared tax returns.
27. Actually, records show that he made at least 46 such phone calls.
28. The result was a cabinet that contained 14 lawyers and 20 millionaires. "Looks like America"? Not any America I know of.
29. In 1992, candidate Clinton said he was tired of politicians talking about family values. In 1996, it was the cornerstone of his re-election campaign.
30. The candidate: "American politics is being held hostage by big money interests.... Cliques of $100,000 donors buy access to Congress and the White House." The president: Sold private White House dinners to donors who gave at least $100,000 to the Democratic National Committee -- plus "private impromptu meetings" with senior officials, a "personal DNC staff contact" to cut through federal red tape, and seats on foreign trade missions.
31. Candidate Clinton said, "This country doesn't need a new program for every problem, and we won't get change simply by spending more on programs already on the books." But one of his first legislative initiatives was a huge spending program: "In spending, the stimulus program provides additional budget authority equal to $16.3 billion."
32. Back in January, the president said the American people deserved answers to the questions about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. He said he would prefer "more rather than less; sooner rather than later." But from that moment on, he and his lawyer have done everything possible to reveal as little information as possible, and to delay as much as possible. And on top of that, the Clinton administration has criticized the special prosecutor for dragging the investigation on. A perfect example of both the lies and hypocrisy of this administration.
Copyright © 1998 Baby Boomer HeadQuarters (BBHQ) All rights reserved.
rev. 11/29/98