With all the talk over Bill Clinton's record, it's cool to come across this debate that The American Prospect hosted between economist Max Sawicky and Hillary adviser Ann Lewis, asking whether Clinton advanced or impeded progressivism during his eight years in office. Lewis writes:Were there failures? Of course, most notably the failure to pass a health-care bill that is now more badly needed than ever. That bill failed as part of the too-ambitious agenda of Clinton's first two years, and it contributed to the political backlash that cost Democrats control of Congress in 1994. And there were painful disagreements with friends, particularly over the welfare-reform bill of 1996 -- a subject that calls for a debate of its own.But there were also progressive victories that deserve more attention, including the numerous times Clinton stood up to right-wing attempts to use wedge politics. The attack on affirmative action had gathered significant national momentum until Clinton spoke out with his "mend it, don't end it" speech. The “partial-birth abortion” bill, designed to be politically unstoppable, was vetoed twice by Clinton because, he explained, it gave no consideration to women's health. He was unable to end discrimination against gays in the military, but he made historic appointments of openly gay men and lesbians, issued an executive order ending federal discrimination on the basis on sexual orientation, and spoke both for barring private-sector nondiscrimination and adding sexual orientation to the hate-crimes bill.Sawicky rejoins that it was a time of missed opportunities and unhelpful rhetoric:
