Many believe that Hillary Clinton will win the presidency this coming November. Other than being the first female president, Hillary would stand in rarefied air in that her husband, Bill, was previously Commander-in-chief.
In a recent speech in Kentucky, Hillary went on the record to say that she’d put Bill in charge of revitalizing the economy should she become president. This is mostly seen to be a good strategy as U.S. economic growth has been subpar, and voters have seen the economy to be a big issue.
The numbers back it up: during Bill’s eight years in office, the U.S. economy added 22 million new jobs. That’s more jobs added than the previous four Republican presidents combined.
More people had jobs than ever, there was no deficit, and interest rates were low. In addition, the internet and technology sectors took off.
Some, however, don’t look at Bill’s tenure through rose-colored glasses. Former President Clinton enacted a number of legislative measures that deregulated the financial sector, which many say helped lead to the 2008 recession.
Bill also signed the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, along with a trade accord with China, which many argue led to U.S. workers losing employment opportunities.
With this being said, globalization may have penetrated the American job market even without the signing of such legislation.
Ultimately, Hillary’s press secretary clarified that there are no formal plans to name Bill to a formalized position within her administration. Due to Bill’s enduring reputation amongst many, it isn’t a stretch to believe that his influence, however minute, could affect the November election.
