Letter from Washington: Obama’s Playing Field

It was August, 1993 and President Clinton was working the Democratic majority in Congress to gather the votes for his first budget plan. For a President trying to change the direction of federal policy, as he was after 12 years of Republicans Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, the first budget is perhaps the most important piece of legislation that he would propose – ever. Reagan used his first budget plan to cut taxes dramatically while restraining domestic spending and shifting resources for a big defense build-up. So this was a key moment for Clinton, one that could literally make or break his young presidency.

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